His Royal Highness

Groaning, I slid into the bubble bath I made after my shower, clipping my hair up into a mess on top of my head. I didn’t like soaking in my own filth, so I always took showers before I soaked in a bath. The bath smelled like gardenias, one of my favorite flowers. I shut my eyes and thought back to dinner just a few hours ago. What a nightmare.

I had already been seated with Harry and we were patiently waiting for Kate and William. When they arrived, they were bickering in hushed tones at one another. I looked at Harry questioningly, but he did not even turn to see my reaction, just staring amused at his elder brother and sister-in-law. My eyes almost fell out of my head when William went to pull Kate’s seat out for her and she slapped his hands away, quite hard too I’ll admit. William, defeated, sat down in his own seat. Dinner was silent and I could not help but feel I was the cause of all this. When dinner was over, Kate asked me to have tea with her on one of the balconies.

It was silent, for a little while, Kate and I listening to music coming from the room behind us. We sat looking out over the garden and it was quite lovely. I loved balconies. You could sit out on it and still feel like you’re inside. Maybe it was just me. I dropped two sugars into my tea and nibbled on a shortbread cookie.

“Katie,” I spoke lightly. She turned and looked at me, a small smile appearing on her face. “I think you should go with Wills to Kenya. I can just go home and when you return, I’ll be right back here. It’s honestly okay.”

“Aerabelle, I don’t want to do that, not to you. About dinner, I’m sorry. I’m only upset because William promised he’d be here while you were here. He promised,” she sighed sadly, sipping her black tea. “I wanted the four of us to have a good time together these few weeks. We’ve been separated quite a bit because of his duties and my own. Is that selfish?”

“I could see how it could be taken as a selfish act, but I think people can understand why you feel this way. I understand,” I said, giving her a warm smile. “I want you to go with Will. Don’t let me be a reason.”

“Oh but you’ve just gotten here.” She was silent for a while before turning to me. “Aer, what if you just stayed here with Harry while we are away? It’s only three days, but Harry’s a fun guy. He doesn’t have any responsibilities for a while anyway.”

I choked on my tea, almost forcing it through and out my nose. “What! Have you gone mad? He did not even speak to me at dinner! What would make you think he would want me around him for three days? I won’t, I’ll just go home.”

“Aerabelle Jane Luster, as your future queen I command it,” Kate teased.

“Don’t play that card on me, Your Highness. You’re still a Duchess for now,” I said, laughing.

“Please; it’d make me feel tons better about this all.” Kate was now leaning over the seat, getting her face as close to mine as she could. Oh the peer pressure…

“Alright; fine! Now get your face out of my face!”

Picking up a cookie, I threw it at her and she threw it back, laughing. That is how I ended up here in the bathroom. I took a shower to get the cookie crumbs out of my hair and the bubble bath just seemed like a good alternative to wandering around for a few hours.



“So…”

“So…”

“So…”

“So, what would you like to do?” Harry’s light colored eyes met my brown ones and I couldn’t help but feel dumb. I knew this was a bad idea.

The two of us had just seen Kate and William off and we were standing on the steps of Clarence House looking like idiots in front of the Royal Guard. Oh boy.

“Do you have any friends we could call up and go do something? Maybe they could think of something to do.” I was unsure of what I was really saying.

“Sounds like a possibility.” He turned around and went back inside.

At his retreating back, I sighed a breath of air I’d been holding. I was sure if they were allowed to, these Royal Guards would be laughing at me now. Embarrassed, I walked inside rubbing my face. I went to go put some make up on.

There was a knock on my bedroom door shortly after I had applied the last of my eyeliner.

“Come in!” The door opened slowly and I turned to see a head of red hair. “Oh hi Harry. What did your friends say?”

“Two of them are coming over right now and we’re going out. Do you drink?” he asked, opening the door fully. He leaned against the frame, peering over in my direction.

“Not often, but I do; mostly wine and champagne. I’m a bit of a lightweight beyond that, though recently I’ve discovered I can handle Martini & Rossi Bianco without a problem,” she said with a small laugh.

Harry laughed and shook his head, smirking. “Not really a party girl then?”

For some reason, him saying that stung. “I love a good party, but I know my limits Harry. I try not to embarrass myself is all.”

His smirk slowly disappeared, “Right well I’ll get you when they arrive.” Turning on his heel, he walked away.

Making a faintly frustrated sound, I rubbed my cheek. This was going to be a long three days at this rate.

“Kate, Will, come back,” I whined.



