The Crown (Prince Harry fanfic #5)

Chapter Fifty-Four

February 2027

Harry and Lucy were in shock from the doctor's appointment this morning. The drive back to Kensington Palace was long and they waited quietly. The bodyguards said nothing to them, when it wasn't their business. Harry and Lucy weren't exactly sure what to say. Both of them had thoughts in their heads, how to form sentences and words. The hard part was the words coming out, because it was unexpected.

All in all, it wasn't terrible. It just wasn't what they expected. It wasn't what they bargained for it. The couple would deal with it, with smiles and grace, with their boys running around crazy and poop everywhere. There was certainly going to be poop everywhere.

Returning to Kensington Palace, Lucy and Harry waited outside the doors. Both of them stared at each other for moment. Both were calm when they walked in.

Nanny was able to keep the boys in line, and the boys played in the living room. Henry tried to build something with blocks as his older brother knocked over the blocks. Henry didn't complain and built them again. Nanny scolded him, but Freddie gave less than zero fucks. Eventually Nanny picked Freddie up but Harry called her off. She nodded to them and left the room. One nanny wasn't enough and it wasn't going to be enough.

"Kiddos," Lucy said calmly, "we need to talk."

The four year old and almost three year old were sat down on the sofa as their parents sat in front of them. Silence filled the room. Henry remained perfectly still, but Freddie kicked his legs out and in. Lucy decided to get him tested for some attention deficit disorder. His blue eyes looked around the living room, which he had been in a thousand times.

"Fred," Lucy said calmly, "you know how you asked a little while back what pregnant was?"

Freddie only watched his mother.

"Well, it means that another baby is going to come. Pregnant is what I was before you were born. You came out and no longer I was pregnant. It takes about nine months for a baby to come, which is how I was pregnant with you."

"And Henry too?"

"Yes," Harry coughed. "And your mummy is really, really, really pregnant."

Both boys were confused, which was understandable. Freddie asked, "Because she's really, really, really pregnant, the baby will be here sooner?"

Harry's blue eyes came to Lucy and she smiled. "No, kiddo, it means that...." Lucy had to choose her words wisely since she didn't want the boys to be confused but they were going to be confused anyway. "Fred, Henry, you're not going to have just one little sibling, but three most likely."

Harry's eyes widened at how she phrased it but said nothing. He knew she was just being cautious, in case something didn't work out, like always. He wished she didn't say it quite like that, but there wasn't turning back now.

"Boy or girl?" Henry asked sweetly.

"We don't know yet, kiddo," Lucy said. "It could be all the same or it could be different."

Henry and Freddie took in the information provided to them. Both were so young that it didn't make much sense to them. The boys sat and waited. Both parents sat and waited. After several moments, it was Freddie who spoke, "Can we go play now?"

"Yes, of course," Harry said. Both of them ran off. "Well, that went better than expected."

"You have to tell your brother."

"I can do it later."

Lucy stood and wiped her hands off on her pants. "No, go talk to him now. It'll be better that way."

Harry stood too. Slowly his hand reached up and touched his wife's cheek. "Luce," he smiled at her, "be calm. Everything is okay."

"Everything is okay," she repeated.

"Everything will be okay."

"Everything will be okay."

"I'm going to go tell William about our wonderful news, and he's going to be overjoyed, and then I'll come back here and we'll all be a happy family." He smiled and Lucy gave a weak smile too. "What are you going to do now?"

"I'm tired," she admitted. "I'll leave Nanny to nanny while I take a nap, after I talk to Siobhan and stuff."

Harry knew how tired she was. Kissing her on the lips, he left for Buckingham Palace. William had an event in the morning, so Harry waited inside the King's study. He paced around and looked at old pictures. Harry couldn't sit down; it didn't feel right. Honestly, he was excited, but three babies were a lot. One baby was a lot! Three babies-- triplets-- were going to be more than difficult. And if they were boys, boys were the worst. Three boys running around constantly-- Lucy would have five sons. Holy shit! Harry would have five sons. Nannies were happening, because Harry yet wanted to sleep in his life.

He also thought about the next seven or so months with Lucy as the babies grew inside of her. One baby made her tired, hungry and cranky. She had three babies inside of her. Lucy always complained about having to pee so badly while pregnant and now, it was going to be much worse. And then it was the thought that babies wouldn't make it nine months in the womb. The hope was thirty-two weeks for triplets, but some babies didn't make it that long. There wasn't much room in a womb. There had been greater chances for Lucy because she was taller and heavier set, with apparently more room. But there was still that concern.

"Harry," William smiled when he came in. Being his normal self, Harry bowed to the King of England dramatically. William shrugged him off. "What can I help you with?"

"I have some news, Wills."

The King of England paused. His eyes searched his brother's face. "You look concerned."

"I-- I-- um... it's good news." Harry smiled. "Lucy's pregnant again."

A smile bloomed on William's face as well, as he congratulated his younger brother on another baby with a pat on the back and half hug. "I can't wait to tell Catherine and the children. They'll be so happy."

"Yes, but there's something we might need to keep quiet."

"Yes, of course, Harry, what is it?"

"It's multiples, Wills."

"Twins?" William still smiled.

"No. Triplets."

Slowly William's smile slid off his face. "Triplets... as in three babies... from Lucy."

"Yes."

William's smile returned. "Don't be concerned, Harry. We have the best nannies in the whole entire world, and you're going to get all the help you need. And it isn't like there's a lack of money or whatever. It'll all be set." The older brother understood his younger brother's hesitation. "She'll be fine and so will the babies," William promised. "We have great doctors and we can get specialists to make sure everything is okay always. She'll be okay."

"Everything will be okay."

***********
Updating from Scotland: I wrote this previous to coming here so the note about unsure when to update still applies. Hopefully sometime next week when everything settled down and an actual schedule is formed.
By the way, I love Scotland, all of it!