Her Sheltered Life

The crime rate was always bad on the holidays, and this wasn't just any holiday... it was a birthday. I hated birthdays, royal birthdays were challenging, exciting, but challenging. They always said for me to guard her with my life, ever since I was sent into the indoor work, rather than the battles on the outside where I wanted to be.

I still remembered the day she was born, I was six years old and everyone was thrilled since she was a miracle. Although I didn't see the big deal back then. A fussy pink thing was just a fussy pink thing to me. And when my father went to meet her, head of the guard, he took me along since my mother was dead, very recent in fact.

I saw her, she was strange looking and PINK. Pink, it was horror. But that's not the point, she was 'special' my father had said. Yeah. Special, fussy and PINK.

That's what I thought back then. Now I'm loyal and very serious about my job even though I'd much rather be doing something else. No, I have to GUARD THE DOOR or GUARD THE GARDEN. I used to be a prison guard.

Now I'm the princess guard.

I ran out of my room, bright red hair flowing behind me. "I'M AWAKE!" I exclaimed loudly with a huge grin. "I'm ready to go on my daily walk in the garden!!" I said happily, pulling my hair over my shoulder and beginning to braid it.

THE AGONY. She was too... cute! >_< I straightened my posture and looked at her briefly before bowing my head, "Yes M'Lady..." I missed being able to toss criminals into the dungeon, you couldn't exactly throw a princess into a garden could you? I pictured her, flying into the flowers and screaming like a princess does.

AH. My imagination is terrible, I'm supposed to PROTECT HER. I walked right behind her, like I was supposed to.

I skipped along beside him toward the gardens. "Zephyr, I'm bored! Can't you please take me just this once to the town? Mother and Father don't ever have to know!"

"If you shout it they will know before long." I said to her almost forgetting the formalities again, "M-M'lady..." I was normally better about catching things but her eyes always threw me for a loop, they were gorgeous and I felt so wrong for staring at her the way I did. I would be killed if I made any advances.

I gasped and covered my mouth quickly, most likely turning red. "I'm sorry! C-Can you take me though...?" I asked softer, my voice mumbling through my hands and my eyes getting wide. "Please?"

I could lose my job, I could be arrested by my own co-workers and she wanted this? I guessed... I could try. I smiled at her and looked left and right, "We have to go quietly though."

I threw my hands up and almost squealed happily when I realized I had to be quiet and put my hands over my mouth again. "Sorry!" I said quickly.

"It's fine." On the way out I gave her a cloak to wear and we left quickly and quietly. I was going to be in trouble if they found out but I had to at least let her see the town for a little while.

If at all. >_<

I grabbed his hand and bit my lip. "This is it!" I whispered. "I'm so excited! I finally get to see the town! Mother says they love me but I can't go! I want to meet everyone!"

They loved her yes, but she was irreplaceable and if anything happened to her it was my head. My fault, her blood would be on my hands. I found this job more challenging than my last one.

Entering the town, it was busy as usual and there was a lot of hustle and bustle from the commoners in the area. The merchants had arrived with their ships and goods so it was even busier.

I looked around and gasped. "It's so.... beautiful! I've never seen so many buildings before! OH! What's that smell? It smells almost like the baker's bread from home! Oh! Is that an inn? Can we go inside?!" My eyes were wide and I was twisting and turning around, trying to see everything at once. "This is just.... wow!"

"Shh, don't act so surprised about it or people will figure out who you are." I was really growing more and more concerned, especially with people who could EASILY recognize me, I didn't live at the castle.

"I guess..." I led her towards the inn.

I gasped and kept up with him, trying to hide just how ecstatic I was! "Yay!" I mumbled happily, squeezing his hand. I was so excited! What if I spent the night in an inn?! 8D

So exciting! 8D

"You have to be careful who you talk to, not everyone is going to be nice..." It was such a huge city and loyalty varied from person to person. I watched her like a hawk, I couldn't let her out of my sight, not even for a split second!

I nodded, gulping some. "But why would people be mean? There's no reason to be mean, is there? Is there reason to be mean, Zephyr?" I asked softly. He had already pretty much told me to talk softly, so that's what I would do.

How could I explain this to her knowing so many could be listening? "It's something we'll discuss later, M- L-..." I wasn't sure what to call her here but I couldn't speak anything but 'm'lady' or 'your highness'.

I looked at him expectedly. "Hey~~ now that we're outside," I whispered, "can you call me Lora? I don't like the titles." I whispered.

WHAT?

I'd never said the princess' name in my whole life, I always called her Princess or M'Lady, nothing else! I knew her name, sure, I said it when talking to myself... maybe? No, never, it was WRONG.

"L-L-L... Lady... L..." I couldn't say it! D<

I was hopeful at first, but the more he tried, the less hopeful I became. "O-Oh... I see then." I blinked and looked away, letting go of his hand. Of course he wouldn't say my name. It was useless to ask. "Is it true that you have to pay for things?" I asked softly.

"L-Lora..." I said finally after the eighth try and then I heard her question, "Yeah, I pay for everything... why do you ask?" I was wondering why she was curious...

but she was always curious.

I shrugged. "I've never had to pay for anything so I wouldn't know." I said, looking at the moose head on the wall.

...

MOOSE HEAD?! My eyes grew really wide staring at it and I squealed and hid behind Zephyr. "M-M-M-Moose h-h-head!" I whispered.

"That's pretty common..." I commented quickly, "Don't panic, it's not real." I didn't want to tell her it was real at one point.

"I-It's not? A-Are you sure?" I asked, peeking over his shoulder. "It looks real..."

"Trust me, it's fake. We have very skilled artists here in the city..." People were starting to give suspicious glances and then I had to come up with something, "Forgive me, my wife is a foreigner!" I said and then dragged her out of the inn.