The Glass Veil

The Escape from Silence

The morning of Royal Ascot has been quite chaotic, with everyone scrambling to change dresses and rotate carriages. Harry, in particular, has been struggling as the event always tests his ability to handle change. He dislikes the Royal Ascot for a good reason - every public outing requires him to be familiar with revised plans, every entry, exit, and even underground area. He must know every detail like the back of his hand and remain on high alert throughout the event. Even a slight change to one plan can send security into a frenzy of anxiety.

The event is planned down to every minute detail, including when and where the carriages arrive and how long they spend greeting people. With over 300,000 people visiting Berkshire during Royal Ascot week, it is difficult for Harry to keep track of everything. However, he manages to make things work every year, along with the rest of the security team.

I'm not much of a fan of the horse races in the aspect of having to be a Royal and treat this as an event, There are eyes always on me and I still have to act in a certain manner. I can thank Queen Anne for turning horse races into a royal activity. Ascot Racecourse was founded in 1711 by and ever since has been a major event that royals attend.

The Royal enclosure, however, is quite lovely. The Royal Enclosure was built in 1822 when King George IV commissioned a two-storey stand to be built with the surrounding lawn. This was designated an exclusive area with access strictly by invitation of the King. To this day, membership to the Royal Enclosure continues to be by invitation only. Every individual who has a membership and will be in the Enclosure is monitored and a background check is thoroughly run.

Harry knows of every person who will be in the enclosure and he has to watch their behaviour. He hates it just as much as he hates being out in the public areas, but the good thing is that being invited to the Royal Enclosure is hard. To get in without a direct invitation, one must sign up, which is easy, but the hard part is providing letters of recommendation from two existing Royal Enclosure members who have themselves been members in good standing for a minimum of four years— this is where Harry's job gets a little easier, for the most part, new entries don't happen often. The only thing Harry enjoys about this event has nothing to do with the horses, he isn't formally allowed to bet since he is on duty, but he likes to bet on the colour of Her Majesty's hat. It is a tradition that people bet on what colour they believe my mother will wear, and it is such a big deal that not even I know what colour my mother's hat is until I see her in the morning and sometimes she will change hats before arriving at the venue.

The enclosure is bustling, with royals and guests floating around, drinking champagne and acting high on life without a care in the world. I stand towards the back, a glass of champagne in my hand, a rented prince to my left and my love to the right. I take a sip of the bubbly champagne, pretending to enjoy its company— I now see why my mother chooses martinis. "Anastasia, don't you think you should mingle and entertain these guests?" Syrus asks as he smiles towards my guests.

"Did you want me to do party tricks or take my clothes off? You should elaborate," I respond.

Syrus cocks his head to the side, "Why are you so defiant?"

"Because I don't want to be Queen with you, my father, and parliament condemning me. I'm not a puppy you can put on a leash," I assert, trying to hold my ground.

"That's debatable," Syrus replies, his voice low and menacing as he steps closer, eliminating the small gap between us. His presence feels oppressive, the air around him charged with a palpable threat. "Do not make a mockery of this family," he warns, his eyes dark and intense, hinting at the danger that lurks beneath his composed exterior. "You might be quieter on a leash."