Chapter Text
“So what are you doing after graduation, Harry?”
If that wasn’t the dreaded question of the century. But he had to attend a mandatory “goodbye” meeting with his advisor to graduate, so here he was. In one of the administrative buildings on campus, sitting in an uncomfortable wooden chair, the day before his uni graduation. Well, college, as Americans liked to say. He’s spent four years here and still never got used to their lingo.
Four years ago, he hopped off the plane at LAX and settled into life as an economics student at UCLA. At least the weather was nice, with him being able to wear his vintage band shirts when and where he pleased. Going to the beach when he had some down time was also a plus, the sunshine feeling good on his skin. And attending pride in San Francisco was definitely a career defining moment in his gay life. So really, California wasn’t all that bad.
But he still felt homesick every once in a while, so making friends that were also European definitely helped fill that void. Niall, for instance, was in a lot of his introductory classes for some reason, and their friendship flourished over their mutual love of Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles, jamming with their vinyl collection late at night during study breaks.
He met a few others through different classes and sometimes social events that he was dragged to by Niall. Sarah was also from England and was a sick drummer for a local band that Harry knew was going to make it big soon. She also happened to be dating Mitch, another mutual friend of Niall’s. He was American, but that could be overlooked for the sake of their friendship and Sarah. And along the way Harry also managed to meet Bebe, an aspiring fashion designer with a women’s studies degree, and Kacey, a business major that kind of scared him sometimes but was still a lovely friend to have around. So really, Harry was able to be alone when he needed to and found company if he wanted. He liked his life like that.
Harry even adopted a cat from a local shelter within a year of being in LA, and named her Rose, after his favorite flower. She was picky on food and clearly made it known that she should be the one and only cat of his life, making sure to groom Harry whenever he was laying down and assert her dominance. There wasn’t a day that went by where Harry wasn’t happy to see her greyish brown lump of a body prance about his home.
In all, he made a nice life for himself in Los Angeles. That didn’t mean he wasn’t looking forward to going back home.
“I have a job offer in London that I’ll be looking into,” he answered simply, watching as the older lady’s red nails typed away on her laptop.
“I can see that you’re one of the top students in economics! You’re going to do very well in that field, Harry,” she said.
“But it’s not what I want,” he wanted to say. If he had it his way, he’d be studying film making and hoping to make independent films in the future. But no. After discovering that he had a knack for math, his advisors decided that he should not waste his talent on a silly arts degree. So he majored in economics and minored in business. No room for film studies in his future.
“I hope so,” he answered instead. Not that there was any chance, but he was still holding up hope for something more interesting than a boring office job to turn up in London. Maybe he could volunteer at some nursing homes or animal shelters first, until a “good” job that actually interested him came up.
“Well your final grades have all been turned in and you’re fully set to graduate tomorrow, sweetie,” she smiled. “Enjoy!”
Harry smiled back. “Thanks, Mrs. Grady. Have a lovely summer and thank you for everything.” They shook hands and he walked out of the room, clutching the strap of his messenger bag. He bought it in Argentina two summers ago when he visited with Niall, Mitch, and Sarah. He told himself he would one day visit again, but this time with his own partner. Not that visiting the sites wasn’t already fun, but he knew he still had more to see, and it would be nice to have someone to share it with besides Niall.
Pulling his phone from the bag’s pocket, Harry noticed a missed call from his mum, frowning as he swiped open the notification. She didn’t text him like she usually did when he didn’t pick up, so it must not have been that important. It’s not like he wasn’t about to see her in about 20 minutes as he started to walk.
He walked back to the hotel with the warm summer breeze on his back, thinking about how most of his stuff was already sent back to London. The plan was he’d stay with Gemma for the summer while he looked for the “dream job” in the city. After his graduation ceremony tomorrow, he’d fly back to London with his family and start his new corporate life there. He tried to think of the excitement of it, but deep down it just wasn’t there.
Harry waved to the receptionist as he walked into the hotel, taking the elevator up to their suite. As the doors closed and he realized he would be riding it up solo, he leaned back against the mirrored walls, sighing. He looked at his reflection with close scrutiny, thinking he really needed some rest. His long curls were in a bun on his head, hoping they didn’t look too out of place to others as he blew a baby curl away from his forehead. The high waisted pine green corduroy pants fit snuggly against his waist, remembering how he thrifted them last week. His yellow nail polish was chipping off after picking at it for so long, but that just meant he could give himself a new color soon. At least vintage pearls that sat on his chest glittered in the low light, looking so pretty over his Britney Spears concert shirt. He found them in a vintage shop a few months ago, and he decided to make it a permanent part of his person. Thankfully, those around him agreed and complimented him about it wherever he went.
He just really looked like he needed a nap. Like a month long one if possible.
One he swiped his card in he was hit with the scent of fresh sheets and whatever candles of his Gemma was lighting. What he didn’t expect was for his mother to be sitting in the middle of the sitting room looking worried as ever, arms crossed in front of her as she chewed on a hangnail. Gemma was sitting in a chair with Rose on her lap, who was fast asleep and didn’t notice that her owner had arrived.
“Mum?”
His mother looked up, her glance easing as they settled on him. “Oh, darling,” she said with a small smile, voice slightly wavering. “There’s someone here to see you.”
Harry blinked “To see me?”
Gemma nodded as the doors to the joining room started to open. A few men dressed in suits, yet seemed to be carrying weapons judging by their belts, walked out of the room to stand in two rows, one next to the other, and a woman dressed in a navy-blue pants suit followed behind. Her greying curly blonde hair was combed back, revealing the beautiful wrinkles along her face. She had soft green eyes, like they could make you feel better if she stared at you long enough.
“Allow me to introduce Mary, Queen of Genovia,” a man who was wearing all black said, bowing to her as she walked by them. Harry tried to see who the man was, but it was hard to tear his gaze from the woman approaching him.
Now she was standing in front of him, and Harry could notice how soft her green eyes were, her smile welcoming. Her flowery perfume filled his senses as well, and it was oddly familiar. Like chamomile.
But this was definitely not real. He’s been kidnapped to another dimension somewhere between the student building and this hotel. Hell, Gemma was probably an alien in disguise. That, or they revived the entire series of Punk’d just to catch this moment and Ashton Kutcher was hiding around somewhere ready to spook him.
