The Guard

1

THE GUARD
• Serena's pov •

Tik tok, tik tok, tik tok, tik tok.

Coronation day begins.

Soon I will become the princess of Lockwood and the fate for my family will not be ruined. It was almost ruined after my scandalous being a runaway bride. Arabella, my sister who had an affair with the king soon after became Queen and my scandal dropped from the nation, until they released the news of myself becoming the princess.

Our family was ready, born even for this.

My mother and father's coronation begins soon and after today, we will be born into the royal family. All my life my family has struggled to make use of our name, to be something, and now, all because of Arabella, we were able to live out our dream.

I was the family's golden star, the first born, the light. I never wished to disappoint my parents, Arabella seemed to go her own way, not caring what people thought, and if she did, she hid it well.

Before my scandal with not marrying Sir Kinglsey, I was the most wanted lady, every eye seemed to scope out my presence and wished for my hand. Afterwards, I couldn't get a gentleman to look an inch my way. Not a single hello, good day, nothing.

The only man that will ever look at me is Bridger Cunningham. The only gentleman who has ever made me realize the definition of the world love. The only gentleman who has made me see kindness, patience, transformed me into a better person. Because of him, I grew up.

We haven't spoken since the day I told him I couldn't be with him. It was true. When he came to work for my family, I saw him nothing as a servant of mine. We had our bickering moments to achieve and we never not fought over something ridiculous, but we soon realized it was lust brewing between us. Our relationship turned. At night, I would follow him downstairs or to his cottage and share the most beautiful and wonderful moments I'm supposed to share with my future husband.

The lust grew much larger, I couldn't be near him hardly or I'd cave in front of everyone and show our affair we had sparked. Bridger began to become truthful with his feelings, one that I was not ready to admit, but we both felt it, but I was too afraid to unhide from the shadows.

We were hiding away in the dark from the world's eyes because I knew what people would speak of me. Horrible things, I know. I even went as far as thinking the king would behead me for such adultry, but he soon became my brother in law and my sister would behead him if something ever happened to me.

After I ran away from my soon to be husband, Sir Kingsley, Bridger followed me. I knew he would, he was always near everywhere I traveled. Before my wedding, before I ran away, he came to my room to beg for my hand in marriage but I wouldn't do. I simply disregarded him and broke him that day and I don't blame his hatred for me now.

After he ran for me, begged me once more, I cut whatever we had before off because I knew it had gone on for too long. I fell in love with my servant, whom I couldn't be with. The second he walked away from me, it was the end of the both of us; our love being put on pause.

Back to the present, we are no longer speaking, but I do feel him everywhere. Haunting the walls of the kingdom because he of course, works there for Jaxson. He watched me at Arabella and Jaxson's wedding, and he will continue watching me from afar until he can no longer.