I had finished getting dressed and fixed my hair. I stood in the bathroom on the boat finishing getting ready. A knock sounded on the bathroom door before it was pulled open. Harry was stood on the other side, he leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest, his leg crossed over the other.
"I'm almost ready," I promised looking towards him. He nodded with a smile.
"I'm in no rush, my parents aren't on their boat yet," he said simply. "You still look beautiful."
"I'm wearing the same clothes I was earlier," I said rolling my eyes. "I'm simple."
Harry just gave me a dimpled grin and kicked his foot around on the floor. I turned to him and gave him a look. I wasn't completely sure what was on his mind, he seemed lost in thought about something. I hoped it wasn't too bad.
"H," I said and his head snapped up. "You alright? You look like you're thinking about something."
"I'm always thinking about something," he smiled. "It's usually about you."
"What about me?"
"Nothing important, love," he smiled. "We should head up. The lantern ceremony is starting soon."
"Why aren't your parents joining us on this boat?" I asked as I walked past him out of the bathroom. Harry gave me a smile.
"It's weird, but it's kind of like a parade but with boats. We do this every night. So basically, we stay on the boat for about an hour or two as we release lanterns into the sky at night. It's like a birthday cake, when you blow out your candles, you make a wish. That's what you do."
"So it's like a candle, but not really?" I asked and Harry nodded with a grin.
"It's not that difficult, we just kind of hang out on the boats doing nothing. However, we can't go underneath after the lanterns go up. After we're back at the docks, we go back to the palace. I assume that is when I get the best talk of my life," he said clapping his hands together with a sarcastic smile on his face.
I smiled at him and took a hold of one of his hands. He smiled and lead us to the door upstairs. He climbed up first, his hand still wrapped tightly around mine. When we got upstairs, the sky was dimly lit with pink and orange colors. There was the captain untying the boat from the dock, but leaving the anchor down on the ground.
"Your highness, Miss Price," he nodded to the both of us. "Ready for the lanterns?"
"Yes, Captain Swan," Harry nodded. "Did someone bring the lanterns yet?"
"Yes, your highness, under the seat there," he said pointing to a bench. "There's enough for all five days, so there's ten in the bench."
"Is my sister not on the boat this year?" Harry asked.
"No, Prince Louis is visiting for the festival and they are on a boat together. They just returned from taking the wee lass back to the hospital," the captain said. "Captain Jones, Captain Smee! Ready to set sail?"
"Ay!" they both called back.
"We're second in succession," Captain Swan said as he pointed to one of his crew members to hoist the anchor from the ocean.
"When do we raise the lanterns up?" I asked Harry.
"When it's completely dark out," he smiled. "Shouldn't be long now. It's takes a little while to get going as my parents are in front of us."
"Next year you might be first," I said and he nodded swinging his head to the side getting the hair out of his face. "That must be a scary thought."
"It's actually nerve wracking, Emerald," he pointed out. "I'll be alright, though. If you're there with me."
"There's a good chance," I smiled to him.
"Never thought you would say any reference to marriage," Harry smiled. "You are, after all, quickly capturing my heart."
"Aren't you Mr. Smooth?" I laughed.
"Always," he grinned. "For you, I will always be that person."
"H, don't be someone you're not. I like you just the way you are, I don't want you to change," I smiled to him. He turned to me, a smile written on his face. I just wish it could stay that way forever, but I knew it wasn't very likely to happen.
The boat began to move and I wasn't prepared for it. I just about toppled over, luckily Harry caught me just as I was about to fall over. I smiled and looked up at him. I stood back up on my feet and straightened my white dress. The crowds of citizens were jumping excitedly as they waved towards the boats. It was so awkward standing in front of them. I didn't quite know what to do with myself since I knew they were watching Harry and my every move.
"Don't worry about anything," Harry said to me. "They will be seeing our wedding on the television," he murmured.
"Who said we were getting married?" I laughed looking up at him.
"You got me there," he smiled to me. "I'm still waiting."
"For?"
"Those six words," he murmured lowering his lips to mine. I could hear everyone going nuts from the shore. "Or you can shorten it to three words. I don't mind."
I looked up at his eyes and saw that liveliness in them. He was in a good, an extremely good mood. It's almost as if the mood of the festival was even affecting him. He was happier and it was only the first day of the festival coming to an end. Harry gave a smile once more and waved to his people.
"You're not going to say anything?" he asked wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "Nothing at all?"
"I'm not quite sure what you want me to say, Harry," I sighed looking up at him. "I know this festival has your spirits up, but I am still learning about you. Give me some time."
"I know and I am," he smiled. "I will wait for you until we are both crippled if I have to. Your heart is the only thing in life I want. I would give up this kingdom for your heart if that were an option. I just want to be with you."
I blushed at Harry's words. Sometimes he was too sweet and made my heart race. Times like now, I wanted to take him downstairs below the deck and show him how much he means to me. I knew we couldn't do that, not with his parents and the entire kingdom at bay. Instead, I just stood on my toes and kissed his cheek as he waved to everyone.
"Thank you," I whispered in his ear. "You mean a lot to me too."
"I think that was one too many words," he said.
"Not yet," I said. "I'm not ready."
