The Harvest || h.s.

Chapter 5

V. DINNER

Lena

She was wearing a beautiful baby blue dress that fit her body to perfection. She didn't know how to feel about talking to the Prince. If he was as good of a person as Niall said he was, there was not going to be a problem, right?

But still, she was nervous. She had a feeling about the Prince, and it was not a great feeling.

She sat on her bed waiting for the time of dinner to come. She looked at her bedside table and opened the drawer from where she took out a big book.

Before getting ready, Lena passed by the library and borrowed some books, from the Prince's collection.

She examined the cover, tracing her fingers over the title of the book. Lena thought that maybe by reading Prince Harry's favorite books she would be able to know him, at least know little about him, as she knew nothing.

Apparently, the rumors weren't true, according to Niall. So Lena had to discover who the Prince really was. She started to read the first few pages, the pages turning into chapters. She found herself so hooked up on the book that she didn't notice the time flying by.

As soon as she realized that dinner time had arrived, she quickly put the book back on the bedside table and opened the door to her room a little too hurriedly. The door hit something hard, something that was apparently waiting outside Lena's room.

She heard a deep chuckle and a raspy voice that said, "You should be more careful next time."

Lena gasped and quickly stood outside and closed the door, her eyes meeting the Prince's, who was about to knock on Lena's door. "I-I'm sorry, y-your Highness." Lena stuttered, looking down at the ground, blushing with embarrassment.

"It's okay, really. How could you know I was standing outside? And you can call me Harry, when no one is around. If not, I prefer your Grace." Harry smiled a little, twitched smile.

"Thanks... Harry" Lena smiled back.

"So, dinner is ready. Let me walk you to the dining room. You must get really confused with all the corridors, stairs and rooms. But trust me, you get used to it after a while."

The Prince walked Lena to the dining room, where dinner was already served. This time there were three seats at the table, instead of just two. The Prince must have noticed Lena looking at the empty seat.

"Niall will join us today. I believe you two have already met." Harry said before taking a bite of his food.

"I thought he was skipping dinner tonight."

"He changed his mind." stated the Prince.

Lena just nodded and looked down at her food. The food looked delicious, but Lena was not at all hungry.

"Is something bothering you?" Harry asked.

"No, it's alright. I'm okay." Lena shrugged.

"Then talk to me. Please. I would like to get to know you, Lena. Please let me."

Lena sighed. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything there is to know about you."

"There's not much in that department." The Prince laughed, causing Lena to smile and feel more comfortable.

She told him about her family and how life back home was. She kept it simple, not spilling every single detail, but enough that he was aware of her family's situation.

Harry was bewildered after hearing about Lena's life back at the fields. "I guess it's the first time I've chosen someone from your background." He said, the 'it's usually High-Class girls' comment was inferred.

Lena opened her mouth to ask about the previous Chosen girls, but she quickly shut it again, realizing that would most likely be a colossal mistake.

She'll have to find out about the fate of those girls when the right time comes.

The doors to the dining room suddenly opened, both Harry and Lena's heads snapping in the direction of the doors, who revealed a seemingly exhausted Niall in equestrian clothing.

"Sorry." Niall apologized. "I was back at the stables and time just flew- am I interrupting something?" He smirked, ruffling his blonde hair and taking a seat at the empty chair.

"Lena and I were just talking," Harry replied, his eyes burying into the side of her face.

She nodded, firmly aware of the Prince's eyes on her and ate quietly.

The dinner went by in silence for a few minutes, the only sound that could be heard was the tinkling of silverware against china.

Prince Harry cleared his throat, earning the attention of Prince Niall and Lena.

"I'm hosting a party next week," he announced. "In your honor, Lena."

Lena gagged on the wine she was taking a sip of. "Oh, God. For me?" She felt her cheeks heating up once more.

"Of course, darling."

"Thank you; I'm truly grateful." She smiled at the Prince.

Lena, without making a conscious effort, found herself staring at the Prince the rest of the meal. Admiring how his crimson lips moved when he talked to Niall about stallions - horses were a shared passion of theirs - recording his beautiful laugh in the back of her mind, staring deep into those emerald eyes of his, the same eyes that every once in a while took a glance at Lena, causing her to blush time and time again.

She was overwhelmed by the Prince's charm. He was so sweet to Lena, offering her more wine and often asking if she needed anything. The Prince seemed to be in an excellent mood that night. He seemed jubilant as he caught up with Niall, like two old friends who had not seen each other for years.

How could she have been so misinformed about him? He was truly a great person. She felt the urge to go to her village and inform her family and everyone else that he was not the man the rumors warned of.

But she couldn't, not until she was a hundred percent sure about the other girls. About why they disappeared, what happened to them after they set foot in the castle. And about his parents, King Robert and Queen Anne. They just went missing one day. No warning, no trace of them. Nothing.

She could not do that until she confirmed her thoughts about the Prince. Her mind was still debating his morality. He seemed very earnest in his intentions, but Lena's intuition tried to sway her mind in the opposite direction.