"So we go home now?" she asked anxiously.
"In a minute," William mumbled.
"You said that two and a half hours ago," she whined. She didn't want to sound like such a baby, but she was tired of him playing game after game stopping only to drink or to give one of the blondes one of those kisses that made Bri feel like retching. And she wondered if Charles noticed they were gone. And she could take being bored. What she could not take was being ignored.
Bri was shocked at what he did next.
He took a pack of cigarettes which Bri didn't know he had and tapped one out.
"You shouldn't be doing that," she preached. Giving the white sticks a disgusted look.
He lit it up and inhaled. He blew smoke in her face. "Why not?"
Bri blanched when she saw the prince place the lighted cigarette between his lips again. "They give you cancer."
"People die anyway," William said, looking far off.
Was he referring to Aunt Di? Bri wondered.
"Want one?" he offered generously.
Bri shook her head intensely.
He laughed. "Oh you're scared!"
"I don't think of it as being scared, William," Bri retorted. "I think of it as being smart." And she went back to the stool to wait for him to finish his game.

Bri left the restrooom after washing her hands, feeling dirtier than before she stepped in. Her eyes surveyed the dingy room. There were those jerks who kept casting glances in her direction earlier. The blondes who gave her the usual snobby look. "Where's William?" she asked the bartender.
"Left." he replied as he wiped the glasses on the counter.
"What?" Bri said.
"He left," the bartender said again.
"He couldn't have left without me!" Bri said. She ran to the parking lot. The motorcycle wasn't there. Bri was too stunned with disbelief at the discovery to scream out her anger. This did not happen. William did not just leave her in the middle of no where with no means of transportation to get home. He did not!
But he did.

Chapter Six
She was about to go back into the bar but stopped herself. As if they were going to help her?!
There were no cabs in this deserted neighborhood. Since she had seen some of its characters herself she could say she didn't blame the drivers. She saw a red boothed pay phone. She had no money on her but her she could ask the taxi service to put it on her parents' tab. She picked up the receiver and prepared to dial. There was no tone. Further inspection showed that the receiver was detached. "Figures," she muttered. "I have feet. I'll walk." she muttered.
She barely made it down the street when she heard the footsteps of someone following her.
"Hey, little girl," a voice that reminded Bri of snakes and reptiles called.
Bri kept her head down and said nothing. If she didn't respond she hoped he would go away. She hugged the leather jacket closer to her.
Another voice was heard. "Isn't it way past your bedtime?"
"What are you doing here walking all by yourself at night?"
Just keep walking. Just keep walking. Bri told herself. She felt herself sweat.
Someone stepped in front of her.
She tried to go around him.
But another guy blocked that path too.
Bri took a deep breath. Then she RAN.
But they were faster.
One of them grabbed her by the hand.
"Let me go! Let me go!" Bri pleaded. Unspeakable vicious crimes of what they could do to her ran through her mind.
"Now why would I want to do that?" the man asked. In the dark of the night he looked ugly to Bri.
Bri suddenly wished William was there. That anyone was there. But what if--what if William was there but he did nothing to stop them?
The boys forced her to the ground.
Bri stumbled over a trash can on her way down. But she was so numb with fear she couldn't feel the pain. She was about to experience a girl's worst nightmare she realized.
They reached for her.
"NO!" Bri screamed bloody murder.
The tearing of cloth was heard.
"Leave her alone!" came the command.
To Bri's relief the guys backed off.
"What's it to you, Tyler?" one of them asked.
"Mess with her and you mess with me and the prince."
The prince? Through the horror and the fear the word struck Bri. William came back? But she couldn't look up to check. She curled herself in a ball and stared at the floor.
"He's just a boy."
"He's a good fighter. You know it. Mess with her and you mess with us."
"Eh, she's not worth it." one of them said.
Tyler came to her. He tried to lift her head. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"
Bri was silent for a moment. Her eyes lifted up. But she did not see William. "Harry!" she ran to him and through her arms around him. "Harry! Harry! Harry!" she couldn't stop saying his name. She was sobbing on his shoulder.
Harry put his arms around her. "They're gone. No one's going to hurt you. They're gone."
Bri's breathing was jagged. "They were going to--they were going to--" she couldn't bring herself to say the words.
"But they didn't," the young prince's words were comforting. "They won't bother you again, I promise."
"Is there any place you want to go?" Tyler asked.
"The Palace. Just bring me back to the Palace," Bri told them. Suddenly, the pain in her right thigh caught up with her. She leaned on Harry for support as he and Tyler brought her to the waiting truck.

