My eyes scan over the outdoor archery range, which is located close to the Royal Gardens. It's a large open field that has been cleared of any obstructions. The field is flat and has been leveled, and along the edge of the field is a set of fences, creating a perimeter around the area and keeping any stray arrows or shots from leaving the archery range.
However, what I enjoy the most about this spot is the scenic view it provides.
The wind feels soft, making my hair flow in the wind and creating a cool atmosphere. Alex's hands are on my waist, adjusting my stance. "Release," he says in a hushed tone.
Rolling my eyes, I take aim, drawing the bowstring with my right hand and fixing my focus on the target. I feel my bodyguard watching me from behind, but I'm determined to hit my mark. My fingers release the arrow, and it soars through the air, piercing the target's dead center.
I turn to face him with my arms crossed. "I know how to shoot an arrow, dumbass," I retorted with an eye roll, peeved about his earlier assumption.
Instead of responding to my remark, the bodyguard suddenly sways and topples forward, clutching his stomach. "Alex?!" I exclaim, dropping my bow and hurrying to steady him before he falls flat on his face.
He turns his head away from me, clearly embarrassed. "You don't have to do that, you know," he utters quietly. His veiny hands grip my shoulders for support, and his forehead is resting on the top of my head.
"But I want to," I respond, my voice soft and gentle. The sound of his breathing is erratic as his heart beats faster. I want so badly to be his comfort, to show him I care about him the same way he seems to care about me.
"Don't," he mumbles, taking a deep breath to steady himself.
He lifts his head up again, his eyes meeting mine, and they widen at the sight of someone finally being there for him. He's been so overwhelmed by his duty as my bodyguard that he's barely had a chance to rest or take a breath.
"I knew it was too early for you to be walking," I comment with a frown on my face, looking into his eyes filled with pain. It's gut-wrenching to see him like this.
He shakes his head slowly, his eyes focused on mine. I see a glint of pain in his blue irises, mixed with exhaustion and relief. It's a difficult burden to bear, but one that he bears willingly for me. "I don't care if it's too early. I'm not letting you out of my sight, understand?"
What a stubborn ass.
"Fine," I relent, slowly letting him balance himself. Once I'm completely backed away, I turn around to retrieve my bow and arrows from the floor so I can get back to practicing. "Can you stand by yourself?"
Alex nods slightly, slowly gaining stability. But his eyes still flicker with pain, and when he opens his mouth to speak, the exhaustion and anxiety are evident in his voice. "I can stand," he says, though his voice is quiet and raspy.
With a sigh, I bite my lip and adjust my stance toward the target again. Even though I really want to help Alex, he doesn't seem to enjoy being cared for. The roles are reversed for once, and I can tell he's still getting used to it.
My hand moves to draw the bowstring again, but before I can do anything else, I catch a glimpse of a certain disgusting prince walking through the Royal Gardens. I recognize that idiotic face anywhere.
Marco.
Dread and anger fill my body at just the thought of him even being here. I can never get far enough for him, and my parents are insistent on keeping him around. I hate a lot of things, but that stupid prince is at the top of my list.
I wish I could order a hitman to kill him or something.
As he moves closer, I try my best to ignore the fact that he's even here. But it's hard to do that after he lets out a sharp whistle, which forces my attention to him. "I know you see me!" he shouts from afar, still approaching me.
Alex begins to notice him as well, and in response, he moves closer to me. He grabs my arm gently, gripping it protectively. It somehow makes me feel safe, but the sight of Marco is enough to shatter that temporary feeling.
For some reason, his presence makes me feel a mounting sense of paranoia. I turn to face Marco, and all the emotions and thoughts that have been building up inside me begin to come to a head. My bow, still clutched tightly in my hand, now feels like it's weighing me down. The arrow moving along with it is making the situation seem even more dire.
I could shoot him any second and get rid of my problems.
"Behave," Alex whispers in my ear gently, cutting through the tension like a knife.
I sigh, knowing damn well I wasn't actually going to shoot Marco. Maybe. I lower my bow at the bodyguard's words, though, feeling conflicted.
Marco's eyes shamelessly run over my body with obvious lust. I feel bare under his gaze. "No need for a bow, mi amore. If you want me, you know you can always have me," he teases, moving closer to me with a seductive smile.
Idiot.
I notice Alex tightly squeezing my arm, so I turn my head to see him. He's angry, and it looks good on him. His muscular physique is clad in a well-tailored black suit with a sharp white shirt and a black tie. His blue eyes are seething with pent-up rage. His dirty blonde hair is styled to perfection, with the smallest amount of gel used to give it a slight, attractive disarray. The light bounces off of his perfectly cut face, highlighting every chiseled feature, the most prominent being the sharp jawline.
Marco, on the other hand, looks a little disheveled, his dark hair messy, and his eyes a little glazed over from what seems to be a few too many drinks. His outfit, while well tailored, is not as polished as Alex's. He wears a slightly too-tight shirt, his top buttons are unbuttoned to reveal a surprisingly well-toned chest, and his pants don't match the suit jacket at all.
