Rose of royalty

V

"Hey wake up!" I felt someone shaking me as I woke up seeing a blurry image of Harrison, my eyes focused and were fixated when I saw him shirtless. First thing in the morning you got to be kidding me, "what?" I asked stretching and sitting up. "Come on we have to get ready" he said and I looked at him annoyed but also confused, "you mean you need to get ready I can sleep in" I said going back under the covers until they were pulled off of me. "Hey!" I yelled hurrying up and standing on top of the covers. "Get down" he said rolling his eyes as he looked up at me from the edge of the bed.

"You can't make me" I said as I kept jumping around on the bed avoiding Harrison trying to grab my ankles. "You aren't going to make me come to some boring meeting" I said not realising he had caught a hold of my ankle and pulled me down onto the bed towards him. "Do you want to say that again miss because I think you'll be stuck with me for the rest of the day now go get ready" he said grinning and I glared at him making my way to the bathroom grabbing the bed dress and the small five tooth comb hairpin. Locking the bathroom door behind me and giving myself a quick wash and getting dressed. Brushing my hair back in a slick ponytail and wrapping my ponytail in a bun before clipping in the small five tooth comb hairpin. Leaving the bathroom seeing Harrison trying to fix his tie, i put on some flats and jewellery before walking to the Mirror beside Harrison. "Do you need some help there?" I ask placing my hand out, he huffed and placed the tie in my hand and turned around facing me so i could do it for him.

"We need to teach you the waltz properly" he said as I placed the tie around his neck and tied the first loop, "that sounds like a plan for disaster" I said as I finished tying his tie. "Not if you follow my lead" he said as he cleared his throat and looked back in the mirror, "let's go" he said and I nodded following him out of the room and downstairs to the big hall to the left from the banquet hall. "Hey Harry you ready for the dance tonight?" I looked over seeing a familiar face coming over to us, "Josh did you manage to find a new sneaky link that you're taking to the dance?" Harrison asked as he gave Josh a hug. Josh then looked over at me and he looked surprised, "is that the waitress girl?" Josh asked as he pointed at me to which I whacked his hand away.
"You're feisty" he said with a grin, "you shouldn't point at people" I said leaving Harrison's side and looking at the big chandelier hanging down from the gold glass ceiling. I looked over at Josh and Harrison looking over at me whispering something to each other, "Hi" i was startled turning around seeing a really beautiful girl wearing a beige dress and her hair done in a fishtail. "Hello" i replied and she seemed quite cheerful, "Brooklyn" she said holding out her hand to which I shook and smile. It was nice meeting someone with out the formalities, "Catherine" I said and she grinned.

"Oh wonderful Harrison and Joshua I never thought the day would come that you two would have a girlfriend" an older lady said with a lot of excitement. I looked over at Brooklyn and she looked back at me equally as confused but hers was worse because she was Josh's friends with benefits, i nudged her and she leaned over. "How's Josh in Bed is it as big as his ego" I said trying to hold in my obvious burst of laughter, a hard hit on the arm is all that comment got and a glare. "Shut up" she whispered and she walked over to Josh so that we could start these dance lessons on learning the waltz, I made a frame with Harrison and he took the lead in the waltz. We danced across the ball room crossing paths with Josh and Brooklyn, they looked so relaxed and almost natural like they were committed lovers and not friends with benefits. "Eyes up here don't look down" Harrison said and I looked back up meeting his gaze, he spun me around and slowly dipped me down before bring me back and twirling me again on a lift. Damn he was good at this but then again I'm sure he'd been going to dances since he was young,

"How wonderful you both are naturals at the dance" the older lady cheered as she lowered the volume of the music and only corrected a few minor things. "The Dance is at 7pm but I'm sure you boys already knew that I expect you to be on your best behaviour" she said before leaving the hall and leaving the door opened a crack behind her. Later that evening I was at my vanity fixing my hair and doing a light make up whilst Harrison helped zip up the back of my dress, last touch were jewellery to which I only put on a necklace and some dangling earrings. I could her the sound of horses hooves trotting along the pavement below from the open balcony window, I got up form the seat and walked over to the balcony seeing people getting out of the carriages and making their way inside escorted by the butlers. "They'll be expecting us soon" I looked behind me seeing Harrison wearing a royal uniform with navy badges specifically those of a Sargent major. "How soon?" I asked still looking down on the arriving carriages, "when you're ready of course" he said and I turned around seeing that he looked well presented.

I walked towards the doors of the room and left through them Harrison following closely behind me, we walked down to the hall walking through a crowd of noble people chattering. I looked over their heads seeing Josh dancing with Brooklyn smiling at her as she danced with her, the orchestra played the music of the foxtrot. "I think he's falling for her" Harrison whispered to me from behind, "how long have they known each other?" I asked as I watched them smiling and dancing intimately. "Well they've known each other since they were 16 and Josh is now 26 while Brooklyn is 24" Harrison explained, "so if he has his eyes on her wouldn't he just ask her to be his girlfriend" i said confused. "That's there dynamic I guess and the only people it must make sense to is them" Harrison explained and it made sense in a way, "so then what are we?" I asked him. He looked over at me and i could read if he was. "Never mind forget i even asked" i said and asked for his hand, "dance with me" i said and he didn't refuse. We danced the waltz and i noticed men walking around near the columns, black suits and gold sashes. So strange they looked like they were just observing, they wouldn't be security would they.

I tried to focus on just dancing the waltz until the music ended and we walked over to the table with Josh and Brooklyn for refreshments. I held a glass of red wine in my hand bringing the glass up to my lips tasting the wine coat my tongue, a few sips and i felt dizzy. I cant be tipsy I've barely had a lot. My chest felt tight and the room it felt like it was spinning but also becoming further away until i lost balance. "Catherine" a voice echoed calling my name and all i felt was my knees go weak as i hit the floor and the faint sound of people yelling and gasping until everything in front of me went black.