61. Web Of Lies.

[Luke]
I woke up with a searing headache but it wasn't because I was hungover, it was because I was really stressed and the party last night had worn me out.
Seeing crystal again was also one of the most stressful things that could happen to me because that woman was a snake.
After I saw her, I started thinking about why she was here and what fucked up thing she wanted to do to me again.
Did I mention that she was now a big time journalist, yeah, like the biggest dick of all.
I did not know what story she was chasing or why she was in Copenhagen but I'd be damned if I didn't find out.
I could have her deported or have her visa rescinded but I couldn't do that without sparking any rumors and that aspect of my life was not one I wanted anyone sniffing around.
Ignoring the pounding pain in my head, I got out of bed and headed into the bathroom to splash some water on my face. After brushing my teeth and emptying my bladder, I came back into the room and picked up my phone.
"Hello?" I said and waited for the receiver to respond.
"Hi… good morning your highness." His voice sounded croaked as he spoke.
"Are you awake?" I asked curtly, unable to keep my irritation from my voice.
"Yes, yes sir, yes of course." He said and I imagined him shaking his dirty blond hair.
"Erik, I need you to do something for me, it is of the utmost urgency and confidentiality," I said hurriedly because I heard some movements outside my door.
It was probably the maids coming to clean up and remind me to go and have breakfast with the King.
"Yes sir, I'll do it."
"There's a woman, I can't speak much but I need you to keep surveillance on her, she mustn't leave your sight and you report back to me everything that she does," I told him.
"Okay sir, can I have her name, a picture, some description maybe?" He asked.
"Sure, sure, she just came to Copenhagen, she's a journalist, her name is Crystal and she attended Harvard University in Boston, her picture shouldn't be hard to find." I sighed as I put down my phone, the knocking at the door had interrupted me.
"Yes, come in."
"Your highness, we're sorry to bother you but we need to—"
"Yes, yes, yes, I'll stay out of your way." I interrupted them.
"And the king wants you to—"
"I know, I'm already on my way there." I interrupted them again as I headed out of the room.
"Did you understand what I said?" I placed the phone back on my ear and asked when I got outside of the room.
"Yes, your royal highness, I'll get it done and get back to you." He said.
"I want a daily update," I said and ended the call as other people began to join me in the hall.
"Your royal highness." They curtsied and greeted me as they walked past.
"Your Majesty." I curtsied when I entered the dining room.
It was empty save the King, Sir Thomas, and the maids who served breakfast just as always.
"Good morning, Luke." The King smiled at me as I took my seat.
"Sir Thomas." I greeted.
"Good morning, your royal highness." He mumbled out.
The old man was still pissed at me and rightfully so, I didn't even want his forgiveness now because I was about to commit another offense, a somewhat greater one than I'd done before.
"Luke, what do you have on your schedule today?" The King asked me and I groaned inwardly.
I don't reckon I even knew what was on my schedule.
"Just some meetings and public appearances," I answered vaguely and started chewing on my breakfast so I would not have to answer any more questions.
"Okay, I was thinking we could go for a ride this afternoon, just you and me." He pressed on.
"A ride?" I swallowed my meal and raised a brow at him.
"Yes, the weather is mighty fine today and we haven't had many chances apart from breakfast to really talk." He said.
"Okay your majesty, I'll inform my secretary to make time for us to go riding in the afternoon." I plastered a forced smile on my face.
"Your majesty." He shook his head. "I still remember when you used to call me father, dad, far."
I avoided his eyes immediately and I looked down at my phone, I stuffed a huge bite into my mouth and started chewing slowly.
"He's grown now, he's no longer a boy, he understands the rules now." Sir Thomas said.
"I suppose." The King mumbled out as he went back to eating his food.
After breakfast, I went to find my secretary and informed him about the King's plans, turns out my schedule was cleared today, it was something like a day off if you will.
I brought out my phone and placed a call to Claire. We had not spoken today and I was missing her greatly. I wish she had returned and the King hadn't asked me to go riding with him, then I would have taken her somewhere to eat and we'd have spent the day together.
I canceled the call when it wasn't going and then I started strolling through her pictures that were on my phone and I wished she could know just how beautiful she looked.
Her red hair in a curly mass around her shoulders and her light brown eyes, the red tinge of a blush staining her cheeks, her red and juicy pouty lips, her cute button nose, her pearly white teeth.
I love everything about her and she's just absolutely divine.
Time went by pretty fast and soon it was time to go horse riding with the King.
I sighed as I entered the empty royal stables, I looked around and smiled when I spotted my horse.
His name was Raven and he'd been a gift from my mother, it had been a while since I'd ridden him but he still knew who I was and he leaned into me as I brushed his mane with my hands.
"Hey boy, miss me?" I smiled as I rubbed his body.
They had taken very good care of him but I could not tell if they took him riding often.
"Your royal highness." One of the workers noticed me and rushed to me.
"Get him in a saddle, I'm taking him for a run," I said tapping his side.
I decided I was still going to go for a run even if the king didn't show up.
Something must have kept him.
Yes, your royal highness." The man curtsied again before opening the stable and leading the horse out.
He was done with the horse in record time and I waited for another forty minutes for the King, just when I was about to leave without him, a servant came rushing to the stables.
"Your royal highness," he sounded out of breath as he spoke. "Regrettably, the King will not be able to make it for horse riding, an urgent matter of state has come up."
"That's alright, tell his majesty that I understand," I said and immediately swung onto my horse.
He scrambled away from the road as I kicked my horse into motion.
I did not know what I was expecting, I'd expected us to have a father, son time alone but I guess that was too much to ask the King of Denmark, even when he'd suggested it.
"The matters of state always come first," I remember him yelling at me when I was a child and complaining about not spending enough time with him.
"You'll understand when you become King, child." He'd add and stroke my hair just before he left me and I remember having this same feeling every football game he'd promise to attend and then never show up, every graduation ceremony, and every other social event parents were invited to.
I promised myself to stop caring a long time ago and I reminded myself again as I controlled the horse to a stop.
I took a deep breath, controlled myself, and turned the horse around.
When I got back to the stables, Liam rushed up to me as I dismounted my horse and pulled me into a corner.
"She's here?" He whispered.
"What, what do you mean?" I asked in confusion and then it hit me.
"Oh my God, Claire is here."
"Yes." He replied.
"What do I do?" I asked him frantically.
"First you're going to have to calm down, she's been asking everyone for a Jean who is a palace guard and no one knows him, your bodyguard was the one who saw her and cake to inform me straight away."
"Okay, so what do I do now?"
"We need to switch clothes." He said.
"What?"
"We have no time, immediately, now." He hurried me.
I could not believe Claire was here, any little mistake and she would find out the truth and if I wasn't careful, I would drag Liam down with me.