Glory in Our Defiance • Zarry

27. - Repercussions

December 1485 - Windsor Castle

Lord Wawrick's execution is scheduled five days after the poisoning incident. He survives the stabbing, barely but he does. Melisende orders torture for him too and Harry doesn't ask about the details. He's glad Lord Wawrick is suffering before he dies. It's just simple karma for the years of manipulation and hurt he's caused over the years. Ever since Harry's Father had died, Lord Wawrick basically ruined his family. Now he attempted the very, very new family Harry has created himself and for this, he cannot keep living any longer. Such a vile person doesn't deserve to walk the Earth.

The five days until his death, Harry doesn't really leave his and Zayn's chambers. Thankfully, he is not in pain but he dreads hearing the court gossip and the pitying looks of courtiers. He doesn't need to be reminded every single moment that he lost a child. He's quite aware, thank you.

Julianna is in a state of shock. She barely eats and after a day, she stops coming to Harry's chambers and stays in her own, looking out of the window and crying. Harry visits her once and she goes nearly hysterical, saying how she regrets ever marrying Lord Wawrick. She blames herself for this. Harry won't tell her the truth, that she is responsible for it in some degree, but how could she know that her husband would try to poison his own step-son, not that Harry considers him a father figure. He's always been just the man that tried to win the English throne for Harry and he married Harry's Mother. That's all he's ever been to him.

Harry tries to move on, regardless of the damage and chaos. If he shuts himself out and becomes a recluse, Lord Wawrick will succeed. He needs to rule, he needs to make decisions for the country and he needs to be happy. And that's what he tries to do.

Even if he doesn't leave the chambers, he starts working again after two days. He sits with Zayn in their study, looking over documents and signing whatever needs to be signed. They plan a visit to the Scottish King in February and then they will embark on a journey to Europe for a few months, which will be a honeymoon and business travel all in once. Zayn promises Harry to show him the castle that Melisende grew up in and the land around it that's French but belongs to Melisende and one day will belong to them. Now that's a war in the making but it's not a bother right now.

The morning of Lord Wawrick's execution, Harry wakes up with his head on Zayn's naked chest. He listens to his heartbeat for a while, until he feels Zayn wake up as well.

"Good morning, my love," Zayn says, his voice thick with sleep. "Have you been up long?"

"No," Harry says, the tips of his fingers drawing patterns on Zayn's skin. "Just a little while."

"How are you feeling?" Zayn asks, his hand coming to stroke Harry's hair. The execution is hidden in the question.

"Not bad," Harry says, continuing after a beat. "Strangely enough, now that he's gone, I sort of miss the baby. I did not even like him before. I did not want him. I hated it a little. But now, I keep waiting to feel that little fluttering again. But there is nothing."

"Love...,"

"No, I am fine," Harry adds. "I think my mind is trying to trick me in order to cope with the loss. It's like when people lose a limb and then they feel it, like a ghost. I think I am going through a version of that right now. But I am alright. I promise."

"I love you so much," Zayn says, kissing the top of Harry's head. "Thank you for telling me. I'm glad you told me instead of keeping it inside."

"Thank you for being with me all the time these past days," Harry says, lifting his head so he can look at Zayn and kiss him properly. "It helped me a lot. Having you here. Knowing that no matter what, I have you. I love you."