The Royalty (Prince Harry Fanfic #4)

Chapter Twenty-Six

It was a little before noon that Harry and Lucy left the children's hospital. Lucy had to get three hours away and didn't have time to change. At least in the car awaited a book and food for Lucy. The sun and the heat beat down on them, and Lucy would shed her shoes in the car; her feet ached badly. She would miss the heat, but she welcomed the cold again. She hoped it would be slightly chilly on the wedding day; she didn't want to pass out in her dress.

"Have fun," Harry said.

She smirked at him. "I love you."

"I love you too." He kissed on the cheek. "Fourteen days," he whispered.

Lucy fought the urge to hit him. "I'll see you tonight."

"Do you want me to wait up?"

"I would love that."

He kissed her again. "I'll see you then."

Lucy waved good-bye as the car pulled out of the children's hospital and headed north for three hours. Tony sat in the front seat and glanced back at her with eyes; she responded with an arched eyebrow. The driver didn't notice. Lucy relaxed in the backseat, eyes trailing along London and then the countryside as the car went north. She ate the meal that had been packed for her, leaving a little food on the way down. Lucy read the book in front of her, a history book so that she became more aware of the history of Britain; she had at least gotten through most of the history. This book was a part of her princess training.

Three hours after leaving London, the car pulled into the small village. People awaited her. The village was small, with only one police officer and barely a post office. The children went to other schools but school wasn't today. Everyone in the village had come out, the infants to the elderly. The children were lined up with their parents. Signs were held. Flowers were ready to be given. Children laughed, jumping up and down. People watched, pushing each other slightly to get a view. Lucy was tall enough that you would most likely get a good picture of her. Funny enough, the teenagers hung back, forced to come by parents and grandparents, hovering and standing on stones; with their mobiles out, they recorded every second. She could hear them calling to her. Lucy hadn't even stepped out of the car yet.

The polls showed that Lucy was loved here, and she came here. She planned to come anyway, but there was incentive to come.

"Ma'am," Tony said, "are you all right?" He was more stoic of late, even after the threatening messages were sent, as if he was constantly stoic. The closer to the wedding they got, he became more stoic, almost more scary too, like he would take on a whole army.

Lucy swallowed. "Car sick." She put on a smile, not that it wasn't there already. She prepared for the day ahead of her. Lucy wouldn't get back to London until at least nighttime, perhaps afterward, since it was already mid-afternoon.

The car stopped and the door opened. Knees together, Lucy got out of the car. Tony stood behind her by five feet. This was natural now, to be alone, to do this alone. Also, Tony didn't hover, so it made a good day. Even the heat followed her out here, no clouds for miles around. Lucy smiled and walked forward, already joining the long line of people.

Starting at the beginning, Lucy greeted them, shaking hands with everyone. Babies would be handed to Lucy, which she held for a few pictures. She knew what her duty was here, besides her enjoyment, it was to look regal. She would always be hard around the edges but she needed to look soft and friendly. Also, anyone who wished to say bad things about her could if she didn't hold a baby. They wanted her to look natural with children, which was hard to do when they were constantly shoved in your face.

After a baby, Lucy bent down in front of a little girl who immediately blushed and turned to her mother. Eventually Lucy was able to coo the child out of hiding. The little girl gave the future princess a flower.

"It's beautiful," Lucy smiled, "but I think it looks much more beautiful with you." She gave the flower back. "The most beautiful flower I had seen." The little girl blushed harder, turning bright red now.

Lucy moved down the line, collecting flowers. She shook hands with more people, talking with a few. The same questions came about: her wedding, Prince Harry, their lives together, children. Children was a major subject, as the questions were asked over and over again. Each time Lucy smiled and answered the same.

"We're very excited to start a family," she answered.

"When?"

"Oh," Lucy laughed, "I have to get to used to this life before. You understand."

Whether or not they understood, they smiled and nodded with Lucy. Perhaps Lucy had the ability to be charming too, if she tried hard enough. She would never have the skills of Harry, though.

Lucy could only carry so many flowers, so some were given to the driver and they were put in the car. Lucy carried a bouquet of red roses in her hands, a romantic gesture for the upcoming wedding. Lucy shook more hands. The stones that the teenagers stood upon came around, and Lucy looked up, smiled and waved at the teenagers and the recording devices. At least half of the teenagers blushed in a way. Lucy would've been the same way long ago, but now she was the almost princess.

"Hello. Hello. Hello," Lucy said to the crowds, shaking their hands. Half the time she didn't even know whose hand she touched. Her eyes tried to meet with everyone. Lucy flinched, a sudden pain coming from her shaking hand. She immediately pulled back. Red blood dripped down from her hand. Lucy didn't understand what she touched to cause so much blood.

Her stomach lurched as her mind already began to slow everything down around her. She mumbled to herself that nothing was wrong, but Lucy happened to be wrong. There was a scream and the knife came forward again, aiming straight at the future princess. Pain spread out, running through her veins.

Around the future princess, people were running and screaming and hiding. The two police officers weren't equipped to handle this, and Tony jumped in. It didn't matter how quickly he jumped, already blood fell to the street. Lucy's ragged breaths filled the air. Feet pounded the ground, all in hope to get away. The red blood seeped into the red roses.