The Prince (Harry Styles)

Chapter 6

Two in the afternoon couldn't have come soon enough. I had memorized the alphabet from A to Z. I was proud of myself to say the least. Trish had even helped me, too. She helped me recall the letter names and I couldn't wait to sit next to Harry and spit them out to him. 

"Ah, Emerald, having a good day?" the king asked me upon seeing me. 

"I am, thank you, sir," I said going into a curtsy just the way my mother showed me. "You?"

"It's a good day, thank you for asking," he smiled to me. "Anne, where is our son?"

"He was with you," she said quietly. "I was in our state room reading."

"He does this often, Emerald, I apologize," King Desmond sighed glancing at his watch tirelessly. "Every time, Anne, every single time. He's late."

"Give him a few minutes," she whispered to her husband. "Gemma, would you have any clue where your brother is?"

"I haven't seen him today," she said to her mother. "I saw him at dinner and that was that."

"That boy," the king exhausted pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. 

"Has anyone seen Em? She's not in her room?" a voice yelled down the hall. The voice sounded shaky from running. I raised my eyebrows raised in confusion at the yelling voice. I looked at the king and queen. Queen Anne had an amused look on her face while King Desmond just shook his head with a frown on his face.

"Where—Emerald," Harry stopped giving me a smile. He straightened out his clothes and fixed his hair.

"You were late looking for Ms. Price?" he asked with wide eyes. "A guard escorted her down about thirty minutes ago, Harry. Where is your brain?" 

"Sorry, Dad," he mumbled looking at me with a flushed face. I smiled at him and straightened up as he came back over to me, his arm gently resting against mine. I looked up at him and he smiled down at me. 

"You ready?" someone asked. King Desmond nodded offering his arm to his wife and stood up straight. Harry too bent his arm for me to take which I gladly took. I turned around and felt bad for his sister, she was all by herself. 

"She's fine," Harry whispered to me. "We usually walk in ourselves."

"It doesn't seem fair to her," I murmured. "You have someone to walk in and she doesn't."

"She'll be getting married in the next few months, I think she's fine," he smiled to me. I nodded and brushed some hair out of my face and straightened my blue gown.

"Please rise," the guard announced. There was a loud shifting in the room as people rose from their seats to greet us. "Your Royal Majesty, King Desmond and Her Majesty, Queen Anne." He announced as King Desmond and Queen Anne walked into the throne room to their seats. The way it looked, it felt like a wedding procession.

"Nervous?" Harry smiled.

"Very," I said with a stifled laugh. "Am I supposed to be nervous?"

"Depends," he smiled. "We don't do anything but sit there," he grinned. The guard looked to us awaiting our nods.

"The crowned prince of Ula, Prince Harry and his companion, Ms. Emerald Price," the guard announced. I went wide eyes as I looked at the guard as we began walking forward.

As we walked down the center of the throne room, I noticed its grand thematic presence. The ceiling seemed to go on for miles, but in reality, it was only about the same height as the room itself. The walls were painted red and draped with red. Gold accents hung under the red drapes near the red thrones at the front of the room. There were two chairs seated next to one another on a podium of sorts. Directly to the left and right of the thrones were two chairs on one side and a single one on the opposite. On either side of Harry and me were rows upon rows of people throughout the kingdom. I glanced back up at the ceiling and thought it was almost dizzying. The amount of gold detail on the ceiling was remarkable. A large chandelier hung in the center with two smaller ones hanging off to the sides.