The Royalty (Prince Harry Fanfic #4)

Chapter Eleven

Lucy wasn't scared but whatever Harry though managed to scare the shit out of him. This prompted him to bring Lucy to her home state of Minnesota in the United States of America for two weeks of vacation in prime wedding planning season. Harry promised the wedding planner the couple would get down to business upon returning to London, but the couple only pretended. In most ways, Harry cared more for the wedding than Lucy. She wanted to marry him; it didn't really matter how it happened to her.

The bodyguards of Harry and Lucy came as well. With the recent threat to Lucy's life, Tony was constantly with her. If Tony needed a break, Simon or Robert with her. Harry was willing to give up a bodyguard for Lucy's protection, not that she believed she needed it. Everything in that letter had been said to her before, but never in London. Security worked on the letter now.

No paparazzi were even outside the house as the couple came to the town. Granted, the paparazzi perhaps didn't have any idea that the couple had left London.

"Home sweet home," Harry sighed, entering the house again. Eggsy immediately ran into the living room. Suitcases were brought it.

"There are two bedrooms upstairs and one bedroom downstairs," Lucy said, directing the bodyguards. "Have fun choosing."

"Simon will be downstairs," Robert said, "and Tony will be in the room next door to yours."

"I'm going to make sure all the windows and doors are locked with the curtains pulled," Simon said, starting toward the basement. Robert immediately checked upstairs. Tony went to the back door.

Harry curled his arms around his fiance. "I mean to protect you."

"I can protect myself," she said, meeting his gaze.

"I can help you," he offered.

"Okay," she agreed. "Eggsy just peed on the carpet in the living room. Clean it up." She peeled herself off of him.

Harry glanced over, and Eggsy had no shame of what he had just done to the carpet as he now cleaned himself. "Come on, man," he groaned.

With the lack of paparazzi, Harry and Lucy wanted to make the most out of the situation. Upon it being warm outside, they could have done more things outside. And they wouldn't have been followed yet. The bodyguards were on board, as long as everyone wore hats and kept their heads done. The bodyguards gave it two days before paparazzi showed up, and those two days were at the most. It would only take one neighbor to turn in Lucy and Harry. Since they were only spending two weeks in Minnesota, Lucy had some ideas on what to do, and there wasn't much sleep involved.

All the bodyguards had been out of the United Kingdom before, but oddly enough, none of them had been to Minnesota. Actually, it was quite natural that none of them had been to Minnesota. Lucy thought to slowly put the bodyguards into their lives here for the next two weeks. And it was agreed upon, with the sun going down, perhaps horse races were good enough. Harry was aware how to watch them, and the bodyguards knew how to watch the crowds at these events. Of course, it was possible Harry and Lucy would be recognized, but it was highly doubted.

Canterbury Park, the local racetrack around the Twin Cities, was only fifteen minutes away from the house, and it wasn't a fancy event. No one dressed up as they cheered on the horses. There was fair food with people drinking around. There were also occasional ostrich, dog and camel races at the track; anything to interest the public. It worked.

Lucy wished the bodyguards could turn off being protective. If they did, they might actually enjoy themselves. Harry sat down with a beer after placing bets on some horses. No matter who raced, Lucy always bet on the same number, seven, unless no one had seven. Harry tended to joke Lucky Seven, and she smirked at him mysteriously. When he joked about it tonight, she laughed, saying he would find out soon.

"Competition?" he asked. "Why do you like that number? Has someone worn that number? Should I be jealous? Is he my competition?"

Harry knew Lucy well, and she laughed. "Soon," she promised, "and yes." Her eyes slid over to him. "But don't be too sad. He would never do anything."

"I hope so." Harry leaned back on the bench again as the horses were about to take off.

Even the bodyguards had worn hats and tried to blend in, but they couldn't. Even with their "Americanized" clothes, their eyes glanced around too much. They looked very shady, and that never ended well. Tony, even with the most training, looked most concerned with the situation. He knew her record, and he didn't appear to trust the American culture of guns, perhaps because he had to leave his gun back at the house.

The couple and bodyguards only stayed for a few races, but even with four races, it took two hours because a horse race happened every thirty minutes. There was enough non-perishable food in the house to make a good enough dinner but they would need to go grocery shopping eventually. They hadn't been back at the house for ten minutes before the doorbell rang. The bodyguard pulled out guns.

"Did you just fucking pull out guns?" Lucy scolded. Harry stepped forward to interject for Lucy's safety but she gave him a look. He immediately backed up.

"I will answer the door." Tony put the gun behind him and slowly went over to the door, and answer it slowly too. He blocked the view of the person. "May I help you?"

"Hello," said an American voice. "I'm assuming if you're here, so is Lucille."

"The house is--"

Lucy walked over and opened the door farther. "Hey, Syd."

Sydney smiled. "Thanks for telling me you were engaged," she said sarcastically, "because I found out with everyone else."

"You are a peasant." Lucy opened the door farther and Sydney came in. Immediately, Tony closed the locked the door behind the woman.

"Who are they?" Sydney asked.

"Bodyguards."

"Harry has three?" He smiled at her, but she didn't care.

Lucy pointed. "That one is mine."

"You have a bodyguard? What, is someone trying to kill you?" Sydney laughed and then stopped. "Someone is trying to kill you? Don't people ever fucking stop?"

"No."

Sydney held up two bags. "Thank goodness I brought a lot of food. I know you don't like going grocery shopping, so I have Chinese. Dinner?"

Lucy nodded.

Sydney immediately started speaking, yapping on about graduation. Lucy swallowed, having totally forgotten that she graduated less than a week ago from university. Lucy had gotten engaged and completely forgot about her old friend. Funny enough about her old friend, she didn't care. Sydney had no problem speaking about college and then the engagement. However, it was the bodyguards who looked ready to jump in at any moment. Harry couldn't get a word out.

"Syd," Lucy said slowly, "I'm getting married in the autumn."

"It was on the news." Sydney took another bite.

"Are you busy this autumn?"

"Well, I'm traveling this summer, probably around Europe. I want to go to India super badly, so I think I might go there. And, you know, boy toy is traveling with me. Why, by the way?"

Lucy couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. She had wished to have this conversation with Sydney in private or at a different time, but that didn't look to be happening. "Well, I was thinking... I think... I hope that you might be... my maid of honor."

Sydney almost choked on her food, and Robert was right behind her to give a helping hand. "Me? Your maid of honor?"

"Yes."

"Do you really not have that many friends in London?"

Lucy gave her a look.

"I'm joking, kind of." Sydney smiled broadly. "Of course I'll be your maid of honor."