Running Around Royal (Prince Harry #4)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

When the airplane landed in Sweden, Meredith was prim and proper, in a dark green dress and dark heels. The green matched her eyes, and a light green eye shadow made them pop more. It wasn't as cold or snowy as it had been in Oslo, but that didn't stop Harry from wearing a heavy coat. It didn't stop Jessica from handing the jacket off to Meredith, which she accepted. They were barely outside in the morning, where the afternoon was supposed to be the real "fun."

As they exited the airplane, Harry first and Meredith second, light snowflakes glided to the ground. A slight breeze came off the runway, but even then, it wasn't enough to fluttered Meredith's hair, which rested on her shoulders in waves. A red carpet had been laid out as they walked, careful that the black pavement was going to be black ice.

Crown Princess Victoria, Duchess of Vaestergoetland, and her husband, Prince Daniel, duke of the same title waited. The rest of the family was meant to be met later. Meredith had met them all at her wedding, when she felt like she had met everyone in the world.

Harry greeted the crown princess correctly along with the prince. Meredith followed suit. Like meeting the Norwegian royals, it quickly turned into old friends greeting each other. Meredith kissed Victoria on either side of the cheek while Harry clapped the back of Daniel. Harry was far more casual than his brother, and after the initial contact, it was back to being friendly. Victoria and Harry had known each other for a while, even though William was the next king.

They moved into cars, and it was off to the first stop, which was a mental health organization in Stockholm. William, Catherine and Harry spearheaded the campaign Heads Together, and it was Catherine's idea. When Meredith joined the royal family, she was immediately welcomed into the campaign as well.

There were many diverse people within the room, coming from different backgrounds with different stories about mental health. Meredith and Daniel spent much of their time together as Victoria and Harry grew together as the higher ranking royals. Daniel did much of the translating. Like the rehab centers in Oslo, the walls were white and hospital looking, but it wanted to be more open and welcoming. It wasn't a ward set up to keep people here, but it was meant for people to grow and learn. Snow drifting outside was the only setting of white with the floor even a color not to bring down the mood.

"Healthy thinking begins with a positive outlook," said one of the patients. "The color gives it meaning."

"Yes. It does." Meredith put her shoulders back and went into duchess mode, going over the talking points, which Jessica always pushed on Meredith.

Harry, on the other side of the room, was making people laugh with his constant glow of happiness.

"Oh, you love him," said the patient.

"Pardon?" Meredith asked.

"You give all those gooey eyes on him. It's so cute," she said. "I want love like that."

Meredith smirked. "You can have love like that, if you want, but there are many more things that go into love than just that. It's never that simple."

"I saw yesterday that you took a fall."

"Skiing has never been my strong suit."

"Are you going skating today?"

"Skating is also not my strong suit," Meredith stated.

After the mental health event for a few hours, Harry and Meredith were escorted to parliament: Riksdag. Just a quick walk over from the Stockholm Palace, the palace and Riksdag both resided on the banks of Lilla Vaertan. Riksdag was massive on the outside, and on the inside, it grew to be much larger. The largest chamber, which Meredith and Harry were allowed to go down inside of with the prime minister, held the debates, and it had been modernized to seat everyone. It looked similar to the German Reichstag. It was a quick tour in the building before heading over to Stockholm Palace for lunch.