𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑡𝑜𝑛. ʙʀɪᴛɪsʜ ʀᴏʏᴀʟ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ

38 ♔♕ 𝗴𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹

𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟸

It was the soft glow of daylight that woke her first.

In their haste last night, the curtains had failed to be shut properly, meaning a strip of light was moving on and off her face as the curtains fluttered softly in the breeze.

A sigh of content fell from her lips as she rolled over in bed, a sigh that then turned into a frown as a wave of pain squeezed at her head.

Trying desperately to ignore the pain in favour of returning to her previous tranquil state, Bella snuggled into the rather large Alex shaped hot water bottle next to her.

It worked momentarily.

She felt herself relax further, sleep washing over her like a comforting blanket. And then it felt as though someone had poured a bucket of ice water over her.

"Bloody hell Bella," a voice said, knocking a touch too firmly on the door as they spoke, "are you not up yet? It's past one... we need to have a word."

William.

The voice was William. A far too cheery William for her liking as well. So she rolled again, burying herself deeper beneath the covers.

"Even I'm awake." A second, much more groggy voice said. Harry. A very hungover Harry by the sound of it, but Harry.

"Piss off."

Her voice was barely there and those two words scratched desperately on her throat. Water. She needed water.

Slowly, she pushed herself up, reaching with a shaky arm to her bedside table. The sound of things falling on to the ground cut straight through to her brain as she fumbled desperately for the glass.

"Oooh I think I can hear some sort of life."

Ignoring the quip from William, Bella gulped down the water, placing it back on the table once she had finished.

"Piss off." Her voice actually carried this time. It carried all the way to the door where there was a resounding snort from the other side.

Alex sighed gently from his position next to her, sleep gradually leaving him as he rolled over and buried his head further into the pillow, "what've I done now?"

"Not you," Bella dropped her voice, smoothing down a bit of his hair as she spoke, "my unbelievably annoying brothers."

"We need to talk to you... both of you."

"Come back in an hour."

"Or three." Alex grumbled, his voice heavy with sleep.

"But it's important," Harry whined in reply, "come on, I want to go back to bed."

Finally, she gave in, giving Alex a light shove so he'd wake up a bit more. "Come in then."

The door opened slowly, William poking his head round whilst one hand covered his eyes, "you got clothes on this time Alex? Wouldn't want to make the same mistake as pa!"

William gave a little scream as a pillow hit his head, Bella dissolving into laughter as the two of them walked into the room.

"Go on then," Bella chuckled, managing to contain herself despite the fact that her brothers looked rather odd stood at the bottom of her bed, "what is this incredible, unbelievable, terribly important news that you've woken us up for?"

The paper that Harry threw onto her bed gave the answer for that.

♔♕