Chapter Text
When Harry awoke the next morning, the curtains were drawn shut, and his bedroom door was wide open. Alarmed, Harry searched around the room for the culprit, and he almost screamed when he spotted Lady Payne, standing in the dark corner of his room.
"Lady Payne, good morning," Harry said, pulling his blankets higher up on his body, "You startled me. What are you doing in here, and at this hour?" Harry asked, his step mother's eyes burning through him.
"Where is it?" Lady Payne queried, getting straight to the point.
"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about," Harry replied, furrowing his brow.
Lady Payne stepped out from the shadows, "Don't play dumb with me, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Where is the glass slipper? I know you're hiding the completion to the pair around here somewhere."
Flames of terror waved over Harry's body, "What slipper?" He asked, being coy, "Oh, you mean the one the boy at the ball was wearing last night? Why would he only have one shoe?"
"Because it slipped off of his foot when he was running away from the palace," Lady Payne confirmed, "And Prince Louis sent out a search party to look for the boy who attended the party last night. He gave him the nickname Curly, and if the slipper fits," Lady Payne pulled the remaining glass slipper from behind her back.
Harry's jaw dropped, "How did you find that?"
Lady Payne shrugged, rolling her eyes sarcastically, "It wasn't that hard. Now, I have a proposition for you," Lady Payne dangled the glass slipper by one finger, "Promise to never see the prince again, or I'll lock you in this attic forever. You'll never be able to see the light of day again if you try to pull a fast one on me."
"How could you be so evil?" Harry blurted suddenly, and then his rage poured out, "What happened to you that made you so wicked? Why is it so difficult for you to love, and appreciate other people?" Harry asked, tears rolling down his cheeks.
Lady Payne stared at Harry with glassy eyes, "Love. Falling in love ruined me, and it won't happen to anyone else."
By her finger, Lady Payne raised the shoe high in the air, and let it slip off her fingernail. Harry gasped, lunging forward to try and grasp the last memoir he had to remember Louis, but it was already too late.
The glass slipper hit the ground, and Harry immediately covered his eyes and burst into tears.
"How could this be?" Lady Payne queried, and Harry shook his head.
"What are you-" Harry started, but then he removed his hand from over his eyes, and gazed where the glass slipper had fallen. The glass slipper was perfectly in tact, sitting tall on it's tiny heel, and a sharp blue glow surrounded the object. Harry reached for the glass slipper, snatching it before Lady Payne had the chance, and he admired the shoe, its beauty holding more power and magic than ever before.
Harry smiled, and then met eyes with a distressed Lady Payne, "The power of love. It's magical." Harry stood up tall, clutching the shoe in his hand defensively. Harry pointed a finger at Lady Payne, and she stepped back in fear, "Love will overcome all in the end, and your selfishness won't hurt me anymore. You can live a miserable life as much as you wish, but don't use it to bring other people down."
Lady Payne's lip twitched, "Magic isn't real, Harry, and once you grow up and realize that, you'll turn into me," Lady Payne warned, and was cut off by a fanfare sounding below, "Now, if you excuse me, Prince Louis and his royal lineage have arrived."
Lady Payne turned on her heel, holding a bulky key in her hand as she walked away, and by time Harry had realized what she was doing, Lady Payne was already out the door, and the lock had turned.
"No!" Harry wept, running to the door and shaking the knob with all of his might, "You'll never get away with this! I'll never let you win, if it's the last thing I do!" Harry called through the door, tears spilling down his cheeks.
Harry wallowed in his own sorrow, listening to the knocks on the door, and the grand duke attempt to fit the shoe onto his step siblings, even though it was impossible. Harry could hear the lineage outside, the horses neighing and the men jovial and laughing, and then Harry heard a familiar giggle, full of genuine happiness and a lightness that couldn't be mistaken. Suddenly, an idea sparked into Harry's mind, and it was a long shot, but he might as well give it a try.
Harry rushed to the window in his room, quickly unlatched it and thrust his head out into the warm summer breeze, balancing the rest of his body on the window sill.
"Louis!" Harry beckoned out the window, "It's me, help! I've been locked up here, Louis!"
The chatter below had come to a stop, and Harry spotted Louis in the crowd, his hair styled back into a quiff and his hands daintily holding the reigns of the horse. Harry watched Louis as he squinted up at the attic, and Harry waved his hand out.
"Curly?" Louis called up, and the men surrounding him all turned their focus to Harry.
"Hold on," Harry replied, grabbing the glass slipper from beside him, "Look, Louis, I have the other slipper, here, catch!" Harry yelled, tossing the glass slipper out the window.
The men down below scrambled to catch the slipper, but it landed perfectly in Louis' hands. Louis admired the shoe, and handed it to one of his men before he got off of the horse and walked toward the entrance of the Styles residence. Harry exhaled a sigh of relief, and went over to the door, pressing his ear against it in hopes of hearing what Louis had to say to his nefarious step mother.
"Excuse me, Madame," Harry heard Louis say, "As the Prince of this kingdom, I demand you to release the boy from the attic, and put him into my care." Louis stated firmly, and Harry could almost see his face settling into a bitchy stare.
