Skating For Grace (The Royal Skater Chronicles Book 1) Read online

  From there everything proceeded in slow motion. The flags were raised. Hearing her national anthem being played and seeing her country’s flag flying high above the stadium brought tears to her eyes. She could not help it; it was almost automatic. She heard herself sing along with the music as the tears streamed down her face. The pain, the sprained ankles, the hours of stretching her body into impossible positions on two thin pieces of metal, while gliding on a slippery surface all came down to this one moment. Was it really worth it? This was the culmination of every competitor’s dream. Was it worth it?

  The crowd applauded when the three skaters joined together and waved. The whole arena was cheering for them, three individuals who had been able to defy gravity, to subdue their bodies and to stay on their feet more than their competitors. Then the moment was over.

  Before leaving, everyone huddled together holding up their medals, while the photographers took picture after picture. Jacqueline's face hurt more than her body did after the long and tedious session. She glanced at Linda, knowing how hard this moment must be for her. Although her friend wore a pleasant smile, something about her told Jacqueline that her friend was hurting and trying to keep her emotions in check.

  They were led back to the changing room, waving as they went. They had to make it past the reporters who were eagerly shouting questions at them. All Jacqueline could do was smile, nod and wave.

  In the changing room, they had only a moment for a quick hug from their coaches.

  “I am awfully proud of you,” Fiona told her, tears streaming down her face.

  They held on to each other briefly. Jacqueline remembered the first time she was introduced to this little woman, seven years earlier. They had had their arguments and disagreements. Fiona held steadfast to her belief that Jacqueline could make it to the top of international skating and she was correct. Just last year, she had gained a third at the European Championship and came in fourth in the World Championships, ironically behind both Tatiana and Linda.

  Sven Olsen interrupted them and motioned them up a back stair to the makeshift studio of the ABC television station. A tall, harried producer welcomed them and fixed each of them with a microphone. Their hair and makeup was once again touched up to prevent the bright lights washing out their colors. Jacqueline was still wearing her gold medal. It hung heavily from her neck and reflected the bright lights. She smiled as she fingered its smooth surface.

  They were introduced to the host and hostess of the show.

  “I want to tell you how much I personally enjoyed each of your performances,” beamed the anchorwoman, as she shook their hands. Her male counterpart did likewise and helped them settle into their seats. The director quickly explained that they were just to imagine themselves in a room with close friends, answering questions. Oh yes, Jacqueline thought, I am about to share with millions of my closest friends.

  But she knew the drill and smiled pleasantly until the director motioned for them to be quiet.

  “In 5, 4…” he whispered and the cameras whirled around and the room became quiet.

  “Jacqueline, I know you are very aware of the fact that you have just made history. You are from a relatively small and unknown country, and you are only sixteen years old. You must be very excited.”

  She smiled sweetly. “Yes, I am.”

  “For those who have not been following the news,” their friendly host explained to his ‘friends’ on the other side of the camera. “Jacqueline’s family is the ruling family of the democratic monarchy of Lichtenbourgh in between France and Switzerland.”

  Ah, Jacqueline thought, I was wondering when they would bring that up.

  “Your family must be ecstatic right now,” the anchorman said, oozing charm.

  “I’m sure they are. I will be hearing from them soon.”

  “Your parents were in attendance tonight?”

  “Indeed, but I have yet to speak to them personally. It has been quite a night,” she admitted. She hated this!

  “We want to congratulate each of you again for your wonderful performances and hope to see you again in four years. What are your plans now?”

  Linda was the first to say that she was looking forward to some time at home outside Denver Colorado, devoting herself to long walks with her two Dachshunds, Fritz and Louisa. Tatiana hesitatingly admitted that she would be retiring after the games. Jacqueline thought frantically for an answer but could only say that she was looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow. Chuckles were heard from around the room. The interview was soon over, and as Sven escorted them back to the locker room, Jacqueline could not stifle her yawn. Her eyes felt droopy and she felt as though her body had been pounded by a ton of stones, yet, she was still upright, walking around in a daze. Outside the locker room door, the press waited for them like piranhas, hungry for their next meal. The flashes of the many cameras caused her to stumble blindly after Fiona to the front door, where the cheering crowd demanded her total attention. By this time, Jacqueline’s cheeks had no feeling anymore. She somehow managed to find her outer clothes and put them over her skating dress. Her black limousine pulled up and the chauffeur doffed his hat with a smile as he opened the back door. She waved one last time at the many cameras, and entered the car. Even before the door had finished closing, she felt herself embraced by both her parents. For a moment they were all overcome with the emotion of the whole ordeal.

  By the time they pulled up in front of the rented home, the family had collected themselves and Jacqueline was quickly dozing off to sleep. She startled awake when the door opened and for once she was not greeted by reporters shoving their microphones in her face. The only illumination was the distant twinkling lights of the city and the stars. She breathed in the frosty air and quickly made her way along with her parents to the front door, which was flung open by a butler who struggled to maintain his composure. He quickly removed her jacket as he beamed at her.

  “If you would permit me to say,” he started in his crisp correct voice, “on behalf of the staff, we want to congratulate you most sincerely.” She smiled at him.

