“Wake up Playmate! Crowned Prince Louis is calling for you from his bed.” An annoyed voice called through my bed chamber door.
I stirred and sat up in my bed. It was cold and my fire had gone out in the night. I shivered and pulled my blanket up more. This never happened when I stayed in Louis’ room. It was always kept warm for the prince.
The thought of a warm room had me pulling my sheets back and stepping onto the freezing cold stones of the floor. I quickly walked to the door and opened it, coming face to face with the head of Louis’ housekeeping staff. The woman merely sneered at me before walking away, leaving me to take the somewhat familiar path to the prince’s bed chamber.
I had moved out of Louis’ room last week. He was turning 18 tomorrow. He was not a boy anymore and had to “learn to control his urges” as the king had stated. I was taken from his room and put into a cold bed chamber on the other side of his wing, the side that faced the wind. Even with a fire burning it was hard to stay warm.
I didn’t knock; I never did, and walked in to find that I was correct about the room. It was very warm, even the stone floor. Louis was sitting up in his bed and smiled when I entered.
“Hazza, it feels like ages since you’ve been here.” He patted his bed for me to come sit.
“I was here just yesterday Louis.” I laughed and crawled into his giant bed.
I missed this bed so much. It was much more comfortable than the small straw mattress they’d given me. I curled into Louis’ warm side as he wrapped an arm around me.
“My God, Hazza, you’re freezing!” He exclaimed.
“My fire went out last night.” I explained.
“Who was supposed to be keeping it?” he asked, as if I had my own staff as he does.
“I was.” I laughed at his foolish question.
“Then how will you sleep? This is ridiculous! Someone should be assigned to keep your fire while you sleep!” Louis quickly became angry, but I tried to soothe him.
“Why? I’m not of importance anymore Louis. I’m just your old playmate. You’re a man now, you don’t need me anymore.” I spoke softly to him.
This seemed to make him even angrier.
“I still need you Hazza.” He replied, “I don’t care what my father or anyone else says. I’ll always need you. As long as I am in this palace, you will be also.”
I smiled at this and felt a blush creep onto my white cheeks. I snuggled closer to him hiding my blush.
“Come now Hazza. It’s time for breakfast.” Louis told me suddenly, his usual happy tone now in place.
“But, I thought…”
He looked quizzically at me.
“I was told you were calling for me.” I explained.
Louis calling for me to come to his bed chambers usually only meant one thing. Something that involved a lot more then snuggling on his bed.
“Oh that. I needed you here to walk with me to breakfast.” He smiled and stood from the bed.
He was completely naked. I wish I could still sleep naked without freezing to death.
“I don’t have my clothes with me.” I protested, but he would have none of it.
“You’ll wear my clothes. It’s of no importance.”
“I can’t. His majesty wouldn’t like that.”
“I’m ordering it Harry.” He cut me off in his authoritative tone.
I flinched at his command. If he ever used that tone with me I knew better than to argue. Out of instinct I bowed my head, not looking at him, as I did when we were not alone. I dressed in the clothes he handed me and didn’t speak.
He took my hand when we were both ready and walked me down to the dining room, as we had so many times before. The air was tense, but it wasn’t the first time for that either.
Louis is a crown prince after all. He’s been brought up thinking that he is right, and anyone who opposes him is dead wrong. He is usually very gentle with me, but on occasion, he gets snippy, like this morning. He never apologizes though. In the eight years we’ve been together not once have I ever heard him apologize to anyone.
We entered the dining room silently. The king and queen sat at the table, along with the four young princess’. But also sitting at the table was Lord Payne and his son, Liam. Sitting on the floor beside Liam was his playmate, Zayn. Louis and Liam were best mates. The families were very close so I knew Zayn very well.
“I believe Harry has a place at the servants’ table, Crowned Prince.” The queen spoke gently.
“He will sit next to me while I eat as he has since the day he was brought home. Won’t you Hazza?” He spoke affectionately toward me, taking my chin in his hand making me look at him.
“As you wish your highness.” I quietly recited the words I’d learned eight years ago, the words that defined my existence in this palace.
“Lovely then, it’s settled, Harry will eat with me.” Louis announced to everyone, letting go of his grasp on my chin.
I walked with him to his chair and sat next to it on the cold floor. Usually a pillow waited for me, but since I had moved out of Louis’ room it had been taken. I suppose it was an incentive to get me to eat at the servants’ table, but it wasn’t me that chose this. Louis always demanded I join him for meals, and who am I to deny the Crowned Prince of England anything?
The table top was high enough that it was over my head even when I sat up straight. Zayn sat next to me on the floor, as he always did when he came for a meal. Neither of us was allowed to eat with the family, we had to wait until they were done, but Liam and Louis both made a game of who could sneak their playmate the most food during the meal. Louis stilled held the title.
His majesty and Lord Payne started discussing something as the food was brought out. Zayn then leaned over and started whispering to me, as he always did.
“Where’s your pillow, Harry?” he asked.
Zayn wasn’t an Englishman. He was traded from his country, somewhere east of England when he was about eight. He was stolen from his home in the night and dreamed of someday returning there. I had always thought that plan was ridiculous. Liam treated Zayn well enough as I could tell. He was never abused like some of the other playmates we came in contact with. Now that I’m losing my playmate position though, I can see why Zayn would want to return home.
If I had I family to go back to, I’d be tempted to run away as well, but Louis is the only family I’ve ever known though.
“They took it away last week. They say I can’t be a playmate anymore, the Crown Prince is a man now and playmates are for boys.” I explained quietly so as not to be heard by anyone but Zayn.
“What happens when you aren’t a playmate anymore?” Zayn’s eyes widened in fear.
“They’ve taken me from his bed, I have my own chamber now. I’m not supposed to be around him as much anymore. He has to learn to control his urges.” I quoted the king.
Zayn looked even more terrified now.
“That sounds horrid.”
“It is. I’m scared I’ll get tossed away with all his old play things.” I voiced my fears to Zayn.
He only nodded, still looking scared as ever. I saw him glance up at Liam, then back to me. Liam was only sixteen. Zayn still had two years left with him, while my days were being numbered.
Tomorrow, Louis would turn eighteen. He’d be a real man then. Probably get married soon after. When he had a wife he would no longer have a need for his old playmate from childhood. I’d be useless to him. The thought scared the life from me.
A roll dropped into my lap as I imagined a life without Louis. I was snapped from it all though and picked up the roll. Louis always started this game with a roll.