"Okay," he nodded. "I understand. I will wait."
"I know," I smiled. "I will too if I have to."
"What do you mean?" he asked furrowing his brows.
"Harry, until I say those words. We're but a temporary thing," I said. "I could be removed from the castle at any time. You know that more than I do."
"I wouldn't let anything happen to you," he said looking at me with a serious look. "They can't take you away, my parents know how I feel about you. Hell, the kingdom knows how I feel."
"Don't worry about it now, H. It's the celebration of our kingdom, the one you will be in charge of one day," I said. "Your parents are lighting their lanterns."
Harry bent over and popped open the paper lanterns. He grabbed the long lighter from the ground and lit the small candle at the bottom of the lantern. He saw his parents release both of theirs. Harry looked at me and smiled.
"I have a wish and I would like us to do this one together," he said standing on the sides of his feet. "I want to give my wish to the both of us. For our future, I wish to be with you until I die. Nothing less," he said and raised the lantern up into the sky. He lit mine and looked at me.
"I wish..." I trailed off glancing up at him. I didn't know what to wish for. "I don't know, H."
"C'mon, Em!" he laughed. "Think!"
"I wish to be happy and have a fulfilling life with someone I care about and who cares about me back," I said raising my arms up in the sky.
"Really? That was all you had?" he laughed.
"I had nothing!"
"You do realize you have four wishes left," he laughed. "I can think of about a thousand! You couldn't even think of one!"
"I'm content with my life," I shrugged watching as Gemma released hers and Louis' last lantern.
As soon as that one went into the air, the entire city sky began to fill with bright lanterns. I looked over at Harry and he had a lopsided smile on his face. The one where his left side had a large smile, his cheek meeting his eyes. His eyes looked at me before tilting his head up to look at the sky full of lanterns. His curls surrounded his face, the wind blowing them gently.
Harry reached out to grab my arms and pulled me toward him. His arms wrapped around my waist holding me against his chest. I couldn't help but smile up at the sky of lights. It looked so magical.
"It's so extraordinarily beautiful," he murmured and glanced down at me. "Just like you."
"You're such a cheese ball," I laughed.
"You can't help but like it," he said. "It's true, you always look beautiful. You're the most beautiful girl in the world."
"Stop flattering me, Harry!" I laughed. "Too many compliments in one day."
"You can never have too many compliments. You're perfect," he said and kissed my lips.
"Steady!" Captain Swan yelled as he neared the docks. I didn't even realize we were back at the docks.
"Time to have that chat with my parents."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"What in the world were you thinking, Harry?" King Desmond asked as he seated us in his office. "Building a church and changing laws! What is this?"
"It's what I want to change! Emerald's old town didn't have a church, dad. They are holding services out of a kind man's home!"
"I don't care! Where is this money coming from, my boy?"
"Taxes," Harry said. "If we adjust the taxes, these people will be able to have their church. If we lower the taxes for the lower castes and raise them for the rich, we will have enough money. I worked it out with Mr. Bensen. He used the census to help," Harry explained. "I want them to have nice things, father."
"My answer is no."
"In case you forgot, I will be king," Harry stated harshly standing up straight. "You will have absolutely no say in what I do or do not do with my kingdom. It will be mine not yours."
"Like hell it will be," his father spat. "You're going to run it down to the ground if you think building the peasants a church is important."
"As I stated, it will be my kingdom. What I say goes, you will be the ex king, father. You will have no hold over my people. Emerald, when she becomes my wife, and me will be in charge of taking care of Ula. I plan to change the livelihood for our poor. You were focused on feeding the rich even more money!"
"I was not!"
"You built a useless television in the courtyard to have your face projected! The money it took for equipment, the technology, and the labor, it could have gone right back to the church with money to spare. These people don't need anything extravagant, but they deserve a house of God fit for their portion of Ula. A place of sanctuary."
"I said no."
"It's not being built under you, father," Harry said turning to me and taking my hand. He turned back to his father. "It's being built under me, King Harry, not King Desmond. After I take that title, you will simply be Dad or Desmond."
I couldn't believe it. He had referred himself the potential of being king. Never had I heard him make a reference to a title. Yet here he was calling himself King Harry. It was a moment, I could see that on his mother's face. Her small hand covered her mouth in surprise.
"Harry," his mother gasped. "You—"
"I meant what I said," he said looking at his parents. "When I am king, that is the first damned thing I do. I'm building them a fucking church."
"You called yourself King Harry," I murmured. "You normally hate titles."
"I did?" he asked. I nodded. "Look, just because I said my future title doesn't mean anything."
"It means everything, sweetheart," Queen Anne said placing her hands on his cheeks. "You're growing up."
"I grew up when I turned eighteen."
"You're maturing," she grinned. "Falling in love does that to a person."
"Yeah, yeah," he said waving off his parents. "I'm taking Em to her room. Night" he said ushering me out of the room.
As soon as we exited the room, a loud sigh escaped his mouth. I turned to him and he looked at me with a relieved look on his face. I smiled at him and wrapped my arm around his backside.
"For the record, you're going to make an excellent king," I mentioned.
"Don't even say a word about it," he laughed looking at me. "You really think so?"
"You stood up to your father, if that's not proof enough, I don't know what is."