“Well, you saved my life in return, so I guess we’re even.”
She scoffed. “You were stabbed fighting off those thugs because of me. Bringing you to the hospital afterwards doesn’t count.”
I huffed and threw my arms out. “So what?”
She laughed sharply, almost sounding offended. “So what? I don’t care about a stupid embarrassing incident that wasn’t your fault. That fool is a slave trader, and he believes that he belongs on the throne. All he would do is encourage the UPF to make more Red slaves for him.” She huffed, frustrated. “I hate what he did to you, and I can’t believe dad gave in to him. Someone needs to put the Duke in his place.”
I smiled wryly. “I can probably help with that.”
She sighed, and her voice became more questioning. “Does this have to do with my mom’s ‘secret’ meetings with you?” She noticed my surprised look. “I may not be the Queen and may only be the third oldest daughter, but I have my connections.”
Cunning, I’m impressed, but do I trust her? “Yes.” Guess I do.
A light lit behind her eyes in curiosity, and she spoke intently, “Tell me more.”
I scoffed. “And face the wrath of your mom?”
She responded softly, “Ivan, I’m on your side. I can keep a secret.”
Do I have a choice? “Fine.” I explained the tasks the Queen had given to me and the information I had discovered on the Duke that night.
She nodded occasionally throughout the story and then pursed her lips, pondering. Eventually a mile came over her face before she crossed her arms and looked at me, her eyes analytical. “Mom must see something in you. She has very few servants she trusts to run on her missions apart from dad’s knowledge.”
I shrugged dismissively. “Eh. She seems skeptical.”
“She is that way with most people, and everyone is a little wary of the Red in the palace...” She rocked her head to the side, thinking. “My mom has to deal with all the official business and the interests of the royal family. Behind the scenes she is always scheming for whatever she thinks is best, which can be problematic.”
I huffed. “Seems like a lot of drama.”
She lowered her head, breaking the princess guise for a moment before recovering. “Too much sometimes. I do everything I can to break from my royal bubble and into the real world. It’s difficult with everyone’s judging eyes watching me.”
“Sorry.”
She shook her head. “For what?”
“I don’t know, for having to deal with this crap.”
Julia half-scoffed half-laughed and smiled, dropping her guard again and fidgeting with her family ring in her lap. She looked down hesitantly before returning her gaze to me. “You’re a Red Tag and you’re apologizing for what I have to deal with?”
I smiled before returning to a more serious tone, looking at my feet and then back at her. “One of the few lessons I’ve learned is that everyone has their struggles and comparing mine to theirs, or yours in this case, isn’t productive.”
She giggled. “I thought you were supposed to be some backwater rebel kid, not Aristotle.” Who?
“It doesn’t take a genius to take a step back and see the positives and negatives of every situation. Little girls dream every day of being in your shoes. That doesn’t mean you haven’t dreamt of a life outside of the spotlight.” I reached my arm out at the last bit as if calling to the outside world.
She looked down and then back up at me, biting her lip and fiddling with her hands. I was surprised by the sudden surge of emotion through her face. “Thank you, Ivan. I appreciate that. I’m grateful for my position in life, but yes, sometimes it is awful to have my every move be watched.” She breathed in and out heavily, trying to calm herself.
What am I supposed to do here? I reached out and touched her arm for support.
She looked up at me and our eyes met for a moment before she stood quickly and responded sharply, “I need to get back to the party before people start asking questions.”
I stood, slowly and cautiously, before bowing. “Of course, m’lady.”
She responded forcefully, “Stop. Just call me Julia.”
I smiled. “Okay, Julia.”
She turned and opened the door.
“And Julia.” She looked over her shoulder. “Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate it.”
She gave a slight smile, looked down hesitantly, and continued into the hallway.
I collapsed back into my bed in exhaustion. What am I doing here?
Chapter 17
I woke up like normal and began changing into work clothes. There was a knock at my door as I was finishing up. “Come in.”
