Brother: Chapters 1-3

Chapter One
"Bride hunting again tonight."
"Ugh, don't remind me," William told his friends as the limo pullled up to the hotel where the charity ball was being held.
"Don't put that humble act on us. You're saying that there are at least ten hundred girls with sweaty palms waiting to see you and you're not anticipating that one of them might be the future Queen of England?"
"That's what I'm saying," William confirmed. "I don't want to be known as a heartthrob."
"LIAR!" the group of Etonians chorused.
William smiled. "You guys are just jealous."
One of them made choking sounds and grinned. "Sure, Prince, jealous? Tell us your curfew again?"
Prince Harry watched William get tormented by the harmless teasing as he sat with his group of friends. He had never begrudged his brother of any happiness and was glad that William was well-loved by the world. But once, he wondered, couldn't the world be interested in him for a moment? He knew what it was like to have the special rules and regulations of being a royal too. Didn't anyone care how he felt about being a prince? Didn't anyone care that he too might be searching for love?

Ashley Nicole Starrlington looked outside of the limo at the crowd. The royal limo had pulled up to the curb and you could hear the crowd's reaction a mile away. "William. William," girls chanted. "Will you marry me?" others proposed. This she could hear though the vehicle was supposed to be sound proof.
When she stepped onto the red carpet she doubted if anyone was going to yell out her name. After all, who was she but an aspiring actress who was lucky enough to get one of the lead roles in a premiering soap opera which critics said would close down by next season. She liked the plot actually. The soap was entitled "In Royal Light." It was about two princesses yearning for normal lives. Especially true love.
"Ash!" she heard someone call.
She turned around.
A couple of girls held out a piece of paper and pen in hope.
Smiling to herself, amused that she had fans, she came over.
"I love your show," one of them gushed. "Are you and Lance going to end up together?"
Ash put on a myterious air. "You'll just have to see." She signed someone elses paper.
"I hope they don't cancel you," one expressed.
"I hope they don't either." she laughed.
"Ash, what are you doing?" Daphne, her co-star/best friend/pain-in-the-butt extraordinaire said.
"Socializing," Ash said. It was all part in being an actress, she reasoned. And one of the parts she loved.
Daphne flashed a grin to the girls as she pulled Ash away. "We are not here to socialize. We are here for one purpose and one purpose only." She echoed the words of their agent, Murray, to the letter. Which is why Ash found her a pain in the butt.
Ash rolled her eyes. Of course. The purpose. Snag Prince William. It wasn't as if they were overly obssessed with the prince though both of them did find him appealing a great deal. This was strictly business (another of Murray's favorite lines). Purely for commercial reasons. Murray saw the headlines now: TV princess captures heart of England's prince. It didn't matter which girl did as long as it boosted the show's ratings with the free publicity which in turn would make him wealthy. Ash found the plot all too scheming and hated to think that other girls were willing to play with another person's heart like that. But if the plan worked, she and her mother would be set for life. And she didn't want to let her mother down. With a toss of her head she entered the hotel foyer. Tonight, like it or not, she was going to steal the heart of a prince.

Harry looked around the room in search of William. Once they entered the room they had dispersed into different directions. It wasn't hard to find him. He was the one everyone was crowding over. Harry bumped into someone. "I'm sorry," he was quick to apologize.
The girl gave him a bright smile. "It's all right."
"You're beautiful," Harry said, unable to stop the words.
The girl laughed, caught by surprise. "It's just make-up."
Harry laughed with her. He extended his hand. "I'm Prince Henry," he intoduced. Henry? He only used his formal name to impress people. Did he want to impress her? Yes, definitely.
The girl's lips made a cute frown. "And I was looking forward to meeting Prince Harry."
Was he so unpopular no one knew his real name? Girls knew William's entire name by heart. He began to explain. "Harry's my nickname and-"
She laughed again. "I know that. I was only playing with you. Lighten up!" She shook his hand. "I'm Ashley Nicole. But call me Ash. everyone does."
"Ash, from In Royal Light," Harry said.
"Don't tell me you watch it?" The smile again.
"My aunts don't miss it. They personally wrote the producer when they heard you were going to get written off the air."
"Well, I appreciate the gesture. Hey, maybe we can dance later tonight if you want," Ash suggested.
"I'd like that," Harry said. Shouldn't he have been the one to suggest it? He still was unsure about how to act around the opposite sex.
"Okay, then. I'll see you later tonight." She gave him one final smile and went back into the crowd.
Harry watched her figure across the room. His heart dropped when he saw her come to William. "What else is new?" he muttered.
A girl came up to him. "Are you Prince Harry?"
Harry nodded. "Yes, I am."
"Do you know where William is?" the girl asked.
Harry pointed to his female covered brother.
"Thanks!" the girl gushed, leaving him and running to William's side.
Harry sighed.

