Work Text:
“Alex!” June called from downstairs, slamming the door. “Nora!”
“Could you please not slam the door, June?” their mother asked, her tone long-suffering. “I’m doing our finances.”
June ignored her, racing up the stairs to Alex’s room, where he and Nora were lounging at the bay window, Nora writing, Alex rereading ‘Paradise Lost’ for the umpteenth time.
“There you are!” June said, appearing in the doorway, out of breath. “I have news!”
“Well, out with it, then,” Alex snorted, putting down his book. Nora didn’t bother looking up from her letter.
“Netherfield Park is let at last!” she burst out, absolutely vibrating with excitement.
At that, Nora looked up. “Is it now?” she smirked. “What rich family is joining us from the city, then?”
“That’s just it,” June smirked. “It appears not to be a family, at all. It was led by a young gentleman called Percy Okonjo.”
“The Okonjo heir?” Alex blinked. “I heard of the family. New money, but very rich.”
“He’s supposed to have four or five thousand a year,” June said meaningfully, smirking at Alex.
Alex groaned and rolled his eyes. “I told you,” he hissed. “I don’t plan to marry my way up! I’m going to study law!”
“But it would be so much easier,” Nora grinned at him. “Just find a rich lady or gentleman to take care of you and live a life of leisure.”
“Just because you two are set for life with your inheritance, doesn’t mean I plan to just lay back and be lazy,” Alex glared. “I want to actually do something meaningful with my life.”
“Who said I’m not doing anything meaningful?” Nora glared. “Who do you think that letter is for? Only the accountant of my own bloody charity, you brat.”
“You can be rich and do something for society,” June reminded him, sitting on Alex’s bed. “I mean, look at Mum and Dad. They’ve been plenty engaged with the community for years.”
“Still,” Alex sighed. “I’m not just going to take the easy way out and look for a wealthy husband. If I marry, it will be for love.”
“Those are words born of privilege, you know,” Nora noted. “Not everyone can afford to marry for love. Most people out there have to be sensible about it.”
“Says the woman who is worth a fortune and could very well choose never to marry at all,” Alex glared.
“Well, that doesn’t mean I’m not aware of my privilege,” Nora shrugged, smiling.
Alex rolled his eyes and shook his head. They all looked up when Alex and June’s father appeared in the doorway.
“Well, I’m glad I’m catching you all together,” he chuckled. “I have news. Netherfield Park is -”
“We know,” Alex interrupted him. “June was faster than you.”
“You know your daughter,” Nora grinned. “Queen of gossip.”
June smiled innocently and Oscar shook his head fondly. “Indeed,” he agreed. “But did June also tell you that Mr Okonjo will hold a ball this weekend, and we are all invited.”
June perked up, grinning at them.
“No, she did not,” Nora cackled.
“You need a new suit!” June told Alex.
“I only just got a new suit two months ago,” Alex groaned. “Stop trying to sell me off to the next best bidder!”
“I just have your best interest at heart, baby brother!”
Alex looked at his father flatly. “Can I leave for law school early?” he asked.
“No,” Oscar smirked. “I’m afraid you’ll have to endure your sister for a bit longer.”
Alex grumbled.
For all his grumbling, Alex really enjoyed balls. He enjoyed the dancing and the easy conversation and the lively atmosphere. He’d already danced with both Nora and June and was looking out for new dance partners when the hosts of the event finally showed their faces.
Hushed whispers grew in volume to buzzing, excited mumbling.
“Is that -”
“It can’t be -”
Alex blinked, frowning at the finely and colourfully dressed black man who was coming down the stairs, flanked by a tall blond man and a short ginger woman, both as elegantly clothed, if not more so, though slightly less vibrant.
“Oh my God,” June breathed, clutching at Alex’s arm. “I recognise her from my debutante ball. That’s Princess Beatrice!”
“And I’m pretty sure that’s Prince Henry,” Nora whispered, a huge grin on her face. “I’ll be damned.”
Alex took a closer look at the royals in question. The Princess was smiling warmly at everyone as she passed. The expression on the Prince’s face, though, was tight, and he looked as if he would rather be anywhere else in the world.
“Well, he looks miserable,” Alex muttered.
“Who cares?” Nora snorted. “He is fourth in line to the throne.”
“Well, no wonder our country is so miserable, then,” Alex muttered, and Nora stifled a laugh, elbowing him.
Prince Henry looked over to them, then, and by chance, he caught Alex’s eye. Alex could feel his heart stutter as he held it for what felt like an impossibly long second. Then, he looked down, frowning, and Alex exhaled, unsure the moment had even happened.
Alex stood very straight as he waited for the Hollerans to finish introducing himself to Mr Okonjo and the Prince and Princess, so it was their turn. He very much wanted to be elsewhere. Of course, he had been thoroughly schooled on etiquette by his parents, but he’d never actually had to enact it. He felt like, if he only got the angle of his bow slightly wrong, he’d be the local laughing stock for months.
Finally, the Hollerans stepped away, and Ellen Claremont stepped up, followed by her husband and her children.
“Your Royal Highnesses, Mr Okonjo,” she said, cursying. “Thank you so much for the invitation. It’s such an honour.”
“Mr Okonjo,” Oscar Diaz said. “It’s good to see you again.”
“You, too, Mr Diaz,” Mr Okonjo smiled warmly, turning to the Princess. “Mr Diaz was so kind as to welcome me to the neighbourhood a couple of days ago and invite me over for a family dinner.”
“Of course, you are also invited, Your Royal Highnesses,” Oscar added. “Though our house is a humble one, I’m afraid.”
“That is very kind,” the Princess smiled. “We’ll gladly accept.”
Oscar smiled and gestured to his family. “This is my wife, Mrs Ellen Claremont, and my children, Miss June Claremont-Diaz and Mr Alexander Claremont-Diaz.”
They each curtsied and bowed in turn.
“Miss Claremont-Diaz,” Mr Okonjo smiled. “I hope I’m not too forward in saying you’re the most stunning creature in this room, and I’d very much ask you if you’d like to have the next dance with me.”
June blinked and smiled. “Well, aren’t you charming?” she chuckled. “I’d be delighted.”
Alex watched with a grin as Mr Okonjo reached out his hand to lead June to the dancefloor. So much to him flirting his way into a rich man’s heart.
“Dancing sounds good , actually,” the Princess nodded. Her eyes landed on Alex for a moment, before flitting back to her brother. Then, she called: “Miss Holleran! Would you care to dance with me?”
Alex blinked, watching her rush off in Nora’s direction. He glanced at the Prince, who was frowning at his sister as if she’d done him some great injustice.
“Would you care for a dance, too?” Alex asked politely, reaching out his hand.
The Prince blinked, blue eyes widening as they landed on him. “I don’t dance,” he said curtly.
Alex frowned, pulling back his hand. “Oh,” he said lamely. He stood there for a moment, unsure what to say. “It’s a really nice ball,” he settled on. “We’re very grateful to your friend for inviting us.”