"Yes, of course," Lady Payne complied, dumbstruck.
Footsteps could be heard coming up the winding staircase, and Harry backed away from the door as Lady Payne put the key in the lock, popping the knob open.
"Louis!" Harry exclaimed running forward, but Lady Payne's arm held him back.
"Did you think it would really be that easy?" Lady Payne asked to no one in particular, "Oh, Louis, we haven't discussed the form of payment for this servant."
Louis narrowed his eyes, "With all due respect ma'am, how you're keeping this young boy is wrong, and could be considered slavery. You don't pay him, I assume, and you lock him away in an attic. He's only sixteen or seventeen years old, and at that age, I could get you put into prison for child neglect. All I have to do is make one phone call, and your life will be over." Louis threatened, "Now, release him."
Lady Payne scoffed, "Fine, you can have Harry, he's one less burden on my shoulders."
"Harry," Louis commented, a smile dancing across his lips, "So I finally get to know your name, and not necessarily in the way I ever thought I would."
"That's me," Harry grinned, stepping closer to Louis, and taking him by the hand.
"How sweet," Lady Payne commented sarcastically, "Now get out of my house, I have better things to do."
Harry was taken aback by her claim, "Your house? My family has owned this house for generations, and you think that you're going to keep it just like that?" Harry asked, shaking his head, "This is the Styles home, and my father was to hand the estate down to me, and I doubt he would ever want someone so evil living here." "
Niall," Louis beckoned, turning his head to face down the stairs, "I need to speak with you, immediately."
A few seconds later, a blonde man was heading up the staircase, and Harry recognized him as the same man who had called for Louis when they had been out hunting the stag.
"Rid of this woman and her two children as soon as possible, and find the proper documentation stating that this home belongs to the Styles family," Louis demanded, and the man nodded.
"So you finally found him," Niall replied, bowing down to Harry, and taking his hand delicately for a kiss, "It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm the grand duke."
"It's very nice to meet you," Harry said politely.
"Now let's get the hell out of here," Niall suggested, and Louis nodded along, taking Harry by the hand, and leading him down the winding staircase. Harry and Louis walked hand and hand toward the door, but Harry excused himself for a moment, because he had to do something he felt was right.
"Lady Payne, Lottie, Liam," Harry held his head high, "I forgive you. Even though my life was torture here, I still see the goodness in everyone, and I hope one day, you'll be able to find it in yourselves," Harry said, and then Louis tugged his hand and they were off to start a new life together.
♕
Harry and Louis rode horseback together back to the palace, and Harry acquainted himself with Louis' men. Niall rose beside them, attempting to get the most one on one time with Louis' lover, and Harry enjoyed speaking to them, since they were all so kind.
The palace was waiting for Louis and his men to return with drawbridge down and the gates wide open, and Harry's stomach turned with butterflies as they approached the castle.
Louis put the horse to a stop, and hopped off. Harry was about to join him, but Louis held up his hand, stopping him.
"Let's put these on first," Louis knelt down on one knee, pulling the pair of glass slippers from inside of the satchel he was wearing. Louis removed Harry's work shoes from his feet, and slid on the glass slippers, which were a perfect fit. The shoes gleamed in the sunlight, the glass seemingly changing from shades of purples to blues.
"They look even better in the sunlight," Harry commented, sticking his feet out in the air.
"So do you," Louis replied fondly, "Now let's go meet my father."
Harry's eyes widened, "You mean, I'm going to meet the king? Now? I haven't showered, and I'm still in my work clothes."
"Then you can come up to my room and borrow something of mine," Louis responded, "I'll get my personal stylist to help you get ready, and then, you can meet my father at dinner," Louis suggested, and Harry nodded, "Niall, show Harry to my corridors, and have him meet me in the dining room by four tonight."
Niall led Harry to the east wing, a side of the castle that belonged to Louis. His sleeping quarters, a humongous bathroom, dressing room, and a space filled with extracurricular activities remained there. Niall immediately took Harry into the dressing room, where a blonde woman with blue eyes sat.
"Is this him?" The woman asked, setting aside the fabric she had been sewing together.
"Yes, it is," Niall confirmed, "Harry, this is Perrie, and she's Louis' personal dress artist. She can make you look unidentifiable, trust me."
Perrie curtsied to Harry, "My pleasure, your grace." Harry uncomfortably returned the favor by bowing, "You don't have to refer to me as that, I'm only a boy, not a prince."
"You will be soon if all goes according to plan," Niall said with a wink, "I'll leave you two be. I'll be back to retrieve Harry a quarter 'til four."
Perrie waved him off, and then sat Harry down in a large chair. "You have beautiful eyes, I'm sure I can find something that makes them look even more gorgeous than they already are," Perrie said, circling around Harry, "Do you always do your hair like this?" Perrie asked, running her fingers delicately across Harry's signature braid.
"Yes," Harry answered.
"Cute, I like it," Perrie replied, "I'll start running a bath for you, and while you're washing up, I'll retrieve a toothbrush and an outfit for you to wear. They might be a bit small for you, since Louis isn't the tallest man around, but I'll find something that will do."
