Her Majesty: A Selection Fanfiction (COMPLETE)

Bonus Scene

Author's Note: This scene takes place during the story. I planned to add this in, but I decided against it, seeing as it didn't really show any true character growth. It does, however, give us a closer glimpse to both Charlie and Harlow's characters. Enjoy.

I tapped my pen against the paper, not quite sure what to write. I wanted to send something to my family that would assure them that I was okay, but I also couldn't think of anything.

  "Hey, Ginevra?" I stood up from my desk and peeked into the bathroom where my head maid was furiously scrubbing the bathtub.

  "Yes, Miss?" She looked up from her work. "Something wrong?"

  I grimaced. "I'm trying to write a letter to my family but I can't think of anything."

  She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "You could always take a walk through the palace. Look for some fresh inspiration."
  "Oh?"

  "Yes. Eliza, Bedelia and I tend to take walks whenever we're looking for new dress ideas. There's always something new to discover. You should get out, check out the place."

  I nodded. "Sounds good."

~~~~   

I wandered down the palace halls. I took a right turn, then a left, taking in the marble walls and plush carpets. As I walked, I stumbled upon two large, white doors. I hadn't been down this corridor before but the doors looked awfully grand. I debated leaving them alone, but my curiosity got the better of me. I carefully creaked open the door, sneaking inside, and...wow.

   Books lined every wall from floor to ceiling. Covers of soft leather, pages of crisp parchment, shelves of smooth wood. I breathed in the sweet smell of old books: this must be the palace library.

  "Lady Harlow?" I turned at the sound of my name.

  Charlie strolled out from behind a bookshelf. "What're you doing here?"

  I stood guiltily. I had been caught. "I'm--I'm sorry, I was just looking around, and--"

  "You looking for a book?" Charlie gestured to the shelves.

   I hesitated. "Um...yeah. Yeah, I am."

   He grinned. "Okay. Cool. Here, let me show you around." He started walking. I followed. "These shelves are where you'll find all of our adventure-themed books: stories of pirates, detectives, explorers."

  I grinned and trailed my hand across the covers, grazing the spines of the books. I would love to skim through one of these.

  "These are our romance novels," Charlie said, gesturing to the next shelf. "My mom is a big sucker for these."

  I laughed. "It's so weird hearing you call the queen your mom."

  He raised his eyebrows. "What, is that not okay with you?" he joked.

  I held up my hands in mock surrender. "No, no, it's just kind of silly. I like it."

  He smiled. "Thank you...I think." He continued on down the rows of shelves. "Then we have the comics..." He picked up a glossy copy. "These are my favorites. I love studying the art styles and recreating them in my own way. Plus, superheroes."

  I smirked. "I wouldn't place you for a superhero kind of guy."

  He chuckled. "Oh? Superheroes are my life. Sometimes I like to take a break from reality in a good comic."

  I giggled. "What about books without pictures?"

  He lit up. "Oh, I read those, too. My favorite picture-free books are actually over here..." He led me over to books that were noticeably older. "These are our classics."

  I could feel my eyes widening. I reached out to touch the worn covers, basking in the glory of these old novels. These were my favorites!

  "You like these books, eh?" Charlie asked, grinning.

  I nodded. "Yeah...these are my favorites, too."

  He chuckled. "Want to read one?"

  I smiled. "That would be great."

~~~~

Ahh, I just read this again! I wrote this scene about a year ago and it's so sweet to read again. I hope you enjoyed :))

- reagan