HufflepuffHolland's Writing Collection

Mistaken Royalty (Part 2) // Tom Holland

"But, did you see what he looked like?" Your friend asked, still laying in bed just as you saw her a couple of days ago.

"No, his mask was on, the whole night," you said, smiling softly as you thought about the night you had, just the sleep before. "But, I did meet someone... a friend of the Prince, he said."

"What? You've been holding out on me!" She exclaimed, reaching for her pillow and hitting you with it. You laughed, fixing your hair as you settled further into her bed, still not getting too close – you didn't know if what she had was contagious.

"Well, his name is Harrison!" You exclaimed, remembering how charming he was. "He asked me to dance, and we danced and spoke the whole night. Instead of trying to court another, he stayed with me. But, before he could take the mask off, the prince had come to take him away." You frowned.

"So, you met the prince?"

"Briefly," you shrugged, not particularly interested in talking about the Prince. "I just wish I could see him again."

"Harrison?"

You nodded, sighing as you fell back on her bed. "Is this what Romeo and Juliet felt like?"

"I suppose," your friend said, shifting so she lay next to you, both of your legs dangling off the bed, "but, they did die in the end."

You laughed, turning your head to look at her. "Yes, but that was because their parents forbid it. I can't see my parents forbidding me from seeing an accomplice to the Prince."

"Touché."

-

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Harrison complained, looking out into the hallway again for any sign of the King and Queen.

"You worry too much, Haz," Tom said, fixing his hair in his mirror as he threw on a coat. "I'll only be gone for a short two hours – I'll be back before you know it. Just lay here," Tom guided his best friend to his bed, "and pretend to feel ill. The weather is very harsh – it'll be manageable." He watched as Harrison laid down, pulling the covers up to his chin. "Now, turn the other way, and shield your face. If you sleep the whole time, no one will disturb you."

"You're whipped."

"Not quite, not yet," Tom shot back, smiling as he bent down to adjust his shoes. "I just... I need to see her again."

"How do you know you'll find her?"

Tom shrugged, opening the window to climb out, like he'd done so many times before when he was a child. "Love will reign, Harrison." And with that, he winked, and he waved one last goodbye, before climbing the brick wall down, until his feet hit the ground and he took off running toward the village.

It was his request to keep hidden until he was of age for the throne, the only remembrance the town had of him was when he was born, and then a couple of years old as a child – but, his brothers looked so similar to him, no one knew what'd he'd grown to look like. He wanted his freedom to roam outside of the castle before he'd be forced to be hoarded into it for the rest of his life. His parents, with reluctance, agreed. So, as he counts down the days until Coronation Day, he enjoyed every ounce of freedom he could get.

-

"Darling, I need you to go down to the market for me!" Your mother called from down the hall, causing you to silently groan as you stretched out in your bed. You were just about to take a bath and get comfortable after being with your friend all morning, trying to help her get better while simultaneously reliving your night for her, to make her feel like she was part of it.