I was awoken around three in the morning to the sirens whirring outside my window. Without a thought, I jumped out of bed grabbed a blanket, slid my slippers on my feet and rushed to my patient guard who quickly ushered me to a hiding place. Gemma was already in there when I got there.
Numb. I felt numb. A life without Harry was numb.
I lay down on the bench that was chained to the wall and wrapped my large blanket around my body. I could feel Gemma's brown eyes looking at me worriedly. I didn't like the looks I was getting from everyone, but I had to push them away. There was nothing else but to push them away. The numbness did that for me.
"Em, you okay?"
"Yeah," I breathed rested my head against my arm. I pulled the brown blanket tighter around my body and closed my eyes.
The pain of living without Harry was beginning to tighten as time drew on. I couldn't begin to explain how much I missed his company and his constant protecting of me. I missed his smile and his everything. I missed how he comforted me in these situations. I missed my best friend.
It's been five weeks of this pain. Five weeks without hearing his laugh, his voice. Five weeks without feeling his touch against my warm skin, his kisses on my skin. I missed him so much. The pain keeps me awake at night. Rest was difficult as I was consumed with worry ninety-nine percent of my time. His safety was what I worried about.
"Are you sleeping?" Gemma asked after a while of silence. The only noise that was heard was the sirens outside of the door.
"No," I said not bothering to move to look at her.
"I get you miss Harry, but moping about won't help," she said. "He'll be back sooner than you think."
"What makes you say that?"
"This time of year moves faster than the rest," Gemma shrugged. "He'll be home before you know it."
"Not soon enough," I breathed. "He's my best friend, Gemma. I have a right to miss him. He's more than just my boyfriend if that's what you want to call him."
"I thought I was your best friend?"
"It's complicated Gemma. I do enjoy talking with you, but I tell Harry everything. There isn't anything I keep from him. He knows everything about me," I sat up and placed my back against the wall. My legs folded up to my chest.
"He does?"
"Except my birthday," I shrugged. "I never celebrated my birthday before so I didn't feel the need to tell anyone."
"It's still a horrible thing to know he left on your birthday. You cried on your birthday," she said wrapping her own blanket tightly around her shoulders. "You didn't get your birthday sex."
"I'm technically not supposed to be having sex," I snapped with a whisper. "If your parents were to find out, I would be publically shamed from ever being with your brother or any other man out there left for me. I'd be left for dead. A disgrace to my family."
"Harry would never let that happen," Gemma said.
"But he has no control over that. He can move on from it, I can't. If we can manage to keep this a secret until we get married, I am good," I said and looked at Gemma. "I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else but him."
"I know," she nodded. "You guys got lucky."
"We did," I smiled. "If it weren't for my mother I would never have met him."
"Thank God for mums," she laughed. "Are you going to visit your mum anytime soon?"
"I was going to today, actually," I sighed. "Clearly not."
Gemma laughed and looked over to me. Her brown eyes scanned over my face. I was almost positive that I was looking as if I hadn't slept in years. On average, I get a few hours of sleep. I don't know why I couldn't seem to sleep on my own. It wasn't like I spent every night wrapped in his arms.
"Isn't the point of Harry being away to keep this from happening?" I asked looking at her with a wide eyed look. "If this is happening, the troops are better off here."
"I know," Gemma nodded.
"They're not just invading from where we thought they were. They are from all over. It could be the same group of people, but they are smart and tactical."
"Dad won't believe you," Gemma said.
"Probably because I'm a girl, right?"
"I'm sorry," Gemma said. "I really am. For my Dad especially. Things just aren't working in our favor lately. Maybe this attack will bring them home."
"Wishful thinking," I sighed drawing designs in the fabric of my blanket with the tip of my finger. "Life is such a bitch sometimes, you know?"
"I know," Gemma nodded. "I'm still engaged to Mr. Frenchy French and his videogames. Remember him?"
"Yeah," I nodded. "Anything happen between him and Eleanor?"
"Apparently they played videogames together. They did, there was no apparently. I walked into his room to see if he was lonely and he was sat there with his arms around her. He was teaching her which buttons to press and how to play the dumb game."
