“She’s only seventeen, but looks like a twenty-seven-year-old,” Kerns scoffed. “If I were her, I would wake up from a nightmare in the middle of the night and cry.”
“If you stood in front of the Senate facing reporters, I bet you’d cry from fear,” Angela sneered.
“Darling, he won’t cry from fear; he’ll just pose,” Wilhelmina laughed. “Kerns, is that what those girls call you?”
“It’s a compliment to me, ladies,” Kerns said proudly.
“Give it a rest,” Angela snorted. “You’re only thirteen, and you haven’t even grown all your hair down there.”
Kerns leaned close, “How do you know? Did you peek at me while I was bathing?”
Angela was caught off guard. Her face turned red as she stammered, “Who peeked at you! It’s just that you’re an idiot! It was explained in biology class. In front of the high school boys, you’re just a small fry!”
Kerns huffed, “Don’t be so proud, just wait and see. And Willy, don’t laugh. In five years, I’ll be so sexy that you girls will scream!”
“I’ll be waiting, Mr. Tiger,” Wilhelmina rolled her eyes and went to watch her show.
That day, Wilhelmina was awakened at three in the morning. Hans Borg gently shook her awake and had the nanny help her change clothes.
Wilhelmina, face covered with a hot towel, slowly woke up. “What’s wrong, Owen?”
“We’re going back to Odin, Your Highness.”
Wilhelmina rubbed her eyes and became alert. “What happened to Grandpa?”
“His condition suddenly deteriorated,” Hans said. “A message came from the capital, asking you and Princess Catherine’s family to return to Rose Palace to see him for the last time.”
Wilhelmina bit her lip and took the clothes he handed her.
Hans Borg helped her pull her sleeves. “You must be prepared, Your Highness. Annabel agreed to promote the constitutional amendment to gain the Liberal Party’s support. This is the only way she can make up for her father’s negative impact.”
“But Annabel hates constitutional amendments; she wants to be a dictatorial queen,” the girl replied, her gaze mature. “If the Liberals realize Annabel is just going through the motions, what will they do? Will they turn their target to me?”
“So far, no one from the Liberal Party has approached you. They seem confident.”