“Your Majesty?” he squeaked. Queen? Why was a queen visiting him? Genovia was a small country in Europe, if he remembered correctly. What did Genovia have to do with him? Harry still felt like he was dreaming as he attempted to bow his head in respect, copying what the guards were doing since he was never trained on what to do around royalty.
“Hello, my love,” she said as she took a deep breath. “I’m so sorry this introduction had to go this way when we haven’t had a proper chance to meet but… this seemed like the only way.”
Harry wanted to nod in understanding, but he wasn’t understanding anything. Nothing made sense at all.
The Queen continued. “We’ve never met before, but I am your grandmother. Do sit down,” she said with a nod toward the table in front of the window.
Oh? Oh. If this was his grandmother, and she is a queen, then that means his father was… a prince? Future king. And this is how he finds out. He didn’t know how his legs managed to make their way over to a seat, but he soon found himself sitting across the queen, trying not to let his nerves get the best of him.
“I do apologize for barging in on you like this with no warning, but parliament left me no choice,” she took a deep breath. “As you might remember, my son – your father – passed away a few months ago. As did your grandfather a few months before that.”
Harry remembered. He was able to take two weeks off from class to properly mourn. He was not in constant contact with his father, even though he never missed a birthday card or holiday opportunity to send him money. His mum said he always sent them more than enough money to live off, so he was providing for them like a father should. But… Harry still wished he had met him at some point in his life. Anne never explained to him why they separated, or why he could never see him. But he did come to get to know him through his letters and such. But he didn’t know that his grandfather had passed as well, and that brought back the past feelings of grief he had with his late father. He didn’t want to remember how empty it felt.
“I do,” he answered. He blinked away tears that were starting to form. Is it even possible to mourn a family member you never met?
“Well,” she paused, reaching over a hand to cover his own that was slightly trembling on the table. “I ruled by my husband’s side for over fifty years. I was at a loss when he passed, but I knew the crown would be in good hands once it passed to your father. We didn’t-” her voice broke, a shaky hand coming up to tuck one of her curls behind her ear. “We didn’t expect his sudden death like that, and now we’re left without an heir. You may not be aware, but he was actually the second child we had. His brother chose to live a civilian life early on, so your grandfather molded your father to be the next heir.”
Harry’s first instinct was to comfort her as he noticed how upsetting this was to talk about, even more so that she was family he was just meeting. His own grandmother for pete’s sake. “Why couldn’t you rule as queen?” There was too much talk of death already for his taste.
She smiled softly. “I married into this family, my darling, and it just doesn’t feel right for me to keep the throne for myself. Within the next year or so, maybe three to make sure you are fully ready, I would like to pass on the crown to you.”
“Shit,” Harry whispered. “So I’m the prince?”
“Of Genovia,” the Queen smiled, squeezing his hand.
“Of Genovia,” he repeated.
This wasn’t exactly the news he expected to hear the night before his uni graduation.
“But- why didn’t I know of this?” he swallowed as he looked over at his mum, who was now standing by Gemma.
“We all made the decision, love,” Anne replied. “I met your father while we were studying in Paris one year and got married the next. We lived a nice life in the countryside, the four of us. But,” she looked down at her hands. “People fall out of love all the time. Especially when royal duties call. When your father and I decided to end our marriage, I wanted no part in the royal life. He agreed that you and Gemma would do better with me and taken care of with his support.”
Since this was the first time he actually heard the story of how his parents met, Harry tried to get every word down as he nodded along. He knew his parents separated amicably, but he didn’t know the full story like this. That they just… ended like that.
“And my sister?” he hesitated as he turned to the queen. “Isn’t she first in line then?” She was the oldest. Clearly the title should go to her.
“I’ve already had a talk with her. She does not want the crown,” Queen Mary replied. “And I would never force this life on either of you. Not when you’ve been so accustomed to the life you’ve had with your mother.”
At least she was considerate in that. “That makes sense,” he nodded, still not sure he had processed everything.
“And there’s no pressure on you, darling, but if you refuse it as well, the crown would be given to one of my scheming nephews and his wife and,” she said with a sigh, “I would not like the crown to go into such hands. Parliament told me if neither of you showed interest in taking the crown by September, they would begin proceedings into crowning the cousins instead. Your father was looking forward to rule, and I would like to see his legacy passed on through you, if you so wish.”
That. Was a lot to take in. Harry felt like throwing up.
“If I accept,” he began, “one day I’ll become king, correct? But it is of a country I don’t know…” How was he supposed to rule over a kingdom that he didn’t know he was a part of?
“That can easily be remedied, darling. By the time we all feel you are ready to take the throne, if you choose this path, you’ll be a true Genovian when that happens. As if you were born and raised there. And I think I have to rephrase what I’m proposing: it’s not necessarily to accept the crown. This is more like a trial period where you come to Genovia, see how you like it there, and then Parliament will ask you to formally accept the crown at the end of the summer, if that’s what you end up wanting.”
“Okay,” he said slowly. “So I could go to Genovia, and end up not becoming the prince in the end if I don’t… fit in?”
“Quite right, darling,” she said with a sigh. “This is simply an invitation for you to come home with us, and by the beginning of autumn, it would’ve been a trial start to your royal life or just a holiday in your father’s country. The decision will be entirely up to you.”
Harry took a deep breath as he started to think it over. “Could- Could I have a moment to talk with my mum and Gem?”
“Of course, darling,” the queen said, walking out of the room, her entourage following close behind.
Harry pinched himself as his mother and sister rushed over to him. He was clearly not dreaming.
“Mum?” he said softly, noticing the unshed tears in her eyes.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, baby,” she said, pulling him up so they could sit on the bed together. “But I thought I was doing the right thing. Your father and I thought it was best for you both to never know about that side of his life.”
It was much more than a side, he wanted to say. Heck, maybe if his father hadn’t been Genovian royalty it would’ve worked out between them and he would’ve gotten to know his father. Maybe he could’ve grown up with a father as well. But what’s done is done, and there was no point in dwelling in the past over what could’ve happened. He had much more pressing matters in what did happen. Like a decision over his future in the next ten minutes. “I did wonder how we afforded all that stuff growing up when I know you weren’t making much.”