  “Why thank you. Right now, I am so tired, but I truly appreciate your words. It has been my pleasure to secure this soughtafter prize and I will endeavor to continue to represent my country in a dignified fashion,” she rambled on, smiling and waving at the crowd, which was not there.

  “Come along, dear,” she heard the soft voice of her mother and felt her hand on her arm steering her to the stairs.

  “I believe it is way past my bedtime, Mother,” she started to giggle uncontrollably. Her mother helped her to her room and she just about made it to her bed. She removed the heavy medal from her neck and placed it on the nightstand. As soon as she felt the soft mattress underneath her, she fell into a deep, heavy sleep.

  Chapter 4

  When she awoke, sunlight streamed into her room. It was well into the afternoon, by the looks of it, and Jacqueline was quite foggy about the events of last night. Then her eyes fell on the medal on her nightstand. Then everything came back in full force. Jacqueline stretched luxuriously. Her whole body felt worn out. She enjoyed her moment of quiet, once again realizing what had transpired. She had done it! She had really done it! All the hard training had been worth it. She squealed in delight, kicked her feet and flung her cozy comforter away from her, only then noticing the time.

  “Ahhh,” Jacqueline gasped. “Two in the afternoon?! I almost slept the day away!” Then she laughed happily. Who cared how long she slept today? Her eyes fell on the multitude of bouquets in her room. The whole room smelled like a flower shop. Each bouquet had a card attached and it would take hours to read them all. Maybe she would actually have time to go through them leisurely, sipping a cup of hot chocolate.

  She dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, and made her way to the large kitchen. Smells so wonderful made her empty stomach growl. Today she would allow herself to indulge in foods she normally would have to say no to. Jacqueline was sure Fiona would allow her this moment.

  “Your Highness, I didn’t see you enter,” the cook stammered in a heavy accent.

  “I’m sorry but I am famished!” she panted as she reached for a miniature quiche fresh out of the oven. Her forwardness was rewarded by a burning sensation in her fingers. She quickly set the little pastry down on the counter and proceeded to blow on her fingers.

  “I am so sorry,” the poor chef stammered again and rushed to get her ice out of the freezer.

  “No matter,” laughed Jacqueline. “I didn’t think of the consequence of picking up a hot piece of pastry. Please don’t fuss,” she added, still blowing on her fingertips.

  “Do I hear the voice of my youngest daughter?” a booming voice asked from the study, where Jacqueline found her father, a stack of newspapers in front of him. She felt herself enveloped in his strong arms, breathing in a hint of his spicy aftershave and peppermint toothpaste. She smiled up at him.

  “You have woken!” he beamed at her. “The whole world is talking about you.”

  She winced as she saw her picture on the front page. It was a color picture of her, tears streaming down her cheeks as she sang the national anthem, the flag flying high above her head. Her eyes caught a picture of her landing a triple Lutz perfectly.

  “Wow, that’s a really good one,” she mumbled, her mouth full of something extremely tasty. “I knew I was skating well, but I didn’t know I was that good.”

  “Yes, humility is not one of your strong points,” her father laughed. Together they poured over picture after picture, story after story as cook plied her with treat after treat. Jacqueline couldn't remember when she had spent an afternoon just with her father, pouring over pictures.

  “Here is a good one,” her father laughed. “According to this newspaper you are the most talented athlete at these games,” he chuckled when she turned bright red.

  “That is totally ridiculous. Anyone who makes it here is just as talented. And just because I happened to be able to stay on my feet, doesn’t make me the most talented athlete. But I tell you, Father, I am quite tired. I would love to just rest for a bit,” she mumbled and didn’t manage to catch the yawn that escaped her.

  “By all means dear, take a rest. This evening we are having a small dinner party here in your honor,” he informed her and she squirmed.

  “Father!” Jacqueline tried not to sound too upset. “Why couldn’t you have waited? We are here for another two weeks.”

  “It was not my idea, dear,” he soothed, and admitted that the consulate had requested that a small, intimate dinner was held in her honor. “Be thankful that it is only a small affair and that it is not an official state dinner. Only forty people are coming,” he informed her and Jacqueline tried not to frown.

  She sighed as she made her way up the beautiful oak stairs. Everything in this large Norwegian home was made of huge local timber, cut to exact dimensions by skilled craftsmen. The moment she entered her room, the fragrance of the multitude of flowers overwhelmed her. Her eldest sister would have a very hard time with this and she would undoubtedly sneeze her way out of the room. Jacqueline settled into the warm, cushy window seat, looking at the snow-covered branches of the huge elm tree outside her window. Its bows were heavy from fresh snowfall last night. As she took off the first card, she noticed that the sun was just beginning to reach the horizon. It would soon be quite dark. She shuddered. The long winter nights would be a nightmare for her.

  She was so engrossed in her cards that she did not hear the knock at the door.

  “Knock, knock,” her mother announced.

  “Oh, Mother. Do come in.”

  Her mother, dressed and exquisitely put together, entered and joined her at the window seat. A smile played over her beautiful face. Her mother, although in her late fifties, was still the most beautiful woman Jacqueline knew.

