But Most of All

“Go back to sleep, you wanker.” He whispered to himself, rather angrily. “You’ve no business being awake at these hours. None at all! So close your eyes.” And he did close them. He kept quiet for a few minutes, hoping his silence would be enough for him to fall asleep, but sleep never came. So he groaned in frustration. He angrily rubbed his tired eyes that refused to cooperate. “I closed the damn things, but the moment’s passed. There’s no getting back to sleep, not now. Just get up Harry. Get up. There’s no point in messing about here, not when you know what you want to be doing.” He pushed the covers off himself and was about to swing his legs off the side of the bed, but suddenly his pride wouldn’t let him. “No.” It said. “I’ve no bloody business watching those results. I’m nothing to her so why waste my time? I ought to get some rest. What with all Gran has planned in the morning.”

He closed his eyes once more, hoping that that time he’d actually doze off, but he lay there for ten minutes without any success. His heart had woken him at a little after three in the morning and he had spent the subsequent hour arguing aloud.

“For fuck’s sake!” he groaned aloud. “Am I to have no sleep?”

He waited for the universe to respond, but there was nothing.

“Fine,” he said, petulantly. “I’ll watch the damn results, but I won’t enjoy it! It’s embarrassing seeing her prance about with that git. She ought to have done better for herself, but no, she’s done the bloody opposite.”

Harry continued badmouthing Francis throughout the entire walk to the media room. He wasn’t as loud about it as he’d been in his chambers, not because he was embarrassed of being overheard, but because he didn’t feel like being told off by one of his relatives. Windsor Castle was filled with members of the British Royal Family. The Queen had assembled them for a weeklong memorial service in honor of her beloved late husband. Since it was the first anniversary of his passing, it felt right to mark it in such a manner. As such, Harry knew to keep his voice down, and so instead of talking shit at full volume, he opted to mutter. He complained about how Paulina could’ve done much better for herself and how she ought to have higher standards, because there was absolutely no doubt in his mind that Francis was a massive git.

Absorbed by his badmouthing, Harry failed to notice the noise emanating from the media room. He simply gripped the doorknob and waltzed right in, fully intending to plop himself down in front of the teli, but when he opened the door, he was met by a strange sight – it was his grandmother in a robe.

“What’re you doing awake?” Harry blurted out, completely forgetting his manners.

“Same as you, I believe.” The Queen replied. “Now shut the door. You’ll let in a draft.”

Harry did as he was told, but he didn’t move towards the sofas. He simply stood near the door.

“Do be seated,” she told him. “I have reason to believe we might be here for quite some time. The polls have only just closed in California.”

“What polls?” He feigned ignorance.

“Do not insult my intelligence by pretending that you are not here for what you so obviously are.” She said, curtly. “You know as well as I what we are here for. Now sit down. Have a cuppa.”

“I’ll go fetch a cup, Gran.” He said, believing that there was only one cup for her.

“No need for that. I had one brought.”

“How’d you know I’d come?” He asked as he took his seat beside her.

“Because time might have passed, but your affections have remained unchanged.” She saw the corner of his right lip twitch ever so slightly, and like so many grandmothers before her, she said, “Have a biscuit, dear.”

They sat in silence for quite some time after that. Harry didn’t know what to say. He was embarrassed his grandmother had known he’d spend the night looking after the election. He’d worked so hard to make it look as though he was getting on with his life, but his grandmother had seen through all that. She knew that his heart still very much belonged to the dark haired American, and so to spare himself the talking, he stuffed his face with biscuits.

His grandmother picked up on his unease. He undoubtedly expected to spend his time talking ill of the American Irishman that Paulina had embarked on a relationship with. More than once over the course of the last few days, she’d actually heard him doing so in a low voice with Alistair, but she’d never commented on it – that was private. They were his emotions, his thoughts, but as she sat beside him in the media room, she knew she’d have to say something to put him at ease.

“I have absolutely no idea as to what she sees in that vulgar man.”

“Gran,” said Harry, pretending as though he didn’t want to talk shit.