Tyler looked at the black and blue bruise but said nothing.
Bri winced when the hot cloth touched her skin.
"Sorry," Tyler apologized as he wrung out the washcloth and applied it again.
They were in the servants' quarters of St. James. Most specifically Tyler's room.
"William was not himself tonight," Bri told Harry. "I-I don't know who I was with tonight but it was not ,William. William wouldn't have" (wince) "left me. Be so irresponsible..."
Tyler and Harry exchanged a look.
Bri looked at them. They were also in jeans and jackets. "What were you two doing there tonight?"
"We--we were looking out for William," Harry confessed. "Someone has to."
"You know about his sneaking out?" Bri asked.
"He does this every week. Maybe more." Tyler supplied the info.
"Why haven't you told anyone?"
Tyler and Harry exchanged a look.
"Anyway, I'm glad you were there tonight. Ow!" Bri winced when Tyler applied more pressure to her thigh..
Tyler stood up from his kneeling position on the floor. "It's just a scratch," he gestured to the bruise. "Nothing serious. You'll be fine in a few days."
"Aunt Di," Bri said suddenly.
Harry looked at her. "What?"
"Aunt Di's death. That's why William's acting so weird," Bri concluded. "Teenage angst. Rebellion. Hormones. The loss of a loved one. That's all there is, right? It all adds up."
Tyler and Harry exchanged a look.
Bri continued. "I mean this is just a phase. Soon Wills will find out that there's more to life than acting like a JERK! Such as sucking peanuts out of a person's throat and playing three hundred sixty-seven pool games in one night..." her eyes met Harry's. "It's just a phase, right?"
Harry and Tyler exchanged a look.
"Yeah," Harry said quietly. "Just a phase."

Bri kicked the door to William's room loudly.
William looked up from the bed. He had showered, the stench of smoke gone and he was in his blue pajamas. His hair was neatly combed. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens was in his lap. "Well, well, look who made it home."
"No thanks to you!" Bri snapped.
Wills turned a page.
Bri took the book out of his hands and threw it across the room.
Wills waited to see what she had to say. He crossed his arms across his chest in a challenge.
"I'm going to tell your father what happened to night," Bri announced.
"What happened tonight?" he asked innocently.
"That you snuck out without his permission. Your drinking, gambling..." The fact that he was calm heightened her anger.
"Bri, look at yourself," William advised. "Who do you think he's going to believe? You? The one with the leather jacket, smell of smoke and messy hair? Or-" he smiled "- HIS SON?"
That stopped Bri. By Jove. He was right.
William yawned. "Besides. I don't know what you're yakking for. No one got hurt."
"No one got hurt!" Bri screamed. "I ALMOST GOT RA-"
There was a knock on the door.
"Children?" The voice of Charles could be heard.
Bri immediately took off the jacket and threw it under Wills' bed. She grabbed the first cologne bottle she saw and sprayed some over her. She straightened her hair and sat cross-legged at the corner of the bed.
The door opened.
"Hi, Uncle Chuckie!" Bri called waving her hand.
"Hi, Papa," William greeted.
"Kids, its four in the morning. There are other people in the house. Why the yelling?"
"Bri has something to tell you--" William began.
Charles looked at Bri. "What is it?"
Go on. Here's your chance to tattle. William's gaze taunted her.
"Uh--Love your socks." Bri told the future king.
Charles looked at his feet. "Is that it?"
"Yeah, I just love your socks. Where can I get some for my father?" Bri asked.
Chicken, William's look said triumphantly.
"I'll tell my secretary to put in a order. Bye, kids. And no more loud noises."
"Will do," Bri promised as the door closed.
William laughed and hugged her.
Bri pushed him away.
William held her close again. "You know, I always fancied you Bri," his British accent whispered thickly in her ear.
He kissed her at the base of her neck.
Bri got away. "William what is wrong with you!" She tried desperately to gesture with her hands. "You're different. What--what happened to the Wills I knew?"
William walked over to her. Their bodies touching. "Things change, Bri. Situations change. People change... I've changed."
"For better? Or worse?"
Instead of answering William kissed her long on the lips. "You be the judge of that, Bri."

