Sofia's POV...
It was raining Heavily outside as I dirtied my shoes through the thick runny mud of the forest. I can't remember where I was. Or how I got here. I ran for miles it felt like. As I peeped cautiously through the trees to see a burned down base and the stench of rotting bodies. I carefully crept into the left behind base and looked down as I noticed a pair of dog tags that had Harry's name on it . I picked it up and ducked as a stray bullet flew right above my head. Seconds later shots rang out. I shoved the photo into my nylons as I nearly slipped into the rapid creek below me. Before they got closer I jumped into the river and let the current drag me up stream. Startled by the lifeless bodies floating around and being washed away with the current.
I grabbed on to a tree root and pulled myself up out of the water and ran for my life. Before tripping and stumbling into the wet grass. The sound thunder and bullets made me shake. As the frigid rain drenched me more so. It was another enemy base it looked like. As it were still dark out. I noticed it had been raided since the smell of fire, dead bodies and petrol was still fresh. The further I stepped onto the base. I felt something dip beneath my foot. As I picked it up and read it. It was a letter from Harry. As I tried to read the soggy paper.
"Dear Victoria, Just know that I am somewhere safe. I Hope to see you soon. Love H." " 5 March 1942" the date read.
As it's been a year since I saw him last.
Today's The 6th I said to myself. As I saw something that might have looked familiar as I crept further onto the base. Avoiding the smell from the rotting bodies of Englishmen trying not to trip over them. As soon as I realised who it was. I was frozen in my tracks. I didn't want to believe what I was seeing was true. So I ran to him. Out of panic I called for help. As I could tell he was cold and lifeless. I didn't want it to be true. So I rolled him over to his back. But his lips were blue as old blood stained the side of his cheek. His skin was a lot paler. I didn't know what I was able to do to be able to help him. I held him close in my arms and wept. Kissing his forehead hoping that he was just injured.
Seeing the bloodied spot from his fatal wound.
As a loud crack of thunder and lightning made me jump. I heard him cough. As his breathing sounded very faint. I saw another wound on his lower abdomen and one above his shoulder. How is he still alive I thought as the thought of it had calmed my nerves. I stopped crying and told him that I loved him. Out of memory from being a nurse for a short period. I removed two of the "lesser" fatal bullets that wounded him. And cleaned out the holes and stitched them. His eyebrows moved a little as he was conscious enough to feel what I was doing. Why didn't I check for a pulse earlier?. I said to myself.
Harry can you hear me?. I asked quietly as I moved my sopping went Hair from my face. He still looked paler than usual.
"help me" he said faintly
"Hurts" "fucking germans "
He said. As I ripped open his uniform shirt and tore a piece from my dress to clean out and fix the wound in his chest. I grabbed the medical tools needed to take out the bullet slowly and carefully without killing him from infection. I cleaned out the wound and kept it dry enough to stitch it back up. I grabbed some medical rags and wrapped it around the area to prevent any bleeding or threat of an infection. It had been hours since I sat there with him in my arms. Shivering cold from the rain that hasn't stopped. I saw headlights off in the distance as the rain had continued to pour. Seeing that it was an ambulance. They parked the truck and were looking for survivors obviously. As I developed a cold from
Being wet in the frigid rain. Sitting in old blood from various bodies including Harry. I could feel his pulse. But not enough to tell how long he was able to hang on. As long as I could hear him breathing I knew he would be okay. As I had mistakenly fallen asleep and woke up in an infirmary. It was a much bigger base from what it looked like. The second time during this war I've woken up in an estranged place in another hospital bed. Wondering where Harry was and if he was alright. I wasn't sure if the stitches and removal of the bullets saved his life or not. He was closer to death than I imagined by the time I found him. I still had his dog tags around my neck. While I was laying here in an infirmary full of sick and critically injured British soldiers. I thought to myself, why was I here?. Why am I hooked up to fluids and morphine and such?. I'm not in any pain?. As I called for a nurse. She turns around and tends to my need and greets me like any commoner would When I was in Spain. "Yes, Your Highness?. " she says
Why am I hooked up to all these fluids?. I don't need them?. I answered
She smiles and nods
"We found that you have a developing severe case of pneumonia My Lady"
The morphine?.
"The morphine is only there just in case you were in any worse state or condition, your highness." "One by every bed just in case "
Oh?. I see?. I said as my nasty cough had triggered.
Do you know where Styles is?. I asked trying to sound clear in between the violent coughing episode. She smiles and nods once more.
" Across The hall being treated for his fatal wounds. They could've killed him if he wasn't found in time by the medics. "
"By now he should be stable enough?. But he's still going back into battle as soon as he's able"
Strong man he is. I said.
"Indeed, My Lady" "May I ask how you know of him?"
" I'm His Wife." I Said as I unhid the ring on my finger that I've kept hidden ever since we got married In a hanger in the middle of the night.
Her eyes lit up as she was surprised by the fact.
Promise you won't tell anybody?. I said.
As she kept her word.
