The Guard (CS/Merlin Crossover)

2-The First in a Long Line

As she turned the corner to her bedchamber, Emma was met with the smell of someone who spent too much time training and not enough time bathing afterward. The stench was followed by a bulky, naive looking man at her door. She could already tell it wouldn't be too hard too get rid of.

"Princess Emma Swan," she curtsied slightly. The guard immediately knelt, hand on his chest. A plan already formed in her head on how to get rid of him that very day.

"Milady, I'm your new guard, Gustave Norman of-"

"That's great," she patted him on his head, and he stared at her all startled, "So listen, I have some stuff to do outside the palace. According to my parents, you are to accompany me everywhere, right?"

"Yes, milady," the guard nodded.

"Well, come then. We have much to do," Emma smiled sweetly as she turned away and made her way down the corridor.

Once in the city, she made her way to the market. "Milady, not to question you or anything of the sort, but why are we going to the market?"

"I'm buying some food for the kitchens."

"But doesn't the kitchen staff keep the supply stocked?"

"Let's just say I have an interest in those who serve me," Emma said, closing the discussion. On occasion, before Graham's death, she'd accompany Granny or someone to the market to help them. She liked the simplicity of the task and how it allowed her to interact with the people in the city in an informal way. However, this would not be one of those occasions. They entered the corner bakery, and she told the guard to hold her little basket and look around.

Once his back was turned, she used her magic to slide bakery treats in the basket while he was walking around. She proceeded to cover them with a little handkerchief and went outside. The guard followed and once he stepped near the door the baker came out with a rolling pin and yelled, "Hey!! Stop right there!"

Frightened, the guard dropped the basket and the goodies spilled all over the bakery floor. "I-I-I didn't take those! I didn't know those were there!" He stuttered.

"A likely story! Do you think I'm that stupid!?" The baker yelled. She may have been a thin little thing, but her father, the previous baker, had taught her to be fierce to make up for it.

"Oh Ms. Goose, I'm so sorry about my guard. He's new," Emma took her hand apologetically.

"Your highness should get him fired, that one! A thief is not to be trusted with the care of a princess," the baker sniffed. She put her rolling pin down and dropped to the floor to pick up the treats.

"Gina, here," Emma gave her more than enough money to make up for the treats that in reality she had wasted.

"Thank you, your highness," Gina bowed her head in gratitude. Emma helped her pick up the rest of the bakery goods and departed with the guard.

"Thank you, Your Highness," he spoke as they returned to the castle.

"For what?"

"Well you paid her so-"

"Do not confuse that Norman, I did that for her. She does not have much. That bakery is everything to her. You are going back to my parents. "

"But milady I'm your guard..."

She whipped around, "My guard is dead!" Emma roared. They stopped dead in their tracks as she glared at him. "And I refuse for anyone to take his place. So you will come with me to my parents, and we'll explain what happened, and you'll leave."

Without anything else to say she snapped around and made her way back to the castle.

##

"We are truly sorry Gustave. You no longer are to serve as Emma's guard. If you are caught stealing again we will imprison you. For now our guards are to take you to the stocks," Snow told the trembling man at the foot of her throne.

"Your Highness, I am terribly terribly sorry," he bowed. The other guards took him out, and Snow turned to her daughter standing beside her.

"Emma," she looked at her pointedly, knowing the explanation for the treats' sudden appearance in the basket.

"What?"

"I am not naive, Emma. You did not want Gustave as your guard so you set him up. He's a good man, Emma. He needed this job," Snow stood and motioned for her daughter to follow.

"Then why'd you fire him if you knew?" The princess crossed her arms and walked down the corridor.

"Because with such an accusation and the baker as a witness, well I can't just turn and say 'you did this didn't you, Emma?' It would be terrible for your reputation," Snow turned to face her daughter, "I did it to protect you. Now I must find a guard who will do the same without a doubt. To be completely honest, Gustave may have needed it, but he wasn't right for the job. We've written to King Uther, you know him and his son, Arthur, from Camelot. He will be sending me a list of reputable men who might do."

"Mom please, I'll hate all of them anyway," Emma begged, but it was futile, her parents had made up their minds. This was going to be a hassle for her, but at least it'd keep her entertained.

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A/n:
****This is not my original idea- Tumblr user Scottmcdoll has given me permission to write a fic based on her gif sets of her Merlin/CS crossover.****

Short chapter, I know :/next one will be longer ^.^