She smiled. “Even if your father and I didn’t work out, he still made sure we were all maintained well.”
“So what do you think?” Gemma asked softly, rubbing his back as she came to sit next to him. “Are you going to take it?”
Harry sighed. Finding out you’re a prince when an hour ago you were just a soon to be college graduate was a lot to take in. On one hand, he could easily decline it like Gemma did. Taking on the responsibility of ruling a country was definitely a first that he was in no way prepared for. But a part of him wanted to take it. At least for his dad and his legacy. It could be his way of bonding with whatever he had left of him, through the royal family. If his grandmother didn’t want the crown to fall into the wrong hands, then he could at least try to make sure that didn’t happen.
“I think I’ll… accept,” he heard himself saying. He thought he would be met with immediate panic in his chest once he says it, but instead he feels a sense of calm within him. Like it was the right decision to take, against all logic.
“It’s not like you were really looking forward to an economics job anyways,” Anne smiled.
And suddenly the decision started looking brighter. He didn’t need to go looking for a job in London if he was going to spend his summer in Genovia. If being a prince didn’t work out, he’d still have to look for a job but at least he’d have the summer for… however this is going to turn out. In the end, he could very well be a prince and avoid a corporate job all together. Fascinating.
“And what will happen to you both?” He wouldn’t ask them to uproot their lives to go live in Genovia. It would be entirely selfish on his part.
“We could still live in England,” Gemma said with a shrug. “Keep us anonymous as our father did before.”
“Okay,” he said, nodding. His family was always going to be his first priority, and if they weren’t safe he was never going to be at ease. “I still want you to have some bodyguards on hand, though.”
“I’m sure the Queen can arrange that,” Anne said as Harry leaned on her shoulder. “And I’ll never doubt that you’ll always keep us safe. No matter what.”
Harry sniffed as he took a deep breath. “I’m going to be a prince,” he whispered, mostly to himself. He couldn’t believe it. He still expected this to all be a prank for a game show. A nobody like himself doesn’t get news that he’s actually been a prince his entire life.
“You always have been, love,” Anne said as she hugged him, kissing his forehead. “Whether your father was a royal or not, you’ve always been my little prince.”
His mum was his world, as was Gemma. He had grown used to being away from them while in uni, but it was always with the promise that he was going to come back home and spend the rest of his life near them. He couldn’t ignore the melancholy feeling of that, possibly, not happening anymore. “Love you,” he said as he kissed Anne’s cheek while reaching over to hug Gemma.
The three of them sat like that for a while, just holding each other in a hug as they cuddled in silence. Harry knew it was their way of saying goodbye, but he needed to feel them close like this one more time. It could be one of the last he’d have as a normal person, and not as a prince who had a country to rule.
“Get ready to be an official prince, H,” Gemma said, sniffling as she pulled back. “Go ask them back in so we can start preparing for tomorrow.”
Harry took a deep breath and nodded, slowly getting up before walking over to the door, hands feeling a bit clammy as he held onto the door handle. This was really happening.
He cracked it open as an armed guard stepped forward.
“The Queen may come in now,” Harry said quietly, hoping he’d hear. He didn’t really want to offend a man that looked that powerful and was possibly carrying a gun, even if Harry was a prince.
He stepped back and expected the same amount of people to barge in like before, but the door opened and only the Queen came in, closing it behind her. Well, he liked this better. It didn’t feel so scary talking to her if she wasn’t surrounded by her staff.
“Well, darling?” she asked with her hands clasped in front of her. “Have you come to a decision?”
Harry nodded, looking over his shoulder to his family before turning back to face her. “After thinking it over,” he announced with a small smile, “I would love to visit Genovia and explore my role as prince.”
The way his grandmother’s face lit up with joy was something Harry would never forget. “Oh, my darling!” the Queen rejoiced. “Thank you!”
Before he could even ask for a hug, she quickly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him tight. “Thank you,” she whispered again. Not knowing what to do at first, Harry eventually brought his arms up as well, holding her against him. It felt nice to have another grandparent to hug, not that his other grandparents weren’t amazing while he was growing up, but at least the Queen was proof that his father existed. It still gave him a connection to him, even though he was gone.
And well, as a grandparent, she also had the right to know certain things about him. “You-you know I’m- gay right?” The sudden dread of that being a problem in Genovia filled his stomach. Or the fact his own grandmother could very much disapprove of him because of it. Shit. Leave it to him to gain and lose a grandmother all in one night-
The Queen smiled with ease. “Of course I do, love,” she explained. “Just because you haven’t been an official member of the royal family, doesn’t mean we haven’t been keeping tabs on you and Gemma. We know your sister is in a very happy relationship with her boyfriend, and we know you are… very gay. We know that you will be marrying a husband eventually, not a wife.”
Oh. Well that cleared up things. He almost grumbled at hearing Gemma’s relationship being compared to his own status. Not because he wasn’t happy for her (her boyfriend was actually spectacular) but because that was just a gentle reminder that Harry himself wasn’t seeing anybody, and he so badly wanted to.
“Genovia would be fine with having a gay king?” Gemma piped up.
“You’d be pleased to know how progressive this country has grown,” Queen Mary grinned. “A few of the royal family members are part of the gay community as well, and many have spearheaded programs around the country to help gay Genovian and citizens of other lands.”
Harry was already bubbling with excitement as he thought about visiting. “So the Genovian people wouldn’t mind a gay prince like me?”
“Darling,” she smiled as she raised her hand to cup his chin. “I know they’ll love you even more as their king.”
“I don’t even know if I’ll be a good king,” he chuckled with a blush.
“You have your father’s blood,” she smiled before looking at Anne. “And I know you were raised well by your mother. I have no doubts you’ll make an excellent king. But,” she looked at her golden wristwatch, and opened the door to the other room “look at the time! We won’t know anything until you come to Genovia. And I know your graduation is tomorrow, so I don’t want to overwhelm you, but,” she said as she led him to a row of people behind her. “I would like you to meet some of the staff. You already know Charles, head of my security.”
“Your Grace,” he said with a small smile and head bow, the same man who introduced her earlier. Now that Harry was able to get a better look at him, he noticed that he had a hard stare, yet not imposing. He had a full head of hair that was combed back with a grey streak on one side, and clean shaven, with a sharp jawline as well. The man could probably show up to a gun duel with just his fists and win.
