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—First Person POV.—
The next week follows the same routine, we travel all day and then bunker down in a campsite surrounded by trees for the night.
Nothing much has happened— The roads have been steady and I have found myself making a small habit of small talk between all of my guards.
Like now— Stepping out of the carriage, the familiar red head helps me down, hand in hand before closing the door behind me.
"Thank you, soldier." I address, smiling happily up at the crimson eyed man and he glances down at my words— Catching my gaze and averting his eyes with a light tint of color resting across his cheeks.
"My Lady." He clears his throat, leading me off past the new batch of trees far away from the ones we had our campsite in last night.
"Okay I know I probably shouldn't ask this but—" He trails off, a smile falling onto his features as the rosy tint diminishes.
"Are you sure it's okay for you to be thanking me so much?" He questions, blinking down at me while my brows furrowed in confusion "What do you mean?"
"I'm just saying— I've seen nobles and not once have I ever heard one say 'thank you'." He points out, curiously looking towards me for any reaction while I just nod in agreement.
He isn't wrong, the basic etiquette classes we go through when young tell us that people like him are lower than us— Therefore there is no point in ever soiling our images by 'thanking' them.
But seeing the stuff they have to go through —That disgusting soup for starters,— Has given me a small insight on people like.. Him.
So saying two simple words is the least I can do.
"As the only Noble here and being higher than all of you, who would go against my wishes to simply thank my guard for helping me when he doesn't have to." I answer, returning to the Noblewoman posture I had drilled into me since I was a child.
He nods— Suddenly pausing and nearly tripping over a tree root "Wait— What do you mean I don't have too—" He asks, quickly regaining his footing to keep up with my pace now.
The chuckle that leaves my lips is quiet— My eyes sending a glance his way "You know you are breaking protocol whenever you help me out of my carriage, right?"
My statement takes a moment to sink in— And after a second, his face slowly shifts into genuine shock and confusion.
"So you didn't know." I finish when he doesn't answer and our walk slows to a stop— Looking into the campsite beyond the bushes rimming it and separating the others from us.
"But we were assigned to you—" "To guard and protect me." I recall, trying not to laugh at his complete bewildered face "Helping me out of my carriage is a servants job, soldier." I emphasize.
"...I, am, so, sorry." He groans, face completely flushed with embarrassment as the revelation finally clicks in his head.
"The other two I work with told me I had to help you out!" He immediately rats and I cover my mouth to further stifle my laughter.
"I never needed help," I manage to reveal.
In truth, the servant that was supposed to be sent with me didn't come because I persuaded my father to let me go alone, not wanting to take his staff because that would just be an extra mouth to feed.
The soldier runs his hands over his flushed face, head suddenly peeking up with another thought—
"Wait, what else have I been doing that I don't even need to do.." He mutters, staring at me and waiting for me to finally spill about all of the odd things he had been doing that would originally be considered 'out of line'.
—And though I thought he was doing it just to be nice, turns out he was just severely inexperienced in being around nobles and was only chosen to guard me because of his sheer skill in fighting and quirk on the battlefield.
"Come on, I want to laugh more in my tent." I mock, watching his embarrassment with amusement in my gaze as I turn and start in the direction of the bustling camp.
"If you're going to laugh, don't tell me." He complains, his hands rubbing at the color across his cheeks— While my hands brush back some of the bushes so I could pass through.
Once I make it through, he follows— My finger coming up to wipe at the small tears that had pricked at the corners of my eyes from earlier.
"If it makes anything better, I appreciate the help." I comment, seeing him glance towards me from the corner of my eye "That's why I say 'thank you'."
"Then.. Your welcome, My Lady." He replies after a second— Glancing away when a few soldiers pass by and our silence is quickly stripped from us as one of my other guards run up to us.
"Lady (Y/n)—" He stops in front of me, causing me to stop as well when he bows "There's a kukui lake not too far from the camp." He informs, easily peaking my attention.
"Thank you, I'll call for you later." I dismiss and the blonde backs off— Quickly leaving with my dismissal to probably go and help out with setting the rest of the camp up.
So the red head and I continue forward— Making our way to tent, standing and perfectly set up like all the times before.
