The Destitute Queen || h.s. au

16. Harry

     I am, without a doubt, a fucking idiot.

     I was walking down the hallway when I heard Jennie screaming her lungs out. Without thinking, I ran into her room and immediately asked the person holding her if she was crying. She had already stopped and was asleep in the person's arms. Then, I realized who the person was.

     That girl I saw out on the maids' balcony was rocking Jennie back and forth as she slept. Suddenly, I lost the ability to form a sentence. It was beyond pathetic, I was in the presence of an angel and I couldn't even say "hello". I tried to introduce myself to her but instead I ended up tripping over my words.

     When she asked if I was alright, I was in awe. Her voice was more melodic than the violin I have learned to play so beautifully. Her mesmerizing, grey eyes were wide with worry for someone she doesn't even know. The way she held little Jennie with such care and gentleness made me wonder if she has ever been a mother herself.

     I could barely give her an answer before I turned around and walked away as quickly as I could. If I had stayed in that room a moment longer, I wouldn't have been able to stop myself from grabbing her face and kissing her.

     This is ridiculous, I should have no problem speaking to her. I'm a Prince, for God's sake. There isn't anything I've come across in my entire life that has made me as nervous as this woman. I've never had this problem before, she makes my heart beat at least ten times faster than normal and I have no idea how to react to that.

     I go directly into the nearest bathroom, close the door, and splash water all over my burning face. I look at myself in the mirror and am surprised at what I see. My face is beet red and the green in my eyes is almost completely covered by my dilated pupils. How can one person have such an effect on me after only one encounter?

     I hear a knock on the bathroom door and a voice says, "Your Highness? Are you alright?"

     I take a few deep breaths and wipe my face with a cloth. The person on the other side of the door opens it without my permission, and I turn to them. It's that maid named Abigail.

     "I didn't say you could open the door," I curtly say. I'm not usually this rude, but something about her brings out the worst in me. Besides, she had no right to open the door while I'm in the bathroom.

     "Terribly sorry, my Prince," she says. "I was just worried about you, you looked ill as you ran into the bathroom. I was afraid that you were going to be sick."

     "I closed that door because I wanted some privacy," I tell her, and she hangs her head. "If I wanted you to come in, I would have said so."

     "I'm sorry, Your Highness," she whispers, her voice quivering. I shake my head in disappointment and push past her, getting as far away from her as I possibly can. The only thing I want to do right now is go to my room and be left alone. Once I get there, I close the door behind me and turn the lock. That way, there won't be any more unwanted visitors.

     I fall onto my bed and huff, trying to process what just happened. Now that I realize how much of a nuisance Abigail is, I'm going to avoid her as often as I can. It was incredibly rude of her to come into the bathroom while I was in there. Yesterday, she said that Louis was annoying. Today, she walks in on me in the bathroom. I would tell Father about this if my mind wasn't so preoccupied with the image of that girl who was holding Jennie.

     That girl...she's incredible, to say the least. I've never seen Jennie so comfortable with anyone other than me and Liam, but there she was, sleeping soundly in that girl's arms. There has to be some way for me to talk to her without getting tongue-tied or flustered. She probably thinks I'm an idiot.