Ball

In the morning, I found Lloyd leaning against the wall beside my door. I frowned. "When do you even get up?"

"Early," was his cold reply.

"I didn't even do anything to make you hate me. Not all princesses are alike. You saw that with Vania. I'm surprised you haven't changed your perspective," I grumbled as I walked past him. He didn't reply and just followed me. I wasn't actually surprised because it's a tough thing to go through. He loved my predecessor and she was...well, evil. Though I heard she's no longer evil now. We sat at the breakfast table and ate. After I was done I got up and went back to my room.

~Time Skip~

I got dressed in an all-green gown that had a puffed skirt. I put my hair into a bun and looked in the mirror as I put in my green earrings and my necklace with a green emerald. What? I told you I loved the color green. I put on my black boots with heels though since I could run in those if I needed to. I came out of my room and sighed. "You don't have to come to the party, you know," I said to Lloyd.

He glared. "I do need to go. I'm your bodyguard."

I shrugged. "You just look like you don't want to go."

"I don't. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to."

He is a very difficult person. "Your choice." I walked away. I smiled as I passed some of our guests. I curtsied in front of my parents. "What do you think?" I asked.

"Oh, Y/n! It's gorgeous," Mom said hugging me. "You are too," she whispered in my ear.

I stepped out of the hug. "Thanks. Dad?"

"It's like a whole new place," he replied.

I laughed. "I was thinking after the party we could have it painted in more colorful colors."

"Like what?"

I looked around and thought for a minute. "Blue? Gold? Both colors would look good."

Mom nodded. "I suppose."

"Y/n, you should go dance and enjoy yourself," Dad said.

I nodded and walked away. I soon was surrounded by people and spinning around on the dance floor. At one point I kindly refused to dance with anyone else and went to go get a drink of water. Lloyd was watching me from across the room so I knew I was still safe. "Hello, princess," a deep voice said.

I turned. "Hello." He was wearing all black and he had brown eyes that were so dark they looked black. I had a bad feeling about this. "May I help you?" I asked calmly.

"I need you to come with me."

"I'm sorry. I can't do that." I looked across the room and met Lloyd's eyes. I tilted my head toward my direction and he started toward us. 

"You have no choice."

"I believe she does," Lloyd said coldly.

The guy turned. "Who the hell are you?"

Lloyd moved and stood beside me. "Her bodyguard. Now please leave my charge alone."

The guy glared at both of us. "Fine." He walked away.

"Lloyd, I have a bad feeling about him," I said quietly.

He was still watching the guy. "So do I. Stay close to your parents for the rest of the evening. You'll be safer."

"Where will you be?"

"Around. But you'll be in my eyesight."

I breathed out slowly. "Okay." I walked over to my parents. When everyone left, Lloyd came over to me. "Did he leave?" I asked him.

He nodded. "He's gone. For now."

"You think he'll come back?"

"I don't know. He seemed to really want you to go with him."

"I think I'll go to bed now." I went to my room and before I went in I looked at Lloyd. "If he shows up tomorrow, will you be able to take him and survive?"

"Yes. Go get some sleep, princess."

"Y/n."

He frowned. "What?"

"If I have to call you Lloyd, you have to call me Y/n," I said firmly.

He sighed. "Fine."

I went into my room and shut the door. A hand closed over my mouth and I started shaking my head to dislodge it. Didn't work. They started hauling me away from the door and toward the window. "It's time for you to come with me," the guy hissed in my ear. A bag went over my head and everything went dark. I still fought but he slammed my head into the wall and I passed out.