Escape: A Royal Tom Holland Romance

A Battle of Wills

"Tom!"

And just like that, it was as if Tom's sanctuary  had completely collapsed and blown away, like a delicate house of cards that wasn't made to withstand even the tiniest shift. He was so rapidly torn from his bliss, yet it all seemed to shatter in slow motion. It was a cruel paradox: it didn't spare him from the painful, panicked thoughts of what was to come but also kept him from acting quickly. He suddenly felt foolish because he dared to believe he could not only have this type of happiness, but also keep it.

There was nothing he could do but whip his head around to face his horror, any and all words choking him. "Haz—"

Harrison sprinted towards them from the trees, panting softly as he neared. "Tom...what in bloody hell—"

Beth stepped back and shook her head in disbelief. "What—Tom?"

"Who are you?" Harrison demanded, turning sharply to her and staring her down.

"You're from the palace—" She barely got out, her breath caught in her throat as she got a closer look at his uniform.

"I didn't ask you who I was—" Harrison took a few steps towards her, his eyes burning into her further as he tried to maintain an assertive stature.

"Haz stop! This is my fault." Tom put a hand on Harrison's chest, hoping to lessen his aggression. "Haz please, just let her be—she doesn't know—"

"Know what??" Beth hissed, building back walls previously broken down.

"Miss, are you aware you're committing a little crime we like to call treason?" Harrison smirked, trying his best to lighten up, although it was no use.

Beth raised an eyebrow. "Treason?"

Harrison laughed quietly to himself, clearly stressed. He rubbed his forehead, turning to Tom. He was normally swayed by Tom's puppy dog eyes and pitiful pleas, but not this time. He had gone too far. "You son of a—oh let me guess, you're so sick of your easy life at court that you dress up like a little peasant and go on your little ride and—and—just to piss off your parents—is that it?"

He couldn't believe Harrison had  the gall to speak to him like that, especially since he knew better than anyone what he had to go through at home. Harrison was like his walking diary, and the only secret he never told him was now blowing up in their faces. "You think my life at court is easy??" Tom spat back at him.

"It's easier than you're making my job right now!"

"That's not fair—"

"You had one—one thing you had to do, Tom! All you had to do was marry the bloody princess! But now you're risking war on our kingdom because of a fucking milkmaid—"

At that Tom swung, hitting him clean across the face. Harrison stumbled back, stunned, not even noticing the small gush of blood coming from his nose. Tom couldn't believe what he had just done and wanted more than anything to take it back. After they all stood staring for a few seconds, Beth, numb as well as confused, silently led Harrison by the arm into the cottage. Tom watched teary eyed as they went into the house, but eventually he fell to his knees in the grass, his entire body shaking with each sob.

Inside, Beth prepared a rag by soaking it with warm water and began dabbing Harrison's nose. He winced a bit, but eventually gave in to the soothing touch of it. "Thank you." He said, the guilt creeping in.

"It's nothing. He shouldn't have struck you, at least not on my accord."

"No, I deserved that."

She chuckled, wringing some water out before handing it back to him. "What's going to happen to me?"