La Chenille (Prince Harry)

Chapter Fourteen

It was quiet at Kensington Palace, even though most of the younger staff had not been informed, Evee could feel the tension bursting through the grounds. She thought maybe it was her own mind playing tricks with her, the car ride from the Frogmore estate towards London City had been silent. She didn't dare to comment on anything, she didn't want Harry's glossy blue eyes off the road. He had preferred to drive towards London himself. The only thing she managed to do was put her hand on his to show her she was actually there to listen.

It was no secret, even the public knew how close the Duchess of Clarence and Avondale and the Duke of Edinburgh were. The Duke had lowered his own engagements in the last year but when they were actually seen together in public, they always had sneaky smiles on their faces.

Prince Philip had always been one of the easiest to get along with. He had the same sense of humour as her and he always managed to make her blush.

Finally realising he would never be able to make her laugh anymore, she quickly whipped away the tears escaping her right eye. She sniffed quietly, rubbing the swell of her own pregnant belly in comfort. He wouldn't see the baby anymore. He didn't even know it was a boy.

"You alright?" Harry whispered, ignoring his own sore throat to look at his wife.

"Just a little overwhelmed. It's so unexpected." Evee muttered, waiting at the door of 1A for someone to open.

When Catherine finally opened the front door, it was obvious that she hadn't kept it dry herself. Her eyes were reddened and her cheeks tearstained. "Hey guys." She mumbled quietly, "Harry, Will's in the library. You should probably see him ."

Evee and her husband's eyes contacted quickly once more before he nodded his head and managed to follow the long hallway towards the library on his own. When the blonde Duchess finally couldn't see her husband anymore, she sobbed, finally letting out the tears she held back for an hour and a half throughout the entire car ride. Kate immediately threw her arms around the curve of the blonde's neck, careful not to crush the baby's bump.

"He had a good life, right?" Evee mumbled, returning the embrace.

"Of course he did, Evee. If he was here, he'd tell us all how ridiculous we're acting." Kate mumbled, not holding back one solo tear. "He'd tell you to think about the baby and that you can't let the emotions overtake you."

"He didn't even know it was a boy, I should have told him." Evee cried quietly, forgetting about the fact that the person in front of her wasn't even supposed to know the gender.

"It's... A boy?" Kate mouth widened, surprised by the information.

"Oh god, and now Harry will be even more upset that I blurted that out." The blonde spoke, sniffling. She accepted the tissue that Kate offered her and blew her nose a little too loudly. "You can't tell anyone."

"Philip would have been really excited about a boy." Kate whispered, nudging Evee's upperarm. "I won't tell a soul. George will be ecstatic." She smiled sadly, hoping to uplift the blonde's spirits a little bit with that information. The Duchess of Cambridge didn't think she'd have any tears left. She had used them all up when she saw her own husband break down in front of her. The most important thing on her mind right now was making sure the rest of the family was fine, and that included keeping the little boy inside of her sister in law's belly safe. Away from all the stress, away from extreme emotions.

"We should all probably change and then we will go to Buckingham as quickly as possible. Charles is already there."

Evee nodded her head. She waited patiently for her husband to return from his brother. She knew they needed some time alone. When William and Harry finally managed to come back towards the living room, she hugged her brother in law tightly. William said that he had already spoken to Oliver and that they would have to change attires and then drive together towards Buckingham, leaving the children with the nannies.

It didn't take long for Evee to change into a darker, sophisticated yet simple dress and when the cars finally arrived in all secrecy at Buckingham Palace. Evee stood back to watch the two brother hug their father for dear life. She looked up towards the ceiling to hold back her own tears yet again. She could hear Charles tell them that their grandmother was still with their grandfather, having a private moment.

It was then again that the tears overflowed her cheeks. She couldn't imagine ever saying goodbye to Harry after so many years of marriage. It literally pained her chest. What would his grandmother feel? She could imagine The Queen being heartbroken and devastated.

She managed to give the whole family her condolences, hugging them all briefly. When Charles wrapped his arms tightly around her little frame, she was a little surprised. He had always been friendly, always welcoming but it seemed as he needed a little patch of light on this dark summer day.

His third grandchild growing inside Evee's belly was that spark of energy.

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Charles." The blonde mumbled, finally feeling him release his hug to look at his pregnant daughter in law.

He shook his head sadly, trying to change to subject. "He would tell you to stop crying, you know. Say that it wasn't worth the fuss, he wouldn't want to stress out his great-grandchild."

Evee smiled sadly, ignoring Charles hands on her stomach for the very first time. She didn't mind, she had a feeling he needed this at the moment. "I will try not to. "

She could feel Harry's presence right next to her. "How- when, when would will this go public?" Harry stuttered quietly, feeling a little relieve when his wife took his hand in her own.

"Since it's already late, your grandmother will inform the BBC tomorrow after 8 am, they will be tasked to make the official announcement. She just wants the night for her own." Charles informed, watching how his own wife stepped closer with a sad smile.

Evee had briefly said hello to Camilla when she stepped inside Buckingham, but it was only now that they had the time to talk. The Duchess of Cornwall's sad eyes lit up at the view of Evee's belly, "You're getting bigger every day."

"Doctor's said he's a chubby one." Harry smiled, looking at his wife.

"Wait, what?" Charles shook his head in confusion. "Did you just say 'he'?"

When realisation finally set in that her husband actually misspoke himself, Evee's  mouth widened. If it wasn't for this situation and the fact that she had already misspoken herself towards Catherine, she might have been a little angry but right now, this was the least of her problems. "It's okay, sweety, just tell them. It doesn't matter." The blonde smiled encouragingly, if this would help uplift Charles spirits, maybe take his mind off his deceased father for only two minutes, she'd gladly do it.

"Yes, we're having a boy." Harry mumbled quietly so the rest of the family apart from Charles and Camilla wouldn't hear.

"Oh! I am so happy for you, Harry." Charles smiled, for the first time today his eyes smiled along. "Father would have loved that. Congratulations."

"It's strange to think grandfather won't ever meet him." Harry replied, swallowing the big lump in his throat once again.

"Oh, he'll be with you, I'm sure." Charles answered, "I think he would have loved to see you struggle just a little bit."

"That I am quite certain about." The ginger chuckled, his blue eyes turning from his wife's face towards her stomach. "Do you know anything yet about the funeral?"

"There will be eight days of official mourning. He didn't want a full state funeral, even though mother would have preferred that, she will not go against his wishes." Charles quietly informed the two of them. "He didn't want to public to see his body either. His body will lay in St James Palace before being quietly buried in Frogmore Gardens after a service at St George's Chapel in the castle."

Evee was glad to hear that. She knew Frogmore House and the gardens was one of Harry's grandfather's favourite places. He would never be too far away. She would be able to make a quiet walk towards him once the baby was born. It was a relieve that she could visit one of her favourite royals whenever she wanted to in merely ten minutes.

Only the thought of that made her feel safe and sound. He'd watch over them, she was certain of that. An imagine in her mind popped up, a winking Prince Philip with that cheeky grin she had seen to many times before. A small smile covered her features, was it done to have three middle names for the baby?

She thought Philip William Alexander sounded strangely comforting.