Delayed Epiphany ♕ Zarry AU

Two | Mia

         

"Harry, love." Anne gently patted her sleeping son's shoulder, seemingly permanent wrinkle lines marring her skin.

"Mhmm." Harry grumbled, shifting to lie on his back, with his eyes still closed.

"Baby, you have to wake up. Your father has something important to tell you." Anne bit her bottom lip, wary of what would become of the impending news.

At her anxious and solemn tone, Harry slowly fluttered his eyes open. "Is everything okay, Mom?" he croaked.

"Everything is just fine, darling. Meet me in the living room in ten, alright?" Anne quickly pressed a kiss to his forehead and left before the now worried boy could utter a response.

Harry shook his head at his mother's weird antics, assuming she was most probably overreacting over whatever it was that his father had to tell him.

After freshening up and slipping into more appropriate clothes, Harry made his way down the hallway and into the living room, only to find his parents whispering frantically among one another.

"Dad?" Harry hesitantly called out, managing to cease their hushed conversation.

"Son, please, have a seat." The ageing man waved a hand towards the love seat in front of the couch.

"Have I done anything wrong?" Harry queried worriedly.

"No, you haven't, but I need you to listen carefully to what I have to say, Harry." Des paused for Harry to acknowledge his words and received a nod from his son at that.

"I'm pretty sure you are somewhat familiar with Prince Zayn Malik, correct?" Des quirked an eyebrow in question.

"I have seen him a couple of times when I came to see you in work, yes." Harry has seen the handsome prince from when he visited his father at work before, as his father was the head of chefs in the palace. He was especially fond of the queen though; she treated him like a son of hers.

"I have honestly thought about many ways to tell you this, H, but there is no simple way to put it. Prince Zayn has asked for your hand in marriage." Des eyed Harry carefully, anxious of his response.

"What the fuck?" Harry gasped in shock, mouth hanging open. Anne did not even have it in her to scold her son for his choice of words.

"Harry --" Des began, but was interrupted by his flabbergasted son.

"I'm sorry, Dad, but I find that quite unbelievable. Prince Zayn has quite the reputation, and he doesn't even know me. How could he possibly want to marry me; me, out of all people?" Harry's voice rose an octave towards the end of his obfuscated rant.

"Listen, son. The queen is the one who came to me and requested that you marry Prince Zayn. She is quite fed up of that reputation you mentioned, and she will not take no for an answer. She thinks you are the only one who would not want the prince for his money, and that you will never put their royal name to shame," Des stated ruefully.

"But, Dad..." Harry weakly trailed off.

"Harry, I cannot begin to imagine the consequences of refusing the queen's request. You need to understand that if it were up to me and up for questioning, I would have immediately refused without even mentioning it to you, but the queen is quite serious about this, and there is no way we are getting out of this with no repercussions." Anne patted her distressed husband's back gently.

Harry's heart was nothing if not kind and caring, and he could not stand seeing his father in such a desolate state.

"Alright, Dad, stop stressing over this. You can give the queen my rather begrudging acceptance," Harry relented, and his heart melted at the sight of the thankful and liberating look that cascaded over his father's face at his words.

"Harry, you know that if it were up to me, I would not let you go through with this, not for all the money in the world, yeah?" Des smiled softly at his son. If there was one thing he did right in his life, it was raising his son to become the sweetheart of a person he is, hands down.

"I know, Dad." Harry stood up and quickly fell into his father's embrace, a silent reassurance that they would all be just fine.

"I love you, my strong baby boy," his mother whispered into his ear when he moved to hug her next.

"I love you, too, Mom."

• • •

Des approached the brooding queen and held back a wince at how hostile she looked.

"Your majesty." He bowed and waited for her to acknowledge his presence.

"Des. I sincerely hope that what you are here to tell me is good news." The queen spoke in her underlying no nonsense tone.

"Yes, your highness. My son, Harry, has accepted your proposal."

"Very well. That is quite pleasing to hear. You've done right raising him, Des, and your son has taken the correct decision." She nodded her head at the man before her, mind already concocting the plans for introducing Harry to Zayn.

"Thank you." He lowered his head in gratitude. "Will that be all, your majesty?"

"For now, yes. You are free to go to your job now." She waved her hand in dismissal. Des bowed once more then quickly scurried towards the kitchen.

• • •

"Send Prince Zayn to my room whenever he is back." The queen ordered her son's butler.

"Of course, your highness."