Royally Screwed

05

Content Warning: this chapter deals with the theme of abortion.

The large brown haired man took the blood from my finger and placed it on a really expensive pregnancy test, that I doubt you'd find at the local pharmacy. Then he placed it gently on the side before doing the same thing for the last test. 

Fifteen tests with a positive test result.

I was sure Philip was determined to find one that said I wasn't pregnant, he was pacing the living room, barely watching his friend draw blood from me. His brown curls are messier than they've ever been thanks to him constantly running his hand through them. I however, looked worse. I could imagine the state of my hair, and in the bathroom, I caught a glimpse of my eyes which were red and puffy, the marks on my neck a booming reminder of what I'd been up to for the past two months. 

Slut. The mirror screamed at me. Slut. It said as I looked back in my reflection. Pregnant Slut. I could hear everyone scream it. They would think I deserved this, that I was careless for not checking if he wore a condom that night on the beach. I wished I had been more aware of my period.

I wanted an abortion. 

I didn't want to live with this mistake for the rest of my life, I didn't want to live with this alone. "Sir, the results-" 

In four quick steps, Philip came taking the device from the man's hand, his fingers shaking. He said something in greek. Then checked all of them. Then, he sank down.

"I'm getting an abortion," I whispered breaking the silence.

"No," Philips voice was harsh. He turned to look at me, without his shades on, I could see the full force of his anger and frustration. "No," he repeated.

"It's my body, Philip, my life," I hissed cold and angry. "I'm not going to live with this-"

"No, you don't understand," Philip barked. "You're carrying the heir to a royal throne."

The sky is blue,

The grass is green,

In my belly,

lies a prince?

It felt like I'd officially gone crazy. I laughed, throwing my head back as I laughed. "You're fucking kidding me."

The two men flinched.

"You're no fucking way the prince of Greece." The men flinched again. 

But my mind was spinning faster and disbelief was being replaced by facts, the shades, the way we always met, the lack of phone number, the constant secrecy about his background, the two men who looked like bodyguards in my home. Then the fucking obvious fact that the Prince of Greece was called Philip. Prince Philip.

"Alana," he said.

But I started to punch him, "No," I cried punching his chest, "No, don't say anything. You lied. You're not a tourist out on a holiday, you're -"

And then I started to cry. Philip pulled me to his chest, rubbing soothingly on my arm. "I'm sorry Alana," he said, "You cannot kill the baby. My family will not have it. I don't know what is going to happen but I know my family won't be pleased with us, but you cannot kill the baby. It is a sin-"

"Abortion is legal in Greece," I cried. Heir or not, there was something in me, something changing my future. I would willingly sacrifice never going to Ireland to just give the child up. I was desperate, I didn't want to hear Philips cool calm voice as he spoke. 

"My family are all practicing members of the Greek Orthodox, Alana, they will not agree to abortion."

"What does this mean?" I sobbed out, trying to find a way out.

"Let me call my mother," Philip replied, then he glanced to the brown haired guard, "Keep an eye on her." Then he walked outside, followed by the tall dirty blonde haired guard.

The brown haired guard looked at me, he wore shades as well making it harder for me to read his expression. I swallowed, blinking back more tears. Was this how it felt? To have your world shatter beneath you? How was I going to tell my parents? What would I say?

Mum I had a one night stand with a prince, but it happened a couple of times, no I'm not in love with him but I'm carrying his baby.

A laugh slipped out from my lips when I thought of it, of how she would react, of what she would say. That starts out peals of laughter, again and again, till I'm breathless. The brunet guard with me looks uncomfortable but he didn't move away. As I caught a glimpse of the discomfort in his face, it set me off in louder peals of laughter. 

I laughed so hard, I started to cry again. 

"Do you need to sit down?" His voice was heavily accented and sounded like two rocks hitting each other. 

I shook my head, laughing at the thought of two rocks hitting each other. The guard tried to stifle the discomfort on his face, but I was sure he was waiting for Philip to appear. 

My laughter died in my throat as I realised the severity of the predicament I was in. "I need to tell my parents," I told the alarmed guard as I began moving to a different room.

The guard walked quickly stopping me in my tracks, "wait," he said. Then his eyes glanced to where Philip was, outside. 

"Why does he get to tell his parents? I'm the one having a child," I hissed. The guard took a step back and I made my way to where my phone rested in my room. The guard following behind me. But in my room, again I found myself reluctant to tell my parents, the phone weighing like stones in my hand.

I heard footsteps outside, then a minute passed before Philip walked in my room, the boyish smile gone. "Are you alright?" he asked warily.

I held out the phone, and I shook my head, "I can't-" my voice comes out shaky on the verge of falling, "tell them."

Philip melted and he held me in his arms. Rubbing me as I held him, tears unable to fall. "We'll tell them when they come home," Philip said, "If you want."

My heart melted but I knew that there would be hell to pay.