A Princess Named Harry: Book 2

Chapter 23

Kahil and Harry arrived at the palace just as lunchtime passed. The king and queen seemed busy preparing for the welcome-back party being held later at night, while Kaitlyn was busy in her room getting ready. Even though Harry didn't agree with the party idea, she decided to go along with it anyway.

She was very worried about the party, but nothing compared to the anxiety she felt walking into the ballroom.

To a person who knew nothing, it looked like a normal party for welcoming back the beloved royal family, but to someone who knew about the situation, it seemed less happy.

Harry could see all the disguised knights parading about as guests. She walked around greeting all the nobles and wondering if Nathaniel had arrived yet.

She thought she'd feel better with Varian by her side, but even he seemed tense. It was as if he was waiting on something to happen like he was expecting it. Harry had the same feeling.

She didn't dance, she wasn't in the mood, and Varian didn't ask her to. If she were to dance in her current state of mind, she was certain to make many mistakes. Instead, she stood waiting on the signal; once her mother and father came down to give their speeches and toast to their return, then the room would be locked up, and everyone would be searched thoroughly.

Harry impatiently waited for the speech to start. Her body trembled, and she felt like throwing up.

"Will everything be okay?" she asked. Her question was directed to Varian. She wanted to hear his words of comfort; she needed to hear them. Varian didn't answer her in the way she had hoped. His eyes were fixated on one place.

"They're coming," he said.

Harry followed his gaze to the king and queen. It was time.

"I'll go on ahead," she told him. She turned her back to him and hurried over to her parents. If Varian had responded to her, she didn't hear him.

Once she was by her father's side, he started his speech.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he bellowed. "May I say that it is wonderful to be back home?"

"Here! Here!" the crowd cheered.

Harry looked around for Kahil and Kaitlyn. She found Kahil far away by one of the exits talking to one of the disguised knights, and Kaitlyn was behind her watching from the crowd.

The king's speech continued, but Harry didn't hear a word. She was too busy trying to spot Nathaniel from the crowd.

As the king's speech was about to come to a close, the servants were all handing out the drinks to everyone. A servant boy came over and handed the queen, king, and Harry theirs.

"Here, Princess Harry."

"Thank you," she replied, taking the glass off the tray.

She stared at the boy up and down. He was a little smaller and maybe a little younger than she was. He had long blonde hair. It was tied back by a blue ribbon. It went down to his armpits. She tried to get a clear view of his face, but his bangs were covering most of it.

"Is there a problem, Your Highness?" he asked. When he looked up at her, Harry could see his eyes. Dull blue eyes that seemed to be expecting nothing stared right at her. She felt like the dark eyes were staring right into her soul.

"No . . . no," she hesitantly answered. "There's no problem at all."

The boy nodded and walked away. Harry watched his small figure fade into the crowd. She was so focused on finding Nathaniel that she almost missed the announcement to raise the glasses. Harry looked over at her parents. Her heart began to beat even faster than she thought was possible as the king said the words, "Let us toast."

Everyone in the room raised their glasses to their lips and began to drink. Harry looked down at her drink. She was hesitant, but she drank it anyway. As everyone took a drink, the king began to wrap up his speech.

Harry stared down at the red liquid. After a few moments of waiting and nothing happening, Harry felt herself calming down. She wondered if she had been worried over nothing. She began to laugh at herself for having been so frightened. Once the king was finished, she would ask Varian if he wanted to dance with her. She would express her foolishness to him. If it was him, he would certainly not make fun of her.

Just as all the worry had left Harry's body, she heard a noise. It sounded like someone was coughing. She looked over and what she saw changed everything.

Her eyes widened. She wasn't sure what was going on in front of her until she heard someone's scream confirm everything she had hoped wasn't true.

Harry stood glued to her spot as she watched blood pour out from her mother's mouth.

"The queen!" shouted a noblewoman.

A nobleman gasped at the scene. "The queen has been poisoned!"

Harry hadn't been sure if what was happening in front of her was a dream or not, but after she heard the loud thud from her mother's body as she collapsed onto the floor, Harry became painfully aware that this was reality.