I woke up to banging on my door, I sat up quickly. "Enter." I said my voice strained as the door opened to Maxilla breathing heavy. "Cole needs you." She said looking at me with her gray oval eyes, a blonde strand of her braid fell in her face. "Tell him I'll be there in a minute." I told her standing out of bed. "Of course." She closed the door quickly as I grabbed a clean white tunic, pulled off my gown and slipped it on over my under garment, then pulled on some leather brown jeans. As I hooked my scabbard to my body armor I stopped and looked in the mirror. I moved my hand to my neck and ran it over my scar the was around my neck and memories flashed through me, the knife, a servent holding it to my neck, the warm sticky blood that flooded over my throat. I shook the memory away. "Focus." I said quietly forcing myself to look away from the mirror and walk out the door.
"Is he making us girls do some work around town that is too girly for a man?" I asked Maxilla walking with her to Coles office. "More than likely." She said her voice gruff. "Moring ladies." Gene said joining us making me glare at him. "You heading to see Cole too?" I asked looking at the large doors that awaited us. "Yeah I need to ask about some things." He told me with a flirty smile as I glanced at him. "Yeah...." I said rolling my eyes as me and Maxilla opened the doors to the large library, Cole was looking at a map on his desk as we walked in, he glanced up at us then back to the map. "I called in the girls not you." His deep low voice filled my ears as he said that to Gene. "Well sir I need to ta-" Cole held up a hand cutting him off. "Leave." He said looking up at Gene. "But sir I-" "I said leave." His eyes narrowed on him. "Yes, sir." Gene bowed quickly and walked out of the room the doors closing behind him. Cole's dark brown eyes met mine. "I need both of you to be the Queen's close guards today, don't leave her side." I nodded. "Why?" Maxilla asked as he looked back at the map. "We had a messenger this morning who said the Bolton prince is a few hours away and will be here soon." My eyes widened. "What?" I paused as Cole looked back up at me. "I just got back yesterday from trying to get them to agree to the peace treaty." He sighed standing up straight. "Yes you did, but do you remember what there idea was?" I nodded to his question. "Well it seems like they sent the prince behind you for negotiating the wedding." He said his eye on me as I sighed. "But why are we the ones-" "The Queen wanted women to stand next to her when he gets here as her guards, she wants him to know that woman are treated with respect in this kingdom and can even be guards if they chose." Maxilla nodded. "Now leave my office and head to the thrown room." "Yes sir." Me and Maxilla said then turned and left his office.

As I sat in the thrown my back straight with nervousness the door to the hall opened to Paullina and Maxilla I stared at Paullina she walked up the steps to stand next to me, she walked with grace in her armor a lot more grace then when she's in a dress, she had beautiful porcelain skin that made her glow when she walked through the sun, my eyes met her dark purple ones making me look back in front of myself as I felt her presence next to me. I sat there crossing my legs back and fourth under my large purple dress, purple is one of my kingdom's national colors gold being the other. My dress was fluffy with lace and large at the bottom it went past my feet hanging close to the floor, it had long lace sleeves that almost went over my whole hand and the top was covered with gold rhinestones.
I sighed about to slouch when the door opened and a man walked in with up to 8 guards on both sides of him, they wore armor that looked like a rusted steel, the "man" {more like a boy around a few years older than me} wore a silk red v necked shirt with black slacks with a black sash around his chest, and he had slicked back blonde hair. "Queen Victoria." He said and him and his guards bowed to me. When he stood straight again his eye went to ether side of me then met mine. "I am Prince Casimir of Boltone." I smiled warmly. "When I heard word of your arrival I was quit shocked that you and your men were on your way after my guards left your palace." I placed both my hands in my lap. "I'm sorry we came without sending a letter or messenger before we traveled here, my father sent me to talk about the offer he gave you." I nodded his ice blue eyes sending a shiver through out me. "It's quiet fine, how about I give you a room for you to freshen up in and we can discuss this at dinner." He smiled back at me and nodded. "That would be great Queen Victoria, thank you." He bowed again. I looked down to Fillip and asked him to show the prince to a room, he quickly walked over to the prince. "Right this way." Once him and all his guards were out of ear shoot I sighed. "Winston, tell the cooks to start preparing diner." I shooed him off looking at the new man on my guard. "James, tell Cole I'll speak to him tomorrow rather than today." He nodded. "Yes my Queen." I looked to Paullina meeting her gaze. "Paullina please escort me to my room so I can find a different dress to wear." I stood up in my black flats I wore under my dress and walked with her behind me to the hall.

When Victoria opened the door to her room she looked back at me. "Could you help me decide what to wear please?" She asked our eyes meeting, I nodded and followed her into the now bright room filled with light from the window. "What is your thoughts on the prince?" I watched as she opened her wardrobe to a lot of dresses. "He seems very charming." I said with a smile, she glanced at me then back at the dresses. "He dose doesn't he." She mumbled taking a step back moving her eyes moving back and forth. "I want to wear something that is fancy enough to impress but comfortable, and I'm not sure what that would be, can you help?" She asked our eyes meeting. "Of course." I step over next to her and scanned the dress. "Here." I moved forward and grabbed silky long light purple, sleeveless dress that had gold lines on the bottom. "That is quiet nice." She said moving next to me and taking it from my hands. "Do you ever miss being a princess?" She asked stepping a little closer to me. "Well sometimes, because I used to be able to sleep all day." I laughed. "Is that it? What about the balls, celebrations, dresses, food?" She asked our eyes meeting. "Well not really...." I looked down at her feeling very tall. "Honestly I hated being a princess, always having to do as told, wear dresses and not be ourselves. Also the fact that when a fight happens you can't be the one fighting you have other people fighting for you." Her eyes sadden. "But" She put her hand to my neck tracing my scar "The scars of a guard seem worse." I looked down at her hand and put my hand over it. "They hurt and won't leave but they remind me just how brave I really am." I looked back at her, she had her head down. "That was the worst day of my life you know." I felt a rush of heat flow over me. "I hated that I just stood there paralyzed by fear unable to help you." I moved a hand to her jaw making her look up at me. "Don't tell me you still have guilt for that day?" I asked seeing the tears in her eyes. "I always feel guilt when I see the scar on your neck, if I had done something instead of waiting for guards-" "You would have died." I said cutting her off moving my other hand to cup her cheek. "You did all you knew how to do, it's not your fault, and it will never be your fault, do you understand that?" She stared at me a moment then step closer her lips close to mine. "I really do love you." She said gently. "Are you still going to leave after the wedding if I say yes?" Her voice quivered as she put her arms around my neck sending chills through my body. "Y-Yes my Queen." I said trying to make myself step away but my body was frozen in place as her eyes met mine. "Then I don't want you to leave my side until the wedding is over, can you promise me you won't leave my side until then?" Her eyes were even more beautiful up close. "I...." I ran off, I wanted to say yes but something in the back of my head was telling me I can't. "Please?" Her voice shook, I sighed gently. I knew I should say no, I knew it but I just couldn't hurt her. "I-I promise." She kissed me gently then hugged me tight. "Thank you...." Her voice cracked. "I love you..." I rapped my arms around her and pulled her closer to me. "I'll always love you no matter what." I knew I needed to pull away but no matter how much I knew this was wrong to hold her like this, I couldn't pull away.