Chapter Two
Ash was about to join the crowd around William when a speaker appeared at the stage. "Ladies and gentlemen, will you please take your seats. The night's presentation is about to begin."
Ash stood in her place. Should she just forget being courteous and just go after William right now? After all, every other girl will be going to her seat leaving him available to her clutches. Or should she be polite and take her seat? She checked her watch. She decided to take her seat. The night was young. She still had plenty of time to let William fall for her.

Harry watched Ash as he took his seat. He miscalculated and fell on the floor.
"You okay, bro?" William asked.
Harry got up ignoring William's hand. "I'm fine."
William shrugged. He looked at the people. "So who were you staring at?"
Harry looked at Ash. Had she seen him make a fool of himself? No, she hadn't even glanced his direction. "No one. I was looking at no one," Harry answered.

Ash forced her eyes to stay open in the dark room. The only light that existed was the spotlight on the speaker up on the stage. The monotonous drones of the people speaking had the rhythm of a lullaby. She had managed to stay awake for the long introduction, the long welcoming address and now she was trying to stay awake through the long invocation. It was not easy. Twice she had caught herself nodding in what her mother would call "the most unladylike manner." She looked at Daphne with envy. She could stay awake watching grass grow. Or at least act like it. Ash placed her kerchief over her mouth to stifle a yawn. She hoped no one saw her obvious cover up. That was one good thing about the dark. She looked around the room. All faces were focused attentively on the stage. Was she the only one thinking of how good watching MTV would be right now? Her eyes fell on Harry Windsor. Henry Windsor, she corrected recalling how he introduced himself. A hand came over his mouth and Ash watched as he yawned underneath it. He gaze met hers. She smiled at him.

She was smiling at him. Harry's pulse raced. Ash Starrlington was smiling at him. Had she caught him staring at her? He looked around the table to make sure she wasn't smiling at anyone else. Oh, William was seated right next to him. She had probably been smiling at him. He glanced back to make sure but she was now looking at the stage. He looked back at his brother. He sat back in his chair, disappointed. Yeah, she had probably been smiling at William.
William leaned over to whisper, "Who were you looking at?"
Harry played with the linen napkin on the table. "No one. I was looking at no one."

Ash stood up from her chair after the invocation and and the Emcee's had announced that it was time to eat. She wasn't hungry. Or if she had been she wouldn't have been allowed to eat anyway. She had to watch her figure (another one of Murray's favorite lines). She was just grateful to stretch her legs, which had been staying in a tight postion throughout those speeches. She felt a cramp coming on.
Daphne grabbed her by the arm. "Okay, time to go to work."
"Work?" Ash echoed.
"William..." Daphne reminded.
Ash looked at the boy who, once he stood up, was surrounded by females. "You go work your magic on him. I'm going to get something to eat. I'm better at catching princes on a full stomach." She was stalling for time she knew. She really didn't like the idea of going out with a prince for publicity.
"All right," Daphne said, letting her go. "But when my name's linked with his tomorrow..." She gave her a pitying look. "You had your chance."
"Yeah," Ash said softly, watching her pursue William. "And when I'm married with three kids and happy and contented; while you're with a prince you don't love... You passed up your chance." She went to the end of the line to get a dinner she wasn't even going to eat.

