I was awoken to the blinds being pulled open, the sunlight cascading into the room, blinding my sight. The arms wrapped around my waist tightened their grasp, and a tired groan escaped his lips as Harry buried his face into the back of my neck. I felt his lips press against my neck.
A smile crept onto my face as I remembered he was allowed to stay the night. There was no better feeling than waking up in the arms of someone. I hadn't felt this way since we stayed in that little house. There was only one bed, but it was the most comfortable since he was there, lying beside me.
"Good morning, you two." Trish smiled. "It's seven and it's time to get out of bed. I brought breakfast."
"Thank you," Harry said, stretching his arms. "What time am I supposed to leave?"
"I believe your mother told me around eight thirty," she said. "Your parents have been in the study since five this morning. Sounds like an argument to me."
Trish left the room to let the two of us wake up. I saw clothes set out over the chairs.
I pushed the heavy white comforter off of me, making me shiver from the impact of the sudden chill in the air. Harry groaned as I rolled off of him. It's not like I wanted to leave him, but we had to face the music and go ahead with the day.
"If I get out of bed and get dressed, it makes today seem even more real," he murmured, sitting up and bringing his legs to his chest. I walked over to his side of the bed, sitting on the edge. "It means leaving you here is real."
"We knew today was coming, Harry," I sighed. "It was inevitable."
"I know," he said, taking one of my hands in his. "I just wish our life was simpler. I wish it was as easy as everyone else's."
"Life isn't easy, Harry. We all have to live our lives dealing with constant struggles. No one has an easy life." I smiled, resting the palm of my hand on his warm cheek. "We'll get through this."
"Why are you so understanding?" he laughed, looking at me in awe. "Sometimes I think to myself that you are going to just start screaming. You don't though."
"What's the point in arguing something that I have no control over?" I asked him. His lips pursed as he pondered over my words. "Come on, H. It's time to get dressed. You have quite the journey today."
Harry glumly nodded and pushed the blanket off of him. He leaned over to kiss my lips before getting out of the bed, then walked over to the chairs with clothes and grabbed his uniform, setting it on the end of the bed. He stood over it, arms crossed, his eyes scanning as he frowned at the red suit.
"Don't hate the uniform," I said to him. "You look handsome in it." I smiled, walking to him. Harry reached out his arm and hugged me to his side.
"Thank you." he smiled, kissing the top of my head. "This damn uniform causes so many problems, though."
"Just breathe through." I patted his chest and walked across the room to my outfit, slipping into the bathroom to change.
"Em," I heard Harry say. I turned to see him standing in the entrance of the bathroom. "I'm going to miss you."
"Me, too." I smiled. "Go get dressed. I'm being serious now!"
"Okay, okay." he laughed, turning around and walking to the bed.
Harry seemed like a lost puppy, his thoughts cluttering his mind about the whole deployment. I could see it in his eyes that he didn't want to leave home, and didn't want him to leave either, but I knew he had to go. He had no choice and I didn't have the right to ask him to stay. In the end, it was his father's decision to have him go to war. If it were up to me, I would have kept him here.
King Desmond knew his time on the throne was ending. I could sense that. His power was diminishing and it was as if he could feel the people taking Harry's word over his. King Desmond was literally doing all he could to keep his power exactly that: his. He was going to do whatever it takes to put off the wedding. Though the wedding is inevitable.
I walked out of the bathroom, fully clothed for the day. Harry was still fastening his uniform. I slowly walked over to him, straightening my clothes. Harry heard my feet as they stuck against the wooden floor and turned around, glancing up at me as he finished pinning his medals to his chest.
"Need help?" I asked.
"I got it," he said. "You look gorgeous."
"Thanks." I blushed. "You know you don't need to compliment me, right?"
"I want to." he smiled, pressing his lips to mine. "You deserve all the compliments in the world. Come, we should probably get breakfast."
