Monarchy - Harry Styles au

Chapter 18

No words could explain better the continuous silence. It was just simply quiet, empty, hallow somehow saddening. All my life I thought everyone listened to music whilst working out, but apparently everyone was different. Quite weirdly, Harry Styles seemed to like his exercise dead silent, without a word spoken or one single tune.

Music enhances your exercise, it ups your effort if you listen to a faster tempo and excites your brain. When your brain is excited, it induces movement. So basically your playlist has the ability to help you work out. I didn't understand why he would not qualify it as necessary.

My hands were rested lightly on the bar in front of me as I took even, moderately deep steps. I wanted to shower, feeling sticky from the sweat gathering along the expanse of my skin. I needed food in my system! It was already dinner time. However, the king could care less about my needs as he continued to avoid any kind of socialisation. It was beginning to depress me, I needed a distraction, pronto. So I decided to take another shot at it.

"Pretty, please can I listen to music? I promise I'll keep it low." I asked, growing a backbone from the last time he had yelled at me.

When there was no answer, I gazed at him, seeing a boring expression plastered on his face. Why couldn't he just give me a positive answer and get it over with?

"Please, I can't take it anymore." I continued, coming off a bit whiney although I couldn't care less at the moment.

He huffed assertively and I started to embrace the fact his voice was going to get raised at me.

"Can't take it? Will you tell your attacker that?" He mocked, upsetting me a little. "I assure you music won't be coming out of the speakers if you ever get picked on. Besides, headphones are bad for your hearing."

Now more than ready to burst at him for being downright cruel, I hopped off the stepper, bravely walking closer to him. "Music is good for your soul. Lack of it turns people into something like you; emotionless. Your walls are so high up you're past the point of having fun, of being yourself." I pointed a finger accusingly at him.

I didn't doubt that his seemingly high self-esteem was real, because I could tell he had always been confident. But somehow, I got the feeling the way he behaved around people was an act, a mere shell of protection that couldn't even be cracked by music. I found myself suddenly wishing I could find a way to make him let his guard down, there had to be something.

He slightly gaped at me as I gave my speech. It was the first time I had seen him like this, so unprepared and not on top of things. Not in charge. He slowly walked off the treadmill and narrowed his eyes at me as he regained his composure.

With that, he was striding towards me until his body was pressed against mine, forcing me to walk backwards until I was stopped by the wall.

"You little bitch know nothing." He huffed out a breath and let his hand find its way up and around my throat, coming to rest on the back of my neck in a firm hold. I couldn't help but feel like my words had ignited something in him, provoking such a fulsome reaction. I wanted to find out what requisitioned his thoughts.

"Is that so?"

Seeing his worked up face over my words made my stomach churn with both thrill and nervousness. Nervousness because getting Harry Styles fed up was like playing with fire. But the thrill and eagerness to keep going was unexplainable.

"I could choke you to death right now for your audacity and no one would know." He spoke shrilly into my hair, tightening his grip around my throat as if he needed something to anchor him to the present and prevent him from wandering off into his memories.

I felt my heartbeat going crazy. But for some reason, I wasn't as scared as you'd expect me to be. "You could. But again, if you'd wanted me dead, you would've killed me already. And would surely not give me self defence classes."

The king just scoffed in response, shaking his head. "Because princess, life's all about control. And to have control over someone, you have to hold something against them." I pinched my eyes shut and waited for him to keep talking, hating where this conversation was going.

After a moment, I realised keeping my eyes closed around Harry Styles was probably a bad idea - he'd probably take full advantage of that.

I slowly raised my gaze to land on his and had to fight the gasp that was about to escape. His face was much closer now, mere inches from mine and eyes squinted drastically. He pressed me backwards, causing chills to run down my spine.

"However, the fact I've decided to keep you alive for now does not by any means mean I cannot hurt you. So I'd suggest you seal that smart mouth of yours."

A bolt of pain suddenly shot up my scalp at the memory of him pulling my hair, my eyes involuntarily starting to gloss over at the haunting thought. My hands darted out to his chest in an attempt to push him off me. But sadly, it was to no avail.

"You're absolutely sick." I hissed, anger raising with every stupid word that spilled out of his plump lips. He only kept me alive to have the upper hand against my father, it was all out of politic interests and his overbearing pursuit of power.

His eyes hardened and he let go of my throat, placing both hands on either side of my head. His normally bright eyes were a dark shade of forest green. "I want you to repeat after me." He growled. "Next time I misbehave, Harry will not hesitate to put me in my place."

My eyes widened and I let my gaze drop to the ground, my hair falling in front of my face. His ego wouldn't let me off the hook that easily. "As far as I know, we're not on a first name basis."

Before I could take another breath, my wrists were taken hostage in his large hands. Heavy puffs of air forced from his parted lips as he yanked my arms above my head. "Don't fucking start with me, Melody." He yelled.

"N-No." I desperately tried to struggle out of his grip, but his strength was far superior to mine.

"No?" His grip progressively tightened around my seemingly fragile bones. I winced, cowering back in his strong hold.

"Please stop." I stressed, my voice growing small all of a sudden.

"Say it." Pain shot up my arm as his hold got possibly tighter and I was positive my wrists would snap in two if he he kept that up.

"N-Next time I misbehave, Harry in p-place." I practically cried out, fighting against him with the small amount of power I had left. The pain was so blinding along with my increasingly blurry vision that I didn't even notice I had mixed the words.

"Good girl, that will do." The tone he held was an indication that I should not keep testing him at the moment, as it ran to a deeper level.

As soon as my hand was free from his vicelike grip, I held it up to my chest in pain. My back desperately pressed to the wall to keep as much distance between us. I hopelessly gulped down the tears threatening to spill out of my eyes.

I realised I shouldn't have taken it that far. The king of Serentile was a dangerous man with no morality nor decency. I had tried to look past the rumours, but when it came down to it they were proven just about right.

And that petrified me.

A/N

Tf Harry you were supposed to teach her self defence, not choke her

Omg guys I have a cast on my foot because of a tendon injury... Looking at the bright side of things I finally have time to write lol

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