Prince Harry is about to go out onto the ballroom floor for the second half of this lingering and nerve-racking night.

"Have you found anyone worthy of being your wife, yet?" Queen Anne asks her son as he gets ready to make his way.

"Not yet mother. And I don't think I will."

"Cheer up darling. I'm sure you will. And you must. Don't forget your father is hoping to have you wed in three days."

"What?" he asks, because this is new information he had not been told. "Why didn't you two tell me this before?"

She looks surprised. "Oh, I assumed he did, I'm... I'm sorry. Well, since he didn't, do not tell him I told you. Act as surprised with him as you did me."

"But mother..."

"Shush. No need to worry. I know she's out there and you'll find her in time, so no need to fret. Now go. The girls are all waiting." She walks away smiling and wonders if King Des was ever as nervous as Harry seems to be when he was choosing a wife.

Harry returns to the floor and he grabs the first young lady's hand. They waltz around the floor to the music and he does this with every girl in attendance. By the time the night is over, he has danced with 174 girls in the span of 5 hours and he is extremely exhausted.

But he sits down in the Prince's chair, faking his smile as his father grabs everyone's attention.

"Greetings ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming to this special occasion, where my son, the Prince, and also your future King, is here to choose a wife. All the mothers and fathers of these beautiful women, you all were wonderful for accepting the invitation and thank you for allowing your daughters to attend. But I was informed by my son, that he'd have an announcement for you right after the event was over. And I can only assume that this means he is ready to choose his wife. Harry, you may take the floor."

The crowd quietly gasps and mumbles, probably wondering how he'd chosen out of so many women so fast. But he stands up and walks to the middle of the floor.

"As my father said, thank you so much for coming. And as I look around I see a lot of lovely, lovely women." He searches frantically in the crowd for a certain set of chocolate coloured eyes, but he can't see them. "Trust me. All of you are very worthy of becoming my wife and I'd never ask for the burden of only having to pick one. But unfortunately, I won't be picking any of you."

The crowd gasps and the large room fills with whispers. King Des sits straight up in his seat and gives him a firm look. "I don't want to have you all waiting for the reason why I made that decision, so I will go on and tell you that the reason is because I..." He finally spots Zayn in his linen attire and his words get lost somewhere. Zayn's there nodding his head for Harry to continue speaking. He's got a big smile on his face and he's even bouncing on his tiptoes. Harry can tell he's happy.

"My reason is that..." Now Zayn is biting his lip and the look of anticipation is so visible. But somehow, all Harry can think about, is Zayn's head in pine box. He can't see Zayn living after this and he, for sure, can't see them living happily ever after. He can't do this. He can't risk his lover's life like that. "The reason I can't tell you, is because I will choose and announce my choice at a later time. Again, thank you for everything. And I hope everyone returns home safely. Goodnight."

After hearing that, everyone in attendance begins to file out. Harry doesn't want to, but he can't help but look at Zayn's face and the way it has fallen. The poor boy is hurt and can't believe Harry would do such a thing. Zayn turns away from him, and runs out. But Harry doesn't go after him. He can't let any suspicion get the two of them in trouble. So he waits patiently in his chair, until all the guests have left.

"I thought you were ready." King Des says as he puts his hand on his son's shoulder later that night. "Sure, it's good you're taking a little more time to decide. But I cannot wait to see which bride you choose and hopefully that will be within the next two days. I know you'll choose wisely."

Harry moves from under his touch and glares at his father. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"That you wanted me to marry in three days."

King Des sighs. "Your mother told you didn't she?"

"Because you wouldn't. She thought you had already informed me. How could you keep something like that away from me?"

"I'm sorry son. But I thought it was best. When you pick a wife, there is no time to lose. You will learn this when you have a son of your own."

"No." Harry says. "That is not the reason you want me to marry. Mother used to tell me the stories of you and her when I was little. You two waited weeks so that you had time to prepare a great ceremony. So why do I have to marry in three days? You're not being fair and I know that. I'm also not getting married. So don't expect me to." He turns to walk away when he hears is father's barbaric voice echo in the corridor.

"If you ever want to be King, you will marry in three days as I say! Understand me?!"

He turns around to see his father giving him a stern and angry look. "I will not have you disrespecting me as you have been. Do you think you can just live here in my palace and run off to see that little peasant boy of yours whenever you feel like it?! You're delirious and you are lucky I didn't have my men seize him at the ball earlier!" He points at Harry, almost accusingly. "You will not be seeing him again. Ever! But you will choose a wife tomorrow, and you will marry her in three days! That is final! Arthur!!!!"

A short man in all black comes pitter pattering around the corner. He is one of the servants who works at night. "Yes Master?"

"Escort prince Harry here, up to his room and see to it that he does not leave it. If he does, alert me at once."

"Yes Master. This way, Sir Harry."

Harry allows Arthur to lead him down the hallways but he cannot stop looking back at his father. He knew? How has he known? Has he been secretly sending someone after him whenever he leaves the gates of the Palace?

He hopes that the answer is no and that he'd just made a lucky guess and assumed Zayn was obviously out of place for a reason. Because if the answer ends up being yes, then that means his father hasn't trusted him all along. And Harry isn't sure how he'd feel about his father, knowing he has never trusted him.