When you tell the world you're mine

Chapter 28: Encontros e Despedidas

Carol woke up the next morning with sounds inside the bedroom. Harry was already up and getting dressed for the day. She had barely slept most of the night because he had a troubled sleep. He woke up and moved a lot of times, but he didn't for one second let go of her body. She had to actually fight him in the middle of the night to be able to go to the bathroom and fetch water. And he held on her as soon as she was back in bed. Shaking her head she rubbed the sleep from her face and yawned.

"Morning." she said after watching him getting dressed for a while.

"Morning. I'm sorry I woke you up." he said.

"What time is it?" she asked, looking for a clock.

"It's 7:30" he sat by her side on the bed and kissed her hands. "Do I really need to go alone?" she saw in his eyes that he wasn't ready to go. But whoever would be?

"Yes, Harry. I know no one from your family except for Eugenie. It's not my place to be there with you." she said. "And we don't want to distress your grandmother even more. Especially today."

"Ok..." he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I can't wait to get back home, though."

"I'll be here waiting for you." she pecked his lips and caressed his face. "Now I'm gonna help you get ready."

She was up in a blink and helped him with his shirt and tied the knot of his tie for him. She chose the perfume he wore and the cufflinks. She even accompanied him to his door when he was about to leave. They shared a sweet kiss by his front door and he left. She waited until his car was out of sight to close the door. Her heart was heavy and broken and somehow she was still managing to help him. She went to the kitchen and fixed her breakfast before turning on her work laptop to start working from home. She turned on the TV and was only listening to the news while she did so. It wasn't going to be televised but she still wanted to watch it.

(...)

Harry arrived at St. George's Chapel with his family. They received the programs for the ceremony and they were seated in their designed seats. Everything was following the protocols and the planning The Queen wanted for her husband's funeral. His grandmother would be the last one to arrive. He was sitting beside Kate and the Chapel was filled with extended family members, friends, a few heads of state and politicians and other people from the military.

The trumpets announced the arrival of The Queen, with her arms linked with her older son. She entered the Church and sat closer to the altar. Military men soon brought the coffin with The Duke of Edinburgh coat of arms drape over it.

The Bishop did a beautiful and touching ministration honoring Prince Philip as a loyal consort to the United Kingdom, a serviceman, as a husband, father, and grandfather. A few of their guests were crying softly, but the Royal Family remained with their faces clean of tears.

Until Louise got up.

She'd be the one delivering the eulogy, she asked her grandmother to do it and The Queen gave her permission. She climbed the stairs to the altar and they adjusted the microphone to her height.

"Your Majesty,

Your Royal Highnesses,

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning.

My grandfather never liked to be the center of attention. He wouldn't want us focusing on him and surely he wouldn't want us to be sad about his death. I am sure he'd preferred us to think about our happy and jolly times. He was a humble and loving grandfather and will always be remembered by us as such. We all are already missing him. His full laughter, his jokes and pranks, his love and mostly his advices. Our grandfather always taught us to be responsible. He always said that we need to put our duty first. He was a man of duty, always supporting my granny." she stopped and looked at her grandmother afraid of making a mistake. "I mean... he was always supporting The Queen through all those years. He also always taught us how to act and behave in our roles. And although we'll miss him, we take consolation in the good memories we shared with him. I remember when once he showed up at our house and said mom and dad he'd take me riding. I wasn't a very good rider back then, but he was patient enough to teach me. He complimented saying I was the best rider he had ever seen."