HufflepuffHolland's Writing Collection

Mistaken Royalty (Final) // Tom Holland

"So, did this begin before or after the ball?" The queen asked, looking between you and Tom. You struggled to answer, not clearly knowing the answer yourself.

"During, actually," he spoke up finally, looking at you before diverting his gaze. "Since I'm caught now, might as well just come all the way clean, huh?" He asked, joking slightly.

"For you benefit," the queen said, raising an eyebrow, "I would."

"Well," Tom sighed, looking up at his mother through his lashes, giving her a small smile, "I wasn't where i was supposed to be at the ball."

"What do you mean you weren't at the ball?!"

"I was there!" Tom said, defending himself, but shrinking in his seat at his mother's glare. "I just – I wasn't where I was supposed to be," he glanced at you, before correcting himself, "I mean, I was where I was meant to be, I believe. Just not where I was... supposed... to be?" He frowned, looking down to avoid his mother's daggers. "Harrison, my good, old and dear friend, who also was a victim in my mischief, helped me by pretending to be me during the reveal... which is why I begged for a masquerade."

"Thomas—"

"Since I'm going to be scolded, can I finish my side?" He begged, taking his parents' silence as a way of telling him to continue. "I needed one more night – to see the palace people and to talk amongst the civilians without the crown hovering above my head," he countered, looking at you once more, "I needed to prove that I could find something – with anyone, and remind myself what is real.

"And you," the queen said, pointing a finger at you, "where do you play into all of this?"

You gulped, about to answer, until Tom came to your aid. "She was just enjoying the festivities. She didn't know I was the prince – that I am the prince. She didn't find out until today, when you caught us." He stood from his seat then, taking two long strides to reach your chair, and kneeled, dramatically, as he bowed his head. "I am so, very sorry for lying to you, Lady YN," he said, sincerely, then lifting his head to wink at you. You smiled, your head snapping up to see the queen's unamused face as she cleared her throat.

"Queen Holland, I assure you, had I known that I was preoccupying the Prince's time, I wouldn't have engaged in it—"

"You wouldn't have?" Tom asked, frowning as he stood up slowly. You frowned with him, shrugging.

"Thomas, your time is for the people. As line of duty, you have a service. I enjoyed our time together, and I enjoy... you," you smiled, standing up now, so you stood in front of him, "but, I am not your priority. The kingdom, and finding a future princess is. I am not royalty, I am not... qualified. I'm sorry." You said finally, moving away form him as he tried to protest. "And, King and Queen Holland," you began, bowing slightly, "I am sorry for any of the inconvenience my presence has brought, I will leave now, that is if I am no longer needed?"

Before anyone could say anything, the Queen waved her hand, silently asking for you to be escorted.

"Mother!" Tom begged, seeing her not budge as you walked out of the castle. "It wasn't her fault!" He complained, his eyebrows pulling together, "She didn't know, she shouldn't be punished for it."

"She isn't," the Queen said calmly, shaking her head at her son's inappropriate behavior. "But, you? You are. To your room, I will be up there to read you your duties for the next few days."

"Mother, this isn't fair!"

"What, Thomas? What is it? Do you love her, over the course of one meeting?"

"Two," he mumbled, not really helping his case. "And, I don't, but I could... I could see myself loving her."

"Thomas, please—"

"No, mother. I'm tired of this," he gestured toward the castle, "I didn't sign up for this, I didn't ask to be handed this, but if I must," he said, breathing out of his nose to calm his breathing, "if I must, then I'd like to do it the way I see fit."

"And how do you see it fit, Thomas?"

Before Tom could answer, Harrison, who had been waiting in his seat in silence, decided to speak up. "With all due respect, Queen Holland," Harrison, spoke, using the queens nickname like usual family and friends did, "Tom, until this point, has proven how far he'd go for his country, no matter the pressures that have been put on him. He pretended for a night, to lead a life that could have been promised to him, and he found someone that might be worth sharing the life he has now with. The girl, Lady YN, she had no clue about Thomas's status, and even while being in a room with him, without knowing, she still chose Tom, normal or not."

"Haz, you don't have to—"

"Tom didn't drag me into this – he begged me, sure," he joked, smiling at Tom, "but, considering the full life he'll have as future king, he deserves to be treated as an equal, even if only for time to time." Harrison smiled at his friend, bowing his head as he walked out of the room, not expecting any further discussion.

"How far are you willing to go, Thomas?" His father asked, causing Tom to look back at him. "For her, how far are you willing to go?" He looked at his father, smiling at him.

"I don't know... but, I'd like to find out." He admitted, eyeing his father for a moment, before his father bowed his head.

"Then, the rest is up to you."

That's all it took for Tom to go speeding toward the palace doors and running down the brick arch. He missed the look of disapproval on his mother's face, and he missed the way his father looked to him, remembering how similar him and his son were when he was the same age.

-

"Lady YN!" Tom yelled, seeing you sulking as you walked your way back toward the village. "Lady YN, please!" He yelled, reaching you as his hand clasped around your wrist. "Please, I—I can explain. I messed up, immensely, but not in the way that means I can't have a redo... right?" He waited for a reply, but you gave not one sound. "The time spent with you, is worth more than all the time I've spent in the palace, Lady YN—"

"Just YN," you mumbled, looking up at him. He looked surprised, before a smile covered his face, a smile appearing on yours as well as you mirrored him.

"Just YN," he whispered, a hand coming up to caress your cheek, "I'm so, so sorry—"

"Why?" You asked sincerely, You weren't angry with him, having to fall back on the ways of the palace, you would have begged for an out, too. "I have lived more with you, than I have inside of my own head, with help from the book clerk." You mumbled, your cheek nuzzling into his hand.

"I just don't want you to think I lied to you."

"Thomas," you said, the sound feeling foreign to you, but your smile following it when your eyes met his big, brown ones. "Thomas, I thoroughly enjoy you."

He smiled widely, his other hand coming up, so he was cupping your face. "Just YN, I thoroughly enjoy all of you," he whispered, pulling you closer so the gap slowly went away, "may I?" All you had time to do was nod and his lips were on yours. "Wow," he whispered, his lips still brushing against yours, "I love living this life." He said, smiling even more when he felt your cheeks redden under his touch.