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Shopping

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Chapter 6: Shopping (Ronan's POV)

The doors to the dining room opened again at the end of dinner. Dinner I still haven't eaten because I was working. This is torture, why do I continue to do this job? I stepped aside and everybody stepped out, King Elijah, Queen Judith, and Atlas walking out their guests. 

Grace, once again, lingered behind and chose not to follow the crowd. She turned to me while sighing, taking her bracelet, earrings, and heels off, holding them in her hand. 

Adrian stared in confusion and then quickly followed Atlas. 

She blinked at me, staying quiet for a minute. "I'm going to my room. You're free to call it a day." 

"I'm actually not," I replied. "They haven't conducted the final security check." 

"You haven't eaten." 

"I'll eat after the security check." 

She rolled her eyes and then shrugged. "Suit yourself." She began walking up to her room and I followed her. I've had my first day at work, my first day with her, and I still haven't been able to figure out what kind of person she truly is. Is she the person who was sassy and witty when I first got here, or is she the quiet, solemn kind of person she's been ever since she slept? I guess I'll have to wait and find out. She stopped at her door and spun around, realizing that she had to tell me something. "I'm going shopping tomorrow," she said. "I need to buy a dress for the announcement ball, we'll leave at noon. We'll have lunch outside. Understood?" 

I nodded once. "Announcement ball gown, we leave at noon, lunch outside, noted. Announcement ball for what exactly?" 

Her eyes narrowed a bit. "Wouldn't you like to know? Why? Does that affect my safety?" 

"Not quite. It just quenches my curiosity," I shrugged. 

"For my wedding, okay?" 

I stared at her, my hands pocketed. "Astella and Wildfell hate each other," I stated. 

"That's why we're getting married. It's called an alliance." She sighed in exhaustion. 

"Really? I had no idea," I said sarcastically. 

"Goodnight, Mr. Stone." 

I frowned at the nickname before she closed the door. I spun around, leaning against the wall while biting the inside of my cheek. 

Mr. Stone? What am I? Forty? 

I looked over when Atlas and Adrian came upstairs. Atlas said something to Adrian, probably dismissing him for the night since Adrian left right after that. He turned to me, glanced at his watch, and then started walking over. I understand that he's her brother, but from earlier, it really seems like he doesn't take her side. Ever. I almost feel bad for her about that too. It's as if she's constantly living in a one against three battle. "You're still here," he stated, nodding at me. 

"They haven't done the final security check yet." 

He rolled his eyes. "Nobody actually waits for those. You can go. I'm sure you haven't eaten yet either." 

"That doesn't matter." 

He chuckled dryly, "Wow." He glanced at the staircase. "You're one of those guards, aren't you? Who take their job very seriously. Stand upright all the time. Can't catch a break, huh?" 

My brows furrowed. "You should think of that as a good thing, shouldn't you? Considering your sister nearly died last night, she could probably use a guard like me." 

He smiled a little, patting my arm. "I like you. I trust you for Grace." I didn't react, just waited for him to stop talking and leave. "You're good at your job. Call it a day after the security check, all right?" 

I nodded once before he walked away, going into his room. I rolled my eyes, scoffing to myself. 

He's annoying. He's older than me too, just by two years. I believe Lucas is the same age as Atlas, twenty-five. But Grace is twenty-one, isn't she? Four years age gap? I wonder if she's comfortable with that. 

"Ronan!" I looked over, spotting Adrian. "The security check is done. Let's go!" 

I glanced at Grace's door before walking away, following him out. 

When I first got here this morning, they took me directly to the guard quarters so I could settle in and put my bags somewhere. That's where we went now. The rooms for the guards are in the same style a college dorm-room area would be. We have a few, small colleges across kingdoms, most of them are new, some are still being built. 

I sighed, reaching my room, and unlocked the door, walking in after waving Adrian bye. I shrugged off the suit, then the gun holster, taking the gun out and putting it in the nightstand drawer. I kicked my shoes off, changed into a pair of black sweatpants, threw my shirt off, and collapsed on the bed, forgetting about dinner. I was nearly asleep when someone knocked on my door. I opened my eyes and sat up, running a hand through my hair. I sighed, walking to the door and pulling it open. 

It was Ms. Bella. "Dinner," she grinned, holding out the plate for me.

"Oh, I'm... not that hungry anymore, actually. Thank you." I took it anyway, knowing it would be rude to decline. 

"Just leave the plate out here when you're done. I'll collect it early tomorrow morning, hmm?" 

