New covers on all three of my books and I'm so in love omg. I have way too much fun designing new covers.
There was no sign of Leah for three days.
During those days, Prince Harry was kept busy training troops and discussing war plans in a secret room. Generals were going over final suggestions, as well as a final document that will be released to the public about the war. Some townspeople were speculating it, which only turned to crowds of people building up outside the palace gates and chanting that they had the right to know what was going on.
"Ah, Your Royal Highness. You're here. Please, sit down."
Harry obeyed, quietly shutting the door to the enclosed, dark room. There were no windows, in fear that anyone could be snooping.
Multiple men clad in military uniforms stared up at the royal entering and taking his seat along the lean, wooden table. He noticed his father was one of them.
"Now, we may begin," the same officer started. "We are on our final stages of planning out and plotting our strategy moves once this war is underway. Our attack date is tomorrow at half past three. Our troops have been undergoing weeks of training and they are well prepared."
A wave of nervousness filled the room. An attack date had been finally set.
"I will personally be informing our troops tonight about tomorrow." The elder man then paused, clearing his throat in a way that made it sound like he was collecting his thoughts on what to say next. "Now, I must bring something to your attention, men. There have been sightings of immigrants from Wales reportedly spying on our war plans. They have tracked down documents and gained access to them. So, for precautions we are ordering all known, legal Wales immigrants to be marched back to Wales. This will be going down in a few short hours. There will be troops sent out to collect them all."
The room barely reacted. That is, except Harry. He froze in his seat, gripping the side of the table.
"What?" he choked, shocked at this news.
If they're marching Wales immigrants then...
No, no, no. Leah isn't from Wales....But everyone believes she is because of me!
The men confusingly glanced at the Prince, wondering why he looked so frightened and worried.
The head general must have understood what he was thinking, answering, "Yes, Harry. That includes your lady."
A harsh breath was sucked in. He imagined her at home, unaware as to what could come.
"No. No she-"
"She could be a threat, Prince Harry. Lady Leah is part of the Wales Royal Family, do you really have no doubt she's not helping them in any way? It's her country we're in war with."
This is such bullshit!
Harry rose from his seat, livid.
"Please, Your Royal Highness. We need you to cooperate here. Can you tell us where she is? Is she here at the palace? Where does she live?"
"I'm not telling you where she is!" Harry seethed.
"Harold," King Robin muttered, halting him. "Drop it."
But they couldn't find her, right? They would never find her where she was at home. As hard as they could search, they wouldn't find her.
That is, unless she was working in the field and they spotted her. As a peasant, living in a cottage home, in England.
I have to save her. I must hide her, keep her safe.
Harry could never live with himself if she was found and taken away from him, never to be found again.
In a loud, hasty move, the Prince harshly shoved the table away from him, storming out of the room to find his horse and get to her home the fastest he's ever traveled before.
The stables were locked due to the time of night it was, and Prince Harry could have cursed at the barn door until the sun rose. He was insane, shaking the door until he noticed a faulty hinge on one of the sides unscrew. With all his might, Harry picked apart the rusty nails until the barn door was loose enough to pry open.
He was going to get in so much trouble for this.
It took a minute in the darkness to locate a candle and lighter, but soon he could visibly see the horses roaming in their stalls.
"Come on, Daisy," he called out to his personal stallion. The black beauty made a noise as company joined her. Harry took the saddle and reins off the wall to quickly strap on to her firm body. She shook her head in excitement as the Prince guided her out of the stable.
He was on her back in a second and whipping her side with the rein to cause Daisy to dash forward. Under his guidance, the stallion flew through the brisk air. Harry took the longer way that went through the thick forest and out to the kingdom to avoid nosy guards.
The kingdom was quiet at this time. He was grateful at how deserted the cobbled streets were. He didn't need word going out about this excursion.
The croaking of frogs and chirp of crickets entertained the Prince as he continued to push the stallion even faster. He had to reach her home before she went to bed.
Harry didn't even know how she would react to him showing up uninvited. He didn't have a clue what his plan was. Should he take her back with him? And do what? Hide her? Where? Would she even agree to this?
