Rose of royalty

VIII

"Glass of lemonade mixed with cranberry juice" Harrison offered and I held out my glass as he served me a drink. "What food did you bring?" I asked and he pulled a basket of savory and sweets, "spinach and feta pastry my lady" he said handing one to me on a small plate. "Why thank you" I said as I took the plate from his hands and took a bite from the pastry. I narrowed my eyes at him and took another bite, "just making sure you aren't trying to poison me" I said jokingly. "Oh, please if anyone is going to be poisoned it'll be me not you" he said leaning in taking a bite of my pastry. "Hey that's mine" I laughed at him, and he stuck his tongue out at me, "what are you going to do about it" he teased, and I pounced on him making him fall back on the rug laughing.

"You're so full of surprises" he said as he placed his hand on my cheek gently as his thumb brushed against my cheek. "No way I'm boring" I said holding back a laugh, "you're not boring you're interesting" he said smiling and turning the tables so he was now on top of me. "Gotcha" he said laughing and I laughed with him until I realised the position we were in, his lips grazed mine as his warm breath tickled my cheek. "What are we doing?" I asked shyly and Harrison showed nothing but confidence, "having fun I don't understand what you're getting at" he said while still on top of me. I could feel my heart racing and my palms sweaty, "I need space" i said in a mere whisper as I turned my face. "Oh come on" he said grinning and I began pushing my hands against his chest. "Get off me please" I said just a little louder and he listened moving off of me sitting beside me and extending his hand helping me sit up.

"Hey what's up?" He asked as he moved closer and placed his hand on my cheek gently creasing it with his fingertips. "I'm sorry it's just a lot" i said trying to avoid making eye contact with him, "hey tell me what's on your mind" he insisted and I just shook my head refusing to tell him. "Harrison you hardly know a thing about me and I hardly know a thing about myself" i said placing my hands on either side of me trying to push myself up just trying to stand up to make a run. "Hey easy" he said placing a hand on my waist attempting to push me up to my feet, getting up to my feet feeling the pins and needles nothing a good stomp could get rid of. I felt the feeling making its way back into my legs and lower half of my body, "I'm fine" i said as he still had his hand on my lower back.

I looked down at my feet seeing my knees slightly bent inwards as I tried to keep my balance, I took one step leaning to my left then another leaning to my right until I was straight. "Well your legs working?" Harrison asked and I didn't know he was still standing behind me, "seem to be do you want me to kick you to test that theory" i said in a subtle tone and he quickly shook his head in a no. He held out his hand with a charming smile hopping to charm his way through to get his own way, "what?" I asked looking at his hand and he reached out for my hand holding it in his. I never noticed but his hands were slender, long and the feeling of his fingers was a mixture of soft and rough whilst his hands were warm. I squeezed his hand and he wrapped his arm around my waist as his eyes looked down at me I never took notice of how tall he was.

"Silly question but how tall are you?" I asked and she raised an eyebrow at me, "I'm 6 foot which is 182 centimetres" he stated. "I'm surprised" I said as I averted my eyes, "hey look at me" he said gently placing his hand underneath my cheek encouraging me to make eye contact. "Let me look at you for a second" he said and his eyes softened and his lips curled into a little smile, "beautiful" he whispered and his hand slipped of my shoulder moving my sleeve revealing my birth mark on my shoulder. "That's unique" he said and I looked at my birth mark, "what about it?" I asked and he examined it carefully. "I've seen this mark before but I can't remember where" he said and something about that sentence sent me into anxiety. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and I pulled it out seeing a message from mum.

Mum- honey you need to get out they're looking for you, you need to go to your uncle James house in Scotland you'll be safe.

Reading the message I saw the plane boarding pass attached with mums message why would she wants me to leave Denmark and go to Scotland to seek protection what for. "You seem tense" Harrison commented then he caught a glimpse of the message, "you're leaving?" He asked seeming defeated. "I must go to Scotland" i said feeling very confused, "I'll come with you" he said holding both my hands. "No you have to stay here" i said and he hugged me tightly, "when do you leave?" He asked sounding very hurt. "Tonight" i said and he pulled away looking at me, "you'll video call me every night?" He asked and I giggled. "Of course" i said and he smiled with a cheeky grin, "keep a shirt on this time" i teased and he huffed. "Just admit you love the view" he teased back and I frowned at him scrunching my nose, "never" I said and we walked back into the Abby so I could pack my bags to leave for Scotland.

"You have everything?" Harrison asked as we stood in the middle of the airport checking for the boarding gate, "yes I have everything even my sanity" i said and she poked my cheek. "Last call for flight QH506 is boarding at gate 6 for Glasgow Scotland please make your way" the announcement sounded and we walked to the gate, I felt extremely nervous I hated flying and this was a 1 hour and 31 minute flight and I wasn't keen to be feeling the person in front of me lowering their seat crushing my legs and thighs. I gave Harrison a last hug and he reminded me to call once I landed and was safe before walking through the tunnel onto the plane finding my seat by the window, my mum knew me too well that I have two options it's either the aisle or the window never the middle. I put my bags above my head grabbing my earphones and plugging them in my phone resting my head back as I closed my eyes blocking out the chaos of people boarding.

How many people are seriously going to Scotland at this time of the year, I got another text from mum saying uncle James would send for Sebastian the family butler of one of them I should say to pick me up. This was so out of the ordinary, where did this whole facade of rich family members come from. Well I lie I knew uncle james was wealthy but as far as I knew my mum was a drug addict in rehab and I was kind of starting to miss Harrison. I was r paying attention to any of the flight safety and just stayed in my own little world. An older lady sat in the aisle seat and she looked at me with an expression of disgust and returned to reading her novel while sipping on Champaign. "This is awkward" i mumbled to myself as I strapped my belt and heard the roaring of the engine seeing the plane start to turn so it would take off.