Close to the Crown (On hold until 2021)

Chapter Six (REWRITTEN AND EDITED)

A/N: 

This chapter has been completely rewritten. This is different to before, and I suggest you re-read this chapter, as no chapter is the same as it previously was.

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The weekend passed quicker than expected, meaning that most of William's and I's friends had to return to their normal lives. Harriet, Blake and Oliver had returned to their manor located just to the South of London, in North Kent, and Jamie had travelled just a ten minute car ride to his London town house, where he lived alone.

Due to further flooding in the northern half of the country, Elizabeth and Adelaide would not be able to return home until Thursday, two days later than planned. Flooding meant that it was impossible to travel back to London via car or train, and the continuing storms meant that it was too dangerous to fly home. This meant that William and I were practically alone together in the palace, as King Henry was often busy with his royal duties, and my father had a live of his own.

It was Tuesday morning, and it being mid January meant that it was far too cold to spend the time I wasn't studying outside. So instead, I found myself curled up by the roaring fire in the library, with a pile of Victorian classics piled up besides me on the small round oak coffee table. My tutor was too stranded up in the North East, after going to visit her oldest daughter, meaning I was left to manage my own studying.

The library was a decent sized room, located on the floor below the royal chambers, on the third of four floors. It wasn't overly large, this being the more private of the two libraries in the palace, however it still held over one thousand books, many of which were useful to my degree of English Victorian and War Literature. Reading Jane Eyre, for what must have been the fifteenth time, was beginning to bore me, with the book moving agonisingly slow for the first ten chapters. The book was a long one of over 500 pages, and after reading solidly for over 2 hours, the words were beginning to blend together on the page.

Sighing, I shoved the bookmark into the novel, and slammed the book shut before carelessly throwing it onto the oak coffee table besides me.

"You do know that book is over 150 years old, don't you?" 

My head snapped to the left of me, to the Library door were the intruder was stood. I groaned when I saw it was only the prince, and then went back to resting my head upon my raised knees.

"I'm fully aware, William." I replied back, with a disinterested tone.

"That book is an original copy, printed in late 1847." He said, I could hear him walking towards the vacant seat across from mine. "You must be more careful."

"What are you doing here William?" I groaned once again.

He snorted, "I do live here, Lilliana."

"Stop trying to act smart, it really doesn't suit you."

"Stop insulting me, or do you forget that I am your prince?" He asked, his tone challenging.

"How can I forget?" I rhetorically questioned, "You never let anyone forget."

This was true. William often used his title to his advantage, using his name to get what he wanted, when he wanted it. His parents did not approve, and neither did I. Respect was earned, not given just because of your status in society.

He ignored my previous statement, "Have you finished your studying for today?"

I sighed, bringing my feet back to the floor. "I wish I was; I'm supposed to spend four hours studying a day during the week, I have only done two hours so far."