A Fool's Dance || 1D AU

intro || sunrise, sunset

"Love is not a victory march; it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah."

* * *

"I regret to inform you that the Queen has perished. She gave birth to healthy girl just before... I'm terribly sorry, Your Majesty."

Harry face fell blank -- completely void of emotion. "Where is she?"

"The child?"

"My wife."

The informant looked around the room awkwardly. "She's in her bed chamber."

Without another word or glance at the man who'd just delivered the news, Harry got up and stalked to his wife's chamber. As he rounded the corner and stepped into her room, dozens of servants bowed and murmured "Your Majesty," before scuttling out of the door. He paid no attention, though, all he could see was his wife. She was the only clear thing in his vision, everything else seemed to blur. He hurried to her side and suddenly it hit him. He fell to his knees and sobs racked his body.

Harry had laughed in his father's face years before when he told him that with kingship came a terrible curse -- a curse upon one's personal life. He knew now that his father was right. Harry was cursed. He could no longer deny it, kneeling next to the only woman he'd ever loved. His wife was gone and his father passed only six months ago. He still lacked a male heir and he had an entire country depending on him for their well-being.

Finally Harry gathered the courage to look into his wife's face. He reached over and shut her eyes for her. He wished he could pretend that she was sleeping but he couldn't. He could never forget the blood soaked sheets that lay beneath her or her sullen complexion. He could never forget the way her chest ceased to rise and fall with her breaths. And he could definitely never forget the way that only one heart beat could be heard in a room where two bodies were present.

Harry turned around and left the room, giving his wife one last glance before walking out of the door. He walked down the drafty corridor again -- only this time, he knew he was alone. All alone aside from the baby girl that was his only immediate family left.

Harry was cursed.

* * *

Three Months Later

"Niall!" Katherine squealed as she rounded the corner and found Niall at last. She'd searched the corridors of the castle for what felt like hours and was beginning to think he'd disappeared.

Niall turned around quickly. Katherine knew he recognized her voice immediately -- they had known each other their entire lives after all. "Why do you look so happy?" he said, his eyes -- the color of the sky at high noon -- narrowed with suspicion.

"That's what I was going to tell you about but I couldn't find you. Were you, perhaps, hiding from me?" she said, her eyes narrowing to match his.

"I am appalled that you'd even let that thought cross your mind. When have I ever hid from you?"

"Last week!" she shouted.

"You wanted me to help you steal some of the good bread. I was only protecting myself," he replied lazily, leaning up against the stone wall behind him.

"Do you have to say that so loudly?" Katherine hissed at him. "I've been trying to tell you that I've been asked by Princess Isabel's governess to come and work for her. Do you understand what this will mean?" she asked him, her eyes wide with excitement and her mouth pulled up on both sides.

"Do tell."

"It means that while you're scrubbing floors, I'll be with the Princess's governess! I'll be caring for a baby whereas you'll be cleaning up messes. I always knew I'd outrank you before long!" she said, her smile growing bigger every second while Niall's mouth molded itself into a smirk.

"I shall be royal soon, don't you worry about me. Once the King notices my vast potential, he'll realize his mistake. I'll replace Louis Tomlinson as the Duke of Suffolk, you wait and see."

"I didn't realize that I was able to see into your dreams...," she said, her eyes wide with innocence and mockery.

"Oh, Katherine. I don't think you should have said that," he said, and from the mischeivious look in his eyes, Katherine knew she should run.

And run is exactly what she did.

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This is more of a set-up chapter...and an introduction to my two MCs. The next chapter will be more elaborate and more plot-y! Thanks for reading!