HARRY
"Will you marry me, Harry?"
Amelia's question lingers in the air between us, heavy silence weighing me down as my mind slowly absorbs her words. Shock washes over me, my eyes carefully trailing over her features, searching for a sign she is playing a joke on me. Surely this cannot be real, Edward has proposed to her less than ten minutes ago and here she is asking me the very same thing.
"Are you going to make me kneel?" She asks in a humorous tone, but I can tell she is nervous and hurt by my lack of response.
"What?" I manage to ask, feeling very confused. "Are you serious?"
"I am." She nods, brushing her thumb over my cheekbone.
"But what about Edward?"
"Edward knows I care for him, but that is all there is to it. Care, not love." She smiles faintly. "I didn't give this a lot of thought, but I do know that I don't want us to go into that battle separated and angry at each other. I love you and I want you to be my husband, simple as that. What happened earlier with Edward has made me realise what I truly want and with whom, no matter how long it might last. Two days or fifty years, I don't care."
My heart swells in my chest. "Are you sure? We can wait until I'm King."
She takes my hand in hers and gives it a light squeeze. "If, God forbid, you fail to accomplish your mission or something happens to either of us, we will have no regrets."
I feel a brief prick of pain because of her words, knowing they are true. "You stole my line, the man usually asks the question," I joke after a few moments of silence, fighting off a smile.
"Yes, and pirates are usually men, royal advisers are usually men, it gets boring after a while, doesn't it? Someone needed to change all that." Amelia grins, brown eyes twinkling. "So what do you say? Will you marry me?"
"Hmm, and where is my pretty glittering ring?" I raise my hand and wiggle my fingers, grinning teasingly.
She punches my arm lightly. "Harry, this is serious!"
I laugh and cough dramatically, straightening my posture. "Alright, I'm ready. Can you ask the question again?"
She rolls her eyes and sighs. "Ugh, just marry me, will you?"
"Yes," I reply, not missing a beat. "Absolutely."
"I might not have a ring, but I have this." She lifts a red flower, handing it to me almost shyly. "A flower for my flower prince."
The smile on my face gets impossibly wide as I take the flower from her hand, raising it to my face and inhaling its sweet scent. Amelia then practically pounces on me, throwing her arms tightly around my neck as I groan in surprise and wrap mine around her waist, spinning her around. A surge of happiness rushes through me, something I haven't felt in a long time. Dozens of thoughts spiral through my head as I try to process I have just gotten engaged to the woman I thought I irrevocably lost. A deep laugh tumbles from my mouth, my head turning to leave a chaste kiss on her cheek.
I carefully set her down, my palms cupping her face as a sudden realisation strikes me. "Wait a minute, we don't have time to find a priest or anything-"
"Say no more, I'm here," Silas announces as he ceremoniously walks into my tent, spreading his arms with a wide grin on his face.
"You are not a priest," I remark, glancing at Amelia and her conspiratorial smile.
"No, but there is this ancient witch ceremony they used to perform to get married. It doesn't hold the same value as the real wedding, but you can always do it properly after you get your kingdom back. Until then, I will be your priest." Silas winks, a smug expression on his face.
"So you have planned out the whole ordeal, huh?" I grin, raising Amelia's hand to my lips.
"She has," Niall says as he also enters the tent, smiling happily. "Congratulations."
"You are in this, too?" I raise my eyebrows, delighted to see him.
"Of course." He shrugs shyly. "You will always have me by your side. Besides, Amelia didn't really give us much choice when she stormed into our tents and told us she had an epiphany and was ready to propose to you."
"We will do it at dawn if you two agree," Silas says. "Considering the attack is hours away, there aren't many options. I'll prepare everything, all you need to do is show up. I will let you know where."
"Wow, I... this is all happening so fast." I run my fingers through my hair nervously, but when I see a grin on Amelia's face, I relax almost instantly.
"I love you," she says, looking excited.
"Te amo," I reply, smiling.
"Alright, now I have to steal your bride because she needs to get prepared, and so do you." Silas points a finger at me before grabbing Amelia's hand, pulling her away.
Niall grins once they leave, spreading his arms and pulling me into a tight hug, patting my back. "I am so happy for you, Harry."
"And I am glad my best friend is with me on this day." I place my hands on his shoulders as I pull away.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world."
