The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning after getting ready is go to the kitchen to drink coffee before the servants come in. Coffee helps me stay awake, and I need it after only getting an hour of sleep.
I haven't gotten past four hours of sleep for almost half of my life. Over time, I've learned to deal with it, but there are times when I grow increasingly tired. Especially today.
September 5th.
My birthday.
After drinking a cup of coffee, I quickly make my way to the princess's room to guard her door. I don't technically have to start my shift this early in the morning, but I don't want anything to happen to her. There are too many people in the palace who cannot be trusted.
The hallways are quiet for at least half an hour before they suddenly start bustling with activity. Servants, who have finally woken up, are wandering through the hallways to do their jobs. Footsteps echo through the empty corridors, and the sound of metal objects being hauled takes over.
Elena's personal handmaid weaves her way through a crowd of workers, rushing with a huge bag in her arms. She gives me a small wave, as she usually does in the morning, before going inside the room.
As the day progresses, the activity in the palace continues to grow. The sounds of footsteps and conversations fill the halls, and servants scurry about everywhere, carrying various objects.
Despite the chaos, I remain stationed outside the princess's room, carefully monitoring the hallway. This is my job, and I take it seriously—for the most part.
After hours of waiting, the door handle finally twists open, and the princess steps out. She is a truly striking figure, with her lush, honey-brown hair cascading down her back in loose curls. Her dress is simple yet elegant, cut close to her figure, and finished with a delicate lace trim around the neckline.
I'm mad at her, but no amount of anger will ever overpower how irresistible she is to me. She's perfection—like a painting I could stare at for hours and never get enough of. I can't help but admire her silently.
"Good morning, Princess," I say after taking my time to cherish every part of her, trying to keep my tone as nonchalant as possible.
Her chest heaves up slowly, taking a quiet, deep breath to let her emotions simmer down. "Happy birthday," she responds, her teeth sinking into her lower lip.
Stiffening, I register her words slowly. I never told her when my birthday was, nor do I need the reminder. "How did you know it was my birthday?"
The princess's eyebrows lift as if she were expecting me to say something completely different, and she tilts her head to the side. "I do my research," she answers, her signature sly tone creeping back into her voice.
At first, I thought her words were some sort of joke, but when I met her eyes, I could tell she meant it. For some reason, I feel oddly touched by her response, and when she steps closer to me, I'm unable to stop myself from reaching for her hand.
We start to walk down the corridor with her hand held in mine, but it doesn't mean anything has changed between us. I do have to talk to her, though, so for the time being, I pretend as if nothing is wrong.
"You're free for today. Would you perhaps want to go to your art studio, or—"
Elena cuts me off before I can finish my sentence—something that I don't let anyone but her do. "Actually, I want to take you out for your birthday."
Taken aback by her words, I stop moving. "You," I question, turning to her, "want to take me out? For my birthday?"
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. A lump forms in my throat, and there's a huge part of me that doesn't like celebrating—or even acknowledging—my birthday. But there's also something nagging at me—an urge to give the princess what she wants.
I bite my lip, weighing my options. I know it's not possible for me to go—I'm a guard, and my duty is to protect the palace, not enjoy a romantic date—but I also can't help but feel like this might be the perfect opportunity to finally talk to her about what's been bothering me.
"Fine," I concede, the word slipping out of my mouth before I can stop it.
Elena's face lights up, and just like that, a weight lifts off my shoulders. I don't know what it is about her that makes me want to cave in to her every demand, but the feeling is so strong it's almost overwhelming.
"Great!" she exclaims, a grin spreading across her face. "We need disguises."
The princess dashes back inside the room, leaving me standing in the hallway, stunned. Did that really just happen?
Two minutes later, the princess emerges from the room dressed in an oversized white hoodie with some sweats, and I'm surprised she even owns such clothes. Her long hair is pinned up into a ponytail, and she looks completely different from her usual elegant self. But she will never be any less beautiful in my eyes.
She hands me a pair of jeans and a t-shirt to wear, along with a stylish jacket. What shocks me even more is that these are clothes for men.
Why the fuck does she have these?
But Elena doesn't seem to notice the jealousy sparking in me, and she pulls me into her room. Startled, I look at her as if she's gone mad for expecting me to change in front of her.
She immediately notices and rolls her eyes in response. "I'm not going to watch you, idiot. I'll turn," she assures. "Besides, it's nothing I haven't seen before," she adds with a cheeky smile.
