Hidden Beast

2. The Proposal

Ruby

Knocking at the door I waited outside. the Royal Guards standing posted beside the big doors.

At my training today I had got words the king wanted to talk to me so when training ended I had walked here and was only waiting for him to open the door for me.

The four Royal Guards stood lined at the walls quietly, it was only one of them who knew who I really am. He's fathers most trusted guard and he helps keeping me a secret.

Twisting my head, I looked to the door as it creaked open. Garnet, The king stood there and when be saw me a smile lit up his face and he threw the door open to me.

Without a word I walked in and he closed the door after me, his servants aren't here so that's why he opened the door himself. He often threw them out when he was talking to me.

When the door was securely closed I turned to him and he wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tightly.

"I'm sorry Ruby, it has been hectic with the competition coming up and I haven't have time to meet you" he told me apologetically.

After hugging him back I backed away from him "It's okay dad, I know you only wants to do your best. Don't worry, I will be here" I said and he smiled.

This was the only time we could talk freely to each other, I could call him father instead of Your Highness and he could call me Ruby instead of Captain Lowell.

The reason no one can know I'm The Kings daughter is that I would be illegitimate in the world eyes as The Queen isn't my mother.

My father was married and already had a child when he met his mate, my mother. They had an affair and she got pregnant with me.

The Queen found out about it as dad often sneaked out to be with my mother. She and my father striked a deal.

The Queen would get the kingdom if my dad could keep me and my mother. The Prince would be the sole heir to the throne and I wouldn't pose a threat.

The king and queen divorced in secret and dad married my mom, I was born and they both raised me even if dad sometimes weren't there because he was still king.

It's only a few people who now I'm his daughter, The Queen, The Prince and Peridot Lowell, The Kings most trusted guard.

Peridot is posing as my father as we don't want anyone to know I'm the Kings daughter, people would question who I'm if Peridot didn't pretend to be my father but he agreed to do that.

His mate died a long time ago and he don't have any children, dad trust him with his life so he was a perfect candidate as my father. Dad talked to him and he agreed so now everyone thinks I'm a guards daughter and don't question my existence.

So that's how I'm living now. I'm the daughter of a Royal Guard and have worked myself up to be Captain of the Royal Guard. The queen and the prince despise me but we stay away from each other and dad tries to sneak time with me when he doesn't work.

It has been like that ever since mother died and father took me to the castle. Before she died I lived with her in a village with dads constant visits and no one knew about us but The Queen.

I miss my old life, I miss my mother but I don't hate this new life. I see my dad almost everyday now and I can do what I want, I don't go around and see poor people starving everyday now Tough I still think about then and now they are still suffering.

I was brought back to reality as dad took my hand in his "I miss her too" he said. He is good at reading me, he often knows what I'm thinking about.

We sat down at the table and he smiled at me. "I know this may shock you and you have other things to do but I have a proposal to make and I hope you at least think about it" he said and I rolled my head to the side, interested in what he had to say.

He knows I have a hectic job, I'm the one who look up the kingdoms worst criminals and handles our prisoners. We have recently catched a traitor and he will soon be taken to trial and it will most definitely end with execution.

The prisoner hasn't arrived to the castle yet but when they get close I will ride out to meet them and escort them the rest of the way.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Spit it out" I said, he smiled at me. "As I said the competition is coming up and it starts the next month" he says and I nod, still not knowing when this is going.

"However the trainings begin a week before, the day after the ball" he said and I nodded again, what does he wants?

"Well, you're one of our beat warriors and you are the youngest and newly trained, that means you have new experiences and can put up a good training for the attendants" he told me and that's when everything clicked.

Wide eyed I stared at his calm expression when he observed my reaction "You-You want me to train the competitors?" I asked in disbelief and he nodded to me.

He smiled reassuringly at me and stroked the back of my hand gently "I know you would be a good teacher and you could make training better and more interesting" he said and I nodded slowly, indeed it wouldn't be like ordinary trainings. But would I really be a good teacher? Do I have enough time to even do that?

He looked expectantly at me raising an eyebrow "So? What do you say? Do you accept or do you need more time to think, is it even something you would think of doing?" he asked and a smile slowly spread over my face as the thoughts twirled in my head.

Garnet smiled too when he saw my expression, obviously seeing that I wouldn't reject the idea right away.

"Let me think about it, sounds fun but I don't know if I have time" I told him, rising from the chair.

"Take your time. I promise you, it will be fun if you're the trainer"