A memory of him kissing me months ago suddenly flashes before my eyes. I haven't thought about it ever since, but now that I am about to get married to the woman I love, I remember there is another person that cares for me far deeper than I knew. I drop my arms, rubbing the nape of my neck, not knowing how to approach the issue.
"I can tell what are you thinking about," Niall tells me. "You needn't worry, I am truly happy for you and I really want this wedding to happen. I never thought I'd admit this out loud, but I... I was in love with you. For a long time. But I never expected anything, all I wanted for you is to be happy and now that you are, I can be at peace."
Hearing him admit his feelings out loud makes it that much more real, but it eases me to know he is not hurt because of this. "Thank you for being the best friend anyone could wish for and for always taking care of me. I owe you."
Before Niall can reply, I lean forward and lightly kiss his cheek before pulling back with a soft smile. His entire face turns red and his blue eyes are widened, avoiding my gaze.
"I hope you find someone, Niall, I really do."
He smiles bashfully, clearing his throat. "I, uh, I need to help with the- you know, preparations." He scratches the back of his head awkwardly. "I'll see you soon."
He almost stumbles out of the tent and I laugh, swiping my palms down my face as I release a content sigh. "Oh my God." I still can't wrap my head around the fact I got proposed and engaged all in less than an hour. Not to mention my wedding is in a few hours.
"Knock knock." I turn around to see my father standing at the entrance, his hands clasped behind his back. "I hope you have a few minutes to spare for your father."
"Of course." I beckon him inside, motioning for him to sit on one of the chairs aside while I walk towards my bed, lowering myself on it. "I assume you've heard about my engagement."
"Amelia came to ask for your hand, so yes." He laughs loudly, shaking his head. "What a woman... one of a kind, she is."
I grin, leaning forward and placing my elbows on my thighs, fumbling with the rings on my fingers. "So... I am getting married. Well, kind of."
"Never thought I'd live to see the day. After Adam's death, it really didn't seem you two would be able to be together again, it seemed as if your pain was way too grand and it changed you both too much. I'm thrilled to see you've resolved your issues and realised you should be together."
My smile fades a little as he mentions my son, a quiet sigh expelling from my mouth. "What happened to my baby made me realise how limited moments of true happiness in life really are and I should appreciate them. I won't take this opportunity for granted, father."
"I know you won't." He stands up and slowly walks towards me, sitting beside me. "My boy became a man. A true king."
"The faith of a king is that he never gets to see his son take his place, I'm glad mine will if faith will have it. We still haven't won anything."
"But we will, you will. My brother is going to pay for what he did with his life, I'll make sure of it." His brows lower as he frowns.
I huff, shaking my head. "Dad, we talked about this, I don't want you to fight. Your limp has gotten worse and it will slow you down and make you vulnerable."
He pats my cheek, smiling. "Remove that worry from your face, son, I will be fine. I am still King and I will sit beside you on the front of the army in two days. We will lead the soldiers to victory together."
"Alright." I sigh in resignation, knowing this is a matter of pride and honour. "Any marriage advice?"
"Yes, always listen to your wife," he jests. "But other than that, I don't think you need any. In my eyes, you two have been married for a long time. I observed you when you were together, you already know what to do, son. Love her like you have all this time."
"I will. That's an oath."
👑👑👑
My heart is pounding in my chest as I nervously wait for the ceremony to begin, every now and then rubbing my freezing hands. The temperature is low and it's cold, but I don't seem to notice it, my body heated from the agony of anticipation. My father, Adrian, Joe, and Niall are all standing aside, their hands clasped in front of them. Silas is standing beneath a large oak tree with me to his left, a heavy old book in his hands. Lillian is in front of me with Sofia in her arms, sending me a wink and smiling gently. I am happy to see she's recovered completely.
"Wait a minute, who is going to walk Amelia down the aisle- well, down here?" I inquire, casting a confused glance at Silas.
"Patience, young Prince, you'll see," he solemnly says and I get an urge to roll my eyes. He is so dramatic sometimes.
I don't have to wait for too long to find that out because Amelia appears between the trees, her hand tucked into the crook of Zayn's elbow. I can't hide my surprise, but it does make sense it would be someone she considers her family, her brother. By her radiant smile and a kiss she leaves on his cheek, I take is she is thrilled with the idea.
