January 9, 1900
The third day after the Duke of Arthur's funeral.
This was the third day after Queen Victoria had issued orders to the government. Five days had passed since the Duke of Arthur was assassinated.
Buckingham Palace, Queen Victoria's office.
Early in the morning, Queen Victoria sat at her desk with a furious expression and red eyes.
All the files that had been piled up on her desk were thrown aside in a fit of anger.
The reason why she, at the age of 81 was so angry was of course due of the recent assassination of her beloved son, the Duke of Arthur.
Thanks to Britain's leading intelligence agency, a list of all the persons involved in the assassination case, along with detailed information, was delivered to Queen Victoria's desk in just a few days.
Because it involved royal secrets, nobody else knew about this list.
"Arthur! My poor Arthur, it's my fault." Queen Victoria looked at the list with red eyes. It was written on the list that the Duke of Arthur was assassinated by a loyal gunman under the influence of the Crown Prince Edward's power.
"Albert, I have caused harm to our child. Arthur never intended to compete with Edward, but he ended up dying in the midst of the struggle for the throne." Queen Victoria said with regret, tears in her eyes.
Prince Albert was Queen Victoria's lifelong companion and beloved husband. Even now, almost 40 years after Prince Albert's death, Queen Victoria still often misses him.
And the Duke of Arthur was Queen Victoria's favorite son.
Because Prince Albert died while visiting the Crown Prince Edward, which displeased Queen Victoria, who loved Prince Albert dearly, she had never allowed the Crown Prince to participate in political affairs.
It wasn't until the past few years, when Queen Victoria's health had declined, that Crown Prince Edward gradually had the opportunity to become involved in various political affairs.
But at the same time, as the only prince who was stationed in the UK, the Duke of Arthur not only held a high position in the army but also enjoyed the favor of Queen Victoria.
This obvious difference is also the reason why it is rumored that the queen wants to establish a new heir to the throne.
Perhaps because Prince Edward was dissatisfied with Queen Victoria's favoritism towards the Duke of Arthur, he wanted to get rid of the biggest threat to his succession to the throne. Or perhaps it was because those loyal to Prince Edward wanted to clear a path for their master. In any case, the Duke of Arthur did die at the hands of the crown prince's faction.
Although the entire assassination case was well-hidden, even divided into several stages, which greatly cleared Prince Edward and the crown prince faction of suspicion, the intelligence agencies still discovered clues.
"Edward..." Queen Victoria looked at the words "Crown Prince" on the documents, her emotions surging, but she couldn't say a word.
After a long time, Queen Victoria finally recovered from her extreme grief and said to the outside door, "Beatrice, bring little Arthur here."
Princess Beatrice was Queen Victoria's youngest child and her biggest reliance and support in the 40 years since she lost her husband.
Now, Princess Beatrice, who had also lost her brother, had been accompanying Queen Victoria and had become the queen's unofficial secretary and closest person.
"All right, mother." Princess Beatrice quickly left.
Not long after, Little Arthur was brought to Queen Victoria's office by Princess Beatrice. The old butler, Hunter, escorted him to the office door and then waited outside with peace of mind.
Looking at the young man who was walking towards her step by step, Queen Victoria finally showed a smile that had not been seen for a long time and whispered to Arthur, "Arthur, come to grandma."
Arthur immediately quickened his pace upon hearing this, approached her and helped Queen Victoria back to her seat before saying, "Grandma, how have you been these past few days?"
Victoria tried hard to maintain her usual demeanor, but the slightly trembling tone of her words revealed her emotions.
"Pretty good. Don't worry too much." the queen said.
"Although father is gone, the country still needs you, and the members of the royal family also needs you, grandma," Arthur said, looking at Queen Victoria's appearance, naturally understanding how cruel it was for the elderly queen to lose her son.
"Good boy, don't worry about grandma. After a while, we will officially hold the ceremony for you to inherit the title. If you need anything, just tell grandma there is nothing that this queen can not fulfill in the land of great Britain," Victoria said with a smile, reaching out to touch Arthur's head.
Arthur was a little stunned. He had always thought that the queen was just a symbol of the British Empire, but he didn't expect that she would be so powerful. However, the queen's power was not unlimited. She still had to consider the opinions of her ministers and the people, so it was not easy for her to do whatever she wanted.
"Your Majesty, I would like to visit Australia," Arthur said tentatively.
"Australia?" Queen Victoria looked at Arthur in surprise. "Why would you want to go there?"
"I heard that the scenery there is very beautiful, and I would like to see it for myself," Arthur replied, trying to sound as convincing as possible.
"But there are many beautiful places in the British Empire. Why do you have to go all the way to Australia?" the queen asked, still looking skeptical.
Arthur hesitated for a moment. He couldn't just tell the queen that he wanted to get away from his current life and start anew. That would only worry her and make her think that something was wrong. He needed a better reason.
"Well, I heard that Australia has some unique wildlife that can't be found anywhere else in the world. I would like to see them too," Arthur said, hoping that this would be enough to persuade the queen.
"But is it really worth the long journey?" the queen asked, still not convinced.
Arthur thought for a moment. He needed to give the queen a reason that she could understand and relate to.
"Your Majesty, I know that you have traveled all over the world and have seen many beautiful things. But for someone like me who has never left England, the world is still a big mystery. I would like to see as much of it as possible, while I still have the chance," Arthur said sincerely.
The queen looked at Arthur for a long moment, considering his words. She knew that Arthur had not had an easy life, and she wanted to do what she could to help him. But at the same time, she was worried about his safety and well-being.
"Very well, Arthur. You may go to Australia," the queen finally said. "But you must promise me that you will be careful and not take any unnecessary risks. And you must also promise me that you will return safely to England."
"I promise, Your Majesty," Arthur said gratefully. He knew that he had just been given a great opportunity, and he was determined to make the most of it.
As Arthur left the queen's presence, he felt a sense of excitement and anticipation that he hadn't felt in a long time. He knew that he had a lot to do in order to prepare for his journey, but he was eager to get started.
However, as he walked through the palace gardens, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He had just asked the queen for permission to leave England, but he wasn't sure if he would ever come back.
This was his chance to start a new life, to leave behind all of the pain and sorrow that had haunted him for so long. But at the same time, he knew that he was leaving behind everything that he had ever known.
As he looked out over the palace grounds, he realized that he was standing at a crossroads. He could either stay in England and continue living his life as it was, or he could take a chance and venture into the unknown.
For the first time in a long time, Arthur felt like he had a choice. And he knew that whatever he chose, it would change his life forever.