Kingdom Come

Chapter 2

Liora

While Gemma attended to the two visitors I saw earlier, I decided to take this time and rest in the confinement of my room. Walking up the large white stone staircase, decorated with blue carpet, I make my way towards the left wing of the castle. Knowing the path to my bedroom by heart, I open my book and continue to read the marvelous words of Shakespeare.

"Don't you get tired of reading girl?" I hear a woman ask me. I look up at she is smiling at me, while dusting a small white statue by the window.

"No no really." I reply, as I turn the corner. I let out a groan and gasp, colliding into a hard body. I stumble backwards a little, feeling a hand grasp my elbow to hold me steady.

"Oh, I'm so-Harry," I gape, when I look up, meeting his green gaze. "I mean, King Harry." I quickly correct, feeling my cheeks warm.

Shit...

"I'm so sorry." I say, grabbing the layers of my dress, bending into a curtsey, just at the same moment he bends down to grab my book, off the floor.

"Ah." I hiss as we hit our heads against each other's. He hisses too, but chuckles.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, your majesty." I groan rubbing my hand over my forehead.

"You know if you hated me, you could have just told me."

I shake my head. "No, I-"

"What are you doing here?" A voice interrupts me. I take a step back, when a guard stands between Harry and I, holding his hand out towards me. He has dark brown eyes, dressed in khaki pants, black shoes, with the royal blue guard uniform.

I blink at him. "I, uh... I was heading to my room." I fumble under his hard gaze, and tall build. He has the same height as Harry, but not the same friendly face. I learned that vampires can be nice, but their nature is still there.

"Really? Because the last time I checked, the bedroom wing for the help is at the south end of the castle."

"Carter." King Harry snaps, glaring at his guard. "What do you think you are doing?"

"Protecting you." He replies, sounding more like he was asking a question.

"From what? Her? She is no danger, and she isn't the help."

"Oh," The guards face falls. "Sorry," he says gesturing towards me. "I just saw her dress and I just assumed that-"

"Clearly you have a lot to learn. Now go stand at the end of the hall." King Harry orders, gesturing with his chin.

"Yes your majesty." The guard replies before walking past me, without another word.

This is so humiliating.

"I apologize." King Harry says, while extending my book out to me. I don't look up at him, I simply nod, grab my book and walk past him.

"Wait, Liora." He says, grasping my hand. I shake out of his hold and hurry down the hallway, with tears stinging in my eyes.

I can let my guard down with Gemma and forget all about royal formalities but when it comes to King Harry I can't seem to do the same. Even though I know I can act normal around him, to me he is still the king and there are rules i need to follow, despite of his efforts for things to be normal between us. There's no way in blurring the lines.

"Dad, where are we going?" I ask for what feels like the hundredth time, as I bounce in his arms while he ran.

"We are almost there honey." He replies, holding me steady, as I feel his hand rest behind my head. I wince when I feel a branch scratch my arm.