I take a few moments to admire my bride that looks like a vision. She's not dressed in white, presumably because she has no dresses in that colour. But the minty green one she's wearing fits her perfectly; I once told her I absolutely love how that colour suits her. The dress is simple, with long sleeves and a sweetheart neckline, the flowy skirt swaying with each step she takes. Her hair is loose, wild curls cascading down her shoulders like a chocolate waterfall.
When they arrive, Zayn turns to face her and cups her jaw, kissing her forehead. He then turns to me, extending the arm holding her hand in my direction. "Here is my sister, treasure her every day. I wish you two all the luck and happiness in the world."
I smile and we exchange nods, my hand taking Amelia's from his, feeling her fingers give mine a squeeze, her smile broadening into that grin I love so much. I watch in confusion as Zayn lifts one fold of his coat, pulling out a flower crown. He lifts it and places it on Amelia's head.
"There. Now you look perfect," he says and smiles, taking a few steps back to join Lilly and his daughter before Amelia can reply.
She manages a small smile, blinking fast a few times to presumably push back any tears that might spill down her cheeks. I step forward and press my lips against her forehead, my green eyes finding hers. "You look astonishing."
To my delight, her grin returns. "And you are so beautiful, Harry."
Silas clears his throat a bit too loudly. "Two ladies and many gentlemen! Now that the bride is here, we may begin before our asses freeze!" He screams.
"Why are you yelling, you idiot, we're all a few steps away from you!" Zayn says in annoyance.
"I would like to ask the guests to keep silent!" He yells, then softening his voice to a whisper, he adds a quiet "bastard."
"I heard that," Zayn mutters and Amelia and I glare at him and Silas with threatening looks on our faces.
Silas meekly smiles and opens the book in his hands, flipping the pages until he finds the ones he needs. He then smiles, lifting his eyes. "I have a few instructions to make this as authentic as possible, alright?"
"Do we need rings?" I suddenly ask in panic. "We don't have any!"
"First of all, you have around fifty rings on your fingers, I'm sure we would manage." Silas gives me a blank look. "And second of all, rings are not needed for this ceremony, there is a different symbol of your bond and a different form of sealing your lives together. Now, if there are no more questions..."
Some time later, Amelia and I end up barefoot because that apparently signifies our mutual connection to the earth, our icy hands linked. Both of us are shivering from the cold yet our smiles are plastered to our faces. We've been through so much and to be here after all the pain and hard lessons is absolutely amazing.
The two of us lift one hand each, connecting our palms and intertwining our fingers, watching as Silas wraps a ribbon around them and our wrists while chanting in fluent old Latin. I'm not very familiar with the language, but I manage to understand a few words such as amor (love), aeternum (forever), and conexus (connected).
"Now recite the words I asked you to memorise," Silas instructs, looking like he is holding back a squeal as his eyes flick between the two of us.
"You are blood of my blood, and bone of my bone. I give you my body, that we two might be one. I give you my spirit, 'til our life shall be done," Amelia and I chorus.
"This isn't a part of the ceremony, but I want you to kiss, so do it right now or I'm undoing the whole thing." Silas grins.
He doesn't have to ask us twice because both of us lean forward at the same time, our lips connecting in a kiss signifying the beginning of our marriage, regardless of its legal value. Everyone claps and cheers, positive energy spreading all around. Not caring about our company, I slide my free arm around her lower back and pull her close, pressing her against my chest. Amelia breaks the kiss and smiles, embracing me tightly, her chin resting on my shoulder.
"Finally! Been waiting almost three years for this!" Adrian says, still clapping happily.
"So, shall we celebrate with a toast? I could use some wine," Joe comments.
"I can die in peace now," my father adds.
"Sohbajshm," Silas mumbles incoherently, too busy with blowing his nose.
I untie the knot and let the ribbon that binds our hands fall on the ground so I can embrace Amelia properly, sneaking my arms around her back tightly, feeling her press a kiss to my neck.
"Right, you lovebirds just keep hugging and be warm, the rest of us lonely icicles are going to sit by the fire, bye." Joe waves and scurries ahead, making me laugh lightly. He is followed by the rest of the guests, leaving just the two of us.
"Do you think they'll mind if we are a little late to the celebration?" Amelia asks, pulling away enough for me to see a cheeky grin on her face.
"What do you have in mind, my queen?"
