The Heir and her Guard

Chapter 37

Max awoke first the next morning, the sun rising through the window, casting a warm orange glow on the Princess fast asleep on her chest. She smiled lightly as she heard her soft snores, her cheek pressed against her bare skin.

She watched Jane for a few minutes before deciding it was time to wake up, especially if they wanted to make the most out of today. Max slowly sat up, carefully lifting Jane's head from her chest and setting it down on the soft pillows beneath her, stealthily getting out of the bed before she noticed.

She froze as the Princess stirred, exhaling as she soon fell back to sleep. She pulled the blanket back over her and kissed her forehead before going into the en-suite to brush her teeth.

———

Half an hour passed and Jane's eyes slowly opened, not used to being able to wake up without someone doing it for her. She loved Nancy and viewed her as big sister, but thanked everything she wasn't here right now.

She sat up, noticing Max wasn't in bed with her. Jane frowned slightly, but got out of bed, yawning and moving her curls from her face as she went into the bathroom.

As she stepped out into the kitchen, the warm smell of homemade pancakes took over her senses, and she couldn't help but gravitate towards it.

The Princess saw Max piling thick, fluffy pancakes on a plate, and so she stood behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist and laying her head on her back, letting out a quiet yawn.

Max startled for a second, not hearing her wake up. "Good morning." She spoke, a smile growing on her lips.
"Mm good morning." The Princess hummed, feeling like she could go right back to bed. "I'm tired."

The guard chuckled lightly, turning around and kissing the top of Jane's head as she placed the plates down on the table. "You've only just woken up."
"That doesn't change anything." The younger girl smiled, rolling her eyes playfully. "And you made breakfast?"
"Yes, aren't you hungry?" Her eyebrows furrowed.
"I am, I just thought you weren't much of a breakfast person." Jane teased, remembering how she would often have to convince Max to eat in the mornings.

Max's face relaxed and she smiled, pulling a chair out for her wife. "Well I wasn't until an extraordinarily beautiful lady changed my ways."
"Oh hush." Jane blushed, ignoring her guard's laugh as she tucked her in.

———

Days passed and finally the newly-weds were to return home to Aveington. Jane was upset to leave the sunny town, especially now that it was Winter back at home. She waved to the crowd who were sad to see them part, going down into the cabin of their boat once they were out of view.

Max followed a few minutes later, knocking on the door lightly. "Princess, can I come in?"
She didn't reply, but rather opened the door, allowing her to come in.

"What's wrong?" The guard frowned, noticing her somber expression.
"We are going from a sunny town to a freezing one." Jane explained simply, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Come on, it is not awful during Winter time." She smiled, sitting beside her, "Plus we managed to do pretty much everything we had planned."
"Except jumping off the cliff." The Princess commented, looking forward to that.
"Yes, apart from that." Max chuckled lightly, "But, we can do that another time. The King does own the bungalow, meaning you can go when you please."

Jane nodded, leaning into her side. Max put her arm around her shoulder, rubbing her shoulder in an attempt to cheer her up.

"And I know everyone will be glad to see us back. I wonder what has happened while we've been gone."

———

Tom and his party were growing desperate. Their food stocks wouldn't last another 7 months, even though they had arrived prepared for potentially even a year of hiding. Their mission was to kill the Princess, preventing the expansion of the Hopper bloodline for at least a few years. Long enough for Princess Rose to plan an attack, an invasion of the peaceful Aveington. Hurdigrand was in need of more land, the barren ground wasn't fertile enough to provide the food needed for the growing population.

Suddenly one of the men rushed down the ladder, binoculars in clutch.

"She's back! The Princess has just arrived at the Palace with that guard of hers!" He exclaimed, a glint of hope growing back in all their hearts.

Tom grinned, his teeth stained yellow after months of neglect. "Good, this is very good. We have to wait a while and allow the waters to settle once more. Once everyone's off her back and they let their guard down, we strike." He hit his fist on the table, making a few others jump.

"But what about that person that's always with her? Surely she'd be a problem?" One of them suggested.
"Not to us she ain't." Tom chuckled, "We'll bring her down here too if we need to, but the Princess is our main concern. We must kill her or we return as failures, we must do our Princess proud, do you understand?!" Everyone nodded. "I said, do you understand?!"

"Yes sir!" They all shouted, the Princess' appearance firing their previously wilting spirits up again, "Hurdigrand! Hurdigrand! Hurdigrand!" They chanted, cheering.