The Sword (Prince Harry fanfic #3)

Chapter Twenty-One

On Friday morning, Lucy read a book in the living room when Harry woke up. He needed a good sleep after yesterday's big feast. It was almost noon by the time he came down. After coming back from her cousin's house yesterday, Harry and Lucy had desperately stayed awake and watched movies. Her body had laid across his as the movies played. Even as evening grew into morning, the couple forced themselves to stay awake. As the last movie ended, it was off to bed for them, in their separate bedrooms. It only took Lucy five hours of sleep and then to wake up, where Harry slept most of the morning.

"Good morning, sunshine," Lucy called.

Harry flinched a little by the sudden sound but smiled anyway. "Good morning."

"Coffee is in the kitchen."

"Thanks." His feet dragged into the kitchen and then around on the hardwood floors. Eventually, his heavy feet came back with a cup of coffee in his hands and he stood in front of you. "You look beautiful."

She scoffed. "Starting out strong today, aren't you?"

Harry walked into the living room and sat beside his girlfriend on the couch. "What are you reading?"

"A book." Lucy smirked and placed it beside her.

"That's incredibly descriptive."

"I try."

Harry set the coffee cup on the table and faced Lucy. Her eyes watched him playfully. He moved closer and closer to her, until his lips touched hers. He kissed her deeply, not even starting softly this morning. Lucy relaxed into the couch. Harry kissed her more. A kiss was planted quickly on her nose, which made Lucy giggle. The kisses quickened as he started at her cheek and then moved down her neck. They were deeper, heavier, harsher, and his hands tightened around her body. Lucy moaned softly at the touch, used to the way he did this, many times before. It never went too far. Her fingertips curled through Harry's ginger hair, pressing into his neck. Harry kissed harder, lips pressed down on her collarbone, threatening to go lower.

"Harry..." Lucy gasped, liking the tingling feeling.

He laughed and kissed her more, leaving a trail of burning skin, as he moved elsewhere. His confidence was high this morning, after having met her family yesterday. Perhaps he did feel accepted now. His kisses proved to the job nicely, but Lucy wanted more. She pulled his face to hers again, and she took over, kissing his skin harshly. Her teeth tended to knick his skin. Harry moaned slightly. Lucy blushed and continued.

The doorbell rang, and Lucy was first to pull back. "Don't answer it," Harry moaned. "It could be paparazzi." Paparazzo still waited outside, waiting for every moment. "They have grown bold."

"It's not very secretive of them," Lucy said, sliding away from him. Carefully, she pulled back the curtain, allowing her to see the front stoop. Sydney stood outside the front door patiently but tense as many paparazzi took pictures of her. "Shit."

"What?" Harry asked.

Lucy dropped the curtain and pulled her sweatshirt around her more. "Wait here." Going to the front hallway, the front door was pulled open quickly and Sydney jumped inside the house. The door locked again. "Hey, Syd."

"Hello, Lucille." Sydney smiled. "Your cheeks are red. Are you sick?"

"No, just a little hot."

Harry walked behind Lucy to welcome Lucy's old friend. "Hello." He rested against the wall frame, smiling at the new girl.

Sydney swallowed, her face suddenly incredibly pale, as if to rival a ghost. Lucy had almost gotten used to dealing with famous people, where Sydney met some celebrities from time to time with work on the memorial. However, Prince Harry stood in front of her. Sydney never had a crush on him when they were young, finding him old and ugly. With him standing in front of her, she wasn't going to say anything of that. In fact, Sydney looked ready to pass out. Having known Harry and Lucy dated, she expected herself to be cooler around him, and that wasn't the case.

Lucy noticed easily. "Harry, why don't you go make some lunch for us?" she asked, when it was more of a command above anything else. "I think Syd would feel better if we talked alone."

Harry smiled and nodded, going into the kitchen.

Lucy grabbed Sydney's hand and pulled her into the front room. With paparazzi outside, all curtains remained shut, darkening the whole house. Lucy hated it because it made the house feel even whiter, cleaner, as if no person with a personality lived here. "So, how's college?" Sydney was home from University in Iowa for Thanksgiving.

It took a minute but Sydney came back. "There's a dude in your house."

"Yeah."

"He's Prince Harry."

"Yeah."

"Sorry." Sydney shook her head. Her long, ginger hair fell around her shoulders. "I tried calling you and texting you, but you didn't respond."

Lucy nodded. "My phone is off a lot. People have my number constantly and they're calling a lot. Plus, I get a lot of messages from the media, what everyone thinks about me and shit."

"You must love that," Sydney said sarcastically.

"All the time."

Sydney paused. "That kind of brings me into my next conversation topic." Her words were hesitant and slow, as if they might angry Lucy. "Since you and Prince Harry are a thing--"

"Harry," Lucy corrected. "Just call him Harry."

Nodding, she began again, "Since you and Harry are a thing now, and everyone knows, I was wondering if maybe you would like to help out a little more."

"Syd, I don't get what you're saying."

Her blue eyes wandered around the room, uncomfortable with the situation. Perhaps she was uncomfortable with what she was asking. "Well, it's just, you have a lot of attention on you right now, Lucille, and I think it would be beneficiary for all of us if we used it."

"You mean you want me to play politics?"

Sydney blushed bright pink. "This would help you in the media's eyes, if they see you out--"

Lucy shook her head. "I get it. You don't have to continue."

There wasn't an angry tone in her voice or even disappointment. There needn't be one, because Lucy understood. She had a platform to use, where people watched her constantly now. The media was against her mostly, but all media was good media. They would follow her anywhere. Perhaps some good would come out of it. If Lucy did draw the attention to a certain subject, she might be able to focus it. Others would notice.

"What did you have in mind?" Lucy asked.