👑👑👑
Amelia's bare body is glistening with perspiration as she keeps rolling her hips, her palms splayed over my chest to help her with balance as she moves on top of me, a soft gasp falling from her mouth. Her thick thighs are clasping my hips, my length buried deep inside her warmth, sliding in and out at a torturously intense pace. Her curls are hanging around her face like a curtain, her features twisted in pleasure, slightly swollen ruby lips parted and eyes shut, long eyelashes caressing the tops of her cheeks.
One of my hands is firmly holding her thigh while the other one slides up the curve of her waist, reaching one of her breasts. I squeeze it, loving the softness and fullness of it in my palm. Bending my knees and jutting my hips upwards with the help of my feet flattened against the mattress, I hit a particular spot inside her that has her moaning every single time, the sound being like music to my ears. I love making her feel good, I almost forgot how it felt.
Overwhelmed with the flawless beauty above me, I close my eyes for a few moments to focus on nothing but the sensation our joined bodies are providing me. Grabbing her hips, I sit up abruptly, our faces now mere centimetres apart, noses brushing. Our breaths are coming out in quick pants, hazy eyes meeting in the heat of the moment as we briefly stop our movements, just looking at each other. There are a lot of words I yearn to say, I should say, but they seem to be stuck in my throat. She knows, I'm certain she knows everything I want to say, about how we need to survive the worst yet and how we must be together at the end of it all. Any other option is impossible for me.
Wrapping one of my arms around her back and tugging her forward, her bare breasts press against my chest, lips hovering near hers. Without any warning, I begin to thrust forward more quickly and relentlessly, earning a strangled cry from Amelia. Her clammy forehead drops against mine, fingers tangling in my messy hair, fingernails scraping my scalp. Her half opened eyes meet mine, parted lips messily brushing against mine before her tongue dips between them, tangling with my own.
With a few more thrusts, enveloped in heat and feeling nothing but pure ecstasy, both of us reach our ends. Everything is silent now compared to the cacophony of throaty groans and trembling whimpers that were filling the air a few minutes ago, surely letting the soldiers that might have been passing by what was happening inside my tent. But neither of us cares; finally, we are together and that is all that matters.
"I guess we'll miss the celebration..." I mutter sleepily, a lazy smile spreading across my face.
"Oh well, I do need my beauty sleep," Amelia mumbles jokingly. "Unfortunately, you cannot use that excuse, you look amazing regardless."
I shift on my side so I can face her, taking a lock of her hair and wrapping it around my finger. "How about I say I lost the concept of time with my beautiful naked wife while we were-"
She fakes a gasp. "Your Highness, I must say I am surprised with your crude tongue. A year ago, you could barely look at my legs."
"I still blush sometimes. Keep those alluring ankles away, they are deadly." At that, she bursts out laughing and I grin, happy I've managed to make her laugh. I don't remember the last time it happened.
"Amelia... does this mean you have forgiven me?" I ask quietly, gulping thickly.
Her smile drops instantly. "It doesn't. I haven't and I don't know when it will happen. But when it does, you'll know."
Her answer was expected, so the sting of pain I feel is not as grand as it would be otherwise. "If this is your way of using me like I used you to deal with my pain, then... then use me. As long as I have you in the end."
She shakes her head, a sad smile settling on her lips. "Just know no matter what happens, I truly do love you."
Her statement confuses me, but I decide not to ask questions and switch the subject. "I was thinking... now that you are unofficially married to me, you have become a princess. Which means everyone shall have to address you as your Highness. And once I take over the throne, your Majesty."
"Yes... that will definitely take a lot of getting used to." She looks down, seemingly getting lost in her private world.
"I know you are free spirited and you never truly liked the idea of ruling one day, but that is the price that comes with being my wife. I don't want to cage you, but I really hope you won't give up-"
"Harry, shh." Her finger presses against my lips. "You are adorable when you get flustered, you know that? You need not worry, I know what duties come with being a queen."
My panicked heart rate begins to slow down, my fear dispersing as I let out a quiet sigh. "As the matter of fact, my first regulation as Queen will be changing the symbol on the flag. As much as I like the golden sun, I believe a flower would suit your reign better. You love roses, right?"
I smile at the thought. "I do. I'll let you surprise me."
She wraps her arm around my shoulders and draws me closer to her, her soft lips connecting with my forehead. "Now rest, my flower prince."
I can't help a big, childish grin on my face as I relax in her embrace, closing my eyes. For the first time in months, I fall into a deep, peaceful slumber alongside Amelia, my wife.
👑👑👑
a/n: And they lived happily ever after...... lol