Chapter Text
Sophie Beckett had never found it that hard living two lives.
In their small country of Aubrey, the press followed rules when it came to celebrities and the aristocracy in the country… unless they were invited to interview them, they didn’t pry into their private lives…
What happened at public events was free to be talked about but the private lives of those in the spotlight were left alone, unless that person discussed or shared something with the media… they didn’t approach people for stories and they double and triple checked their facts and ensured they had credible sources before stories were run…
The King’s Mother and the old King had been strict on this, they had a big family, and their son, the now King had an even bigger family and they had been forceful and swift whenever a press publication was released without following these rules.
So for Sophie, despite being the daughter of an Earl, and being an up and coming star of the women’s football teams, her worlds never seemed to collide.
It helped that she dressed more like the daughter of an Earl when she was out in that society and no one bothered to follow her when she was outside of the training ground . Noone yet, had put two and two together.
There were two people within her footballing world who knew the truth… her best friend for 21 years, Kate Sharma. Their fathers had known each other since they attended St James’ Academy and then University together and when Miles had been looking for work, Richard hired him without a second thought.
Richard had been there for Miles when Miles lost Charlotte, Kate’s mum and then when he met Mary. Miles had been there for Richard when he lost Esme, Sophie’s mum not 6 months after Charlotte's passing.
Several years later Miles handled Richard’s divorce and Araminta’s NDA that she was forced to sign to protect Richard's family and his work.
Richard ran several charities and one was devoted to Breast Cancer, a cause close to all three Gunningworth’s and Sharma’s hearts. Breast cancer had been what had caused Sophie and Kate to lose their Mums within months of one another…
Kate and Sophie were like sisters and grew up as such so it was only natural that they went through their careers together.
Football had been something they had fallen into by accident. They played in school and were scouted at the age of 14 but as the female game was just developing in Aubrey they had played alongside their A levels and university degrees but finally this year, they were getting the recognition they deserved.
The World Cup was being held in Aubrey for the first time and as the rising stars and joint captains, Sophie and Kate’s faces were being plastered everywhere and they were in high demand but the press were still being respectful as they could be.
The USA were still favourites but Aubrey as the current holders of the Women’s Euros were not far behind them in the odds.
But by some miracle, Sophie had still managed to keep her two lives separate and secret.
Kate and their coach, Lady Danbury, knew the truth about Sophie, Kate could not know given their past and Sophie had had to miss a training event 18 months earlier for her fathers Breast Cancer Charity event which was the Masquerade he was hosting in conjunction with Queen Violet, so Agatha Danbury had been made aware of Sophie’s identity.
The masquerade night has been the most magical night of Sophie’s life. She had been so focused on her career as a footballer and studying biochemical medical research at University that she barely had time to date so when she had been approached by Prince Benedict, someone she had admired from afar for years… her knees nearly buckled.
He had no idea who she was or that he was friends with her older brother… he had only met Sophie once before when she was 11 and it had been the only one of her brother’s birthday parties she had been allowed to attend.
So when he asked her to dance, she happily let herself be led onto the dance floor and spent the most amazing two hours with him. He’d asked her name but they’d been interrupted by his brother Prince Colin and he’d forgotten to ask again… liking the role of mysterious woman she didn’t remind him, but she dropped a few hints about her brother and by the time they kissed… she had assumed he had known who she was.
After they had danced they walked around the room, talking and laughing and, for Sophie at least, falling in love.
She nipped to the toilet to prepare herself to go home with Benedict when she bumped into her former step-mother…
Araminta Reiling.
She hated Sophie and Charlie with a hatred Sophie had never understood. Richard had cared for Araminta’s two daughters and treated them as his own but she seemed to hate the fact Sophie and Charlie both were talented in their own right and wanted normal lives…
They weren’t leeching off their fathers title and money. They were forging their own paths and he refused to just pay the way for Rosamund, Araminta’s eldest daughter, and refused to set her up with any of his noble friends' sons.
She had played the dutiful step mother at first, assuming that he would change his mind but after marriage, thinking that had been the reason for his refusal to support her favourite daughter in such a way so she tricked him into thinking she was pregnant… it soured quickly when he realised he had been tricked and that she wasn’t pregnant.