Chapter Seven
She looked across the breakfast table.
He looked again like the dignified prince. Sipping his coffee. Reading a part in the newspaper that interested him.
"May I fill your glass, Miss Brianna?" Tyler asked.
She wasn't thirsty and the glass wasn't even half empty but she nodded. "That would be nice. Thank you."
William watched the servant left. "Since when did you start acting nice to him?"
"Why do you care, William?" Bri's voice was ice cold. "Jealous?" she spat out the word with this great need to hurt him.
"Jealous? Of him?" William glanced at the door Tyler exited and laughed. "He's just a servant. I'm going to be the King of England. What do I have to be jealous of him for?"
Bri shrugged.
"Because he's in your good graces?" William suggested. "Remember this, Bri. Nothing has ever been denied me." His gaze pierced her and Bri felt helpless against its ability to see everything. "I take what I want. When I want. And when I want you--I'll take you. And there's nothing you can do about it. Who knows, maybe you'll want it too."
Bri felt disgusted with herself as she turned red.
William's voice turned husky. "You're blushing, Bri." A slow smile spread on his face. "What are you thinking about? You and me?"
Bri wanted to turn away but he held her captivated with his eyes.
"You and me doing wicked things? Wicked wicked things?"
Bri felt like she couldn't breathe.
"Do you like the way I kiss?" William asked.
"What are you guys doing?" Harry walked in the room.
Bri broke away from William's gaze. She looked at Harry gratefully. Avoiding Williams eyes, she held up a plate to the younger prince. "Danish?"

From the hall window Bri saw the boys leave for Eton.
William saw her watching and blew her a kiss. He flashed her a smile and got into the car.
Bri sighed and turned to the dog at her side. She bent down to Widgeon's level. "I wish you could talk," she told her. "Then you could tell me what has been going on when I was away."
The dog barked and licked her on the face.
"Well, you still like me," Bri smiled. "That's one thing that hasn't changed." she laughed.
"Ooops," Tyler said as the vase he was dusting fell over.
Bri caught it in time and handed it to him. "Here."
"Thanks," he said, taking it and placing it back on the table in the hall.
"Don't worry, I won't tell," she assured him.
Their eyes held each other's for a moment.
"Tyler?" Bri asked. "How would you like to go riding with me today? I could use the company."
Tyler looked at the feather duster in his hand. "I have...stuff to do."
Bri took the duster out of his hands. "Uncle Chuckie will not fire you! C'mon, you'll still be working. You'll be escorting me and protecting the daughter of his best friend."
Tyler looked at the duster and reached for it.
"C'mon, Tyler, " Bri pleaded. She went into her room and called the front desk. "Hello, Patty? This is Bri. Tyler's going to be with me today. Make sure he doesn't lose his job. Thank you." She turned to him. "See, that's all taken care of."
"I'll get ready, Miss Brianna."