“Hello!” Harry said cheerfully. He didn’t want to give a bad impression anyways.
“This is Liam Payne,” the Queen continued as they moved on to the next person, “your personal bodyguard from now on.”
“Good evening!” the man grinned, shaking hands with him. He had kind eyes and a friendly smile, one that just exuded sunshine. Harry didn’t know how friendly bodyguards were supposed to look, but he was not about to complain about getting a pleasant one. “I look forward to working for you, Your Highness.”
It didn’t seem right for them to be standing in such lovely tailored suits while Harry was dressed in a Britney Spears shirt and calling him “Your Highness”, but he had to make do. “Thank you, Liam,” he grinned.
The Queen took Harry’s arm and led him to the next person. “And this,” she said, “will be your royal advisor, Louis Tomlinson.”
Harry almost lost his breath. Before him stood a man with the most beautiful blue eyes, and yet such a cold stare. Like ice. He was dressed in a crisp, fitted black suit, and Harry had really never seen a more handsome person in his life. He just really wanted to run his hands through his hair.
“Hello, Your Grace,” Louis said curtly with a head bow.
Harry was a bit startled by the coldness in the greeting. “Hi?” Before he could try to quite literally break the ice between, he was shown to another person and Louis walked away.
“You’ll have much more time to get to know the staff,” the Queen said quickly, “but I would rather you get some rest for the night. I think you’ve had quite an evening.”
That was definitely an understatement. “Quite an evening” would’ve been valid if Gemma turned up to say she was marrying her boyfriend or his mum saying she was gifting him a house or something. Learning he was a prince was never in his realm of consciousness or the potential scenarios his anxiety liked to put him through, so he had no idea how to navigate being a prince in this timeline.
This was a massive evening. A colossal evening. An evening so significant Shakespeare wouldn’t have known how to describe it.
And in addition to every synonym of “colossal” he could use to describe the night, he would also say it was slightly puzzling. All because of Louis’ reaction towards him, which was still gnawing at his mind.
“Yeah,” he breathed out, “I wouldn’t mind going to bed soon actually.”
“Then we shall all leave you to rest, darling,” she said as she brought him into her arms and gave him another warm hug. “That’s a beautiful necklace, you know,” she said with a wink as she pulled away.
Harry’s hand reached up to lightly touch the pearls, trying not to grin too hard. “Thank you, um-” He didn’t know what exactly to call her at this point. Queen Mary just seemed too formal.
“You can call me Grandma,” she said softly. “Or Mary, if you prefer.”
“Grandma is nice,” he smiled.
The Queen stared at him, paused in thought as her jaw slightly dropped. “As one of my only two grandchildren,” she swallowed. “I would love for you to call me that. Now,” she sniffed, almost looking like she was blinking away some tears. “Get some rest and I’ll see you at the ceremony tomorrow!”
“You’re coming?” Harry gasped. Were royals even allowed at these things? Well of course they were. It’s not like royals couldn’t attend uni and get a degree in what they wanted. Somehow the queen was going to be there.
“I would not miss my only grandson’s university graduation, darling,” she laughed. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” She also went to kiss Gemma goodbye and gave Anne a hug, and then finally left the room with her entourage.
A massive evening indeed.
❈
“You’re a prince?” Niall asked.
Graduation came the next day, and Harry found himself sitting next to Niall as they listened to the boring commencement speech the guest speaker was delivering. There’s only so much one can say about going on in life, and there was no way the speech was going to be relevant to Harry’s current predicament. So he simply tuned it out while he whispered with Niall.
“Apparently,” Harry sighed. He half expected to wake up and find that it was just a fever dream. But no, he woke up to a flurry of texts from a new phone Liam had left for him to use, telling him the queen will be watching from one of the private balconies with pride. “I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet. And I’m next in line for the throne, which my grandmother would like to pass on to me in the next few years.”
“Sweet,” Niall nodded. “Can I be your assistant or something? I’ve got a political science degree and I even did a project on Genovia for a policy class! Absolutely love their pears. Massive respect to their rugby team.”
Even if it was spur of the moment, Harry was thankful his friend had offered. Especially if it was for a job that would keep him in Genovia. Without his mother or sister there, having someone around that he was actually familiar with would make the transition into royal life easier. “You’re hired,” he answered gratefully. “I have a royal advisor, but I don’t think he likes me that much, so you’re going to be very helpful in that sense.”
“Really? What makes you say that?”
Harry sighed, playing with his tassel a bit. “When my grandmother was introducing me to some of her staff last night, he seemed very… standoffish when I was introduced to him. Like he didn’t like me already. Kind of got lost in his eyes but he was too busy looking like he wanted to kill me with his stare.”
“That’s strange,” Niall commented with a frown. “He’ll just have to come around then. You will be king after all.”
Harry had been telling himself that ever since last night, but Louis would have to be left for later. Learning about a country he’s going to rule eventually was the main thing that occupied Harry’s mind. “I hope you’re right,” he answered.
“Funny,” Niall chuckled. “Never thought you’d be a prince or a member of royalty. Remember when we took that trip to Scotland and you made that short film on a super 8? I thought you’d drop your major and turn to film studies as soon as we got back to school.”
As if Harry could forget his film. His baby he titled: Eroda. “Adore” spelled backwards. It took place on a fictional island in the middle of a sea, where a gay man that’s lonely falls for a new lad that just came off the ferry from the mainland, bright eyed and gorgeous. Eventually they fall in love after a few dates and sail off together after spending the night at his cottage. Two of his friends starred in it, and he was lucky they were dating and very much in love. He posted it on Youtube after spending an entire week editing it himself, going over all his footage meticulously until he picked the right frames for the right shot. It had over ten thousand views to date, with lovely comments saying how moving the story was, and praising the cinematography that Harry was so particular about. If he ever felt down for any reason, he could just go to his page and watch the video while reading the kind comments. It was the only time he felt passionate about something that he made.
“I wish,” he sighed with a smile. “But at least the eventual King of Genovia sounds exciting. I think I can make a change for the better, you know? If I do take the crown that is.”
