The Favorite Princess [Completed]

20- spell it air

"I have love and power for you, love. Isn't that enough?" Cyril asks.

"How can you love me if you don't know me?" I counter.

"I do know you. You have your own little garden, your own library, and your private guard's name is Peter. Your favorite flower is a rose."

My mouth drops open in shock as I back away from him. "H-how do you know all that?!"

"I told you I knew you."

I try to not trip over my dress or any furniture while backing up and I have to say I'm doing well. "Yo-you...watched me!?"

His face falls. "No, princess, I would never violate your privacy. I always asked your father about you. Please don't give me that look. It hurts."

His eyes hold sadness and regret? What does he regret? He reaches an arm out to me and I stop moving. The doors open and we both look towards it to see a confused Alaric and a smirking guard.

"What's going on here?" Alaric asks while walking into the room with a pair of red trousers with a beige shirt and brown corset. He also has a pair of knee high, rown, leather boots.

Cyril moves back over to his desk and sits before snapping at Alaric. "Nothing that concerns you."

I turn towards Alaric. "Would you show me a room so I may change?"

He nods and motions for me to follow him. I walk towards him and the guard bows. Right before I'm about to close the door, Cyril calls out to me.

"Belle?"

I turn and look at him. He is leaning back in his chair with determination and fright in his light olive eyes.

"Ayre, the guard beside you, is now your personal guard. He will follow you wherever you go, when Alaric or I are not around you. He will also report back to me every night to tell me what you have been up to."

I nod and look at the elven guard beside me. Blonde hair, light brown eyes, tall, built, and friendly. He flashes me a smile.

"Annabelle!" Alaric yells. I turn towards to hall and see a slight frown on Alaric's face.

"Captain Ayre, bring Princess Annabelle to me when she is done getting dressed." Cyril orders. I walk out of the room and towards Alaric.

"Don't tell the king but I rather be your friend than your lover. He has no competition now and the one thing he loves is competition." Alaric whispers.

We begin walking towards the west wing. "What changed your mind?" I ask.

"I never really wanted to settle with someone. I'm still trying to master my abilities and a lover in my life would be a hindrance." He explains.

"Abilities?"

"Magic. My father was a warlock."

What? His father isn't Cyril's father? "The Queen-"

Alaric pushes me into a room making me stumble and fall. Thankfully, he caught me just in time.

"Shush! Don't say it out loud!" He whispers harshly before looking around the room. "No one knows that she wasn't faithful other than the king himself, Cyril, her personal guard, and me."

"Who was her personal guard?" I mutter against his warm hand.

"Ayre." He removes his hand from my face and picks up the clothes he dropped to catch me. "I want you to be careful around him. He might be a general but I don't trust him. I will try my best to stay by your side so you don't have to deal with him but plans do change."