Harry’s friends arrived ten after eight at night. I had just started eating a chicken salad with grapes and nuts sandwich with some sliced apples I had requested for dinner. Listening to my iPod and reading a Vogue magazine, I didn’t hear or see them enter the dining room with Harry.

Looking up from my magazine to take a sip of water, I gave a cry in surprise at seeing three handsome faces staring at me intently with amused expressions. At my reaction they laughed, nudging each other, and laughing even harder. My face burned with a fury that my face hurt.

“Aerabelle,” Harry began, once he composed himself, but one more glance at my face and he fell into a fit of laughter again.

Pursing my lips into a tight line, I slammed the magazine on the table, picked up my plate of food and glass of water, and stomped out of the room. The Prince and his friends were secretly monsters. Handsome monsters, but monsters none-the-less.

“Oh come now, Aerabelle, we’re sorry! I’m sorry! Stop walking away will you,” I heard Harry speak up as I began my trek up the stairs.

Turning around, I saw the three of them standing at the bottom of the stairs. “Really, Miss. We’re sorry. We shouldn’t of done that.”

Boys were stupid, but maybe I was more so for walking back down the stairs.

“Aerabelle, these are my friends Mark Tomlinson and John Martin. Mates, this is Kate’s friend Aerabelle,” Harry introduced us.

The one named Mark smiled, his blonde hair styled nicely to the side though messy to seem casual. “Lovely to meet you darling. Again, I’m quite sorry for our behavior.”

I shook my head. “It’s alright. Maybe I shouldn’t be so uptight.”

John, the blonde with short curly hair, laughed. “Well, it’s all forgotten now, right?”

“Right.” I shook their hands and they both kissed my knuckles gently. Cute was the only word I thought of.



It took an hour or two to figure out what we wanted to do. We, the boys mostly, came up with the idea to invite a few more people and rent hotel to party in for the night. With everyone agreed, I went off with Mark to get the alcohol, while John and Harry went to get a hotel room.

The ride with Mark was pleasant. He was a nice fellow. A bit of a flirt, but isn’t everyone?

“How many people are going to be at the hotel tonight?” I asked, playing with the hem of my top.

“Six of us together I believe. We invited two more girls; Grace Pilkington and Florence Uniacke,” he said lightly.

Nodding, I tucked the stray lock of hair behind my ear. “Are we just going to drink and sleep there?”

He laughed, looking over at me. “Yes, we are. Does it make you uncomfortable?”

“Well, no – somewhat – okay yes. It does, just a bit.” I’m twenty four years old and I’ve never shared a bed with anyone. Not even friends when I was little; I never liked staying over at other people’s homes and if my friends came over to stay the night, we had the floor mattress pulled out for them.

“Maybe if you’re lucky, whoever you share with tonight, you can kick them out onto the couch,” he teased me. “If it’ll make you feel better, we can share a room and I’ll sleep on the floor.”

Looking over to him, I smiled brightly. “Thank you, Mark.”

We pulled up to the offy* and parked on the street. We both went in quickly and gathered everything we would need. Mark had piled a massive variety of beers and liquors into the shopping trolley before turning to me.

“Darling, is there anything you’d like?” he asked. Over the car ride he christened me “darling.”

“Oh don’t worry about it. I’ll get it myself,” I said, smiling at him.

“Nonsense. Get what you will and I’ll get it. This is all on me, darling.” He gave me a wink and followed me around. I placed a bottle of wine into the trolley and a bottle of Martini & Rossi Bianco. Looking up, I saw Mark staring at me blankly. “That’s not even enough to get you squiffy**. We’re supposed to get sloshed tonight. Join in!”

Uneasy, I shook my head. “I don’t know Mark. I’m not one to get jetted.”

“You can trust us. I promise. Really,” he said, being completely sincere. “I promise to take care of you and I’m sure Harry wouldn’t want you upset or hurt over something.”

“Well, alright.” Leaning over, I grabbed another bottle of the same red wine and placed it in the trolley, walking away. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Mark stocking up two more bottles of the red wine. Turning, he smiled widely at me.

“I’ll have some wine with you!”

Laughing, I shook my head. He was silly.



“Wait. Wait! Alright, I’ll do it! Bugger off John,” Florence said, laughing and giving John the middle finger.

Mark and I made it to the hotel and the four of us, Mark, John, Harry, and I, started drinking early, helping me get a head start since Mark realized I drank slowly. An hour after, at ten at night, the two other girls, Florence and Grace arrived and quickly caught up. The two girls were fun and loud, which the loud part I didn’t like much. By three in the morning we’d managed a game of Truth or Dare and John had dared Florence to motorboat Grace.

