The Royalty (Prince Harry Fanfic #4)

Chapter Twenty-Five

The sleep had been relaxing, and when the couple awoke in the morning, his arms were curled around Lucy. Their bodies pressed against each other, blankets covered them. In September, things were already getting too cold; Harry couldn't handle it. Lucy welcomed the coldness again.

"Two weeks until the wedding," Harry whispered in her ear, unconsciously tightening his grip on her, "fourteen days."

"I know how to count," she joked.

"You are excited?"

She smiled and look back at him. "More like nervous. I feel sick, like I'm constantly going to be sick."

"Did you feel sick last night?" he asked.

"No. I just feel this way this morning. Maybe I need to get up and move."

"I don't want you to." Harry pouted.

"We have an event this morning, and we both have things this afternoon. We have to go be real people."

"A little while longer," he begged, "just a little while longer. We can stay here a little while longer."

Lucy leaned back into him and then froze. "No," she said, "no. I have to get up now."

"Does your stomach hurt that much?"

"Yes," she said, "and I smell. And you smell."

"I wonder why." Harry laid on the bed, arm holding him up, still naked. At least the blanket covered his stomach down. There was a mysterious glint in his eyes, but he was well aware what happened last night.

Lucy rolled her eyes.

Harry stood up. "Would you like me to join you?"

"You ask every time, and every time I say no." She moved into the bathroom.

"One time you'll say yes."

"Doubtful." Lucy closed the door behind her and turned on the shower. Harry would just have to wait until she was done.

Once Lucy was done in the shower, Harry took over. Lucy got ready for her day. After the event with Harry this morning, she would quickly have to get into the car and get out. Her next event was three hours away, but Lucy really wanted to go to it. Lucy and Harry worked hard to find certain organizations that Lucy would love, and they found ones she really enjoyed. But what she enjoyed more was learning and doing everything. It was more natural to her now, all the events, and she loved going to them. It was never a push for her to go.

The couple ate in the kitchen, food already laid out. Eggsy, already bigger, rolled on the floor, trying to get some attention. She glanced down at the dog. "Harry will be back earlier than me. Talk to him." Eggsy still continued to watch his female owner.

"Is your stomach feeling better?" Harry asked, throwing a piece of toast to the dog.

"Not really," she admitted.

"You could stay home," he said, "if you feel sick."

"I'm fine, Harry; I'll be fine." She kissed him on the cheek and then went over to the sink to wash out her bowl.

The sun shined, perhaps too brightly, even with the coldness sweeping in already. The cold never used to bother Lucy this much but ever since moving to London, everything felt cold to her. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, for miles around, and there probably wouldn't be clouds for the rest of the day, not even across Britain. The weather was incredibly nice, even the temperature, unseasonably warm today. The cold would come back soon enough, along with the rain.

The children's hospital was bustling around. Lucy wished she could have stayed longer, but she truly wanted to go to her next event. Perhaps they put two events in the same day so the couple would leave at some point. Because of the warm air, the healthy-enough children were outside playing in the courtyard.

Hand-in-hand, the couple walked through the children's hospital, each floor. The very sick children were in their rooms, some even having met Prince Harry before. The girls were most taken with Harry, charming as ever. A few of the girls in their beds had dressed up as princesses for him. He obliged. The boys talked about Armed Forces things with Harry. Lucy played second fiddle, only used to the thing. The children were always more drawn to Harry than Lucy, and he did so well with them.

"Just think," said one of the mothers, "he'll be great with your children some day." She smiled at him.

Lucy gave her a smile, always unsure what to say.

"Be thankful for health," she continued, "for the children, whether boy or girl, while you have them."

Lucy swallowed. "I will be." Her body shook a little with the uncomfortable buzz in the air. Almost like Harry could feel it, he glanced over, a smile still on his face, and he called his future wife over. "Excuse me," she said to the mother.

The mother waved her off.

Lucy joined Harry with the boy on the bed. She smiled nicely.

After visiting the children inside the hospital, the royal couple moved outside to the courtyard, where the healthy-enough children played in one of the last few days of warmth. Harry and Lucy walked around the courtyard as some children colored or played. Lucy sat down next to the children and colored with them. She wished to play with Harry and the other children who played football. Because of her dress, she would have been limited. Lucy's skills of art was terrible and the children laughed at her. She didn't have the ability to color within the lines; Harry would've certainly beat her at this.

Lucy excused herself to the football, where she kicked the ball around with the children. Harry colored a little, actually being inside the lines. The girls crumbled around him, and he made them giggle. Lucy kicked the ball a little more, missing quite a few times on purpose. Each time, one of the children showed Lucy how to kick properly.

Harry returned to Lucy, and they went to opposite teams to play a little football. Lucy's heels tended to sink into the grass but Harry always came over to help her out. If heels hadn't been a factor, she knew she would've beat him easily. Harry doubted it and went back to playing the game. Eventually Lucy was forced to retire to the sidelines.

"Ma'am," said one of the boys coloring, "Prince Harry left this for you." The little boy handed over a folded piece of paper.

Lucy took and unfolded the piece of paper. On the paper, Harry had colored inside the lines, making the Prince and Princess look like himself and Lucy. Next to it, Harry wrote a few words and then wrote fourteen days. Fourteen days until they wedded. He was going to throw that number around a lot. Lucy glanced up and found Harry; he watched her. She shook her head at him and he laughed.