Guard of the Evergreen Princess

CHAPTER TWENTYONE

The group had barely taken a few steps down the path to Krupp when out of the corner of my eye I saw Sir Coulee suddenly walk forward toward the Princess. From her warning earlier, I intervened and placed myself between her and the knight. He tried to go around, and I sidestepped, blocking his path.

When he tried once again, placing his hands on my shoulder and pushing me slightly, I knew I had to take stronger action. "Move aside, Sir Washeen."

I pushed back. The man did not want to move, even pushing me once more, and so I unsheathed my sword and placed it between our bodies. "Step back, Sir Coulee. This is the last warning. The Princess does not want you close to her." I had no intention of striking the man and the sword was merely placed there to show I take the duty of guarding the Princess seriously.

He put his hands up, realizing his mistake by touching me. He tried to reason. "Listen, Sir Washeen, I need to talk to Princess Seattel." I believed he truly did have something important to say, as it was apparent in his eyes. However, I had received orders from Princess Seattel that he was not to approach her.

"The Princess does not want to see you." At this point, the group had stopped moving, and trying not to stare at the scene, some men mumbled among themselves. Princess Seattel dropped her conversation with Sir Harring and the man quickly folded the map up.

The Princess spoke with her back turned. "Leave, Sir Coulee."

"Surely if he has something that important to say, you can let him talk to Seattel," Olympia stepped up beside us. She motioned toward the Princess who was looking our way, a few steps to the side of us. "She can hear what he has to say." Sir Harring forced his jaw closed at the lack of formalities the farmer girl continued to give the future Queen.

"I was ordered not to let him close." I stared at the knight in front of me, jaw tilted up and firm. His eyes hit the ground.

Olympia huffed. "Washeen, this is ridiculous." Olympia grabbed Sir Coulee's arm and tried to tug him around me. I blocked the path once again, giving the farmer's girl a slight push out of the way with my shoulder while using the point of my sword to back Sir Coulee away the few steps he advanced. He held his hands up once again when the point lightly jabbed his chest. "Washeen!" Olympia spoke up, flabbergasted at my actions. "Simply let him speak."

"No." I planted my feet firm and the knight before me knew I meant what I had said. He took a step back.

"Seattel!" And before I could stop her, the farmer girl caught the attention of the Princess by speaking up and waving her hands toward her. "Coulee obviously has something extremely important to tell you. He knows he is supposed to stay away. He knows you could take away his title, but yet he is trying to talk to you." Princess Seattel raised her head and turned away from the group.

"I do not wish to see him."

"But he needs to tell you something!" the blonde haired girl urged the Princess of the Evergreen Kingdom. Princess Seattel turned her head away from the scene. Olympia grabbed her arm. The forest seemed too quiet as the soldiers and knights could not believe this girl would touch the Princess without permission. "Tell Washeen to let him go!" I narrowed my eyes at the sight of her hand squeezing Princess Seattel's arm, but decided Sir Coulee would be doing more damage if he were to approach. I continued to hold him at sword point.

The next action caused shock to go throughout the group as the Princess forcefully yanked her arm away from Olympia. "I will not see that liar," she hissed, her face twisted in anger. Olympia, shocked, looked down at her hand as if she could not believe what just happened. A determined look came over her face and once again, before I could act, she grabbed the Princess' arm once again. This time, the men did not stay quiet and gasped at the action.