Grimacing, I drank up my wine, looking anywhere but where the girl was shoving her face the other’s chest. When it was over, I turned back around to see Florence scanning our faces, before she lifted her finger and pointed it at Harry.

“You there Haz! Truth or dare?” She giggled, smiling brightly.

“Truth,” he replied. I was beyond gone at this point. Everything began to blur if I moved my head even a bit.

“Oh poo, you’re no fun!” She sat with her legs crisscrossed, showing her cooka to everyone. I turned bright red and looked back up at her face. That is embarrassing, but I assumed she either didn’t mind, or didn’t realize. I think it was the latter. “Okay! If you were to shag someone, boy or girl, in this room, who would it be?”

“That’s easy! I’d give a good bonking to Mark!” he laughed, joking. My face turned red and I immediately wanted to stop playing this game. Bad images, bad. “Alright! John, truth or dare?”

“Dare, of course,” he said with a grin.

“I dare you to snog Gracie.” Harry gave him a wink and leaned back against the couch from his spot on the floor.

“What are we, three, Haz?” Grace slurred before she and John began attacking each other’s faces. When they finished, John turned and his gaze landed on me.

He smiled in my direction, “You, duck***. Truth or dare?”

“Careful, he could have a really good dare, or an incredibly embarrassing truth, darling,” Mark warned, downing a beer.

“Dare,” I managed to say, blinking slowly and squinting to see more clearly.

“Excellent. Haz, in thanks for you to getting Gracie and I a reason to finally snog… You, duck. I dare you to give Haz the best snogging of his life,” he said, winking.

If I wasn’t already red-faced from drinking, I was now. Shyly, I turned my head to look at Harry who was frowning. Oh, I can’t do this. But oh how I want to. I really want to. Leaning forward, I whispered into his ear, “Harry, I don’t have to if you don’t want me to.”

“Well get on with it darling!” Mark gave me a good shove into Harry, making me press my face against his. Oh he smelled so nice; so, so nice.

I felt his arms wrap around my waist as he pulled me closer to him. Pulling me around, I sat in his lap. Nervously, I glanced at his face quickly. That same frown was on his face. Biting my lip, I looked to his eyes. Bad decision. Down. I glanced down at his nose. That was a safer place to look.

“Go on duck! Give him a good ol’ kiss,” John cheered.

I felt a warm breath on my ear. “It’s alright. All they want is a good show.” Looking up, I saw Harry and he was finally smiling, barely, but it was still a smile. Nodding, I leaned forward and he met with me half way.

His lips were firm and gentle, and they were just moist enough. They were definitely the best lips I’ve ever kissed. I leaned into him, letting one hand rest on his chest and the other found its way to his cheek. I moved my thumb gently over his cheekbone in a caressing manner. Leaving one hand on my hip, his other hand rested on my neck, pulling me closer, and just as I rubbed his cheek, he ran his thumb over the spot under my ear. I sighed into the kiss and he took the moment to slip in his tongue.

I don’t know how long we’d been kissing but I was suddenly drenched with water. We broke apart, much to my chagrin.

“Oi, mate, you two can get it on later in your room. We’ve got a game to be played here!” John laughed at us, an empty bottle of water in his hand.

“You didn’t have to pour water on us,” Harry said, shooting a glare at the four spectators. Sighing, I got up and walked to the bathroom, hopeful to use the blower to dry my hair.

Shutting the door behind me, I sighed loudly. Pulling the seat and lid to the loo down, I sat, rubbing my face with my hands. Getting up I looked at myself in the mirror. Gazing intently at my features, I gently touched my lips. It may not have been the best snog for Harry, but it was definitely the best snogging I’ve ever had. Reaching over, I took the blower of the wall and used it to dry my hair, raking my fingers through and re-braiding it. I slipped my shirt over my head and began to dry it as well.

The game continued on when I returned for another two hours. This time I stuck with truth. At five, I turned in for bed. Everyone wanted to play Kings and I was done with drinking. Mark reminded me of the promise he made to me in the car. When I made it to the room, I sloppily undressed and took a shower. After that, I slipped my undergarments back on, putting the rest of my clothes aside onto the dresser and crawled in under the covers of the bed. I would just have to tell Mark to leave the room in the morning, or sneak into the bathroom as quick as I could. I passed out quickly, listening to the muffled music playing from the other room.