Prince Not-So-Charming And His Tipsy Princess (l.s)

Chapter 21

Harry all but collapsed on the couch at Louis' words. Louis sighed, his legs screaming after all the exertion of the night. Yeah, he wasn't the type to jog or work out so he was definitely going to suffer the consequences for all the damned movement. It didn't matter much at that moment, though. Harry was seated, body still, waiting for him to say something else although he honestly wasn't quite sure where to start.

"You... I thought you promised you'd let me tell you at my own time."

"And I kept that promise. Life just had other plans. Now, let's start with the big news. You're a Marquis. Like... An actual, true to God... Harold Edward Styles Junior, the Marquis of Cheshire." Harry nodded slowly and Louis exhaled. He didn't know why Harry looked so scared but he wasn't angry, he was just very confused. Harry was clearly too overcome by anxiety to realise the difference and Louis knew his touch would calm him down but the events from the day before stopped him in his tracks.

"Hazz? Harry, listen to me. M'not mad at you for not saying anything. I just want to understand. Call it a writer thing. Gotta know the root. Why didn't you say something, all this while? Why did I have to get bombarded suddenly and find out from freaking Eleanor, of all people?"

"What? That girl from the club?! How did she get to you?"

"Showed up at my place."

"Why are you not freaking out about that?!"

"Because there's more important shit to freak out about, at the moment. She was a means to an end, nothing more. I sucked her dry, then told her to fuck off, although she did ask to meet tomorrow."

"She stalked you. We need to get her arrested, there's no way I'm letting you go meet her-"

"If there's more I need to know about you, in case it's something she wants to use to hurt you, then I have to know. She's clearly proved herself to be sneaky and dangerous. Gotta keep enemies closer. So yeah, I'm going."

"The boys and I are coming with."

"She said alone-"

"Then we'll hide somewhere. And that's final."

"Damn. Well, you're a blue blood. Must be used to giving demands that people couldn't refuse. It all makes sense, now. She acted weird when you said your name, Simon made her a banned customer the moment you asked... No wonder Harry Styles always gets what he wants."

"Not completely true. When it comes to you, it's more of a little pouting and whining here and there and boom, you listen. Most of the time. Of course, that didn't work earlier when I asked you to stay with me and you rejected me-"

"Yeah, well, you were quick to find another buddy to cuddle." Hazz blinked in reply and Louis rolled his eyes. Honestly the boy had some sort of selective memory, he could go back years and recall the slightest detail about someone but more recent things just took time. "Your story? My blue eyed buddy? You fucking got Niall to come over, it's not like you ever needed me-"

"Well, that was to make you jealous!"

"Guess what? No need. I already am. But of a different blonde entirely." Harry looked utterly lost and Louis sighed incredulously. He hadn't stood outside mulling over Harry being a member of the Royal family, no. It was because of another dash of information Eleanor let loose on his fragile mind before she left. "You're betrothed to someone."

Harry physically deflated, staring at his intertwined fingers. "Taylor Swift. She's a Duchess. Our parents have had this planned since we were children. It'll bump up my rank while getting her family into some of our wealth. Win-win... We don't like each other, though. I promise. Trust me. I mean, before I left, she was trying her best but we could never really find interest in each other-"