Betraying the bond | Harrison Osterfield Royal AU

Part 4

a/n: *in Loki's voice* Surpriseee

As his hand slid off my face, I left out a huff of breath, "What are you doing here Harrison?" I asked him, his hands not seeming to leave mine; my constant squirming gave away that I was uncomfortable.

"I could ask you the same." He retorted, letting go of my hands but still standing incredibly close, "Well I got hungry." I shrugged and walked past him across the room to my sandwich, "Now answer me, what are you doing here?" I asked taking a bite. I felt a bit embarrassed since I was in my nightgown just like dad joked about and he was still in the same clothes we had gone for the tour but just a little creased up now. 'It had been hours since we got back why hasn't he changed yet?'

"I was hungry too?" It was more of a question than a statement, he followed me and leaned on the table, standing adjacent from me. As he reached out his hand over to take my sandwich I slapped his hand. "Hey!" He furrowed his brows.

"Don't touch my food!" He rolled his eyes.

"It's the middle of the night what are you two doing here?" A sleepy voice came from behind, startling the two of us.

"Alex! Don't do that!" I yelled at him, placing my hand over my chest.

"So you attack me and not him?" Harrison quipped

"Attack?" Alex chimed in, "What happened here?"

"Nothing happened, just go back to bed." I told him, he simply rolled his eyes and went; I then turned to Harrison, "You too."

"But I'm still hungry." He fake pouted. "It's quite a big kitchen I'm sure you can make something." He didn't say anything, he simply stood up straight and began to walk towards me.

"What are you doing?" I stuttered, scared and taking back a few steps. It wasn't until I hit another table that I let out a soft gasp knowing that he had cornered me. There was something in his eyes that I couldn't read but a smirk I knew all to well, he was towering over me just like he did moments ago. His index finger was under my chin, lifting it up and looking into my eyes. His thumb swiped the corner of my lip, he then licked his thumb, apparently I had some jam from the sandwich there. "Strawberry," he hummed, "nice." That stupid smirk of his never left his lips but he did, as did I moments later.

Walking back to my room I passed the portraits of mom and dad which had me wondering, even if Harrison and I do get married would we have anything like they did? The love, the understanding, the two of us have nothing in common.

The next morning I hurried on down to the stables to see Spencer before dad would have any other work that would keep me occupied for the whole day again. "Hey boy." I cooed, running my hand over his well brushed hair as he neighed, "I'm so happy to see you too." I smiled, this smile was genuine, it wasn't forced because seeing and talking to Spencer actually gave me joy.

I opened his stall door and put his reins over his ears and taking him out of his stall, walking to the garden. As we strolled beside each other, I vented out everything that happened with Harrison and how I despise him, "What do I do Spence?" I asked him, looking into his big black eyes. "Maybe you should try not talking to a horse." I didn't have to turn around to see who said that, that voice was beginning to grow on me. But Spencer too was getting agitated, he began whining and huffing, I gripped on reins so he wouldn't get away and tried to calm him down.

After getting him to calm down, I turned to Harrison, "See, even Spencer doesn't like you." I informed him and started to walk back to the stables, taking him in his stall and taking off his reins and brushing his hair; surprisingly Harrison had followed us. "I'm sorry about your horse, didn't mean to spook him." He stood at a safe distance from us with his one hand shoved in his pocket as always and kicking around some of the hay with his foot. "It's alright, he's not used to meeting new people." I said, continuing to brush Spencer.

"So what were you doing talking to him? People are gonna think you're crazy."

"So? I don't care what people think. I love him, so that is why I talk to him." I smiled, remembering the day I met Spencer, he was just a foal who had been birthed by one of the royal horses.

"It seems as though you love him, maybe you should marry him at least you'll be happy and who knows maybe you might have some centaurs running around the castle." He joked as I sent him a disgusted look. "But to be honest," he continued after he finished laughing, "Spencer seems to a be a great horse for racing, have you ever tried to race him? I bet he would be amazing."

"No, as much great as he is, he never races, I don't want people betting on him or want him to lose the comfort of this stable." I shot back. Spencer wasn't a royal horse, he never went on battles or wars I didn't allow it. Just then I heard the clicking of heals approaching us, it was Leah in true fashion with her buttoned shirt, blazer and mini skirt. "Your highness's," she gave a curtsy and turned to me, "Queen Phil has asked to see you in her room for tea, and His Majesty has asked to see you Prince Harrison." She informed him.

"Are you sure it's not the other way around?" I interjected.

"No." She said confidently and walked away.

"Shall we?" He asked, ignoring his request I stepped out of the stable and walked back in the castle; him jogging and catching up to me and stopping when he saw dad approach us. "Your Majesty, you're looking rather chipper." He grinned.

"Seeing the two of you surely does make me happy, Y/n why don't you show him to my study I'll be with you in a minute." He asked me and walked past us.

"Well this is your stop," I sighed when we reached dad's study, before I walked away I turned to him, "You're such a kiss-ass you know that."

"Oh love, yours is the only ass I will be kissing." He winked as I had a feigned expression. How dare he?

This was the second time he left me stunned right in the middle of hallway, the thought of seeing his mother came to mind. Should I tell her? I took a deep breath and turned on my heels walking towards Queen Phil's room. I waited a few moments after my knuckles tapped her room door. "Y/n! Please do come in." She greeted, opening the door and revealing the trolley of tea cups, biscuits and assortments of sorts, I entered the room not before giving a polite curtsy and a fake smile plastered over my face no thanks her son. "Come." She patted on the cushion signalling me to sit beside her, I obliged. There was a sense of comfort I was finding in her, a same feeling a felt with my own mother at times, which made me wonder even more how did her son was the complete opposite of her.

I adjusted myself beside her, "Y/n," she began, "I just want to say thank you, for accepting to marry my son, and sacrificing your self for your people. I admire that in you and I'm sure you would make a great queen one day." I locked my eyes with hers at that compliment.

"You really think so?" She nodded solemnly. I was trying not burst into joy, the very woman I look up to, aside from my mom, thinks I would be a great monarch in the future? Maybe tolerating her son wouldn't be that hard.