He slid his hand in mine and pulled me out of the room. It was hard to think that in just an hour or two he wouldn't be here, but on a journey to God knew where. I just hoped he came back safe and sound. I had been praying that he didn't get hurt while away. Nothing was worse than not knowing what is going to happen, I was growing anxious with worry.
The silence that overcame us wasn't the warm one that it was before. Instead, it was silence that suggested a sense of dread that lingered in the air. Today was weighing on both of our minds.
"I don't want this to be awkward," he started as we walked. "I don't even want to leave, let alone conjure a decent enough goodbye." he sucked his bottom lip under his teeth. "I don't even know how to say goodbye to someone."
"You're not going to be saying goodbye, Harry," I said, looking up at him. "It's more of a see ya later, alligator." He let out a loud laugh at my pitiful attempt for a joke.
"You remembered the song name?" He asked, a smile on his lips.
"It was fun," I admitted with a laugh. "It was what we needed, a good laugh."
"Yeah." he nodded. "Laughter eases the pain."
"But pain demands to be felt," I said. "To be better people we must feel pain to improve our lives."
"Makes sense," Harry noted, leading me down the staircase. "But I don't want to know pain if I have you in my life." I blushed at his sweet words.
Harry led me into the dining room where Gemma was already sitting. Her brown eyes glanced up at the pair of us with a smile on her face. She had a water glass placed in front of her. I watched as her eyes dropped back down at the water glass as she swirled her finger around the lip of the clear cup. Her eyes were hollow, bags forming underneath her eyes.
"Gemma," I said, placing a hand on her shoulder. She jumped, looking up at me. "Are you alright?"
She gave me a shrug. I looked over to Harry who wore a frown on his face. He pulled out a chair, gesturing for me to sit down, and took a seat next to me after he pushed my chair in.
"Mum and dad have been arguing all morning," Gemma said after a while. "Mum's team Harry. She doesn't want you to go."
"Dad does." Harry sighed, sitting back in his seat. "Did you hear why?"
"To show you aren't a child who is waited on hand and foot. You need to learn your lesson from the festival." she paused. "I don't think it's fair on you."
"Dad loves us, he just shows us in different ways," Harry stated, sipping at his water.
"He's still trying to hold on to what little reign he still has," I said, looking between both of the Styles children. "You're going to be king next year, he has to show you who is still the boss around here."
Harry slumped in his chair. He looked up at me, his eyes wide as if he suddenly realized what he had heard. People think bad things, but when other people say their thoughts, they become a reality. His mouth was slightly ajar as he thought about what I was saying.
"Dad's literally afraid of me isn't he?" Harry asked Gemma. "Isn't he?"
"I don't know, Harry," she sighed. "Dad has loved the power for as long as I can remember. He always has always will."
"I don't know why he is acting the way he is, I don't really want to be king anyways. I'm only doing this to be a good son. It's the right thing to do."
"It is," Gemma agreed. "We need to work out my Louis problem yet."
"Louis problem? I thought you liked the lad," Harry said.
"No," she said. "He's just not the person I thought he was. Well, he's not horrible. He's given me gifts and such, he's just not someone I would spend my life with. He's much too immature."
"Immature?" I asked with a raised brow. "Too immature for the most immature person I know. Wow."
"I don't feel anything for him," Gemma said with a sigh. "That was my point. Louis and I don't have that chemistry that you two have. The electric chemistry that sets each other's skin on fire, the constant need to spend time with each other. When we last hung out, guess what we did. Just guess."
"Walk through the garden?" Harry asked, looking at me for my opinion. I nodded in agreement.
"That's what I wish we would have done," Gemma groaned. "No, he had his butler bring his gaming system. So the entire date we played video games about killing zombies or something. Please tell me I'm not crazy."
"Some people like that," Harry said with a nod. "I'm not crazy on the video games, but to each his own."
"What are zombies?" I asked, glancing to both Gemma and Harry.