The marriage lasted 7 years. Richard tried to make it work but when he found her in bed with another man… the day after she’d been screaming at Sophie and calling her fat and threatening to hit her… it had been the last straw and Richard had thrown Araminta out that night and Miles had gotten to work on the divorce papers immediately.
Araminta blamed Sophie for the end of the marriage. End of the security she had and the end of her title, never mind that she had been caught with another man… in her mind, it was all Sophie’s fault.
Sophie could never do anything right in her step-mother’s eyes… and she had never been as openly hostile to Charlie as she had been Sophie…
But Sophie was terrified of her step-mother.
Terrified that she could ruin both her and Charlie’s lives and she had no idea how the hell she’d wangled an invite to her father’s charity event but seeing her in the bathroom had caused her to freeze like she was a deer in headlights.
So when Araminta had sneered something about how her Prince Charming wouldn’t like to date a commoner (despite her actually being more of a Lady than Araminta ever was) she sneered how he would never date a fat footballer and how she would tell the world and ruin her and Charlie’s lives, and neither of them would be able to ever show their faces in either society and it would ruin their father’s hard work with his Breast Cancer charity.
Sophie had panicked and fled… she hadn’t even said goodbye to the Prince. He didn’t have her name… and whilst they shared a kiss…
That was all…
It was history. It was in the past…
To Sophie’s knowledge, Prince Benedict hadn’t looked for her… she had assumed Araminta had been right. He had known who she was… and as Charlie’s friend, he would know who she was and if he’d spoken to Charlie and wanted to see her, Charlie would have told her. Charlie wouldn’t keep something like that from her.
And there was the photo on their families Instagram page of her costume for the night, the silvery blue dress and her mask… everything. It wasn’t that it wasn’t there for all to see.
But as Charlie hadn’t mentioned it, Sophie didn’t mention to him that she’d danced with the Prince… and he had been too busy talking to some of the donors to notice her with Benedict at all.
The only person Sophie was sure that knew was her father… who had seen Sophie being led to the dance floor by the Prince, but he had no idea that she had kissed him and within a few days had a broken heart.
But Sophie worked too hard with her career both at University and with her football to let Araminta ruin it and she would not let her ruin Charlie, who had become a doctor, so ignoring the pain in her heart, which is why she ran out of the party without looking back and had decided she would take her secret to the grave. It’s not like anyone else would notice, or care… broken hearts healed all the time.
Or appeared to anyway… but she would protect her brother like he had protected her all her life.
He had been inspired and determined to help find a cure for cancer, like Sophie had, Sophie had obtained her degree the year before in biomedical science and after the World Cup would be going to do more research and her masters but Charlie… despite his love of Shakespeare and acting had committed himself to supporting and helping.
Richard had been incredibly proud of his kids and therefore didn’t speak about them, he kept the fact they both used their mothers maiden names under wraps and Sophie knew one word from Araminta would ruin them both…
But Sophie had no idea about the NDA… her father hadn’t shared the details of the divorce with her or Charlie. She didn’t care, the witch was gone and she had her father back that was all she cared about.
Sophie threw herself into her training, into her degree and the Prince became a memory… or so she thought…
Richard had given Sophie permission to miss the next two charity balls because of the Euros and her University work but Sophie knew the one after the World Cup, she would be back to her dual lives.
Sophie had thought she had a few months to prepare for this but as she stood there, in training nearly two weeks before the Opening Game of the World Cup, she learned that her worlds were going to crash together in a rather spectacular way… and in a way that was making her heart race and her palms sweaty.
Sophie stood there with her mouth open as Agatha announced that they would be getting visits from their new Royal Patrons… Prince’s Anthony and Benedict would be taking over from Queen Violet and they would be visiting their state of the art grounds later that day.
Kate looked at Sophie who had gone pale as the time got closer for the Prince’s visit. “Soph i’m sure it’s okay, they’re Prince’s, you’ve rubbed shoulders with royalty before… Queen Violet loved us… and it’s not like you’ve met the Princes before”
Sophie could do nothing but let out a weak laugh. She hadn’t told Kate about her night at the masquerade… because she hadn’t told anyone.
