H.R.H.

Samuel had been collecting data from the U.S. State Department for weeks about the political situation in Eritrea, in East Africa, where they were going. It bordered on Ethiopia, which had caused Eritrea serious problems over the years. The two countries had finally signed a truce several years before, and all was peaceful now. The border skirmishes that had occurred with Ethiopia previously had stopped. Samuel had promised to alert the prince if anything changed, or anything worrisome happened anywhere around them, and if necessary, he would get the princess out of the country in that case. But there seemed to be no concern for now, just as the Red Cross director had promised as well. Eritrea would be interesting and safe. All Christianna needed to do was concentrate on the work at hand. She was leaving the security issues up to them, to be handled as discreetly as possible. They were claiming to be three friends from Liechtenstein, who had signed up for the year together. It was a plausible story they intended to stick to, and there was no reason why anyone at the camp should suspect otherwise. And Christianna knew how discreet the two men were.

After the ten-hour plane trip from Frankfurt, to Asmara, via Cairo, they barely glanced at her passport in Asmara. They didn't even notice the absence of a surname, much to Christianna's relief. She didn't want the press notified anywhere on her route, as word of her presence in the country might follow her to her final destination, and she wanted to avoid that at all costs.

By now, they had been on the road for fourteen hours, and Christianna was tired. The two men had slept on the long flight. As they walked out of the airport, they looked around. Max had gotten an e-mail before they left, confirming that they'd be picked up. No one had been sure at the time who would come to meet them, or which of the camp's vehicles they'd bring. They'd been assured someone would be there, but no one seemed to be waiting for them.

They walked into a small grass thatched hut, and bought three orange sodas. The drinks were made by an African company, and tasted sickly sweet, but they drank them anyway, as it was hot and they were thirsty, although it was winter in East Africa, but the weather was warm. The scenery around them was beautiful, the air was dry and the terrain flat. There was a soft hazy light that seemed to wash over everything and reminded Christianna of the warm luminosity of her mother's pearls. There was a gentleness to their surroundings, as they waited for someone to come. Eventually, they sat on their bags outside the hut, and half an hour later an ancient battered yellow school bus rolled up. It had a Red Cross flag taped to each side, and other than that looked entirely disreputable, and as though it couldn't possibly have gone a mile. In spite of that, it had driven all the way from Senafe, and the trip had taken five hours.

The door opened and a tall, disheveled-looking, dark-haired man stepped out. He looked at the three of them sitting on their bags, smiled, and rushed over to help them, with apologies for his tardiness. Looking at the ancient yellow bus, one could easily see why he'd been late.

“I'm so sorry, I'm Geoffrey McDonald. I had a flat tire on the way, it took forever to change. Not too tired, Your Highness?” he asked optimistically. He had recognized her from a copy of Majesty magazine someone had lying around, although she looked younger than he'd expected, and still fresh and beautiful after the long trip.

“Please don't call me that,” Christianna said instantly. “I hope the director in Geneva warned you. Just Christianna will be fine.”

“Of course,” he said apologetically, taking her backpack from her, as he and the bodyguards shook hands. In theory, he wasn't supposed to extend a hand to her, unless she did so first, and as he was British he was apparently aware of the etiquette involved, but she was quick to extend her hand. He shook it cautiously with a shy smile. He looked like an absentminded professor, and she liked him instantly, as did the two guards.

“I hope no one is aware of all that here,” she said, looking worried.

“No, not at all,” he assured her. “In fact, I'd been warned. I just forgot. It's rather exciting to have a princess coming to stay with us, even if no one knows. My mother would be very impressed,” he confessed, “though I won't tell her till after you leave.” There was an awkward boyishness about him that would have been hard not to love. Christianna felt instantly at ease with him. He was friendly and warm.

“I don't want the others to know,” Christianna explained again as they walked toward the bus, with both bodyguards just behind her, carrying their bags.