"Seriously, why is my language teacher such a jerk face? 'One must never use contractions.' Who don't use them?" Princess Harmony had been relatively well behaved. She attended all her lessons on time and went where she was supposed to be. I hadn't been able to detect any attempts at her escaping.
"Princess, we may be in your drawing room, but you really shouldn't speak so ill of others." Her general attitude left much to be desired. The king may have bribed her, but it was still a struggle for her to control her sharp tongue.
"Its not like it matters, no one cares what I say anyways. Your also a major jerk-" I had been standing away from the small round sitting table. Just far enough to be out of her personal space, yet close enough to whack her one when she mouthed off. My ashen armor rattled a bit with the movement.
"Why are you so quick to hit me? I am a beautiful vibrant resplendent lady. A princess." She had started to sulk and look angry. Why was she surprised that someone else didn't like being insulted? I held back making any more cracks about her true nature, otherwise I'm sure I'm going to have to wallop her a few more times.
"Ah, my hairs a mess now thanks to you, brush it." She leaned back in her chair looking up at me. It was easy to see her soft cheekbones, sharp nose and elegant eyes with her hair splayed back.
"I will get a maid for you." I moved to step away to call the servant from the hallway, she attempted to grope me, reaching for my hands to stop me.
"No, it must be you. You're the only one who can truly handle these luscious locks. Besides it's your fault since my hair was ruined in the first place." Who did she think I was? I was an escort, not a woman servant. When she sat up, I took the moment to grab her jeweled brush from her chest of drawers.
"My lady, I could never brush your hair, I'm a mere arms man. This task is beyond me."
Truthfully, I was more than capable of such as task, but I didn't like giving into this rotten brat.
"You did it so well the last time." She attempted to look at me with soft puppy dog eyes. I have no sympathy, nor am I susceptible to such action.
"That was because you were injured and reminded me of an old dog I use to know." It also did not hurt that most of her hair had been burnt from an alchemy 'project' she had been working on.
"My soul is injured. Don't be so difficult. Its an order, on my royal authority!" I rapped her on the noggin with the brush, causing a few tears to well up.
"Don't use royal authority for something so petty." I sighed clarifying.
"Your father orders me, not you. He was very clear to included, not to listen to you or indulge you but to be harsh and strict so you can grow up into a respectable lady." Felt bad for her, guiltily enough to brush her hair. I didn't.
"Why though, why can't I just be me." There wasn't a response to that. My own looks, and other facts about my physical nature, told everyone that I should act like a cute naive woman. I had traveled and fought all over the content, I was better suited to be a cold untouchable woman, instead I was short and got mistaken for a little girl with bubblegum hair.
Princess Harmony was still sixteen and had not been surviving for themselves by the time they were nine. Her parents were also some of the kindest people I knew. Mine had simply sold me to a minor noble when I was young. It irked me a lot that she chose to act so childishly when a girl had so much.
"It matters not, our outing is tomorrow, so rest early my lady." She was quiet which was a small blessing. Frankly I could use the rest. As one of the country's premier knights, I had to lead the escort team to meet with the princess finance's delegation. It had been two days there and back, on horse back with hardly any sleep. Then returning I had to stand watch for the princess, getting an extra hour of sleep was just what I needed.
"Fine, let the others know that I will retire and to come help me get ready." No one person could watch and take care of another twenty-four seven. I rotated shifts and a day off with several other knights in charge of royal security.
With her retiring I informed the guards on duty to be mindful until the night escort arrived. I had walked out with her hairbrush still in hand. Since I had already assigned tasks as needed there was no one left to hand it off to. I would return it latter.
At the time I was grateful to get an extra seventy-three minuets of sleep. No idea of the horrors that awaited me the next day, nor how little rest I would be able to get from that day on.
I had large knight quarters of my own on palace grounds. It was a step up from the tents and the hole in the wall trash heaps that I often had to stay in. Shedding my amour took some time to unlatch and remove the various straps that kept it in place. Even more amazing was the fact that I had running water, hot water at that. Cleansing was a simple matter, with a basin of hot water, some castile soap and soft rag. When finished I tossed a one-piece night gown and crashed into bed.
Night watch was responsible for making sure to rouse all those who need to wake up in the mornings, and I didn't even remember falling asleep. After a hard raping on the door, I dragged myself up. Working my body through some light physical maintenance routines, a quick washdown and dressing, and finally a redonning of amour and she was ready to face the day. The extra sleep left me feeling like I was a human being again. What a terrible day it was.
Our outing had gone as planed initially until the princess "accidently" knocked over some items that should never ever mix. The entire alchemy shop we had been browsing at was covered in smoke and fog, small explosions began, and the entire building caught fire. Physically throwing the princess from the shop, I made sure she was clear before evacuating the others. I should have been happy it had been a whole year and a half before she made something catch fire.
As soon as I could detect that everyone was out of the building, I shifted my focus. Had lady Harmony been a normal princess she would have found the nearest watchmen and stayed put. Instead, she was in the wind, at lest my instincts told me she did this on purpose. With the magic in the air being scattered and frazzled, there was no way for me to simply follow mana wisp.
"Start another search for the fourth princess." I told one of the guard squad leaders I knew, who had arrived at the scene.
"Already again?' He mumbled in surprise since it had been just under a week since her last.
"I'm going to find her, but it will take time to use tracking magics, so hopefully can get eyes on her as soon as possible." We hashed out a few details, and then I left to find a quiet place.
Tracking magics required little capacitance, the rate at which magic could be gathered and discharged, to use. The main aspect for the tracking spell. was total amount of power, and I had a rare ability to generate mana and magic power. My spell to find the princess was slow, requiring more magic as the square of the distance increased. Since I made mana myself efficiency was a pointless concern, so I dumped everything I had into it without care.
Barred from most magic oriented careers, including ritualist, grand mage, spell slinger, due to the high capacitance demands and projection ability outside the body. My ability to push magic out of my body was completely abysmal.
I found her. I sprinted.
"Princess, it's a surprise to see you sitting down milady." The princess in question had taken refuge on a bench in a park by a fountain.
"The crowed had panicked and I got shoved aside. Once I realized it I was lost, and then got more lost trying to get not lost." I was glad she was safe, but I hoped she could come up with a better excuse for her father and mother.
"You will always chase me won't you, Xavier?" She had asked the question softly, almost uncharacteristic of her normal sassy self.
"As long as it is asked of me." I wondered where she was going with this.
"That makes me feel safe somehow, I wonder why?" It was clear to me that she had asked that of herself and not me. I simply took her hand, pulling her off the bench before pushing her in the direction of castle.
It had become a madhouse when we got back. Many things required my attention and sitting on the princess was one of them. We recounted the story of what had happened, I spoke purely to the truth, no embellishment or concealment. It was expected that not only did they not believe it to be accidental, but that she had planned the whole thing in advance.
It took along time for the lectures to stop, I had no choice but to stand there and wait behind her as her parents tore into the girl. She glanced at me for help but there was nothing I could do but stand and look like I was guarding her.
After a very long day of guarding and escorting and standing there while the princess got yelled at, I could finally return to my large knight quarters to rest. Same routine, de armor myself, self-cleansing simple night clothes. I could feel the warmth seeping in and knew I was asleep shortly after. I'm unsure how long, but I knew it was still way to early, frantic pounding awoke me. One of the royal palace's night watches had delivered a message and left post haste.
I shed my night clothes, redressed, armored, and belted on my entire arsenal of weapons.
Someone had kidnapped the princess Harmony.