Regal [h.s]

Chapter Seventeen

"Nobody has to know that I'm here all the time I could just sneak in at night"

♔ ♔ ♔

This chapter include: slight negative talks of body image

Harry

I hadn't realised how much work goes into trooping the colour until I was apart of it.

Not physically, but I was very much with Amalia and Cosy throughout it all.

"I feel like a fake" Marlie complains, running her hand over her stomach as if to flatten it.

She's completely dolled up in the most beautiful cream coat on that falls just above her knees. It was a slightly colder day than anticipated, the rain had been pouring down all morning and there was a chill in the air.

Marlie had layered Cosy up, putting a pair of white tights on underneath her floral dress, along with a red cardigan to keep her warm, though it didn't particularly fit over her ghastly green cast and I'm sure she'd be made to take it off before she steps out onto the balcony.

"You look stunning" I compliment her, just like I have been all morning, but she very quickly brushes my words to the side.

"Do I look fat? I don't look like me- my hair isn't sitting right" she fusses in the mirror, fluffing her hair up and then repeatedly running her hands over her coat.

She's been glammed up and at first glance, it doesn't looks like her. She looks beautiful, but it's not her. I'm so used to seeing her with natural hair and a bare face, I'm used to seeing her in soft leggings and a warm cardigan. I'm not used to all of this glitz and glamour.

"Hey" I frown at her words. "You don't look fat, don't say stuff like that" I shake my head, not liking the way her mind was thinking.

"But the media might say stuff like that. They'll create headlines about how I haven't lost the baby weight, I saw it happen with my mother after she had Frankie" she prepares herself for the worst.

"Marlie- my princess, you look beautiful exactly how you are, you don't need to change for anyone. The media can say what they want, but they don't know you, they just have this shit image of you for some reason and it's horrible, but you are bigger than the headlines" I give her a little pep talk, one that I'm sure she needed to hear.

"Cosy still can't wave" she stresses again, pulling herself away from the mirror to face me whilst she fiddled with her jewellery.