H.R.H. (9 page)

“Good. Then if you understand me, we can go on,” he said, undaunted. “Because ultimately, you have no choice here. I will only discuss this with you if you truly accept who you are, and resign yourself to what you eventually must do. If you can't do it now, then I will give you some time to adjust to the idea, but sooner or later, you must come home to your responsibilities in Vaduz. To your own duties and obligations, and to help and guide your brother with his.” It was an awesome burden for her to hear what he expected of her, and would one day. It was worse than she had feared.

“I don't want to go to Paris,” she said, looking stubborn.

“I wasn't going to suggest Paris. And I don't like what I am going to suggest. But the Red Cross director himself has agreed to take full responsibility for you. He assured me, in fact he swore to me, that if I entrust you to him, you will come to no harm, and I intend to hold him to it. If even the slightest incident occurs, or any political situation becomes unpleasant, then you are coming home on the next flight without further discussion. But until then, I am agreeing to allow you to join one of their projects for the next six months. At most a year, if it goes smoothly. But after that, no matter what, you come home. And for now, I am only committing to six months. We'll see what happens after that. They have a project in Africa that they think might appeal to you. It was started by your friend Marque. It's primarily a center for women and children with AIDS, and it's one of the few peaceful parts of Africa at the moment. If that changes at any time, it's over and you come home. Is that clear?” There were tears in his eyes when he finished speaking to her, and she stared at him in amazement. She had never in a million years expected him to change his mind about what she wanted to do.

“Are you serious? Do you mean it?” She got up and threw her arms around his neck, unable to believe it. There were tears in her eyes too as she hugged him and kissed him. She was ecstatic. “Oh, Papa!” she said, moved beyond words, as he hugged her tightly.

“I'm probably completely insane to let you do this. I must be getting senile,” he said in a shaken voice. He had thought long and hard about it, and had remembered how anguished he had been himself at her age, wanting to do something more meaningful with his life. It had been an agonizing few years for him, and as crown prince he had been utterly unable to free himself from his duties, and had to live with his frustration. And then he had met her mother and married her and everything had changed. His father had died soon after, and he had become reigning prince. He had never had time to look back at those early unhappy days again, but he remembered them well when he jogged his memory, which was what had finally convinced him. And Christianna would never have the burden or responsibility of reigning. That lot would fall to her brother, and never to her, since women could not reign in Liechtenstein. All of that had finally led to his decision, although he had done so with enormous trepidation, and only because he loved her so much, which Christianna always knew, even when she was angry at him. She wasn't angry at him now. She had never in her life been as grateful or as happy.

“Oh, Papa,” she said, her voice filled with emotion. “When can I go?”

“I want you here for the holidays. I'm not going to be here without you, selfish as it sounds. And it is. I told the director you can go in January, or later if you prefer, but not before. They need time to get ready for you anyway. They're setting up some new programs there, and they don't want any new volunteers until at least then.” She nodded. She could live with that. It was less than four months away. She could hardly wait.

“I promise, I'll do everything you want me to, until I leave.”

“You'd better,” he said with a rueful grin at the daughter he loved so much, “or I might change my mind.”

“Please don't!” she said, looking like a child again. “I promise I'll behave.”

The only thing she regretted about it was that she would be leaving before her brother returned. But she would see him when she got back, or perhaps he'd come to visit, since he had very little to do in Vaduz, and loved to travel. He had been to Africa himself several times. She could hardly wait for her adventure to begin. She had never been so happy in her life. And afterward, when she had to come home, she would have to make her peace with it. As her father said, it was her destiny, and her lot in life. And maybe then, she'd go to work for the foundation, and one day run it, since her brother had no interest in it, and when he succeeded their father, he would no longer have time. The thought of guiding him still frightened her. It was something she'd have to face eventually, she knew. But first she had her time in Africa to think about. She could think of nothing else.

“You have to do several weeks of training in Geneva before you leave. I'll give you the director's number, and you can have your secretary set it up with him. Or perhaps they can send someone to train you here.” She didn't want special favors from them, she wanted more than anything to be the same as everyone else. If only for this one precious year. It was her last chance.