"Your secret is safe with me Princess"
Alright. I said as I made her promise on it. That she wouldn't tell a soul. Because surprisingly the media men are still running around trying to take photographs and spread rumours about me. How do they get away with this without getting shot at. Risking their lives just to get a photo of the princess. Which is pathetic.
"Hey," "Hey you Princess?" Said an injured man in a cot across the room from me who was missing an eye it looked like.
Yes?. I answered
"Are you the girl that everyone's been talking about?" " some Spanish Princess or some Shit?. Shagging an English soldier. What's that guy's name?" "Harry or whatever?" He said as I nodded. I am?. Why?.
" I saw that photo of you" "Wooo, that was smashing" "did he shag You right after?" "Do you have your bits still in tact?"
I was a bit thrown off by how rude this man was being.
May I ask who you are sir?. I said answering to him making his rude assumptions.
"Ro- Robert" he struggles before he starts having a coughing episode.
Why are you making those assumptions about my partner based off a photograph.
"I saw it in the paper" he says before vomiting on the side of his bed.
I rolled my eyes since I figured what photograph he was talking about.
Just because you saw me in a photograph next to someone Does not mean it was an automatic shag fest. It was more of me getting away from those bastard nazis trying to kill me. I said.
"Cowards usually run from being shot at. I'd go off and fight them" " until one of those bastard nazis blew off part of me leg"
So Are you calling me a coward?.
He chuckles.
" Aren't all Aristocrats ?" "What are you doing in the middle of a war anyway?" "Shouldn't you be at home locked in that palace of yours" he rudely says.
I got stuck. Two of my friends didn't make it. So hence why I've been running all over France. They thought I was a spy until they saw my records and who I was. Well who I am for the most part. I said as I covered my harsh coughs in my elbow.
"Daft on your end"
I know. No need to remind me of that. I'll get out of it soon.
"That's what everyone says" "then you'll end up like me, or dead"
He said. As I covered more frequent coughs. I could tell I was getting worse as my symptoms had progressed. How long was I going to stay in the infirmary tent with this illness. I wanted to make sure Harry was alright. At least alive.
3 weeks later...
Harry's POV..
As much as I wish I could've gone home when I had the chance. I made the mistake of going back. And escaped death by the skid of my teeth. I was in hospital for ages it felt like. to cure an infection before it had spread. I was shot three times and not sure how I survived. I lost a lot of blood. Now as soon as I am able. I'm being sent to the front again. I've lost so many friends but that's something that happens during war. I wonder what happened to Victoria And if she was alright. Part of me wonders if she's alive or dead.
Victoria's POV...
I had finally been removed from bed rest for ages. I was going back to being a volunteer nurse since that was the only thing that kept me alive for the Two years I've been in this war. "Has it really been this long?" I thought. As the year was already halfway through. I haven't seen Harry in ages. I wondering if he still thinks of me. While I've Spent these last few weeks of hell in a hospital bed fighting pneumonia and whatever else I caught being in the infirmary wasn't the best. But as I think
Of My seventeenth, when France had been invaded. I just only realised that the tea set Harry bought me is safe with Lucia. Who I guess is taking refuge in New York from what I've heard. I wish she'd write me. So I could ask if she's alright. As a nurse approached me with my clean uniform and places it at the edge of my bed.
"You're Well Enough, go get changed" "Just Because you're a princess does not mean you don't have to participate"
I nodded and grabbed the Uniform heading down the corridor to the latrine to go change.
Slipping on my nurse's outfit and hat. I applied a bit of lipstick that I had left. Looking at myself in the mirror and forgetting how long it's been since I've actually seen my appearance. To be fair. My hair had grown longer and a bit split at the ends. I was more of a mess than I thought. Guessing that I had lost the rest of my things a long the way whilst trying to survive. But at this point. I've grown tired. I don't know where Harry is or what happened to him. Since I held him barely alive in my arms a few weeks ago. They always relocate soldiers to different places for obvious reasons. How was I going to get out of this alive?. Let alone Sane?. I thought. I was so dirty physically as If I've lived in a cave for years. But the images of Harry near death haunt me. The way his face was almost grey and his lips were blue and stained with blood. I can't erase. I needed a hot bath to take my mind off of stuff before I go back to being a nurse on the front tomorrow morning. So I asked to be ran a hot bath. Stepping my sore, blistered feet stained with years of running away from nazis and men trying to take advantage of me. I placed myself into the scarce hot water barely lining up to a few inches in the tub. Relaxing as much as I possibly could. Closing my eyes and imaging what it would be like if the war was over. Would I see Harry again?. Or would he be brought home as bad news with his commanding officers with a folded jack in hand in reminder of His service after being killed in battle. And having that "talk"nobody wants to hear. How was I gonna write to him?. How will I know if he's alright and isn't captured prisoner or even Dead?. What was I going to do at this point?. He married me for Christ's sake. Although sometimes it feels like a prolonged engagement. But what can you do when it's wartime and you're desperate to live another day. You'll do anything. And that's why I said yes. My dad's gonna Kill me. But once I get back after the war's over we'll have a proper wedding. Family and all. If we make it out alive. In which I hope