sweet & brutal || h.s ✔️

~31~

Aria's POV

They all nodded and took several minutes to soak in the information. I let them as I sunk into Harry's arms and we shared a silent conversation with our eyes, asking each other if we were ok.

After about ten minutes, they all spoke. Some of their words were unexpected, may I say.

"Well love, no matter how you two met we're happy that you did" Anne said, placing her hand on mine. I smiled at her and Gemma nodded in agreement.

"Wait so does that mean you're a cool, gangster chick" Luke said. Harry and I chuckled at his curiosity.

"I guess you could say that" I nodded, chuckling.

"Does this explain your shirt" Gemma asked. My eyes widened and I looked at harry but he was just shaking his head laughing.

"Well there's no use in hiding it, come on takeoff my hoodie and show everyone" He laughed.

"You and your damn Jack Wills hoodie" I complained and rolled my eyes playfully.

I took it off and threw it at him. Everyone laughed.

I settled back in his arms and laughed. It went silent for a bit.

"So that's it. That's your secret." Gemma piped up.

Harry nodded but I stopped him. He looked at me confused but I just shook my head.

"There's one more thing" I said, stopping everyone.

I took a deep breath and then stood up.

"Wait. Does anyone have a flashlight?"

"Yeah" Gemma said with furrowed eyebrows. They all looked confused.

I turned the flashlight on, turned around and then lifted up my jersey from the back and shone the light on it.

They all gasped.

When I was little, all royals were to be branded with a symbol. My kingdom's was a sun. When you were branded, it was a special flame that only appeared when you shone a light on it. It was a symbol to identify a royal if all else fails and you cannot convince someone.

They all immediately kneeled down except Harry.

"Your highness" they said in sync.

"No, no, no guys" I said. This is exactly why I didn't want to tell them.

"Get up" I pulled them from their position on the floor.

"No love, we must bow you are royalty" Anne insisted as I lifted her from the ground.

"No don't bow" I said quickly.

"Guys when I started, I told you I didn't want your opinion of me to change and you all promised" I said pointedly.

"I'm still the same fucking girl who attacks bitches for touching my boyfriend and I'm still the same criminal who fell in love with your son. I'm sorry for the vulgar language but I'm trying to prove a point" I said quickly.

They all nodded in understanding.

"Please don't bow. I'm still not sure if I want to take the throne or if I even want to come out as a royal so please don't tell anyone or take this seriously. I only told you so there was no secrets between us." I added.

"The world needs to believe that Princess Aria Amara Alfa Atronado, of the Sunshine Territory has disappeared" I breathed.

Luke gasped.