“It’s the truth!” she declared. “I’ve met those Kennedys. I met the late President Kennedy, as well as the late Senators, and I can say with absolutely certainly that the men in that family are good at one thing and one thing only – chasing skirts!”

Harry had to keep himself from laughing.

“Flirt with anyone that crosses them, they do.” She lifted her tea. “And believe me when I say that that one is no different.” She was going to go on, but then the reporter announced that they had a projected winner for the Presidential election. “Another Democrat,” the Queen mused aloud. “I’m pleased.”

“You have a preference?” asked Harry.

“Not normally,” she replied. “But if there is a Democrat in the White House, then perhaps our dear girl will have better legislative prospects.”

“That’s if she’s elected.”

“Do you honestly doubt she will?” she asked. “My beliefs are undoubtedly at odds with some of hers, but the exit polls have been largely in her favor and after the attempt on her life, I have absolutely no doubt that she will be elected. She has shown herself to be superior to that Henderson in every possible way imaginable. There is no way she can lose the election.”

And she didn’t.

At 4:57 in the morning, it was announced that Paulina Aureliana Balcázar had been elected as the United States Senator from California. Neither Harry nor the Queen said anything. They were far too focused on the screen. They were showing clips from the campaign trail. The network had gone to great lengths to compile a video. Her campaign had been the most talked about in all of the United Kingdom. The people couldn’t get enough of her. And so the network went in depth in their coverage. They spoke about how she came to fame for her relationship with Prince Harry, and how after over two years together they had separated after a near fatal accident, they then went onto cover her time at Harvard, her time working for the late Senator, until finally ending on the campaign.

The only time when they cut away from covering Paulina was when the newly elected United States President gave his acceptance speech, but the moment he finished, they went right back to her. They had prepared an hour long special for her, and they ran it. When it ended, they brought out panelist to discuss what her election meant, they paid it much more attention than they should have, and they did so because ratings went up whenever she was being discussed. Despite all the years that had passed, she was still popular in England, the tabloids still talked about her and the entertainment hosts were always discussing her, and so the panelist kept talking about her, they kept going at it until they received confirmation from their reporters on the ground in California that she was to take the stage.

Harry had thought he was ready for her, but the moment she walked out onto that stage, he felt his heart skip a beat. She looked beautiful, but more importantly, she looked happier than he had ever before seen her. Her eyes literally shone, and there was a smile on her face that despite not being massive still conveyed her joy.

“I take it you all heard the news!” was the first thing she said. “So much for being the one to deliver it!” she chuckled. “But if you already know, I suppose the only thing left to do is to celebrate!”

Harry smiled as the crowd roared in approval.

“We’ve earned it! You more than anymore deserve to celebrate, because this is your victory! You’re the ones that got out the vote! You phone banked, you went canvassing, you opened your homes to meetings and donated! Without you wonderful Californians, I would not be standing here! Without you, this campaign would’ve never taken off. It’s because you dared to believe in a kid from Azusa that all this became possible, and from the bottom of my heart – with every ounce in my being, I thank you!” She paused, waiting for the crowd to calm down enough for her to proceed. “Thank you for entrusting me with your hopes and your dreams. Thank you for giving me the privilege of representing you. It is an honor that I shall endeavor to be worthy of. And since we’re all here, since the eyes of California are upon us, I want to take a moment to formally announce that I will be seeking reelection in 2018!” Since it was a special election, she was only serving what was left of the late Senator Steven’s term. “I have two years to prove myself, and I want you to hold me accountable, because I have no intention of being one of those politicians that doesn’t keep their promises! I’ve given you my word. Now watch me deliver!”

By the end of the speech, the Queen was so genuinely impressed that her face actually showed it.

“And to think I ever thought ill of her.” The Queen whispered. “I should have been accepting from the start. I should have welcomed her with open arms. Perhaps then she could’ve been ours.”

“Wasn’t your fault she left, Gran.” Harry assured her, never taking his eyes off the screen. “That was my doing. All mine. But at least she’s happy and after hearing that speech, there’s no doubting that’s what she was born for.”