Due South - Assignment Europe 13

Chapter 13 – The Queen

Stine didn't know what to put on for the Queen's banquette, this was the first time she wished she wasn't pregnant. She didn't feel like shopping for something that she would wear just this once. The dress she had had at the wedding could have been OK if her breasts hadn't grown as the rest of the dress was loosely fitted she thought. She had all day to do nothing and anything so she took the dress, called a taxi and went to the wedding store to see if they could help her get it fitted. Of course Ben was going to have his dress uniform on, it hung all pressed and with shiny attributes all ready. For once she had gotten a well mannered taxi driver and he helped her out “Do you want me to wait Mrs Fraser” she looked astonished at the driver and saw that it was one of the guys who lived in their old apartment building “No thank you Mr Tanner” she smiled at him “Maybe I can leave you my card and you can call me directly when you need picking up” he suggested “That would be nice Mr Tanner” she nodded and put the card in the purse as she took her wallet out to pay him “Thank you kindly for the service” she said, she had taken for habit to say 'Thank you kindly' just like Ben did, probably since he did it all the time. Mr Tanner walked her to the store and held the door for her “Looking forward to hearing from you soon Mrs Fraser” he said and went back to his taxi.

A young woman came up to Stine “May I help you?” she asked politely “Yes you may, I've got this dress and I thought maybe you'd be able to to help me alter it a bit” she showed the garment bag that had the store's logo on it “Oh, I will go get Mrs Swanson our seamstress” she walked away and soon Mrs Swanson appeared from the back room “Well hello” she said with a familiar smile “What can I help you with?” she asked and Stine told her about the banquette and that she had tried the dress on at home since she didn't feel she had anything that suited her but it didn't fit as well as it had a few months earlier. “Well, why don't you put it on” Mrs Swanson showed Stine to the fitting room “And let me know when you have it on and I'll see what I can do”

45 minutes later Stine called Mr Tanner to take her over to the Canadian Consulate, she wanted to see if Ben had time to go for lunch with her. The dress would be ready for pick up on Friday. When the cab stopped outside the Consulate she was that it was Turnbull on guard, she smiled and said hello to him. Carefully she climbed the stairs and opened the heavy door to the Consulate. “Hi Maggie” she greeted her sister-in-law that sat at the front desk “Hi Stine” the woman Mountie smiled “Ben's busy at the moment” she said “Can I get you something to drink while you wait” Maggie offered “A glass of water would be nice, and maybe if you can tell me if I can take Ben out for lunch?” Maggie looked down in the day planner “I think you can, unless he's put anything down in his own planner that I don't know about” Maggie left for the kitchen and came back with a glass of water. The spring weather was getting hotter by the day.

When Maggie saw that the line her brother talked on got free she called him on the intercom “You've got a visitor temp. Inspector Fraser” she said with formality, she loved teasing her brother and knew how he got up, straightened out his back and put the official posture on.

Ben had slowly gotten used to his new assignments and from time to time he had unannounced visitors like today, he cursed under his breath as he had planned on calling home to see so everything was OK. He was still flipping thru some papers when he came out of the office “Could you go thru these and then file them constable Fraser” he said to his sister without looking up “Sure thing Ben” she said and he at once looked up with a scolding look, then he saw how Maggie burst into laughter and looked over to see Stine sit and wait for him. She slowly started to stand up and in two quick steps he was by her side to help her “Thank you” she smiled and kissed his cheek. “What brings you by here?” Ben asked her “I just thought I'd see if you were free for lunch” Stine answered “Yes I am, but you could have called and I'd come home instead” It hadn't been a week yet and Stine was already bored of being at home. “Actually I was out getting a dressed altered for Saturday” Stine said and Maggie looked up “Anything happening on Saturday?” she asked “We're invited to the Queen's banquette over at the Danish Consulate” Stine answered “Oh, that's nice, our Queen seldom travels” Maggie informed. Stine looked up at Ben “So, shall we go have lunch or shall I go home again?” she asked “Oh, lunch?” he said absentminded “Sure, we'll have lunch. Let me just get my hat” Ben said and returned to his office to collect his Stetson, as he passed the reception desk on his way out Maggie handed him a cellphone “And this temp. Inspector Fraser” she said “You know you have to be available” Fraser rolled his eyes as response and put the phone into a pocket.