Michael appeared at the door, though he did not step into the room. He looked more agitated than normal by my presence, if that was possible. “Your presence is requested.”
How is this guy so proper in the morning? “Should I change?”
He narrowed his eyes. “No. Come with me.”
Crap. I knew what was coming, and it wouldn’t be pretty. There was no way I could remain with the theater crew after last night. I had been a joke before. Now I would be a hindrance to the theater’s success. The King would not be pleased with last night’s disruption, and he was unaware of the information I was able to gather for the Queen.
Following Michael sheepishly through the halls, I wondered if this would be my last day in the palace. “What have you heard about last night?”
He continued ahead undeterred. “It is safe to assume, Ivan, that everyone has heard about what happened.” Great.
We arrived at the small parlor, and Michael opened the door. “I will be waiting outside to escort you afterwards.” Another bad sign.
I took a deep breath and entered the parlor, which felt small and suffocating compared to the hominess of my previous visit. The King was seated on one of the couches near the fireplace, his wife beside him. He did not look happy, or well rested, and his eyes sent a chill down my spine. “Sit.”
I am so screwed. I took a seat in the chair he gestured to, trying to avoid shaking in the process. Last night I was rattled. This morning I was nervous, more nervous than perhaps any other time in my life.
The King sat, legs crossed, hands folded, his thumbs circling around each other in thought. The Queen seemed more relaxed, though that was relative compared to her normally stern demeanor. I was glad she was there, perhaps she could divert some of her husband’s upcoming verbal attacks.
“You know why you are here,” he began. I nodded. “The events of last evening were a complete and utter embarrassment to the royal family. You have been here but two weeks and already you have helped create controversy around my rule. I hope you understand how humiliating that was.”
I nodded and responded shakily, “Yes, your highness.”
He raised his voice, and I slumped back into my chair. “Did I ask you to speak?” I lowered my head. He coughed and continued. “There is no way for you to continue as a member of the theater team. Archibald did vouch for you, but he also admitted that your presence would be a distraction in the future.” He sighed. “Honestly, I do not know what to do with you, Ivan.”
I hung my head even lower. He’s going to send me back to the Enclave.
“I’m not sure I have much of a choice but to expel you from our service.” It’s over already? My heart sunk, and I closed my eyes, trying to hold back any physical signs of emotion.
The Queen stepped in. “Wait a moment, Timothy. Don’t you think you’re being a bit harsh on the boy? The Duke was the one who made a scene.”
The King looked aggravated and almost winced at the interjection, though he softened his voice for her. “Yes, and he will be dealt with in the proper time, but Ivan is my servant, and I must handle him.”
“What if I told you that at my request he was gathering crucial information that could help us bring down Richard, and that is why he was in such close proximity to the Duke?” Thank you.
The King
looked even more annoyed and took a deep breath, the softness towards her was gone. “Why do you do these things without my knowledge? What are you trying to accomplish?”
She looked at me, ignoring his questions. “Tell us, Ivan, what did you learn?”
I did not appreciate the anger of the King being deflected back upon me, but I complied and described the conversations I heard that implicated Richard as well as the McGill and Ling families, albeit with some limited content on the latter. “… and I likely would have learned more if he had not discovered my tag.”
The King sat back, pondering and running his hand through his bright hair. Eventually he leaned forward. “Well then. At least we have identified two of Bilgram’s allies and probably have enough to blackmail them out of their agreements, but there must be far more. He is too smart to interact with his strongest allies at a public gathering.” He sighed, frustrated. “Very well. Ivan, despite the embarrassment, you did decently well retrieving this information, even if my wife failed to inform me of her scheme,” he growled. “The question still remains, though, what I should do with you.” He fidgeted, seeming uncomfortable.
The Queen spoke charismatically, “We have discussed this, Timothy.”
