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New

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Chapter 1: New (Grace's POV)

"Is that what you call it?" I laughed, glancing at Finn. "I call that betrayal, Finn!" 

"I call that protecting you, Grace," he laughed with me, both of us talking about how he had snitched to my parents that I had snuck out of the palace at midnight three nights ago to go meet Nina. 

"I didn't actually sneak out, come on." 

"You did," he argued. 

I stared at him in disbelief. "You went with me!" 

"So?" 

I scoffed, giving him a push. 

He laughed again, both of us strolling around the backyard. "Have a seat." He gestured toward the white bench that was near the gazebo. 

I sent him a small smile and began walking toward the bench. I sat down and then tilted my head up, staring at the stars. He stationed himself a few feet ahead of me, keeping an eye out, even within our palace. "Don't you ever crave a break, Finn?" 

"Without this job, my life would be quite boring, Ms. Grace," he sighed, glancing at all the glimmering stars. "I'm a thirty-one-year-old bachelor with no family or girlfriend or even friends, for that matter," he scoffed before turning around to look at me. "What's one to do?" He shrugged. His eyes flickered over to the vast space behind me. 

"What?" I mumbled in confusion. "What are you looking at?" 

"Don't turn around," he said sternly. 

I froze up immediately. "W-why?" I laughed nervously. "Don't be silly, we're in the palace, nothing could possibly happen—" I let out a loud gasp when he placed a hand on my head, forcing me to duck as a gunshot echoed. My eyes shot open, staring at him while he crouched down on the ground, kneeling in front of me. 

"Go inside," he ordered. He was trying to sound calm, but even his voice shook. 

"Can you see them?" I asked, out of breath from my pounding heart. 

He shook his head. "The lights are out back there and the yard is too huge. Go, Grace." 

"I can't leave you here." 

He huffed and stood up, grabbing my hand and pulling me up, turning us around so his body completely covered mine. "Go!" he yelled. "And call for help, now! Grace, go!" 

I glanced over his shoulder, spotting a shadowed figure before I gathered my dress and ran as fast as I could. I caught a glimpse at the gun Finn pulled out and the moment I reached the doors, I froze, hearing several gunshots. I was panting. I wanted to turn around. 

Why did I stop? Why the fuck did I stop? 

"Oh, my God," I mumbled to myself, turning around and closing the doors, locking them shut before running further out to the front and calling for several guards. 

Everything from there on was a blur. The guards running out and scanning the area, Ms. Bella trying to keep me inside. 

I had lost my slippers somewhere during my run and when I realized the yard was empty and safe, I ran past the guards and right to Finn, falling to my knees as I shook him. "Finn! Finn, wake up! Finn!" 

"Bella!" I heard my father's voice from inside. "Bring her back inside!" 

I started sobbing, bawling my eyes out on the spot as Finn's blood, which spread from a red blotch on his chest, coated my hands. 

"Grace," Ms. Bella sighed, grabbing me and pulling me up to my feet, taking me back inside while I cried. I cried and I kept crying. 

There was a knock on my door which shook me out of my thoughts of last night. I scooted further back, sitting against the headboard with my knees pulled in as I hugged them, clutching onto the covers. The door opened and Ms. Bella walked in with a tray full of breakfast that I was in no mood to eat. I felt nauseous simply looking at it. "Are you doing okay, your highness?" She walked over slowly, putting down the white marble tray full of food in front of me. 

I pushed it away. "I'm not hungry," I said quietly. 

"You should eat something. You haven't eaten since last night." 

"I said I'm not hungry." 

"Just have some fruit." 

"Ms. Bella." I looked at her, my eyes feeling heavy. They burned with each blink, raw from all the crying between last night and this morning. "I'm not hungry," I said slowly. 

She sighed and took the glass of orange juice, leaving it on my nightstand. "At least have some juice." She picked up the tray and set it on the two-seater that sits at the foot of my bed before sitting beside me. She put one hand on my knee over the covers. "Are you okay, honey?" 

I shook my head, staring at her, feeling my bottom lip and chin quiver. "He died right in front of me," I sniffled, lowering my head and covering my face behind my palms. "I should have helped him." 

"Sweetheart, he was doing his job." 

I only cried harder. His job. His job was to protect me, I'm aware of that. I just wish he didn't have to sacrifice his own life. 

"I know you had a bond with him, he's been your guard since you were eighteen." 

