Kingmaker

[Joe]

Chapter 1: The Colonel

The Colonel could count how many times he daydreamed about disobeying orders on one hand (the hand that still had all five fingers on it, that is). As his eyes scanned the final sentence of the order, he knew that the tally went up by one.

Fucking Army Command.

The Colonel looked out of the window of his office, eyeing the formations of recruits jogging around the base, spurred on by their officers. They were still quite fresh. Their units had not quite been decimated by the attrition rates of the quitters and failures. Of course, things were better now than the days where the Colonel was just a Captain when beatings until one was black and blue for minor infractions were quite routine, but the Paracadutisti of the 9th Paratrooper Assault Regiment were still the tip of the Royal Army’s sword.

“-...prompt and safe return immediately.” The final words of the order read, before being stamped with the seal of the Division Commander.

That must only mean one thing, he mused. The rumors were, in fact, true. The Colonel had his suspicions since The Lieutenant was whisked from what was expected to be a brilliant tenure at the most premier law school in the world and commissioned into His Majesty’s Army by order of the Royal family.

Even though all served in the Royal Italian Armed Forces, even the Royalty, you don’t quite do that unless something dire has happened. You don’t interrupt what was arguably going to be a great learning, a great experience, and a great benefit to the Kingdom of Italy under the guise of “service”.

No, no… the King truly had not much longer left.

The Colonel glanced towards the bright blue sky, wondering where The Lieutenant was. He would most certainly be on the ground by now. There was not a cloud in sight in the entire province of Tuscany. That meant mission effectiveness must have been near 100%. No weather delay, no need for the planes to have done a go-around.

A safe jump for the Colonel’s men.

How he wished that he had gotten to know the Lieutenant just a little bit more over the two years that he was billeted. They had only spoken to each other a handful of times, never individually and always in group settings. Not only was it inappropriate for a commanding officer to show favoritism along his men, but the Lieutenant was special.

He was Royalty.

Most importantly, he was effective.

Like all commanding officers, one does not realize how a junior officer will act when given a first time command. Will they freeze in the trial of combat? Will they abuse their privileged position? Will their platoon or company refuse to follow them into combat? Are they incompetent?

The Colonel scoffed at the last thought. Lieutenant Antonio di Savoia was many things, but the last thing he could he described as was incompetent.

Of course, the Colonel originally had his doubts whether a pompous prince would be able to complete selection, but he was more than happy to have eaten his words when a then Student-Officer quickly became one of the most capable junior officers in his class of recruits compared to the rest of the crop from the Academies. He was highly intelligent, educated in the American Ivy League.

He was bright and, quite frankly, a joy to be around. Almost too much so to be able to thrive in a military environment. There was still some boy left in the man. Still, he had a home here and a future if the universal adoration by his company was anything to go by; the Colonel was sad to see him go and even more remiss that he did not have the ability to personally mentor the young Prince.

The Colonel folded up the order and placed it in his “TO DISPERSE” bin for his secretary to deliver to the Raider Battalion at the end of the hour. Although the order was marked for Highest Priority, he doubted that the Battalion would be able to produce the Lieutenant immediately. Without vehicles and in the mountains of Tuscany, it would take two days for the Battalion to return back to Livorno by foot. By then, the Lieutenant will grab his belongings (what belongings, the Colonel snickered proudly, Paracadutisti have only their rifle!) and knowing him, will say his goodbyes to his company men individually.

“Lucia.” The Colonel called out.

The door cracked open, a frizzled mass of gray hair poking in. Like many good secretaries, they were privy to more information, and trusted more, than some spouses.

“Yes, Colonel Andretti?” She croned.

The Colonel merely pointed at the order in the “TO DISPERSE” bin.

“It’s time for Prince Antonio to return to Roma.”

 

[Joe]

Chapter 2: The Princess

This was silly. It was stupid. Antonio was tired, the last person he would want to see was her. In fact, some part of her knew that the last person she wanted to see was him! The Princess of Sicily played with her hands as she sat on the comfortable loveseat (oh how she hated that word!) in the atrium, awaiting the duo to return. It had been years since she’d last spoken with Antonio, much less seen him.

A twinge of pain ached through her when she thought about it all.

An inseparable and beautiful friendship, since almost birth, reduced to unanswered and unreturned calls within the span of two years.

Letters that were sent off and never returned.

Emails that were drafted, deleted, and drafted again. E-mails admitting feelings, e-mails asking why?

I’ve had it, she thought, losing her nerve. She couldn’t go along with this plan. What was she thinking? She quickly stood up and meant to exit the atrium until she heard two pairs of footsteps. She let out the most un-ladylike squeak and knew that the dice was cast. The double doors to the atrium quickly opened and in entered the two of the men who held the most space in her heart.

“Now, I know you wanted a bit of a break before you met the Royal Council of Ministers, so let me just take you to your new quarters and-..”

Giovanni Romano was the Head Butler and majordomo of the House of Savoy. Two decades of distinguished service in the Royal Navy as a steward to the King had earned him a permanent duty and a home at the Quirinal Palace. While his wizened grey eyes, tall ram-rod stature gave off a fearsome presence, it was his delightful smile and bear hugs that made her feel that all was safe in the world. Giovanni had served as head butler and in turn, helped raise both the Princess when she was a ward of the House of Savoy as well as Prince Antonio.

Speaking of which.

Giovanni’s voice had trailed off. He glanced at the Princess, winking softly.

“Ah… I just remembered, your highness.” Giovanni said, addressing Prince Antonio whose eyes had not left Princess Gabriella’s. “I have duties in the kitchen. Pardon me.”

