The Mysterious Knight 🏹 🔞 |Harry Styles AU| COMPLETED ✔

chapter 16

Rosaline found the brothers together in the gardens early the next morning, talking and laughing as though angry words had never passed between them.

Harry was demonstrating Amazon’s abilities, showing her off, and Marcel was appropriately impressed.

Rosaline watched with interest as Marcel tied Harry's leather strap on his own wrist and proceeded to handle the bird with the same skill his brother did, and it occurred to her that the monk had missed his calling in life;
he should have set aside holy orders and become a falconer. He would have made a fortune.

“Good morning, Father Marcel, Harry,” she greeted them politely as she approached.

Both brothers turned to face her and gave her an identical overappreciative grin.

Rosaline was used to such open expressions from Harry Styles , but it was rather unsettling to have a monk eyeing her with admiration.

“You’re a beautiful sight this morning, Rosaline ,” Harry greeted.
“You look as pretty as your namesake.”

“Why, Harry Styles, I do believe your manners are improving,” Rosaline remarked,
lifting her skirt gracefully from the damp ground in what she knew was a pretty, feminine gesture.

“Your brother’s excellent behavior is having a good effect on you.”

“Either that or his behavior is having a bad effect on me,”
Marcel jested, taking Rosaline’s hand in his and kissing it.
“You are lovely enough to tempt an abbot, Lady Rosaline.
I'm glad will get to spend more time together.”

“Uh-uh-uh, Marcel, hands off!” Harry chided, pulling Rosaline’s hand from his
brother’s grasp and placing it on his own arm, where he kept it imprisoned.

“None of that now, or I’ll go calling for Father Bartholomew. You’re married to the Church, if you’ll remember.”

“I remember perfectly well,” Marcel replied easily.
“And I may be a monk, but I’m not dead.”
He winked at Rosaline and snatched her hand back from his brother, who wouldn't let go of her.
“Go and ready our horses, Harry, while I entertain Lady Rosaline . Come and stroll through the gardens with me, my lady.
I’m sure you will enjoy them greatly.”

“But I don’t want to go get the horses ready,” Harry said, frowning as his brother led Rosaline away.

“Rosaline ? Would you not prefer that I show you the gardens instead?
I know them as well as he does.
I used to break in and steal some fruits from the trees when I was a boy.”

Marcel waved one hand at him, as though telling him to stop bothering them,  ignoring him.

Pouted and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Well, if you need me, I’ll just be getting the horses ready!” he called after their retreating figures.

He looked at Amazon, who sat patiently on his wrist.

“Marcel's just being nice to her,” he told the creature.
“Isn’t he, my darling?” He kissed the bird’s beak.
“And besides, she’s nothing but a troublesome female. You’re the only lady I care about,” he cooed to the listening bird.

“She may be beautiful, but she’s a damned nuisance.
A damned, stiffnecked nuisance. And I’ll be glad to get rid of her, won’t I?” Making loving, clucking sounds at the bird, he made his way to the garden gate.