The crimson eyed soldier beside me moves forward— Pulling back the double curtains that acted as a sort of door to the tent.
And with the millionth thank you this week: I step past him, only turning to poke my head out and speak again.
His hand continues to hold the curtain up while he turns to look down at me "Since you're pretty much my servant, go and get my soap and a towel. It's located somewhere in the back of my carriage," I teasingly command and his smile falls into a deadpan.
"As you wish, My Lady." He grits, a tik mark appearing on his temple as he smiled, showcasing those sharp shark-like pearly whites—
And dropping the curtain on my face, my head recoiling back in with a look of shock in my expression— But it quickly dispersed into laughter as I turned and started to walk away from the entrance.
—Time Skip.—
By the time the soldier had returned, the sky had already started to dim— Coloring the horizon like splash paint using purple and orange that twisted but didn't dare mix with the sun still present.
Hearing the familiar call from one of my soldiers —The black haired one, I deemed by the sound of it.— Return as well, I make my way over towards the entrance of my tent.
Shifting to hold the new night gown folded in my grasp, I reach out with my now free arm—
Brushing up one of the flaps originally cutting off the entrance of my "domain" from any wondering eyes, my head peaks out to see the three waiting stiffly.
"You have my essentials?" I turn, directing my attention towards the crimson eyed soldier who nodded "Yes, My Lady." He answers with the slight lift of his hand to show.
"Thank you, now let's go." I command lightly, stepping out of my tent where the flaps flop back into place behind me.
The three don't say much after that, the blonde one moving in front of me to lead the way while the other two stay at my sides yet a few steps behind.
And soon enough, the light of the campsites torches slowly dwindle as we pass by more and more trees— While the man in front of me continues forward like a scout.
He makes small comments like "Watch out for the tree root there," or "Be careful it's a little uneven around here," But continues on, leaving no issues for me—
Until a large fallen tree seems to appear up ahead and he comes to a stop.
As I approach, through the light left over from the sky above, I am able to make out his hand on the wood, feeling it.
Then he taps on it a bit, barely any sound reverting back to meet our ears.
"It's not hollow, we need to go over it." He finally speaks up, glancing over his shoulder to speak with the other soldiers.
"Why can't I just smash through it?" The soldier to my left pipes in and I can see the blonde shake his head "You can't, that'd be too dangerous! What if some splinters hit Lady (Y/n)?"
"You guys will be there to shield her??" "Come on man, we don't have quirks like you!" And now they are bickering.
The black haired one had just now started to pipe in— Creating a three way argument between all of my guards and causing me to facepalm.
I don't know how I didn't see how inexperienced they were before.
And seeing how they are still arguing and the sky wasn't even lit anymore— I sigh, reaching my free arm out and slapping it on the wood.
Once all five of my fingers graze and press into the rough object— I blink, looking over everything before something happens that causes my cheeks to heat and I quickly back off.
"..Hey—" "Why would we make her take extra steps back that's just more steps for her!" "Is there a certain amount of steps nobles can take??" "Probably!" I grumble, bending down and grabbing a twig—
And tossing it at the three, I don't know who it hit, but they let out a swift "What the—" Before they finally all go silent.
"Come here." I call, soon seeing and hearing their footsteps as they all come to stand in front of me again "Lady (Y/n), we—"
"This thing is jumpable." I state, pointing behind me and to the large piece of oak "Here, give me that." I demand, grabbing my shower items from the red headed soldiers grasp.
Setting the stuff to sit on my folded gown, I nod my head towards the other two "You two can find your own way over, just make it quick." I dismiss.
And sending a glance towards the confused crimson eyed one "Carry me." I command.
The two send each other confused looks as the soldier beside me hesitantly leans down, scooping my legs and dress skirt out from under me to lift me up and off the ground effortlessly.
It doesn't take long for him to step back and sprint forward, leaping into the air and kicking off the tree— Landing and skidding to a stop on the other side.
And that's when I remember "Oh, and don't go around the sides there are—" A shout of pain comes from my right and I wince "Thorn bushes.." My voice finishes slowly.
And once the other two make it over or in the blondes case, around and through the thorn bushes— We were back on track, of course I was walking again with the same formation as before.
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