“It’s adequate,” the Prince said shortly. “Nothing compared to the events in London.”
Alex’s eyes narrowed. “Of course,” he said, his tone icy. “Our small country community could never compare to the opulence of London.”
Henry frowned at him. Alex took a step back. “Excuse me,” he said. “I’ll find someone else to dance with.”
And with that, he retreated, glad to be out of the snobby Prince’s sight.
Nora and Alex had found refuge in an archway, sipping on some wine and laughing at June, who was currently on her third dance with Mr Okonjo.
They did not notice the Prince and the Princess nearby until they heard their voices, and Alex pressed his hand to Nora’s mouth to silence her.
“Pez seems really enchanted with her,” the Princess laughed. “Not that I can blame him. She seems very sweet.”
“She certainly seems like Pez’s type,” the Prince agreed, making Alex frown at the implication.
“Her brother seems very agreeable to,” the Princess said, in an undertone.
“He is… nice to look at,” the Prince said hesitantly. “Though he certainly voices his opinions with much determination.”
Alex’s mouth fell open. Nora snorted against Alex’s fingers.
“I thought you liked that sort of thing?” the Princess grinned.
“Don’t, Bea.”
Alex grabbed Nora’s hand and pulled her down the corridor, away from the Prince and the Princess. When they were out of earshot, he turned to Nora, furious.
“How dare he insinuate I am rude?!” he shout-whispered. “I was very polite. He turned down my invitation to dance and looked down on the countryside, that arrogant, privileged snob!”
“Well, you do voice your opinions very strongly,” Nora grinned. “You can’t argue with that.”
“You can’t expect me to stay silent when he insults our community!”
Nora laughed and patted his arm. “Calm down,” she said. “See it that way: If he liked you, you’d actually have to talk to him.”
“Right,” Alex huffed, crossing his arms. “I wouldn’t dance with him for all of England, not to mention the miserable half.”
Nora shook her head, laughing. “Come on, you big baby, I’ll dance with you.”
Alex sighed and nodded.
Alex thought that would be the last he’d see of the Prince, for obvious reasons. He did not count on an invitation from Mr Okonjo to arrive the very next day, inviting June, Alex and Nora to Netherfield Park for tea.
“Why me?!” Alex whinged. “He doesn’t like me! Why do I have to go?!”
“It’s probably a courtesy,” his mother rolled her eyes. “Don’t be a baby about it, Diaz.”
“I don’t want to go!” Alex called. “If he’s just being polite, certainly, I can decline, right?”
“You’ll do no such thing,” his father rolled his eyes. “If you want to be a successful lawyer, you have to make connections, son. You can’t completely tear down all the bridges, especially when it concerns royalty.”
Alex groaned.
“Maybe he won’t even be there?” June shrugged. “Maybe it will just be Mr Okonjo and the Princess?”
“As if I’d have that kind of luck,” he muttered.
And indeed, the Prince was present when they arrived at Netherfield Park, stiffly greeting them and awkwardly sending glances at Alex every once in a while. Alex pretended not to notice.
Instead, he engaged in pleasant chatter with the others about the ball two nights ago.
“I think balls are such a wonderful occasion to make new acquaintances,” the Princess smiled at them. When her brother just looked at her with raised eyebrows, she laughed and amended: “Oh, I know you don’t enjoy them, Hen!”
Alex couldn’t help himself. He was trying to bite his tongue, but it was impossible to keep quiet.
“What do you find so displeasing about them, Your Royal Highness?” he asked. “Is it the dancing, the pleasant conversation, or just the general act of ‘having fun’?”
Pez laughed, toasting him with his teacup. “I like you ,” he declared. “I’m keeping you around.”
The Prince glared at him for a moment before looking back at Alex. “I’m not blessed, as you are, with the talent of making easy conversation with people,” he said eventually. “Balls make me nervous.”
“Right,” Alex smiled tightly. “My ‘talent of making easy conversation’, is it? Some would just say I’m voicing my opinions with too much determination.”
The Prince looked at him blankly for a moment. Then, his eyes widened in recognition. To Alex’s satisfaction, he looked truly horrified. The Princess glanced between them, her smile, too, having fallen.
“We have a bit of a problem with that in the countryside, I’m afraid,” Nora spoke up, trying to defuse the tension. “We all lack the filter of the polite London society, I think.”
“I find that rather charming,” Mr Okonjo grinned. “London is too proper and stiff for me. I enjoy a little honesty.” He smirked at the Prince. “A little chaos.”
The Prince, though, was looking at his hands, still seeming deeply shaken by the realisation that Alex had overheard him the previous night. Alex tried not to feel sorry for calling him out.
He hadn’t been the one who’d behaved rudely, he reminded himself. Let the rich snob suffer for his behaviour. Maybe, he’ll learn something.
“Mr Claremont-Diaz?”
Alex turned to face the Prince as they bade their goodbyes. The other man looked nervous, but he made himself meet Alex’s eyes.
“I’m… horrified at my behaviour at the ball,” he said quietly. “I did not mean for you to overhear that conversation with my sister. But that is still no excuse. Please, accept my deepest regrets. I did not mean to offend you.”
Alex just looked at him, not saying anything.
“I am… not good with words sometimes,” the Prince continued. “Especially when I feel uncomfortable. That’s why I like to write rather than speak. It tends to come out clearer.” He shook his head. “What I mean to say is, I don’t think you are rude. I’m sorry if it came out this way.”
Alex frowned, looking for a trap in those words. Finally, he nodded.
“Apology accepted,” he said, at last.
“Alex?” June called. “The carriage is ready!”
“I’m coming!” Alex called back. He looked back at the Prince. “Thank you for the invite.”
“Thank you for accepting,” the Prince blinked. “Under the circumstances.”
Alex nodded, moving into an awkward bow before backing away.
“What did the Prince want?” June breathed as they drove away.
“He… apologised,” Alex admitted.
“Aww, see?” June said. “That’s nice.”
“I don’t know,” Alex frowned, deeply confused. “It doesn’t change that he’s an arrogant, rich prick, right?”
Nora rolled her eyes. “Give him a break,” she muttered. “He might have hidden depths.”
Alex very much doubted that.
Before the arrival of Mr Okonjo and his royal entourage, the ball to celebrate Nora’s birthday had always been the biggest event in the area. The Holleran estate was the largest after Netherfield Park, which had not been led since Alex had been a child.
The Hollerans had settled in England during Oliver Cromwell’s rule, when Jews had been allowed to exercise their religion freely again after centuries of persecution. They were bankers and therefore filthy rich, which made them well-respected even in circles where people usually turned their noses up at non-Christians.
Then again, with the steady exchange with the new world, prejudices had started to soften and turn. When Alex’s Abuelo and Abuela arrived on the coast in Portsmouth, they had been ostracised. Now, his father was a well-respected member of the community.
People had always clotted around Nora. As the heiress to the Holleran money and enterprise, she was clearly the most desirable bachelorette in the area. Hell, she’d be sought after in London, if her parents could be bothered with the people there. Only Nora, to everyone’s chagrin, had never really been interested in romance and marriage.
