Chapter 8.

“Keep my head down

Keep my eyes closed

Try my best to stay out of trouble

Where do you come from?” Guilty Pleasures - George Kai

February, 2137

Eveline

The next morning I woke up with a few knocks at my door and grumbled turning to the other side praying whoever it was would come back later, but the knocking continued and I rolled across the bed as I kicked my champagne pink sheets aside and searched for my glasses in the nightstand, when I found them I realized that it was already past seven-thirty and for those who woke up at six that was already too much sleep.

So I threw my legs out of bed and ran to get my hobby and straightened my hair so I could open the door, I saw that my eyes were a little puffy from sleep and because I was without makeup all my freckles were available for anyone who wanted to look but since I assumed it was just the girls I didn't mind and just pinched my cheeks slightly to give some color to my pale face and ran towards the door while I fixed my hobby in place.

“Adela, I hope you brought me Grace's cinnamon buns, I'm dying for one of th…" I started to say as I smiled but when I looked forward I realized it wasn't the blonde standing there but a tall, brown haired guard with a lot of chocolate curls escaping from his hat and a beautiful pair of green eyes.

I stood like an idiot in front of the door assimilating his beautiful figure in front of me, he had a strong jaw well designed, just like his beautiful nose that was thin and upturned at the tip but his eyebrows are arched in a clear sign of irritation but it did not diminish in nothing his beauty.

And when I noticed he took off the black hat everyone in the guard wore to match his uniform coat and his hair fell over his forehead almost perfectly and his pink lips were pressed into a tight line and I heard him clear his throat to get my attention and only then did I remember who he was and what he had come to my room for.

“Your Highness," he greeted me and his husky voice made me shiver and I decided to take action instead of wiping him off like a fool.

“Soldier Williams, forgive my confusion and please come in!" I said and pulled the door open signaling for him to enter my room and so he did and as I closed the door I tried not to freak out with his presence here.

Why did he have to be so beautiful?

I then took a deep breath and adjusted my glasses before turning to him, smiling and walking until I was standing in front of him. I saw him look down and I had to lift my chin to return his hard stare and so I decided to start apologizing to him.

“Well before I say what I need I would like to apologize to you for yesterday's events and for threatening you, the last thing I want to look like is my father and I don't like to treat my employees like that. You guys meaning a lot to me and my family too, so I hope you accept my apologies sir,” I said and made a little reverence and immediately as I bowed I felt one of his hands touch my shoulder and pull me up, I then looked at him confused and he looked stunned by my behavior "Is everything okay?" I asked and he nodded apologetically quickly and took his hands away from me and put them in his pockets.

“Your apology has been accepted, Your Highness, and you don’t need to do a bow for me,” he said and I nodded in relief but dismiss the rest of his speech with a wave and bowed anyway and squeezed my chest in reflex, when I looked up at him I saw his eyes fixed on my silhouette assessing me and I noticed that inside the green of his eyes were some tiny golden dots that made his irises even more beautiful.

But I throw this detail away and try to focus on what I need to say to him now.

“So, to justify my behavior I'm desperate and it was the fastest thing I could think of, but in case you didn't want to help me it's okay Soldier and you're free to go," I said sincerely and he nodded still watching me without move even a muscle and I tilted my head to the side and see him rested his face in the same way before I continue to saying "since you didn't come out I assume you wanted to help me, am I alright?" I asked and he nodded and I couldn't help but smile widely.

“How can I help you, Your Highness?" He asked and I thought of a way to say what I needed without giving myself away.

"I know you are an extremely committed soldier to your work and what I'm seconds away from asking you could harm you if we get caught so I ask again, are you sure you want to help me?" I say more seriously looking him in the eye and he nods as he lifts a hand to fix his hair and I notice the presence of rings on his middle and ring finger, one of them with a red gem stone and the other one seemed to have something written on it but I couldn't finish looking before he put his hands back in his pockets.

“So Your Highness, how can I help?" he asks again seriously as he watches me and I toss my hair back and look up at him.

“I need you to accompany me to my grandmother's house,” I say simply and await his reaction which first comes with a frown followed by an expression of complete confusion as he looks at me, then due to explain further “well, only a few people know that so I hope you know how to keep the secret,” I say and watch his reaction and he nods as he involuntarily bites his bottom lip and I go on “my dad and grandma hate each other and when she left the palace a few years ago my Dad forbade her to step in the palace again and that goes for us too as we can't be seen at her residence across in the town, so I always sneaked out of the palace with my guard, Nicholas Jones, but now that he's traveling in honeymoon I need to go over there to have a word with her,” I finish and he lifts a hand to cup his chin thoughtfully and I realize that even though he has a last name with W he doesn't seem to recognize the name of my old Hurd and I soon dismiss him, but now that I can count on him I see that my adventure in my father's office wasn't so unproductive.