As Marco walks closer to us, Alex greets him with nothing but icy contempt, his face a mask of stony coldness. "Prince Marco," he says in a tone that could freeze the sun.
The prince's expression turns from amused to annoyed at the sight of the bodyguard. "Bodyguard," he mutters bitterly. "Nice seeing you again."
Alex's glare intensifies into a stone-cold gaze that could burn through an eyeball. "I can't say the same," he replies in a voice dripping with contempt.
As the tension between Marco and Alex continues to build, my heart starts pounding a little faster. I can't tell if this is excitement or fear. Maybe both. With a deep breath, I try to collect myself, ready to take whatever comes next.
"Anyways," Marco clears his throat, ignoring the bodyguard. "You look lovely as always, Elena," he says with an exaggerated bow, his eyes taking in my figure.
I can feel his eyes on every inch of my body, as if he's undressing me with his gaze alone. The way he's looking at me makes my skin crawl, making my stomach do a slow turn.
Alex immediately steps in between me and the prince, his body tensed and ready. He's not giving him an inch, not a single moment of relief. "Watch it," he warns.
"Or what?" Marco taunts, his eyes narrowing into slits.
"Or I'll be forced to do my job," Alex answers, his voice dropping to a dangerous level. I can hear the way his teeth are grinding together, and the muscle in his jaw is tight. The bodyguard's hand is shaking slightly, and for a moment, I think he might actually strike Marco.
"I'd like to see you try," the prince retorts, taking a small step forward.
With lightning-quick reflexes, Alex snatches the arrow from my bow and quickly raises it towards Marco. "Any closer, and this won't be a miss," he says, his voice low and menacing.
Marco freezes, taking a step back, his eyes wide with fear. The tension in the air is almost tangible, and I can sense that we're all on the verge of something big. "There's no need for that," Marco finally responds. "I'll play nice."
A tense silence fills the air, as if the three of us are frozen in anticipation. The sound of the wind is loud in my ears, but I'm not sure if that's because it's actually loud or if it's just the adrenaline coursing through my veins.
Without warning, Marco takes a deep breath, as though gathering himself up for whatever is about to happen next. When he speaks, his voice is calm and collected, as if nothing has happened at all. "In any case, we're all friends here. No need for any of this."
My bodyguard stares Marco down with an ice-cold gaze, as if he can't believe what he's just heard. Alex's eyes narrow even more, and his chest rises and falls with each breath, as if he's trying to control himself. He doesn't say a word, but the threat in the air is almost palpable.
"Bodyguard," the prince says with a mocking tone, "I'm here to greet my lovely fiancée." He smirks and inches closer to me, his eyes running up and down my body. "Why don't you get lost and give us a moment alone?"
My head spins as he speaks, and I want nothing more than to strangle this idiotic lunatic with everything in me. And the way he said fiancée, his voice was filled with lust and obsession.
I want him to die.
But just as I'm about to let my anger get the best of me and tell him off, Alex drags me by the arm. "We're going," he whispers angrily in my ear, trying to pull me toward the direction of the palace doors.
With all my might, I resist, digging my heels into the ground like I don't want to leave. "No. I'm not going to let him win," I groan, trying to hold myself back.
The bodyguard gives me a look of confusion, his blue eyes questioning why I would want to stay in a situation that's obviously causing me so much distress. But I want Marco to get what he deserves. I want nothing more than to see that stupid prince put in his place. I've put up with his antics for far too long, and this time, I'm not going to back down.
Marco sees the resolve in my eyes and chuckles. "Oh, don't act like you don't want more, mi amore." He steps even closer to me, and I can smell the alcohol on his breath all the way from here.
I'm sick of it. I'm sick of the way he never leaves me alone. I'm sick of the way he thinks he can have whatever he wants. And, most of all, I'm sick of the way he looks at me like I'm nothing more than a piece of meat to be consumed.
Without thinking, I let go of Alex's hand and lunged at Marco with an arrow in my hand. Unfortunately, Alex is quick to react, grabbing me around the waist and pulling me away from Marco with all his strength.
"Princess, what are you doing?!" Alex cries out, his grip tightening around me. "You could have killed him!"
"I would have if I could," I say evenly, trying to regain my composure. I glance back at Marco, who has a look of shock frozen on his face.
My bodyguard's expression softens, and he takes a deep breath. "Come on," he whispers quietly in my ear, leading me away from Marco.
We enter the palace, leaving the appalled prince behind. I notice Alex struggling to walk, but he still tries to be strong for me.
"Why did you pull me back?" I groan, glaring at him. I wasn't actually going to hurt Marco. Maybe. That would be stupid—even though he deserves a fate much worse than death.
"You can't just go around stabbing people with arrows," Alex replies with a grim look on his face. But then his expression changes at his next words.
"You have to cover your tracks."
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.・。.・゜✭・.・
authors note: ew sorry for the rushed ending for this chapter. tbf tho, i feel like all my chapters are shit idk