“I'll go to Geneva,” she said quietly, without telling him why.

“Well then,” he said, standing up. “You have much to think about and much to celebrate.” He paused in the doorway and looked back at her, and for just a moment he looked like an old man. “I'll miss you terribly while you're gone.” And worry about her constantly, but he didn't tell her that. He looked tired and sad as he stood at the door.

“I love you, Papa … thank you … with all my heart,” she said, and he knew it was heartfelt. He knew he had done the right thing for her, no matter how hard it was for him. And he would send people to protect and safeguard her, there would be no argument with that.

“I love you too, Cricky,” he said softly, nodded, smiled at her, and left the room with tears in his eyes.

Chapter 6

O
nce her father had agreed to let her work for the Red Cross, Christianna threw herself into her duties in Vaduz with renewed energy, cutting ribbons, visiting the sick and elderly, reading to orphans, and attending diplomatic and state events with her father, without a single word of complaint. He was touched by the efforts she made, and hopeful that she would be ready to adjust to the duties of her royal life with more equanimity when she got home. She could hardly wait to leave for Africa in January, and had had a note from Marque, who had heard via the grapevine that Christianna would be going to Africa. She thanked her again for her efforts when they had met, and wished her well on her new adventure. She was excited for her. She said it would be an experience she would never forget. Marque still went to Africa herself at every opportunity, and said she might come to visit while Christianna was there.

Neither Christianna nor her father was prepared for Freddy's reaction when Christianna sent her brother an e-mail, telling him her plans. He was incensed, and violently opposed to the idea. He called their father, and did everything he could to convince him to change his mind. But much to Christianna's relief, her father held firm. After arguing with his father about it unsuccessfully, Freddy decided to call her himself.

“Are you out of your mind?” he said angrily. “What are you thinking, Cricky? Africa is dangerous, you have no idea what you're doing. You'll get killed by natives in some local uprising, or you'll get sick. I've been there, it's not a place for you. Father must be insane.” She was relieved that Freddy hadn't been able to make him renege, although he had certainly tried.

“Don't be silly,” she said blithely, although his fury unnerved her a little. “You spent a month there last year, and you had a wonderful time.”

“I'm a man,” he said stubbornly, as she rolled her eyes. She hated it when he said things like that.

“Don't be stupid. What difference does that make?”

“I'm not afraid of lions and snakes,” he said, sounding cocky. He felt sure she would be terrified of both.

“Neither am I,” she said bravely, although she definitely wasn't enthused about snakes.

“Like hell you're not. You nearly had a heart attack when I put a snake in your bed,” he reminded her, and she laughed.

“I was nine.”

“You're hardly older than that now. You should be at home where you belong.”

“Doing what? I have nothing to do here, and you know it.”

“You can go to dinner parties with Father, or find a husband. Do whatever princesses are supposed to do.” She was still trying to figure that out herself. “I hear Victoria just got engaged again, by the way. The crown prince of Denmark? That won't last.” Christianna didn't argue with him, they both knew her too well. In fact, Christianna had just heard from one of her German cousins that Victoria was getting bored with him, although everyone said he was a very nice man. Christianna couldn't actually imagine her marrying anyone, at least not for a long time. “Stupid girl,” Freddy muttered. “She's obsessed with getting married. I don't see how any man could stand being married to her, although I have to admit, she's a lot of fun.”

“What about you?” Christianna asked plaintively. “When are you coming home? Aren't you bored yet?”

“No,” he said, sounding mischievous, “I'm having way too much fun.”

“Well, it's not fun around here without you. I'm bored to death.”

“That's no excuse for you to go running off to Africa, and trying to get yourself killed.” He actually sounded worried about her. Although he teased her constantly, and had tormented her as a child, he adored her, and had been sorry to hear she'd be gone by the time he got home. He was seriously thinking of going to visit her, if she actually persisted in what he considered her totally mad plan.

“I'm not going to get killed,” she reassured him. “I'm not joining the army. I'll be working for the Red Cross in a facility for women and children.”

“I still think you should stay home. How's Father?” he asked casually. He was feeling mildly guilty for having been gone so long, but not guilty enough yet to come home.