"Dead people," Harry said and turned to Gemma. Dead people getting killed made no sense, but I nodded.
"You know, you can try talking to him."
"I have, I don't think he realizes what he is doing," she sighed as one of the maids set a plate in front of her. "Thanks, Eleanor."
I glanced at the maid. She was stunning, big brown eyes with brown hair pulled into a messy bun on the top of her head. She gave a warm smile to Gemma before placing plates in front of the rest of us. I thanked her as she set Harry's plate in front of him.
"Eleanor," I said, turning to her.
"Yes Ms. Price?" she asked, looking down at the floor.
"How would you feel if you were dating someone who loved video games and being immature?" I asked her. A smile went across her face.
"I would be flattered to just have found someone. I like a good joke." she smiled, a blush touching her cheeks. I smiled back at the tall girl.
"What are you thinking?" Harry asked.
"Nothing but coincidental meeting," I whispered. "Eleanor, would you be as kind to take some tea to Prince Louis' room for his maid? She's quite old," I said and she nodded.
"You're trying to get her to fall in love with him," Gemma gaped. "Why didn't I think of that?"
"I am the bestest," I stated, sticking my tongue out at her. I felt Harry's hand rub against my back.
Like a magnetic pull, I leaned into his touch, relaxing into his side as I picked at my eggs and bacon. I couldn't really find the will in myself to eat. The lingering thought that Harry was leaving settled back into my mind. I looked over at the smiling prince. I didn't want him to leave.
The door soon swung open to reveal Queen Anne and King Desmond. The three of us rose out of our seats as they walked in and making a beeline to their seats. We sat down once they sat down.
"Sorry for our tardiness, children," Queen Anne said, eying her husband.
"Where's the maid?" King Desmond asked, looking around.
"We dismissed her to Prince Louis' service for the day," Gemma said, sipping at her tea.
"Who dismissed her?"
"I did," Harry said, raising his hand looking at his father. "I thought she should try other things than delivering food to us at dinner time."
King Desmond didn't answer. Instead, he shook his head muttering some words under his breath as he cut his breakfast ham. Queen Anne looked at him as she ate her breakfast. I sensed it then.
The argument that happened between the both of them clearly was more than we thought. They both had pursed lips and were glancing at each other with cold looks.
The silence was deafening. There was so much noise going on in the room just in the silence itself. I couldn't handle it. I wanted to escape the cold stares of the King. I knew I was under scrutiny simply because of my affiliation with his son.
"Dad, please, you're scaring Em," Harry said. King Desmond set his silverware down on the side of his plate, grabbed his napkin, and wiped his mouth off.
"I don't like you dismissing my maids, boy."
"They're my maids, too, Dad," Harry said with a sigh. "Why are you being like this?"
"I'm still your father and king," he said.
"I know," Harry said. "But you don't have to make me do things I don't want to do because you're afraid of losing your power."
"Don't you start with me, Harry Edward," he grumbled. "I am your king."
"You're afraid of what I'll do to Ula when I take over aren't you?" Harry asked shaking his head standing up from his seat. He circled around his chair taking his place in front of the fire. "You're worried they will think I will be a better king than you are."
"Harry," He warned.
"Just answer me, Dad. You're worried about your image."
"I'm worried about you ruining the kingdom," he said. "You're soft, boy, you do things because you feel bad. That's a weak king."
"Don't you dare call him weak, Desmond!" Queen Anne yelled, standing up. My eyes widened in shock at her outburst. "I'll have you know, your son is more than you can ever ask for! Your son is a blessing! He is anything but weak for having to put up with your ghastly attitude!"
"He's weak Anne, he could never run this kingdom," he spat to his bride.
"You don't know until he's tried," I interjected. "Harry is the strongest man I know. He saved almost my entire family when we were under attack. He led them to safety as soon as he realized what was happening, Your Highness. What are you trying to prove by sending him off to get himself killed in war?"
