The dragon prince was in the shower. While that happened, Sheryl had stepped out for a moment into the hallway.
She had never thought she'd already fit in well with the workers of the palace.
"Miss Sheryl, I've prepared the breakfast, would you like to taste it for confirmation."
Yes, Sheryl had gotten along with everyone, except this guy. The chef, Cole Jennings. He was way too arrogant for her, and so was he always sparkling around the palace.
But she had to put up with him. This was her job, afterall.
Sheryl gave a stiff nod, pushing her glasses up. "Okay." she said.
"You know, the dragon prince has food handmade by me every day. You should start trusting me." He placed a hand on his chest and held his chin high.
Last night after introducing herself to Denzel, she had few rules altered around the dragon prince. She declared that first and foremost of all, any food that the prince would consume would first go through her.
"I trust you." Sheryl said. "But not with the prince."
Cole huffed. "It should be the other way around. You are the newcomer."
"I was appointed by the Dragon King."
The chef visibly flinched at the name, pursing his lips. "I see, I see. We were all appointed by him as well." Sheryl's head whipped around to stare at Cole's face, as they continued to walk to the dining area. He pretended to ignore her piercing gaze, before sweating profusely. "What?!"
"I heard you were appointed by the dragon king's right hand man."
Cole choked. "That's the same thing."
"No." Sheryl went back to looking forward. "The king called for me personally."
Cole gasped. "What? Who are you?"
"A guard." She pushed her glasses up on her nose.
"I mean-"
"Welcome, Miss Reed and Mr Jennings." The maids at the entrance of the dining room greeted them.
"I don't need to be called as such." Sheryl firmly replies. "Call me Sheryl."
The maids broke into a soft grin while Cole rolled his eyes. She hadn't asked him to do so.
She bowed once to the maids. "And yourselves?"
"I'm Julie." One out of the two said.
"I--" The other gulped, blush creeping up to her face. "I'm Naomi."
"I shall call you so." Sheryl gave a small nod, before proceeding to the table. Cole put a little of the breakfast on a small plate and gave it to her.
"I'm the best cook around here. Lemme tell you, you can't find any other talented ones like me in the country." Cole jammed a thumb to his chest.
"It's salty." Sheryl glared at Cole.
His eyes widened. "Impossible."
"Do it again."
"Wait, really?" Cole's jaw dropped, immediately taking the plate from her hands and tasting some himself. When he inspected it thoroughly, he sighed in relief. "It isn't."
Sheryl turned away. "It's salty. Do it again."
The maids back there giggled to themselves, until Cole shot them a look and they quietened down.
"You can't tell me what to-"
Her glasses shone in the light as she shot one final look. "Do it."
And the rest was history. Just that, before the dragon prince arrived, another set of breakfast was ready while Cole sat next to a window with legs pulled close to his chest and stared out at the abyss.
"Maybe I'm getting old." He told himself.
Cole was 26.
And it had nothing to do with what happened earlier. He had slipped into an unexplained miserable state while sighing to himself.
The dragon prince ate half of whatever was given to him and fled to his university with Sheryl hanging behind him.
He hated it.
"Stop following me in the campus." He hissed.
"Young master, I was strictly ordered to stay by your side."
Denzel blinked twice before groaning. "Everyone is looking!"
Sheryl looked around the campus, unintentionally glaring and scaring each and every one of them. "They are not."
He wanted to hit his head to a metal door and make sure he never existed to begin with. "That is because you are too intimidating."
"Is that a bad thing?" She asked.
"Yes!" He took a deep breath to stop himself from exploding. "Why did you wear your suit to the university?"
"Because it's my uniform."
"I know! Don't give obvious answers." He turned away from her and started walking at godlike speed.
Funfact, dragons are faster than humans and if you are a purebred dragon then you're too good to be true.
Unfortunately for him, she could still keep up. And also, he was tired already. He was panting around and gasping for air after a minute of running.
"Young master, your physical capacity is weak." Sheryl stated. "We will start your training from tomorrow."
He threw his hands in the air. "I don't want no training from you! Just leave me alone!"
"I can't do that."
He was frustrated. He wanted her to leave, but she was stuck to him like glue since morning.
She was also the first person who he had to look at when he woke up. "This is harrassment." He mumbled to himself.
"I do not dare touch you, young master."
"I did not say sexual." Denzel continued dragging his feet and forcing himself to calm down.
Sheryl gasped. "I could never."
From the corner of his eyes, Denzel spotted his friends, but the moment they looked back at him, they leaped and ran away. Of course that would happen. They probably thought it was embarrassing.
He clicked his tongue.
"Okay fine." Denzel stopped walking, and turned to face Sheryl. "Since you refuse to leave, I want you to change out of this uniform into formal clothing when you're in the university with me."
"That isn't possible currently, young master."
"Then maybe tomorrow. And stop holding my bag for me. Give me that." He snatched the bag from her.
"I can't do what you're requesting." She shrugged. "This clothes-"
"How about you do as I say and I will show up for the training."
Sheryl paused for a solid second, as she looked straight at the dragon prince's face. "Not possible."
And just like that, Denzel wanted to punch a wall but he instead pulled on his hair violently. "Shut up!"
"As you wish, Young master."
The irony in her words were so heavy, it was enough to make passerbys shed tears at the frustration that dragon prince emitted.
And so, began the story of a young master and his female bodyguard who looked unphased by his beauty and also never really showed signs of obligation towards him.
The rest of the world? Well, they silently enjoyed witnessing the troublesome life of the high and mighty dragon prince who was, in fact, the weakest of them all.
Sheryl wanted to change that.
She wanted to watch him grow stronger day by day, because she had vowed her loyalty to him.