I glare at her. "Very funny."
After shooting a wink at my retort, she turns away, and I quickly slip out of my uniform. I put the shirt over my head with ease before pulling up the jeans and throwing the black jacket on.
"You can look now," I sigh, leaning back against the door.
Elena spins around and greets me with a warm smile, looking genuinely pleased. She's even holding a pair of sunglasses, which she hands to me. "Let's go, then."
₊˚ʚ ᗢ₊ ˚✧ ﾟ.
I park my motorcycle on the side of the street, turning my head back slightly to look at the princess. Her arms are wrapped tightly around my waist, and for a moment, it makes me think that she doesn't trust my driving.
"You can open your eyes, you know," I grumble, glaring at her. It's not a serious look, though. Only a playful one.
Her eyes flutter open, and she breathes a sigh of relief. "You drive too fast," she counters defensively while I help her get off the bike.
My hand is on her waist as she dismounts, and I take a moment to bask in her warmth. Nothing else matters but her in this moment. Taking her hand in mine, we start walking down the street. The princess's grip is soft, almost too gentle for my liking, but I find myself growing to love it.
As we stroll through the bustling city streets, the princess is constantly taking in her surroundings—her eyes glued to every building and structure she passes. It warms my heart to see her this excited.
In the distance, there seems to be a flea market, and the princess immediately starts tugging on my arm and running toward it. I let her pull me there, curious to see how she would react in such a particular environment.
We finally arrive after five minutes, and it's much bigger and louder than I expected. The place is packed full of different types of stalls selling all kinds of items, from clothes to electronic gadgets to art pieces. The princess is amazed by everything she sees, and I can't help but smile at the delight on her face.
She's like a child in a candy shop, roaming around and admiring everything with her eyes wide open. There's an innocent charm about her, as if nothing else matters but the here and now.
Suddenly, the princess's eyes widen as she spots a booth that seems to be displaying art pieces. "I want to see that!" she exclaims, pulling my hand to follow her. She stops in front of the stall, looking at the large canvas paintings on display.
There are beautiful landscapes, urban scenery, and abstract art—all of which seem to be the creation of a specific artist. The princess's eyes are fixed on one particular piece, an abstract painting that resembles a woman dancing.
As she observes the painting, an elderly woman who is presumably the artist sidles up to us, smiling at the princess's interest in her work. "Would you like to learn more about the painting?" she asks.
Elena nods excitedly, to which the artist begins to explain the painting's concept, its story, and the meaning behind it.
I find her passion for art incredibly admirable. She seems to be fascinated by the process behind it and the thought that goes into each brushstroke. She's genuinely interested in understanding the artists' perspectives, which makes sense considering her talent.
The more I watch her, the more I find myself falling for the princess—for her personality, her intelligence, and her enthusiasm for everything.
What the hell am I thinking?
I shake such thoughts out of my head. I may be attracted to her physically—and I can't deny the fact that I have feelings for her emotionally—but I'm not falling for her. That's absurd.
The sound of a child crying makes my body go alert, and Elena turns around with me. There's a little girl by one of the food stalls, and the man working the area is denying her food. Before I can do anything myself, the princess walks over to the scene, and I follow behind her.
What is she going to do?
The man who's working the food stall is a short, round figure with a round face and a balding head—an older fellow in my mind. His expression looks annoyed when Elena approaches.
"Is there a problem here?" the princess demands, her voice low and threatening. With her hand tightly gripping mine, she steps in front of the man, who flinches instinctively.
The man sneers at her, his tone growing cold. "She doesn't have any money. Why should I give her anything?" he spits out.
"Because she's a child," Elena retorts sharply, a slight hint of anger in her voice. "She can't work. Not like you."
The older man hesitates for a second, but he holds up his ground again. "It's her problem, not mine," he snaps.
Elena's grip tightens around her purse, and her eyes narrow into slits. I expect her to say something—to argue with the man—but instead, she reaches into her bag and pulls out some money. "Here," she bites out, handing the money to him. "Feed her."
The man rolls his eyes. "Why? I can feed my family with this money and food."
Elena looks at the little girl again with a sympathetic frown before glancing back at the man, to which her expression changes into a death stare through her sunglasses. "And you will. Just feed her first."
Damn.
I smile at the sight before me. It's refreshing to see royalty caring about their subjects. Usually, those in power don't give a damn about what the people want. They use everyone for power and wealth.
