Page 5 of Defying the Crown
Regardless of the controversy and debate, it’s clear that all may not be well in the halls of Amalienborg. Only time will tell if the Crown Prince is up to the task of leading the country as King Magnus ages and his health deteriorates.
For the Palace’s official statement, turn to page 10...
I sit there as my father roars at me, his face livid with veins bulging in his neck. "Do you understand what you've done?"
I can feel myself shrinking under his glare, his anger making me feel like I'm a little boy all over again, that same scared child who could never measure up.
"Yes," I reply meekly, my voice barely above a whisper.
"No, I don't believe you do. If you did, then you wouldn't be sitting here acting like nothing had happened!"
"How else am I supposed to act? I can't help that I misspoke, and I can't go back and change it," I say, trying to keep my voice steady despite the tremor I feel building inside. "I know that I've put us in a bad light, but it will pass. The media will find some other spectacle to report on in a day or two, they always do!"
"No Harald, what you've done is shame the Crown by your actions. We have a standard to uphold, and we must be flawless! Any improper actionsor allegations of incompetence threatens not just your reputation, but the reputation of the Royal Family as a whole. Royalty is divine, not mundane, and how you acted was worse than mundane," my father lectures, sneering at me with that familiar look of disappointment that I've grown far too accustomed to seeing.
My throat feels tight as I force out the words, "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."
"You're right, it won't," he says, his voice suddenly eerily calm and calculated in a way that sends chills down my spine. "If it does, I think it might be time I revisit the line of succession. Perhaps your cousin Oskar would be a more worthy successor than you to take the throne? At least we don't have to worry about allegations of his mental competence. He would have the strength and constitution to take over the throne, both things you seem to be lacking."
I freeze at his threat to disinherit me, my blood running cold. He's never gone this far before, nor has he ever been this cruel to me. He's always shown himself to be an uncaring father, especially after my mother died, but I have never seen this side of him. The calculated cruelty in his eyes makes my stomach turn.
"Father, I don't know how they got wind of my issues. I didn't tell anyone, and you made certain that the doctors and hospitals kept their silence." I can hear my inner panic start to come out in my voice as I say this, my words tumbling out faster than I can control them.
"It doesn't matter how or why, all that matters is that you stop this nonsense immediately. I've had enough of this for today; I'll leave you to reflect on your actions and the harm you've caused this family."
He storms out of the room, the heavy door slamming behind him with a finality that makes me flinch. I'm left alone with my younger sister, Ella, who looks at me like a bomb has just gone off. It's silent for a moment as we both try to process what just happened, the tension in the air thick enough to cut with a knife.
"I can't believe he just said that." Ella says, breaking the cold silence first, her voice tight with anger.
"That's our father, he always wins the parent of the year award." I reply, trying to hold my feelings in as I feel myself going teary-eyed, though I can't quite keep the bitterness from my voice.
"Our father is an asshole" Ella cries, jumping up to come and hug me asshe sees me begin to lose it. "He's always been an ignorant ass, and tonight just proves it. Don't let him get to you!"
"I try not to, but then things like this happen. I'm not perfect, and I don't think I will ever be able to live up to his unrealistic expectations." My voice cracks on the last word, and I hate how weak I sound.
"You don't need to live up to his expectations! He needs to live up to ours, he just hasn't realized it yet. You are going to be okay, I promise" she says soothingly, her arms tightening around me.
Ella is like a carbon copy of our mother in most ways. She inherited her calm and warm demeanour, and her blond hair and blue eyes. She also inherited her fire, making her 5'3" of pure energy and spite that you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. I think it actually pains my father to see her; the resemblance to my mother is uncanny at times. She always seems to be able to see what you're thinking and how you're feeling before you even know. Even though I'm older than her by two years, it feels like she spends more time taking care of me than I do her.
"Thanks Ella. I feel bad for bothering you with this stuff; you've got your own things to deal with as well." I run a hand through my hair, a nervous habit I've never been able to break.
"Don't worry about me, I have things well in hand" she replies, easily dismissing my guilt. "I'll always be here for you. You've also got the other means of coping the doctors suggested the last time you went in."
I shudder at the mention of the doctors. I'd had a meltdown in public and lost my shit; thankfully Erik had been there to quickly smuggle me away before anyone noticed. That had ended up with me spending three weeks in a hospital talking to psychologists and therapists, all of whom felt obligated to give me advice and tell me that this was normal. Maybe it's normal for regular people, but not for any of my father's children. The memory of those sterile white walls and sympathetic faces still haunts me.
Of all the doctors and medical professionals I saw in the hospitals, only one of the therapists I spoke to actually seemed to want to help me. Now I see Ingrid regularly, and she has helped me keep a lid on some of my more volatile emotions. She's one of the few people who sees me as Harald the person, not Harald the Crown Prince.
"Maybe I'll reach out to Ingrid and move up our next session." I say, already feeling the need to talk through everything that just happened.
"Yes, I think you should. Why don't you try reaching out to her now?I'm sure she'll take your call, it's not too late. I'll give you some space; let me know if you need anything!"
Ella leaves the room, and I pull up the contact list on my smartphone. My finger hovers over Ingrid's name for a moment before I hit it and wait for the call to connect, trying to steady my breathing as the phone rings.
"Hello, is that you Harald?"
"Hi yes it's me. Do you have a few minutes to talk? I really need someone to talk to right now."
"Yes of course. I thought I might be hearing from you after seeing today's newspaper headlines. I've been keeping an eye on things."
