As by habit, Geoffrey woke up at 5 in the morning. Looking beside him, he saw Serena who has already moved away from his arms during her sleep. During their honeymoon, he noticed that Serena prefers sleeping lying on her back. Even when she falls asleep in his arms, her body would unconsciously move around so that she would be lying on her back later. He was a light sleeper, so when she moves, he would wake-up almost instantaneously.

He looked at her sleeping form, it was a good thing that unlike him, she was a heavy sleeper. Even when he touches her face, she would only swat his hand away and remain asleep. His lips tilted up.

When she tried to comfort him earlier, he felt warm inside. She truly cares for him now, he thought. However, at the same time, his happiness felt bittersweet. He knew that who Serena loves was not the real him, but the illusion of him. She has placed him high on a pedestal, as if he could do no evil and that he was the manifestation of all the good in this world.

He shook his head. He should not think that way. All the things he did was now in the past.

What is important is the present, and the future. If what she sees is still an illusion, then he would make that illusion into the reality.

He kissed her lips before he left her bedroom.

Arriving in his new study, Geoffrey looked at the piled-up documents on his table. He has been gone for only a week, but his responsibilities have already caught up with him.

He chuckled remembering Serena's words earlier. Be a destitute prince. He never thought of it that way before. For a moment, his mind entertained the fancy, but then, he knew that he would never be able to shirk his responsibilities.

-- 

When Serena woke up, Geoffrey's side of the bed has already gone cold. She wondered if he left already. She wanted to kiss him goodbye and play housewife. Oh well, that can wait when he comes home.

After a few minutes of just being lazy in bed, she heard the doorknob turning and in came Beatrice. "Good morning your royal highness." She greeted as she smiled at her lady.

Serena smiled at the new title, then asked, "What time is it?"

"It is 10 in the morning." Beatrice replied as she opened the curtains.

"Why did you not wake me earlier? I should have joined Geoffrey for breakfast." Serena lightly complained. By the way, she and Beatrice has grown quite close over the years. Although there is still the barrier of master-servant relationship, they were comfortable with each other to say what they really thought without offending the other.

Beatrice smiled back at her lady, "His royal highness specifically instructed me and the others not to wake you up so early in the morning. I believe he already knows your habit of not waking up till the sun is already high in the skies."

Serena giggled, that was very sweet of him, but then she shook her head. What will the other servants think? It was alright today as they just arrived back yesterday. "Tomorrow, you have to wake me up earlier. Anyhow, what time did Geoffrey have breakfast and what time did he leave?"

"His highness had breakfast in his room thus, I am not sure, but he left at 8 in the morning." Beatrice answered as she went to the comfort room to prepare Serena's bath.

"I see. So, how are the house employs here? are they treating you well?"

"They seem to be very well disciplined and were eagerly awaiting your arrival. They are treating me quite well actually. Just like in the ducal estate, they all think I have the most blessed position in the house." Actually, she thinks that she does. Serena was not a difficult mistress to serve.

"That's good." Serena answered as Beatrice began helping her undress.

After she entered the bathtub, Beatrice began to prepare her clothes while she relaxed herself on the warm bath. She didn't really need Beatrice to help her every morning, but she did like the convenience of getting everything prepared for her.

Anyhow, she started thinking of how she must live from this day forth.

As a married woman and the crown princess to boot, she knew what her responsibilities were. Aside from producing an heir, she needed to overlook the house's finances, which she would need to discuss with the butler later, manage the estate somehow, attend social functions, and basically have a favorable impression to everyone, well at least to those who matters. Those were the bare minimum.

Now, to go beyond that was not necessary, but she wanted to do more. Even though she has full confidence in Geoffrey, she wanted to be of some help to him. Perhaps she can build up publicity and their popularity. She can also give sound advice if he would confide in her. Either way, to do those, she needs to have a sound awareness of the current political reality. She can no longer live the life of just going with the flow.

This was her reality now, and there were people who wants to take the crown from her husband. She can't possibly make herself his weakness by being a lazy bum at home.

She sighed. Really, being married to Geoffrey would also involve a lot of sacrifice from her end. Aside from battling for the crown, it also equates to a lifetime of servitude to the people of Windsor. If he were a prodigal prince who didn't care for the people, life would be much easier.

But then, that's also one of his qualities that she loves most. That he would never abandon his responsibility despite the difficulties but instead, fulfill them to his utmost best.

Serena smiled as she shook her head. As Geoffrey said, privilege comes with a price.

Life is really such a funny thing. The one thing she has always ran away from, now, she would fully embrace. But what to do? She loves the man.

--

TBC

AN: she also owes it to him, i wanted to mention it that she already thought of that before marriage and she knows it but i was talking about the going beyond the minimum on the last part.. (Just in case anyone's wondering. Hehe)

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