"Are you ready, my lady?" A young girl with pale blue eyes and auburn hair in a tight bun, asked.
She gazed at her visage in the mirror. Assuring herself that she was presentable enough to the meet King, she nodded.
The maid bowed, "After you, my lady."
She stood up and walked out of her room, now excessively cautious of her steps.
Their destination was the throne room, where she would meet and be assigned her personal knight.
The guards and servants bowed as she passed, still marvelling at her beauty. Most of them had only seen her twice: at the royal initiation ball and at the grand feast the king had thrown in her honor.
Up until her ball, the princess had been isolated in her quarters with a single servant, who had become her friend over the years.
The Royal Initiation ball was a grand one every child who isn't born of the Queen must be thrown to officially welcome them into the royal family.
Of course, she's always been part of the royal family. But because she is not the Queen's child, she has to wait till she's of age, then she'll be shown to the world as the last princess of Alatrin.
She's never allowed to leave her quarters to roam around the castle unless the King invites her out,which he seldom does .Or unless there was a sort of feast among the royals. And that is, her, the King and Queen, the crowned prince and princesses.
Her life was a monotonous routine of eating, sleeping, and waiting for her tutors. They taught her everything a proper princess should know: etiquette, history, music, dance, and more. But she occasionally felt restless and unfulfilled, longing for something more in her life and she believes that one day, she'll find it.
She and her maid, Gina, approached the towering doors of the throne room, adorned with gold-plated frames and ornate carvings. The guards stationed outside the doors straightened their backs and lowered their heads in deference as she reached them.
"Princess Cerys Leila Vonn-Heist, has arrived" One of the hefty looking guards announced and almost immediately,the doors swung open, revealing the imposing throne room, its high ceilings and marble floors reflecting the light from the chandeliers overhead.
Now,she felt a mixture of excitement and apprehension. Taking a deep breath, Cerys walked in, her newly assigned maid staying behind.
Her gaze swept over the room, taking in the resplendent décor and the attentive courtiers lined up along the walls.
There the King sat, on his grand throne adorned with beautiful stones, while the Queen's throne beside his was unoccupied.
A step down the dais, five other thrones stood empty, smaller in size but equally beautiful.
King Thor, the powerful ruler of the great Kingdom of Alatrin, who had fearlessly conquered countries and ruled half of the Gamel Empire.
His personal Knight stood straight beside him, on his right while his personal butler stood far by his left.
Two men were on there knees before him, their heads bowed deeply as their robes graced the marble floors.
"Greetings, Your Majesty," Cerys curtsied, her voice clear and polite.
Direct eye contact with the king was considered rude and disrespectful so she kept her head low.
"Bless you, child," King Thor said, his eyes resting on her. ". I believe you know the reason you are here." He paused before continuing
"This is Rei Druss, second son of the distinguished Druss family. He'll be your personal guardian."
One of the kneeling men rose and turned to face her.
She couldn't help but stare up at him. He was so tall, easily a head and a half taller than she was. For a moment, she thought he was glaring at her. His obsidian eyes were cold and glazed over with a strange energy she couldn't quite read.
His face was partially concealed by a black bandana, leaving only his eyes visible.
Platinum hair, as straight as an arrow, framed his face and nearly obscured his vision. It was hard to tell whether he was gazing at her or not. His eyes were as black as pitch, and seemed to be devoid of emotion.
Was he sizing her up, like a prospective piece of property? Or was he simply unimpressed? It was difficult to tell what he was thinking, but one thing was clear: he was not pleased to be here.
She had to look away,her face suddenly heating up.
As he stood before her, he knelt down on one knee, his head bowed low, his sword held up towards her.
"My princess," he said, his voice low and deep. "I, Rei Druss, take this oath: I shall guard you and fight for your safety with all that I have. Anyone who attempts to harm you shall feel the sharp blade of my sword.I swear upon my life that you will come to no harm while I am at your side. If I fail in this duty, I will pay with my life. This is my oath to you, my princess."
He didn't raise his head, neither did he lower his unsheathed sword.
Cerys' heart pounded in her chest. She was not sure whether to be afraid or impressed by this lad's fierce oath.
She gazed down at him, she finally finding her voice. "Rise," she said firmly.
He obeyed, but she could not help but feel small in his presence.
King Thor spoke, his voice tight with impatience. "If anything happens to her, you will answer to me. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Rei replied, bowing deeply.
"Very well. You are dismissed."He said dismissively.
The two bowed and made their way out of the throne room.
King Thor's eyes narrowed as he watched them leave . That Rei.
⭐⭐⭐
As they left the throne room, Cerys' maidservant, Gina, fell into step behind them.
Cerys felt a rush of excitement and pride as they walked the familiar hallways towards her chambers. She was no longer just a girl; she was now a princess, and she had her own personal guard. It was everything she had wished for, and more.
In the days before her initiation, she would often stand at the window of her chambers, gazing out at the bustling courtyard below.
She watched as her step-sisters and their personal guards went about their business, the guards always at the ready, alert and focused on their duties. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. They were like proper princesses, with their entourages and their guards, while she was merely the daughter of a concubine, trapped in her chambers, waiting for the day when she could finally step out into the world.
And, that day came joyously. Now, she felt like a real princess.
.