  “Look at all these beautiful flowers. Don’t you think that we should donate them to a charity here in Lillehammer?” she asked after gazing around.

  Jacqueline pasted a smile on her face. She should have figured that her mother would suggest something like this. Always civil minded, she thought wryly.

  “If you don’t mind, Mother,” Jacqueline pleaded. “I would love to keep the roses given to me along with my medal,” she attempted to convince her.

  “Oh my dear, we have so many roses at home. Think of the joy they would bring another person here,” she beamed at her daughter.

  What about the joy they bring me? She almost grumbled but caught herself. She knew that if she complained to her mother, she would just receive a sharp reprimand. It didn't matter that Jacqueline had just won the Olympic gold medal. Here she was still expected to do her duty. This time, her duty included giving away all the flowers. Why, oh why, couldn't her mother just leave her be for one afternoon?

  “As you wish,” she pouted.

  “Oh Jacqueline, that face does not become an Olympic Champion,” her mother answered sharply.

  Jacqueline almost laughed out loud. Did she call that one or what?

  “Of course not, Mother,” Jacqueline answered and smiled evenly. She was getting thoroughly tired of this conversation.

  “You will wear your purple dress this evening?” her mother demanded more than asked. “It will go well with your gold medal.”

  “Of course, Mother,” Jacqueline sighed and turned her attention back to her next card.

  “It looks as though you have more correspondence. Tomorrow you have several interviews in the morning,” her mother informed her as she dropped a stack of telegrams onto the pine coffee table in the middle of the room.

  This time Jacqueline did not manage to stifle a groan. Her mother shot her a disapproving look. Jacqueline hoped she would not lecture her on etiquette and for once she was spared.

  “Oh, one more thing, first thing tomorrow morning you need to sit down with the secretary to answer most of these. It would not do to wait too long.” She kissed her just above the ear and gracefully glided out of the room.

  This time, Jacqueline did not stifle her frustration. She had worked so hard, stayed apart from the whole Olympic experience, that she felt entitled to some pleasure. Now that her competitions were done, she wanted to venture out and watch the skiing, the hockey games, and the bobsledding competitions still to come. She had missed most of the other competitions due to her diligent practice and training. Nine hours of the day had been dedicated to precisely orchestrated strength training, endurance, and dance, not to mention the hours spent on the ice. She was worn out. She needed a break! But she was not going to get one. This evening she was expected to accept the accolades of numerous important people she would never ever meet again, looking stunning and princess-like in her purple designer dress.

  She suddenly found it hard to concentrate on the cards. The enjoyment she felt earlier had all but flown out of the window. Answering these had now become a tedious chore that would keep her from enjoying some of the competitions that remained. A knock on her door caused another frown. She was not ready for another session with her mother.

  “Are you up for some company?” a cheerful voice turned the frown into a smile.

  “Of course, Linda,” she laughed. “You are always welcome.”

  Linda sat down Indian style on the soft area rug, covering the center of the room.

  “This is a sweet house, Jacqueline,” she complimented. Jacqueline smiled and pointed to all her correspondence.

  “Wow, that is a lot of letters!” Linda whistled, impressed. “That's a good thing about staying in the village. There is no room for all these things. I guess I'll have to deal with them when I get back, though.”

  “I have to answer them by tomorrow,” she explained to her friend and her frown increased when Linda laughed.

  “Poor baby! Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You are an Olympic Champion! With that title comes quite a lot of responsibility,” Linda pointed out grandly.

  “I really don’t want any more responsibility!” she sulked. “I have enough of that already.” She really couldn't expect Linda to understand.

  “Sorry, hon, but you got it,” Linda replied, not at all sorry for her friend.

  Together they made their way through the stack of telegrams.

  “Tonight there is a party at the Sheraton hotel. It is going to be a lot of fun. Are you coming?” Linda asked as she waved a congratulatory note from the Australian President in front of her face.

  “My parents have arranged for a small dinner here at the house. I won’t be able to come with you tonight,” she answered miserably. It sounded like it would be a lot of fun.

  “That’s all right,” her friend reassured her. “There will be many others. Tomorrow is pairs skating. You are going to watch that, right? It should be a really exciting competition. I hope my American pals will do well,” she added mischievously.

  “I hope I can attend,” Jacqueline sighed and rifled through more of the telegrams. It took her another two hours to go through the whole stack with Linda’s help. By then the sun had disappeared beneath the horizon.

  “Got to get ready for the party, girl,” Linda laughed and got up off the floor. “Enjoy your dinner,” she teased and rushed out the door, barely avoiding the pillow Jacqueline had flung in her direction.

  She sighed and got up to ready herself for her own dinner party. She assumed the guests would not arrive until eight so she had plenty of time to get ready.

  Chapter 5

  Her body felt stiff from sitting all day and she needed to loosen up a little. Jacqueline really could not afford to get stiff at this point. She donned a pair of fur-lined boots, hat and gloves, wrapped a thick scarf around her neck and stepped outside in the bitter cold evening. She stood still for a moment, the cold seeping in through her warm coat. She proceeded to walk down the street and took in the twinkling of the lights in each of the houses. The chimneys were puffing white clouds into the wintry air.