The Prince and the Maid

Chapter 1

My parents worked at Buckingham Palace. My mother as a maid, my father a butler. Since my parents couldn't pay for a sitter, my parents brought me with them. They'd make me stay in the servants quarters till they're shift was done. They couldn't pay for preschool. So they waited till Kindergarten for my education to begin.

But I have a vivid memory in my mind of when I was five. I'd gotten boarded after school. And my parents keeping me in the servants quarters got to small for my adventurous young mind. So I snuck out and explored the famous Buckingham Palace.

I vividly remember running down the hall and finding the nursery. Inside were two little boys one blonde the other a red head. They were alone playing with toys. The red head came over to me. "Do you want to play with us?" He asked. I did.
"I'm Harry." He said.
"I'm Grace." I told him.
"That's my brother, Will." He continued.

After an hour of playing together. A woman with Beautiful blonde hair came in. "Will, Harry come on. Oh, hello." The woman came over to me and got down on her knees so she could  get down to my level.
"And who is this young lady?" She asked.
"I'm Grace," I tried to curtsy.
"Now how did you get in here?" She asked.
"My mummy and daddy work here." I said. And at that moment my mum came in.
"Grace what are you.... Your Highnesses." She curtsied. I went to my mum and she picked me up.
"I'm so sorry, Your Highness. It won't happen again." My mum said.
"No she's not a problem." The Princess said.
"I'm really sorry your highness." My mum said as she left.

That was the last time I'd seen them except in the paper or on the telly.
Then when I turned sixteen my parents disappeared. I came home from school one day and they weren't there. They didn't come home. It wasn't until a week later when someone from the palace came and told me they had died on the job. Just two strange spontaneous deaths.

So I had to take up a job. No one would hire me but I did find work. That required runners. It was at the palace. It was running messages back and forth from the queen to the post. It was of course part time, since I had school.

But then, then I found that little red-headed boy again. I remember it clearly. I was almost done with school.

I was sitting in the Queen's study. When her grandsons came in. I stood and curtsied. I headed towards the door when the queen stopped me. "Grace please stay. They may need something to be to run to the post." She said. "Yes your highness." I sat back down and took my notepad out.

Throughout the two Princes' stay. The red-head stared at me the entire time. After their visit. The Queen dismissed me for the day. And that's pretty much where we are now.

"I've seen you before haven't I?" Prince Harry asked.
"I've worked here since I was sixteen and my parents worked here all they're life. They actually dropped dead here." I said bitter-sweetly.
"I'm sorry," He said.
"I suppose you don't remember me do you?" I said tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.
"I do in fact remember you." Prince Harry recited what happened that day just as I had remembered.
"That's how I recall it happening. So what have you been up to since that encounter?" I asked.
"Well, I've been in the military. What about you?" He asked.
"I've mainly been working but I'm going to go study abroad in the US." I said as I held my notepad close to my chest.
"Why America?" He asked.
"I've gotten a scholarship there. A running one. It turns out I'm a fast sprinter." I chuckled.
"Well, maybe I could come see you run sometimes." He said.
"Ya, that sounds lovely, that'd be wonderful." I replied as I put the hair that had come undone behind my ear.
"I'll have to call you to know when to come to one of your races." He said. I wrote down my number on the edge of the notepad and gave it to him.
"Call me and I'll see if I can find a meet, that works for both of our schedules" I said. Prince Harry laughed.
"Well one race shouldn't be too hard to change my schedule for." He laughed again. I glanced at the grandfather clock on the wall.
"Is that the time?" I looked at my watch.
"No, I'm late. I am so sorry Your Highness but I need to leave." I curtsied before running off. "Grace." I heard Harry yell. "I'm so sorry, I have to go." I yelled back.

I went to the staff quarters and got my motorbike. I pulled my hair back and put my helmet on, it had a Union Jack design. I rode back to my flat. I was babysitting tonight for a family I frequently babysat for. They were waiting on my doorstep. I parked my motorbike, and took my helmet off.
"I am so sorry, I was caught up at work." I said. I took my keys out and let the family in.
"Now I'm going to be late." Margret, the mother, muttered. She was a single-mother so I was more like a nanny to her.
"I'm so sorry, I was held up then I started talking to someone and I lost track of time." I apologized.
"It'll have to cost you ten pounds." She said curtly. 
"I'm sorry it won't happen again." I said. Most people who knew me didn't know who I worked for. I didn't want people to label me as The Help. Margaret gave me Jonny, he was a year old, and she left and I went into the kitchen. "Your flat is rubbish." Sneered Tommy the oldest of the three boys.
"Well, I'm sorry I didn't have time to clean." I started wiping the counter . "Michael, can you wipe the rest of the counter for me?" I handed the sponge to the middle child. I put Jonny on the other side of the baby gate. Michael was the good child he always followed orders.
"Thank you. Tommy no telly until homework is done and I've checked it." I said. I started cooking dinner for the boys. When the phone rang I picked it up. "Grace speaking," I greeted. Jonny started crying.
"Grace it's Harry." I nearly dropped the phone.
"Harry, you called so soon."
"Is that a child In the background?" He asked.
"Erm yes, I'm babysitting and yeah..." I trailed off. The water started boiling. I set Jonny on the counter and poured in the pasta and stirred the water afterwards.
"Should I call back later?" He asked.
"Yeah, that would be great."
"Well how about I call back at eleven?" He asked.
"Yes that sounds like a good time, the kids should be asleep by then." I agreed.
"Okay, goodbye Grace." Harry ended the call.

•••
When eleven rolled around I was so worn out fell asleep on the coach. I was awoken by my phone ringing and I grabbed it then answered the call.
"Hello?" I sounded half asleep. "Did I wake you?" I sat up.
"Kinda, I'm so tired and I haven't ran at all today. It was a slow day at the Palace." I said.
"I see, so what are you doing now?" He asked.
"Well, the critters are asleep and all I'm doing now is waiting for there Mum." I said. I got up and walked into the kitchen.
"Is your school work done?"
"Yes, it is." I said as I started washing the dishes. "Do you like children?"
"I love children, I want to be a teacher or a social worker." I replied.
"Wonderful career choice." Harry said.
"Thank you, your highness."
"You can just address me as Harry." He replied gently.
"Okay Harry." I said with a small smile.
___________________________
A/n: I don't know how much I'm going to get into this story. I hope I can get really into it.
-princess