I watch as he starts pacing up and down thinking and I took the opportunity to sit on my dressing table, cross my legs and lean on the back of the chair so I can watch him. When I was staring at him I felt my hair slide down my back and I rested my cheek on the crook of my forearm and I watched as he stopped with his back to me looking out the window.

“Do you know a safe route to get out of here without being seen?" He asked suddenly and looked over his shoulder at me, his green eyes gleaming with something I couldn't identify and I nodded seeing him bite his lip again turning his attention to the garden.

Another moment of silence fill the room until he turned and walked towards me and I lifted my face to look at him and I was startled when he knelt in front of me to be at my height and I quickly tried to get up and pull him up with me but he gently sat me down again and rested my hands on my legs gently before speaking again.

“So all I have to do is take you from there and bring you back unseen and keep my mouth shut?" He asked and I confirmed seeing him nodding and pulling his hair back again but even so a little curl insisted on staying on his forehead, I raised my hand to get it out of there but gave up on the idea when he turned to face me and I lift my hand to pretend that I was fixing my hair and he didn’t notice.

Great job Eveline!

But I return my attention to him and cleared my throat to continue my speech.

“I know it's not an easy thing to ask someone, but when I fell from the sky on top of you it was the best idea that came to my mind soldier, you were a beautiful hero in saving the princess from breaking all the royal bones of her body,” I said smiling and he rolled his eyes and lowered his face but I saw when his cheeks turned red and I ended up laughing and saw him chuckle very softly “well, well, well and he laughs too!” I said in a childish way and he shook his head with a cute smirk and I noticed he had nice dimples in his cheeks just like me.

“I will be honored to be able to help the princess, but what time do we need to go? My shift ends in the afternoon and I can be called in at any time,” he explained and I started tapping my index finger on my lips to think of something and soon an idea came to mind.

"Give me a second!" I ask and start rummaging through my drawers until I find a piece of paper Nick had left with me before heading off to when I find another guard, I then found it along with my interview documents and grabbed my pen but when I turned back to the soldier he was holding the pen that held my hair the day before and I watched him as he stood up so I could better see them “this pen…” I mumbled and he smiled as he bent down to read the term I put on the table.

I watched as he quietly signed and left Nick’s pen on my desk and stood behind me while I checked the signatures. When I saw they were all right I gave him back the paper, and when he took it I held it for a moment to look at his face and he looked determined and I thanked him and hoped he would protect me like Nick.

“Thank you for accepting my offer and I apologize again for yesterday's threat, it didn't feel at all good to see your reaction and your hatred, that's not what I want to see on my subjects' faces, I want to see their love and I want to see their trust in me and what I am willing to do for them, I admire their loyalty to the monarchy and to me for not betraying me and I hope our relationship is based on loyalty and trust as I am laying down my life and my safety in your hands, soldier,” I said seriously looking at him and saw his eyes light up and I realized it was admiration which made me smile and drop the paper and point at him “take this to Scott and tell him I chose you to be my guard, the general will release you from a few shifts and you'll be available to stay with me, okay?” I ask and he nods and I admire his quiet way of being.

I started to think that If he had to accompany me to some events I don't know if he would distract me like Nick did but it was still nice to have company and I hope that he will be a nice guy with me.

”So, that’s all Princess?” He asks and I nodded in affirmation.

“Yes, and about the meeting can I meet you at eleven o’clock in the garage?" I asked and he nodded and I smiled.

“Do you need help dodging the cameras?" He asked and I denied laughing which made him frown.

“Don't worry about it soldier, I have some tricks up my sleeve!" I say and he shrugs which makes me laugh even harder.

After a while he tucked the paper into his uniform jacket and took the hat he had left on my desk and put it back on, ready to go but I still needed to know something about him.

"Soldier?" I called him over and he was ready to do a reverence before leaving, but stopped mid-movement and just watched me and motioned for me to continue "Could I know your name?" I asked and saw something go through his eyes again before he answered.

“Roman, at your service Your Highness," he said smiling and made the final reverence and turned towards the door, but before he left he looked at me over his shoulder and said "see you later,” and lifted his cap slightly and I saluted him who smiled and opened my door to leave and ended up bumping into Adela who smiled at him and greeted him, he did the same and disappeared down the hall.

I was still standing beside my little table and involuntarily found myself twirling the pen he'd hand back to me between my fingers as the blonde walked into the room and closed the door behind her.

“So, he agrees miss? ” She asked snapping me out of my thoughts and I smiled at her and put the pen back in the drawer before answering her.

“Yes! So now help me pick up my best jeans and a nice leather jacket, I'm going to see grandma tonight!" I said excitedly and she laughed as she set my breakfast on my table.

“It will be a pleasure, Your Highness!" She said and I invited her to sit with me to discuss the details for tonight.

As silly as it seemed to visit my grandma, it was my favorite part of the week and I wouldn't let it go just because my dad wanted to, and if he thought he was going to control me, he was even more wrong.