All she’d ever seemed to want to do is hang around June and Alex and make snide comments about everyone else, and Alex and June were quite okay with that.
“So,” Alex asked, taking a sip of his glass and grimacing. He’d never quite liked shrub. He’d always preferred wine. “How many marriage proposals have you received tonight?”
“Only two,” Nora pursed her lips. “But the night is still young. Would you like to propose, Alejandro?”
“No, thank you,” Alex said politely. “I’d like to keep my ego intact tonight.”
“Fair.”
“Royalty incoming at four o’clock,” June hissed, and Alex looked up to find the Prince and Mr Okonjo approaching them. He could not see the Princess anywhere.
“Miss Holleran,” Mr Okonjo smiled, reaching out for her hand to kiss it. “I wish you the most fabulous of birthdays.”
“Why, thank you,” she smiled.
“Mr Claremont-Diaz?” Alex blinked, looking up, surprised to be addressed. The Prince was looking at him with a strange expression of - was it determination? Nerves? Alex couldn’t tell.
“Yes, Your Royal Highness?” Alex said carefully.
“Would you do me the honour of granting me the next dance?” the Prince asked.
Alex stared. He could feel everyone’s eyes on his face. Nora discreetly kicked him in the ankle.
“Um,” Alex said. “Err. Yes. Of course.”
“Thank you,” the Prince nodded. “I’ll meet you on the dance floor.”
Alex stared after him, unsure what had just happened. He leaned towards Nora.
“Did I just agree to dance with him?” he asked.
“I daresay you’re quite satisfied with the miserable half of England, after all,” Nora beamed.
“I beg you to not,” Alex hissed. Then, he straightened and made his way to the dancefloor.
The Prince’s blue eyes on him felt… intense, as they dance. Like he tried to follow Alex’s every moment. It made Alex feel hot under his suit.
“I thought you hated dancing,” Alex said, at last, just to escape the awkward silence.
“Depends on the dance partner, I guess,” the Prince inclined his head.
“So now you consider me a worthy dance partner?” Alex frowned. “When exactly did that happen?”
“I never considered you unworthy, Mr Claremont-Diaz.”
“It surely seemed like it.”
The Prince sighed, frowning. “I really didn’t make the best impression on you, did I?”
Alex just raised his eyebrows, because, well.
“Will you give me a chance to change your mind?” he asked. “I’d really like to change your mind.”
“Why?” Alex asked.
The Prince blinked. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. Finally, he said: “Because you intrigue me, Alexander Claremont-Diaz.”
Something about the way he said that made Alex’s throat feel dry. “What does that even mean?” he asked, a bit desperately.
“That I can’t stop thinking about you,” the Prince said, catching Alex’s eyes. “And I’d like to spend my stay at Netherfield Park getting better acquainted with you.”
“... Oh,” Alex said, after a long moment of silence.
“If you are agreeable, of course,” the Prince said. “I would hate to push where I am unwanted.”
Alex cleared his throat, feeling completely out of his depth.
“Well,” he said. “You might have to dance some more. And make conversation, which I know you dread.”
That made the Prince smile. It looked good on him, Alex thought, and hated himself a bit for it.
“I think I can manage that,” he said.
Prince Henry continued to pay special attention to Alex all evening. He made sure Alex always had a drink in his hand. He engaged him in a constant string of conversations, asking surprisingly thoughtful questions that had Alex opening up about his family and his life. He danced with Alex two more times.
And quite against his will, Alex started to enjoy the Prince’s company.
Alex was unusually well-read for someone who grew up on the country. Their parents had made sure that June and him received an excellent education and had access to a wealth of literature, and they’d both made ample use of it, June even more so than Alex. The only one who could rival their level of education was Nora, though her strength lay more in sciences and numbers.
The Prince, though… He was educated, all right. He could hold his own in a discussion with Alex, and argue points that Alex would never have even considered, and it was sort of intoxicating.
He was also smart , which was even better. Alex had always been drawn to intelligence and competence rather than beauty and pomp, and the Prince, now that he engaged with him, definitely felt more confident in the world of history and literature than he did when it came to flashing his royal charm.
“If you’d like, there is a book I’m sure you’d be interested in,” the Prince told him. “The author discusses Queen Elizabeth’s influence on the position women hold in the English society today, and I thought it was just fascinating. I brought it to Netherfield Park to get my sister to read it, but she grew bored after the first chapter. You can borrow it.”
“I’d love that,” Alex nodded. “Thank you so much, Your Royal Highness.”
The Prince grimaced. “Can we drop the formalities?” he asked hesitantly. “Please. My friends call me Henry.”
“Oh, but I wouldn’t want to be improper,” Alex teased. “After all, I’m the picture of politeness.”
“Of course, you are,” the Prince said solemnly, biting down on a smile, and Alex was sort of addicted to it. “But I’m afraid I must insist.”
“All right, then,” Alex sighed. “But I want it noted that I’m doing so at gunpoint.”
“Of course,” Henry nodded, not even trying to hide his grin anymore. He hesitated, before asking: “May I call you Alexander?”
Alex suppressed a shiver that ran through him at the sound of his name on Prince Henry’s lips. He thought about offering his nickname - no one really called him ‘Alexander’ - but it seemed too intimate too quickly, and he sort of liked the way it sounded in Henry’s posh accent.
“You may,” he agreed.
“Thank you,” Henry smiled. “Alexander.”
Oh God, this was going to kill him.
“Well, well, well,” June grinned at him after they’d gotten into the carriage - they had the vehicle for themselves, seeing that their parents had left hours ago. “Look at you, Mr ‘I don’t need no rich husband’.”
Alex glowered at her half-heartedly. “Shut up,” he said.
“Aww,” she laughed, poking his cheek. “Look at you. All flustered. It’s okay, you know? He seems very sweet, and he couldn’t take his eyes off you all night. It’s okay to like him.”
“Yeah,” Alex pursed his lips. “Only that I’d sword to hate him forever, so this is most inconvenient.”
“Nothing lasts forever,” June rolled her eyes. “Not even your petty grudges.”
Alex snorted.
“No, really,” June insisted, linking their arms together. “You seemed to enjoy yourself tonight. I’ve never seen you like this.”
Alex felt himself blushing. “He’s… not what I expected,” Alex admitted.
“Good,” June nodded. “If you give him a chance, he might surprise you even more.”
Alex thought of the way Henry had kissed his knuckles as he’d bidden him goodbye at the carriage. He gulped and nodded.
“Yes,” he breathed. “Maybe.”
From a young age, June and Nora had always been horse people. They rode out whenever they had the time and it had become a sort of bonding activity for them.
Alex rode well enough, but he didn’t enjoy it the way they did. His preferred form of exercise was walking. And so, he often went out on long walks through the neighbouring hills and fields, sometimes bringing books with him, sometimes just his thoughts.
It was on one of these afternoons, Netherfield Park at the horizon, that he ran into Henry.
