Princess in Training (Prince Harry #3)

Chapter Eleven

"How does this go?" Meredith asked, flipping through the glossy tabloid with pictures of her on the front. "Is it like buying a pair of shoes, like the perfect fit, or is it like food, which one is healthiest?"

Harry laughed. "It will all work out." He finished up with breakfast and put the dishes in sink.

"That's not an answer."

Coming over, Harry hovered. "Do you like looking pictures at yourself?"

"I like knowing what people think."

"But you don't care?"

"It's too much work to care, but it's not too much work to read."

"What if they're mean to you?"

"Still, no fucks given." She smiled happily at Harry.

"We do not use that kind of language, ma'am." Allison walked in, holding files.

"If you're in my home and it isn't working hours," Meredith said, "I'm going to do whatever the fuck I want, mate." Standing over, she plopped her things down in the sink. "Now, what do you want?" Meetings don't start until later, which replaced princess training today.

"I have details about Jack Campbell, provided by Bill." Some of the folders were made up of personal files on Jack's cellmates and prison guards, and then it was details about his life inside. "These are all the contacts he's had from the outside world."

"Anything of interest?" Harry asked, spinning the papers. "He has visitors, quite the following of fangirls."

"Much like yourself," Meredith said, "but this group is after a crazy boy." Reading down the list, there weren't many men, and any of these had the ability to magically get into the gala, same with the other prisoners that came and went. The prison system was different here than it was in the U.S., allowing for more freedom for the prisoners.

"Are you sure it was a male?" Jessica asked.

Meredith started to question herself. "Yep. Jessica, how many of the future bodyguards know that I'm getting stalked by a crazy dude in prison?"

"All of them interviewed today know of your past."

"Creepy." Meredith rolled her eyes. "Don't," she snapped at Jessica. Looking through the papers again, Meredith didn't know what she was looking for. "Cath has a female and male bodyguard. Wills has two male bodyguards. Harry, you have one male bodyguard. What do I get?"

"We have female and male bodyguards lined up, but your situation is different," Jessica stated.

Meredith looked to her future husband for meaning, and Harry explained, "You're tall."

"Is that necessary in being a bodyguard?"

"It's helpful."

"These," Jessica placed then on the table, "are bodyguard personal files, just the basics, in case you have any questions. You two are in charge today."

Meredith rolled her eyes again. "What am I supposed to ask a bodyguard? Are you willing to jump in front of a bullet for me? Are you willing to deal with my attitude on a twenty-four basis? How do you feel about lack of fucks?" She glanced at the names. "To get this far, they've had to go through extensive vetting, so at this point, it's all about if we like each other."

"I'm sure they'll like you," Harry smiled, rubbing a hand across her face.

"Ha!" Meredith slipped away from him and took a deep breath. "Can't I just get an idea of who these people are in a fun-ness level?"

"They're not there to have fun; they're there to protect you," Jessica said.

"And when no one is trying to kill me, I prefer to have someone to hang out with who isn't a stick up my ass. Is that too much to ask?" Meredith turned her attention to Harry. "How about Bill? How did you find him?"

"He's been my bodyguard since I was a teenager," Harry responded.

"Oh." Well that certainly limited things. "How can I just choose someone to protect me?"

"Ma'am, I think you're looking for the perfect answer, which doesn't exist," Jessica said. "Whoever you choose, will be your bodyguard, unless something-- God forbid-- happens. In honesty, all these people have gone through vetting and have proven themselves before. We have people who worked in the armed forces and other services."

Meredith sat back. "I'm more worried about us mixing." Jack Campbell was on her mind, but there wasn't a way for him to get out of prison. There was the rose and the saying, but it was all blown out of proportion, which was on Meredith. She knew she didn't need to be concerned, but there it was. "We all know these people can handle the potential problem of Jack Campbell."

"Yes."

"Then let them in and let's speak. I'll go my worst on them."

Jessica arched an eyebrow.

"They're going to see me at my worst-- God forbid," Meredith mocked, "something happens. You think I'm going to be cheery about shit."

"What do you think is going to happen?" Jessica Brown asked.

Harry shook his head. "You challenged her."

"Well," Meredith began, folding her hands across the table, "Jack Campbell somehow escape prison. He orchestrates a following. This following becomes a terrorist group. This terrorist group hates the monarchy, so they try to take out the monarchy. They do this by blowing up airplane while we're coming back from somewhere. We all die."

Jessica's mouth popped open in shock.

"That's unladylike," Meredith retorted.

"Have you been thinking about this?" Jessica asked-- treason on her tongue.

"Oh, I don't want to be Queen," Meredith said.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, she's not looking to be Queen, and I'm not looking to be King. She said we'd all die."

"Have you been thinking about this?"

"I've been told I have an overactive imagination. Sometimes I pinch Harry's ass to make sure he's real." Meredith winked. "Also, this I need work. If I have nothing to do, all I do is wonder what my future might hold. Usually it's pretty shit." Standing up, Meredith knew what time it was. Secretary Brown still stared at her. "The first person should be here."

Walking into the living room, Harry leaned against the doorway and watched as his fiancee carefully chose her place to sit, bouncing from one seat to another. She tried to act prepared and ready, almost regal, and just as quickly as that began, it slid off her face. Meredith hadn't been joking when she said she wanted the future bodyguard to know what they were getting into.

"Harry," she called and tapped the seat beside her.

Sliding into the seat beside her, Harry kissed her head and settled back.