Princess in Training (Prince Harry #3)

Chapter Forty-Six

"Come on, Mere," Kyra screeched. "Dance more."

"How about more alcohol?" Meredith slid off the dance floor on the rocking yacht. Her eyes slid off into the distance, where she just waited for someone to come yell at the group for being too loud. Even with the yacht's operator and a few people on the boat, it felt like a bit of a sticky situation.

"More booze!" Kyra screamed, enjoying this all too much.  "I come." She stumbled out of the crowd of women and came with her best friend. "When do you think you're going to turn slutty?"

"Excuse me," Meredith scoffed, "when I get drunk, I do not get slutty. I just become more open about my intentions."

"How does Harry feel about this?"

"He doesn't care too much, but I can't remember the last time I was that drunk. And who would I be slutty with here?"

"I don't know. I thought you just might take off your shirt. You already have the dancing going." Kyra took a long gulp of her wine and stared at the dance floor. Her legs swayed and she nearly collapsed. Meredith plucked the water out of Kyra's hand and replaced it with water. "Hey now!"

"And eat this." Meredith handed over some chips. "It's all fun in games until you vomit all over the dance floor."

"Slip and slide!"

Meredith rolled her eyes. "Kyra, drink your water and finish your chips." Kyra did as she was told, and Meredith downed another drink. "And we're off." Taking a hold of her friend's hand, she led Kyra back onto the drag floor with the pumping music and twinkling lights. Due to Meredith's migraines, the usual quick flashes of light didn't work well, so the soft lights on the edge on the boat were perfect enough.

It was euphoric. Music moved their bodies, blasting through their hearts, beating in their heads, pumping through their veins. It was electricity. No matter the time that was never shown, there wasn't a tiring movement. The music had been chosen specifically for something that Meredith knew and danced to. The lyrics flowed from her mouth, and with another drink down, it became easier.

Any time she thought she might be hitting the tipping point back into sobriety, Meredith took another shot, as did everyone else. No one was pregnant here besides Rachel, and she had her own fun dancing another. It was just a bunch of grown women feeling the freedom that came along with their duties. Even the fear that someone might be watching melted away.

"Another!" yelled Zara, and it was another round gone.

"Are we going to run out?" Kyra asked.

"We had enough for Rach," Meredith said, "so we can just take hers."

Rachel laughed and waved her hand. "Go for it."

Everyone else went for the extra drinks, but it wasn't like they were going to run out. There was always so much. Walking over, Meredith put her arms around Rachel. "I love you."

"Is this when slutty Mer comes out?" Rachel sassed.

"Did you ever see me slutty-drunk in Scotland?"

"No, I don't think. I only heard stories." Rachel patted Meredith's arms. "You're almost married, almost Duchess of Domesticated."

Meredith rolled her eyes. "I have time yet. We're going on a tour."

"Oh, of where?"

"Everywhere." Meredith didn't know for sure. Even if she did, words were hard. There were so many places in the world, and it felt like a wedding present. Meredith wanted to see the world, and now she had the ability. "But once I come back, it's back to... well, I'm not even sure. Being hated maybe?"

Rachel giggled. "I think you'll find more people like you than you think."

"It seems like the media doesn't like me, but I am funny to them."

"You're not funny," Rachel said. "You're fucking hilarious, Mer."

She blushed. "Hmm... I am happy, Rach. I am so happy. And it's not even the booze talking." Her words slurred, and the yacht tilted. "Okay, maybe it is the booze talking, but only because I won't say the words aloud anyway. But I am happy-- and I am getting married-- and I am excited-- and I'm terrified."

"It is scary to get married. You don't know what will come next."

"Well, it's not that. I am excited to be Harry's wife in the most... non-domesticated way. But I am scared of actually going down the aisle," Meredith explained. "Are you scared to go down the aisle?"

"No. All eyes are on you, no matter what. I won't even get a mention." Rachel elbowed her friend playfully. "You'll be fine, Mer. You're only scared of falling because you're so tall and it's such a far way down."

Meredith laughed.

"Be happy, Mer, even if you're so drunk that we can't allow you near the edge of the boat."

"There has been no murder. We are fine." Meredith kissed Rachel's head. "Come dance with me."

"Kyra will be jealous."

"Chloe will be jealous," Meredith countered with a smirk. "Now, come dance with me."

Rachel spun into Meredith's arms as the other girls lounged for a minute, and the song slowed down. Just like that: it turned to morning. Somewhere on the horizon, the sun began to rise. Colorful hues bloomed across the sky, like the morning flowers on shore. Rachel came out of Meredith's arms, and it was a slow waltz as in Meredith's hazy stage tried to remember old ceilidh dances. Rachel managed to pull back her foot before Meredith landed harshly on it.

"May I break this party up?" Kyra asked, and she didn't break up the party. Even Chloe joined in as the group of four American girls danced in the morning light, and somehow the boat drifted back to shore.

Cars waited on shore, but the girls just stayed put. This wasn't the last time, and it wasn't the last today. Over the next few days, they would be seeing a lot of each other. There was still the bridal shower and rehearsal. The wedding was coming. This was never good bye, either, but it was moving on and up in the world.

"My turn?"

Meredith jumped, forgetting where she was, and Harry stood behind her with a crooked smile. Her green eyes glanced down to her small friends, and they all gave hopeful grins. "Yes." She twirled into Harry's grasp, and she was home.