( Washington,DC)
The television screen flickered to life in the White house residence. A frantic montage of news broadcasts filled the air, each one a frantic echo of the last.
( CNN)
... the First Daughter's fiery exchange with Italy 's Prince Edmund Savoy at the White House gala has sent Shockwave across the political sphere...
( BBC NEWS)
... His Royal Highness , the Prince and to be next in line as the Duke of Italy, has seen entering the palace, reportedly for an urgent meeting regarding the unprecedented public feud...
( FOX NEWS)
... sources say the First Daughter's behavior was a deliberate political maneuver, meant to discredit the young royal. Was it a calculated attack , or simply a clash of fiery personalities...
( THE NYC TIMES)
... President's Elena's office has released a statement downplaying the " unfortunate misunderstanding ", but the damage may already be done...
(RAI NEWS)
..." Scontre Reale! II Principe e la figlia del Presidente in una scandalosa lite a colpi di torta"...
( Royal spat! The Royal Prince and President's daughter in a scandalous cake- throwing showdown)
( TWITTER)
# RoyalsvsAmericans trending worldwide...
The world was quiet in Alexa's room, a blissful, silent void in which she could forget the day's headline-making chaos. But the quiet in the morning shattered in a million pieces.
DOOM.DOOM.DOOM
The knock was not a knock. It was a battering ram, rhythmic assault on the door.
A voice, muffled but unmistakable in it's presidential authority, boomed from the other side." AIL, OPEN THE DOOR."
" Mom, wait!" she groaned , burying her face on the pillow.
" I will break it down, Elena", the voice shouted back, using her own name as a threat.
" Do you understand me? My thumb is on the button ! OPEN.
With a long,resigned sigh that could have deflated a hot air balloon, Alexa sat up. She threw her legs over the side of the bed, her bare feet hitting the cold floor. Grabbing the embroidered night waistcoat from the chair, she shrugged it on over her silk nightgown, tying the sash with a sharp,decisive pull.
With a final, weary sigh , she pulled the door. Her mother,Elena,the President, stood in the hallway. Behind her , looking as though he wished he were anywhere else on Earth, was her bestie secretary, James, a man whose face was a carefully perfected mask of professional neutrality.
Elena stomped into the room, her designer flats, making a sharp, angry sound against the polished floor. She held a folded newspaper in her hand, without a word, she slapped it aganist Alexa's chest, the crinkling
paper a sharp punctuation mark.
The front page was a collage of photos of "the great pastry war ", bold , furious type:
PRINCESS OF DISASTER!
FIRST DAUGHTER'S GALA OUTBURST
" Are you aware of what this is?!" her mom demanded , her voice a low, dangerous howl.
" Are you aware of the chaos you have caused?"
Alexa's expression remained perfectly still. She looked at her mother, her eyes wide and blank, an untouchable, utterly aloof look that seemed to fuel her mom's fury.
" What's were you thinking, Alexa Claire Donovan?" The words from her mother, The President, were sharp , a razor of pure disappointment. " This was a diplomatic disaster. The entire world saw you confront him. You gave him exactly what he wanted."
Alexa felt a surge of hot defiance. " What I wanted was for that arrogant jerk to get what he deserved."
Her mother stopped pacing, her gaze cutting Alexa to he core. " You are the First daughter and Ceo of our own company, not a girl in a bar fight. You represent this country. You don't have the luxury of losing your temper."
The Duke's study was silent, the silence far more terrifying than any shout. The Duke himself stood by the window , his back to his son. " Il tuo comportmento alla Casa Bianca è stato inacettabile, Edmonton."
( Your behavior at the gala was unacceptable, Edmund)
Edmund stood ramrod straight, his hands clasped behind his back, his expression a perfect deadpan mask. He knew better than to speak. His father's voice was quiet, but it was laced with the cold steel of generational duty.
" Abbiamo trascorso anni a coltivare un rapporto diplomatico con gli Stati Uniti, e tu lo hai minato in una sola sera. Sei stato maleducato , arrogante e, francamente, un disonore per il tuo titolo di principe."
( We have spent years cultivating a diplomatic relationship with the United States, you have undermined it in a single evening. You were rude, arrogant , frankly, a disgrace to your title as a prince)
The Duke finally turned his gaze , as heavy , unyielding as a stone. " Hai qualcos' altro da dire in tua difesa?"
( Do you have anything else to say for yourself?)
" He disrespected me". Alexa shot back, her voice shaking with righteous fury." He just ...walked away. He acted like I was nothing. "
" You are the First daughter !" her mother replied, her voice rising. " You are not 'nothing '. You are the most visible young woman in the world! You have be better than this , Ail. You have to learn to let these things go."
" I can't, " she whispered, shaking her head. " I can't let this go."
The silence in the Duke's study stretched for an eternity. The question hung in the air: "Do you have anything else to say for yourself?"
Edmund's gaze was steady, meeting his father's without a hint of emotion." Solo che le sue azioni erano inaccettabili quanto le mie" he said, his voice flat , perfectly devoid of apology.
( Only that her actions were as unacceptable as my own)
The Duke's jaw tightened, " Le sue azioni non sense affar tuo! La tua preoccupazione è il tuo dovere. Sei andato lì per rappresentare il tuo paese, non per ingaggiare una futile faida con una borghese Americana."
( Her actions are not your concern . Your concern is your duty. You went there to represent your country, not to engage in a petty feud with an American commoner.)
Edmund's posture did not change, but a muscle in his jaw twitched. Inside,he felt a cold,familiar rage. A commoner? That was precisely the problem. My father's contempt for her was the same as my own, yet I am the only one being reprimanded for it. I meant nothing. He simply held his perfect, deadpan expression , allowing the silence to condemn him.
Her mother was about to unleash a new wave of fury when a low cough cut her off. James , the bestie turned secretary stepped in to ease the tension between Alexa and her mom.
" Madam President," He said , his voice calm, counterpoint to the storm. " If I may."
Elena sighed, the air hissing out of her. She glared at him. " What was it,James ? Unless you've stepped in to help your bestie from me whenever I scold her to ease the tension. But this time , it's her mistake and she will take responsibility for it."
" I am not here to save her," he said. " But, I do have an idea. It's for the reputation damage control."
Elena crossed her arms. " Out with it."
" We spread the news that the Prince and the First daughter are , in fact, literally close friends". James said, speaking faster now, as if he knew how crazy it sounded." This was all a big misunderstanding between two passionate people. A private spat that became public. Our sources will leak that they have been friends for a long time. They've just been keeping it private. And this whole ' great pastry war' was a simple friend's quarrel gone wrong."
" No".
The word was a quiet, cold stone in the air. Alexa who was aloof to her mother, now rose to meet James's.
" Ew. Yuck. Never in a million years", she said, her voice moving with a pure disgust. She then turned her gaze towards her mother." I would rather die than be a fake friend with that jerk."
Edmund finally looked up, his gaze cold and flat." No."
The single word hung in the air, a final and absolute rejection.
Lionel 's hopeful expression faltered," But , Your Royal Highness—"
" I will not pretend to be friends with that immature woman," He stated, his voice quiet but laced with icy finality. " I will not participate in this farce. I would rather endure to he hanged than smile for a single picture with that American."