"You have no right interrupting royal issues," he said, pointing his finger in my face.
"Dad!" Harry yelled. I put my hand up, silencing Harry.
"Your Highness, it is as much my business as it is yours. I am, for one, in the room so it's not like I can exactly ignore the obvious argument in front of me. Secondly, I am involved in your family in case you have forgotten."
"You're not involved in my family until you two are married," he said to me. "Until then you are simply a local."
"Dad, that's too far," Gemma said to him.
"Harry, you have fifteen minutes," King Desmond snapped as he left the room.
As soon as he exited the room, Queen Anne burst into tears, falling onto her dining chair. She rested her arms on the table, sobbing into her hands. Gemma ran to her mother's side to console her and Harry wrapped his arms around me. He pulled me to him, placing a kiss to my forehead.
"He's still making you go," I said glumly.
"I know," Harry said to me. "We'll be alright. You have those two girls."
I felt the stinging in my eyes as my emotions began to take over. I could only imagine how I looked to Harry. The tears began falling and I dropped my gaze to the ground. Harry pulled me back to him once again, my face buried in his chest as I cried. I wasn't crying because of what happened, but because I'm going to miss him.
"We'll be fine," He repeated. "When I get back, everything will be perfect."
He rubbed my back and repeated those two phrases over and over again. I didn't know who he was trying to convince, him or me.
"Harry, we should go to the front," his mother said softly, her voice worn out from her crying, clueing me in that mine wasn't the first round of tears today.
Harry held me close to his side and wiped my tears from the underneath of my eyes as we walked out of the dining room. As soon as we exited the room, he held out his other arm, which his sister stepped into, snuggling into his side. As soon as we got outside where cars were parked in front of the palace, Harry turned to talk to us.
"You girls need to take care of each other," he said with a smile. "Gemma, you take care of my girl, okay? You read her the letters I write her and help her write back. You hear me?" he asked as his voice waved.
"I promise," she smiled hugging him. "I love you, Haz."
"I love you too, Gems."
"I'm gonna miss you."
"Me too," he said and pulled from the hug. "Let me say bye to Mum now," he said, shuffling over to the teary-eyed queen.
"My baby," she cried as he wrapped his arms around her. "You don't deserve this."
"I'll miss you, Mum."
"Oh, I'm going to miss my charming boy." she laughed, patting his cheeks. "You better come back to me."
"I will," he smiled. "I've got a wedding, haven't I?"
"Officially?" she gasped.
"Unofficially," he said, looking over at me. "Someone's playing games with me and won't give me an answer."
"Smart," Gemma smiled, hugging me.
"Mum, all I ask is you look out for my Emerald. You're the only person who will protect her," he said, taking his mother's hands. "If Dad were to have a go at her, take her to her mum's house. Oh, make sure they get money for groceries. Just check with Reid, he has all of my expenses, he'll know how much to give them," he rambled.
"Go say bye to Emerald," she said, kissing his cheek. "The poor girl's been waiting long enough."
Harry turned to me silently and slowly walked up to me, reaching his hands out for mine. He locked them together and stared at me with his glimmering green eyes. I could see he was holding back his own tears.
"I don't want to say goodbye to you," he whispered to me, his voice shaking.
"Then don't," I said.
"I need to," he said, closing his eyes, a droplet falling from beneath them. "Just in case—"
"Harry, don't, please," I begged as he started talking. "You're coming back, there's no doubt about that."
"God, I love you so much, Em. So, so, so much. You brighten my life in ways I didn't think were possible," he said, tears falling easily down his cheeks. "I never thought a goodbye would be so hard."
"Neither did I," I confessed, wiping tears from my cheeks. "You be safe, H."
"You too," he said, placing a hand to my cheek. I covered his large hand with the palm of mine, wrapping it around his and bringing my lips to his hand. "I love you."
"I love you, too, Em," he said, drawing me closer so he could dip down to kiss my lips for the last time until Christmas.