Henry was sat under a tree, reading in the shade when Alex spotted him. Alex considered just walking on, but something stopped him. And so, he slowly approached the Prince.
“What are you reading?” Alex asked softly.
Henry blinked and looked up. His eyes widened when he saw Alex, scrambling to his feet.
“Alexander,” he smiled. “I didn’t see you. What are you doing here?”
“I’m walking,” Alex shrugged. “The fields around Netherfield Park are nice when it’s so sunny. Lots of shade.”
“Ahh,” Henry nodded. “Did you walk all this way on your own? Netherfield Park is quite far from your house without a carriage.”
“I enjoy the exercise,” Alex smiled.
“I see,” Henry nodded.
Alex glanced at the book and Henry, seeming to remember Alex’s original question, held it up. It was ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ by Jonathan Swift. “I’m rereading it,” Henry smiled sheepishly. “I didn’t bring enough books from London, and Pez’s library isn’t quite as big as I’d like.” He tilted his head. “Have you read it?”
Alex shook his head. “I haven’t, but I heard of it?”
“It’s quite good,” Henry said. “Lots of interesting thoughts about society at large.” He pushed it at Alex. “Take it.”
“But you’re reading it!” Alex laughed.
“I already know it well enough,” Henry shrugged. “Take it. You will like it.”
Alex smiled and took the book from Henry’s hands. “Thanks.”
Henry smiled. He cleared his throat. “Don’t stay out too long,” he warned. “I don’t like the look of these clouds. I think it will rain later.”
“I will be fine,” Alex shrugged.
Henry nodded, smiling once more. “All right. Maybe I can invite you over to Netherfield Park for tea once you’ve read the book, and we can discuss your thoughts?”
“That sounds good,” Alex nodded.
“Great,” Henry smiled. “I’ll be waiting for you to call.”
Alex couldn’t help but look after Henry as he made his way back to Netherfield Park. Then, he glanced at the book, flipping it open.
He lowered himself into the spot Henry had abandoned, beginning to read.
Alex jerked out of his trance when the first drop of rain hit his cheek. “Damnit,” he muttered, looking up at the sky, realising that it had become quite dark without him realising. “Why does that always happen to me?!”
He gathered himself up quickly, intending to leg it home before it really started to pour, but he had only managed to make it a couple of paces before the sky seemed to open up, unleashing a whole summer's worth of water.
“Come on,” Alex groaned, trying to shield the book from the flood.
When he reached the pathway near Netherfield Park again, though, he was already soaked to the bone and shivering.
He almost missed it when his name was being called.
“Alexander!”
Alex blinked and turned, finding Henry at the gates of Netherfield Park, a coat held over his head.
“Please come inside,” Henry called. “You’re completely soaked!”
Alex hesitated. “I can’t possibly -”
“You’ll catch death if you walk all the way back home like this,” Henry insisted, approaching him and shielding him from the rain with the coat - quite fruitlessly, Alex thought, for he was already completely wet. “Please, come inside. I insist.”
Another shiver ran through Alex. Finally, he nodded.
“Did you catch him?” The Princess asked nervously as soon as they were through the door. “Oh, Mr Claremont-Diaz! Look at you!” She turned to the staff. “Shaan, please warm up a bath for him and put out a change of clothes!”
“The guest room opposite mine will do,” Henry added, his arm coming around Alex’s shoulder. Through the soaked fabric of his clothes, Henry felt incredibly warm. “We need to get you out of these clothes, now. Come with me.”
“M - my family,” Alex muttered as he was manhandled towards the stairs. “I need to -”
“We’ll send a message,” Henry promised. “One of our staff can deliver it with the carriage. Don’t worry.”
Alex nodded. He was led up the stairs and down the corridor into a luxurious bedroom. A maid was just putting out clothes on the bed and bowed as they entered, leaving them in hurried steps. A fire was crackling in the fireplace and Alex’s whole body turned towards the heat emanating from it.
“Change,” Henry insisted. “There is a robe you can use. I’ll check on the bathwater and I’ll come get you once it’s ready.”
Alex nodded. “Thank you,” he breathed.
Henry squeezed his shoulder before backing out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Alex allowed himself a moment to enjoy the heat of the fire before shrugging out of his wet rags. He lay the wet book onto the bedside table, feeling guilty at its state. Then, he picked up the silk robe the maid had laid out. It was luxurious and thick and probably ridiculously expensive. He was sure they must belong to Henry. He wrapped them around his body, wrapping them tightly before returning to the fire, shivering.
There was a knock. “Alexander?” Henry called. “Are you decent?”
“Yes,” Alex croaked, straightening up.
Henry opened the door. His eyes lingered on his body in the robe for a moment, making Alex feel a bit self-conscious, before quickly snapping up to his face. “Your bath is ready,” he announced.
“Thanks,” Alex nodded. He looked back at the book. “Your book is wet,” he confessed.
Henry’s face softened. “I can always buy a new book, Alexander,” he shook his head. “It’s not important. What’s important now is you, okay? I don’t want you to catch pneumonia. So, please, come with me?”
Alex nodded, letting Henry lead him into the bathroom.
After a long, hot bath, Alex had stopped shivering, at last. He changed into the clothes the maid had prepared for him - again, probably Henry’s, judging by the thread count.
When he came out of the bathroom, Henry immediately hurried out of a nearby room to meet him.
“How are you feeling?” he asked worriedly, scanning his face.
“Better,” Alex nodded. “Thank you.”
Henry’s frown didn’t lighten up. “May I?” he asked, reaching out his hand to Alex tentatively.
Alex nodded, and Henry brushed Alex’s damp curls aside, feeling the skin of his forehead. He hummed.
“I’d really feel better if you stayed with us overnight,” Henry said softly. “I’m scared you might have caught a cold.”
“I couldn’t possibly impose any more than I already have,” Alex shook his head.
“Yes, you can,” Henry insisted. “Please, Alexander. I swear you would be no inconvenience at all. In fact, it would give me some peace of mind.”
Alex hesitated before nodding. “All right,” Alex said. “But I’ll leave in the morning.”
“Of course,” Henry nodded. “I won’t keep you.”
Alex woke up in the middle of the night, shivering all over, his head feeling like it was about to split apart.
Henry was there, pressing a wet towel to his forehead.
“Shh,” he whispered. “You have a fever. Here, drink something. Careful, it’s warm.”
He held a glass to Alex’s lips, and Alex tasted some herbal tincture brewed up with tea. It felt good going down his throat.
“I’m sorry,” Alex muttered, feeling the need to apologise.
“Don’t,” Henry shook his head, finding Alex’s hand and squeezing it. “Go back to sleep, Alex. It’s okay.”
As Alex drifted back off, he realised, absentmindedly, that Henry had called him ‘Alex’, not ‘Alexander’.
Alex didn’t know how long the fever plagued him, but whenever he woke, Henry was there, at his side, taking care of him.
It made Alex feel safe. He was grateful, to know that he wasn’t alone.