“He's fine. Working too hard as always. Why don't you try and come home for Christmas before I leave?”

“I have too much to see in China. Hong Kong, Beijing, Singapore, Shanghai, and I want to stop in Burma to see friends on the way back.”

“We're going to be sad here without you, we already are.”

“No, you won't,” he said, laughing. “You'll be too busy having fun in Gstaad.” They always went there for Christmas and New Year, but even that was going to be less fun this year without him. She loved skiing with him, although Christianna and her father saw friends and relatives there every year. It was a very pleasant part of their life. And she'd be leaving shortly after that.

“I really miss you, you know,” she said, feeling nostalgic for a minute. It was nice talking to him, even if he did disapprove of her plans. He was very protective of her, and had been ever since he had grown up. It was still hard for her to imagine, though, that he would be reigning prince one day. She didn't like to think about it, since more than likely that would happen only when her father was no longer around, hopefully not for a very long time. And in the meantime, all Freddy did was play. He had no desire to spend time in tiny Vaduz either. He was even more bored than Christianna whenever he was there, and he did far fewer official duties than she did. He had never been interested in mundane things like that. He happily shirked his responsibilities and escaped, every chance he got.

“I miss you, too,” Freddy said gently. “And what did I hear about your going to Russia? Father said something to me about it, but I didn't quite get it. What were you doing there?” She told him about the terrorist attack on the school in Digora, the hostages they'd taken, the horrifying death toll, the shocking things she had seen while she was there. He sounded shocked, and understood better what had led her to volunteer for the Red Cross. “What's happening to you, Cricky? You're not going to go and become a nun or something like that, are you?” He couldn't even begin to imagine her flying off to Russia and spending three days in a hostage crisis, working for the Red Cross. He had seen the attack on the news, but it would never have occurred to him in a million years to jump on a plane, and go to the scene to help out. It would have been the furthest thing from his mind. And although she loved him madly, Christianna also knew that he was an extremely spoiled, self-indulgent man.

“No, I'm not going to become a nun,” she laughed.

“Any bad boys I need to chase off when I get home?”

“Not a one,” she said, smiling. She hadn't had a date since she had left Berkeley in June. She had been away for four years and had lost touch with the few friends she had at home. Hers had always been an isolated life. “You're the only truly bad boy I know.”

“Yes,” he said proudly, “I suppose I am, aren't I?” Her calling him that always amused him. He had no desire to be anything other than that, and maybe wouldn't for a long time. At least for the moment, in Tokyo, he was staying out of the press. He hadn't been involved in a scandal, or a hot romance, for at least two months. “And don't think you've gotten away with your African caper,” he suddenly remembered, and scolded her again. “You're not going to get me off that subject as quickly as that. I have every intention of calling Father again!”

“Don't you dare!”

“I'm serious. I think it's a perfectly awful plan.”

“Well, I don't. I'm not going to just sit here cutting ribbons, while you have all the fun, running around the world. How many geisha girls are you bringing home?” she teased him back.

“None. And besides, I haven't been to China yet. I hear the girls are absolutely beautiful in Shanghai. And I just got invited to Vietnam.”

“You're hopeless, Freddy,” she said, sounding more like a big sister than a younger one. Sometimes she felt that way. He was so lovable and irresistible, while being completely irresponsible at the same time. She wondered if he'd ever get married. She truly couldn't imagine it, and in recent years, he had become one of the most notorious playboys in Europe, a fact that did not please their father. He expected Freddy to marry someone worthy of him one of these days, and stop chasing models and starlets. The only princess he'd ever been involved with had been married. He was a total reprobate. The husband of the princess he'd been involved with had called him a scoundrel in the press, to which Freddy had responded that he was flattered that the man thought so highly of him. In some ways, Christianna knew, it was better that he was not at home. As long as he continued to behave that way, all it did was upset their father. At least in Tokyo, whatever mischief he was up to was not under everyone's nose. “Think about coming home for Christmas,” she reminded him before they hung up.

“You think about coming to your senses and staying home. Forget Africa, Cricky. You'll hate it. Just remember all the snakes and bugs.”

