Airwolf Legacy

Chapter Two

Kristien was fidgeting with her back to the huge dress mirrors that Vincent and Anthony had brought. She had been prodded, poked, make uped, bronzed, tonged, and styled beyond anything she had ever imagined. Women do this on a daily basis she thought, how the hell? Her patience was now wearing very thin.

Vincent and Anthony were working very hard to please her. Alfred also was doing his up most at keeping her calm. Finally with the tiara in place the three men stepped back and admired their work that stood before them. They gasped at what they saw.

Kristien looked at them and frowned. “Now what?”

None of the men could speak.

Kristien turned and faced the mirrors thinking that there was something wrong. She stared in completely shocked at what she saw with her reflection. They had performed a miracle in the sixty minutes that she had allowed them.

There stood was a beautiful princess. The dress with a crimson bodice, totally off the shoulder revealing Kristien’s well defined shoulders and an impressive cleavage. The dress continued down to ivory white being a full hooped skirt all adorned with pearls and diamonds all real of course, with ruffles around the bottom. Kristien wore elbow length white gloves hiding her working hands that galloped the most impressive horses on a daily basis. She did draw the line at having false nails attached as they would not have lasted two minutes on her. The tiara was placed on a perfect head with her hair up and folded neatly away. The boys had even managed to put colour in her cheeks which this week after the tragic miscarriage was sadly lacking despite resting.

“Is this the Princess before me in the child that I brought up.” Alfred managed to say with proud tears in his eyes.

Kristien turned and looked at her butler, her valet, her mentor, the man who brought her up as a father. She smiled sweetly amazed that she did actually look nice out of jodhpurs. Not that she would make a habit of this, one dress in one lifetime was more than enough. Kristien was never one for pomp and circumstance.

Vincent and Anthony just held their hands under their noses, trying hard to blink back the tears of emotion that they felt towards their project which had now blossomed in front of them. They hugged each other to calm themselves.

All three men backed away leaving the room, allowing Kristien to get used to the transformation.

Hawke walked in and towards Kristien. He was dressed in the tailored dinner jacket that Vincent and Anthony had made. Feeling Hawke enter the room Kristien turned and faced Hawke.

Hawke stopped in his tracks. Completely in awe of Kristien. He froze. He did not know whether to bow with respect or to hug her but he felt he would somehow cripple her. She was perfect. Tears filled his eyes as he feasted upon her.

Kristien looked directly at Hawke. “I am getting very worried about everyone’s reaction to this.” She said opening her arms and pointing down to the dress. “I think I prefer being a wall flower with everyone passing me by.”

Hawke looked barely able to speak. “You are always a rose, never a wall flower, no one could ever pass you by.”

Kristien smiled at him. “I can’t breathe in this that’s for sure.” She smoothed her hands down the bodice.

Hawke started to approach her. He bowed and then walked forwards taking a velvet case out of his dinner jacket pocket. Kristien was intrigued and lifted her dress up, revealing the very special cream boots that Vincent and Anthony had made as Kristien never would wear heels, and stepped forward to meet him.

“What’s this?” Kristien asked trying to peer in to the box that Hawke had opened and was looking at. He turned the velvet box around to show Kristien. There was the most beautiful solitaire diamond on a twenty four carat gold necklace. The light caught the diamond and sparkled in Kristien’s eyes.

“As you found nothing to wear down in the family vault I thought I would find you something that was unique.” Hawke told her. The fact he visited Paris and told the top Swiss Jewellers that he visited and demanded that they make something fit for a princess, they had also performed a miracle. Kristien was never one for jewellery, only ever wearing earrings and a small gold necklace with a horses head, that was it. “I designed this and had this made for you.” He told her proudly.

Kristien looked at Hawke. He certainly knew how to get her attention. He placed the solitaire around her neck and placed it on her chest. He admired it on her and then took her in his arms and kissed her. He stepped back and knelt down on one knee and held onto her right gloved hand

“I can’t give you a knighthood you know.” She joked. “I am only a Duchess you know here in England.” Kristien smiled down to Hawke and then started to think. “I am not sure what I can bestow upon you as Princess of Dubawi, camels maybe?” Kristien started to think about Royal Protocol and what as a Princess she could bestow, probably make Stringfellow a Count of some kind, not that he would accept it.

“Kristien, will you marry me?” Hawke asked breaking her chain of thought.

Kristien looked at Hawke and now it was her turn to be shocked. She stood, with what little colour she had draining from her. In all the time that she and Hawke had been together had they ever needed to get married and until the other night, had never uttered those three words.

“Are you sure you want to ask me this? This will be probably the one and only time I am in a dress you know.” Kristien whispered softly, barely able to speak.

Hawke nodded not moving from his knee.

Kristien bit her bottom lip, something she did when she wasn’t sure of an answer which in her life was pretty rare. Hawke patiently waited. Kristien exhaled not sure of how to answer.

“I am sure.” He confirmed to her.

“Oh boy.” Kristien replied not knowing really how to reply. She had in the past rehearsed every single answer to say no, all the excuses she could call upon at a moments notice, but here in the real world they melted away. “Arise Sir Stringfellow.” She helped Hawke up from his kneeling and pulled him towards her and she kissed him and hugged him, holding him close and she whispered into his ear. “Yes, I will marry you.” She answered from her heart which was ruling her head.

With tears of joy in his eyes he kissed Kristien hard and full.