He sighed and thought for a moment before he spoke, gesturing with his hands, soft but firm, “Alexandria told me how you helped her get her friend released, saving our family from another embarrassment. It seems that my wife and two of my daughters have decided you are worthy of their trust. I am still skeptical of your past, but you have proven yourself to be of use. I do not like it, but I will grant my wife’s request.” He paused, as if considering whether he would regret his next statement. Man, he looks like someone stabbed him in the gut.
He sighed and continued slowly, obviously not ecstatic. “You are to be a bodyguard for Julia. Additionally, you will execute any requests she has of you to advance the interests of our family. As you’re aware, there are many threats to us, so we need trustable people in key positions. We will allow you to carry limited weaponry, as well. Despite my discomfort with that, my wife feels it is needed for you to execute your assigned duties. Do you understand?”
Wait what? I sat there with my jaw dropped, probably looking like an idiot, too stunned to respond. In a quick exchange I went from fired to becoming Julia’s bodyguard because of the Queen.
He grimaced and continued. “This is probably a lot to take in, but it has become… apparent… to me that you have the trust of much of my family and that you can be of use away from providing service for guests.”
I shook my head in shock. “I… I… Thank you, your highness. I don’t know what to say.”
He groaned, almost sounding like he was already regretting the decision. “Tell me that you will protect my daughter with your life and won’t make me regret this.”
I dropped from the chair to a knee and bowed my head. “I will serve with everything I have your highness. I am honored by your mercy for my mistake.”
He nodded. “Now go. Act on those words before I think twice about this. Michael will direct you from here.”
I stood and bowed. “Your highnesses.”
Michael was waiting for me in the hall. I looked at him. “Did you know?”
He kept a straight face. “There is a reason the Queen trusts me, Ivan. But, no, I did not know what the King would decide. I only knew what the Queen would make him do in the long run.”
I nodded, acknowledging his statement and laughing a little.
He looked around to make sure no one was in ear shot before whispering, “For the record, I wish you had punched Duke Bilgram in the face, but you didn’t hear that from me.”
I smiled. “Me too, though I would probably have been hung if I did.”
His eyes narrowed. “Indeed. Follow me, I will give you a brief introduction to your duties.” He showed me the halls around the royal family’s rooms in the restricted upstairs portion of the palace, pointing out where the guards and personal bodyguards were to be posted. “Your position is unique, as you will be the only official bodyguard assigned to Princess Julia. Though she will often be around other royal guardsmen, you are the one who will be travelling with her to ensure her safety. It may be difficult for you, as I’m sure you are aware that people won’t appreciate being told what to do by a Red. Just… do not agitate the other guardsmen. You have a way of being too casual, and they are not happy that she was away from them and almost killed. They take the job seriously, which is good, but that means they may see you as a threat. Just a warning for you.”
“Thank you, Michael. This all helps a lot.”
“One last piece of advice. Don’t let people know how close you’ve become with some in the family. For their sake and yours, that kind of publicity is dangerous with rival families and the UPF looming.”
“Noted. You sure you don’t want the job? You seem like an expert more than just a butler.”
He clicked his tongue condescendingly. “Like yourself, appearances can be deceiving. I may have been wrong about you, but time will tell. Now, I must return to my duties. Good luck with your new position, Ivan. You should see Princess Julia along the lake front for instructions from here.”
“See you later, sir.”
He smiled slightly, the first time I’d seen him do so. “Glad to see you remembered some formalities.” He left, walking with a purpose down the stone hallway back towards the Great Hall.
Chapter 18
I found Julia sitting on the edge of the pier, her feet in the crisp cool water, gazing across the lake. Her bright blond hair shone in the sunlight against the water. This was the most casual I had seen her, wearing rolled up jeans and an ice-blue knit sweater. For just a moment, she looked like a regular girl before I remembered she was a princess. Her two Blue handmaidens stood at the start of the dock. They looked surprised to see me when I walked past but did not interject.
