There wasn't a break for Meredith. Jessica didn't say that the duchess looked tired; she just told the makeup stylist to put more makeup on the face of Meredith. Thankfully, the duchess was too exhausted to be offended. Her hair was done multiple times before it was wrapped around the tiara. Bobby pins were stuck in her hair before she was allowed to move an inch.

Jessica looked her over. "Some more concealer under the eyes, please." The makeup stylist did as she was asked. The stylists left after. "There will be a break soon. We have a day off in Germany, so you could go see your old host family."

"That will be lovely. Thank you." Meredith took a sip of the tea, which was meant to relax but wake her up. She ran her teeth across her tongue, still not liking the taste and still not understanding why Jessica kept giving it to her.

"You'll get used to it, ma'am."

"I don't think so," she muttered into the mug and swallowed the rest of it.

"You're supposed to sit it, ma'am."

"I'm supposed to do a lot of things," Meredith stood, "ma'am." Carefully, she stepped into the dress and pulled it up, feeling it shift around her. "Jessica?"

The home secretary came around and tried to zip it. Jessica's fingers slipped from the zipper, and she let out a hiss. "Breathe out, your highness." She tried the zipper again.

Meredith let all the oxygen out of her lungs. "It's fine, I didn't want to breathe anyway." The zipper moved into place, and Jessica did the clasp. Meredith breathed in again, and her chest was barely able to move. "Are you sure there isn't another dress I could wear?"

"I'm afraid not, ma'am. Is there anything I can get for you?"

"No."

"We'll be landing in a few minutes, ma'am." Jessica curtsied and left the compartment, but Meredith wasn't giving a break then. Harry walked in, wearing his black tux. His nice shoes were nicely shined. He fixed his cuff links with a smile. He paused in the doorway, eyes and mouth wide.

"What?" Meredith asked, looking back into the mirror. She smoothed her hands down the dress.

Coming over, he put his head on her shoulder and whispered, "Let me do that for you." His hands replaced hers, running them up and down her dress. His nose went into her hair. "You look stunning." His hot breath made Meredith's hand stand on end. His hands traveled down her ribs and onto her lips, which he handled softly. "You'll knock them dead. All eyes will be on you." Harry spun his wife around. "And they'll be jealous."

"Of you?"

"Of you." Harry brushed back a few strands of her hair. "You're so gorgeous that they'll be sad they aren't you."

"They'll be jealous that you're not on their arm." Meredith kissed him, and they both felt the jerk as the airplane's tires came down. "I know what the trickiest part will be tonight: sitting down in this dress."

Meredith was right. After all, she was getting used to all these dresses, and when they were tight, it was hard to breathe and hard to sit. She sat down three times the whole night and into the early morning in the dress: on the airplane, on the car ride there and on the car ride back. The bright camera lights flashed as Harry stepped out of the car first. He walked over, buttoning his jacket again. The door was open, and Harry held out his hand, which Meredith took. Her knees stayed easily together as her feet hit the pavement, and she stood. Her dress glittered easily in the light.

There wasn't a red carpet like there had been before, and the couple stopped for a few pictures. Just a few feet away from them, Albert II, Prince of Monaco, and his wife, Charlene, Princess of Monaco. Their twins weren't there tonight. The two spoke French until Harry and Meredith approached. It was with appropriateness how Meredith greeted them, dropping into a curtsy-- well, as far as she was able to get. Harry and Albert II walked a few feet away, only slightly caring about the cameras. The Duchess of Windsor was in the trusted hands of Charlene, Princess of Monaco now.

As Meredith and Charlene greeted each other, she automatically knew what Jessica had planned: it was a competition of what the mother gave them. Charlene was an Olympic swimmer, but Meredith had something else on her side. Confidence pulsed through Meredith as she stood side by side with Charlene. She felt neither inferior nor competitive. Charlene, who was tall in her own right, linked arms with the duchess.

"You look wonderful tonight," Charlene whispered.

Meredith smiled. "I love your dress."