Bri hugged her horse's neck.
"Are you going on the hunt?" Tyler asked, keeping his horse in pace with hers.
"I know Uncle Chuckie and my father expect me to come," Bri answered.
"But--" Tyler waited expectantly.
Bri frowned. "I don't like hunting. Too bloody." She urged her horse forward.
"You still like animals," Tyler said. "It shows with Widgeon and Sugar Stars," he said, Sugar Stars being the name of her horse.
Bri stopped.
"What's wrong?" Tyler asked, alarmed.
"Switch Mountain," Bri said, looking at peak on the horizon.
Tyler smiled. "Yeah."
"I'm just thinking of when...William and I were lost there for a night. And he was freaking me out with stories about how there was a madman on the loose. And he was spooking me with ghost tales about how people have changed bodies with witchcraft and stuff. That's how the mountain got its name. He also told me about zombies... It was raining and I was good and scared. And he gave me his jacket though he was dripping wet himself...And--" she sighed. "He's not that William anymore."
"Bri..." Tyler whispered her name.
Bri gave him a wry smile. "I shouldn't be boring you with this." She cast one more look at the mountain. The sun was setting. "C'mon, let's go back to the Palace. For some reason, I'm suddenly tired."

"Hey, look. It's the Ludgrove set!" Bri called as she saw her former friends (friends through William) at Eton.
"Looked who stopped living high society in France to come here and remember us," one smiled, hugging her in greeting.
She slugged him on the shoulder slightly. "C'mon, I always remember you, Malcolm."
There were hugs all around the circle.
In the back of her mind Bri compared this to William's greeting at the airport. She erased it from her mind.
"So you're here to pick up William?"
She had avoided everything related to William in the last week. She frowned upon hearing his name now. "I'm here to pick up Harry." She took a deep breath. "You've been with William ever since I've been away, right?"
He nodded. "Yeah, except when he's off to Switzerland or something."
"Has he been acting..." she chose the words carefully, "...different?"
"Different?" he echoed. "No."
"I don't think so," another one said, in the same tone.
"Why would he be acting different?"
Bri sighed. Maybe he was acting especially idiotic just for her sake. Could be.
Malcolm gave two short attention getting coughs. "He told us about you two."
Bri was confused at the sentence. "Huh?"
"Sunday night. You and him. Wild night..." Wider grins.
"You don't know how wild," Bri muttered.
"So it's true?"
Bri felt like she was in the twilight zone. "What's true?"
"You and him are kinda--you know--together."
"Darling!" William called, coming down the sidewalk.
Bri put her hands on her hips. "Hey, grinded skull for brains. What garbage have you been feeding these poor innocents?"
"Bri, we shouldn't hide our feelings for each other any longer. I mean it was all right when we were kids but now..." he gave her that look that was the stuff of fantasies dreamt at night. "The passion's too strong to resist." He kissed her at that space on her neck.
"Oh, rent a room!" the boys yelled.
Bri pushed William away. "Hands off me, intestinal waste!" She shuddered. "Ugh!" She spotted Harry. "Guys, don't believe there's anything between me and this thing here." she pointed to William. "There's nothing going on between us." Before there was friendship now there was nothing.
"Sure. Yup. Uh-huh." The answers indicated they didn't believe her.
"Ugh!" she said once more and walked towards Harry.
William laughed, then went after her. He called back to his mates. "She loves me, can't you tell?"

They went straight to the airport after picking the boys up to meet with Bri's parents who were arriving that day.
"Hello, William," Bri's mother greeted him as she stepped out of the plane.
"Auntie," he kissed her on the cheek.
"Oh, William," she laughed. "You get more charming everyday."
"Just catch him at night," Bri muttered.
"What was that you said, Bri?" he turned to her.
She waved it away with her hand. "Oh, nothing." She gave William a sickened smile.
"Here, let me get your bags," William offered.
Bri's father stopped him. "We have Geeves to do that."
The servant took the bags away.
William gave a smile that indicated embarrassment. "I'm just trying to help."
Charles smiled proudly. "That's my boy."
The discussion turned to the upcoming hunt.
Bri turned to Harry. "What's going on?" she whispered. "He was rotten to me last week. Now he's being all nice. What's this? Schizophrenia?"
"Just be grateful he's acting decent," Harry told her.