Running Around Royal (Prince Harry #4)

Chapter Forty-Five

The royal couple had slept overnight in Monrovia, Liberia. Staying high above the city in a blooming skyscraper, Meredith had spent a good time looking out across the twinkling and going out lights of the city, like a sea ebbing in night. While Senegal had been a long day, Meredith felt awake when looking out. Eventually, she climbed into the bed, knowing she was going to regret the decision when she was told to wake in the morning. In the morning, she was forced to awake by a loud knock at the door by Jessica, Meredith did regret it. Tiredness weighed down her body as she was stuffed into the shower with the cold water running. She let out a yelp as she got in, feeling the cold against her skin, and it drenched her quickly.

After the shower, Meredith was pushed in the seat in front of the vanity, where stylists went about her business. They called it a more "natural" look today because she was spending more time outside. Her eyes wandered outside, where the sun was only starting to rise. It was another pants day, which Meredith had no business complaining. Pants were better than no pants.

It was a drive outside of Monrovia, and then it was a longer drive out on a gravel road. Dust picked up, hovering in the air as the Jeep followed and preceded by other heavy duty vehicles. Meredith's stomach twisted in her stomach as motion sickness threatened to spill out. Taking a deep breath, Meredith closed her eyes and tried to think of herself as somewhere else.

"Happy thoughts," Harry said, squeezing her hand, not wanting to vomited on for another time in his life.

Her happy thoughts came out that at least she didn't have a migraine. Her happy thoughts became overthrown by the amount of sickness that threatened to come out of her mouth. Meredith knew she needed to keep a good face on for the monarchy and for herself. For the monarchy, the best was necessary and expected. As for herself, there were new problems of looking anything less than best. While there was always the criticism about her personality and her looks, in Meredith's mind, none of it compared to the rumors of her being pregnant. These thoughts were prevalent in Meredith's mind because she wished to be known for more as well as be able to do more than pop out some children.

When the cars stopped, Meredith at least had a moment to collect herself before stepping out into the cameras. This far out, at least, these were all planned photographers, especially the royal photographer who was meant to get Meredith's good side-- whatever the side was.

At this animal reserve, it focused on the endangered species of Liberia. Most of the species became endangered in Liberia because of human consumption of bushmeat, also known as game-meat. There were certain species that stated on the endangered list because of this hunting: elephants, hippos, leopards and chimpanzees among other monkeys. At this reserve, all the animals were brought on if needed to be treated as the hope was to eventually remove animals off the endangered species list to mean they thrive again.

It wasn't a humid heat as Meredith and Harry met with the sanctuary leader. In Liberia, there were thirty-one languages spoken, but English became the first language after America's colonization. Even the United States wanted in on that. Liberian-English was what it was called, mixing some words together. After the colonization, some of the southern United States fashion, culture and words came back to Liberia. Some of the words remained today in Liberia's English. At least there was no need for a translator today.

Walking throughout the reserve with a photographer hot on their tail, the duke and duchess were able to interact with all the animals. The first was an elephant, which had been brought in after some hunts merely wounded her but never finished the job. She had apparently been in pain for days before someone found her, and she was eventually brought to the reserve and was healed. It was a question, however, if she was going to be released back into wild. The elephant was now scared of many people, yet as Meredith walked over, the elephant came over to greet her.