The man grumbles under his breath and slams a wrapped-up burrito on the table, which the little girl gladly takes and eats hungrily. She's happily munching on her food, and the beam on her face is brighter than the stars at night.
Elena looks at the little girl with a satisfied expression before turning away and walking towards me. The child is still happily eating her burrito, and I find myself watching the princess as she walks. Her hands are in her pockets, and she's striding with a sense of purpose.
We end up roaming through the market for hours, looking at every stall and sampling different kinds of street food. Princess Elena seems to enjoy it too, taking pictures with her phone, asking questions about the vendors' products, and happily indulging in the different flavors and aromas.
As the sun begins to set, the princess stops in front of a tiny café with a terrace. She grabs my arm, pointing at the chairs lining the area. "Let's sit there," she proposes, her smile growing wider. "I want to enjoy the breeze. It looks like it's going to rain soon."
I nod, following her without hesitation. The terrace of the café overlooks a busy street, and the view is bustling and chaotic. The noise of car honks, motorbikes racing past, and people talking in a mix of languages hits us as soon as we sit down.
The princess takes a deep breath and sinks into her chair, her smile never fading. "This feels amazing," she says, her voice full of excitement.
I lean back in my own chair, letting my eyes wander around the place. I enjoy watching the crowd below us and seeing the different kinds of people who pass by. Some are young couples holding hands, some are families with kids, and some are friends laughing and teasing one another.
"It's really lively here, isn't it?" I asked, turning to the princess.
She nods, her eyes darting from one person to another. "Yes, it is. I love watching people go about their lives, with no one ever really knowing what the other person is thinking or feeling."
The sky above us darkens, and the clouds begin to churn. Some raindrops begin to splatter onto the ground, but no one seems to mind. The princess holds her hand out to feel the droplets, but the sound of music causes the both of us to focus our attention elsewhere.
Down the street, it looks like there's a small dance festival going on. The street lamps and golden hanging lights illuminate the area beautifully, and I can already feel the princess pulling me out of the café.
I take Elena's hand, and we make our way over to the festival. The music is loud, and the place is filled with people of all ages. It's a chaotic sight, but it's also a joyous one—the perfect atmosphere for a celebration.
As we move closer to the center, Elena gets more and more excited. "Look at this!" she exclaims, her eyes wide with wonder, before she spins around to face me. "Will you dance with me?"
A lump in my throat forms. I've never liked dancing with people, but for the princess, there's always an exception. "Of course," I answer politely, whisking her to the dance floor.
I lead her through a series of complex movements, twirling her around to the beat of the music. We dance to an upbeat and fast-paced song, but the princess and I move in sync, as if we've been doing this our whole lives.
While we continue to dance, more people join us on the floor, making the area even livelier. We sway and spin around, our bodies moving effortlessly to the music. The princess looks completely in her element, and the sight of her joy brings a warm smile to my face.
I spin her around again and then catch her in my arms. "You're amazing," I whisper, my voice low and slightly breathless.
My eyes lock on her as she remains silent. Her lips are parted slightly, and the rain drops onto her face, sliding down her cheeks. Under the light of the street lamps, it's impossible to keep being angry at her.
The music in the background changes to a much more slow-paced, romantic song, and I take the chance immediately. I pull her into me and start swaying back and forth with her, my hands on her waist.
The princess's arms are wrapped around my neck, and she looks up at me through her eyelashes, her smile enough to make me fall to my knees. I wonder if she knows how much of an effect she has on me.
The rain starts to pour harder now, but at the moment, all I see is her. All I care about is her. So we continue dancing, as if it's only us two in the entire world.
By the time the music gets quieter, the princess and I are soaking wet. I pull down her hood to see her beautiful hair, and I also toss her glasses off as well. Nobody should be able to recognize us now, especially since most people have left due to the rain.
I spin the princess around one last time and then dip her when the song finally stops. We stay in that position for a while, staring into each other's eyes. But I can't take it anymore. I lift her back up, and I kiss her.
My eyes shut with hers, and the heat between our bodies intensifies. I can't help but kiss her harder and more passionately. My tongue gently wraps around hers as my heart pounds with desire, and the scent of her perfume almost sends me over the edge.
My heart has made its choice, and it's chosen her.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.・。.・゜✭・.・
authors note: quick rant i honestly don't know if i'm gonna continue this story. i've been really unmotivated esp because wattpad pissed me off and deleted my story from almost every reading list it was added to. so if it's deleted from urs that's why
also disclaimer that last line is inspired from pinterest