Princess in Training (Prince Harry #3)

Chapter Twenty-One

Standing on the dock of the resort in northern Minnesota, Meredith looked out at Bad Axe Lake. While the rest of his family had retired to Scotland for the summer, and eventually Harry and Meredith would rejoin them, it was Minnesota for now. Park Rapids lied almost two hundred miles north of her hometown, and the four hour drive up here had been long.

Harry fell asleep, and Meredith listened to the Twins games that blasted through the radio. Unfortunately there was no time for a Twins game now, and she suspected it was going to be a long time before there was another Twins game she might attend.

This far north, not Bodyguard Bill or Bella came because it was unnecessary. The tourist scene began in mid-July and through August. In mid-June, it was peaceful. Going to same the resort for the last twenty years, Meredith didn't like to take a year off. Her only year of was going to Scotland, where she met Harry.

Meredith's eyes glanced at the different hues of the horizon, and she noted to herself, having only been there a few hours with Harry, how her mother was on such good behavior. Perhaps her mom tried to show Meredith off or perhaps Dad had said something, either way, it was a bit calm. She needed that over the last few hectic weeks she had been having. It all made her head hurt.

Coming up behind her, Harry wrapped his arms around her as they stared out at the lake. It was silent now. The children of the not-so-full resort had gone inside and gone to sleep. Meredith used to think the sun went down late here, until she went to London and Scotland, where the sun sometimes never ended. Loons gave off the only sound, calling to each other from across the lake.

He kissed her and watched as the sun went down. "What are you thinking about?"

"Too much."

Harry snickered; he knew that already. "Anything specific?"

"I needed a break, but I didn't do much work." Guilt had overtaken Meredith because for most of her life, she had worked hard and now it felt like she didn't as a royal-- or future royal. It didn't seem fair to the rest of society.

"You did do a lot of work," Harry protested. "More than others."

"I didn't beat you."

"Someday you might. Three events in one day is, like, a goal for you. To me, sometimes it wants to make me pull out my hair, which is why I'm going bald."

Meredith laughed. "My father and you," she shook her head, "if we have a son, he's not going to escape it."

"You have great hair." His fingers twirled through it. "What are we doing tomorrow?"

"Something interesting, I'm sure, or maybe," Meredith turned in his arms to face him, "we'll just relax. Read a bit by the pool or by the lake. We'll be calm. Maybe we'll go to Christmas World for mini golf. It'll probably be breakfast at Emmaville, Minnesota."

"Oh, what do they have in that city?"

"A gas station connected to a cafe called Emmaville," Meredith said. "But across the old is an old schoolhouse of one room and is called an university."

Park Rapids, Minnesota, was a tourist destination for the summer because cabins and resorts were filled up beyond belief with many families. Thankfully the whole season hadn't started yet, and it was still easy to move around. Around Park Rapids were small townships that offered their own quaint ways of tourism, like Dorset where they ate that night. It was one street where a dog was elected mayor every year because the population was twenty-five. Up and down the street were three restaurants, two ice cream shoppes and five antique stores. In fact, a few years back one fire burned down half the street.

"And you?" Meredith asked. "What are you thinking about?"

"How did it is to be so far away," he said. "I like it." Harry pecked her lips.

"I'm sure you went on holidays by yourself and with your friends."

"Yes, but out here in the wilderness, I did it in Norway sometimes and in Scotland other times, but now I'm on the other side of the world."

"I'm not sure people would call this the wilderness. I mean, this is as wilderness as I will go, but we're at a resort. Granted, it's a not a five-star resort like you're used to, but's good and it's home." Meredith did not camp and she did not like bugs. This was as far into the wilderness as she went.

"So I'm still not great at ASL but I think your dad invited me to go fishing with him tomorrow," Harry stated.

"That'll be fun."

"So you're okay if I go."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, you'll be with your mom."

Meredith laughed. "I'll probably be at the lake while you guys fish on the pontoon, just getting a tan and reading. And what's the worst that could happen?" She prepared herself to take on for the team. "We go shopping in Park Rapids while you guys fish. I'll bring back more beach things because we can never have enough of those in our house."

"Remember, we aren't taking a private jet back. Don't buy what you can't fit."

Rolling her eyes, Meredith cast her gaze back out to the Big Axe Lake. Because of the cool weather today and the warmer water, steam had started to rise on the picture perfect lake that was left without a wake. The wind started to pick up, which sent an eagle flying through the air above them.

"While we're home, are you going to see Kyra?" Harry asked. "Or Rachel and Chloe?"

"I'm not sure. Do you think we'll have time?"

"We can stay a bit longer. This might be the last time to see them until the wedding, and the last time it'll be here for a while," Harry admitted sadly. "You can even take me to a Twins game."

"Are you sure Bill and Bella won't have to show up for that?"

"They'll like it."

"You're sure Granny will allow it?"

"We'll have forever in Scotland, unless you're truly keen to see the Highlands again."

"They are beautiful," she said.

"You're beautiful."

Meredith blushed. "I meant the scene."

Harry only had eyes for her, even though he did like nature. Being here in northern Minnesota was gorgeous, even though he thought it would never happen. He never thought of it to happen. It was places like this that were just forgotten about for the bigger and "better" tourist destinations. Relaxation and a few tourist things were good for a change. Even spending only a bit of time here, Harry knew he wanted to come back.

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Hiya! I'm off to Germany for a month for university, so updates will be sporadic. Sorry about that, but auf wiedersehen.