A King's Guardian

>4<

A man I had never seen before stood outside the bathroom when I opened the door. He was tall with sandy blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. The smirk engraved across his cheeks held some dark emotion that I did not wish to see in action.

"Sorry," I apologized and moved to slip past him into the hall.

His arm shot out to block me, causing me to run into him. That erring smirk grew ever wider. "No wonder they never tell of your beauty," he said. "You have none."

I didn't know what or who he was talking about, but the rude remark made me blush. My jaw clenched. Drawing my brows together, I crossed my arms across my chest.

"Would you please let me by?" I asked as politely as I could manage.

"You're very small," he noted, oblivious or, perhaps more accurately, uncaring of my mounting impatience. "All of you guardians are unnaturally small. I wonder why that is."

"If you do not step aside," I warned, "I will be forced to move you myself."

"Really?"

"Sir, please step aside."

He was making me tremble, in fear or anger I wasn't sure. Men rarely intimidated me. This man was different. Something about him made me feel weak, and I hadn't felt weak in a very long time.

"The name is Philip," he told me. Coldness flashed through his eyes, and the smirk dried up. "Prince Philip to you."

Nothing about this conversation interested me. This man seemed nothing like a prince except for his expensive dress. He was now wasting my time. My hand pulled out my dagger from its sheath and I held it sideways at him in a clear threat.

"Under King Zacharias' Law, a guardian has the right to defend herself in any way necessary," I hissed. "You would do well, Prince Philip, to let me out of this restroom."

His lips twisted up in a mangled grimace. Before he could bark out a response, someone I knew appeared behind him.

"Is there a problem here?" Samson growled.

When Philip turned around, Samson's face paled and his muscles tensed. He swallowed heavily while slowing bowing with his right hand pressed flush to his breast. I glared at the sight. What was he doing?

"Forgive me, Your Highness." Samson's eyes flickered to me. "Is my guardian giving you any trouble?"

Trouble? From me? What was going on? I cut my eyes at them both, though Philip still had his lean back to me.

"I wouldn't say trouble," the blonde man answered with a quick grin flashed my way. "We were just having a lovely little chat. I had to meet the girl my cousin hired to protect himself. It's a rather mystifying concept."

I slowly eased my dagger back into his sheath. If this Philip was of royal blood, I could be punished for waving a sharp blade in his face. For some reason, however, he seemed to be covering for me.

"We will be staying for a few days now," Samson assured him. "You will have plenty of time to get to know Apphia, Your Highness. I'm afraid she is needed at the moment."

"Apphia?" He faced me once more. "What a lovely name that is."

My shock was forced beneath my well-practiced mask of cold neutrality. I hoped he could see the fire blazing in my eyes.

"The prince paid you a compliment," Samson remarked. "Show your respects, Apphia."

Tightening my jaw evermore, I bowed to him. This man wasn't worthy. Only the king was worthy of my allegiance.