The Princess and the Bodyguard

Happy Birthday

            Nora sighed.

            Outside her home, hundreds of people cheered and clapped, confetti rained down from the upper buildings, music rang out over the streets and the roads were filled with people enjoying the celebration. It was the Princess’s tenth birthday and hundreds of people were enjoying the sights and sounds of the city. It didn’t matter that the Princess was never seen in public, or that no one even knew her face. They just all assumed she would be delighted that the public got to enjoy a party on her behalf.

            Being royalty was a huge letdown.

            Nora watched from the window of her bedroom, dressed in her sleep clothes, wishing she could leave her castle and explore the city. But the King feared for her to a fault and was desperate to keep her safe. Although the Faunus War had ended years ago, there was still great animosity to the Faunus, especially when it came to the new leadership of the White Fang. Nora’s father did not want her daughter being known and targeted for ransom or assassination.

            Unfortunately, that meant Nora was forced to stay indoors, hidden from public and to be taught how to be a proper ruler without actually seeing her future kingdom. And being stuck indoors was such a bore. Nora had never had any friends and everything she did was regulated and judged. She was future queen of the castle, she thought bitterly, and she had to keep up the pretense of an obedient little girl being groomed into a stoic Queen. She wished she could be out there with people, playing games, watching entertainers, eating food without worrying about manners or image.

            There was a knock on the door. Nora threw on her dressing gown and shouted, “Come in!”

            The door opened and the King walked in, accompanied by his bodyguard Shao Ren, dressed in his bodyguard uniform. The Ren family had been in the King’s service for decades and Shao was no exception. He had saved her father’s life more than once during the Faunus War and had always had a soft spot for Nora. Sometimes he would sneak candies from the city to her without the King noticing. He smiled at Nora as he entered, but he looked a little uneasy. The King, however, smiled broadly at his daughter.

            “Good morning, Nora!” he said, striding over and hugging Nora. “Happy tenth birthday! I hope you are enjoying the celebration!”

            “Oh yes, Father,” said Nora. “I certainly enjoy watching it all from my window.”

            Shao winced slightly, but the King only laughed.

            “Now now, Nora. We can’t have you running around out there. It’s crazy! All those people bustling around; definitely unsafe for a girl like you!”

            “Shao has been teaching me self-defense,” Nora reminded her father. “I am getting pretty good with Mother’s hammer.”

            Shao took a step forward.

            “If I may say so your majesty, she is very strong and a rather unorthodox fighter.” (Nora blushed a bit at this, remember how she sailed across the inner courtyard using her hammer) “Perhaps we can allow her to explore the city a bit. It is her tenth birthday after all.”

            The King waved a hand. “Maybe next year, if Nora’s studies go well. But enough of that for now, I want to give my girl her gift.”

            Shao grimaced slightly and waved to the doorway.

            “Come on in, Lie.”

            A boy a little older than Nora stepped into the room. Nora looked him over. He was definitely taller than her by about a head. She could see his dark eyes under his jet-black hair. He looked uncomfortable and was dressed similar to his father. The King clapped a hand on his shoulder.

            “Don’t be shy my boy! Introduce yourself.”

            The boy looked at Nora a bowed formally.

            “Princess Nora, I am happy to meet you. I am Lie Ren.”

            Nora stared at him, then looked at her father.

            “I don’t understand. Why is he…um, why am I meeting him?

            The King smiled broadly. “Lie Ren is your bodyguard! He is still in training, but I think it would be good practice to have him with you so you get…more acquainted!”

            Nora stared at him. “You got me a bodyguard for inside the castle?”

            “Well, we had to start sometime, didn’t we?” laughed the King.

            Nora colored with anger.

            “I do not need a bodyguard to walk around my own home!” she sputtered before she could stop herself.

            The King looked sternly down at her. “Nora, like I said he is in training and you are ten years old. The world is dangerous out there and you are not ready! In the meantime, be nice to Li, and continue your studies. Maybe next year we can talk about going into the city…under armed guard of course. The Faunus and others are always on the watch for weakness. Now enjoy the rest of your birthday, Nora.”

            The King strode out, followed by Lie and Shao. Shao closed the door behind him.

            Nora kicked her bedpost and threw herself into her chair. Her gaze flicked to her bed and noticed something sticking out of her bed covers. She walked over and pulled out an envelope. Inside was a small bag and a message: I’m sorry you are probably not enjoying your birthday to its fullest. Hope this makes up for some of it.

            The bag was stuffed with candy. Nora didn’t recognize the handwriting, but it could have only been from Shao. She curled up on her bed, eating her candy and listening to the world outside, thinking. Finally, as the last of the candy was consumed and the wrappers were swept under the bed, Nora had made a decision. Like it or not, her father was not going to make her spend another birthday inside her home.