Rose of royalty

IV

I walked down the street looking at the signs to the abbey, I'd walked past there every time I went to the river. The warm sun beaming on my skin and reflecting off my jewelry, I kept walking turning left finally seeing a big building around the same size as Windsor castle. Seeing the gates and the guards, how was I going to get inside. I walked up to a guard giggling at the straight and serious face he was making, I pulled out my phone texting Harrison saying I was at the gate and didn't know how to enter. Waiting patiently as I watched the changing of the guards and the horses trotting along.

"Hey you made it" I turned around seeing Harrison and a small side gate opened, "I did" I said as I walked in having the gate closed behind me. "Thanks for coming" he said as he walked beside me, "so what did you want to talk about?" I asked as he walked through the castle grounds. "We'll have you had time to think about the offer?" He asked, "I have but I want to know what else is involved" i stated and he nodded. "Well of course you'd be getting paid but you'll also be my girlfriend" he said and I stopped walking, "your what?" I asked and he looked back at me. "Okay look think of it as getting to know each other but with a label" he said as if that would make the situation better. "Please Catherine I really need your help" he pleaded, "how long?" I asked and he scratched his head. "Three months and you'll live in the abbey and have your own room" he said, that swayed my decision. "Fine then" I said and he breathed a sigh of relief, "come on let's go to breakfast" he said brushing his hand against mine.

At breakfast there were other noble people at the table, talking amongst themselves as they looked in our direction. I felt anxious feeling people watching me and seeing the other woman dressed even more fancy than I was, I feel out of place and i already knew that this was way out of my original social status. I didn't eat much of my breakfast because I never had much of an appetite, I was about to leave my seat when Harrison got up and went up behind me pulling my chair out. I stood up holding my purse and stepped to the side as Harrison pushed in the chair wrapping his arm around my waist walking beside me. "You need to relax" he whispered and I looked at him trying not to glare at him in front of everyone. We left the hall and walked back outside to the gardens where I saw to corgi running around the garden with two young children. "So what do you think of the Abbey?" Harrison asked as we strolled through the garden's, "it's quite large and I guess it'll be easy for me to get lost" I said as I picked a single rose.

He quietly laughed and smiled back at me, "I assure you that you won't get lost anytime soon" he said calmly. "Um so where will I staying?" I asked and Harrison's smile disappeared, "well we've not organised that so you may have to stay with me" he explained and I was shocked at his answer, "excuse me we just met and you expect me to sleep with you" I exclaimed. He rolled his eyes and walked ahead of me, "you can't be serious" I mumbled and he turned around looking at me. "You're being dramatic you'll take the bed and I'll take the couch" he said and that gave me a little bit of relief but not much at all, "fine if you insist" I said catching up to Harrison. I looked out into the distance seeing the clouds covering the sun and the clouds went grey, a small drop of water fell on my nose. It's going to rain seriously, "we better hurry inside" Harrison said ushering me to hurry back inside. It began raining heavily practically drenching me and dampening my clothes, i sneezed feeling an oncoming head cold. I never had a good immune system, we ran inside down the hall and up the stairs where I almost tripped on the stairs.

I was shivering as Harrison pulled me by my arm up the stairs towards what was Harrison's room in the quarters. I walked into the room and Harrison walked in behind me, I looked around the room seeing the simple yet elegant decorations around the room. "Um here" I turned around seeing Harrison holding a pair of towels with some spare clothing. I hesitantly took the clothes and towels and looked over at the open door, I walked to the bathroom closing the door behind me and locking it. I placed the towels and clothes on the basin and stripped out of my wet dress and left it in a pile on the floor before turning on the shower taps. I put my hand out feeling the water temperature, the hot water running off my hand and hearing the sound of the water hitting the floor. The shower was spacious and open much like those ones you'd find in five star hotels, i stepped under the water feeling the drops splash onto my face as I felt like I was washing the stress away. Scrubbing every inch from my hair to my feet smelling the scent of lavender body wash rinsing off of me.

I eventually finished my shower and dried off putting on the clothes Harrison had given me, they were comfy to wear at least for bed. The night wasn't too cold so these shorts and shirt would do the trick. Towel drying my hair enough so that I wouldn't catch a head cold and hung up the towel before leaving the bathroom with my dirty clothes. I walked out seeing Harrison sitting on the bed absently playing on his phone, he looked like a regular guy you wouldn't think that he's a royal. He lifted his head when he heard me close the door and showed a little smile, "you're out" he said jumping off the bed and coming towards me. "You look good" he said and that caught me off guard, I felt him take my hand and lift up my arm giving me a twirl.

"There's a dance in a few weeks and I'd like you to come with me" he said and I wasn't phased, "wouldn't you rather a woman that knows the waltz or fox trot?" I asked and he shrugged. "It'll be easy to teach you" he said not thinking of the bigger picture, "sounds like a load of baloney to me" i said going to walk over to the bed when he pulled me in. "Come one I'll teach you the waltz" he said placing his hand on my waist and holding my hand in his, "follow me" he said and he took the first step forward and I moved back. We moved in a square slowly and it seemed easy just the hardest part was overthinking about what if I step on his feet. He twirled me around again and caught me taking me off guard as he dipped me down. Our faces only centre meters apart and our noses touching, our lips were close enough that if he leaned in more he could've kissed me. "Very good" he said smiling as he bought me back up and let go walking to the couch and setting up his spot to sleep for the night. What a tease I thought he was going to kiss me.

'Wait do I wanna kiss him what the hell this is our first night sleeping in the same room, stop it Catherine your reading into it too much just get some rest.' I snapped myself out of my thoughts and went to the big queen sized bed jumping onto the bed and crawling up to the pillows getting under the covers. I felt myself sink into the mattress and the warm blankets help me to relax, lying on my left side and trying to get some rest.