The boards creaked under my feet as I approached. She heard but didn’t look up. “Dad got rid of him, didn’t he?”
She thinks I’m Michael. I imitated his snobby voice. “Indeed, m’dam. They threw him into the dungeon to rot.”
She turned around quickly, obviously shocked to hear my voice instead of the butler’s. A big smile came over her face, and she ran towards me, giving me a hug. I stood there, stunned, for a second before returning it. It isn’t often you get a hug from an attractive princess. After a moment she let go and stepped back quickly, self-consciously scanning the shoreline to see if anyone was near.
She nervously brushed her hands against her pants, her face a mix of relief and surprise. “After our family meeting last night, dad didn’t seem very keen on keeping you, even though Alex, mom, and I tried to convince him.”
“Well, you’re not going to get rid of me that easily.”
Her face kept flipping between analysis and shock, her eyebrows struggling to keep up with her mental confusion. “What? How? Tell me everything.”
“The combination of the support from you three plus my information on the Duke convinced your dad that I was ‘useful.’” I made air quotes around the last word. “He agreed with the Queen’s request.”
Now her eyebrows were just scrunched in confusion. “What request?”
I cocked my head to the side. “You didn’t know?”
She was suspicious. “Know what?”
Wow, I’m actually in-the-know for once. “She wants me to serve as your bodyguard.”
Her reaction was a mix of rage and surprise, and I could see the gears turning rapidly in her head as she paced around the dock trying to calm herself down. The river of her voice turned into a broken dam. If she didn’t know… “Why wouldn’t she tell me this? She thinks I need a bodyguard? What are people going to think? Ugh! Why does she hide things from me?”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Oh. Uh, sorry to disappoint.”
Stressed, she ran her hands through her hair. “No. I’m not mad at you. Just, my mom is trying to keep an eye on
me and I wasn’t prepared for this.” A princess losing her cool is surprisingly adorable.
I shrugged. “You did just get attacked.”
“Yes, but… I’m sorry. I’m actually happy about this, but I just wish I knew ahead of time. Now it just looks like a scheme from my mom to get information about me.”
“Well, I won’t tell her.”
She lowered her head and then looked at me, inquisitive. “I may be a princess, Ivan, but my mom has way more influence than me. It will be hard for me to protect you, if you don’t go with her unspoken plans. Not to mention the other royals.”
“My job is to protect you, now. Let me worry about my own safety. I’ve been doing it for the last twenty-one years. Besides, I think you have more influence than you know.”
She was caught off guard and crossed her arms. “How so?”
“You may not hear what the average people say, but I do. We’ve heard your quiet calls for reforms.”
She quieted her voice, as if someone could hear her. “I try not to be too loud about politics.”
“I know, and that’s smart. But heard what you have said, and that has earned you a lot of respect among the Yellows, Oranges, and Reds.”
She looked along the shoreline again and bit her cheek nervily. “I… I’m honored to be respected but influence among the royals is a whole different thing.”
“Is it?”
She shook her head sharply. “What?”
“Is it? The monarchy has been extremely isolated since the civil war, but that doesn’t mean you have to be. You were breaking through the divide between the royals and everyone else by being out there the night you were attacked. Now, just do it in the light more often. The media, state-run and underground, would fight for an interview with you. You’re a princess, you can make your own influence.”
She looked confused but also somewhat impressed. Shaking her head dismissively, she lowered her arm sharply. “That’s a conversation for later…” She looked around, checking that the handmaidens were out of earshot and whispered, “…and in private.” She took a deep breath, calming down, but her eyes flickered back and forth as she pursed her lips and tried to think things through. “For now, just be aware of the caveats that come with anything that has to do with my mom. My dad may be the King, but she is a puppet master behind the scenes. I love her, but I pick my inner circle carefully to prevent control by her or anyone else.”
The Fractured Prism (The Prism Files Book 1) Page 7
