A week I have endured body-guarding the Princess and yet I have come across none of her so called tricks, pranks or straight up foul play. Nothing. The tone she had with me the day we first met, I thought I'd be in for an absolute mare but I'm still waiting for the penny to drop.
She's done nothing to try and make my job hard. Sure, she's rude, blunt and stand-offish but I can handle her. She's a young woman who needs simmering down a little. But I'm still keeping my eyes peeled, keeping her away from any drinks or food I might consume in case she's slipped laxatives into them like the last guard. Or something worse.
I'm waiting for her big attention seeking plan. She's probably up in her bedroom creating the perfect prank, something that she thinks will send me packing. But it'll only want me to stay even more, to prove to her that her childish games won't fuck with my job. Which in-turn will fuck with my life.
Not on my watch, that's for sure.
Everly is currently downstairs in the dining room eating her breakfast with her mother. Richard calls me to the side and I follow him to the opposite end of the room, he ducks his head a little. Angling his lips away from the direction of the Princess but I'm convinced she won't be able to hear what he's saying from over here.
"How has she been?"
"She's been fine, your majesty."
"Fine?" He repeats.
I nod once. "Yes, fine."
"She hasn't done anything to you to make you uncomfortable?"
"No."
The King blinks back at my words, like he's in shock. "Good heavens," he mutters under his breath. "You must be doing something right."
"She's been fairly quiet." I comment.
He hums and draws a finger to his lip. "Maybe she's finally come to her senses. I'm so pleased." His hand clasps around my shoulder. "I had a good feeling about you, you've really made our lives so much easier."
"Pleasure to be of service," I nod curly.
"Ethel and I will be stepping out of the castle later for an appearance down at Great Ormond Street." He informs me and I quirk an eyebrow.
"Is Everly not going with you?"
"No." His response is quick, it makes me blink once. "She'll be staying here with you."
"Yes, Sir."
"Thanks Grayson." He offers me a smile before walking back to the dining table and finishing breakfast with his family.
I stay at the other side of the room, hands behind my back and staring straight across the wall. The King and Queen talk amongst themselves but Everly keeps quiet, I tell myself not to listen in, as it isn't my business. The less I know the better.
I don't need to get involved with their family drama.
The table is cleaned away and Everly stalks past me, wandering straight towards her bedroom. She doesn't look at me as she passes and I follow her through the castle.
When she reaches her bedroom she doesn't slam the door or try to create noise, she politely shuts it behind herself and I release a soft sigh.
I wait for a few hours until the King tells me that they're leaving to attend their event and that they'll be back later tonight. I wish them a good time and they go on their way.
An hour or so later, Everly finally removes herself from her room. Again she avoids my gaze and strolls down the hall barefoot, her toenails painted a soft baby pink. She wraps her cream cardigan around her body and keeps her head pointed to the floor.
I fall into line behind her, making sure she doesn't get too far away.
She slips down the stairs and walks straight towards the front door, two guards watch us approach and their backs stand up a little straighter. Her hand reaches for the door handle but one of the guards swats her hands away.
"I want to go outside into the garden," she says gently.
"Not on the King's orders." His voice is deep and Everly throws her arms across her chest.
"I just want to stretch my legs a little, walk around the grounds. Since when am I not allowed to do that?"
"Like I said King's orders."
I can visibly see Everly inhale a soft breath, my eyebrows clench together and I turn towards the guard. "Hey," I catch his attention a little too harshly. "It's a nice day outside and I think the Princess should be allowed to take a walk. I'll be with her, I am her bodyguard after all. That is my job."
He blinks back at my sudden tone and Everly turns to me very slowly, her expression soft, hands clasped together in front of her. Strands of dark hair fall across her face and she offers me a smile.
I glance away from her and back to the guard, quirking an eyebrow at him in inconvenience.
His throat bobs and he nods once. "Very well," he steps out of the way and opens the door. "Let's not make it too long."
Everly slips through the door and I follow after her, staring down the guard who watches me carefully. I turn back to the Princess and watch as her tiny feet patter against the concrete steps and down to the neatly kept garden.
She loops around the castle, sliding her feet between the pieces of grass. Her chest inhales deeply and then she extends her neck up to the blue sky then exhales, her arms wrapping around her body once again.
I give her enough space to feel like I'm not on her feet but close enough to keep an eye on her. She doesn't do anything suspicious or concerning, she just wants to take a walk outside and I don't see the harm in that. Everyone has a right to get fresh air when they want.
Everly loops round the castle, towards a couple of large oak trees and blossom bushes. She walks into slightly deeper grass, looking around at the beautiful scenery but she's probably seen this garden more times than I've had hot dinners.
A deep scream erupts from her lungs, she doubles over onto the floor and clutches her ankle. My feet take off towards her, kneeling down in the grass as I look for what has just happened.
Her teeth grit and she grips her ankle tightly, rocking her body and releasing a hissing sound.
"Let me see," I demand.
"I think I've twisted it," she says heavily.
"Let me see."
Her light blue eyes flick to mine, lips parting. "It hurts."
"I'm not going to ask you again." My voice almost growls.
She releases her ankle and I take it between my hands gently. I knew walking around the garden barefoot wasn't a good idea, it's asking for an injury. I gently roll her ankle joint in my hand and she grunts, throwing her head back at the pain.
"That hurts," she cries out, tensing her leg in my hands.
I fixate my eyes onto her skin around the base of her foot, no bruising or redness. Maybe she tore something inside. She shakes in my hold and I listen to her take heavy breaths.
"Let me take you to your housekeeper." I tell her but she shakes her head instantly. "Get some bandages on this, or get it checked out by the doctor."
Her lips wobble. "I can't walk."
