Royal Pain in the Ass

This is dedicated with all my love to my mother

My First and Greatest Fan

Chapter I

I
’
ve worked since the month after I turned sixteen.
  I
’
ve been working my way through college, and I graduate next month.
 
My only regret is that Mom won
’
t be there to see it.
 

She died last spring.
 
Mom was all the family I had.
 
Her parents disowned her when she came back from her study abroad program and realized she was pregnant.
  I
’
ve never met my father.
 
Hell, I don’
t even know his name.
 
Thanks to Mom
’
s life insurance policy I now own the home I grew up in.
 
I also work.
  I
’
m a manager in a fast food chain.
  It
’
s not a great job, the customers usually suck, but most of my crew are pretty decent.
 
Some of them are pretty awesome.
  Don
’
t get me wrong, I work with idiots, but they
’
re fun idiots.

Technically, I should have graduated in the spring, but after Mom died, I asked for if I could take an incomplete.
 
Given the circumstances, I was allowed to take the rest of the semester off to handle my mother’s final expenses and final needs. I finished my exams over the Summer Term.
 
Luckily for me, all of my professors were really understanding.
 
Now that
I
’
ve finished my exams and officially passed my last college classes, I’ve signed up for graduation, but I don
’
t know if I want to walk.
 

I
don’t really know what I want to do anymore.
  I
’
ve debated getting my MFA, a masters degree in fine arts.
 
I double majored in music performance and literature, so maybe continuing in literature.
 
I really was lacking in motivation.
 

I
’
d finally met my grandparents.
 
They came to Mom
’s funeral.
 
They tried to all of a sudden be there for me.
 
You spend over twenty years ignoring me and your daughter because she had the nerve to fall in love and make a baby.
 
Seriously
? 

You come home and your parents tell you to get the hell out and not come back.
 
Yeah, because I need people like that in my life.
 
Then something incredible happened.
 
Something I never would have expected in a million years.
 
A letter was hand delivered to my door, I had to sign for it and anything.
 
To my surprise it was addressed as so:

Miss Juliet Anastasia Victoria Benn

I never used my full name.
 
I didn
’
t recognize the ornate scrawl.
 
It was sealed with a wax seal.
 
Seriously, who does that?
 
I mean it’s not 1860. I opened it and in the same scrawl that had written my name was this letter.

Dearest Juliet,

My deepest sympathies to hear of the loss of Rose.
 
She was a treasure, and the world is truly a darker place without her.
 
I wish I had known she was ill, I would have sent word sooner.
 
It is my greatest wish that we should meet.
 
I offer you my personal hospitality at your earliest convenience.
 
Send word care of return post when you wish to come to my humble home and I will send transportation for you.
 

Sincerely Yours,

Duke of Eastwick

James Eastgate

I stared at the letter for days.
 
At first I was laughing, thinking it was all a joke.
 
Then I began to wonder if it really was.
 
I didn
’
t know what to make of it until another letter came for me, one with the same seal as the other letter.

Juliet,

I am wondering if you doubt my intentions.
 
I need to speak with you.
 
Please allow me a chance to explain.
 
There is so much I want to talk to you about, so much I cannot explain with a letter. We need to speak, face to face if possible.

Sincerely Yours,

James Eastgate

I decided to take a chance and I sent a letter back.

Dear Duke of Eastwick
,

Is that what I should call you?
 
I have no idea who you are or why you would want to talk to me, but okay.
 
You knew my mother?
 
How?
 
I really have no idea what to say, or write, or whatever.
 
I guess I could come see you, but where?
 
And more importantly why?

Juliet Benn

Two weeks later another letter came in the mail.

Juliet,

I am thrilled to hear from you!
 
I knew your mother many years ago, she was truly a radiant woman.
 
I am reluctant to say why I wish to see you, as it has yet to be proven.
 
From what I have found out you are truly like her.
 
Whenever you are ready I will send a private jet to you.

Sincerely Yours,

James Eastgate

I wrote him a letter saying I had graduation to go to, but I would be willing to come after that.
 
It gave me a month to get everything prepared.
 
I took a leave of absence from work.
A friend of mine had moved in with her son not too long ago, so I trusted her with my home and my beloved p
uppy. 
Well, he had been a puppy, now he was about 95 pounds of adorable.
 
My German shepherd, Loki.
 
I warned her that if anything happened to Loki, even if it wasn
’
t her fault, that I would kill her.
 
Then I packed my bags and boarded a plane to England.

I grew up in sunny Florida.
  I
’
ve never lived more than thirty minutes of the beach, and I had never been out of the country short of my spring break cruise to Mexico my junior year of college.
 
This was a whole new kind adventure.
 
I just hoped I was ready for it.

Chapter II

I stumbled off the plane feeling shaky.
  I hadn
’
t ever been on a plane before, and apparently I had been through really bad turbulence, though I had nothing to compare it to.
 
There was a black car waiting for me, I went to grab my bags and saw someone carrying them.
 

“
Let me get that,
”

“
No, no, really it
’
s my pleasure.
”
He offered.
 
I had to admit I liked his accent.
 

“
But I feel bad,
”

“
Why, miss?
  It
’
s my job.”

I cocked my head to the side.
  “
Your job?
”

“I
’
m one of Mr. Eastgate
’s servants.
”

“
He has servants?
”

He looked at me like he was wondering if I was joking or not.
 
I wasn
’
t. 

“
So, you
’
re
like his slave?
”

“
Servants and slaves are very different miss!
 
Servants have been a vital part of British society for hundreds of years.
  It
’
s a noble profession.
”

“
So, you like serving?
”

“Yes,”

I shrugged.
  “
Whatever floats your boat.
”

He looked at me like I was an idiot
. 
I figured I should probably keep my mouth shut.
 
I let them lead me to the car and usher me inside.
 
I watched in silence as the countryside whizzed by.
 
We were taken to a huge house.
 

“
Welcome, to Eastgate Manor.
”

“
By the way, what is your name?
”

“
Oh, I am Thomas.
” 
He smiled.

“
I didn
’
t say it before, but it
’
s a pleasure to meet you.
”
I offered my hand.
 
Thomas smiled and shook it.

“
The pleasure is all mine.
”
He assured me, bowing to me.
  “
Allow me to escort you inside.
” 
I was led through the ornate marble fixtures and archways to what I guessed was the main house.

“
Thomas, who is this?
”
came a high pitched whine.
 

I looked behind me to see a beautiful girl.
 
She had full curves, was tall with impossibly long legs.
 
Her hair was a pale blonde, I couldn
’
t tell if it was natural or out of a bottle.
 
Her eyes were a pretty shade of blue, but they were narrowed into slits.
 
I had this funny feeling she didn
’
t like me.

“
A guest of your father.
”

“
You didn
’
t answer my question.
”
She snapped.
 
I felt underdressed in my jeans and an Avenged Sevenfold t-shirt.
 
I fidgeted with my fedora.
 
She was wearing a pale blue sundress with a large brimmed white hate and strappy white sandal heels.
 
Somehow, I had this feeling my dirty converse wouldn
’
t be accepted here.

“I
’
m Juliet,
”
I interrupted, offering my hand.

“
Juliet?
  I
’
ve never heard of you.
 
And why are you dressed like that?
”

“
Um, because this is how I dress?
”

“
What kind of person dresses like that to meet someone like my father?
 
Have you no respect?
”
she sneered
at me
, her voice shrill
.