They chose a restaurant near by, Diefenbaker who always accompanied Ben to work had had to stay with Maggie, but he was pretty satisfied with that as he knew she always had a treat for him in the desk drawer. As it was a lovely spring day they sat outside and ate a lovely lunch “It feels luxury on a common Tuesday to sit like this” Stine said after finishing her meal “It sure does” Ben agreed and went on “We should do this more often, I mean now with my temporary work I don't stand guard unless Margret is in” Stine looked up at him “How is she doing, will she be back soon?” she asked “I don't know” Ben answered “She called in yesterday, you know her she can't let go of work, and she said that she'd be on sick leave for at least another week, but her first trimester should soon be over and hopefully she said she'd feel better then” Stine lent forward and put her hand on Ben's “I certainly hope so, I want you around when it's time for this one to be born” she put her other hand on her stomach. “I wouldn't miss it for the world” Ben said looking her lovingly in the eyes. Ben paid for the meal and they slowly walked back to the Consulate. Stine called Mr Tanner again and he came to take her home.

Friday morning Stine went to the hairdresser to get her hair cut and then to pick her dress up. By the time Ben got home from work she had dinner ready and after that they made it an early night, it would be a long day the next day as the banquette wasn't until the evening.

Stine was quiet happy to just be a guest when she arrived at the Consulate, of course the security had been put up a few notches for the Queen's visit and the whole place was buzzing with excitement. Many of the staff hadn't met the Queen in real life. A few minutes before the Queen was to arrive everyone was told to line up so the Queen could greet them as she passed. Everyone was presented by name to the Queen, when it came to Ben and Stine's turn the Queen stopped a little extra “Benton Fraser?” she said before they were presented “I do remember you from when you were in Denmark” she said “Did you enjoy your time there?” she asked “Yes, Your Majesty, very much and I'm looking forward to going back soon” he said politely. Stine didn't know what to feel, she was standing to the right of Ben and had been 'overlooked' by the Queen “You are welcome anytime” the Queen said to Ben before someone whispered in her ear that she hadn't been introduced to Stine Fraser “That was an unusual combination of names” she shook Stine's hand “Yes Your Majesty” Stine said at the same time as she knelt for the Queen, she had been practicing all day, a lot of things weren't so easy these days. “I'm married to sergeant Fraser” Stine smiled at her husband. The Queen smiled at the pair “No wonder you did enjoy your time in Denmark” she said and was on her way to the next person in line.

Stine was happy when the line up was over and she could sit for a few minutes before they were told to take their seats in the dining hall. Before dinner was over Ben and Stine got a note that the Queen would very much like to meet the pair after dinner. Stine got very nervous. They got showed into a smaller room of the Consulate and while they waited Stine sat down on the edge of a chair as it was easier to get up. The door opened and the Queen came into the room and Stine started to get up “Please Mrs Fraser, stay seated, it can't be far now” the Queen said “Thank you Your Majesty” Stine smiled and the Queen too sat down, Ben was standing behind the chair Stine was sitting on “Please sergeant Fraser, do sit down too” he was too tall to look up on when she was seated the Queen thought. “I guess you both wonder why I wanted to meet you two” the Queen started “This is the reason, I would very much like for the two of you to come back to work in Denmark” she looked over at Ben “You did a great job for both the Canadian Consulate and Danish people when you were in Copenhagen sergeant” “Thank you Your Majesty” Ben said “I did enjoy working there” he took Stine's hand “I know Stine misses her home country from time to time and I believe it would be nice to come work in Denmark again, but now it's really the right time” The Queen laughed “Oh, I didn't mean right now, I've looked into your situation a bit and I know you're also working as a temporary Inspector at your own Consulate” she paused “And then there's your baby” she smiled softly at the young couple and thought of all her grandchildren at home, both her boys had blessed her with four children each.

Stine looked at Ben “It would be lovely to go back to Denmark, but home for me is where you are” Ben took her hand “I feel the same way” then he looked at the Queen “We have to think about it”

“That's all I want, for you to think about it. I will have someone from the cabinet send you an e-mail with details and then you can think it over” the Queen said.

Ben and Stine left the Consulate soon after talking to the Queen.

Author's note: I wanted to make the Danish Queen a bit more personal than I already think she is.

Disclaimer/Copyright 2013 and forward: I don't own anything from the series Due South, it's just borrowed for your entertainment. This is my story though and I feel I own that.