Eventually, when he opened his eyes, he felt a bit clearer. He still had a headache, but it wasn’t blinding anymore. He found he could grasp a thought and hold it for longer than a second.
He turned his head, expecting to find Henry at his side. He frowned when instead, he found June stroking back his hair.
“Hey,” she said softly, smiling. “Welcome back, you moron.”
Alex frowned. “What are you doing here?”
“Prince Henry called me,” she said. “He thought you’d like your sister at your side.”
“Oh,” Alex breathed. “That was thoughtful of him.”
“He took very good care of you, Alex,” she told him. “The Princess told me he stayed at your side night and day, and even now, after I arrived, he keeps checking in on you periodically.” She ran a thumb over his eyebrow. “He must really care about you.”
Alex didn’t know what to say to that. His head was still pounding and the emotions in his chest were growing into something huge, something unnameable that he couldn’t look at too closely right now.
A knock jerked them both from their bubble. Alex tried to sit up, finding Henry in the doorway.
“Please,” Henry said hastily, approaching his bed to push him back into a vertical position. “Stay put.” He caught his eyes. “How are you feeling?”
“Better,” Alex smiled. “Thanks to you, I gather.”
“I didn’t do anything,” Henry shook his head.
“I beg to differ,” June scolded him. “We are very grateful to you for caring for my brother so diligently. Please, don’t minimise it.”
Henry shrugged and smiled. “It was a pleasure.” Then, his eyes widened, and he added hastily: “I mean, not that he was sick! Just that he was… here.” He gulped. “Being sick.” He frowned, shaking his head. “None of that came out right. Please forget I said anything.”
Alex couldn’t help but smile. “Not a chance, Your Royal Highness.”
Henry rolled his eyes and smiled at him fondly. “Well, if you can tease me again, you must be doing better,” he declared. “I’m satisfied.”
The huge, unnameable feeling in Alex’s chest grew and grew, and Alex tried to gulp it down and not think about it.
It took Alex two more days before Henry declared him back to full strength and he was allowed to leave. June stayed with him at Netherfield Park throughout that time, and they were both spoiled rotten.
One afternoon, the Princess - who had asked them both to call her ‘Bea’ - had taken June for a horseback ride, and Henry had spent hours with Alex, reading to him. And Alex… Well, Alex was starting to feel quite helpless in the face of Henry’s obvious affection.
“Please,” Henry said, kissing his knuckles when he brought him and June to the carriage. “Take it easy for a couple more days. I’d hate for your cough to get worse again.”
“I’ll take care,” Alex promised. “Thank you, again. For everything. I don’t know how to repay you.”
“You don’t need to,” Henry smiled. “It was my pleasure.”
“Well,” June grinned at him as they were being driven away from Netherfield Park. “I guess we can safely say you are being courted by a Prince, Alex.”
Alex groaned, pressing his hand to his eyes. He didn’t deny it, though. He couldn’t, not anymore.
June laughed and kicked his shin, and Alex kicked back.
Alex did not expect that day at Netherfield Park to be the last time he would see Henry for a long, long time. He had expected it to be just the beginning of what was apparently starting to be a courtship.
But two days after he’d returned home, a message from Bea arrived.
“‘My dear friends’,” June read. “‘It is with a heavy heart that I must write to you. Henry and I have been summoned to London, and we are to leave this instant. There is no time for goodbyes, just this message. I pray that our paths will cross again and that I will see you soon, Yours affectionately, Beatrice.’” She looked at Alex, eyes wide.
Alex just blinked, uncomprehending. “Is there anything else?” he asked. “Another letter? A message from Henry?”
She turned the page and shook it out. She shook her head. Alex took it from her, checking for himself, but indeed, there was nothing.
“Royalty is… difficult,” Ellen said gently. “They’re not always free to act as they wish. I didn’t want to say anything because you seemed to become so attached to him, but… I was afraid something like this might happen.”
Alex shook his head. “I don’t understand,” he muttered. “This makes no sense.”
Oscar squeezed his shoulder. “Maybe it’s for the better,” he smiled sadly. “I mean, sure, he’s rich and powerful and all that, but do you really want to subject yourself to the royal circus that comes with marrying him?”
Alex didn’t. Or at least, he hadn’t thought he did. But that was before he had gotten to know Henry.
He stared at Bea’s letter before handing it back to June.
“I’m going for a walk,” he declared.
“Don’t go too far,” Ellen warned. “You just recovered!”
Alex ignored her.
He walked all the way to Netherfield Park, standing in front of the closed gates, staring at the boarded windows.
“I don’t understand,” he whispered to himself.
There was no one there to explain it to him, only the wind howling around his ears.
For two whole months, there was no message from Henry. Two months of Alex feeling like a maiden waiting for her beloved to come back from the war.
After those two months, Alex felt so frustrated and betrayed that he invited himself to his godfather’s house in London.
“Maybe, if you let Henry know that you’re in town, he will come and see you?” June suggested tentatively.
“And how will I let him know?!” Alex snapped. “By sending smoke signs to Kensington Palace?!”
June winced.
“I say, just focus on apprenticing with your godfather,” Nora shrugged. “Men aren’t worth the pain.”
“Exactly,” Alex nodded. “I’m going to become the best lawyer in London. I don’t need the bloody Prince of England for that.”
June looked at him sadly. “Just - maybe don’t bury yourself completely in work?” she pleaded. “You tend to get a little lost when we’re not around to watch out for you.”
“I’ll be fine, June,” Alex rolled his eyes. “I can take care of myself.”
Alex's godfather, Rafael Luna, was the son of a family friend, and Oscar and Raf had grown up something like brothers. When Alex was born, Oscar had asked Raf to be his son’s godfather, and he had doted on Alex ever since.
Raf had no children of his own, though he was happily married to a journalist working for the London Chronicles. He was a barrister and well-established in London. Like Alex, he’d been the second-born son; the inheritance went to his older brother, meaning he had to learn a profession and fend for himself.
Alex had always seen him as a bit of a role model. While Raf was certainly not rich, he was well-off and well-respected. He had work that he enjoyed and a husband he genuinely adored.
He’d never bowed down to societal expectations. It’s how Alex had always envisioned his own future.
So for Raf to sit him down after he’d arrived in London and look at him with a look of knowing sympathy in his eyes… Well, it stung a little.
“Your Dad told me what happened with Prince Henry,” he said softly. “Are you okay, Alex?”
“I’m fine,” Alex glared. “I don’t need you to molly-coddle me.”
Raf held up his hands in surrender. “I’m just asking, lad. After all, the first heartbreak is always the -”
“I’m not heartbroken,” Alex snapped. “I just want to get on with my life and start my bloody apprenticeship! Why does everyone keep bringing up Henry?! Nothing even happened! It’s not like he made any promises or broke an engagement or anything. He was a bloke I met, and then he left! Can we all move on now?”
Raf raised his eyebrows. “Okay. If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure,” Alex growled.
The apprenticeship was hard work, but satisfying. It kept Alex’s mind occupied until he had no space left to think about Henry anymore.
