When My Love Blooms ⚔︎ Prince William Fanfiction

Chapter One

Chapter One

The atmosphere at St. Andrews was electric. The buzz of excitement had been building throughout the day, and it seemed that the entire university had gathered to catch a glimpse of one very special new student. Florencia and Fred walked down the narrow corridor toward the end of the hall, the sound of enthusiastic cheering growing louder with every step they took.

By the time they reached the wide, stone archway leading to the open courtyard, it was clear that the Prince of Wales's eldest son had arrived.

"By the sounds of cheering, I think Wills has arrived," Fred said with a wide grin, his eyes twinkling as he tried to peer through the crowd. The atmosphere was palpable, students swarming to get a better look at the Prince.

"Welp, thank God he came second to last in classes," Florencia replied, shaking her head slightly as she glanced at the sea of people. "Or else we may not have had a good time getting around."

The crowd continued to cheer and whistle as William made his way through the throng of students, smiling and waving at familiar faces as he moved. His tall, confident frame was unmistakable, even amongst the sea of excited onlookers. The sight of him made Florencia feel a rush of warmth—she'd known him her whole life, and yet, there was something distinctly thrilling about seeing him in this new setting. A royal at a university. A prince among students.

"William!" someone shouted from the back of the crowd, voice ringing with adoration.

"I love you!" another voice called out, earning a chuckle from Fred.

Florencia turned her attention back to the various reporters, who were stationed on the sidelines, microphones in hand and cameras at the ready.

[Reporter #1] "Prince William starts his university life at St. Andrews, the oldest university in Scotland."

[Reporter #2] "He's the first member of the Royal Family to attend a university outside of England. This in itself is a brave move..."

[Reporter #3] "...has been fitted with bulletproof windows and a reinforced steel door."

[Reporter #4] "Every student on campus signed a confidentiality contract agreeing not to speak to the press about their fellow student."

[Reporter #5] "...promises that every precaution will be taken to ensure that Prince William will be free to enjoy university life without the constant scrutiny of the media."

Florencia listened absently as the reporters continued to discuss the logistics of William's security, but her attention was diverted when a familiar voice called out to her and Fred.

"Are you two having a good time?" Catherine asked, walking up with a smile on her face, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement. Her presence was as calming as it was familiar. Florencia instantly relaxed upon seeing her.

"Hello, Catherine, are you here to catch a glimpse of a prince?" Fred asked, raising an eyebrow teasingly, his tone light.

Catherine chuckled, clearly unbothered by Fred's teasing.

"Nope, just trying to find a detour for my geography class," she answered, and Florencia laughed.

"Good luck with that," Florencia said with a grin, her gaze drifting back toward William as he interacted with the crowd. "I think geography might be easier than this."

"Do you think this will go on the whole week?" Florencia asked, her curiosity piqued as she watched the spectacle unfolding before her. She was accustomed to attention, but this was something new. The media coverage, the constant buzz of excitement—it was a different kind of spotlight that she hadn't seen in a while.