The Crown (Prince Harry fanfic #5)

Chapter Four

Fourteen weeks came, and everything was all right with the baby. Lucy was okay. She wasn't showing quite yet. The public hadn't even gotten wind of the pregnancy, not when Catherine was always so sick while pregnant and Lucy barely had symptoms. Lucy made the plea that they should wait a little longer, all in the name of privacy, but the monarchy agreed that fourteen weeks was optimal.

It was plastered on the television news in the morning when Lucy woke up. The news wasn't out in time for the newspapers but surely that would come the next morning. Now, the internet and television had the honors of speculation.

The announcement was short and sweet from Kensington Palace, "The Prince and Princess of Wales are pregnant." With other sources going on to say that the married couple were thrilled and they were ready at any time. Whether those sources came from Kensington Palace or not wasn't determined. Already speculation began on when the child was due and what the gender would be.

Harry walked into the living room with the television on. "I hope it's healthy."

Lucy glanced at him. "A boy; I'm calling it now."

"I'll take that bet," he said, "a girl." Harry sat beside her. "If I win, what do I get?"

Her eyes watched him carefully.

"Do I get to choose the name?"

"Never."

"Why not?"

"We can choose the name together, but you're not one pushing a child out of a normally small hole in your body, so I get final say."

Harry agreed with that and was thankful he wouldn't have to do that.

Some fathers loved to boast how they would love to carry the child for nine months-- really ten months-- and then would be fine with giving birth to the child. Harry wasn't that kind of father. He didn't need that pain, and there would be pain. Lucy was more equipped with handling the pain. As for carrying the child for that long, Harry would have to pass too. He would change the nappies and take care of the child, but he didn't want to have the fetus gestate inside of him.

"And don't think," Lucy continued, "that you're getting out of duty with the baby. You're getting up as much as I am."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Harry kissed Lucy on the head. "Breakfast?"

Lucy nodded and got off the couch, and then stopped. With how Lucy froze in midair, Harry froze too. Panic arose in him. Her eyes searched through her mind, like she didn't understand. Her body still crooked. Harry's worst fears came to life in that moment, as some sort of annoyance flickered across her face. Harry had seen the look before, many times actually, and usually it was when she was in pain.

"Luce, what it is?"

She hushed him.

Harry continued to stare at his wife while she stared forward. She didn't respond. "Luce?"

She cracked a smile and pointed to the television behind him.

Turning around, bets already started, being taken from around the country and world. Lucy laughed but confusion now wore on Harry's face. The gender wasn't just being bet upon or when the child would be due. It was names and how much the baby weighed. The current high names for girls were Anne, Diana, Elizabeth, Margaret and Victoria. Then for the boys, the current names were Edward, Henry, Leopold, Philip and William.

"That's it. We're naming our kid Leopold. No other name compares."

Harry glanced at her and she smiled at him. "This doesn't bother you?"

"Why should it?" she asked. "I think it's hilarious. Does it count if we bet too or is that illegal, like inside information or something?"

"You're going to fuck with the information, aren't you?" he questioned. "You're going to give out bad information?"

"There's no other way to fuck with the media more than spread a few rumors here and there." Lucy shrugged. "Do you think I can get a rumor started that I'm actually five months pregnant?"

Harry paused. "Only five? I think you should try for seven, maybe eight. See how far we can push it."

Lucy laughed.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Holding out his hand, which Lucy took, Harry led Lucy to the kitchen so that he could make them something to eat. The sound of the reports still going berserk about the pregnancy announcement when there wasn't any real information given. There wasn't a due date or gender; everyone would just have to deal with it when it came. Lucy didn't mind holding onto that information.

"Everyone will be watching you now especially," Harry said.

"Yes, they'll all be watching my stomach," Lucy agreed, "and then my maternity wear. It's not like I've ever been that fashion forward but now they believe I will be. Kate definitely has that more of mind."

Harry nodded. "You barely dress yourself anyway."

Lucy gave him a pointed look.

"I mean to say that Gwen chooses most of your clothes and you just wear whatever she puts in front of you."

"I've never had a skirt fly up on me. The wind and I are best friends."

"There's an event tonight," Harry warned slowly. "All eyes on you." He knew how his wife felt about that. "You going to be okay?"

Lucy looked down at the table. "Why do you ask that?"

"Luce, you're very protective of the child, I see that. I know that. I'm protective of this child too, but we're going at it from different directions. Your past and my past, we have different experiences but neither of them are good. My mother was protective and for a reason. At least something is good about being a spare, our children will be less chased after." Harry paused. "And then, Luce, there's your past, with the school shooting back when you were a child. That effected you, and you can't just forget that. But that won't happen here," Harry promised.

"Because of the gun laws?" she asked.

"Thank God for that," he said. "I promise, Luce, I'll protect our children to the end, whether it's a gunman or from the paparazzi."

"Normal lives?"

"As much as we can."

"Public school?"

Harry paused.

"Public school," she repeated, heavier this time.

Biting his lip, Harry hesitated, "We'll come back to that later."