"Neferure what have you done?" My mother asks me as she looks at Gabriel beside me.

I didn't know what to say but the truth and it came out of my mouth faster than my head could stop it. Mother didn't say anything at first but simply listened to everything I said with kind understanding eyes. Once I was finished she looked over to Gabriel and began to look him up and down.

"You saved his life, now he will stay by you as a guard? What makes you believe he will be so loyal?" Mother questions as she looks to me now.

"I owe you daughter my life your majesty, I would do anything for her and my loyalty would not be questioned." he says kneeling before her and bowing his head.

To say that my mother was surprised would be a tragic understatement. She nodded her head at me and I took that as a sign that she understood and accepted what I had done. Once he heard mother clearing her voice he rose his head up and stood back beside me.

"You do anything to harm my daughter and I will have you head on a spike." mother warns him as she turns and walks off.

"Well, that's my mother. It would also be wise to listen to what she says.'' I say as the door behinds us opens and my other cousin Ahset walks out with Tak the head healers son.

Tak and my cousin looked us over as if they had the nerve to judge us. Ahset decided to move a bit closer to Gabriel and he merely stared down at her. Resisting the urge to roll my eyes she decided to even try and touch him bu I quickly grabbed her arm.

"Don't touch what isn't yours. Perhaps that is a lesson auntie has refused to teach you." I tell her as I nudge her away from Gabriel.

"Dear cousin he is only a slave, there are many uses for them in the palace." she told me with a grin.

I can only thin of two uses that she has for them and neither of them do I want to say out loud. I look back to Tak who I used to be good friends with until my cousin matured faster than I. He looked away almost embarrassed as if he knew we walked in on them earlier. How could they not have noticed us walking in though, you'd have to be blind to do that.

"Where did you get the new slave?" Tak asks looking right to Gabriel as if to challenge him.

That took me back for a moment. Why in the world did Tak care where Gabriel came from? Was he just doing this to take the attention off of him and my cousin. That was the only explanation I could think of. Turning back to Gabriel I walk to stand right beside him.

"That's none of either of your concerns. You mind your business and I will mind mine." I told them using the same tone my mother used with me when I was in trouble.

''Oh I see, he's one of those slaves." Ahset says looking back to Gabriel and her eyes wondering all over him.

"That's not your business, I suggest you two go on your way before i inform uncle and the head healer of your actions in the bathing room." I say informing them as I stand my ground.

"You dare to threaten me?!" my cousins asks me outraged. "You have no idea what could become of you if you dare mess in my personal affairs."

Just then she took a step forward and to my big surprise Gabriel also stepped forward now putting me behind him as if to protect me. Looking up at him I could now easily see our height differences. He was strong and muscular while I was average but able to hold my own if I had to. Tak was shocked from what I could tell as I looked out from behind Gabriel.

"How dare you!" My cousin screams at Gabriel.

"She is mine to protect, that is my duty and I will stay true to it." Gabriel states keeping me behind him.

"You're just a guard. Ahset is a Princess." Tak says I suppose trying to defend my cousins honor, good luck with that.

"So is Neferure so I don't recommend that Royalty be fighting against one another but I will defend my princess with my life." Gabriel said as he then turned to me and took me by the hand leading me away from the very confused and concerned Ahset and Tak.

Unsure what to do I did follow him out to the fountains in the main courtyard. This was usually a place I went to when I just wanted to be alone and he found it so quickly. He must have been a soldier at one time, I just know it. Suddenly we come to a stop and he looks right into my eyes. Now I feel like I am the one in trouble.

"Forgive me if I spoke too harshly to your cousin but I could hold my tongue no longer." he surprises me when he is kneeling before me asking for my forgiveness.

"No please stand up." I tell him as I help lift him to his feet. "You did what you thought was right and I agree with you. Gabriel I thank you for defending me. You and I are going to get along just fine."

Trying to reassure him I smile and this seems to catch him off guard. I put my hand on his arm and he looks right down at my hand. Almost as if this action is unfamiliar to him. Gabriel then looks back to me and I can see his shoulders tension lesson as if he was trying to relax in my presence. That was something that made me feel a little bit better about our situation.

"You are very kind, I am honored to be serving you your highness." he tells me as our eyes meet again.

"Gabriel please, my name is Neferure and I prefer to be called as such. We will be together a lot of the time and I would hate for something as a title to prevent us from becoming good friends." I say trying to show him that I hated being called by my title. "Only my mother or uncle address me by my title when I am in trouble. Can we keep it that way?"

Gabriel nods seeming to understand my meaning behind not wanting to be called by my title.

"Come on, let's get you a bath somewhere else. I think that might help you feel better." I ask as we begin walking again.

"It would help a lot, Neferure." he says as we start towards the other bathing room.