King Of My Heart (mpreg)

CH 18

Louis POV

After I came home from my hunting trip I was in my room, using a warm basin of water and a cloth to wash myself from the dirt that I got while hunting. As I was scrubbing my chest I heard a knock at my door, followed by someone opening it; it had to be Harry since I told Eleanor that I was tired and didn't want to see anyone, but Harry was always an exception.

"I brought food, I don't know if you've already eaten" Harry said as I heard him put a tray down on the table in my room. In the mirror I saw Harry walk and stand right behind me "I'm sorry Louis I don't know what came over me today". I dipped the cloth into the water and wrung it out before handing it Harry; Harry smiled as he took it, knowing I forgave him. As Harry scrubbed my back I asked "You don't like Peter at all do you?"

Harry sighed and kissed the top of my shoulder "No" he simply said. "Why not? I asked as Harry dipped the cloth into the water basin. Harry simply shrugged so I changed the topic "Why didn't you come on the hunt today? We waited for you but you never showed up"; again Harry shrugged and I rolled my eyes, letting the conversation drop. I had enough problems and issues on my mind, if Harry didn't want to talk then fine.

"So how was your day?" Harry asked. I sighed "The Czar of Russland sent me another letter, he's very eager for an alliance; I'd take his offer if it wasn't for the religious politics". "What if you write a letter to the Pope and explain the situation?" Harry said. "I thought of that but Culpepper and Eleanor both said that this Pope is extremely hostile to pagans and heretics so he would never agree" I sighed "I have to stay on the Pope's good side; once I'm officially crowned King then I'll have a little more freedom but for now I have to be a good christian".

"So then are you going to reject Russland's offer?" Harry asked. "I don't have any choice, although I'd love their help and I'd love to hurt the Norwegians" I said as I put on my shirt again after Harry put down the cloth "Anyway I'm tired, let's go to bed".

As Harry and I got ready for bed one of my elder Shadows entered my room after knocking "Harry Styles, Miss Eleanor has told us that she thinks that you're ready to undergo the Trial of the Lion; please follow me" she said. "The what of the what?" I asked. "It's the final examination of a Shadow trainee, if I pass I'll become a full Shadow" Harry explained as he put his coat back on. "But where are you going?" I asked; Harry smiled sadly "I'll tell you tomorrow ok Louis" he said before he kissed me on the cheek and walked out with the elder Shadow. My bed was so cold that night.

The next morning I sat in the garden next to Liam, after shooing away Peter and other nobles; surrounded by the elder Shadows that were in Doncaster, watching Harry spar with another elder Shadow. Today was the final day of his training and even though he would stay Eleanor's apprentice and continue to learn the finer points of his job; after today he would be a full fledge Shadow and would be able to take assignments as long as he tagged along with an elder Shadow, if he passed his exam.

The entire examination had already been going on for two hours; the first part was a verbal test where three elder Shadows told a story full of lies, double meanings and contradictions, which Harry had to figure out what the truth was. The second part was writing down that story using the code that Shadows used, the code was so good that it was largely unchanged from Roman times. Harry couldn't defeat the other Shadow while they sparred but he demonstrated enough skill that the other Shadows were satisfied; the final test included Liam and I.

Harry would serve us breakfast but several dishes and drinks were poisoned; Harry had to determine which dishes were bad, if Liam or I ate anything bad then Harry would automatically fail the entire test and have to restart the entire process in a month. Antidotes were nearby in case anything happened since no one here knew which were poisoned and which weren't. It was a struggled to convince the Shadows to let me be a part of the examination but they couldn't say no to me.

I sat across from Liam as a few elder Shadows brought several trays of food at a little table a few feet from us so Harry could serve us; the catch though that Harry wasn't allowed to taste anything and had to be discreet while he checked for poisons because if an assassin thought someone caught on to their plan, then the assassin would often take more drastic actions.

Harry served the first dish, some fresh fruit, Liam and I looked at each other; we trusted Harry but it still slightly scary to eat potentially poisoned food. I took a sliced apple and ate it, trusting Harry; when I didn't start dying Liam took a pear and was fine as well. The next dish was cheese on toast which was fine also. The next dish was oats in warm milk, oatmeal; I was actually pretty excited, Liam and I used to eat it all the time on the farm but I haven't been able to eat it here at all since it wasn't "fit for a prince to eat".

I was slightly disappointed when Harry handed the large bowl to one one of elder Shadows who studied it for a minute before smelling it and taking a tiny taste "Very nice, now only two more" he said before spitting. Harry passed the test after finding the other two poisoned dishes and was a full fledge Shadow.

The ceremony was simple and took place after the food was taken away; Eleanor handed Harry his armor and a sword that had a lion stamped at the base of the blade. Harry then turned to me and unsheathed his blade and said the simple Oath of Shadow "My Prince, just as a sword is a weapon, so to shall I be your weapon. I shall be the knife in the dark and the shield on your back; my life for Britannia and the Prince".

I stood up "I welcome you to the family hidden in the shadow of the Lion" I replied, smiling. "I'm so proud of you Harry" I whispered which made him blush.