The Royalty (Prince Harry Fanfic #4)

Chapter Fifteen

More paparazzo were outside the house in the morning, when Lucy woke up. She didn't know how the bodyguards slept but they managed to always look awake. Tony checked the house again as Lucy sat in the front room and drank coffee. Simon and Robert met with bodyguards in London. It was quiet.

"Ma'am," Tony said, stepping behind her, "it will only get worse outside."

"I realize that, Mister Ackerly," she responded, not lifting her gaze from the book.

"We are not sure if we will be able to hold perimeter much longer."

"Much longer won't be necessary."

"Ma'am?"

"We will only be spending a few more days here in this house."

"The Prince said we would be in Minnesota for two weeks."

Lucy nodded. "We will be in Minnesota for two weeks at the fullest, but next week, we'll be in a different part, away from this place-- away from them." Her voice was hard.

"Where, ma'am?"

"Robert has the details," she said. "We're going to Park Rapids, Minnesota. It'll be nice up there."

"Yes, ma'am." Tony bowed and walked away.

After Harry woke up and took a shower, Simon drove with Robert in the front passenger seat. Tony had been put into the back. Harry held Lucy's hand again, as they drove to Apple Valley, Minnesota for the Minnesota Zoo. This morning, Lucy had to put on nice jeans with a nice shirt, and then nice flats. Her hair was somewhat straightened with natural-enough makeup but her eyes were made to look bigger.

Paparazzo vans followed them to the zoo. When the couple get out, the paparazzo were there to stick cameras in faces. Harry held Lucy's hand tightly as he pushed through. The bodyguards made a protective shield around them. They made it into the zoo, where a few workers waited to escort the couple around. This wasn't an official visit but it ended up being one with the paparazzi constantly following them.

Harry was more interested in the animals than Lucy was. Sometimes his eyes would travel over to Lucy, and she would get involved again. The paparazzi never failed to follow them. Lucy couldn't stop looking at the paparazzi, as if they haunted her. Sometimes the smile would melt off her face, and she would have no choice but to stare at them in disdain. Harry always called her back, remembering why she was here. She had a job to do.

The couple walked around the outside enclosure first, seeing those animals before moving inside to the tropics. The paparazzi had a harder time following them. Through the tropics, Lucy had the ability to not smile. There were a lot of insects and then reptiles within the walls; Lucy enjoyed the birds. They moved outside again, heading toward the Minnesotan animals, seeing wolves and lynxes.

Harry signed off, with Lucy's okay, for two photo ops. They moved into the aquarium, glancing around at the room at the brightly colored fish. The couple was taken up the steps into the large seal and pool area. Paparazzi lined the seats, along with other people who wished to watch.

The couple was taken back into the gates, where they were greeted by a few zookeepers. Harry joked with them and Lucy laughed along. After the rules were given, Harry and Lucy stepped into the open area. Two seal greeted the couple as a zookeeper had the seals do some tricks.

"What are you thinking about right now?" Harry whispered to Lucy, still smiling.

"About falling into the water," she commented, still smiling. The pool was at least one hundred feet deep, if not two hundred.

He chuckled.

The zookeeper handed Harry a fish, which he took in kind. One of the seals pushed over to him, ready to do any trick. Harry got the thing to lean back so that it was higher. The seal got the fish once the trick was done. The seals dived back into the water, swimming around in circles quickly. The seals splashed at the audience and that the royals. Lucy fed the seals each a dead fish.

After playing with the seals for a little bit, the couple moved back down to a wading pool with small sharks and stingrays. The zookeeper offered to help the couple touch them but Harry passed. Lucy willed herself to do it, as she stuck her hand into the cold water. A stingray immediately went under her hand, and she touched its back. It was slimy and cold; she didn't like the feeling.

Lucy smirked at Harry, and he pursed his lips. Slowly, Harry put his hand into the cold water and waited. A small shark swam up and went under his hand. Before he could even touch it, Harry pulled his hand back. Lucy rolled her eyes and stuck her hand back in. Sharks swan under her hand, and she touched them. Hesitantly, Harry's hand back to the water. His fingers grazed a stingray, and he pulled back. His eyes turned away from the water.

The couple returned to the car, and Simon drove everyone back to the house. "I have a surprise for you tonight."

"Do you?" Lucy arched an eyebrow.

He smiled. "Be ready at seven."

The lowering sun was just above the horizon as the couple left with the bodyguards. Lucy couldn't imagine a life without bodyguards now; her children would always know what it was like to have bodyguards. She didn't want that for them. Driving into Minneapolis, the car was parked, and they blended into the crowds, heading toward downtown. On a Saturday or Friday night, Minneapolis thrived.

"What is this, Harry?" Lucy asked.

Harry held out concert tickets. "I know who you like, and I knew when he would be in town." He led them inside.

Standing near the back, the bodyguards stood around them, watching the crowd. Harry's arms looped around her body as he watched. The band started up, and then her favorite musician ran on stage. The crowd went wild, and Lucy was apart of it again. Ron Pope took the stage and the band started playing.

Harry got a full look at Lucy, watching her carefully. There were tears in her eyes of joy. There was peace in her body. A rarity, truly, as Lucy watched him. There was complete happiness about her. She didn't care about the past, present or future; she was solely focused on now. She was beautiful, as she watched; she was always beautiful but there was something different now. She was different now. Harry wished he didn't have to go back to reality.