A Royal Chat
Chapter 4
Harley made his way through the palace, the sound of his footsteps echoed off the walls and danced through the air. Harley felt lonely walking through the palace corridors, even when he was a child, the palace felt too big, fake, he had always preferred the summer cabin they had in the woods. He loved his parents but sometimes he wished that they could spend more time together, as a family, not a royal one just parents having fun with their child. Harley sighed again and tried to fix his thoughts before stepping into the meeting room, his mother somehow always knew when something was bothering him or when his spirits were low and he'd rather not have that talk now.
Exhaling a long sigh, Harley pushed through the huge doors which opened to show his mother and father waiting on their thrones whispering. When they looked up, Harley's mother broke out into a grin and quickly made her way across the floor to envelop him into a hug.
"Harley my dear it's so good to see you. I'm sorry that we pulled you from your morning walk but this is a matter that simply cannot wait." She said, she kissed his cheek and smiled warmly at him before she took his hand and led him to the table.
His father stood with a smile and open arms, "Harley my boy! Pepper and I want this meeting to be over as soon as possible so you can go back to your walk."
After Harley hugged them they all sat down and Tony started talking.
"So you must be wondering what's so urgent, well I was talking with Thor yesterday and he invited us to his brother's wedding," Then the pieces clicked in Harley's mind and his face dropped, "No, don't worry we aren't marrying you off! So you can get rid of that frown-"Tony was cut off by Peppers glare.
"What your father means to say dear is that we think that its time you consider dating, you're an adult now and we believe its right for you to start looking for a partner, even if you do not end up marrying her. So we came up with a plan to... help you a bit." Harley raised his eyebrow questionably.
Tony rolled his eyes and took over again, "We think that a ball would be good, that way you can meet all kinds of different people and see who you get along with best! You know me and your mother met at a ball." Pepper smiled at him encouragingly.
"Sweetheart there's no pressure to meet someone but the worst thing that could happen is you make friends!"
Harley thought for a moment, weighing the pros and cons, but it seemed his mother was right, what's the hurt in trying?
"...Alright, we can have a ball."
Pepper cheered and Tony smiled," Good choice son, all the 'Avengers' will be there too if you get bored."
Harley smiled and the family talked for a few minutes before the King and Queen had to be called back to their respective duties.
Harley made his way out of the palace grounds towards the woods. Harley had loved the woods since he was a boy, there was so much life and nature, no expectations, it was relaxing. So he spent his afternoon there, just walking and calming his mind. He thought about the ball and what he would wear, who he would meet, he thought about his future and why he was so scared for a relationship. He didn't want to be dated just because he was a prince and it would make the family famous, he wanted someone who liked him, he envied peasants and the lower class in that regard but he has always stopped that train of thought there when he realised how hard the lower-classes lives are. He remembered the girl he met that morning, she didn't recognise him, if she knew him as Harley and not a Prince would she like him? Would anyone? Harley shook his head, there was no point thinking about what-ifs, life is as it is as his mother would say.