BODYGAURD

SHE MIGHT BE MY SISTER.

As we rode back to the palace, Prince Dario was quiet. Funny enough, he's always talking or on his phone but today, he's just sitting quietly. It got me worried so I placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Prince Dario? Are you okay?" no answer.

"Prince Dario?" still, nothing.

"Dario?" he snapped his head up and his eyes met my worried ones. "What's up with you? You're never like this. What's bothering you?" I asked softly. He sighed and took my hand that was placed on his shoulders in his.

"Yes. I'm alright. It's just that..." he trailed off and looked down. I cupped his cheek and forced to look me in the eye.

"What Dario?" I asked.

"That girl, your friend. She looks a lot like my sister. Adriana. Her hair, eyes. Everything. It's like she's some sort of reincarnation of her." He said. I thought about it and he was right. Inez did look a lot like his mother. I've never seen a picture of Princess Adriana but I know she will look a lot like the queen too. Unlike his sisters, Prince Dario actually took all of his looks from his father. From his eyes to his character, everything just resembles the King.

"You're right. But that could just be some kind of coincidence right?" I asked, unsure of myself. He shook his head.

"No. my sister went missing the day of the accident. Has she told you anything about her past?" he asked. I nodded.

"Yeah but I don't think that it's my story to tell. Inez has to say it on her own if she wants to." I say. He doesn't argue.

"You're right. She should feel comfortable to say it when she wants to." He says, looking into blank space.

"Dario, I know you miss your sister a lot but you're Prince. I know that isn't an excuse but would your sister like to see you, all down and sad? No, because she wouldn't want to see you like this. She would want to see the fun, caring, handsome Prince who has always wanted to be the king since he was little. She would want to see you all healthy and happy. Not like this Dario. You need to be strong. For your sister?" I end. He looks at me with an expression I can't quite read.

"You're really something special, you know that?" he says and my cheeks turn blotch red.

"Stop it. Now are you okay?" I ask softly. He nods with a soft smile.

"I am now. I love you Maria. I really do." He says and I nod.

I love you too Dario, just say it Kim. Instead of saying that I sit back in my seat and close my eyes. I can feel him staring at me but I don't dare look at him.

***

"So, you have been working here for five years?" I ask Inez.

"Si, I have. I came here after my father died when I was fifteen years old and I've been right here since." She said.

"Okay and in all that time, you've never once come into contact with Queen Auradona?" I asked. She nodded.

"No. she and I have never met face to face. I'm always on duty around the courtyard. She barely comes there for some reason and I've never been assigned to guard her. Alfonso said I was way too young to take up a job like that." She said.

"This Alfonso dude sounds like a major d*ck." I muttered to myself but she caught on to my words and smacks me on the shoulder. I yelped and she laughed. "Hey, that hurt okay?"

"Of course it did and I'm proud of it. Alfonso might have been a bit strict but he did his job very well. He was very dedicated to it." She says and I shrug.

"Oh whatever." I say. She clears her throat.

"So um, what's the deal with your parents?" she asked.

"What about my parents?" I asked.

"You know, the last time they were here, they kept having these little fights but I noticed the way your father looked at your mother." She said, wiggling her eyebrows. I laughed.

"No way. My parents hate each other. They always have." I say. She furrows her eyebrows.

"Why do you say that?" she asks. I sigh.

"I was five years old when they got a divorce and my mom and I move to California. I wondered why they got divorced all the time but I just didn't understand why they would get married if they hated each other. i came here every summer and holiday to see my dad and we became closer. Mom didn't have a problem with it but I could see that she didn't like my dad. I just wanted them to be happy, you know? But until now they still bicker like kids and sometimes it really gets on my nerves." I say. She gives me a sad smile.

"I don't think they hate each other. I think that maybe they like each other but there might be something there that might be hindering them from being closer." Inez says. I nod and change the subject.

"So, today you sounded amazing." I comment, wiggling my eyebrows at her teasingly. She chuckles. A knock comes to my door and we both look towards the door. Prince Dario comes in and his eyes snap towards Inez before they land on me. He closes the door and clears his throat. Inez shoots up and looks between the both of us then bits her lip; I bet she's trying to hold a smile.

"Um, I'm going to leave." She says then curtsies for the Prince before she leaves. I smile, shaking my head at her. Prince Dario looks back at me with a smile and slips next to me on my bed.

"So, how was your day?" he asks, taking my hand in his. I stare at our intertwined hands with a wide smile on my face.

"It was okay. What about yours?" I ask and look up him. He looks into space with a thoughtful smile then looks back down at my face.

"It was boring without you." He says and I laugh a bit.

"You keep passing comments like that and I might just kiss you." I say with a laugh.

"Maybe I would like to be kissed." He said. His voice had no hints of teasing which made the butterflies in my stomach wild. I looked up to find him staring at me intently. I then turned so now I was straddling him. I leaned in closer to him, looking into his eyes. His eyes had two emotions written in them. Love and lust for me. In that moment, I realized that I just couldn't let him go. I can't let him slip through my fingers. The feelings that I have for this man has progressed into something else really fast. I don't even know when I began to feel things for him but I don't think I can ever let him go. He's mine. A wave of possessiveness hit me as I connected our lips. He deepened the kiss by bringing a hand to the back of my neck. His other hand comes to my waist and he pulls me closer to him. We let all the passion we have flow through our kiss. Sooner than expected I begin to grind against him and he lets out a groan, pulling me closer until we're like one body. My body moves against slowly and he lets out another strained groan. Like I'm torturing him. I smile against his lips. I can actually do this to him. He swiftly flips us over and he's now on top of me. I yelp with a smile. He has a small amused smile on his face as he caresses my cheek with one hand while the other holds his weight so he doesn't crush me.

"You're really beautiful you know that?" he asks, searching my eyes. I shake my head, biting my lip. I cup his cheek. "Well you are. You are so beautiful that the first day I saw, I felt the need to have you. You've risked your life for me and you'd still do it if it meant me being safe. I really love you Maria." He said.

"I l-"I stop when I see a red dot at the side of his head. My eyes widen and I move onto the floor, taking him with me. A gun shot rings out and the glass of the window bursts, sending shards of glass everywhere. I jump on top of him to prevent him from being shot. Another shot rings out. Then another. After the fourth shot there's silence and I wait for at least minutes before getting off him. I gesture for him to stay where he is on the ground and he nods but worriedly watches me. I crawl the window on my knees and hands. Shards of glass pierce my skin but I ignore the pain, only hissing. When I look out the window, I look around to see any signs of the shooter but there's none. I sigh and stand. I take a step towards him and another shot rings out. The bullet goes through my shoulder and I scream, falling to the ground on my knees.