"You're looking at someone," William said.
The Wills-maniacs had been held at bay by the security men, with the explanation that the princes needed to eat their dinner in peace.
"I'm not!" Harry denied but a guilty blush covered him as he said the words.
"It's a girl," one of the boys said.
There were nods all around. "A girl." "Definitely a girl" "Only a girl..."
"So who is she?" William asked spooning a hearty helping of steak on his plate.
"No one," Harry said, imitating his brother.
William sang. "Harry and Someone sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes Harry with a baby carriage."
The boys roared in laughter.
Harry's eyes darted frantically to Ash. Had she heard? Could she make the connnection that she was that someone? "William!" he hissed.
William laughed, as they sat down to the table. "After all the teasing you gave me... I'm not going to let you easy on this."
Harry groaned.
"So who is she?" William asked again.
Harry looked at Ash who was across the room.
William looked in that direction. "The girl in the red dress." he immediately knew. He ruffled his Harry's hair. "My little bro sure knows how to pick 'em."
"She's Ash Starrlington," Harry informed, playing with the food on his plate. Princes weren't allowed to do that but he certainly wasn't going to eat it. Saying Ash's name out loud made his stomach form into a knot. If he ate something it was going to go right back up, he knew.
"TV star," one of the boys who recognized her name acknowledged.
"Good going, Harry!"another one approved.
William put his fork down. "You want her, Harry? You'll have her." He got up.
Harry grabbed William by his coat tail, anchoring him down. "William, what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to help you get a girl," William said, matter of factly. "I'm going to tell her about all about your wonderful highlights. You're a prince," he grinned. "How can she resist? And of course after you get together I'll try to scare her off by telling her what a rotten brat you are... But then again- That comes later."
Harry chased William. He blocked him before he could reach Ash. Harry cast a look behind him, wondering if she was watching. He turned to William. "Look, I might need your help with homework, or when I need to reach a book on the top shelf and there are short servants around. But I don't need your help getting a girl."
"Prove it."
"What?"
"Prove it. Go over there and win her over."
"You mean talk to her?" Harry asked as though William had just spoken a foreign language.
"I think the term in america is 'flirt.'"
"Flirt. I can flirt." Harry walked away muttering. "I can flirt. No problemo. I can flirt. World, Harry Windsor can flirt and he's going to prove it by doing so right now." He took a deep breath.

Ask took a carrot stick from one of the silver trays and placed it on her bare plate. She moved to the next tray. "Har-Henry," she cried when she bumped into him. "I didn't see you."
Harry opened his mouth to say something.
"Is there something wrong?" Ash asked.
Harry's mouth remained open.
"Yes?"
"I-I" Harry shook his head to get of his dazed state. "I need to sneeze," he managed to choke out. "I'll be right back." And he ran away.

Chapter Three
"So how'd it go?" William asked.
"I told her I needed to sneeze," Harry informed trying to brush past him.
"You did what?" William yelled. "Come here." He forced him to sit down. He rounded up the guys nearby. William flexed his fingers. "It's clear you're going to have to learn some lines for wooing women."
Harry gave William and his friends a doubtful look. What made them experts all of a sudden?
"This is a good one," Micheal informed. "You go up to her and you say 'Do you believe in love at first sight or do I have to walk by you again?' It worked on Laurie."
"Idiot!" William slapped him in the back of his head good-naturedly. "Harry can't use that. He's passed by her countless of times already."
Harry looked at William uncertainly. Sure, rub it in.
"How about this?" another one supplied. "Say, 'Excuse me? What's your name because last night in my dreams I only called you darling..."
"Harry knows her name," William reminded.
"This always works for me: Damn baby! You're so fine!"
All eyes turned to Peter Phillips who contributed the remark.
"He's only fourteen. He's not allowed to say some of those words," William told their cousin.
"All right. You're hailed as the Prince of Hearts. You come up with a line." Peter challenged.
Willliam placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Harry, go up to Ash. Then tell her 'When they made the alphabet they should've put U and I together.' Got it?"
Harry nodded. Not because he got it but because he really wanted to get out of the claustrophobic circle they had made around him. Scratching his forehead, he made his way to Ash.
"Go get her, Harry! Go get her!" they cheered subtlely.
When they made the alphabet they should've put U and I together. Harry chanted silently so he wouldn't forget. When they made the alphabet they should've-

