Nanowrimo 2022
Laying on the Line
American Kingdom: Day 28.2
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No, we were not decent. Not even close. The room was a chaos of nude bodies, bath towels, and naked frustration for a moment before we were at least covered and Sergeant Payne poked her head in.
“Phone call from the Palace. Hurry.”
I jumped up and reached for my underwear.
“Not you, your bosom buddy there.”
Hazel rummaged through her things. Nothing in the room was where it should be.
“You two are lucky I was on duty,” she said, watching with sour delight as we both scrambled to get dressed at once. “Sir Brian had only just left the office. He would have enjoyed this even more than me.”
“He might have had the decency to shut the door and wait outside,” I said, glaring at her.
“Yeah. Good point,” she said, not taking the hint at all. “Hurry up, it’s the Palace!”
Hazel might not have been in parade order when she left, running, a minute later, Payne at her heels. I took some care with my own appearance, wondering if I would be called up as well. What the hell was going on?
She hadn’t returned by the time evening quiet began, so I read some of John by myself, just our Lord for company. He knew I couldn’t pray in any sort of coherent manner just then, and reading John’s poetical descriptions of His life calmed me. John had been closer to the heart than any of the others; there is a real feeling of Jesus being sure of his place in the divine world and that always anchored and calmed me.
“Just routine,” Hazel said when the chime for quiet’s end sounded and she walked calmly across from the office.
Routine? How could an urgent call from the Regent’s Palace be business as usual?
Later, I’ll fix you up later, her eyes promised. Nathan came walking down from his lonely end of the barracks and without a word extended his elbows, escorting Hazel and I as we followed Annie and Oscar to dinner.
Once again, we were eating outside under the stars by the light of candles. This time Sir Duane’s gaze fell upon Annie for a blessing. She took the hands of those beside her — Sergeant Payne on her right and Hazel on her left — and the chain filled up around the table.
“Let us meet this day with joyous singing hearts, thanking our Heavenly King for all blessings and abundance. We sit here together in glad company, certain that soon we shall dine with the Lord and all his angels. Amen.”
“Amen,” I echoed, feeling my own heart humming happily in response.
“Some announcements,” Sir Duane said, rising. “The navigation lesson and exercise planned for tomorrow has been cancelled. I know that some of you will be sorry to miss out on a stroll through some of the most interesting and varied terrain that our piece of America has to offer, but circumstances have changed.
“Instead, we will enjoy a morning of drill followed by a graduation ceremony and some words from Prince Jeff of Missouri. The requirements for graduation have been achieved in record time. Nathan, you will be pleased to hear, has been selected to join the Palace Guard, and the rest of you will receive your assignments tomorrow.
“I join with my instructor staff in thanking you for your efforts and wishing you the very best on your future paths with the Kingdom. I think that I can echo Recruit Dansom’s wish that we shall soon sit down to dine with the Lord, I feel that with our company here tonight, that glorious day is closer than before.”
He raised his glass, full of a white wine, and we lifted ours in return. A buttery-smooth chardonnay. Mine went down very well indeed.
We three at the junior end of the table looked at each other, smiling. We had, it seemed, cracked the code and found a satisfactory solution.
Halfway up the male side, Oscar pushed his chair back and stood up. “If I may, Sir Duane, I would like to respond to your news on behalf of my fellow students.”
Oh great. This was turning into speech night. My nostrils were enjoying the scent of some chicken and peppers dish that was about to be served. With the wine as a perfect complement this would be one more step away from the dismal culinary picture that Princess Dee had painted for me. Not quite Charleston’s seafood-based magnificence, but certainly more than I expected from Missouri.
“We have enjoyed the amenities of Camp Whiffie, notably the fine dining, wise and capable instruction, and the companionship of keen recruits to the service of our King. We are filled with new zeal and energy.
“I have some news of my own to share. This evening I asked Doctor Dansom for her hand in marriage and she did me the very great honor of accepting.” He stretched his hand out to take that of Annie, sitting opposite and smiling as she rose to her feet. “It is our wish that we be married as soon as possible.”
Cheers and claps and smiles all round. By the time the moon rose on dessert, we were a very cheerful company, a bottle of sparkling wine having appeared to replace the fond and fading chardonnay memory.
Sir Duane announced the relaxation of the four drink limit and we all but danced up to the club.
Next chapter:
The whole story:
Notes
Things are moving quickly. Somewhere last night my subconscious sketched out an alternate path for this part of the novel. A crucial — and I use that word advisedly — development sparked by my contemplation of where Annie’s casual remark of the previous evening had come from.
Fasten your seatbelts, readers, we’re off on a new adventure!
