Arranged To Him #Wattys2017

Nine

Eliana's POV

I sighed and closed the door to my room after Harry left. I was enjoying spending our days together. We hadn't exactly gotten the chance to get to know each other on a deeper level but I didn't mind. That would happen in due time.

I smiled to myself and walked further into my room before sitting down on my bed. The girls were taking the day off, with my discretion, to do whatever they pleased in the kingdom. I let them leave the premises to go into the village and buy whatever they wanted. They were my friends, and they were amazing friends, so naturally I would spoil them.

Just as I was about to lie down, a knock sounded at the door. I furrowed my eyebrows and walked towards it. I fixed my skirt and checked my appearance, not knowing who could be there, and opened it. My heart sunk when I saw who stood there.

Bridgette.

"Princess," she sneered, with her arms crossed. I rose an eyebrow.

"Can I help you with something?" I asked, genuinely wondering if I had done something wrong.

"Yes actually," she replied, "as much as I look forward to you being my Queen, I would be happy to say that Harry and I have something quite special. You see, I love him and he loves me-"

"Excuse me?" I asked. She rose her eyebrows in question.

"Yes, did I stutter?" She replied. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"He does not love you, Bridgette," I wanted to let her know because if she really was in love with him, she'd be pretty heartbroken when she found out his real intentions. (Physical only)

"How would you know," she scoffed, twirling a piece of hair in between her fingers, "you don't hear what he whispers to me when we lay together. You're just a placeholder for him; something to keep his parents quiet."

As much as I didn't want her words to affect me, that last statement sent a dagger right through my heart. Mostly because I knew it had a good possibility of being true. Harry was nice to me, but that didn't mean he valued my company. He obviously valued Bridgette, if he was willing to spend night after night with her. Maybe I'd never gain his love, maybe I'd never gain his affection, maybe-

"So you can just leave us alone. Harry doesn't need you when he has me, he's perfectly okay with being with me even after he marries you. You're just a useless little girl," she giggled, "you can't even say no to your ladies in waiting when they sit next to you during breakfast because of equality? That's pathetic, and-"

"Bridgette!" A voice shouted. Both us of turned and craned our necks to find an outraged Harry standing behind us. His hands were meshed into fists and his jaw was clenched as he gazed at his mistress with pure disappointment and rage.

"Harry," she breathed, "I was just here to offer my friendship to the princess and then she just turned me away!"

I gave her a look that said "really, you're seriously trying?" And stifled a chuckle when I turned to face Harry and saw that he wore the exact same look on his face. He clearly didn't buy her lies.

"We all know that's absolute rubbish," he groaned, closing his eyes. When he opened them, he met my gaze and walked over towards us.

"It's not," Bridgette protested, "I promise-"

"Bridgette, I heard it all," he interrupted, "you know, it's one thing to be jealous, but then it's another thing to approach the princess - someone who has the full capability to have you executed, but probably won't because she's too soft,"

I nudged him at that.

"Sorry," he mused, before turning back to her, "it's another thing to approach the princess and call her things that you and I both know she isn't."