Like what Father said, Damian came to the palace to eat lunch with us. Along with Damian, Father also invited his most trusted friend, General George and his seventeen year old son, Commander Elliot. Piper always went head over heels for Elliot. He was a tall, muscular and good looking guy who had a blonde military haircut. She would tell me stories about how every time Elliot visits the palace, there will always be a rose by her doorstep. She had more love in her life than I ever did.
"Damian," Father's loud voice echoed in the dining hall while we all ate some desserts.
"Are the rumors I hear true? Do you not wish of this marriage?" He continued which made everyone silent.
Why do you have to do this to me, Father?! I didn't bother looking at either of them and just focused on my half eaten lime flavored ice cream. It has only been a week since the announcing of our engagement and yet weird but sadly true rumors have already spread around Dahlia and Quince.
"Your Majesty..." Damian's voice replied, "It has always been my pleasure to serve both Quince and Dahlia for as long as I live."
He gave such a safe answer. I couldn't help but get a little hurt. I never actually got used to it yet. After a minute or so, I decided to let myself out.
"Excuse me, but I think I have go to the comfort room." I said and then quickly left after I stood to curtsy in front of my family and the three guests.
"Audrey," Levi whispered when I came close to the exit of the dining hall where he was standing. He always knew when there was something wrong. I immediately raised my hand to signal that I did not want to be followed.
Once I reached the terrace close to the comfort room, I looked down the grassy garden field of the palace where I met that little prince. I then took the bronze ring off since I beaded it along with the charms of my bracelet.
"I didn't know princesses take such little time in the loo." A voice from behind startled me. I turned to see a smiling Damian coming towards the balcony as well.
"Well, this princess just wants to be alone right now." I said as I continued to face the open field underneath the warm noon sun. I clenched my hand into a fist to hide the ring for a while.
"Audrey, I know we both don't want this. We've always been great friends since we were children," He said quite seriously as he stood beside me and rested his arms on the balcony. "but we have to put our duties first, right?" He continued while giving me a pat on my head.
He stole the words from my mouth. I figured that it was time for me to give him this ring just to get it over with once and for all.
"Yeah, you're right. Duties first." I agreed sarcastically while turning to face Damian this time.
"I have something for you." I said while pretending to get something from my pocket-less dress using the hand in which the ring was hidden. I simply brushed my hand down the grooves of the blue cloth and pulled it back up.
"Even though we're getting married, I don't ever want us to be awkward around each other." I said while holding the ring up for Damian to see.
"Consider this as a contract that we will always be friends, your Highness." I continued as I took his hand and slowly slipped the ring into his ring finger. I held his hand and then stared at him straight into the eyes like what Aunt Hazel said. He gave me a genuine smile.
"Never take this off, okay?" I warned.
"Yes, Ma'am!" He said after giving me a salute. I just chuckled along with him.
"Audrey!" We were interrupted by Piper's troubled voice as she ran towards us.
"I should go." Damian said softly while letting go of my hand.
"Don't worry, I'll never take this off." He said while waving and walking back to the dining hall. He bowed at Piper while she curtsied back when they passed by each other.
While looking at Damian walk away, I spotted Levi who was just keeping watch from a distance. I gave him the mission accomplished look while gesturing for him to come.
I noticed that Levi wore gloves today. All the guards usually do but Levi never really followed that rule as he was always just around me anyway.
"What do you want, Piper?" I said when Piper came close with Levi following behind her. I was quite annoyed that Damian left because of her.
"A little while after you and Damian left the table, Father brought the general to take a look at his collection of guns and Mother went with them." She narrated.
"As Elliot trailed to follow them, I held his hand. I was going to ask him for a walk in the garden with me. But then he pulled his hand away from mine without even saying anything." She sadly ended her story. I knew this fling was not strong enough to make her cry just yet but I knew she felt embarrassed and hurt.
"Don't mind him, Piper. Men are always so hard to read." I sighed then shared my opinion.
"No, your Highness." Levi disagreed.