That was, until he saw Raf’s husband Oliver bring in the post, and a part of him hoped there was a message from Henry.
Or when he passed the Kensington Gardens on his way to the courthouse.
Or when he saw a new edition of ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ in a bookshop.
Actually, he thought about Henry all the time, and it really sucked.
“This client is very upper-class,” Raf told him in the carriage. “A cousin of Your Majesty, twice removed. Just… mind your manners. She is a bit sensitive.”
“Wonderful,” Alex sighed. “Just what I need. More nobility.”
“We don’t have to interact with her much,” Raf smiled with him indulgently. “Mostly, we’ll speak to her accountant.”
They were shown into the giant townhouse by a butler and led towards the sitting area.
“My lady,” they heard him say as they waited outside. “The barrister, Rafael Luna, and his apprentice.”
“Ah, yes, please, send them in, Tommy.”
Raf and Alex were ushered inside. They were awaited by a woman in her fifties, heavily laden with jewellery, what was probably a daughter, a slightly plain but clearly highly bred sort of girl. They bowed as the lady of the house gave them a once-over.
“Thank you for coming,” she said. “My accountant is awaiting you in his study. He can answer all your -”
“Alexander?”
Alex’s head snapped around at the familiar voice, his heart racing. He hadn’t realised they weren’t alone in the room.
On the armchair across from them sat Bea, her eyes wide in surprise. Henry had gotten to his feet, his face lax in shock.
Alex just stared at him, unable to say anything.
“Do you know this young man, Henry?” the lady asked, sounding irritated.
“We met him and his family at Netherfield Park, Aunt Catherine,” Bea said gently.
“I see,” she said stiffly.
Henry was still staring at him. Alex couldn’t bring himself to speak up.
“Well, off you go,” Lady Catherine said impatiently. “My accountant is waiting.”
“Of course, Your Ladyship,” Raf nodded, touching Alex’s shoulder and squeezing. Alex tore his eyes away and, with another bow, followed him out of the room.
“Well, isn’t he a rude one,” he could hear Lady Catherine say. “Can he speak?”
Raf squeezed his shoulder again. “Don’t mind them, let’s just get our work done and leave.”
Alex nodded.
Alex tried, he really did, but he couldn’t bring himself to focus on his task of taking notes. Raf must have realised because Alex saw him carefully taking notes himself, for the first time since Alex had arrived.
“Thank you,” Raf smiled at the accountant eventually. “I think that is all we needed.”
“Of course,” the man nodded. “Do you have any other questions?”
Raf glanced at Alex. “Just an unrelated one,” he said. “Since when have the Prince and the Princess been guests here?”
“Oh, they’ve been visiting on and off,” the man laughed. “Old family connections. His Royal Highness and Her Ladyship’s daughter, Miss Charlotte, have been promised to each other since their infancy, you see?”
Alex blinked. Right, he thought. So Henry had never been courting him, after all. He had just been out for a little fun.
“Thank you,” Raf nodded, squeezing Alex’s shoulder again. “We’d best be on our way.”
“Alexander!”
Henry called out to him just as they were about to get into their carriage. Alex looked back at him. Henry was hurrying after him.
“We can just leave,” Raf breathed at him. “You can say we have another appointment to get to.”
Alex sighed. “Just a moment, okay?”
Raf nodded. Alex turned to Henry.
“Your Royal Highness,” he said stiffly. “What can I do for you?”
Henry flinched. He looked at his hands for a moment before meeting Alex’s eyes again.
“I’m sorry, for the way I left,” he said softly. “I know it wasn’t fair to you.”
“I expect you had more important places to be,” Alex said.
Henry grimaced. Alex saw his fingers form a fist.
“I didn’t know you were in London,” he said softly.
“Well, how would you have?” Alex raised his eyebrows. “I haven’t heard from you for months.”
“Right,” Henry muttered. “Right… I just… Where are you staying?”
“With my godfather,” Alex said, raising an eyebrow. “You heard earlier that I was apprenticing with him, didn’t you? I told you I was planning to do that. Or did you already forget?”
“No, I -”
“Not that I could blame you,” Alex continued. “You must meet so many people. Must be hard to keep their life stories straight.”
Henry just looked at him helplessly.
“If you’d excuse me, Your Royal Highness,” Alex said formally. “We have another appointment to get to.”
Henry gulped and nodded. “Of course,” he breathed. “I won’t keep you.”
Henry watched as Alex got into the carriage, and still watched as they drove away. Alex determinedly did not look his way. Raf, though, was watching.
“That doesn’t look like a young man who’s happily engaged to another woman, Alex,” he said softly.
“Well,” Alex shrugged. “It doesn’t change the fact that he is.”
“Maybe we don’t have all the information,” Raf said gently. “Maybe -”
“I’m tired of ‘maybe’s, Raf,” Alex snapped. “What I know is that Henry left and didn’t even say goodbye or try to contact me for months. What I know is that he’s promised to another woman.”
Raf studied him, and then he nodded. “You’re right,” he muttered. “Of course, you’re right.”
By all means, that should have been it. He hadn’t heard from Henry for months. He did not expect to hear from him again.
Only there he was, two days later, on Raf’s doorstep, asking to speak to him.
“I really don’t understand what you’re doing here, Your Royal Highness,” Alex said through gritted teeth as he led Henry into the sitting room. “But whatever it is, can we make it quick? I have work to do.”
“Alexander,” Henry breathed. “ Alex. Can we please drop the formalities? This is killing me.”
Alex let out a short bark of laugh. “You?!” he demanded. “You want to play the victim here?”
“No,” Henry shook his head. “That’s not what I meant.”
“I sure hope not.”
Henry ran a hand through his hair. Alex realised his fingers were shaking.
“I tried to do the right thing,” he breathed. “The proper thing. What was expected of me. But I can’t anymore. It’s tearing me apart.”
“What are you -”
“I love you,” Henry burst out, catching Alex’s eyes. His expression was wild, almost frantic. “With everything that I am. From the moment I saw you, you have consumed my every thought. I thought you were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, and if I’d ever let it touch me, it would burn me alive.”
Alex stared at him, momentarily speechless. Henry took that opportunity to approach him, slowly, carefully.
“I have fought with myself ever since,” he continued. “But I can’t deny my feelings any longer. I want you in my life, Alex. So, if you have it in you to forgive my foolishness, would you consider accepting my hand in marriage?”
Alex’s heart was hammering in his ears. A part of him screamed at him to just throw all rational thought to the wind and say yes. Be reckless, be romantic.
But the more dominant part of him was already recoiling.
Henry was already betrothed. What was he doing, going around making promises to Alex as if he could ever keep them?
“I appreciate the struggle you’ve been through and I am very sorry to have caused you pain,” Alex said, his voice just that tiny bit icy. “Believe me, it was unconsciously done. I’m sure, though, that your sense of propriety and familial expectations will soon help you remember why your affections for me were a bad idea in the first place.”
