How Long?

Harry was right, Louise loved everything about Lesotho. From the moment they landed on the airstrip to their quick journey to the village, Louise was struck by the incredible stark and savage beauty of the landscape. As they travelled up in the mountains near Semonkong she could see the herd boys Harry talked about, cloaked in their tradition Lesotho blankets.

When they reached the village, they were greeted by Prince Seeiso and by hundreds of children from schools who surged around them, shouting and clapping in their welcome. Prince Seeiso was exactly how Harry had described him. He was very humble, kind and extremely funny. There was big ceremony in Harry’s welcome where the children sang local songs. They were then ushered into the classrooms, where they interacted with children. Louise was so touched by the hospitality and warmth of the people; especially the children who were amazing even after all they had endured.

Harry got busy with the children. His passion for the work of the charity and the people of Lesotho was clear to see. Louise, who had known him all her life, was surprised to see this side of Harry. He was playing around, laughing with the kids. She could see the pure admiration and respect people had for Harry. She could see that in everyone’s eyes, from teachers to the people who ran the centres and especially the children, who followed him around everywhere. Her chest swelled with pride for her friend.

“They love him here” Prince Seeiso said.

“Yes, it seems like they do” Louise said with so much pride.

“When he first came out to Lesotho, he was a relatively young chap straight from school, I didn’t think very highly of him to be honest” he said with a chuckle. “But over the years and being allowed to come here and be himself, I have seen that boy grow into a solid man with a proper vision about what he wants to do not only here in Lesotho but in life. He is so much like his mother”

Louise could see that too. Harry was in his element here. The many arguments she had encounter between him and Uncle Charles about him going to work in Africa really made sense to her now. Louise knew Sentebale was Harry top most priority. He had worked hard and relentlessly for this cause. Raising funds and spreading the words. He had always talked so passionately about Africa especially his work here in Lesotho but hearing about it and seeing it from her own eyes was totally different. He seemed so different here. His eyes were bright and there was a permanent curve on his lips.

William might be the future king but among these mountains Harry was the king. After the word spread Harry was coming, there were so many people that walked for miles in harsh conditions to just get a glimpse of him. The kind of affection and love they hold for Harry was staggering.

Karen introduced Louise to Latifa, a middle age woman who was in charge the orphanage here. She
was going to help Louise with her paper. She was very friendly and nice and a great help. She answered all of Louise’s questioned while giving Louise a tour of the place. She introduced her to some shepherd boys, who attended the night school.

They were here today without any media. This was a brilliant opportunity for Louise to explore the place and to interact with the people. Louise took out her notepad and started writing down any and all the information necessary for her paper but every now and then her eyes wandered outside where Harry was playing with the children. There was a six year old dangling from his back. The sight was definitely doing something to her ovaries. Trying to shake her thoughts away, she tried her level best to concentrate on the task at hand.

“Prince Harry had helped us a lot. Since the time he started coming here a lot of shepherd boys who refuse to come before started coming. They hear that there is someone from far away who wants to help them without anything in return” One of the teachers told Louise.

She couldn’t stop herself and tears formed in her eyes. This man, her Harry had come such a long way from being the spoilt prat from her childhood. He had really turned out to be such an amazing man; she always knew he would be one day. It warmed her heart that his compassion and kindness was appreciated and loved by so many people. She was so proud of him and everything he’d achieved.

----

After lunch Louise went and changed into something comfortable. She had spent better half of the day working on her paper, gathering all the information. Now, she wanted to join Harry and the children, who were playing cricket outside.

The teams were divided. Louise was going to bat first. Harry bowled a Yorker, which confused her a bit. Louise swings her bat with full force. The ball touches the bat and goes not in the direction than she hoped, confused she started running between the wickets to score some runs. A little kid, not more than eight stopped the ball and threw it to Harry, who took the ball and crashed it into the stumps. Harry jumped in victory because Louise just ran out.

“What are you jumping about? I was clearly in the popping crease, hence I am not out” Louise said.

“Don’t be a sore loser Louise. Give me the bat” Harry said with a smirk.

“Sod off, I was inside the crease and it’s my turn to bat” She said taking her position.

“No, you were not! Stop cheating. Give me the fucking bat” Harry said.

“I am not cheating! You are the cheater” Louise said.

The children around them stopped and stared as the two continued to bicker.

Harry walked to her in two strides and snatched the bat out of her hands. “Thank you very much” He said sarcastically and turned around.

Suddenly, something clamped on around his ankles.

“What the hell!” He was pulled off balance, landing face first into the dirt. He could hear the children laughing around him. Before he could push himself up she was crawling over his back and pulling the bat out of his hands.

“Stop!” He demanded and tried to grab her hands.

“Get off of me” She snapped.

