The Shield (Prince Harry fanfic #2)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Breathing was necessary when kissing someone, even when you just wanted to take the person in. Survival was necessary. Even with their bodies pressed against one another, they had no choice but to breathe. Lucy pulled back, sliding back on the bed that they laid upon. The moonlight streamed in, and Harry pressed his fingers to her cheek with the heavenly glow around to make sure she was real. She was.

"Not tonight?" he wondered.

It almost pained Lucy to say but she wasn't ready tonight. If she had been expecting it, perhaps she would continue. However, it had been a while, and she wanted it to be perfect. She didn't want it quick and dirty; she didn't want the fear of the Duke or Duchess walking in at any moment.

"Not tonight," she agreed.

Harry ran his fingertips ran over her cheek, beautiful and soft. It was surprising how her skin glowed in the moonlight. He grew tired but Lucy to stay. If they didn't do anything else tonight, he would just like to lie here. Her eyes shone with such light, illuminating the room with beautiful. They watched each other.

Inside the walls of Kensington Palace, it was quiet, Lucy observed. In her hostile, there was always sound, rushing around her. People were outside her room or there were people on the street. People were allowed and it sometimes made it hard for her to sleep. When she had to get up early in the morning, people were at the loudest.

Here, it was only them in quietness and calmness. Both of them were silent. Peace was found in the world. Perhaps they could be at their best when silence finally ensued. There was peace.

Lucy wasn't tense. Harry wasn't scared of pictures of them. There was no angry or pain. They breathed. His knuckles stayed on her face, tracing on her cheek gently. He thought to move his knuckles elsewhere, perhaps to her arm after she had taken off her jacket. His knuckles would run along her scars.

He faced the windows, allowing to see the nighttime bloom, and it did. The sky had cleared off, revealing a large moon, and it hit its peak. It was midnight and probably time for Lucy to rush home. He wished to not speak of, to not break this moment that turned into forever, but she had things to do and see.

"Will I see you this weekend?" Harry asked.

She smirked. "You said you were busy all weekend."

"I have some time off."

"Well, I'm busy all weekend."

Harry moved closer to Lucy on the bed, so his nose almost touched hers. Her breath collected on his skin. His knuckles stopped moving on her cheek. "Do you have another boyfriend?" There was still a playful tone in his voice.

Lucy laughed. "I made plans, but no other boys."

"What if I said that my weekend opened up fully? There is nothing I had to do this weekend. Would these change your plans?"

"No, but you may come along if you like."

Arching an eyebrow, he thought about it. "What would we be doing?"

"I have the weekend off, morning and night, no teaching dance and no helping the world. I get to be selfish for a little bit." She paused. "I'm going to Germany, and you may come if you like."

"Germany?"

"Yes. It's very beautiful there. I told you I tried learning the language when I was younger."

"Are you good?"

"Nein," Lucy admitted, "but I try. Does that count for something?"

Harry shrugged. "I wouldn't know. I only speak English." His eyes hesitated over her shoulder, where the light scars burned deeply by the moonlight, casting shadows across her body. "Where are you going in Germany?"

"I'm sticking to Cologne and around that area, just for the weekend of course. If I had more time, I would travel everywhere."

"I get that you know some of the language, but why Germany? Why now?"

Lucy glanced up to the ceiling and laughed.

"Why is it so funny?"

"Ten hours by bus can get you from Cologne, Germany to Zagred, Croatia." Harry continued to listen and Lucy continued to speak, "Ten hours, from my old house, going south with good traffic would maybe get me through Iowa."

"What's Iowa?" Harry asked. He probably should've asked where Iowa was. Harry had taken the chance to look up where her state was, but he couldn't have told you where Iowa was.

"Exactly." She rolled her eyes. "Going north with good traffic from my old house, I wouldn't even make it Canada."

Harry's smile dropped.

"Exactly." Turning back to him, she nestled more into his bed. "You are so close to so many beautiful places, where you can travel easily. I have gone to some of the most beautiful places here in Europe, with rich history and beautiful architecture. This is a woman's best dream. I can see the world."

He questioned, "I thought a woman's best dream was to be in bed with Prince Harry?" A beautiful smile played on his face.

Lucy laughed lightly. "You have so much confidence in yourself."

Kissing her deeply on the lips, Harry's knuckles ran over her skin of her arms. She was cold, but she didn't complain. "I have confidence in us." He kissed her again, deeper and heavier, clinging to her skin. He wished to make her warm.

She pulled back and smiled at him. "Well, if you're coming with me--"

"I am," he interjected. "I will."

"If you're coming with me," Lucy began again, "you need to pack." She climbed off the bed and pressed her feet to the cold hardwood floors. She took in his room. When they had come in here, they were rather preoccupied with each other that she was now just getting the full effect.

Harry rolled off the bed too, landing on his feet. He handed her the jacket and her purse. He wished to drive her back to her hostile himself, but it wasn't possible here. A car waited for Lucy, willing to take her back to her hostile. Harry kissed Lucy again, before she got into the car. He waved goodbye, and the car pulled away, leaving the safe gates of Kensington Palace. He retired inside.

After asking the driver, Lucy was dropped off five blocks from her hostile. The driver had been hesitant at first, with orders to make sure Lucy got back to her hostile safe, but Lucy had insisted.

The nighttime air filled her, cold and relaxed. A breeze came out of the north, smelling fresh. Shops were closed and it was brilliantly still. Lucy sighed and walked on. Her eyes traveled from sign to sign as she walked past them, minding her own business.

Suddenly, there was a new sound, which made Lucy stop in her tracks. She held her purse a little tighter. Her neck snapped back and her eyes watched her surroundings. Nothing moved around her but it didn't make Lucy easy. Again she walked, and there were sounds of footsteps. Her heart started to hammer, and her mind buzzed. Adrenaline pushed through her body quickly, when she sensed danger. She glanced back in a reflective surface to see a man in dark clothes behind her. Lucy reached into her bag and grabbed her cell phone. In this time, she didn't slow or speed up; she remained calm. She wouldn't allow this person to get the jump on her.

On the corner sat her hostile, with its lights still shining. Her cell phone was in her hand, but it was more of grip for a powerful swing. Using her keys to get into the hostile, the door closed behind her and she was alone in the front lobby. She didn't look fully back, but she saw the figure walk past the hostile.

Lucy let out a sigh, relaxing her hand on her purse as she climbed the steps to her room. Her heart hammered harshly.