"God," he muttered under his breath as he slowed Daisy down. There it was. Her home. There was no sign of anyone outside. He left his black beauty attached to the strong stump of a tree.
His boots clunked up to the cottage door where he forcefully knocked. No one came. He attempted to listen for any commotion but there was none.
"Shit." He shook his head, raking his fingers through his growing curls. This was so stupid to come here.
"Harry?"
His head snapped up, finding Leah standing there in a nightgrown that reached down to just above her knees. She looked so petite and shallow in the clothing. Her hair was tousled messily, draping down her shoulders in a perfect way.
She was shocked to see him standing there, mute.
"Leah, we have little time. I need you to come with me right now. You have to hide," he rushed out after forcing himself to speak.
She looked incredibly taken aback. "What are you talking about?" Her voice was timid, and confused, and annoyed that he was here. Leah didn't want to see him. She spent weeks trying to forget about the times they spent together. It was for the best, she repeatedly told herself day after day.
"I.." He was running against time. Soldiers could be out on the streets by now searching. "Leah, England is at war with Wales."
His blunt response pained him to say. Her eyes widened, uncapable of absorbing the information.
"What?" Her voice cracked, lip quivering. Her mind was filled with memories of the men coming to her house and telling the family about their father. She thought back to his burial. They couldn't afford a proper funeral. They buried their own father themselves. The girl was on the break of tears.
"I'm so sorry for not telling you, but I couldn't. No one could know. But..But, Leah, everyone is still under the trance that you're from Wales and since we're at war with them, the generals think of you as a threat. Especially because you're the supposed second cousin to the royal family of Wales. I need you to come with me. They're going to find you and drag you to Wales. If they find out you aren't royal, worse things will happen. I need to protect you."
"But Harry-"
"Please, Leah. This doesn't have to change anything if that's what you want, but please let me hide you for your own safety. Despise me all you want, but please come with me."
"My family, Harry," she interrupted him. "I can't leave my family behind."
He scanned his surroundings, tugging at his hair.
"Do you not remember as far as anyone knows they aren't part of your family? They're a Potter now, not a Bates."
"Please, Harry, I need them!"
He reached out to pull her into his strong arms, quieting her loud pleas.
"They're safe, I promise you. They won't be harmed. Your family are citizens of England, no one will come looking for them. It's worse if you stay here."
"I can't leave them, Harry. I won't."
"I'll have Louis collect them tomorrow, alright? I can come up with a story to keep them in the castle. Just please come with me now," he begged her.
She was having a mental argument and breakdown. Leah couldn't believe what was happening. Harry kept glancing behind him and down the road, keeping high alert if anyone came this way.
"I-I don't think I can do this. I don't want to live in hiding I-"
"Leah, for God's sake, I love you. Now get on the goddamn horse and come with me," Harry blurted.
Did he just..
"W-What?" she stuttered, dumbfounded and startled by his confession. The Prince had never told her that. He had never said that to her before. He appeared just as surprised that he said it as her.
"I..I love you. I mean it, I love you. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't try to save you. So will you please just come with me?"
Her lips parted in shock. He loves her. He loves me.
Leah nodded, finally agreeing when a rustling sound was heard behind her inside the cottage. The twins were quietly approaching the door.
Leah broke down there.
They swarmed her, hugging her tightly even though the boys were unsure as to what was going on. They saw Harry and Harry saw them.
"Why are you taking my sister?" Ben timidly questioned the royal. He looked up high to meet his gaze, continuing to hug his elder sister.
"I plan on keeping her safe. She will be safe with me," Harry promised the young boy.
Ben nodded in acceptance.
"Are you going away?" Cal asked her, stroking her hair. She sniffled, absorbing the love and warmth they radiated.
"Not for long. I will see you guys soon. Tell mother I love her very much." She kissed their faces, hugging the air out of their small bodies.
Tears gushed down her pink cheeks. Right as she rose from her crouched position to hug her siblings, Harry was there to pull her into his hold. She was thankful for him being there. Leah couldn't believe he cared enough to pursue her just for her safety.
"Ready?" he cautiously asked her.