“They are a progressive country from what I’ve read,” Niall nodded. “But I think you’d be pointing them in the right direction as a leader. A country could use someone with a heart of gold as their king, I figure.”
“Thanks, Ni,” he giggled. Where he lacked the self-confidence of his ruling abilities, at least Niall – and Queen Mary – already had some faith in him. Hopefully he could find the same faith within himself.
With any luck, he would be ready to rule in the coming years, but it still felt like a daunting task not even 24 hours into knowing he was a prince in the first place.
❈
After his graduation, Harry flew back to London with his mum and Gemma, enjoying his last bit of freedom before officially becoming a royal. They spent a few days in Holmes Chapel, saying hello to some old friends and family before he had to head to Genovia. Most of them were initially shocked after Harry told them about his sudden royal duties – except for Aunt Sylvia, because in her mind she always knew there was something peculiar about Harry and it came as no surprise he was actually a prince – and they all wished him well in his travels.
Of course Liam had to tag along as well, so he was happily welcomed by Harry’s relatives once it was explained who he was, and not a potential boyfriend as one of his cousins thought. In his casual clothing, Liam seemed more like a friend than his bodyguard, but he hoped to keep it that way if they were meant to spend all that time together. And he’s pretty sure Liam would have more of an incentive to protect him if they were actually friends.
In all, he felt prepared enough to leave England once it was time to leave. After some more goodbyes to his mother and sister, Harry stood outside Gemma’s flat giving his mother a final hug.
“Call me as soon as you have time, okay?” Anne sniffed as she kissed his cheek once more.
“You know you could come with me,” Harry said into her hair as he hugged her closely.
“I’d follow you to the ends of the earth, baby,” she sighed, “but I think this is one endeavor you have to do by yourself. Once you’re settled, I’ll go visit you for sure.”
“Okay,” he breathed, catching a whiff of her gentle perfume one more time, then hopped into the waiting limo, picking up Rose’s crate from the ground with one hand and clutching his trusted satchel with the other. After Liam closed the door behind him and walked to the other side of the limo, Harry hoped his mother could see him waving through the tinted windows as she waved them off.
“I know you’ll miss them, Your Highness,” Liam said as he signaled for the driver to go, still not taking off his sunglasses. “But I assure you we’re going to do everything we can to make Genovia seem like home.”
“I know you will,” Harry smiled. “But after spending so much time in the states… I was looking forward to going back home.” But it’s no one’s fault that things ended up this way; it’s not like he could ignore his duty to a country so easily. “I do look forward to making Genovia my home, though. Even if I don’t end up accepting the crown, I plan to love it as any true Genovian would.”
Liam sighed, sitting back in his seat with a smile. “Well, we can’t change the past, but I think you’re going to make a wonderful king in the future.”
“You barely know me,” Harry giggled. “I could turn out to be horrible.”
“Nah,” the other man answered. “I can always trust my gut when it comes to people I just met – which is a great skill to have as a bodyguard by the way– and I can tell you’re a good person at heart. And getting to know you in these coming weeks will only prove it.”
“It’s nice to know you have such a high opinion of me, Liam,” Harry grinned. Though he would like to know why that Louis fellow seemed to have the entirely opposite reaction to him. But it might have been just a one off thing, and Harry was judging too hastily.
Eventually they made it to the airport, Harry’s eyes wide as he realized he was going through the restricted area where – well, the general public didn’t go through. There was a large, white private plane with “Genovia” plastered on the side, waiting on the tarmac as a few other cars were parked around it.
“We’re here, Your Highness,” Liam said once they came to a halt. Harry was just about to open his door when he felt a hand on his elbow, turning to see Liam shaking his head. “As part of royal protocol, you are never to open a door to any car you ride in. You must wait until it is opened for you.”
“Well that’s something I’ll have to get used to,” Harry mumbled as he waited for the door to magically open. A few seconds passed and it did, with Liam getting out as well. Multiple people approached him, with most going to the back of the car to grab his luggage.
“Hey, Louis!” Liam said over his shoulder. “Could you stay with Harry while I sort some things out?”
Harry turned around and saw Louis walking towards him with his own bags. He was wearing another fitted suit, this time in dark grey with his hair slightly tousled. Harry thought he looked like one of those wealthy football stars on his way to an international match, hundreds of fans waiting to catch a glimpse of him before he boarded the plane. Not that Harry ever paid much attention to football besides the way the men looked in those shorts. That’s where all his attention span went.
He also thought now would be an appropriate time to clear up the air around them, so there wouldn’t be any more misunderstandings in the future.
“Hi,” Harry offered. “Nice weather we’re having, aren’t we? Couldn’t remember the weather being this nice in London this time of year.”
Louis rolled his eyes in response, eyebrows looking as if they couldn’t frown more.
“Excuse me?” Harry asked. “Is something wrong?”
“No, Your Highness,” he huffed.
“Well I’ve clearly offended you or something-”
“I didn’t think a wannabe American would be given the crown of Genovia,” Louis said simply.
Harry blinked back at him, trying to understand what he was saying. “Wannabe? I’ve never wanted to be American in my life! Just because I studied there doesn’t mean I ever wanted to ‘be’ one.” Out of all the things he thought Louis would say to him, that was the last thing he assumed he’d say. Honestly, this left him flabbergasted.
“Sure,” Louis muttered as he looked over his shoulder, probably looking for a way to escape Harry’s presence.
“You do know I was going to work back home in England once I graduated?” Harry didn’t know why he didn’t just let it drop (because why did he care what his stupid advisor who didn’t even know him thought of him) but something within him just had the urge to please. He couldn’t let Louis think whatever he thought about him, no matter how ridiculous and actually not offensive it was.
“That’s none of my concern, princess,” Louis said.
And well, that made Harry blush. Particularly because he was a prince, and because he also found himself liking the name. He loved the way it rolled off the other man’s tongue, and only directed at him. And before he could retort back, he watched as Louis boarded the plane instead. It didn’t help that the man had a perfect bum, watching as he walked up the steps. How incredibly annoying.
