The Princess and Her Savior {Liam Payne AU}

Chapter 8: Just Wanna Be With You

(Liam's POV still)

I lifted her right hand unto my shoulder and then grabbed her left with my right hand while my left hand rested on her waist. "Just sway with the music" I told her as we began to dance around amongst the other people. It was a bit hard at first but she finally got it and we were talking and laughing as the music went on. When it ended, I took her off the dance floor with her arm linked with mine. "Where are we going?" she asked confused. I looked around and spotted my mom and dad in the corner staring at the paintings. "I want you to meet my parents, if that's okay with you?" her smile and eyes widen before she nodded. We slowly walked over to them and my mother was the first to turn to us. "Your highness" she said making my father turn and bow. "Please, call me Beth, and it's nice to meet you both, I've heard nothing but good things about you" Beth told them.

"Dad, Beth told me how you used to be friends with her father growing up" I said to him. "Indeed I was, he was a great man and had a good heart and he would be so proud of the beautiful young lady that you've become" he told Beth taking her free hand. "Thank you Mr. Payne, that surely means a lot and I see where Liam gets his charm" we all laughed at that. "Wait a second" my mother said looking between me and Beth. "Is she the girl you've been seeing, honey?" she asked me and I hesitated before looking over at Beth. "Yes, I am and he has been the perfect gentleman" my eyes widen at that response. "Ah, I can't believe it, our son is in love with the princess!" my mother couldn't have said any louder. She covered her mouth and Beth giggled "Um, Beth, why don't I take you over to meet my friends if we can find them?" I asked moving her away from my parents back into the crowd of people. "Im so sorry for that-" I started to say but she just raised her hand over my mouth. "You're fine, she's fine, just relax" Beth told me and I just took a deep breath.

People stopped us occasionally to speak to Beth and congratulate her. Once I saw Louis and Niall, I took her over to them. "Well if it isn't lover boy and the princess" Louis smirked. "You look beautiful tonight your highness" Niall said bowing and kissing Beth's hand. "You're Niall Horan, your family has the best wine shop in Ireland" Beth said he nodded. "Can I have the luck of asking you to dance?" he asked her extended out her hand. "You shall" then she let go of my arm and walked out to the floor with Niall leaving me with Louis. "So, how is it going?" he asked looking at me. "Pretty good, she met my parents and my mom told her I was in love with her" I said picking up one of the glasses of water from the table of drinks. Louis laughed and I rolled my eyes before joining him. "Well what did she say after that?" I knew he meant Beth and sighed. "Nothing really, I'm not sure if that should be a good thing or a bad thing but I was too embarrassed by the situation" I explained. I felt my pockets for the small box and pulled it out.

"What's that?" I opened it and showed Louis the ring my mother had given to me. "Dude are you proposing?!" Louis whispered loudly but I shushed him. "I'm only giving it to her when the time is right" he nodded. Niall came back without Beth and I placed the ring back in my pocket. "Where's Beth?" I asked him. "Some guy in a black and white uniform came up and took her away somewhere" he shrugged and went over to the foods table. Black and white uniform? My mind began to wonder and then it hit me. The prince! "Excuse me" I said before walking off looking for Beth. I walked down the hall that lead to the this huge balcony that overlooked the large garden below.

"Princess, can you please just listen to me?" I heard someone ask and I looked below and there was Beth and the Prince. I hid myself behind a pillar so they couldn't see me. "Listen to you about what?" Beth asked. "Elizabeth, rather you like this or not, we are engaged to be married so you can have the throne isn't that what you want?" wait engaged? "I want to take the throne but I can do so without marrying you!" I heard Beth shout. I then got up and found my way back inside to find the door that lead to the garden. Once I found it, I went out and looked around the two and saw them continue to argue as I hid behind a bush. "Why can't you just accept the fact of marrying me?!" the prince asked her. "Because I don't want you, nor do I even know you enough to marry you!" Beth yelled back. "You have to marry into the throne so you can have an heir behind you like your father did with you" "Might I add that my father was already in power before he married my mother not the other way around!" then there was silence.

"You are set to be married to me and nobody else" the guy finally spoke up. "Well I guess you're out of luck because I don't need you when I already have somebody else" my eyes widen. Is she going to do what I think she's going to do? "Excuse me?" "I already have someone else, someone that loves me and would never hurt me and respects my decisions" Beth told him. She means me? She's talking about me? "You mean, the guy who you were dancing with before? He's not a prince!" the guy yelled. "No, he isn't and I don't care that he isn't because I love him just the way he is" she loves me? Beth loves me? I smiled at that knowing I finally heard those words from her but not in the situation that I wanted it to be but hey it still counts!

"We'll see what the King and Queen have to say about this" then I heard footsteps walk away and stuck my head out to see Beth sitting there by the water fountain. I walked over to her and and heard her sigh. "Gabriel if you're here to yell at me again about marrying you then you can walk away now" she said. "That's funny because I'm not him" I told her and she turned to look at me. "Liam I-" "You're engaged to marry him and you didn't tell me Beth, how is that supposed to make me feel?" I asked her. I'm sure you were all expecting something different to happen but no it's not going down like that. "Liam, it's not what you think" she said standing up in front of me. "Then tell me what to think" I said. Her eyes were glistening in the moonlight and I could tell tears were threaten to escape. "My mom and David had set me up with an engagement to Gabriel since I didn't like any of their other choices before, it happened before I met you and I never wanted to get married at least not this way I didn't" she explained.

I sighed "Beth, how come you never told me? We said we would never keep secrets from each other and not telling me you're engaged to someone else that's not me hurts to even hear" I told her feeling tears in my eyes as I turned away from her. "I know, Liam and I'm sorry I am so so sorry, you have to believe me when I say I don't want him I just want you" her voice let me know she was crying. "Then prove it to me" I said without thinking taking the box out of my pocket again. "What?" she asked. I took a deep breath and opened the box before turning and getting down on one knee. "Marry me, Beth and prove to me that you will never leave me for him or anybody else" she sat down on the fountain again with a shocked expression on her face. "Liam, are you serious?" she questioned. "Yes, Beth, I love you and I know you love me too so why not show your mother and David that this is your life not theirs?" she gave me a smile and nodded her head.

"Yes, my answer is yes" those words were enough to have me place the ring on her finger and pull her into my arms as I kissed her with every bit of passion I had in me. We stayed like that for a few minutes and pulled away into a hug. She giggled "I love you so much Liam Payne, you have no idea how much I do" she whispered in my ear making me squeeze her tightly. "I think I know the feeling" I said back. "Princess? Oh am I interrupting?" we turned and saw a young girl standing there. "It's okay, Annabel but tell Garrett that the Princess has a Royal Announcement to make and make sure every man and woman have been served with their glasses and.." Beth then looked up at me. "Get the Payne family to join us afterwards" she told the young girl before she ran off. "Royal Announcement, aye?" I mocked her and she rolled her eyes wrapping her arms around my head.

"Yes, a royal Announcement that will change our lives from this day on"