The Sword (Prince Harry fanfic #3)

Chapter Four

Upon Harry's instructions, Lucy dressed nicely. Her normal work outfit was nice enough, meant to be professional and fashionable. However, Harry last night asked Lucy to wear a nice dress next time they met, which she assumed meant nothing too flashy or showy. Harry and her had agreed to not getting ahead of the media; they weren't going to come out and tell the world. They hoped to keep their relationship a secret until next year, and William said he would try for that as well. Lucy did suspect something else tonight, though, whatever it was.

Arriving at Kensington Palace, Lucy was immediately escorted to Harry's apartment, where he was fully dressed, in a navy suit with a white button-up shirt underneath. His shoes were shined and his face was completely shaven, with no five o'clock shadow. He buttoned-up his navy jacket and stepped forward.

"Hello." Harry's smile was confident and easy, relaxed about whatever came next. However, this made Lucy even more edge, above Harry's appearance. She wasn't aware they were going out tonight, but Harry didn't dress like that when they went out. This was something different. "How are you?" he asked.

"Harry, what's going on?"

Noticing her unease, Harry treaded carefully. "Luce, I was thinking we might... meet some people tonight."

"We agreed on the paparazzi not knowing."

"Yes." He nodded. "Yes."

"Then who?" Lucy blinked. "What people am I meeting tonight?"

"Don't be concerned."

"That makes it worse for me."

Harry sighed. "I want you to meet my family tonight."

"I've met William and Kate, and their kids."

"I mean more of my family...."

In three years, Lucy hadn't met his father or Camilla or his grandmother. She had met Beatrice and Eugenie, whom were incredibly kind to her. However, she hadn't gone up in the royal chain. Lucy counted her lucky, though she didn't doubt Harry's parents and grandmother were well aware of her. The Queen undoubtedly knew everything, which they had previously met three years ago. Lucy had received an award from the Queen of England herself, which could've counted as meeting the higher ups of the Royal Family. But she never had much personal time with them. The thought terrified Lucy.

"It's only dinner," Harry explained, as if that would lessen the fear within Lucy. He noticed that it didn't. "I've told my family about you. They know, and they've met you briefly before. They have respect for you, Luce."

Lucy already knew that.

"Will and Kate will be there."

That relieved some pressure for Lucy.

"Are you freaking out because my grandmother is Queen?"

"No-- maybe. Your mother is Queen, which is a reason to freak out. But, Harry, I'm also thirteen years your junior and technically still an American." Lucy now had full British citizenship, passport and all. "Also, Harry, this is your family."

"I realize that."

"Harry, I'm meeting your family."

"I still realize that." His eyes searched her face. "I'm missing something, aren't I?"

"You're missing something huge."

Harry thought about it harder, and nothing clicked in his head. "Males don't do well with hints. You have to be blunt. Please by blunt here, Luce."

Lucy nodded. "Harry, last time I met someone's family was never. I knew Jake for the longest time. I didn't formally meet his family." Jake was her ex-boyfriend, and he, too, died in the school shooting almost five years prior.

"There should be no pressure."

"Do you hear yourself right now?"

Then, the light went off in his head, as Lucy stood in front of him. Her scars were mostly covered up by her dress and jacket, fashionable but professional. Under her clothes, scars traced on her skin, roads on a map. He missed subtle hints like this, even when they stared at him in the face; Harry felt like such an idiot. Of course Lucy was nervous to meet his family because who his family was, but he would never meet her family. Harry knew she had aunts and uncles, a grandfather and cousins. However, he would never meet Lucy's parents and brother. That was what she was going back to the U.S. for. Lots of people died that day, her best friend and her boyfriend, among her peers and teachers. But she lost her parents, teachers at the school, and her older brother.

"Luce, I'm sorry," Harry apologized. He couldn't believe he as so daft. "I didn't mean... I guess I forgot." It seemed like such a stupid excuse; he forgot a part of Lucy, a major part of Lucy. "Let me call and cancel. They'll understand, I just have to explain."

"Harry, don't cancel." His blue eyes came up to her. "Don't cancel," she repeated. "I knew we were doing something spectacular tonight. I dressed up nicely."

His eyes followed along her body. "Yes, you did," he agreed.

She rolled her eyes, biting her tongue to not have a mean retort. "And if you cancel, Harry, they'll take pity on me."

"No, they won't."

Shaking her head, Lucy knew what would happen. "Harry, let's go. Let me meet your family." A smile spread across his face. "However..."

"However?"

"I can't guarantee that I'll like them."

Harry laughed. "Seriously?"

She shrugged. "Well, I mean, I'm not princess material, but they're not exactly normal people."

"What am I?"

"An alien, of course. The Doctor shows up London often. I assume you were replaced long ago by Zygons."

Harry laughed. "Make Doctor Who references; my grandmother loves the show."

"I can do that." Lucy motioned for Harry to walk and she would follow. "Where are we eating tonight?" Her arm looped through his.

"Buckingham Palace." He said it like it was the most obvious answer ever, easy and comfortable with Buckingham Palace.

Lucy stopped again, pulling Harry back.

"What?" he asked.

"Buckingham Palace?"

"Yes."

"You couldn't have told me this beforehand?" She motioned to herself, and Harry didn't understand.

"What?"

"I'm wearing a dress that I found for sale, because I assumed it was going to be us. I have the confidence in myself that I can pull this dress off in front of your parents and grandmother. But I would've bought a new dress if I knew I was going to Buckingham Palace."

"You think the building will magically let you in because it thinks your dress is cheap?"

"My dress is cheap."

Harry laughed. "You have quite the respect for architecture." He leaned in and kissed her on the lips. "The building won't care, neither will my family."

Lucy arched an eyebrow.

"Luce," Harry spoke, "you have spent the last three years of your life with me. That's no easy task; I know because I know me. You said I loved you, and I know you well enough to know you wouldn't have said it back unless you meant it. You aren't a girl that's here for my money. You're a woman who is here for me, as a human being." Harry swallowed. "Tonight, even if you think it goes terrible, know that I still love you. That won't change. It'll be hard to change now," he admitted. Then he kissed her hand and whispered, "I love you." His blue eyes came up to her face.

"I love you, too."