The Destitute Queen || h.s. au

14. Harry

*the same day*

     The day started out like any other. Liam waking me up and telling me not to be late for breakfast, Father telling me not to chew with my mouth open, and Mother having the servants send her food back into the kitchen because the scrambled eggs were overcooked.

     "I don't like the eggs," Catherine suddenly says.

     "Sweetheart, you've always loved eggs," Father replies.

     Catherine shakes her head. "They cooked it wrong, I wanted scrambled."

     Catherine is so whiny, I thought she was going to grow out of that phase. I was wrong, she's fifteen and she's just as spoiled as she was when she was five.

     Mother sighs and turns to the servant. "Take these back and bring scrambled eggs for Catherine," the servant nods and, when Mother isn't looking, he rolls his eyes. I suppress a chuckle.

     "So, Father," Louis speaks up. "May I join in on the Royal Court meeting today?"

     "No," Father immediately responds, and Louis huffs.

     "Why not?" He whines. "Liam gets to attend those meetings."

     "I don't get to attend them, I have to attend them," Liam corrects him. "You're more than welcome to take my place, Louis."

     "No," Father repeats. "Liam, you are going to attend those meetings until you take my place. Then, you'll have to run the meetings."

     "What if he dies?" Louis asks, and Mother gasps.

     She scowls at him, "Don't talk like that."

     "Why not? It could happen," Louis shrugs. "Didn't you always say that we need to be prepared? If Liam dies, then I get to be the King."

     "You will not be attending those meetings, Louis, and that's final," Father sternly says, ending their conversation. I, for one, am glad that I don't have to go to those meetings. Liam says they're terribly boring. He doesn't even pay attention to them. I feel bad for him, he's been going to the meetings for years now. He's older than Father was when he came to power, though, and Father had no experience in ruling. It doesn't make sense to prepare Liam this much, especially when he has other, more important things to worry about.

     His wife, Tadia, is going to give birth to their second child any day now. He's told me how excited he is, even though Tadia doesn't feel the same. She's a nice woman, but she can be annoying at times. Especially when she says she doesn't have enough dresses. I feel bad for the seamstresses who have to constantly keep making clothes for her. It's pretty sad how much she says she loves Liam because I know that's not true. The only reason they had their daughter was because Father said that Liam needs an heir.

     Their firstborn daughter is a year old and she's named Genevieve, after Mother, but I call her Jennie. Mother's name sounds too grown-up for a baby, so I gave Jennie a nickname. Tadia wanted to have a son, so she was slightly disappointed. Jennie isn't at the table because she's fed in her room by the maids. She is the most adorable baby I've ever seen, I can't wait to have a daughter of my own.

     Now they're expecting their second child, and Tadia has high hopes that she will get the son the wants so badly. Liam doesn't care too much about the gender, and I think he loves Jennie more than Tadia does.

     "Liam, dear," Tadia impatiently calls his name. He sighs and turns to her.

     "Yes, my love?" He says. I'm the only person who knows that Liam doesn't really love Tadia, though.