“Stop being such a cheater”

She threw back an elbow to dislodge him. He cursed under his breath as he pushed himself in further until her entire body was pressed tightly under him. He took advantage of her stunned reaction and tried grabbing the bat out of her grip.

“I said get off of me, not fucking crush me!” She cried. It was all she could do to control her breathing.
She was going to hyperventilate and faint. Harry was on top of her!

Her senses went into overload as she tried to focus. But all she could think about was how his strong muscular stomach felt pressed against her back. Suddenly, a shiver went through her body when she realized just how close he was.

Harry was losing his senses as well. He was on top of Louise and trying very hard not to groan or grind into her. He was a little shocked how turned on he felt at the moment.

He continued to make half ass attempt to grab the bat. That seemed to distract her enough to snuggle deeper into him. His eyes closed as he nuzzled his face into her neck and inhaled her smell of daisies. She didn’t seem to notice so he did it again.

She groaned in irritation. “You are being such a wanker right now. Let me play. I was not out!”

That snapped him out of his daze. “You were too” He said making another attempt of grabbing the bat.

She swore under her breath and crawled out from under him. He simply followed her, assuming the same position every time, frustrating her to no end.

“Let me have it Harry” She said.

“No!”

“Why are you being such an asshole? Me batting some more isn’t going to hurt you”

“The hell it’s not” He snapped pressing himself further into her.

“Move!”

“I won’t!”

Louise clenched her teeth as she slammed back into him as hard as she could, trying to yank his hands
off the bat. He groaned in her ear, but didn’t budge. She moved forward and slammed back again and again. Each time she was met by a groan. This was turning Harry on to no end.

“One more time and I swear…” Before he could finish the sentence she moved forward and this when she slammed back into him she pushed her shoulders, dislodging him. Harry still didn’t let go. He kept him arms snaked around her waist.

“Fuck off!” She cried.

“Excuse me” Karen said clearing her throat.

“What!?” Both of them snapped at the same time.

They turned around to thirty odd children, school staff, Seeiso, Karen, Bertie and Richard all starting at
them. Harry was still trying to understand what they might look like at the moment when Louise shoved him lightly and he let go of her. She lessened her grip on the bat which fell down on the ground with a thud.

Louise went red under everyone’s gaze. She was covered in dirt and sweat. She looked at Harry and he was in the same position.

“Yes” Harry managed to say.

Karen held the phone out for him, “Prince William for you sir”

“Yes, thank you” He said taking the phone.

Louise, flustered started walking towards the cottage they were staying at. She kept her eyes on the
ground trying to avoid eye contact with anyone. Once, inside the cottage she locked herself in the bathroom to scrub off the dirt as well as the embarrassment she just felt.

----

Harry couldn’t shake off the thought of his body pressed against Louise the whole day. She fit so perfectly with his body. He was having evening tea with Seeiso discussing tomorrow’s event with William coming to Lesotho. His mind kept going back to Louise. As if universe was playing a cruel game with him, just when he told himself to stop thinking about her, she appeared. She was reading to children, dressed in jeans, plaid button down shirt and a hoodie. She was also wearing those cute little glasses of hers. Her thick dark hair that he loved so much was tied in a messy bun. All through the day he had a desire to run his fingers through her hair and now all he wanted to do was to beg her to let them down again.

“Harry” Seeiso said.

“What?” He said looking back at Seeiso having no idea what he was talking about.

“I said she is a natural with the children” Seeiso said.

“Yes, she is” Harry said looking back at Louise. With a baby on her lap, he could picture her being a
mother. She would make such a brilliant mother, he thought and then his thoughts drifted to her being mother of his children. Carrying his cute little ginger babies that will posses her grace and his charm.

Moments later as if she could feel him looking at her she looked up and their gaze met. She smiled and
her blush made him feel warm.

Later that evening they were to attend one of the night classes with the shepherd boys. Harry stood next to Louise as jotted down points for presumably her paper. She looked ultra cute scrunching her nose in concentration. The teacher was teaching vowels to the class. After the class was over, the teacher introduced Harry and Louise to the class and asked them to share something with the students. Harry put on his charm and made the children laugh. Louise talked to the children, asking them questions about the lesson and when they answer correctly she gave them chocolates. Within twenty minutes she became the centre of attraction.

Harry and Louise sat hip to hip while she asked questions. As if he couldn’t stop himself, he reached back and casually rubbed a circle on Louise’s lower back. He almost groaned when he felt her tremor beneath his fingers. Outward she appeared to be cool and relaxed. She laughed with the children and never had any problems carrying on with questions and the children surrounded her as moth to the flame.