"We men are quite simple actually. It's either we show our true feelings or we're just playing hard to get." Levi said while patting her shoulder. Both of them became quite close recently when Piper spent more time with me as she got older.
Hearing Levi's words about men playing hard to get gave me a stupid idea.
"Piper, why don't you use Levi to make Elliot jealous for today." I suggested.
They gave me a 'no way' expression and before both of them can protest, I continued,
"If he's indifferent then he doesn't deserve you but if he takes the bait then maybe you mean something to him after all." I said.
I knew Elliot would be staying for the whole day since the military would be having a meeting with Father and Damian later in the evening. I can sense Piper slowly agreeing but Levi seemed to be so against the idea.
"Your Highness, I couldn't! What would your Father do if he sees us? Plus, a Blue like Commander Elliot would never be intimidated by a guard like me." Levi reasoned out.
"I will take care of Mother and Father. And if he really cares about Piper, he will be intimidated even by a Black." I assured them to which Piper nodded cooperatively. Levi glared at me and was still strongly against the idea but he had to follow my command anyway.
"Okay, so here's the plan" I started and then explained while they both listened.
Later in the afternoon while Elliot was chatting with some palace guards by one of the many garden entrances, we decided that it was time to take action. I watched my plan taking place from the same balcony that was overlooking the entire garden. I waited for Elliot to be left by the other guards when Levi signals them through an earpiece. Yes, other guards were in on it.
When he was finally alone, Piper then walked into the garden while making sure Elliot sees her but at the same time making him think she doesn't see him. She did idiotic things like picking flowers and fruits. When I saw Elliot walking while stealing glances of Piper, I initiated the next part of the plan.
"The Commander has spotted the Princess. I repeat, the Commander has spotted the Princess." I said through an earpiece I borrowed from a guard that was connected to Levi's. Piper had one, too.
"The Guard does not like this. I repeat the Guard does not like this!" Levi answered which made me chuckle a bit while watching him hesitantly entering the scene.
While Piper was doing her stupid acting, Levi came from her back and covered her eyes with his hands. Piper then giggled playfully while slowly feeling his arms. I looked at Elliot who was now trying to hide behind a pillar while watching the fake couple chasing each other around the huge fountain. To me, that was a giveaway. Elliot likes her. However, I didn't stop them since I was having too much fun with my plan.
"Okay. It's time to do your thing, Piper." I said while eagerly watching them. Piper then spun around and then tripped so realistically. I looked at Elliot who immediately came out of his pillar and rushed to Piper who was plastered on the floor with Levi acting like he didn't know what to do.
"How dare you fail to protect the princess? Is it not your duty as her guard?" I heard Elliot's angry but still formal voice through Levi's earpiece that was set on high sensitivity for me to listen. I watched as Elliot knelt by Piper's side to check on her.
"Leave. I will take care of her." Elliot commanded Levi to which the idiot just followed.
Mission accomplished. I thought as I returned my earpiece to the guard standing close to me. I spotted Piper secretly returning hers when she limped passed one of the guards with Elliot holding her. I heard Levi's footsteps coming up the stairs. I went back into the palace and met him as he took his last step up.
"You know, we didn't actually have to do all those. Elliot was going to go to her once he saw her alone." Levi said while walking me back downstairs to the North Wing.
"I know. It was just fun to watch." I said as I tried to hold my laugh at the thought of Levi running around.
"I can't believe you left Piper alone with him. That is so not how a guard is supposed to behave." I scolded him.
"Don't worry, your Highness." He said while casually putting his arm around me when we passed by an empty hallway. He never did that before which really took me by surprise.
"I will never leave you alone. You've always been mine to protect." He said softly.
"I-I'm sorry." He realized that he crossed his boundaries so he let go and kept distance once we reached close to the North Wing.
"No problem." I replied. I didn't think much of it as I entered the room where Damian was.
I walked towards him and my Mother who were seated on the couch facing the entrance. I took a closer glimpse at his hand and saw that he still wore the ring. He noticed me entering so I smiled to which he smiled back and said,
"There she is! My beautiful bride."
Did that ring really work?