Guard of the Evergreen Princess

CHAPTER ONE

"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 real 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 had 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 Princess Seattel's 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 spoke. 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 Princess Seattel had a headache. "She does need some food," I told Helen. "Her stomach rumbled while she was meeting all the gentlemen."