"She liked him then?"
"Yeah," Gemma smiled. "After she went to return to work, Louis couldn't stop talking about how nice she was and that someone like her was a breath of fresh air. I feel bad because there is no way they would ever happen because of who he is."
"But it gives you the freedom to marry whoever you want."
"Maybe I'll be a lonely cow for the rest of my life. I don't see myself getting married, I see myself having boyfriends and that is it," she explained. "And sex. Lots and lots of sex."
"Can't forget about the sex," I laughed shaking my head.
"How romantic is Harry?" Gemma asked randomly. "Just curious."
"I don't know," I laughed nervously. "The night he left, he spent the night in my room. We watched a film, ate Chinese food, and danced together. We then snuggled in my bed and woke up the next morning wrapped in each other's arms. I think it's the thought that counts."
"He is so romantic," Gemma sighed. "I am jealous of your relationship with my brother. How fucked up is that? But seriously, he is a good guy."
"Yeah," I nodded thinking of the night he left. "I have to give him my answer when he gets back."
"What answer?" Gemma asked.
"If I'm ready to be his queen," I said leaning my head against the cold cement wall. "It's our code word for 'I'm ready to be proposed to.'"
"Really?"
"Yeah," I nodded. "It's a huge thing that. Deciding if I am going to spend the rest of my life in this beautiful home with Harry."
"Would you say yes to him?" Gemma asked.
"I don't know," I said. "I love him very much. I know that, but I—"
"You're afraid of the responsibilities that come with being queen," Gemma stated. It was like she knew just where I was heading and she knew how I felt.
"What if I can't give him any children? What if my dad was right?"
"Harry won't care," Gemma said. "He loves you deeply and if you can't have children, then he will move on. If you can, great! We have another generation to pass the kingdom onto. If not, my children would be the next in line."
"I don't want to fail him," I whispered.
"You won't fail Harry," Gemma chuckled moving over to sit next to me. "He'll be learning to be the king of Ula. You'll move into that stage of your life together. You won't be expected to do as much as him."
"I'd of course be expected to have a child," I said looking at her. "We're so young."
"Hey, my parents had Harry and me fairly young," Gemma noted to me. "You and Harry will be good parents to whoever you bring into this world. Just don't get pregnant before the wedding. Until then, use good protection."
"You're hilarious," I rolled my eyes.
"If Harry got down on one knee, said the sweetest words someone could ever say and ask you to marry him even if he was just an ordinary boy, would you say yes?" Gemma asked looking over to me. "No matter his status."
"Yes," I nodded without even hesitating. "I couldn't see any other boy in my life. He... I don't know how to describe how he makes me feel. He completes me? I don't know, it's stupid," I shrugged.
"No it's not," Gemma shook her head. "It makes perfect sense."
I smiled over to Gemma and she gave me a hug. Sometimes, her talks was what I needed in situations where I didn't know what I would do.
"Just remember to forget he's a prince. Forget the responsibilities. You're marrying my brother, not his title," she said into my neck. "You're marrying him for who he is as a person. You're marrying him to feel complete."
I smiled as I stayed in the hug.
The door swung open. Gemma and I turned to see a guard walk in and give us the nod. The nod telling us everything was clear. I stood up and wrapped the blanket around my body tightly. I walked out of the room and saw Queen Anne talking with one of the guards, her hand covered over her mouth.
"What's going on?" I asked my guard.
"Nothing, Ms. Price," he said putting his hand on my back and turning me. I looked over my shoulder at Queen Anne. Her face held a look of worry. This wasn't just nothing.
"There's something going on," I said to the guard.
"I have strict instructions from His Royal Majesty to escort you back to your room, Ms. Price," he said and I turned around and saw Gemma with wide eyes as she was with no doubt informed of what was going on.
"I deserve to know what is happening!" I said as the guard took my waist and held me against him as I thrashed. "Tell me what is going on!"
"She deserves to know, Waters," Queen Anne said walking over to me.
"What is happening?" I asked her. My face was still red and my adrenaline was pumping through my body.
"Harry's coming home."