Sighing, he turned to look for Liam, who was thankfully walking over to him. They boarded the plane after that, Harry making sure that they were carrying his cat safely in her carrier. Once everyone was buckled in, he let her out to come sit on his lap, her eyes wide as she looked around the cabin. Thankfully, Rose liked to travel and didn’t panic in the new surroundings, sniffing at the air curiously. She happily strode over to her cat bed placed in the seat next to him, making some biscuits into the soft cushion until she curled up to sleep.
It wasn’t that long of a flight, but finally having time to rest made Harry’s body take a short nap, reclining his luxury seat all the way while covering himself with a blanket Liam had given him.
He dreamt of sunny California, and Christmas in Holmes Chapel. While he wouldn’t miss uni all that much, he would miss the pleasant weather of Los Angeles and the constant warmth it brought him. He was looking forward to all the holidays to be spent back in Holmes Chapel, like the winter he spent watching Lord of the Rings in its entirety with his sister when she was back from uni. He hoped he could create some memories in Genovia as well, and his children would come to love it as he could. And he was definitely going to make some wonderful memories this summer. That he was sure of.
“Your Highness,” Liam said softly, waking Harry from his daydreaming. “Look out the window, and welcome to Genovia.”
Harry rubbed his eye as he leaned towards the glass, watching the clouds disappear and the country start to emerge. There were tall mountains in the distance, snow covered and looking good enough to ski. Towns could be seen as well, little pods of houses turning up every few miles.
“It’s beautiful,” he whispered. This was a part of him, even though he never knew it existed.
“I’m very glad you like it,” Liam smiled as he leaned closer through his window. “You can probably see my family’s farm from here.”
“You grew up on a farm?” Harry asked as he turned to look at him. He couldn’t really imagine Liam as a farmer, but he did have the body of one, all muscular and toned.
“Yes! And proud of it. My family’s been in farming for centuries now and my father thought I’d continue it. But I got more into boxing and eventually got a job in the palace. Only seemed natural to become a personal bodyguard once they trained me for it, and it’s been a source of pride for my family.”
“I’m proud of you then,” Harry smiled. He wanted to know everything he could of the staff, and Liam’s story already made him feel closer to him.
Once they landed, Harry made sure to shake the hand of every crew member, thanking them for a nice flight.
“We’re glad you enjoyed the flight, Your Highness,” the captain said, shaking his hand with her manicured hands. “It’s always a pleasure to serve our royal family.”
“Thank you again,” he smiled, turning to walk down the steps as the rays of sunshine hit his face, making him put on the sunglasses that were on his head. So this is Genovia, he thought to himself as he walked down.
Just as he thought he was in the clear as he gazed over the mountains, he tripped on the final step and was ready to have his face planted against the tarmac (with images of newspapers lining their front pages with a story about how the crown prince of Genovia fell like a klutz flashing through his head) , when he felt someone grab him front certain catastrophe.
“Thanks Liam I’m-” Harry blushed once he turned to face the man. “Louis?” He was kind of shocked to think the man who was determined to hate his guts just saved him from being a Genovian pancake, but maybe there was something there that wasn’t all ‘if you were drowning I’d make a sandwich before thinking of saving you’ type of vibe.
“Can’t have you ruining your face, princess,” Louis muttered, still not getting a smile out of him. And as Harry felt his face flush again, Louis walked away before he could thank him properly. This was definitely going to be an odd -working- relationship.
“Your Highness!” Liam said as he rushed over to him. “Please be careful where you step.”
“I will next time,” Harry nodded as he looked in the direction Louis had walked away in.
They all drove over to the palace in a limo adorned with the country’s flags, flapping away in the wind as they steered through the beautiful countryside. Tall trees lined the way, with deer being seen in the distance as they nibbled on grass. As they passed through a picturesque town with rustic designs, people seemed to stare in wonder at his car as they drove down the streets, with shopkeepers pausing their sales to wave and curious townsfolk stopping mid walk to stare.
Harry still didn’t want to think what the Genovian public would think of him. What if they didn’t like him? What if they couldn’t stand a foreigner as a ruler? What if most of them already had the assumptions Louis had of him? Well, it’s not like there would be a problem if he had planned to stay in the U.S. He just didn’t want to be judged over dumb prejudices like that. And it was better for his anxiety if he pushed any thoughts like that to the back of his mind for now.
“And here’s the palace!” Liam said as they drove up, the audible crunch of the gravel road being heard under the tires.
The palace was absolutely massive. It looked right out of the fairy tale picture books he used to read as a child, complete with multiple towers situated nicely around the castle. The sun was just beginning to set in the distance, creating an earthly glow as Harry stepped out of the car and looked up at his new home for the first time.
“This is…” he mumbled, “wow.”
He raised Rose’s carrier up near his face. “Think we’re a little over our heads, aren’t we, love,” he whispered. She simply meowed in response.
Harry followed Liam inside, watching as guards opened door after door until they reached what looked to be a foyer, with a stout gentleman in a suit waited with a row of servants behind him.
“Welcome to Genovia, Your Highness!” the man said with a deep bow. “My name is James Corden, and I run the Queen’s household. Queen Mary is currently out and will probably be back late. She apologizes for not being here to meet you, but she encourages you to go see your rooms. She plans to see you in the morning.”
“Okay,” Harry nodded, trying to wave at all the staff. “Anything else I should know, James?”
“Nothing, Your Highness,” he smiled. “I would suggest you get settled in your rooms for the night, and I can have a light dinner be sent up as well?”
Harry’s stomach almost grumbled in response. “That would be perfect! Thank you.” He was about to take his bags when he noticed none were on the floor and were in the hands of a bunch of servants instead. Luckily, they seemed to notice that he wanted to carry Rose all on his own, so her crate was still right by his feet.
“Come this way, Your Highness,” Liam said as he gestured towards another hallway that led to a staircase. Harry looked behind him to see who else was going this way, and his smile fell a bit as he noticed Louis was gone. Not that he cared, really.
“You know,” Harry said aloud. “You don’t have to address me with a formal title all the time. If you just call me ‘Harry’ or ‘Haz’ I think I’d feel more comfortable with this.”
“By your name?” Liam frowned. “I don’t know if that’s allowed.”
“Well if I get to call you by your first name then the same rule should be applied to me. Just because our occupations are different doesn’t mean I should feel above you in manners.”
Harry tried to keep the smile off his face as he noticed Liam nodding along. “Very well,” Liam laughed. “I shall try, Your- um. Harry?”
