Where I Belong

It took a week for Ellie to finally find her own way around the palace. Every morning, she strolled passed the guards and smiled as they kindly said the usual, “Hello Miss Ellie.”

That morning, Ellie walked by the huge window in the hallway and looked outside. News reporters and photographers surrounded the royal palace, asking for Prince Harry and Ellinor Taylor. They wanted photographs and a final statement on what the two’s status was.

The day Ellie arrived at the Buckingham Palace, tabloids began printing:

Prince Harry’s New Princess?

Who is Ellinor Taylor?

Ellie Taylor: The Commoner that Captured Harry’s Heart

People began comparing her to Kate. The news reporters were desperately trying to figure out what Ellie’s background story was and they got nothing. They waited for a public outing of His Royal Highness and Ellie. However, the guards were doing an outstanding job at keeping them out of the palace. The family knew Ellie still wasn’t accustomed to the press. Everything needed to settle in a while.

“Good morning, my love,” Harry greeted Ellie as she walked into the dining hall. She smiled as her prince walked to her and kissed her on the forehead. “Morning, love,” she replied.

Ellie saw Her Majesty at the end of the table, placing her cup of tea on the table and giving her a royal wave. The brunette ran her hand loosely through Harry’s hair as she walked behind him and over to The Queen. She curtsied before her and said, “Good morning Your Majesty.”

The Queen smiled sweetly at Ellie and reached for her hand. Ellie stood up and placed her hand inside The Queens’. “Good morning darling. How are you this fine morning?”

“I’m lovely, thank you. How is your morning, ma’am?”

“Absolutely lovely,” The Queen replied, giving Ellie’s hand a light squeeze. As she released, she shooed her hand in Harry’s direction and laughed, “Go on. Have breakfast with Harry now.” Ellie nodded and curtsied once again before turning around.

“My gran loves you,” said Harry once Ellie sat down next to him. She smiled at him as she placed the napkin on her lap. “She’s so sweet. I’m glad she likes me.”

“My whole family does Ell.”

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Your whole family is great.”

Harry nodded and struck his egg with his fork. He paused and turned his head towards Ellie. “You know who else would love you?”

Ellie took a bite of her Eggs Benedict and raised her brow at Harry. “Who?” she asked in between chews.

The ginger looked down at the end of the table and back at Ellie. “My mum. I swear she would have loved you loads. She would be proud of me… to find a girl like you.”

She smiled and reached for Harry’s hand that rested on top of the table. “I would have been honored to meet your mum, Harry.”

They continued with their breakfast and watched as Her Majesty walk passed them with a smile on her face. It was just the two of them at the table now. They started talking about what they should do for Ellie’s remaining two weeks. Harry suggested football games, charity events, and sightseeing. Ellie agreed to everything as long as she got to be by his side.

Once they finished breakfast, the two of them walked out of the dining hall and into the empty hallway. It seemed like the palace was quiet except with the occasional noises of the maids. Everyone else was busy with duties: Will and Kate had a football match to attend; Prince Charles and Camilla were traveling north to visit Camilla’s daughter, Harry’s stepsister, and Prince Philip was in Ireland for the rest of the week.

“Come with me, I have to show you something…” said Harry, tugging on Ellie’s hand as they marched down the hallway and reached two large, floor to ceiling, doors. He stood her right in the front as he shuffled behind her.

“What is this?” She asked, analyzing at the delicateness of the doors.

With his free hand, he covered Ellie’s eyes and pushed the doors so they opened. Harry led Ellie inside, with her eyes closed, and walked her into the middle of the dark room. “Okay, stay here and keep your eyes shut, please.”

He ran to the sides of the room and tugged on a large, braided string that pulled open the curtains on the grand windows. Thus, the sunlight entered the room and hit every corner. The whole space was now visible and Harry ran back to Ellie, grinning and twirling her around. “Alright, open your eyes…”

As soon as he said that, Ellie’s eyes fluttered open to see the beautiful room she was standing in. She slowly spun around, looking all over the place. Books, books, and more books surrounded every inch of the room. Thousands of shelves were filled with colorful spines shelf décor. It was something straight out of Beauty and The Beast.

“Harry…” she said, still in awe. Ellie tilted her head back to look up at the ceiling which was decorated with scrolls and writing with famous quotes that she was able to figure out. She held onto Harry’s hand and gave it a squeeze. He knew exactly how to make her happy. “This is beautiful… it took you a week to show this room to me?” She laughed.

Ellie faced Harry and sucked in her bottom lip. Her beaming expression to the beautiful library she was standing right in the middle of made Harry feel like he had done a good job. The library wasn’t used much so he was glad to bring Ellie to the palace to finally give it some use.

“I knew you’d love it.” He commented.

She nodded and looked around once more. She couldn’t wait to start reading the books and she didn’t know where to start. The whole room was overwhelming, but she managed to keep calm.

“I didn’t know the Buckingham Palace had a library.”

Harry looked around. “It didn’t. Not until my great-gran decided it should have. She was a bookworm just like you,” he placed his index finger on the tip of Ellie’s nose.

“Come here…” he said softly. Harry held her hand and led the both of them to a large, cushioned chair that sat next to the bay window. He took a seat and patted his lap for Ellie to sit on. When she made herself comfortable on his lap, Harry reached over for a book that was placed on the side table. “This is a photo album; it has every picture of me since birth. It has photos of my mum as well. William has one just for him too.”

Ellie placed her hand on the front cover of the album. It was inscribed with Harry’s full name. “Henry Charles Albert David…” she whispered.

She opened to the first page and saw a picture of Lady Diana holding newborn Harry in her arms. Her bright, warm smile made Ellie’s day and seeing little Harry’s face was an added bonus.

“You were such a darling little baby,” Ellie commented, scanning through the pages. She occasionally stopped on one page and Harry would then explain the story behind it. “My aunt Anne gave me that toy; I believe it was my favorite one.”

The two of the spent most of the day in the library going through hundreds of family photo albums and Ellie learned a lot. She went through albums that probably weren’t touched for more than 50 years. Dust flew in midair as she brushed the front covers and danced her fingers across the details.

“Your family is so wonderful, Harry.”

He looked at her and smiled. “Not as wonderful as you, love.”

Ellie continued to go through photos, admiring each and every one of them. After gone through the hundreds, she began feeling a little sentimental. Learning about the Royal history, made her tear up a bit.

“Why are you crying?” Harry asked, chuckling.

She playfully shoved his shoulder. “Stop! I’m not crying. I’m just… a little overwhelmed. That’s all…”

“Don’t be Ells. You’re special and you mean a lot to me. You deserve a library like this.” He leaned in and rested his head against her shoulder. Ellie wrapped her arm over Harry’s head and draped in on his shoulder. “You mean a lot to me too.”

“Can I ask you something Ell?”

Ellie brought her finger up to her face and wiped away a tear. She shut the photo album and placed both of her hands over it. She took a deep breath as she collected herself and turned her head to look at Harry, who was staring at her with his meaningful blue eyes.

“Yes.” She replied.

Harry reached for Ellie’s hand and laced their fingers together. Fearless, he asked her in a soft, yet eloquent tone. “Ellinor Brin Taylor, would you do me the honor of being my beautiful, educated, sweet, and silly girlfriend?”

Without hesitating, Ellie leaned in and kissed him, soft and sweet, just how he liked it. Her hands ran up his shoulders, to his cheeks and she caressed them gently. She felt him smile in-between their kiss and once she pulled away, she looked him straight in his deep blue eyes and answered with, “Yes.”