A Royal Pain

Chapter twelve

A week passes faster than Harry expected it to. Still, on the other hand, it also edged by incredibly leisurely, as if the days didn't want to reach the finish line of their twenty-four hours and were walking instead of running like they usually do.

However, Harry wished that the days dragged by even slower because this time he really didn't mind that time passed so unhurriedly. It would mean that the King had more time.

Sure, the aura of the whole castle was somber. Everyone loved the king, including the guards, cooks, servants, and all the other staff members, but especially his family. Harry can remember it all too well, seeing all the somber faces of the royal family.

That was actually just after he talked to Louis - when the Prince explained everything that had happened and made everything make more sense about the way he acted. His eyes were still brimmed with tears and Harry can distinguish the reds that normally aren't present in his eyes quite easily because of the vibrant colors.

Harry is sure that a part of Louis' heart broke that day. But because of his newfound feelings for the lad, which were a lot more intense than he ever thought they would be, maybe a piece of his heart broke along with the Prince's.

He really understands why they are soulmates. The way he connected to Louis after he accepted his faith and accepted Louis with that as well was just indescribable. Every time he looked at the lad, his heart started to beat a little faster, and anytime they would touch, it made his skin tingle. And every passing minute, the longer he was around Louis, the more fierce the sensations became. He couldn't imagine what it must be like in a few years if Louis ever wanted to be with him on such long notice.

The last week though, things had shifted around them. Sure, Louis still caused a lot of feelings to linger in his bones, but they were a little different than before because now they aren't going on dates anymore or in a carefree atmosphere, now, a somber cloud was surrounding them and it also changed the vibes a bit of their relationship. The feelings were still very intense, but instead of joyous, they were more compassionate. Harry felt for Louis.

The Prince also became a lot more dependent on Harry. Of course, they were already more around each other, but ever since the sad news, Louis was constantly clinging to Harry. The Prince really seemed to trust him, warming Harry's heart, and Louis seemed to seek comfort with him.

Every night, he would give Harry a questioning look and every night, Harry would come into Louis' room with him, share one of his toothbrushes, and cuddle Louis in bed. Normally, Louis was the big spoon and Harry the little one, but because of the events, Louis needed Harry to hold him and the roles were reversed. Not that Harry minded, he loved that he could comfort the Prince, but it was an adjustment for sure.

Another big change was the fact that Harry had entered the family area for the first time. It was unknown to Harry ever since he entered the castle, but once he experienced the living room where the family spent a lot of their time, a lot of his questions were answered.

All of a sudden, the room wasn't eerily silent anymore, but loud chatter and laughter filled the area once in a while, but Harry is sure that it was even more vivid before the King became sick, because the sad air was also present in the family's room.

Still, Harry now finally grasped how the dinners could be so silent but they still got to be a happy family. Because of the living room, the family didn't need the not-private dinners to converse and enjoy each other's company, and that's why they preferred to keep those moments to themselves and not have usual conversations in the dining room.

A big smile was always evident on Harry's lips when he saw the warmth and comfort of all the people in the living room, so carefree and happy. He was surprised that he got to see this before Louis and he got married because he wasn't part of the family yet, but Jay simply smiled when he entered the room and didn't seem bothered by it at all.