I looked over my shoulder at the small, walk-in open kitchen. I had the basics in here. A fridge, a microwave, a stove, the basic pots and pans, and of course, a sink. "I'll wash them," I reassured. 

"Oh, thank you. Goodnight," she waved. 

"Night." I shut the door, locking it, and then sat on the bed, staring at the plate. It's been a long time since someone else cooked for me. I know this meal wasn't made specifically for me, but you get what I'm saying. I leaned back against the black velvet headboard and ate, thinking back to my mom's cooking. I finished eating, cleaned the dishes, brushed my teeth, and went straight to sleep. 

My alarm rang the next morning at six. I pulled on a black v-neck, shoes, brushed my teeth, and washed my face, and then went to the backyard where a few other guards were already awake and warming up to work out. 

Adrian came up behind me, his eyes still half-closed, he's barely awake. I put my water bottle down on the gazebo stairs and then started jogging, Adrian doing laps with me. "What do you think so far?" he asked, glancing at me. 

"About what?" 

"About the family, your job, the palace," he huffed out a breath. "Princess Grace." 

"It's a job, Adrian. It doesn't matter what I think of any of those things." 

"Bullshit," he laughed. "It matters what you think of Princess Grace. If you don't like her, you might not be able to protect her." 

"That's not true and you know it. I've protected many royals I hate." 

He shrugged, "Fair enough. But it matters because her life is in serious danger." 

I rolled my eyes, glancing at him. "I'll protect her like I've protected every other client, man. But answer me this." 

"What?" 

"Why so much emphasis on not getting personally involved? I understand telling me to protect her, her father must be worried." I let out a puff of air. "But why the personal involvement issue? I'm not stupid, of course, I wouldn't get involved with her. Did she fall in love with an ex-guard or something?" 

"What? No," he laughed. "Princess Grace has never... I don't think with anybody, let alone a guard. Finn was her guard for the past three years and he thought of her as a little sister. It's just..." He panted a little. "Because you're young." 

"I'm older than her." 

"Exactly. Older." He smirked at me. "Not old." 

I stopped running at the entrance to the palace when the doors opened, Adrian halting right beside me. We both caught our breath a little while staring at Grace. "Good morning, Princess Grace," Adrian smiled, bowing his head a little. 

"Morning," she smiled, holding a mug in her hands. She walked past us, greeting anyone she spotted while walking to the gazebo. I watched her from behind, looking at her clothes. She was wearing a pale peach satin nightgown with a matching silk robe. 

"She likes to go to the gazebo every morning." 

"At six-thirty?" I mumbled, staring at her until she was out of sight. 

He shrugged, both of us resuming our jog, building our way up to steady sprinting. "Finn used to say she has a tough time sleeping. She doesn't sleep until awfully late and she wakes up early too." 

"Why?" 

"Not sure." 

We ran past the gazebo and I glanced over at her. She was just sitting there, drinking her tea or coffee, whatever was in the cup. She fixed the flower decorations that were stuck to each pillar on the gazebo and even went around the roof. She watched the guards occasionally, picked at her nails, played with her hair, fidgeted with her gown and the robe string. When she finished the contents of her cup, she stood up, throwing her hair over her shoulders, running a hand through it before walking back inside. 

That's when Adrian and I stopped our sprint, sitting on the grass, panting and dying to catch our breath. "Do you just run?" he wheezed. 

"No," I replied, lying down and staring at the sky as the sun slowly rose. "I still have more to do." I drank some water, caught my breath, and then resumed working out. I spent about an hour working out, and when I was spent and lying on the grass, throwing an arm over my eyes. My chest heaved up and down as I caught my breath while some guards began heading back to their rooms to get ready for the day. 

I know that the family wakes up at eight, apparently not Grace though. I stood up, grabbing my bottle, ready to take a shower and freshen up. I was glancing around when my eyes went to a window. I narrowed my eyes, realizing that it was Grace who stood in the window. 

She was shuffling through her desk for something. That window is to her room. 

I frowned, looking over at the stone wall that the attacker had apparently run in from. I ran over, jumping, pulling myself up, and sitting on the wall, one leg on each side. I held on, looking towards her room. I scoffed, laughing dryly. I looked down at the other side of the wall where it was a narrow alleyway. Anybody who climbed onto this wall would have a direct view of her room. 

"Fucking hell," I sighed, hopping back off, dusting my pants and hands, grabbing my bottle. That is another security measure to change. This wall needs barbed wire, loads of it. All over the fucking wall.

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Chapter 6

He's so smart, she's so pretty, I want to be HER omg

next chapter: duty