----

Later that night as Louise climbed into her bed and lay awake, staring at the ceiling. She was well aware of the fact that there was only a wall that was separating her and Harry at this moment and she remembered how good it felt to have his arms wrapped around her today. For a brief moment, she wondered what it would be like if he would be interested in her that way. To be excited and giddy whenever he looked at her or when their hands accidently touched. To look forward to going on dates with him, to their first kiss and all the things that came after that. Then she remembered her eighteen year old self and thinking the same things over and over again and how badly that had ended. She shook her head shoving those feelings as deep down as she possibly could.

---

Next morning the place turned into a circus. This was the Princes’ first international tour as a duo. This had obviously attracted a lot of media. There were cameras and people all around the village. This was William first time in Lesotho. So, there was a lot of fanfare for him. Harry and William were scheduled to give some interviews as well. Louise stayed in the background as the whole thing took place. She kept herself busy with children. But every few minutes she would feel Harry’s eyes watching her.

Louise sat far away but near enough to hear Harry and William while they were giving their interviews. She had to stop herself from punching the interviewer multiple times when she was all praises for William and his efforts while putting Harry down. She hated that the media was still so blind and didn’t see all the good Harry had done and was still trying to do. William was the senior royal and the future king but ask anyone here and they will tell you, this was Harry’s realm. People loved and adored him here.

Soon the day came to an end. Louise was sad about leaving Lesotho tomorrow morning. She had loved every moment to being here and she promised Seeiso to come back soon. She spent as much time as she could with the children and the staff while Harry and William were busy with the dignitaries and media.

The dinner was bitter sweet for her. Harry sat very close to her at dinner, their thighs touching which was something different and exciting all of a sudden. She had noticed for the past couple of months, Harry had started being more affectionate towards her. He had always been caring but recently he hugged her more, held her hand more and also found any excuse to sit closer to her. He constantly found ways to touch her. She liked it. A lot. Her body tingled every time he was this close to her.

After the dinner everyone started taking group pictures around the table. Wanting to capture as many memories as possible, Louise rushed to her room to fetch her camera. She wanted to remember the moment. To her bad luck, her camera ran out of battery. She was cursing under her breath when
Harry walked in behind her.

“Can I borrow your camera?” Louise asked.

“Sure, I just bought the new cannon DSLR before we came here” Harry said walking to his room with
Louise in tow. He rummaged through his bag and handed her the camera.

She took the camera and then frowned at it.

“What’s wrong?” Harry asked.

“I don’t get these fancy schmancy cameras”

“It’s actually very easy to use. I’ll show you how” He said positioning himself behind Louise. “Just pay
attention” He whispered in her ear sending shivers all over her body.

Harry leaned around her, putting his fingers on the camera, his arm brushing hers. “This button, right here is for the setting. You can make it manual or auto” He pointed the silver button at the top. “Select auto, then focus the lens from here to get a clear image. Press this and it will capture an image”

“Okay” She said brushing few strands of hair that escaped back.

“Got it?” He asked leaning a little forward, his lips moved just behind her ear and she could feel his hot
breath on her skin.

“I think so” She said pressing her eye to the viewfinder. But all she saw was pitch black. “I don’t see
anything”

“That’s because you haven’t taken the lens off, nutter” Harry laughed.

She jerked her elbow back. It connected with his stomach, which was equivalent to hitting a wall.

“Wanker” she muttered under her breath.

Still laughing, he reached for the lens. Harry could’ve moved, but he didn’t. His entire front pushed against her back, and she stilled, closing my eye, feeling him near her.

“What?” he asked hoarsely.

She cleared her throat trying to gain back the ability to form words. “It would’ve been easier for you to
just go to the side and do that” She pointed out.

“True” He said lowering his head so that his lips brushed beside her ear. “But what fun would that be”

A shiver raced across Louise’s shoulders. “Go have fun by yourself” She said elbowing him again.

“Well, that’s just no fun,” he said. “Now, have a look” He said.

Taking a deep breath, she pressed her eye in the view finder again. Her body very aware of Harry’s
behind.

“You see now?” He asked again in a low voice.

She pulled back. “Yeah, thanks” She said moving quickly to exit the room. Being near him was doing
something to her.

Harry caught her arm with one hand and yanked the clip from her hair with the other. Her dark hair fell cascading over her shoulders. He took a few strands of her hair, pulling them off of her face.

“I just really wanted to do that” He said giving her a devilish grin.

Taken totally off guard by his sudden closeness, Louise biting down on her lip took a few steps away
from him. She looked up at him and for a really long time they just stared at each other’s faces. Louise’s heart did flips when his eyes roamed from her eyes to her mouth and she found herself doing the same. He had such wonderful beautiful lips.

“I really…have to go” Louise said taking another step back from him. He let go of her arm. “Thanks
again” She said before turning and going out of his room.

When she closed the door, she leaned against it and took a deep breath. She knew she was in big trouble.