He quickly beat a hasty retreat and left the atrium, leaving the two former childhood friends staring at each other, perhaps for a bit too long. Princess Gabriella observed Antonio, looking at him up and down appreciatively. He was a tad bit thin, much likely from the rigorousness of the Airborne. Still, he was the cute young man he was when he had left, from his expressive brown eyes, scraggly brown hair, and delightful smile that was at this present moment an open ‘O’.

Well, he was always cute, now he was handsome.

“Your highness,” Gabriella said cordially, flinching. She had never addressed him so. It was always Antonio. “It is a pleasure to see you again after so long.”

“Gabriella-...” Antonio began, before catching himself. “My lady.”

The Princess felt her heart squeeze in disappointment. The ambush had failed.

Things had forever changed after all, he had never felt the same way.

“What are you doing here? Why are you not in Palermo?” Antonio asked.

“I have lived here for the past two years,” Gabriella responded, gesturing around. “The Queen and I are quite close. I’ve been helping her around, looking after things, giving her company.”

Filling the void that you left in their hearts and mine, you bastard.

“Ah.” Antonio said, his eyes downcast.

An awkward silence descended over the two before Princess Gabriella sighed. “Well, your probably exhausted. I don’t wish to take up too much of your time, your highness. If you’ll excuse me-..”

“Stay!” Antonio said quickly, before catching himself again. He took a breath and repeated himself in the softer tone that she was used to. He gestured to the loveseat. “Stay, please, my lady. It has been too long since we spoke. I want to catch up.”

Princess Gabriella slowly turned and took a seat on the loveseat (oh, that damned word!). She left a space next to her for Antonio to sit on. Despite the numerous chairs around the room, chairs equal in comfort and style, Antonio crossed the atrium and took a seat next to her. There was still that silence, until Gabriella offered the olive branch of breaking the ice first.

“Giovanni drove you here from the train station?”

“Yeah.” Antonio deadpanned, before turning at her and smiling. “I’d rather have zipped here on those motorcycles we stashed in Sicily all those years ago.”

“You remembered!” Gabriella burst into laughter. “Gosh, our parents would throw a fit if they found out!”

And so it began, the catching up. They were no longer Princess Gabriella of Sicily nor Prince Antonio of House Savoy. They were Antonio and Gabby. Reminiscing about old times. Gabriella wove together a tapestry of her time while Antonio was away, how she finished her studies at university. How she was ready to take over as the Duchess of Sicily and begin her duties here in Rome. Antonio wow’d her with his experiences in the Airborne as well as in America as a university student, in the foreign city of Philadelphia.

“I see you haven’t brought back an American girlfriend.” Gabriella said teasingly, yet knowing in her heart that she was fishing for information.

“There never was an American girlfriend.” Antonio responded and causing relief to course through Gabriella’s veins, before pausing and looking her in the eyes. “Couldn’t find the right one.”

“Their loss,” She offered. Her eyes caught sight of the clock and saw that nearly an hour had elapsed in their conversation. An hour! “Oh my goodness, your highness, the reception is in thirty minutes and I have to be ready!”

“Oh, damn!” Antonio said hastily, standing up. “Apologies, my lady. I didn’t mean to take up too much of your time.”

“It was good catching up with you.” Gabriella responded, smiling softly. “I’m very happy you’re home.”

“And I was very happy to see you,” He said heartfully. “I’ve missed you while I was in America. I thought of you everyday.”

“As did I, Antonio.” She said. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

“And I’ll see you.” He said, fidgeting with his hands. He only did that when he was debating something...

Princess Gabriella turned and began to walk away. She had given him so many chances. The chance to meet, the chance to talk. Now, it was time for one more. She looked over shoulder and cast him a coy look. Immediately, she knew that she broke him.

“Let me take you on a date, Gabby. Cinema tonight,” He stammered. “You and I. You can pick the film, I’ll make the dinner. I can cook, I swear.”

She paused and turned around completely, smiling coyly.

Gotcha, you bastard, she thought triumphantly.

"Pardon me, my Prince?" She asked coquettishly, twisting the knife.

A part of her knew that she had a chance of blowing this, of making proud Antonio close up and become frustratingly stubborn. But, he had left her on read for all these years, it was time to make the bastardo pay.

“A date, you and I. You pick the movie, I’ll cook.” He repeated.

"I've never had your cooking. How do I know you won't poison me?" She teases, her cheeks reddening as she came closer.

"Life's a gamble." Tony retorts.

She giggled and bitl bottom lip, trying to keep up the charade. "And I can pick the movie?"

"Anything you like." He breathed, she was close now. In fact, close was not an accurate word to describe how little space separated them.

"Even those 'silly Disney cartoons'? The ones you hated growing up?"

"Especially those silly Disney cartoons."

She could no longer come any closer. He refused the urge to step back. He never did. He was the rock in her life.

"Then I accept." Before Antonio could respond, she leaned her head up and softly kissed him on the lips. Her first kiss and his. She pulled away, breathing heavily and eyes fluttering before focusing on the Prince.

"Welcome home, my love." She whispered, before leaning in and kissing his jaw once more. "I've given you my heart, if you break it again, I’ll kill you in your sleep."

"I'll take care of it forever."

"Just like you took care of the hearts of American girls?" She teased, yet fishing.

"There was never any American girl, only you." He says so heartfeltly she falls in love with him all over again. She reaches up and plays with his medal, the one for leadership during training.

“You look delightful in your uniform and will impress the guests during dinner, but I’m wearing sweatpants during our date so you better not upstage me.” Gabby warned him.

“I’ll wear my best pajamas for you, Gabby.” He chuckled, kissing her on the forehead. “Go on and get ready for dinner. Perhaps you’ll give me the honor of sitting next to me.”

“I’d be delighted.” Gabby replied.

It was left unsaid that the Queen would be ecstatic.