The Sword (Prince Harry fanfic #3)

Chapter Two

All Lucy needed to do was wait until the next morning, when she stood in her own apartment with the newspaper staring at her. In recent days, there had been more talk of recent wars and political power shifts. Today, the headline in bold print stood out, with Prince Harry's picture on the front and Lucy's hair flying in front of her face. There had been no photographers out and about when this picture was taken, with the bright blinding camera flash lights. Lucy remembered the date well; she remembered the outfit well. Her hair covered her face, as the wild wind blew that night. The photographer had been lying and waiting for a good picture of the young couple, but it wasn't their night either.

Still, Harry was on the front page of the newspaper and the headline read: Who's his New Girl? Lucy never understood why Harry and his assumed new girlfriend was on the front page when there was actual news in the world. Sometimes Harry showed up there by himself when there were real news stories in the world.

Though you couldn't have told it was Lucy, she didn't feel easy about it. She knew this day was coming, but fear peaked inside of her. Every morning she awoke and she expected to find this on the newspapers. She expected her name and her face. They didn't have her name or age, but it was only a matter of time, like William had stated. Perhaps, a change up was a good thing, to throw them off her tail as she went back to the U.S. Either way, there wouldn't be public outings for them again, until the news had blown over. Lucy expected backlash.

Harry rang her, and she knew what was coming next. "Good morning," she answered.

"Hello, Luce," Harry began, and she smirked. He was hesitant, which was how he started this one conversation with Hello. "So...."

"I'm assuming you're going to speak to me about the newspaper. It's not really a good picture of me," she admitted.

"You can't see your face at all," Harry laughed.

"It's not a good picture of you either. Harry, were you drunk that night and I didn't even realize?"

"No, I always look that pale." There wasn't anger but amusement in his voice. "Luce, aren't you a little bit concerned?"

"Not right now. There are bigger problems, don't you think? Remembrance Day is coming up, and I'm going back to the U.S."

"So, you've decided to go?"

"Yes."

"When will you leave?"

"I have ticket for a week from now, the ninth of November." It was one day after Remembrance Day, and Harry would be in full swing of the activities. "Harry," Lucy said, getting back on point, "you've dated how many blondes in your life? What's another one?"

Harry agreed, since Lucy was a blonde.

"The media will be distracted by Remembrance Day festivities," Lucy continued, "and your new girlfriend won't be at your side." Paparazzi would constantly look for her, though, and Lucy wouldn't be there.

"You could be, if you wanted?"

"Harry, now isn't the time, even if we wanted to get ahead of this. We both have too much at stake. I have to go back to the U.S. and I have to see if any change can be made." She paused. "Perhaps next year."

Harry agreed. "I would ask you to stay out of the media's eye in the U.S. but I doubt that will happen. The media will be swarming, I assume, at the five year anniversary."

"Yes, because they would see me and automatically assume I'm dating Prince Harry."

"They're smarter than you think, Luce, at least some of them are," Harry protested, "but I get your point. However, you're tall and real, someone might put it together."

"What proof do they have? One picture where my face is covered up?"

He sighed into the phone, and Lucy heard it. "Yeah, I guess."

"Where is your confidence in me?" she asked, slightly mocking but somewhat angry.

"I have much confidence in you, Luce, but I also have confidence in the paparazzi. They'll come after me and they'll come after you."

"What if I told you I wasn't scared?" Lucy chewed on some bread as she awaited response from Harry.

Harry said, "I know that, Luce. You're not exactly scared of a lot of things, and I want to protect you, when I realized you can protect yourself." He said that just so Lucy couldn't complain and call him Prince Charming. "Luce, since my busy schedule and you have work all week, I might not be able to see you."

"There is a thing called Skype, Harry."

He chuckled into the phone. "I know, thank you, but I meant that I might not be able to...."

"Kiss me, you mean?" she asked. "Are you going to miss kissing me, Harry?"

"Perhaps."

Lucy laughed. "Well, if you're out of London any time at night, you could come see me at my flat."

"My apartment is bigger."

"You live in a palace, Harry. Shut up."

Laughing again, Harry eventually recovered. "How about a late night time stroll tonight, after work? You could come to Kensington Palace, my apartment," he spoke slow now, "and we could have dinner. We could do a night time stroll through the gardens. No one will see us, and then perhaps you could sleep over. Then in the morning, you could stay a little bit longer. You would be closer to work."

"I'm busy tonight."

He sighed again. "When are you free?"

"Harry...."

"Lucy...." He mocked her slightly, but knew she wasn't angry by it. "I know you're thinking that perhaps we should have some time apart, because then paparazzi wouldn't catch us together. Am I correct?" Harry didn't wait for a response because her not interrupting him meant yes. "Luce, if we're in the Kensington Palace gardens, it will be after all the extra people have gone. There would be us alone." He paused. "I know you have no problem with the cold, too, Luce."

"I'm free tomorrow night, if you are."

"Yes, I am." Harry hissed into the phone. "Luce, what are you not telling me?"

"What?"

"There is something you're not telling me, and it makes me concerned. What is it?"

"Harry, we need to have this conversation in person, okay?" It took a few seconds, and Lucy was only able to imagine what Harry thought. Panic had risen in him, and it wasn't a bad thing, Lucy hoped. "Harry, I have to go to work. I'll see you tomorrow night, yeah?"

"Yes." Fear hung in his voice. "Good bye, Luce."

"See you later, Harry."