Princess in Training (Prince Harry #3)

Chapter Forty-Five

If Meredith had to describe the feeling she had for what dared to happen today, it was summed up in one word: scared. It wasn't her wedding day, but whatever Catherine, Eugenie and Beatrice had in mind for her hen do, Meredith didn't like knowing. Her wedding was a in a few days, and she preferred to make it down the aisle in one piece.

Kyra, Rachel and Chloe had shown up one day prior and were all placed in a nice hotel. It didn't matter that Meredith had enough space in her Kensington Palace flat for her friends because of "safety" reasons, even though Meredith repeated nothing would happen to her. Harry finally had to overrule the guards and say her friends could stay the night before the wedding. Harry was to stay at Wills' anyway.

"Do you have any idea what we're doing, Mer?" Rachel asked. There were a number of things she couldn't do, and knowing Meredith, she didn't want to do them either way.

"No, but I can only assume something absolutely mental," Meredith whispered. "They take these things very seriously."

"Like booze and stuff," Kyra responded. "I imagine there are going to be strippers."

"Chloe can find get a boyfriend," Meredith snarked, and her two Scotland friends laughed.

Leaning over, Kyra whispered, "Which one is Chloe?"

"The one with the really curly hair."

Nodding, she leaned back on the sofa. It was all a waiting game until Beatrice, Catherine, Eugenie and Zara came in. Meredith hadn't exactly had time to make friends with people in London, so she was just trapped in with royals and people from her old life. At least it was nice company.

"Okay, Mere, put it on." Beatrice handed Meredith a blindfold, which Meredith wasn't impressed. "Don't make us hold you down and do it."

"I would like to see you try." Meredith put the blindfold on herself, but never one for surprises, she managed to peak a little. Or she thought she got away with it. Someone from behind pulled on it hard, tightening, and Meredith was pulled back. She saw nothing but black. "Fucking cu--"

"Let's go."

Pulled to her feet, Meredith stumbled forward and ran into something. "Who is steering me? Are they blind too?"

"I hope you're not mean when you're drunk," Eugenie responded.

"Oh, no, she gets slutty," Chloe retorted.

"Who's team are you on anyway?" Meredith nearly ran into something again, and she bit back a swear. "Where are we going?"

"Don't defeat the purpose of the blindfold," Catherine scolded.

Soon enough Meredith was loaded into a car like she was stolen, and the car was off. Catherine and Rachel talked nonchalantly. Giving congratulations to Rachel, Catherine gushed over her children and what it was like. Rachel disclosed her own nerves, but Catherine was more than reassuring.

When the car finally came to a stop, Meredith was pulled from the car. The scent of the sea came to her, and Meredith put on the brakes and asked, "Where are we going?" Catherine and Chloe pulled on her, and she had no choice to go.

The dock shifted underneath her, and she felt herself go sideways before she was caught again. The eery feeling she had before only worsened. Meredith was a strong swimmer and no one was going to kill her, but the control was out of her hands. She didn't like this feeling, so she refused to enjoy whatever surprise they had.

Taking a step onto the boat, Meredith was led onto the front, and she felt the closeness of other bodies pile in around her. Once she managed to touch them all, her blindfold was pulled off. Above her sparkled a million twinkly lights, laced around the yacht. It was a beacon of light in the vast darkness as they set sail. A slight breeze rolled off the waves, and Meredith moved to the front. She breathed in.

"This isn't the only thing we have planned," Beatrice said, shoving Meredith into the middle of the circle.

"Are there strippers?"

"No." She handed a wine glass off to her almost cousin-in-law.

Meredith didn't mind that. Those strippers would get the flu out here in the cold. "Then what?" She didn't even taste the wine as she drained it.

"A few games, a lot of booze, and each other's company."

"Oh that sounds terrible." Another drink was pushed into Meredith's hand.

"We also have very loud music, a yacht and nowhere to be in the morning."

"It sounds like a murder mystery at the beginning," Meredith responded.

"You'll be fine." Catherine patted her head.

"Yeah, it would look terrible if I showed up dead before my wedding."

Eugenie laughed. "Please, the monarchy would say you got cold feet and took off. No one would even know you're dead for, like, a few months at least."

"Or until your body washed up on shore," Beatrice said.

"Oh, please, pull the body out of the water and have it burned. Make up some rumor a few months later about you living by yourself in the wilderness until a young death in about a year too," Eugenie finished.

Staring at her soon-to-be cousins, Meredith downed the next drink, not knowing what actually went through their heads. Maybe they read a lot of novels or maybe the monarchy does this a lot? Meredith didn't want to think about it.

"Anyway," Catherine clapped her hands, "we have a whole night to ourselves. We are free. We even have all your favorites, Meredith." Off to the side, just for Meredith's own interactive, was a bunch of different board games, but at least there was a bar. "But let's get the music going. And let's get pissed."

"Is anyone of us going to be sober?" Meredith asked.

"I will," Rachel volunteered, but she really had no choice but to be.

"Then let's get going!" Eugenie screamed and turned up the music.

The loud music managed to rock the boat, and it didn't help that the girls started to dance either. Meredith decided to take another drink before this night went down in the flames. Even as she tried to dance along with the group, the alcohol didn't work fast enough. She needed more.

Walking over, Rachel rested her head on Meredith's shoulder and vowed, "No one is going overboard tonight on my watch."

Meredith arched an eyebrow.

"That is not a challenge, Meredith Rogue." Rachel stared at her friend. "Don't you dare do something stupid just because I said no."

"But that's why it's so much fun," Meredith replied. "I love doing what I shouldn't do."

"I know that well, but probably not tonight."

"Who's idea was it to go out on the sea, anyway? It's a challenge in itself. I like the water, and swimming is always okay."

"The water is probably freezing."

"No worse than Lake Superior."

"You will drown."

"A headline I hope."

"Mer, please," Rachel begged, "not tonight. Can't you just enjoy yourself?"

Meredith downed another drink. "I can certainly try." Pulling Rachel with her, she rejoined the royals and commoners on the dance floor.