The Crown (Prince Harry fanfic #5)

Chapter One

Harry glanced down at the phone after receiving a text message from his wife. When are you going to be home? she asked.

His black tux and night already setting in with the it still young pointed to that it would be a while. Late tonight, he answered.

Okay, she responded. I'm off to bed soon.

You're tired?

Incredibly.

Good night. I love you.

I love you too.

Harry's blue eyes came back up to the room around him, with people drinking from champagne glasses and laughing loudly. An orchestra played in the background. Usually at these events, his wife would be beside him. This was William's event, and though she had been invited, her day had been busy with other events. Harry only attended one this morning, but at least he was able to see his wife briefly before coming here. She was on her way to the toilet. Harry enjoyed married life.

William, the Duke of Cambridge, stepped beside his brother. "I just had a fight off a couple who wouldn't stop asking about Lucy and you, Harry."

He took a drink. "What the couple want to know?"

"When you're having children." William paused. "Everyone wants to know that."

"You'll have to ask Lucy, Wills."

The Duke of Cambridge cleared his throat. "It's been over two years, Harry. You celebrated your wedding anniversary a month ago."

"And everything is good between us."

"Then isn't it time to have a child, Harry. You've always to be a dad. And our dad, the King," William said dramatically, "wants some grandchildren from you. You'll deny that?"

"Wills, she is twenty-four now. You remember yourself at twenty-four-- you remember me at twenty-four."

"Lucy is very mature for being twenty-four."

"I want to give her the fullest of life, and I'm not going to run her into something she doesn't want to do."

"You don't even know if she wants to do it?" William pointed out. "Perhaps she would be open to the idea. Perhaps she wants children now." The Duke of Cambridge glanced out at the audience, especially the people who hovered around. None of them seemed to be listening. "Our grandmother became Queen when she was twenty-five, already had Dad and Aunt Anne. Lucy would be twenty-five when the child was born."

Harry gave his brother a look. "It was a different time back then."

"Granny would be pushing you as hard as I am, Harry, if she was here."

The younger brother disagreed. "You are the Heir, Wills, with your Heirs. I am no more than a spare, and honestly, I enjoy it. I get to be normal with her. Eyes aren't on us. It's nice and quiet, and we do our business, and then we go. It's nice."

"But you want children?"

"William--"

"Harry, do you want children?"

"Yes, of course. I have always wanted children."

"Then now would be a good time. Ask Lucy about it; see what she thinks." His voice was low but pleading. "There are constant rumors, Harry, about Lucy being pregnant. Sometimes the rumors aren't nice. Perhaps give something to the people to get them back on your side."

"So you've seen the latest poll numbers?" Harry asked. "They aren't nice to us?"

"To you two as a couple, they're nice, but they want children from Lucy." William's words were chipped but nice.

Harry scoffed. "They can't just blame Lucy for not having a child. It takes two people."

"Do you think they really care?" William asked. "As long as sexism exists, they'll blame Lucy for not having a child." The Duke of Cambridge took a sip of his alcohol. Off to the side of the room, people laughed. "Harry, you're getting older."

"Haven't you made your point already, Wills?"

"Harry, I'm serious."

"You're thirty-seven, Harry."

"I'm well aware of my age."

"Have children now, Harry."

"William!" Anger rose in Harry's voice. A few people nearby looked around, and Harry turned his back to him. He breathed deeply and spoke calmly to his brother. "I'll talk to her, okay? I'll ask her what she wants. But if she doesn't want to have children yet, I can't force her to have children yet. I won't force her to do something she doesn't want to do."

"That's all I ask." William took his drink and went elsewhere.

Harry watched his brother go. As much as he loved his older brother, age had made William impatient. He wanted what was best for the monarchy. Harry didn't blame him, having grown up in the same life, but Lucy hadn't. Even though they had been together for a long time, there were moments that she still screwed up, and people liked her for that. Lucy was a creative mind, she was a free soul; no one wanted to put a lid on her, unless you were a conservative toward the monarchy, who would've liked to keep things like they were in the past.

William meant to protect Harry and Lucy, as well as the monarchy. A child would be another form of protection for them. Undoubtedly, the numbers had been dropping for Lucy in the polls; it started a few months after they got back from the honeymoon and there wasn't news of a baby on the way. For their late mother's supporters, it was something they truly wanted. Harry truly wanted a child with Lucy, and Lucy had grown to the idea. Though things were perfect now, he didn't want to waste any moment with her.

The couple had a deal, though: they would have a child before Harry turned forty. That was at least some time. But Harry didn't want to be a dad for the first time at forty; he would've preferred sooner.

As for bringing this up with Lucy, he couldn't imagine fully what she would say, especially if he brought up that William had talked about it or it was for the monarchy. Lucy knew the truth about many things; she saw through the fluff. But she never liked the monarchy being constantly in her business. She also knew that she wouldn't get the life that she always thought she would have; she would get here and now.

After a moment of sulking, Harry, the Prince of Wales, straightened his back and moved toward the audience for some conversation. His charm was well on point. At this charity event, it was all about money from large donors to the cause. If his wife was here, she would undoubtedly get the most money out of them. But as Harry talked nonchalantly, his mind focused on a baby.