The Throne (Prince Harry fanfic #6)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

It was nice to have Freddie with Harry as they waited for Lucy to come home. It helped Harry calm down. He needed to be calm for Freddie. It was his job as a parent, even when he was scared out of his mind. Harry lied on the couch with the awake Freddie lying close to him. It had grown too quiet for either of them so the news had been turned on. Harry watched in case they had news before he did.

Harry thought about Lucy walking in and her seeing this scene. She would've been so cross. Freddie would've immediately been sent off to bed, even though both boys would've tried to explain what happened, what they thought. Freddie would've been off to bed, and Lucy would've been furious at Harry for keeping him up so late. She would've been furious that Harry was up so late since he had an event tomorrow too. Harry would've tried to explain to Lucy as they went upstairs. Nothing would've gotten to her, not until she sleep.

In the morning, then and only then, Harry could've told her that it was out of concern that they stayed up. Both of them were scared for her safety. Harry would've explained why he felt that way, and it was because of the unanswered calls. It was also because of her past. Lucy would've understood that.

"Dad!" Freddie yelled, calling Harry out of his thoughts. "Lights! A car!" Jumping up, Freddie ran to the window. Harry followed after him.

Unlike before, this wasn't in Harry's mind. There was in fact a car in the large courtyard in front of the Kensington Palace apartments. The lights flashed as it did one large loop around the courtyard and halted in front of Harry's apartment. It wasn't the car Lucy left in, and it wasn't a car she would've been in. It wasn't an official car. It was someone's personal car.

Fear peaked in Harry as he told Freddie to wait in the front room as Harry went to the door. Siobhan stepped out, dressed in her professional clothing. It had been less than thirty minutes since speaking to her, yet she was ready to take on many reporters. Harry opened the door and Siobhan came inside.

"Your highness," she bowed. Her eyes came up to Harry and was ready to speak, but she stopped. Freddie waited and could've heard every word. "Sir, I don't think...."

Harry shook his head. "He's staying." Freddie was only a few years younger than Harry was when he received news of his mother's death, and Harry had promised not to push Freddie away. "Whatever you have to say to me, you can say with him here."

"That's the thing, sir: there isn't much to say."

Harry allowed her to come further into the apartment. "What do you mean?"

"I made a few calls, sir, and we haven't yet located the Duchess or Mister Ackerly."

"What are you going to do? You have to find them."

"We tried tracking their mobiles, however both of them are either turned off or destroyed somehow."

"Destroyed?" Freddie asked in a small voice. "But that means... um... something bad happened. Somebody did something to them, right?"

"We don't know that yet," Siobhan responded. "Police officers have been sent to the last known location of the Duchess and Mister Ackerly."

"Which was?"

"The event, sir. That was where they were last seen and where the mobiles stopped working." Siobhan swallowed. "When more information is presented to me, then I will pass it on to you."

Harry nodded, even though that wasn't good enough. Siobhan needed to find Lucy now! All police officers needed to be looking for her now! MI-5 and MI-6 needed to get their asses out of their seats and find the damn Duchess of Windsor!

"What about Uncle William?" Freddie asked. "Does he know? He can find her. He's the King... of England... of Great Britain... of the United Kingdom.... of a bunch of things. But he's the King. He can order people to find her. He can tell everyone to start looking."

Siobhan didn't have an answer.

Walking over, Harry bent down so that he was eye level with his son. "It doesn't work like that, kiddo. William is King, yes, but he doesn't have really any power. We don't have any power."

"But we're not like everyone else?"

"No... no, we're not."

"And... and... the military work for him-- the armed forces. He's the King. Get-- get the armed forces to look for Mum. That's their damn job-- to follow orders from the King!"

Harry shook his head. "Freddie, Freddie, Freddie," he tried to calm his son. "I'm sorry, but it doesn't... it doesn't work like that. Siobhan is doing all that she can." Harry hated those words in his mouth. He thought Siobhan could be doing more. She could've done things faster. "Police officers are looking for your mum and they're going to find her."

"What if they don't?"

"She's not dead," Harry said quickly. He refused to believe that Lucy was dead. His wife wasn't dead.

"No," Freddie said, "but what if they don't find her? What if she's not dead? What if someone took her, right? Someone tried to abduct Aunt Anne once, remember? What if it is like that?"

Siobhan began, "Yes, someone did try to kidnap Princess Anne once--"

"You're wrong," Freddie disagreed. "Kidnap is when someone is under eighteen. That's why there's kid in kidnap, obviously. Mum is an adult. She is abducted, like Aunt Anne. Someone tried to abduct Aunt Anne." Freddie didn't want anymore of this. "I'm dealing with morons." With that, Freddie walked into the kitchen to find himself some food.

Harry stood there dumbfounded before turning back to Siobhan. "Is there anything else?"

"When I know more, I'll tell you."

Nodding, Harry felt numb at that idea. He didn't want to wait, but waiting was the hardest part. Going into the kitchen, Freddie had pulled out cookies and started to eat them. Harry didn't have the heart to say no. He watched as his son ate cookie after cookie after cookie, dunking each into milk and then shoveling them into his mouth.

"Your highness," Siobhan whispered, pulling Harry out of his numbed thoughts, "I have news."