Charlene smiled. "Oh, goodness, this old thing. It's been worn many times before. What of yours? Who's the designer?"

Oh fuck, Meredith thought after Jessica had told her many times before.

"Oh, don't hurt yourself." Charlene smiled perfectly at the cameras. "It's a dress, like this is just a dress. Neither of us really care, but they do." She waved. "Let's get a drink and get this party started."

The princess led her inside the large gala, where people spoke French with ease. Meredith was starting to get used to not speaking the language, and no one spoke English unless directly speaking to her. Aristocrats and lesser known nobility from around the world gathered inside, as well as some of the most expensive humans that were ever created. They wore designer gowns and large jewelry, like Meredith's tiara meant nothing. These people grew up with the money and class, while Meredith had just stepped into the world of old money. Here, new money was basically cheating.

Meredith glanced around for Harry, who mysteriously disappeared, and Charlene handed over a glass of the best champagne possible, or at least that was what she said. Monaco was a small country, with not many people but lots of money. Being a royal here was much different than being royal in Britain. Parties and fancy dresses were usual.

"Drink, drink," Charlene said, tipping her own glass back. "It's the only way you're going to survive the night."

"It's already ten," Meredith murmured.

"We begin late to party all night long. It's very Gatsby, isn't it?" Charlene said this in almost condescending, like she didn't love every aspect, but this was her life. She knew the rules like she knew the people, and she kissed them on either cheek. She spoke French, English and a few other languages. Charlene was in a complete comfort zone with these people, and she took a second glass of champagne. "Is this your first time to Monaco?"

"Yes." Meredith sipped her own, as if playing a part.

"You never came to gamble?" Charlene glanced over and then paused. "Sorry, I forgot. It's hard to remember that you weren't born into this life."

"Why is that?"

"You act like a princess."

"I fell down a flight of stairs earlier."

"This is a way that we perceive ourselves, your highness, and then there is a way others perceive us. You may see yourself as someone who falls down the flight of stairs, but others see you as the one who does it with grace," Charlene explained. "You have a natural way at being a princess, even if you don't see so. Many people forget that you're American."

"New money?"

"Of course new money." Charlene's smile dazzled. "Some of our highest roller are Americans with new money, but you won't see all the aristocrats and nobility who still think they're important interacting with them. Don't tell the latter that the Americans don't care-- never have, never will." Putting down her glass of champagne, Charlene took Meredith's hand again. "Let's dance."

"Shouldn't we find our husbands for that?"

"They'll find us if they have a problem with it." Charlene smirked. "Now, come on, time to meet some people and kiss a few asses."

Meredith had gone in tired, but she certainly didn't leave tired. It wasn't orchestra music that made the gala jump. It was energetic, and people held glasses of alcohol. That wasn't a state dinner or visit as much as a full out party. Numerous men came over and spoke with the princess and duchess, and the princess introduced them to Meredith. There were too many to remember the names, not that the princess paid too much to any of the men that flirted with her. Albert II and Harry talked across the way, and they made eyes at each other a lot. Meredith glanced over, and Harry raised a glass toward her. Making a mental note, Meredith decided she needed to have a secret code with Harry so she was able to get out of things.

"Will you excuse me?" Meredith moved throughout the crowd, and people stopped to glance at her as they went. She appeared at Harry's side.

"Are you having fun?" he asked, taking a sip of his own champagne.

Meredith swallowed a yawn.

"I guess it is getting late," Harry conceded. He checked his watch. "It is half past two."

She almost spit out her wine. "In the morning?"

"No, in the afternoon." Harry kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear, "Welcome to Monaco." Turning back to the male companions around him and the prince, he said, "Well, I think that's a night. Thank you for having us, your highness, but we must get going. We do have a busy schedule ahead of us."

The prince smiled. "The best of luck to the both of us." The prince and the duchess embraced correctly with the two kisses that Meredith endured most of the night, and Harry settled for a handshake.

The wedded couple walked through the crowd, and Harry gripped her hand tightly. "Quickly now before they pull us back in." The two exited into the cool January air.