“Thank you for the encouragement. And you think about coming back before I leave. Otherwise I won't see you for at least eight months.”

“Maybe you ought to think about becoming a nun” was his parting shot. She told him to behave himself, blew him a kiss, and hung up. She worried about him at times. He was so totally uninterested in the job that their father did so well, and that he would inherit one day. She just hoped he would manage to grow up sometime before he did. Their father cherished the same hope but grew more worried about it each year.

Christianna mentioned that evening that she had spoken to him, and her father sighed and shook his head.

“I worry about what will happen to the country when he takes over the reins.” Although a tiny country, Liechtenstein had a booming economy, which had not happened by accident. Christianna knew far more about their policies and economy than her brother did. Her father thought at times that it was a shame that their ages, sexes, and personalities were not reversed. He would have hated to have a profligate daughter, which she wasn't, but he hated just as much the thought of having an irresponsible playboy as reigning prince. It was a problem he had yet to solve. But so far, time was on their side, and fortunately, although he had just turned sixty-seven, Prince Hans Josef was in good health. Presumably, Freddy would not be reigning soon.

The next two months flew by as Christianna attended to her duties with renewed zeal. She wanted to do everything as perfectly as possible, before she left for Africa, if nothing else than to show her father how grateful she was for letting her go. She spent two weeks in Geneva, for her Red Cross training. She already had a certificate in advanced first aid. Most of her briefings were about the country where she would be living, the local tribes, their habits, the potential dangers of the current political situation, the things she had to look out for, the faux pas she had to be careful not to make, so as not to offend the locals. She got an intense crash course about AIDS, since the facility where she would be working was specifically for that purpose. And then there were several warnings about insects to be aware of, diseases she had to be vaccinated against, and how to identify a wide variety of poisonous snakes. It was only during that part of her training that she wondered, though only for a fraction of an instant, if Freddy was right. She hated snakes. They told her what kind of equipment she needed, what her responsibilities would be, and what kind of clothes to bring. Her head was swimming with all the information by the time she got back to Vaduz. The palace doctor had already begun giving her the necessary vaccinations. In all, she would have to have nine, several of which she had been told might make her sick. She was having vaccinations for hepatitis A and B, typhoid, yellow fever, meningitis, rabies, and boosters for tetanus, measles, and polio. And she had to take antimalarial drugs while she was away, as well as before and after. It all seemed worth it to her. The only thing that still worried her a bit was the snakes. She had already ordered two pairs of stout boots, and had been told to shake them out when she got out of bed, before putting them on, in case something unpleasant had crawled into them during the night—not an appealing thought. But everything else they had told her sounded fine, particularly the work. She was going to be helping the professional medical and other workers, as a kind of general assistant during the time she was there. As a result, her job was a little hard to define, and she would learn more about it once she was there. She was ready, able, and willing to do any task she was assigned. In fact, she could hardly wait.

Two weeks before Christmas, right after her training in Geneva, she and her father went to Paris for a wedding. One of her Bourbon cousins, on her mother's side, was getting married. A princess was marrying a duke. The wedding itself was spectacular, at Notre Dame, and the reception was in a beautiful
hôtel particulier
on the rue de Varennes. The flowers were exquisite, every possible detail had been thought of. The bride wore a magnificent lace gown by Chanel Haute Couture with a cloud of veil that covered her face. There were four hundred people at the wedding, which was attended by royals from all over Europe, and the cream of
le tout Paris
, the most fashionable people in Parisian society. The wedding was at eight o'clock at night, and the groom and all the male guests wore white tie. The women wore spectacular evening gowns. Christianna wore a deep-blue velvet dress trimmed in sable, with her mother's sapphires. She saw Victoria there, who had just broken her engagement to the Danish prince. She was wilder than ever, and single yet again, she claimed much to her relief.

“When's your naughty brother coming home?” she asked Christianna, with a wild look of mischief in her eye.

“Never, at this rate,” Christianna answered. “He says not till spring.”

“Damn. What a shame. I was going to invite him to come to Tahiti with me over New Year's.” She said it in such a way that Christianna suddenly wondered if Victoria was zeroing in on him for a fling.