“Thank you, Liam,” he giggled as they continued to walk up to another flight of stairs. Eventually they made it to a beautifully decorated wing, complete with massive paintings lining the walls, that he could only assume were members of the Genovian royal line. There were also busts of various people placed near the windows, and he could see there were little plaques under them with that would explain who they are. He almost stopped to read some, but he didn’t want to keep Liam waiting. He’d have to take some time later to study them.
“And here are your rooms,” Liam announced as two servants opened the doors. “I have to go take care of some things, but there’s a phone by your bed that can reach me at any time. And my rooms are next to yours as well,” he said nodding down the hall.
“Really?” Harry asked. “I won’t keep you waiting then, Liam. I’ll be safe here in my rooms.”
“Ring if you need anything,” Liam repeated before grabbing his own bags and walking down the hall.
“Wow,” Harry whispered as he entered his rooms. There were more paintings decorating the cream colored walls, but instead of portraits like the ones he saw on his way here, these were paintings that… he would’ve picked for himself. Abstract ones that were like Basquiat and then… oh. The penis art by Hayden Kays. Hanging over a fireplace. He once saw an exhibition of his art and thought it would be cool to own one of his pieces someday. He just didn’t expect the artwork of a lot of drawn penises in his royal suite. Not that he was complaining, though.
Gold colored curtains lined the massive windows as well, with the ability to be drawn if needed, but for now they were left open with the moonshine coming through.
He had his own living room as well, gently placing down Rose’s carrier and opening the front. He picked her up once she strolled out, hugging her close to his chest as he looked around the rooms, wide eyed. A cat tree sat near the large windows, perfect for her to gaze through during the day.
“I really think we’re in over our heads, love.”
He was used to small, intimate homes that he shared with his family over the years. But his suite seemed to be bigger than the flat he shared with his mum and sister when he was younger.
Harry walked in to find a huge king-sized bed in the middle of his main room, grazing his hand over the soft comforter. There was another cat tree in the corner of the room, where he placed Rose before he looked around some more. He walked over to a dark room, switching on the light to see that it was actually his very own walk in closet that could’ve very well been another bedroom.
“All my stuff has been hung up,” Harry gasped. He glanced along the hangers to see outfits that he had in storage, neatly placed on hangers. He really had to thank whoever was in charge of that, and the person who decorated the place as well.
There was a knock at the door, and dinner came. He ate it on one of the tables by the windows, happy knowing that Rose was enjoying her own meal nearby. Besides the delicious steak and vegetables, Harry almost giggled at seeing the pears with whipped cream for dessert. He had to start getting used to all the pear meals he would be having from now on.
After taking a shower in his massive bathroom and changing into the soft pajamas that were in one of the drawers, he carefully got into his king bed with Rose already sleeping at the foot of it.
He wanted to think about the day, and about Louis, but as soon as his head hit the pillow, his eyes drifted to sleep, and he was out before he could reflect on anything.
❈
“Rise and shine, darling!”
Harry blinked his eyes open, turning his head to see the Queen - well, his grandmother- standing at the foot of the bed. She was dressed in a beige suit, hair pulled back into a bun.
“How did you sleep?” she asked sweetly.
And that’s when Harry realized he was in his fucking pajamas in front of the Queen of Genovia. “Oh I’m sorry I wasn’t up-” he stuttered as he started to push the covers off of himself so he could go change.
“No, no,” she shook her head. “I wanted you to sleep in today. You had a travel day yesterday so you deserve some more shut eye. I even had your breakfast brought up,” she nodded towards the large table in the other room, “so you can eat before you go about the castle.”
“Oh,” Harry relaxed. He didn’t want to miss anything important of his first day here. A future prince couldn’t be sleeping in like that. At least that’s what he thought. “Thank you, grandma.”
“You’re welcome, darling,” she said with a smile. “How do you like your rooms? Some of my staffers are seeing it for the first time, and they adore the way it’s been furnished.”
“Absolutely amazing,” Harry grinned as he patted the pillows. “I loved who decorated it.”
“Yes,” she laughed. “I noticed some peculiar art on the way in here. I don’t know who exactly did it, but I left your room decoration with one of my staffers so I’m sure I can find out who it was.”
Harry almost blushed at the thought of his own grandmother having to see very gay art in his room, but she didn’t seem phased by it. “Thank you,” Harry yawned. “I would like to personally thank whoever it was.”
After some more talk about the room, the Queen went to wait in the sitting room while Harry changed into some jeans and a shirt; a Shania Twain shirt that was gifted to him some birthdays ago. He slipped on some vans before going to meet his grandmother, who was sitting gracefully on the couch as a staffer was whispering to her.
“Well, darling,” she said. “I have a meeting with Parliament to get to. I hope you will get better acquainted with Louis because he’s coming right now to have an important discussion with you.”
Louis. Harry’s eyes widened. “Wait, Grandma-”
“Have fun, my darling!” she called out as she walked out of his room, her staffers trailing her. As Harry tried to prepare himself to see Louis again, he saw the man walk in as well. He was wearing a navy suit this, hair looking soft as ever. Yet the same cold stare.
“Hi again?” Harry offered. He didn’t care how the other man treated him; he was going to be polite, nonetheless. Wear him down with kindness, if possible.
“Good morning, Your Highness,” Louis said simply after taking a short bow. He set down his brown leather file carrier on the coffee table in front of them and took out his clipboard. “Sit please.”
Harry pursed his lips and nodded, walking over to the loveseat and plopping himself down. He tried to ignore how good the other man’s thighs looked in that suit, especially as he sat down.
“So, Your Grace,” Louis said. “One of my many duties has been to make sure your past is taken care of. While your family have been accounted for, I need to know of any significant past interactions with others you’ve had that we should know about.”
Oh. This was going to be interesting. That only made Harry wonder what exactly Louis had found during his search, and whether or not it would be embarrassing for him to know that much.
“Well, there’s Niall,” he thought aloud. “I’m bringing him on as part of my council.”
“Niall Horan, correct?” Louis said as he scribbled something onto his board. “I think I do have him down already.”
