The Throne (Prince Harry fanfic #6)

Chapter Eighteen

Lucy stood in front of the mirror in her bathroom. Harry moved around with the kids as they were sent off to another day of school downstairs. Tomorrow, the next day, it was the biopsy. A few days after that, then she would know if it was cancerous in her head. It was just another thing to kill her. She counted down the days in her head, thinking these might be her only days left. She had today and tomorrow and the next day, hopefully a few days after that.

Her fingers raked through her blonde hair. If she did have more days, if it wasn't that bad but it was still bad, this would've been gone. If she did have more days but it wasn't that bad, just needing to be removed, this would've been gone. If she didn't have more days and it was that bad, she wasn't going to fight it. Some say to fight for the kids or fight for Harry, but she didn't want anymore pain. The kids were still young ad they would've healed. Lucy knew the hole it left in Harry when his mother died, but it gave him a driving force. He wasn't one to be messed with.

Breathing deeply, Lucy looked herself over one more time and then went downstairs. Harry had gotten all the kids up and into their outfits. The three girls were still at the age of individuality and they purposely chose such wild outfits, with contrast of their brothers who wore uniforms. Lucy disagreed with the outfits, but not much could've been done. With the individuality of the girls, they were ready to change their outfits once again before heading off to daycare.

"One more time," Lucy warned, "and then you're out the door."

The girls huffed and ran upstairs, except for Beatrice. She was never one to care about the outfits, but since Louise had to change her outfit so did Emma. Undoubtedly, Louise had said something rude about Emma's outfit.

Lucy kissed her boys on the forehead. "How's it going?" Her fingers ran through their hair. "What are you working on?" Lucy asked as she sat down at the table. Freddie tried to help Henry with math, but the boys took after their parents, so it wasn't going well. Lucy was better at math than Harry, but it wasn't difficult. Harry placed on a little food in front of Lucy as she tried to help the boys, pointing carefully at the numbers.

Twenty minutes later, Tony knocked on the door and came in. He smiled as Emma ran over and she was lifted into his arms. He was basically another uncle in the never ending family. However, Tony was more on Lucy's family side. The rest of the kids welcomed him, showing him the latest in their lives. The time was up when Lucy was off, with Tony at her side, and the boys had to go to school.

Before leaving, Lucy held each of her kiddos a little tighter. The doors of the Kensington Palace apartment closed. Tony held the door open for Lucy. Her eyes wandered, looking at the windows of her home. She saw no one peering out. "Tony, I need a favor."

"I'm at your service, ma'am."

Her green eyes glanced back at all the windows around. She knew no one watched. "Here," she said, handing over an envelope. "I need you to give this to Harry if I die."

"Ma'am?"

"I know you know, Tony, and if I die, I want him to know he meant something more to than words can give him." She paused. "I've never been able to truly tell Harry how I feel, because... I don't know-- I really don't know. He could say all these nice and pretty things to me, and I couldn't give him much of anything back. And I could never truly explain to him what it is like to be with him and what my life is like here and now. Hopefully he'll understand with this."

Tony took the envelope and then placed it in his breast pocket. "I don't think he'll ever read it, your highness. It won't be necessary."

"Just in case."

"And your trust it with me, ma'am?"

"More than anyone else." Lucy ducked into the car.

The drive to the outskirts of London wasn't actually a long drive but it felt like forever. Not only were the roads bumpy and confusing, Lucy had a hard time looking out the windows of the car. Everything zoomed by. Colors faded until it was almost blank. This was the world beyond the normal of her life, which was filled with pomp and frill. This was every day normal life, and she wished not to be too sad about it, but times had changed immensely. The future wasn't sad or meek, but if you were dealt a bad hand, there wasn't much changing in that way of life. All the colors of inner London faded away from tourist traps into working class areas, more on the side of impoverish.

"Your highness," Tony called from the front of the car and she whipped her head up. Tony didn't need to continue. Lucy's eyes fell to the people in front of the car.

These people didn't belong to the area. This community was racked in poverty, and these people didn't belong here. This community was mostly filled with minorities and the disabled, which was why Lucy was here to open up a community centre, but these people didn't belong here. They waved signs and screamed loud chants, but they didn't belong to the community. In fact, the community was pulled off to the other side, opposite of the protesters.

"I'll watch your back," Tony promised.

"Yours as well."

Lucy stepped out of the car, and screams came from every direction. Behind her-- Tony watched the protesters-- loud chants came from the anti-monarchist protesters. To her left, loud yells of paparazzi and their cameras came. In front of her, loud jeers from the actual people in the community. Nothing to her right was loud. Moving forward, Lucy greeted the community in front of her. She took her time there, completely ignoring the people behind her.

A community leader came and welcomed her inside, which she went. As soon as entering, silence followed. Tony still watched her back, even when it wasn't necessary. After a few minutes inside the building, he excused himself. Lucy was left on her own, and she preferred it that way. A tour around the community centre was in order, and she got to know all secrets as well as meet much of the community. This was what Lucy enjoyed about her duty.

After the tour, Tony was at her side again as they exited through the doors. Screams built up again, but all came from the anti-monarchy protesters. The community had long gone left and the paparazzi were quiet now, watching the scene with their cameras. The arrival of Duchess Lucille of Windsor had brought many questions about her health, but now none was spoken about them.

Putting her head high in the air and squaring her shoulders, Lucy walked forward. The yells came louder and louder. Tony put himself between her and them. Police had been called, undoubtedly by Tony, and pushed back the protesters who held signs saying Death to Monarchy and Lucy should be hanged. None of the hatred seemed to bother the people who spewed it.

Their voices echoed throughout the brick buildings, and the protesters expected fear. Fear didn't come from Lucy. They didn't hold a gun to her. Their worst wasn't even terrible. Flashbacks sparked in her mind as if she walked through second amendment protesters outside the Minnesotan state capital all those years ago. They even said some of the same lines. This time, Harry wasn't at her side.

Lucy walked on.

The anti-monarchy protesters might have been getting stronger and stronger among certain people, but they weren't the majority of the country. These people who spewed hate only screamed the loudest. Because of this, they got most air time on television and on the news. Silent people were never talked about because they were so easily ignored. However, if the silence became loud, finally an army would rise for the throne.

Ten feet before the car and something hit Lucy in the face. Something red dripped down. She immediately looked to her hands and to see red. Blood, she thought. Panic bubbled up in her. She couldn't swallow. Don't let it be blood. No more blood. Please no blood. Lucy trembled. Something else hit her, but it wasn't painful enough. Perhaps she had grown immune to pain. More red dripped down.

Tony gripped her, putting his body in front of hers, and pushed her into the car. The door slammed behind her. Tony climbed into the front and the car lurched forward.

More pops hit the glass and car surrounding her. However, it was impossible to break the glass, since was bulletproof. Red dripped down. More tomatoes were thrown at the car. Splats were like large, red raindrops. The red tomato juice dripped down. Police pushed back against the protesters as they continued with bombarding. Tony pulled the car out and they turned a corner quickly. Three police cars surrounded them, as if to put up a shield. Tony and police officers pushed their cars to go faster, and they did.

"Are you okay, your highness?" asked Tony as he drove.

"Always." Lucy wiped the red juice from her face. At least it wasn't blood. Her eyes came to Tony, whose white shirt was also covered in red. He continued to fight on. Lucy wanted to ask if he was okay, but he would've given the same answer. His life belonged to her. Lucy rolled her eyes at that thought. "That was the first time they were ever violent."

"It'll only get worse, ma'am."

"Looking forward to it." Putting her head back, Lucy closed her eyes. Her head pounded and the world twisted around her. Someday all of this would be over.