My eyes narrow at her words. "I can carry you."
"I don't want you to carry me," her eyes roam my face with an uncertain look. "I don't want you to touch me like that."
I study her face for a moment, is that a look of fear? I couldn't tell what's behind her eyes but it doesn't look inviting, like the last thing she wants is for me to pick her up and touch her with my bare hands.
Her eyes look weary and I grunt silently. "What else am I supposed to do?" I ask. "I can't leave you here."
"Grab Mabel and bring her out here," she says, moving her ankle slightly before hissing in pain again. "She can help me back into the house."
I flick my eyes between hers, I doubt she can fake this pain. Unless she's been scrubbing up on her acting skills. Her ankle felt warm in my hands, like it was swelling up.
"I can't leave you here," I say again, shaking my head.
"She'll be just in the utility cupboard by the main door." She pleads. "I don't feel comfortable with you holding me."
I bite down on my bottom lip and study her face, the King never said I had to manhandle her. I didn't have to touch her and she should be secure here, where can she physically go?
"I'll be ten seconds," I say deeply to her. "Don't. Move."
She nods and holds onto her ankle again as I release it. "Hurry," she pleads.
I stand up and turn back to the castle, breaking into a soft jog to find Mabel and get her to bring the first aid kid. Just as I approach the edge of the house, I peer over my shoulder quickly to make sure she stays put.
My heart skips a beat when I realise she is no longer in the spot she collapsed in. I take two large steps backwards and watch as she darts towards the fence around the castle, my head shakes in anger.
"HEY!" I shout loudly through the gardens.
She whips her head over her shoulder, panicking. Her legs carry her faster as she approaches the fence, most likely the one which is watched the least by guards.
My feet stamp against the grass, running quicker than her little legs could ever carry her. I don't break sweat, I don't slow down, I keep my eyes trained on the back of her head and charge for her.
Just as she reaches the fence I'm right behind her, taking her waist in my arms and throwing her over my shoulder like a rag-doll. She shrieks and then hiccups at the sudden action, her whole body balancing on the edge of my shoulder bone.
My jaw clenches as I hold her tightly, no matter how much she wriggles in my arms. "You little liar."
"Put me down!" She growls, slamming a hand against my back. I'm sure that hurt her more than it was intended to hurt me.
"I don't think so, smartass." I shake my head in disbelief. But I shouldn't be shocked, I should have known that she would pull something like this on me. Her little act was rather believable and she knew how to trick me but never again. Never again will I believe anything that comes out of her mouth. "You're messing with the wrong guy. I let you go outside, I could have told those guards no. And now you want to play this little game. I will never trust anything you say."
I walk her back to the castle, shaking my head continuously.
"Well maybe you're a little faster than I anticipated," her voice is sour and I roll my eyes.
As we approach the stairs I grab her by the waist and place her down onto the floor in front of me, she shakes her hair and clutches her cardigan tightly around her. Her eyes burned with fury, having ruined her little plan at trying to run away.
"Maybe you're not as bright as you seem cause you're just a dumb, spoilt little girl." The words spit like venom and they leave a bitter taste in my mouth.
I almost recoil at my own tone and watch as she blinks back at me, my words hitting a nerve. "Y-You don't even know the half of it," her voice gets caught in her throat and for a split second I see pain. Not physical pain but emotional.
Before I can respond she turns from me sharply and runs into the front doors of the castle, the guards startled by her sudden appearance. I'm close behind her and they give me concerned looks but I ignore them and follow her up to her bedroom.
She shuts herself in the room and I close my eyes, trying to regain my inner sense of calmness. She can try her little stunts as many times as she likes but she isn't going to ruin this job for me, not for a second.
Money to live and to keep my apartment so I can go back to the army is always at the forefront of my mind, no matter what she does. She's not going to push me away when I need this opportunity more than anyone.
After eleven o'clock, I hear the front door shut. Echoing around the house. I take off downstairs, knowing that Everly is safely in her room and cannot get out for the rest of the night.
I am greeted by Richard and Ethel. "Grayson," the King says warmly.
"Your highness, did you have a good evening?"
"A very good evening, thank you." He smiles. "Did you need something?"
"Yes, I was wondering if I could speak with you Sir."
He nods once and gives Ethel a kiss on the cheek, she says goodnight and Richard guides us into his office. Away from the other guards and maids.
I shut the door behind us and Richard takes a seat at his desk. "What did you want to talk about?" His fingers clasp together in front of him as he waits patiently.
"I thought you should know that Everly tried to escape from the castle today."
His eyebrows fly upwards and he straightens his spine. "She tried to escape?" He repeats.
I nod my head, clearing my throat. "She convinced me she had sprained her ankle whilst walking around the grounds, she made a run for the fence but I got to her before she could try and escape."
The King's jaw tightens, as does his fists that are threaded into one another. His head shakes with dismissal and he exhales a sharp breath. "Thank you for informing me, Grayson. I am pleased that you can be honest about this with me."
"I want you to be able to trust me," I admit. "So I won't keep anything from you."
"I appreciate it." He stands from the chair and tucks his arms behind his back, eyes settling on the wall. "Things are going to change around here."
I wasn't sure of the mood of his voice, whether it was determination or frustration but it certainly didn't seem warm. More of a warning, towards Everly.
Whatever the hell would be changing around here.
♛ ♛ ♛
Author's Note
Read up to chapter 14 on Patreon. Link in bio!
Hello my loves, what did you think of this chapter?
Everly finally tried to challenge Grayson and he was not having any of it
I hope you guys are enjoying and excited to see what has in store for these two!
I've also decided I will write a mafia/dark romance book on this page, let me know if you'd read!
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