Guard of the Evergreen Princess

"Princess!" Footsteps echoed down the grand hallway as a nobleman approached. The Princess before me stiffened but turned politely toward the voice. Her eyes wavered on mine for a second as I held back a smirk, seeing the annoyance within her crystal ones.

"Sir Oro," she spoke, raising her head a tad. Her midnight black hair cascaded down her back in elegant curls. I took my place two steps behind and to the right of her, hand resting on the hilt of my sword. A familiar spot. "What can I do for you?" Her smile seemed legit but I could tell it was tight and uncomfortable.

The man bowed before the royalty in front of him. Rising, his eyes scanned her from her feet on up and the princess shot me another look of exasperation. I heard her stomach growling uncomfortably a few minutes before and have no doubt she was heading back to her room to eat in silence. "I was wondering if the princess would care for a dance once the annual ball starts later this evening."

She nodded curtly. "I will consider it." She turned swiftly and continued her walk toward the west wing of the castle. The man seemed startled to only have had a sentence of conversation with her and looked at me, eyebrows lowered. I did a slight bow at the noble in front of me before turning, walking two steps behind the princess. Her dark green dress was creating swishing sounds that drowned out Sir Oro's own footsteps, now walking in the opposite direction.

Keeping up easily with the princess, I kept an eye on everyone walking by, whether it be servants, guards, or messengers. The familiar quick bows were happening all the way to her quarters. A few 'my princess' were spoken and she nodded curtly at the speakers. I stepped beside the princess and opened the dark oak door, letting her enter her room. I shut it behind us, the sound echoing around her room.

Helen was in the room already, fluffing the pillows on the princess' bed. I took another familiar stance in front of the double door entrance, one hand down to the side and the other on the hilt of my sword. I let a small smirk shine on my face as Helen glanced at me before addressing the princess.

"Is there anything else you need, my grace?"

Princess Seattel let out a groan and rubbed her temples. "Do not call me that."

"My apologies," the maidservant of the princess answered back. She picked up a vase of flowers from beside the bed and crinkled the note up before the princess could see. My smirk grew a bit. Obviously it was a gift from some gentleman, wanting to impress this royal. Helen walked behind Princess Seattel, tossing the paper in a small waste bucket to the side. She glared at me but could not help a smile of her own to grow on her face. "Is there anything else?"

"Please Helen. I just need some quiet." She flopped on the bed quite un-princess like. "Do you have any idea how many gentlemen have drooled at me today?" She began picking out the pins in her hair and placed them into Helen's awaiting hands. "My head is pounding."

"That is what happens when you are old enough to marry, your grace." I pointed out, grinning toward the exhausted royal. The princess let out another moan and flopped her arms back onto the bed. Helen tried to be helpful and wiggled a pillow beneath her head.

"Do not call me that."

"My apologies, your grace," I teased, speaking again. Helen glared at me once again, rolled her eyes, and smoothed out Princess Seattel's hair, knowing full well that I could continue to call her by her formalities.

"Ignore that man," the twenty year old told the princess before her. "He is trying to be annoying." The maidservant stood back and watched the princess run her hands through her hair. "Would you like a bath? Perhaps that will help your headache."

I frowned. I had forgotten that the princess had a headache. "She does need some food," I told Helen. "Her stomach rumbled while she was meeting all the gentlemen."

For a few weeks the palace had been a busy place. Servants and maids ran to and from rooms preparing for the annual ball. This year, however, it had to be different than others. Princess Seattel had had her twentieth birthday and was now allowed to be married. Of course, all the invites went out and only a few returned with no reservations. Men from far and wide came to see the Princess. Each one has the thought that maybe he could woo the Evergreen Princess.

The princess had stood next to her father, King Yakima, in the grand hallway. As usual, I had taken my place behind her, keeping an eye out for any threat. Each invited individual would be greeted by the king and his daughter and this year, there were a great many.

