love will tear us apart

2. lockdown

This might be the most crazy situation Louis has ever been in.

He's standing in some corridor in a castle, a real old one with dark walls and stone floors that are covered with fancy embroidered carpets. Next to him are two men, probably servants or something and in front of him is the prince of England, the man he hooked up with a few hours ago.

And because of that new pandemic thing everyone keeps talking about that started about a month ago and really seems to escalate, he now has to stay here for a while. This castle goes into lockdown, that's what the man said. It's crazy.

Harry's eyes flicker from Anthony to Louis and back, apparently still not quite getting what this situation means.

So Louis decides to help. "This castle is on lockdown" He says slowly, as if he's talking to a child. "I have to stay here, because me and you had se-"

"Thank you, Mr Tomlinson" Harry says quickly, glaring at Louis.

Louis just stands there,  dumfounded, heart racing. Oh shit. Was this...? Should he not have...?

Louis really thought everyone inside the castle knew. Anthony remains calm next to him, but the other man, Arthur, was it? Louis sees he tries to keep it down, but a small gasp leaves his mouth.

Harry stops sending daggers into Louis' eyes and turns towards him. "Arthur-" 

"I will have to notify her majesty-"

"No" Harry says quickly and Louis bites his bottom lip.

He knew about the royal's stance towards all of this... the homosexuality, but he never really cared about who exactly it was. And of course, he would never have mentioned anything in front of the queen, he thought this Arthur guy was just another Anthony, someone who doesn't have anything to say. Apparently, he was wrong. Maybe Arthur is the queen's Anthony, which would mean a slightly higher rank than Harry? Is that possible?

Louis briefly wonders if everyone working here starts with an A, but then he remembers he just fucked up and zones back into reality.

Harry looks slightly helpless. "No, you don't need to. It is alright"

"Your highness, I-"

At that, Harry seems to experience a confidence stroke, his face hardening and posture straightening even further. "That's right. Her majesty will stay in Sweden, as you just told me. Which means for the entirety of this lockdown, you and every other royal servant will listen to me and follow my orders"

Louis feels the urge to say "Buuuurn" but he decides he's done enough so he shuts his mouth.

"You will not notify my mother about this, you will not mention Mr Tomlinson's stay during the lockdown to anyone outside this castle. You will only contact her when I tell you to, understood?"

Arthur seems speechless, but nods slowly.

Harry goes on. "Now, you will tell Amanda to prepare a guest bedroom for him and then you will bring him to said bedroom and ask him if he has any more wishes or allergies or anything of that kind and notify the cooks about exactly that, to make his stay as pleasurable as possible. Get him some fresh clothes to wear and... tea, and be at arms length whenever he might need something. I will do a press conference about this whole situation now, and you are not to interrupt me, have I made myself clear?"

Harry's voice is sharp and low, and Arthur looks devastated, but nods slowly. Harry nods as well, briefly glancing at Louis before he looks at his assistant. "Anthony?"

Anthony nods with a straight face and follows Harry as he leaves, as if this is nothing unusual. As soon as he's turned around, Louis' jaw drops basically to the floor.