Finn was my guard for three years, and he felt just like a friend, like an older brother to me. Sometimes, he was more of a brother than Atlas ever was. But Atlas has responsibilities to take care of, he can't play with me anymore like he would when we were kids. He's first in line for the throne, he has duties. Finn's duty was to be by my side always. He did just that. Always. 

My door opened and my mother walked in with Atlas following. Even he looked solemn, but my parents didn't seem bothered in the slightest. Of course, they didn't. To them, staff was just staff, like slaves. No attachment, they'd fire or hire someone without any thought. Ms. Bella shot up to her feet, knowing well that she isn't allowed to sit on my bed. My mother sent her a look but Ms. Bella's been here since I was born, she's the only one who can't be fired. She knows this place better than my own mother. Ms. Bella quickly bowed her head, grabbing the tray, and left. 

"Get up," my mother sighed, fixing her bracelet. 

"Mom," Atlas sighed pleadingly. 

"What?" She blinked innocently. "She's a princess too, Atlas. She has duties, even if they aren't as important as necessary as yours. Grace, get up, come on. Get ready. We have a staff meeting and your new bodyguard is coming." 

"New bodyguard?" I asked. 

She stared at me with irritation. "Well, we can't leave you without one, can we? You're a royal. Get ready. You have half an hour." She turned around, strutting out. 

I felt a surge of anger rush through me. Atlas closed the door before sighing and turning to me with a look of pity on his face. I looked for a cushion and threw it right at his face. He caught it and dropped it back on the bed. I kicked the covers off, grabbing a bigger pillow, and standing on the bed, hitting him with it. "Why?" 

Hit. 

"Is." 

Hit. 

"She." 

Hit. 

"Like." 

Hit. 

"That?!" I yelled, throwing the pillow at the door before looking at his now-disheveled self. 

"Done?" He offered me a small smile while running a hand through his hair. 

I nodded, sitting on the bed, cross-legged. 

He picked up the pillow and dropped it in my lap, sitting beside me. "I know it scared you," he said softly. 

"It did," I mumbled. 

"I know you're upset." 

"I am." 

"You two were close." 

"We were," I sighed. 

"But you are a princess, no?" He turned to look at me. 

"Am I?" 

He nodded. "Come on." He patted my arm. "Pull yourself together. Even if it's only for a little bit. Chin up, don't let the crown fall." I scoffed at his words when he quoted our grandmother. 

Chin up, don't let the crown fall. 

He stood up, ruffled my hair a bit, and then left. 

I fell back, taking a deep breath and locking my emotions away for later. That's the way it works here. You have to wait to feel your emotions and until then, act like you don't have any. I got up and went into the bathroom, turning the shower on. I locked the door, stripped out of my clothes, and stood under the hot water, trying to think about anything other than last night's incident. 

New. Bodyguard. 

I groaned, grabbing my shampoo and lathering my hair. I hope he's at least half as nice as Finn was. I know I'll probably never get a guard like Finn again, and even if I do, it'll never be the same bond, but I can only pray the new guy is half as good. Just half. I rinsed everything off and wrapped myself in a towel before getting out and walking to my closet to pick a dress. I put lotion on, brushed my hair, and left it to dry on its own, which I bet my mother will hate, got dressed, and then headed downstairs. I reached downstairs and found Atlas standing in the foyer, near the entrance, watching. I stopped beside him. "Is he here yet?" 

He turned to me, nodding. 

"Where is he? How is he? Is he nice?" 

He took his hands out of his pockets, gesturing to the door. "Let's find out, shall we?" 

I rolled my eyes and walked out with him where the staff was standing in a line, my parents in front of them, and a brand new face standing at the end of the staff line. That's him. My new bodyguard. I folded my arms across my chest, Atlas and I watched from afar. "What's his name?" I asked Atlas quietly. 

On cue, as if he had heard me, he looked over. I blinked, holding his gaze. I noticed his attire immediately. He wore a black button-up, no tie, a black suit on top of that, black trousers, and black shoes. The standard bodyguard uniform. I could see the gun peeking through and I saw the strap on under his shirt that went around him, securing the gun to him. 

"Ronan Stone," Atlas answered. 

Ronan Stone. My new bodyguard.

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Chapter 1

I added an aesthetic picture of her room and the castle on the characters page, please check that out!! also, what do we think so far??

next chapter: welcome