She nodded her head, huddling closer into his side. Her legs ached in the cold, damp weather.
"Are you alright with riding the horse?"
"Yes," she said, not even caring about her slight resistance towards the animal.
Harry knelt down on one knee, aiding her with his hands to hoist her up on to Daisy. Once she was situated, the Prince shrugged off his long, woolen coat and offered it up to her.
"No, I'm fine," she mumbled, teeth chattering against her will.
"Just take it, Leah."
Before she could protest any longer, the coat was slid on to her arms and over her nightgown.
"Keep the hood over your head in case anyone is out," Harry firmly instructed and she obeyed. Leah took one final glance at her home before Daisy began trotting away at a fast pace. The girl clung to the Prince's waist.
He worried the entire way home that soldiers were marching around the kingdom. Any brush of wind or footsteps caused him to panic and look around. There was never anyone, maybe a few children pushing a pram home.
Leah was dead silent during the journey back to the castle. He understood. She was leaving home after hearing that a war was going on. Exactly what led to her father's death, and now the public believes she's on the other side.
When a wave of emotion crashed over her, she would squeeze Harry from the grip she obtained behind him.
He loves me. This man loves me.
"Shit," the Prince mumbled through the wind, looking beyond the trees he planned to ride through. He noticed on the distant palace grounds, soldiers were parading the land.
They can't see her. They'll take her if they do.
"Hold tight, okay?"
Leah's head perked up behind him. She gripped on to his sides to show him she heard what he said. The girl didn't know what he was going to do, but her question was answered as a whip sound was heard and Daisy dashed forward.
She flew through the trees in an instant, nearing the stable within seconds. Harry guided the black stallion into the barn before any distant guard took notice.
He hopped off the horse first, then assisting Leah down. She hugged him tightly for a quick second before he put away the equipment used on Daisy. He gave his trusty steed a soft pat, closing the gate and grabbing Leah's shaking hand.
"You're going to have to trust me here, alright?" Prince Harry whispered, inching them closer to the entrance of the stable.
Beyond the door was the massive space of castle ground. This included the famous gardens that resided in the back. The monumental palace was duable to reach if they dashed quickly. It was incredibly risky, but there was no other way. Soldiers were patrolling the land, likely doing this to catch Harry himself coming back from wherever they thought he went.
They planned on digging the wherabouts of Leah from him.
"What are you doing?" Leah whispered back in a stern voice, confused as to why he was about to reveal themselves.
"We're making a run for it."
"Are you insane? Can't we do anything else?"
"If I leave you here and show myself, you can be damn sure they're going to check high and low in this stable. They will find you. You must come with me. I'll get you inside through the servant's area. It's too late for anyone to be awake and down there."
"How are you so sure this will work?" she dared to ask him. This was all too risky. One wrong move and she could never return to Harry ever again.
"I'm not," he bluntly replied. "But I love you and nothing is going to happen to you."
Her breath hitched in her throat. Harry delicately touched her cheek with his palm, captivating her vision.
"If we don't make it-"
"We will make it, Leah."
She sighed. "When we make it...can we please discuss everything that's happened?"
Harry paused, smirking in the darkness of the stable. "Of course. How else am I going to get you to fall in love with me again?"
She was breathless, scared for her life and astounded by his words.
"Ready?"
Leah nodded, holding air in her lungs. This is it. The soldiers over there will either see them or they won't. The two will either be caught or won't.
Harry was fast.
Almost too fast for her weak legs to manage, but with her future threatened, she fought back. Their feet barely made a single sound. Neither of the two wasted a second in seeing if a guard saw them.
They were lucky, so damn lucky. The servant's door was whisked open in a split second after racing across the yard. Prince Harry pushed Leah inside before him. He didn't wait a single moment before tugging her along, checking the corridors for any maids or butlers.
They thought they were in the clearing. They thought they were successful. Harry found the ancient storage room within a minute and took Leah into it.
They figured that was it. They figured no soldiers spotted them. And they were right. Miraculously, no soldiers saw their sprint from the barn to the castle.
Well...except one.
well shit.
what a cliffhanger amirite? hope you all enjoyed! please vote and comment!