“Hey, down boy.” She told him knowing where their passion was taking them. “It’s going to take at least an hour to get me out of this trussed up dress you know so a ‘nooner’ is totally out of the question.” Kristien smiled. “Oh and I only want a short engagement.”

Hawke smiled at Kristien’s request. “Your wish is my command.” Hawke told her and kissed her again. “When do I get my camels?” He joked. Both of them erupted into laughter and Hawke took her again and kissed her hard and full, throwing all caution to the wind, they both got very passionate.

“Excuse me, Your Royal Highness.” Alfred entered the room again interrupting the passionate embrace from developing any further.

Kristien rolled her eyes and was about to launch into her ‘for goodness sake drop the formality routine” towards Alfred when he noted the eye rolling and frowned at her like a disapproving parent would. “Protocol Your Highness, just for the next five hours.”

Kristien stood with her arms still around Hawke. “Well just five hours then and after that we are back to normal, okay?”

“Oh course Your Highness.” Alfred replied.

Kristien rolled her eyes again. “Just, please don’t answer me from now on, okay.” She complained. “I really can’t cope with the HRH stuff. It will drive me insane before we even get to the drinks reception.”

“Mister Dominic Santini and Miss Caitlin O’Shannesy wish to see you.” Alfred announced the guests and Dom and Cait walked in. Dominic looked at the young couple, both beautifully dressed. He looked at Kristien and stood with his mouth wide open.

“Se fossi quaranta anni più giovane stavo sposandolo a destra qui ora.” Dominic told her in Italian, if I were forty years younger I would be marrying you right here right now.

Kristien beamed. “Unisca la coda dietro il mio fiancé, l'uomo nelle mie armi.” Kristien replied in Italian, join the queue behind my fiancé, the man in my arms.

Dominic could not hide his excitement at the news. Caitlin and Hawke both stood not understanding a word that was going on between them. Dominic walked over and took Kristien from Hawke, kissing her on both cheeks.

“Siete così bello ed io sappia che voi e Stringfellow saranno per sempre felici.” Dominic told her, you are so beautiful and I know you and Stringfellow will be happy forever.

“Have you two quite finished?” Hawke asked the united nations convention that seemed to be going on in front of them. “Cait you look lovely.”

“Mamma Mia, where are my manners?” Dominic threw up his arms and walked back to Caitlin. “Kristien this is Caitlin O’Shanessy, she manages Santini Air when we are out playing with the Lady.” Dominic introduced Cait to Kristien.

Caitlin felt totally out of her depth and did not know whether to courtesy or bow. “Oh ………dear, now I have totally forgotten what I was to say.” Caitlin started to ramble. “You know you’re my first real live royal princess.” Caitlin stumbled over her words. “Well unless you count film stuff of course but then that’s not real now is it.” Caitlin continued. “Do I call you highness or your royal highness or your majesty?”

Dominic rolled his eyes, here we go again, Caitlin rambling on as usual!

“Cait.” Hawke stopped her. “Kristien will do.”

“You sure Hawke?” Caitlin queried. “You know that man downstairs said an awful lot you know of how to do Royal Protocol.”

Kristien smiled gently and walked over to Caitlin to save her from tripping up on too many more words and kissed Caitlin on each cheek, Caitlin stood in awe. “Hello Caitlin, Dom and String have told me all about you.”

“They have? Really? What did they say?” Caitlin did not believe that the men that she worked with would even give her a second mention.

“Well I tell you what, tomorrow you can ride out with me and we can compare notes on the boys and see who said what and when.” Kristien told her.

“You got a horse I can ride? Really?” Caitlin replied. “You know you really don’t have to go to all that trouble you know. You can go riding with Hawke.”

“We have over one thousand to ride tomorrow so take your pick.” Kristien told her.

“One thousand?” Caitlin replied astounded. “God in heaven.” She exclaimed.

“Well we have over two thousand here, mares at stud, stallions, foals and youngstock. Another three thousand in America split between two studs.” Kristien told her.

“Wow!” Caitlin could not believe she could ever imagine that many horses ever together. She looked at Kristien’s beautiful ball gown. “I feel very under dressed you know.” Caitlin had put on a plain dress, totally unsure of what was required.

“Alfred.” Kristien called.

Alfred appeared at the door and before he could reply Kristien jumped in. “Please take Miss O’Shanessy to Vincent and Anthony and I want to see them find the best ball gown for our very special visitor.”

“Oh don’t go to any trouble not for me.” Caitlin tried to back out.

“Caitlin there will be Princes here wanting to dance and choose their ladies.” Kristien told her. “You shall go to the ball and be a princess.”

Alfred nodded. “If you would be so kind as to follow me Miss Caitlin.” Caitlin walked out of the room and followed the butler leaving Dominic looking at Hawke and Kristien. Dominic was just about to burst into ‘about time too you pair got married’ but Carsten appeared at the door.

“Air Force One has just landed. The President and the First Lady will come up to the house in exactly thirty minutes, five minutes before the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh arrives.” Carsten recited the timetable that had been planned to the second over eighteen months before.

Kristien looked at Carsten frustrated. “You mean in your impeccable timing you got me ready too early?”

Carsten finally looked at Kristien, my God she is beautiful. “Erm, oh well…….yes, sorry.”

“Sorry? Is that the best you can do?” Kristien did not hide being pissed off. “Well I am sure I could go for a ride for twenty minutes.”

Hawke, Dominic and Carsten all spoke at the same time. “NO!”

Kristien giggled at the reaction that she got. “Just kidding boys.” She twirled in the room, wow this is fun dressing up and worrying the boys she thought!