There were royals and knights. There were noblemen and even a few very old men hoping to win her heart. I hid my smirk this time as I remember a quite old nobleman approach the princess as she had to welcome him to the kingdom. She raised her hand toward the white haired gentleman, greeting him. He seemed to make out with her hand. Afterwards, as he turned away, she subtly glanced at me and must have seen the laughter in my eyes.

I looked down at the small wet spot on the side of my trousers and glared at it, huffing a bit. Very un-princess like behavior to 'accidentally' bump into your personal guard.

Helen began to scurry around the room. "Wine, juice, or water with your meal?" she asked the princess.

"Water."

Helen curtsied to the laying princess. I opened the dark oak door a crack to let the maid out. Before I could shut it, Helen whispered to me. "Was it as bad as she had suspected?"

I shook my head, smiling although I did feel bad. "I believe it was worse." The greetings had gone on for more than a couple of hours. I closed the door with a soft bang this time and turned toward the princess once again. My hand went down to my side and the other rested on the hilt of my sword.

"Food," the royal girl groaned, holding her stomach. I rolled my eyes.

"Would you like me to guard on the outside, my grace?" I asked the starving princess. The sun moved out from behind a cloud and the room warmed up almost instantly, sunlight falling across her bed and shining in her eyes. She rolled her eyes away from the brightness and opened them, looking at me.

"No, Sir Washeen," she emphasized my title. "I would prefer you to stay in this room with me so that I can annoy you with my endless whining." She sat up a bit and straightened out her dress, letting out another sigh.

I held an eye roll in as the princess was facing my way. "Is that an order or suggestion?" After being her personal guard for four years now, I knew how to just push her buttons. She did not like those close to her using her titles, but I always have nonetheless. Of course, in public it was a must and as much as she hated it, it had to be done.

"An order."

I remained in my position in front of the doors. The princess stood and walked over to her table. "How many men do you think came this year, that did not come last, just to see if they can woo me?" she questioned me.

I chuckled. "Quite a few."

She made a face. "So many of them were old and wrinkly!" Seattel took a seat in a wooden chair beside her table and peeled open an orange that was settled in the fruit basket before her. My mouth watered at the piece of fruit. They were for sure a special treat for common folk. I myself had only tasted half a piece once.

Royals like Princess Seattel were used to eating such magnificent fruits. Being imported from lower kingdoms, they were quite a costly treat. "Did you particularly like any of them?" she threw the question at me, breaking me out of my trance.

I shook my head. "I think the best was either Sir Leavenworth or Sir Oro. That is, until Sir Oro ogled you in the hallway, your grace." I watched as she shuddered.

"I thought he was okay as well," she admitted, meeting my hazel eyes. "Younger for sure, and not that bad looking. But, now I suspect he is desperate after he chased us down the hallway." I nodded my agreement and she savored the piece of orange. "Why do you think Sir Leavenworth?"

"He is a very high nobleman," I reminded her. "He was respectful and did not water your hand." She scrunched her nose at the memory of that other old gentleman washing her hand with his tongue. "He seemed polite and interested, but not in a creepy way."

Princess Seattel flipped her hair over her shoulder before leaning back more comfortably in the chair. "You make some excellent points. This is all very overwhelming." She closed her eyes. "I do not want to go to the ball this evening. I feel as if I could sleep for weeks already."

Three quick knocks bounced around the room as I turned to let Helen in. Even though Helen always hit the same way on the door, I tightened my grip on the handle of my sword. Honestly, with all these random strangers in the castle and town, I was a little more on edge.

It was Helen with a steaming hot bowl of soup. I let the maidservant in. "Might I suggest that Sir Washeen stand guard outside the door, my grace?" Helen spoke to the princess. "We need to prepare you for the ball tonight." She carefully set down the piping hot bowl and handed the princess her spoon.

Seattel gave me a soft smile and waved her hand at me. I quietly slipped out of the door and took my place on the outside of the room, watching servants and maids scurry around in the hallway. My hand rested on the hilt of my sword.

A familiar spot.

-=--=-=--=- Guard of the Evergreen Princess -=--=-=--=-

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Blazicle.