The bath was prepared with sweet smelling and colorful scrubs, and Harry thought that the bathroom smelled like a candy shop. Pink bubbles surrounded Harry's body, and he even got some of them to fly in the air, but he wasn't willing to admit that because it would seem childish. After he had gotten washed up, Perrie dried Harry's hair in front of a giant mirror, and Harry watched as his curls sprang free and breezed all around him.
Getting clothed was a storm of fabrics and colors and sizes that Harry had never heard of before. Perrie spent a lot of time holding clothes up to Harry's body, inspecting them and then later shaking her head. One particular outfit made Perrie's eyes gleam, and she turned Harry around to face the mirror and inspect his reflection.
Perrie held an almost sheer cream colored shirt over Harry's body, the ruffles of the shirt brushing his bare shoulders. Perrie presented the pants that matched the hue of the shirt perfectly, and she said, "This will do."
After Harry got dressed, Perrie starting twisting Harry's curls back into his usual braid, and Niall knocked on the door, opening it without confirmation.
"It's time, Harry," Niall said.
"Let me tie this off," Perrie replied, finishing off the braid with a hair tie, and then she took a small strand of hair, looped it around the black tie, and finished it off, "You're all ready to go now, have fun meeting the king, and just be yourself, because you're one of a kind," Perrie assured, patting Harry on the shoulder as she sent him off with Niall.
Niall prepped Harry for meeting Louis' father as they made their way down to the dining hall, which was in the main part of the castle. Harry took every word into consideration, mentally reassuring himself that he could do this, and Louis would be by his side the entire time.
Louis was waiting for Harry outside of the dining parlor with his hands clasped in front of him. Louis' face immediately lit up when he spotted Harry, and he bowed to the soon to be prince. "You ready?" Louis queried, taking Harry's hand in his own.
"As ready as I'll ever be," Harry replied.
The dining hall was lit by the sun that was breaking through the windows, which was beaming brighter than it usually did at four in the afternoon. Dishes upon dishes of food filled the elongated table, and at the far end sat the King, and when Harry met eyes with him, the fear of being rejected waved over him once again.
Harry let go of Louis' hand and bowed, "It's an honor to meet you, my majesty."
"No, no, the pleasure is all mine," The King replied, "Maybe now that you're here, my son will shut up about you. Trust me, since Louis met you, you haven't left his thoughts once. What's your name, son?"
"Harry, sir," Harry responded.
"Come sit, Harry." The King said, nodding toward the single plate that was sat near the table. Louis occupied the seat across from his father, and Harry sat where he was told. For the first time in months, Harry was eating a meal at a dinner table instead of in his bedroom or in the kitchen.
During the first course of the meal, the King asked Harry personal questions about his home life and where he was from, and Harry answered truthfully. By the second course, the King had a special announcement to make.
"Harry, I have some very unfortunate news," The King said, glancing at his son. Louis shied away, attempting to hide his emotions, "I'm very ill, and I'm afraid it's terminal. Louis is to take over the throne, and he needs a companion in order to do so. Would you be up to ruling the country with my son?"
"I would be up to do anything with Louis," Harry responded, "I love him." Louis smiled so wide the corners of his eyes crinkled, and his white teeth bared joyfully.
Louis' father clapped with excitement. "You've finally found him, Louis. Like I always told you, marry for love, and nothing less," The King said, and Harry recalled Louis telling him about the advice, but he had no idea it had come from the King.
"I'm glad I have," Louis said with his head in the palm of hand as he stared at Harry lovingly.
♕
The wedding was held in a week's time, and Louis' father had just enough time left in him to experience his one and only son getting wed. The ceremony was small, held inside of the chapel inside of the castle, and only close relatives of Louis' and Harry's were allowed to attend. The entire kingdom was waiting outside of the palace to see the royal couple, and also, their new kings.
"Louis," Harry muttered when they were about to make their first debut to the kingdom as husbands, "I'm not sure I can do this." Louis kissed his husband on the cheek and said, "Harry, if you have courage and be kind, you can do anything."
Harry smiled, "My Louis."
"My Curly," Louis replied, taking Harry by the hand, and then he led him out onto the balcony.
The townspeople cheered for Louis and Harry, throwing flowers and rice up their way. Louis and Harry waved at the kingdom, their kingdom, as their people blessed them with a happy marriage, and were prepared for the doors to open up to the ceremony the entire kingdom had been invited to. Except for Harry's step family, of course. Louis made it his first order of business the exile the Payne family from the kingdom, and if they were to return, they would be punished. Harry thought it was a bit harsh, but Louis told Harry that it was only to protect him, and his happiness meant the most to him.
Louis and Harry were written down as the most courageous and forgiving rulers of their kingdom, and passed on their own wisdom to their three children, a son and twin daughters.
If Harry had learned two things throughout his journey, it would be that if you believe in magic, it will make its way to you, and if you're kind enough to stick up for yourself and the ones you love, all will be shown to you. The words his mother said to him lingered in his mind for the rest of his life, and influenced his decisions for the rest of his life: have courage, and be kind.
Oh, and also, the dreams that you wish, they will come true.
fin.