Henry stared at him. He took a step back, frowning before meeting Alex’s eyes again.
“I don’t understand,” he said, at last.
“What part do you not understand, Your Royal Highness?” Alex asked.
“Stop calling me that!” Henry burst out. “Alex, I know that I hurt you, but I’m serious about this. I love you. And I don’t understand why you’re treating my confession with such cruelty.”
Alex’s eyes narrowed. “Maybe, if you want to be treated with more civility, you shouldn’t go around asking for the hand of other men in marriage when you’re already betrothed.”
Henry blinked. “What are you talking about?”
“Miss Charlotte De Bourgh? I know , Henry.”
Henry’s eyes widened. “That’s not what -”
“Don’t bother,” Alex cut him off. “I don’t want to hear any more of your lies.”
“I never lied to you,” Henry shook his head. “Not even once. It’s the rest of the world I’ve been putting up a mask with.”
“I think you have a lot of masks, Henry,” Alex shook his head. “And I can’t tell what is real from what is right anymore.”
“You don’t mean that,” Henry breathed.
“Oh, yes, I do,” Alex hissed.
“Alex,” Henry shook his head. “You know me. You’re one of the few people who really does.”
“What I know is that, from the moment I saw you, I knew you were the last person I’d ever be tempted to marry!” Alex snapped.
He didn’t mean it. He was lashing out. But he couldn’t let Henry see how much he was bleeding on the inside.
That would be letting him win.
Henry’s expression changed then. His eyes widened and he drew back as if he’d been physically hit. He nodded, gulping.
“I see,” he breathed. “I’m sorry for taking up so much of your time, Sir.”
Alex watched as he turned around and fled the room in quick strides. Alex only noticed that he was shaking when he lowered himself into an armchair, his legs unable to hold him any longer.
Henry’s letter for him arrived the next day.
Mr Claremont-Diaz,
while I do not presume to change your mind about me, I feel duty bound to answer to your accusations against my character.
It is true, Miss Charlotte De Bourgh and I were promised to each other in our infancy. We never had any affection for each other, though, and I have more than once expressed my wish to dissolve the engagement. Her Majesty, though, is stubborn.
Everything I told you was true. I fell in love with you the minute I laid eyes on you, but my feelings scared me. I knew that, if I came too close to you, there would be no turning back for me.
Bea and Pez encouraged me to get to know you despite the obstacles. And I am so glad I took the advice. Even if you have no affection left for me, I am grateful to have met you and to have loved you.
After you’d left Netherfield Park that day, messengers from Kensington Palace arrived. We were to come back to London post-haste. We were not allowed to say our goodbyes. They watched me as I packed, so I couldn’t even sneak away to write to you. I could only trust that Bea would get a message to you.
When we’d arrived in London, it turned out that reports of my flirtations had reached Her Majesty’s ears. She was trying to keep me away from any temptation, it seemed, though she never openly said so.
I tried to write to you a couple of times, but it was soon apparent that my letters had been intercepted. I can only hope this letter will go through because I addressed it to your godfather instead of you.
I never intended to play with your affections. I am sorry if I gave you that impression.
Now, I promise I will bother you no more. I am sorry for all the pain I have caused you. I hope that, in time, you can forgive me.
Yours,
Henry
Alex stared at the letter, reading it over and over again, tears streaming down his face.
Eventually, Raf came to sit at his side.
“Are you all right?” he asked gently.
Alex shrugged. “I don’t even know anymore,” he breathed.
When Alex went home for Christmas, he did not expect to stumble right into the middle of wedding preparations.
“What did I miss?” Alex blinked, staring at the invitations his mother and June were handwriting.
June smiled at him. “I didn’t want to tell you in a letter,” she said, biting her lip. “But Nora and I decided to get married.”
Alex gaped. “You and Nora?!” June nodded, beaming. “But - but I thought you liked Mr Okonjo!” Alex stuttered.
June rolled her eyes. “You really aren’t the most observant, are you?” she deadpanned.
“I’m beginning to realise that,” Alex muttered, frowning.
“Hey,” June breathed, squeezing his elbow. “Did something happen in London? You look sort of down.”
Alex smiled tightly and shook his head. “No,” he said. “Nothing at all.”
She scanned his eyes. “Did you see Henry when you were there?” she asked gently.
Alex gulped and shook his head. “No,” he lied. “Not once.”
When June just looked at him sadly, Alex made a face and smiled at her. “None of that,” he scolded. “You’re getting married! How awesome is that!”
June smiled. “You’re my best man, just so you know!” she narrowed her eyes. “Nora will try to steal you, but you’re my brother, so I have dips!”
Alex laughed and hugged her.
Alex woke with a start when someone knocked on their door in the middle of the night. He sat up in bed, looking around wildly. The knocking continued.
He heard footsteps in the corridor, then in the stairway. He quickly got out of bed and almost ran into June in the corridor. They made their way downstairs just as their father opened the door.
“Hello?” he said carefully.
“Finally,” the voice of an older lady huffed. “I thought you were never going to answer.”
“Well, it is the middle of the night,” Oscar said reasonably. “Excuse me, who are you?”
The woman outside huffed. “I am your Queen, Mary II, and I demand to speak to Mr Alexander Claremont-Diaz immediately.”
June looked at Alex in shock. “What did you do?” she breathed.
Alex shook his head. “I have no idea,” he muttered.
Of all the things that had ever happened in his life, this one surely took the cake: At shortly past three A.M., Alex found himself facing down a furious Queen of England in his nightgown in his parents’ sitting room.
“Right,” Queen Mary said curtly. “I’m sure you must be aware of why I’m here.”
“Actually, I have no idea,” Alex said honestly.
“So you are going to pretend that you haven’t heard about those outrageous rumours regarding my grandson’s relationship with you? That you weren’t the one planting them?”
Alex stared at her. “I have no idea what rumours you are talking about,” he said slowly. “I certainly haven’t planted anything, and I haven’t heard anything, either.”
“They are saying that my grandson has made you an offer of marriage,” Queen Mary hissed, bringing Alex up short. “Which I know to be a scandalous falsehood, since she’s already betrothed to Miss Charlotte De Bourgh.”
“Then I don’t know why you came all this way to confirm what you knew to be false,” Alex said softly. “Your Majesty,” he added, as an afterthought.
“You foolish boy!” she called. “Their union has been decided since their infancy! I won’t let my grandson throw it away for a boy of inferior birth and race.” She glared at him. “I will not allow the line of the Windsors to be thus polluted.”
Alex just stared at her, quite speechless.
“Say something!” she called.
“I don’t know what you could possibly expect me to answer to that,” he shook his head.
“Tell me that my grandson never made you an offer!” she hissed. “And that, if he does, you will never accept it!”
“I will do no such thing,” Alex shook his head.
“Excuse me?!” Queen Mary demanded.
“You have come to my family’s home in the middle of the night and insulted me in every manner possible,” Alex pointed out. “You might be my sovereign, but I don’t think I owe you anything at this moment, Your Majesty.”
