Persistence

Chapter 1

~| Beckett |~

I'm about to quit my job. Askja has been kissing this guy for the past twenty minutes. His tongue is down her throat and I'm forced to watch. I shift my feet and look at the sky. It makes this torture a little more bearable. Askja let out a whimper and I took that as the last straw.

"The Princess needs to do her reading." I wedge myself between the two horny teens and steer Askja to the castle, narrowly missing a Fire Frog. Motherfucker.

"What the hell?" Askja hissed as she tried to get out of my grip. "I don't have any reading to do."

"I don't care. I'm not watching you guys shove each other's tongues down your throats. It's not in my job description."

"Oh boo hoo. You're just sad because you don't have a girl hanging off your arm." Askja snapped. "Too bad you swore a few oaths, otherwise I would have sent you to a brothel to work off that tension." Her smirk was evil. The Fire Princess was testing me.

I let go of her arm and blocked the guy from her view. "Listen to me, princess, I don't care who you kiss or fuck. Just don't do it in front of me."

Askja scoffs and turns around, stalking back to the castle. I groan and hurry after her. "You can't ignore me," I said dully. "It makes my job too boring."

"Yes I can!" Askja yelled and disappeared in a column of flames and I curse to myself. Fucking Fire Princess.

I walk into the court and Cadmus spots me. "Did your little Fire Toad run off again?" He snickered as he fell in step with me.

"Let's not talk about it," I grumble as I make it my mission to find the stubborn princess. Cadmus lets out a rumbling laugh. "You better find her or the king'll have your head."

I rolled my eyes. "No, really?" I hissed quietly as I barged into Askja's bedchambers. I blinked when I saw the scene, closed the doors, and then my eyes. I did not sign up to watch Askja get fucked.

"Cadmus?" I muttered.

"Mhmm?" Cadmus responded, picking at a moldy spot on the dull red wall.

"Do we have any bleach?"

"No.. we ran out when I accidentally caught the king and queen in the sheets." Cadmus hummed

I snickered and opened my eyes to meet Cadmus's. He looked traumatized as well.

"That's great, man. We're in the same boat now."

"Sure seems it." Cadmus sighed.

"Beckett!" Another voice boomed from the corridor.

I turned and saw the General of the Guards. He was a beast of a fae with his broad shoulders and toned figure. He oversaw the training for who would be the guard for Princess Askja. What a tough motherfucker.

 I winced internally and called back, "Yes, sir?"

"Your Highnesses wish to see you in the throne room. Something about...the princess you're supposed to be guarding?" A wicked glint flashed in the General's eye. His significant other was lost to my species, an Atlanian. I was raised in the Nature Realm as a regular fae. King Fir and Queen Keera had regularly reminded me not to show the four fangs I possessed. If I did...

Well let's just say there was a hefty reward for my head. And even more for my fangs.

I matched the General's glint with a sly smile. "Yes, General."

"Good now haul ass there. Then pack your bags."

I froze and turned to study the General. "Sir?" I blinked, utterly confused.

The General turned to face me, having already turned around to go back to his office. "Did I stutter?"

"No, Sir. But, will the King and Queen tell me...?"

"Of course, they're going to tell you. I swear to The High One-"

"Yes, sir. Thank you." I dipped my head and the General barked to Cadmus to follow him, their voices echoing along the hot stone of the castle. The castle was built of lava rock that never cooled, making the palace blistering hot.

When I first got my assignment, Captain Aeon warned me that only the Royal family was able to touch the rock skin to skin without melting to the castle itself. I saw evidence of that in the Grand Hall, the hallway that led to the Throne Room. Lots of fae, merchants, and other creatures melted into the wall. The closer I got to the Throne Room, the more creatures were clustered in the walls.

I nodded to the guards standing at the door and they opened the Fire Oak doors. I walked along the lava-red carpet, the King and Queen looking as regal as ever on their thrones. I had massive respect for the King and Queen but-

"See father?! He left me!" Askja wailed pitifully and a smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

"Your majesties," I knelt to one knee and took off my helmet, letting the front strands of my hair fall into my face when I stood up. "You called?"

"Yes, Askja said that you abandoned her?" The King said in a bored tone, almost like he was over having this conversation. I don't blame him. We've had many versions of this convo over the years.

"No, Your Highness. She had a boy's tongue down her throat and I wished not to be present so I told her it was time for her reading."

King Drakon sighed and then nodded. "Askja, my dear, stop disappearing into flames. It makes Beckett's job harder."

"But Father-"

"You're getting a new guard anyway."

Askja stopped talking and I froze.

"Your Highness?" I said softly. "Am I being re-assigned?"

"That you are." Queen Ellan murmured.

"Have I done anything wrong or...?" I asked, bracing myself for the worst.

"No. But your skills require you elsewhere." The King said.

"I see." I shifted from foot to foot. Where was I getting re-assigned? And who was I going to be assigned to? "When do I leave?"

"Tomorrow." The Queen said.

"Yes, your Highness," I bowed and put my helmet on. Looking at Askja, I gave her a mock salute and snickered as she protested.

I heard a voice when I made my way to my assigned room to pack my things. One that sounded like it didn't fit here.

"Beckett?" Fira said softly.

I whirled around and saw the Fae Princess of the Nature Realm.

"FiFi.." I whispered her old nickname.

Fira smiled. "Nice to see you, Beckett. I guess you're my new guard."