She didn’t want anyone to know that she’d fallen in love with Prince Benedict, that she had been stupid enough to fall for his words… and for him to not have looked for her…
If she told Kate, Kate would have somehow let it slip to Charlie and Charlie was best friends with the Prince still and Sophie didn’t need her older brother teasing her about him.
She didn’t need the reminder that she had fallen in love and it had not been returned, she had been fanciful when all that had happened was she had fallen for the fabled Bridgerton charm and he had not even bothered to look for her.
“That is besides the point… they’re fucking Princes Kate and Prince Benedict knows my fucking brother…” Sophie hissed quietly.
Kate burst out laughing “Oh yes I forgot they went to St James’ together" Kate teased
“And Uni!!” Sophie exclaimed
“Yes but come on, I am sure even if he recognises you, he won’t say anything, You know the Royals are just as private as you guys are… but come on the sooner we get the ass kissing out of the way, the quicker we can get back to practise. I want to take some penalties.” Kate said as linked arms with Sophie and dragged her off towards the entrance where the two very tall and handsome Prince’s were talking to Agatha as they looked around the training facilities.
Sophie felt her heart race as Prince Benedict looked around the grounds, he looked exactly as Sophie remembered. His chestnut hair seemed almost auburn in the summer sunshine and he stood at least two inches above his brother… She felt almost transported back to that night when she felt her entire body shiver and magic seemingly coursed through her veins, the same feeling she got when she knew she was going to score a goal.
She felt herself swallowing and not paying much attention to the conversation or the voices but she felt Kate freezing next to her and her ears seemed to tune into the conversation “Well Lady Danbury it’s nice to know that you’ve got a grasp on the offside rule, most women haven’t got a clue and prefer being in the kitchen” came the joking tones from Prince Anthony.
Kate glowered and Sophie rolled her eyes but from the way Agatha was laughing, Sophie knew it wasn’t meant to be taken seriously, if he had said anything offensive Agatha would have made it known. It wasn’t a sexist comment but a joke but Sophie could see from the look on Kate’s face that she had not taken it that way
“Kate… it’s not…” Sophie started to say
“Ladies!!” Agatha said cutting Sophie off from trying to explain to Kate it was a joke, or she assumed it was a joke “come… come meet Their Royal Highnesses”
Kate’s face fell into a serious face, one Sophie knew too well. It was the face Kate put on when trying to hide her true feelings and was about to take a penalty. It was what made her so good and competitive, no one could read her face.
“Your Highnesses, may I present the captain and deputy captain of my Lionesses… Miss Kate Sharma… and Miss Sophie Beckett” Agatha Danbury said as the two men bowed their heads,
“Kate, Sophie… may I present, Their Royal Highnesses, Prince Anthony Bridgerton, Duke of Oxbridge , and Prince Benedict Bridgerton, Duke of Artwell” Agatha said as both Kate and Sophie bobbed a curtsey as they were introduced to each of the Prince’s.
“It’s an honour to meet you Your Highnesses” Kate said in an overly polite voice as Prince Anthony smiled at her and Sophie was doing her best not to look directly at Prince Benedict, panicking that direct eye contact may make him recognise her, despite Charlie having darker eyes than she did.
“Our mother has said such wonderful things about you both, we look forward to watching you and cheering you on” Anthony smiled at the two girls as Sophie smiled back, her stomach going mental and her heart racing.
“Thank you Your Highness” Kate said, with a stiff upper lip, “now if you’ll excuse me… i’ve got to go learn the offside rule since i’ve been allowed out of the kitchen” she quipped and before anyone could reply, Kate had curtsied and walked off.
“I… please excuse her Your Highnesses… she… she’s… just…” Sophie said going bright red as Prince Anthony spluttered and Sophie turned her face to her coach but as she did she looked at Benedict, directly in the eyes…
He was staring at her with the most confused look on his face. “Have we met before?” he asked, sounding a little dumb and Sophie felt her heart shattering…
He didn’t know who she was…