Ash was looking at the forbidden desserts. She thought about how Harry acted earlier. A little weird. But adorable.
"Ash!" Harry called loudly though he was right beside her.
"Henry," Ash returned. "Are you done sneezing?"
Harry looked at his feet.
"It looks like you want to tell me something," Ash smiled. "What is it?"
Yeah, he had something to say. What was it again? Something about the alphabet? ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ!!!!! he recited frantically in his head.
"Henry, are you all right? You look like you swallowed the Thames River,"Ash told him.
Harry forced himself to take deep breaths. "I'm okay," he said. "I just wanted to tell you that-that-" he looked at her expectant features. He grabbed some chocolate-filled cones from the dessert tray. "These are really good!" he said desperately.
Ash looked at the crushed cone in his hand and watched as the melted chocolate drizzled down his tight fist. "I'll try it," she told him, taking two. As an afterthought she took a third one. She popped one into her mouth. "Mmmmm, delicious," she agreed.
"I told you so," Harry smiled.
"We still have that dance later, right," she asked.
"I would'nt miss it for the world," he promised. He gazed after her as she disappeared into the crowd.
"So those are really good?" A female voice asked behind him.
Harry turned around.
A girl was gesturing to the chocolate cones.
Harry nodded. "Yeah."
"Does William like them?" she asked.
Spirits deflated a little, he said. "Yes."
Satisfied, the girl nodded and took five.
"Harry," William came up to him. He flashed the girl a grin which sent her weak at the knees at the sight of her idol. He turned to his brother. "Hurry up. They're about to introduce us."
Harry followed William to thier place at the side of the stage.
"You look nervous. You've done this a thousand times before. Why are you nervous?"
Yes, he's made speeches with William before. No problems had happened. But this was the first time he was going to make a speech in front of Ash!
"...Now representing the Windsor family: Here are Prince William and Prince Harry..."
The audience applauded.
Harry walked up the steps behind his brother. They weren't clapping for him. They weren't even clapping for him and William. They were clapping for William period. Harry wondered why people insisted that he participate. It was only William that they wanted. Wasn't it?
"Remember Mum's trick?" William reminded as they took their place on the podium. "Just think everyone's in their underwear."
Harry nodded. Mum's trick. He looked out in the crowd. He found Ash. She smiled. Ash in her underwear...No, Harry, his brain warned. Don't go there!
William nudged him.
Oh, he was supposed to say something. Harry glanced at the line his brother was pointing to. Yes, William was what he was supposed to say. He looked at Ash again. The only word he was able to get out was "Yah."
William arched an eyebrow at the ad libbing but let it pass.
"The next event is something you're sure to love, Harry," William said.
Harry couldn't take his gaze off Ash. What did William say? Something about his favorite event? "The event? You mean where the girls do their dance number? No, William, that's your favorite event."
William was confused. He leaned over. "Are you sure you're on the right page?"
"I'm on the wrong page?" Harry's eyes grew wide as he grabbed the script and scanned the pages. "I'm on the wrong page!"
The audience laughed.
Harry looked at William. "What was I supposed to say?"
"I was talking about the soccer part. You're supppose to brag about how you're so good at it," William summarized.
The audience laughed again.
"Oh!" Harry breathed. "That part!"
"Yes, that part!" William echoed.
The audience laughed again.
William and Harry exchanged a look. The people in the room thought they were doing this on purpose. That this slapstick comedy was planned. That it was part of the script. They decided to play on that.
"You messed it up again, bro," William teased.
Harry grinned. "I'm not good at speeches. But I am good at soccer."

Ash was waiting for him at the side of the stage when he came down. "Great show up there. I actually stayed awake. You were wonderful."
"Yeah, well, William was wonderful too."
"I guess. I wouldn't know because I was looking at you," she told him.
She was joking, right? She had to be joking. he felt his throat tighten up. "I-I-I have to go to the other side of the room now. Excuse me."
Ash looked at Harry. Why did he move away every time she talked with him? Did he hate her or what?

William watched as Harry moved away from Ash. He shook his head in pity. He moved towards the girl. This is for your own good, Harry. I'm stepping in.