“How dare you -”
“Excuse me,” Alex whispered. “I think this conversation is over.”
He turned and walked out of the room. His parents and June were behind the door, clearly listening and looking at him in shock. He pushed past them.
“Never have I been thus insulted!” Queen Mary shouted after him, but Alex didn’t pause. He stormed up the stairs to his room.
June was at his heels.
“Alex!” she hissed. “What happened in London?”
“For God’s sake, June, for once, leave me alone!” he hissed before slamming the door shut behind himself.
He listened, his back against the door, as Queen Mary left, kicking up a fuss all the way. He didn’t answer when his parents knocked. He just pressed his face against his knees and cried.
He didn’t sleep all night. In the early morning hours, June carefully opened the door to his room and crawled into bed with him, hugging him close the way she had done when they were small children.
“What happened?” she breathed. “Did he really propose to you?”
Alex nodded.
“What did you say?” she asked.
Wordlessly, Alex pulled Henry’s letter from under his pillow, handing it to June. She read it silently, sighing sadly as she was done and settling back against him.
“Oh, Alex,” she breathed. “I’m so sorry.”
“Me, too,” he croaked.
“Do you love him?” she asked.
“Does it matter?” Alex shrugged.
June didn’t answer. She just squeezed him more tightly.
Alex didn’t expect anyone else to knock on their door so soon after Queen Mary had left, but he had barely made it down for breakfast - bleary-eyed and still in his nightgown - when there was another set of hasty knocks.
“Good God, I swear, if this is the Prince of Wales or the Duchess of Edinburgh, I’ll slam the door right into their face,” Oscar muttered, getting up to answer the door.
“It’s probably just Nora,” June smiled at Alex, but they both knew she was lying.
Nora never knocked.
When Oscar returned, his face was serious.
“Alex,” he said. “It’s Prince Henry.”
Alex closed his eyes.
“Do you want me to send him away?” he asked. “Because I will.”
Alex shook his head. “No,” he said. “I.. I need to talk to him.”
“All right,” Oscar nodded. “He is in the sitting room.”
Alex stood, looked down at himself in his nightgown and cursed the angels for picking on him. Then, he pulled himself together and went to meet Henry.
Henry was pacing when Alex entered the room, all frantic energy. His head jerked up when Alex closed the door behind himself, and he halted mid-movement.
“Alexander,” he breathed. “I - I’m so sorry to turn up uninvited. Especially after the way we parted the last time. But when I heard of my grandmother’s performance , I just had to come.”
Alex made a face. “News travels fast, I see,” he muttered.
“I am deeply ashamed of my grandmother’s behaviour towards you,” Henry shook his head. “I swear, I didn’t know, or I would have stopped her. She had no right to attack and humiliate you like that, and I apologise most humbly for it.”
“It’s not your fault,” Alex shook his head. “It’s not like you sent her after me.”
“Still,” Henry shook his head. “It should not have happened.”
He met Alex’s eyes, and Alex forced himself to hold it. Henry’s expression spoke of embarrassment and pain, and yet, Alex could see a glimpse of hope in his blue eyes.
“I have to ask,” he said. “What you said to my grandmother makes me hope… and please, if I’m out of line, stop me immediately, and I shall never speak of it again.”
Alex didn’t say anything. Henry pushed his chin out in determination and he took a tentative step closer.
“But if you, maybe, changed your mind about me,” Henry said. “I need you to know that I’m yours, Alex. Body and soul. And if you’ll have me, I will fight my grandmother with everything I have, until you are my husband.”
Alex exhaled shakily. He reached out for Henry’s hand with trembling fingers, and Henry’s fingers immediately wrapped around his, warm and sure.
“Well,” Alex breathed. “You better think of good arguments, then, darling.”
Henry smiled at him, bright and relieved and incredulous, and lifted Alex’s hand up to his lips to kiss it.
“Believe me,” he murmured. “I’ve had them in store for months.”
Alex was pacing in front of his father’s study, where Alex’s parents were talking to Henry.
“Well,” June grinned, watching him in open amusement. “Look how quickly the tide can turn.”
“Shut up, will you?!” Alex hissed.
Then, the door opened and Henry stepped outside. Alex looked at him questioningly. Henry just smiled at him, though he looked a bit unsure.
“Alex?” his mother called. “Can you come in here?”
Alex brushed his fingers against Henry’s on the way inside before he closed the door behind himself.
His parents were looking at him with raised eyebrows.
“So,” Oscar asked. “You want to marry the Prince of England? After yesterday’s… visitation of the Queen? Are you quite sure about that?”
“I know a lot of important people will be against our relationship,” Alex said. “But Henry is willing to fight for us, and I trust him to see this through.”
“Since when?” Ellen asked bluntly. “A couple of months ago, you thought he was playing you, if I may remind you.”
Alex laughed helplessly. “I was wrong,” he shrugged. “I was so wrong about him. He’d never have it in him to intentionally hurt anyone like that.”
“But -”
“I was foolish,” Alex interrupted her. “And stubborn, and hurt. I didn’t want to see it. But now I do. I know I can trust him, Ma. “ He smiled wetly. “He loves me. And I love him.”
“I can see that you do,” Oscar smiled. He looked at his wife, raising his eyebrows questioningly.
“Are you quite sure, sugar?” Ellen sighed. “Marrying royalty… it will change your whole life.”
“I know,” Alex nodded. “But I’m willing to make that jump, for him.”
Ellen sighed, and smiled at him crookedly. “Alright then,” she shrugged. “Then there is nothing to do but give you our blessings.”
“Both kids engaged in one year,” Oscar snorted. “Go, us.”
“I know, right?” Ellen grinned. “Parents of the year.”
When Alex came out of the office and found Henry nervously pacing in front of it as Alex had done earlier, he threw all propriety to the wind and threw himself into his arms.
Henry laughed as he caught him, stumbling a bit but keeping them upright.
“I assume they gave us their blessings, then?” he chuckled.
Alex smiled up at him. “If they hadn’t, I’d have had some good arguments of my own, don’t you worry.”
Henry laughed, reaching out to push Alex’s curls away from his face tenderly. He cupped Alex’s cheek when he was done, his touch gentle.
“I love you so much,” he breathed. “I’m never letting you out of my sight again.”
Alex stood on his tip-toes until his nose touched Henry’s.
“I’m never letting you leave again, either,” he promised.
Henry brushed his thumb over Alex’s cheekbone and then, his lips touched Alex’s ever so softly. Alex leaned into it, melting into the kiss, that unnameable feeling that had been growing and growing inside his chest spreading through his whole body and making it tingle with sensation.
When Henry pulled away, his blue eyes were sparkling.
“Are you ready to come back to Kensington with me, Mr Claremont-Diaz?”
“Not quite,” Alex grinned. “First, we have to attend my sister’s wedding. Then, we can go advocate for our own.”
Henry blinked. “June is getting married?”
“To Nora. Tomorrow,” Alex confirmed.
Henry beamed. “I wouldn’t miss that for the world.”