Born to Love You

"What exactly do you do in a 'hunt'?" Liam asked as he plopped down beside me on the bed. I leaned my head on his shoulder and he kissed my forehead.

"You just get on a horse, wield a gun with you, and follow some dogs." I answered simply.

"A gun?" Liam whispered.

"Don't do anything that you don't want to do. Just keep close to Harry and William at all times. They'll look after you. Steer clear of poisonous berry patches. You might encounter some poison ivy in the forest, so, if you see any vines, don't touch those... unless you want your skin to itch badly. If your horse stops, call Haz or Wills. If, by any chance, you get lost... immediately get your phone out and call me. I'll send a whole brigade of soldiers to find you." I said the last one with a teasing smile which made Liam roll his eyes.

"I'm not a little boy, lovey. I'm a man. I'm your big, strong man." He said softly and wrapped an arm around my waist before kissing the crown of my head. I smiled and wrapped my arms around his waist; snuggling further into his side.

"I know. It's just that... I don't want you to get hurt. I don't know what I'd do if that happened." I whispered and kissed his clothed chest before looking up at him.

"I love you, Liam." I said quietly before tilting my head back and leaning up a bit. Liam leaned down and pressed a sweet kiss to my lips which made my eyes close and my stomach twist itself into knots.

"I love you to Pluto and back." Liam answered which made me giggle.

"Pluto's not a planet anymore." I pointed out which made Liam pout.

"Why must you hurt Pluto's feelings? Planet-feeling-hurter."

"I didn't mean to hurt his feelings. Could you tell him that I'm sorry?"

"Alright, I'll tell hi-" Our conversation was cut off when someone knocked on the door.

"Lovebirds, open up. It's almost time to go." Harry hollered from the other side of the door. I rolled my eyes and reluctantly unwound myself from Liam. He pouted at me as he got up off the bed.

"Are you really sure that you want me to go with them?" He asked for the umpteenth time which made me look at him incredulously.

"Yes, Liam James. I want you to go with my cousins and my father. It'll give you a chance to bond with them. Spread the brotherly love or something like that. Oh, and they like Manchester United."

"Arie, Liam, open up." Harry hollered and knocked on the door again.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, fire crotch." I shouted over my shoulder and turned back to Liam who was trying to stifle his laughter.

"You are such a rude little girl." Harry shouted through the door which made me grin.

"I grew up with you, didn't I? It would only make sense, you cheeky little minger." I shot back at my cousin who was, most probably, getting pissed at me by the minute.

"I better get going." Liam whispered reluctantly. He leaned down and wrapped his arms around me before giving me one last searing kiss for three hours, or more.

"I love you." I bid and smiled at Liam who returned my smile.

"I love you, too. Very, very much."

"He's not going off to war, Arabella! Let the lad go." Harry stated impatiently yet jokingly which made me roll my eyes. Liam chuckled and wrapped his coat tighter around him before walking to the door and opening it.

"Take care of my Liam, okay?" I said as I looked into Harry's eyes. He grinned and nodded.

"Will do, your royal pain in the buttocks. Would you like for me to also kiss him for you?" He asked cheekily which made me narrow my eyes.

"Would you like me to drown you in the River Thames, Wales?" I asked my ginger cousin.

"Wait, why is Arie's surname Mountbatten-Windsor while your surname is Wales? It's a bit confusing." Liam stated confusedly which I found so adorable.

"Arie doesn't have a state/Principality that's why her surname is still Mountbatten-Windsor. However, if you two get married, it's up to her if she wants to change her surname to Payne or just add it to her surname, making it Windsor-Payne. Arabella Elizabeth Rosaline Windsor-Payne." I blushed madly as Harry rambled on about surnames.

"You two are going to be late." My mum's familiar voice rang out which made Harry freeze.

"Sorry, Aunt Anne." Harry bid and then waved at me before grabbing Liam's sleeve and dragging him down the hall before he could even get a word out.

My mum entered the room and closed the door behind her before taking a seat on the left side of my bed. She looked up at me and I looked back at her; curiosity burning in my gaze.

"I have something important to tell you. Promise me that you won't get upset and go back to your old ways when you hear it..." My mum trailed off.

"What could be so bad that I'm going to break into ny old habita?" I asked with a small smile and my mother looked me dead in the eye before breaking her shocking news to me.

"No. No. This can't be... I- no! No! Liam... It'll break his heart when I tell him. I can't do that to him, mum. I can't- I love him. He loves me. No. This can't be happening now. No. I don't want to lose Liam... I can't lose him. Not now, not ever. Can't you talk to them about it? This can't be happening." I rambled out, stammering over my own words as tears welled up in my eyes. I tried to blink them away but the first one fell and the rest followed like an endless stream.

"I'm sorry, Arabella." My mother whispered before leaning over to kiss my forehead and then getting off the bed to walk out of the room. It seems like that whenever I need my mother the most, that's when she walks out on me. And yet, I still love her despite all the neglect that I've been experiencing ever since I was a child. That's how it's always been for her, duty over family. And that's how it always will be.

On that very moment, I promised myself that I will never ever let my future children ever feel neglected like the way my own mother made me feel. I would make them feel loved, safe, and happy. I would always put my family first. I just hope that I have that family with Liam.

***

For three hours and twenty minutes, I silently sat on my bed, bawling my eyes out as I thought of how to break the news to Liam. I didn't even want to tell him about it. It would, most likely, force him to leave me.

"He'll be here any minute. Get your act together, Arabella. You don't want to make Liam see that you're sad, right? You need to keep your head screwed on. You are going to tell him right as he walks through that do-" I was cut off by the door opening. I quickly wiped my tears away and couldn't help but smile as Liam came into view.

He had windblown hair and his cheeks were flushed, his borrowed riding boots as well as his pants and a small portion of his shirt was specked with dried mud. Minor scratches littered his arms and one cut across his cheek. He looked like he'd been dragged through the forest, but he had a huge smile on his face which made me suspect that he wasn't dragged through the forest like my initial thought. I didn't have the heart to tell him right now. Not when he just got back and was happy.

When he saw my puffy eyes, though, his smile immediately dropped as he rushed forward and sat down beside me before cupping my cheeks in his hands.

"What happened?" He asked worriedly.

I chuckled, "I just accidentally moved my injured foot is all. Nothing to worry about." 

"Do you want me to go get the physician?" Liam asked softly as he wiped my excess tears away with the pad of his thumb.

"No, no. So, how did the hunting go? Caught anything? Did Harry and Wills drag you through the forest?" I teased and he chuckled.

"It was great. Your dad and I talked and we both have the same opinions on McDonald's, stamp prices, taxes, and everything else. Sadly, we didn't catch anything. As for the scratches, the mud, and my hair... we went riding through the forest while we were chasing this deer. It was fun. Oh, and I brought you something." Liam stated happily and dug around in his jacket's pocket before fishing out a few small wild flowers and a small rock that was a quarter of the palm of your hand.

He held the flowers out to me and I had to resist the urge to bawl my eyes out again as I took the brightly colored flowers in my hands. No one has ever given me wild flowers before. 

"Hold your hand out." Liam instructed and I obeyed him quietly. He placed his closed hand on top of my palm and unfurled his fist which made the rock, that was in his hand, fall into my palm. I examined it and let the tears flow when I realized that it wasn't an ordinarily shaped rock. It was in the shape of a heart. It was so pretty despite being 'just a rock'. 

If I had to choose, I'd choose this rock over all the diamonds in the world.