Red & White

twenty three.

"Now, sit down and spill."

Leah frowned at his tone of voice. She did not appreciate being talked to this way. Her body turned after being ushered inside the Prince's bedroom to glare at him.

He deeply sighed, "I'm sorry, alright? Poppy just infuriates me. I'm not mad at you, I'm livid at her."

She nodded mutely in understanding before walking over to his bed and easing the heels off her numb feet. Her fingers soothed her toes that were aching from being dragged up to the room.

Harry slowly inched closer to her, sitting atop the duvet and touching her cheek for her to look up at him.

"Please, Leah. Just tell me what she said to you?" He spoke in a quiet voice, much different than it was moments ago.

The girl didn't answer at first, struggling to free the clasp to the necklace strapped around her neck. She blindly could not unclasp it so Harry removed her frustrated hands to do it himself. It fell to her lap in a heap.

"Poppy told me that the last you two were together, you kissed her."

Prince Harry was silent for a second before covering his face and groaning, falling back on the mattress. "This girl and her shit never ends.."

She rose her eyebrows to him and he continued, "Alright so just so we're clear, you and I were not properly together at that time. Anyway, her and her mother were here for dinner. This was the night before my birthday ball and I had announced that you were my date. I suppose my mother planned the dinner party for me to ask Poppy, but I already had you. I could sense how upset Poppy was and it was amazing, up until they decided to stay the night. I was assigned the job to walk Poppy to her bedroom on the guest's floor. It started out completely fine and she was returning to the room when she just kissed me. Out of no where! It was disgusting and I remember her saying, 'Don't forget about me, Harry. I'll be standing in the background when you and this girl part ways.' Utter bullshit like that. But that was it. She kissed me, not the other way around."

The air surrounding the lovers was thick with tension, but Harry was slowly making it better with his words.

"You do believe me, right?"

"But why does she have to continue targeting me if she knows I'm with you?" Leah whispered.

"I don't know, baby," he replied. "But I want to put an end to it. Poppy is not allowed to verbally assault you. You and I both can't stand it anymore. I'll think of something, don't worry."

She nodded and the Prince wrapped his lean arms around her petite frame, hugging her tightly.

"Can we stay up here for the rest of the night?" He asked, pressing a light kiss upon her neck.

"Yes, please."

The younger girl moved out of his hold to try to get up on the large bed, but Harry momentarily stopped her.

He seemed to consider in his mind what he was going to say before gazing into her eyes and quietly saying, "Just..you believe me, right? That nothing happened between Poppy and I?"

Without a second thought, Leah nodded her head with no doubt or worry. She believed him with everything she had.

Harry nodded his head and they were still as a statue for a full minute before he reopened his eyelids and motioned for the girl to turn around. She shot him a questioning glance.

"We aren't leaving the room," he shrugged, "so you might as well get out of your dress. I'll help."

She thanked him, twisting around and standing between his legs. His cool hands slid her pinned hair to one side, leaving goosebumps in their flesh. Leah relaxed under his touch, feeling her pulse slow to a steady beat. He controlled her. She was his to control.