Arranged To Him #Wattys2017

Thirteen

This is the first chapter that I've actually proofread before publishing. I'm so proud. :')

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Eliana's POV

Yesterday was just wonderful. Harry was slowly turning into a gentleman and to be quite frank, it did surprise me quite a bit. I said nothing, though, because I didn't want to embarrass him and then have him turn back into a jerk again.

Currently, we were sitting in his bedroom with him on his bed and I on his couch occupying myself with a book.

"Eliana," he said. I hummed in response.

"Eliana," he repeated.

"Hmm?" I asked, not looking up from my book. I heard an exasperated sigh and smirked when there was silence. Then, out of nowhere, something hard hit my head and fell onto my lap. I gasped and looked down to find a piece of crumpled paper sitting in my lap. I glared up at Harry who was now seated with his legs crossed. He shrugged and smiled before gesturing at the paper in my lap. I rolled my eyes and set the book aside before picking up the paper. I unrolled it and rolled my eyes at his childish behavior.

You're a bit of a bore, you know. :)

"Am I?" I asked. He nodded.

"Quite," he said, "I only invited you to spend some time with me so you could entertain me."

"Well then," I replied, getting my book and pretending to get ready to leave, "perhaps I can make myself accustomed to the library downstairs, where I can be boring."

He pouted, before getting up from the bed, "could you at least bring me some cookies."

I scoffed and chuckled while he smirked.

"Absolutely not!" I gaped. He laughed and beckoned me over to him. I narrowed my eyes and he repeated his action again and I sighed before complying. I took the seven or eight steps towards him and stopped right in front of him. He smiled down at me, cheekily, and leaned down.

"In all honesty, princess," he whispered, "I really brought you here because I wanted to get your opinion on something."

I furrowed my eyebrows, "okay, what is it?"

"Remember our encounter yesterday with Philip?" he asked. I nodded my head and sat down on his bed while he chose to pace back and forth in front of me.

"When you had lifted your arms up to hold him, he flinched back, as if he was afraid to get hit. I wondered why since nobody in our castle believes in abu-"

"Wait," I interrupted him, causing him to turn and give me a blank stare, "are you trying to say that he's scared of me?"

"Let me finish, princess," he said. I nodded and he went back to his regular pacing.

"Anyway," he continued, "I feel like, maybe, he might get abused."

"Abused?" I cried. Harry jumped at my sudden outburst but composed himself and nodded.

"But who would do such a thing? That's simply outrageous! And absurd, and inhumane, and horrible and-"

"Princess, I understand," he hushed. I sighed and looked at him with a worried glare.

"Who would be capable enough to do such a thing?" I asked. Harry shrugged and then began to wring his hands. His body actions told me that he was hiding something; for his behavior was the same of a child that would behave as if they were withholding important information to their parents.