Harry nodded, trying not to fond over how beautiful the other man looked as he wrote things down. No, he was not going to give this man secret compliments when he literally hated him. “Niall has a degree in political science and it only seemed right for me to bring him here. He graduated along with me, but he’s from Ireland so he’s staying another week or so before he flies here. Since I don’t have my mum or sister here, it’ll be nice to have a familiar face.”
He could’ve sworn he saw Louis’ face soften at that, but it went away in a flash.
“Right. Who else?”
Harry went on to explain a few of the close friends he made at UCLA.
“Okay,” Louis answered. “Noted. Again, I think we have most but I’m more than happy to recheck in case we missed someone.”
Harry nodded as Louis continued to write. Despite the standoffish stares he gave him, it only accentuated the sharp features of his face, like his high cheekbones. He wondered if he ever put any highlighter on them like Harry would sometimes. Maybe one day they could talk about subtle makeup together, if they ever became friends.
“Finally, past boyfriends,” Louis announced. “Couldn’t find anything in my searches so that’s why I’m going to need names from you. I need a list so I can send out the appropriate NDAs that will need to be signed.”
Boyfriends? Well. This was awkward. “Um- none?” Harry squeaked.
Louis frowned. “I don’t appreciate being lied to, Princess.”
“I’m not lying!” Harry sputtered. He didn’t think he’d have to hear that nickname again and not during a talk about his sex life. “I’ve never been in a relationship with anyone.”
“Sure,” Louis said with an eyeroll. “Then dates? Even ones that didn’t go past six months or so. They are just as important for this.”
Harry shook his head, almost pouting his lips. Was Louis going to judge him over this?
“Hookups?” Louis offered.
Harry continued to shake his head, feeling the room getting tinier by the second. Why did they have to talk about this again?
“Anyone who’s seen your cock,” Louis deadpanned.
If the word “ridiculous” needed an example in the dictionary, Harry was more than happy to volunteer this conversation as proof. “Do you really need me to spell out that I’ve never slept with someone?” Harry asked, narrowing his eyes.
Louis blinked at him. “What?”
“You heard me,” he mumbled. This was embarrassing enough as it was. His face felt as hot as ever.
“I said I don’t want lies.”
“I’m. not. Lying,” Harry gritted out. “The most I’ve done with men are just… hot kissing that turned into fondling over clothing. It never went beyond that for a variety of reasons. And if you don’t believe me well you can just-”
“Fine,” Louis cut him off, scribbling something down on his clipboard. “I guess this ends our meeting. Have a wonderful day, princess.” He then got up and walked out of the room, with Harry still ready to argue.
So he sat there with wide eyes, his breath coming slightly faster, noticing the way his cock twitched in his pants. “Don’t,” he said to himself sternly. “Certainly not him.” Especially after that.
❈
“Hi, Lou,” Liam said as he munched on his sandwich. “How’d it go with the prince?”
Louis decided to walk down to kitchens once he was done interviewing Harry. It was nearly his lunch break anyways, and he needed to clear his head for a bit. After walking down the stone-lined stairwell, he sat down at one of the long tables where Liam was already eating at.
“I detest him,” Louis replied. “He’s too proper. And I’m pretty sure his stupid pretty face just lied to me and said he’s a virgin? A virgin! Him! When he looks like that? I wasn’t born yesterday. He could have anyone he wants and I’m sure he has. And now that makes my job harder because I have to do more research into his personal life to see if he’s lying. Bastard.”
“You think he’s pretty?” Liam blinked.
Louis groaned. “Is that all you paid attention to?”
Liam shrugged as he took another bite of his sandwich. “I think Harry is a nice lad, and even nicer once you get to know him. Doesn’t seem like a liar, especially about that sort of topic.”
“Oh ‘Harry’ is it?” Louis huffed. Of course Liam already liked Harry. “Already on a first name basis with the prince?”
The other man nodded. “He said if he gets to call me by my first name, then I should do the same for him. Like I said, very nice lad.”
“Well I don’t want to get to know him,” Louis grumbled, leaning his head on his fist.
“Why? Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you treat him, Lou. You should be nicer to him.”
Louis sighed. “I just- he seems too… not Genovian for my taste. The lad hasn’t even lived here, and he’s supposed to be our next king? He’s basically an American, for goodness sake.”
“But we all know that’s not his fault. His father should have been king but… you know,” Liam explained. “And it’s much better for Harry to get the crown rather than the Warleggan’s. I really do hope Harry ends up accepting the crown,” he paused. “And he’s not American. You know that.”
“True,” Louis huffed. He met the Warleggan’s far too many times to know how awful they would be as rulers. Selfish, conceited, would probably try to make this country less progressive. So Harry really was the only one who could save Genovia from them. Still. He wished there would be a true Genovian on the throne instead; not one that didn’t even know he was Genovian until his twenties. “But just because I have to work for him doesn’t mean I have to like him. Like I said, I’m sure he already lied to my face.”
“Or he could be telling the truth and you’re just judging him for being a virgin at his age.”
“Am not!” Louis huffed. “I’d never judge someone over that.”
“Then believe what he says. Or just do a more thorough background check and see if he is lying. Or just ask his close friends if you’re so unsure. You’re smarter than this, Louis,” he said with a huff.
Louis sighed. “I have better things to do than research this bloody almost American prince.”
“Actually,” Liam said as he bit into his pickle. “You don’t. Just like me, your main job is to serve the Prince. As his advisor, I advise you to get used to it.”
Louis rolled his eyes as he took a plate of with a sandwich from a passing waiter. “Thanks, mate,” he said to Liam, “but like I said, just because I work for him doesn’t mean I’ll get to like him. End of story.”
“If you say so,” Liam shrugged. “Meanwhile, I’ll be getting to know our new prince so our working relationship can be enjoyable for the rest of our lives. And yes, I do plan on making sure he falls in love with this country so much that he’ll never want to leave.”
Louis rolled his eyes again. He didn’t care what Liam has in his head, but he certainly isn’t going to be Harry’s good friend any time soon. Not when everything has already been so… strange between them.
Before he could think himself harder into a hole, he changed the subject so he could eat in peace with his longtime friend. Liam usually wasn’t a bad judge of character, so it’s not like Harry was actually a bad person, but… Louis was stubborn. So if he didn’t want to like the annoyingly pretty prince for now, he was allowed.