The Princess's Guardian

11

Of all the forms I take so far, I think being a gecko is my favourite form. Sunny's long blonde hair keeps me hidden as we venture out in public with three Gueses guarding her. A few Animus and Gueses approach Sunny to wish her a welcome back, which she replied with a thank you. A kitten Animus bravely comes up to Sunny too.

"Excuse me, Your Highness," the orange kitten says. I can't help inwardly awing at how cute the Animus looks. "Where is your Guardian?"

Sunny kneels down and pats the kitten's head, earning a purr in delight. "My Guardian is watching from afar. Now go back to your mother, I'm pretty sure she's worried about where you've run off too."

Sunny continues her journey. She seems to be familiar with this place because she wave at the shopkeepers. In no time, we enter a tiny empty stall that smells of tea. I hide underneath Sunny's white collar since she's dressed in a white button-up and brown walking pants with boots. 

"Will be out in a sec!" someone yells from the back of the shop when the bell announces Sunny's arrival. Sunny nods at the Royal Guards as they stand outside with watchful eyes. 

Sunny picks up one of the many containers in display and sniff the inside. I sniff something that smells of jasmine tea leaves. 

The shopkeeper finally comes out from the back and takes in Sunny's form. 

"Long time no see, Rengie," Sunny greets with a smile. 

The young-looking female Guese with an apron on slowly makes her way towards and hug Sunny gently. "Oh my Gods! You're back! We heard about the attempted assassination! Are you alright?"

Sunny laughs and pats her friend's back while I silently watch as the event unfold. Sunny briefed me earlier that the people she's meeting her old friends and for my own safety, she will keep me hidden. I find it odd that she wants to keep me a secret from her old friends, but I guess she truly can't trust anyone besides her family after the near-death experience. 

Better to be safe than sorry, after all.

"I'm alright... My Guardian saved me from the Hellpod before it could get to me," Sunny explains as the Guese prepare tea for her. "Is Tert here too? I thought we could catch up, for old times' sake."

"He'll be coming back in a few minutes' time. I sent him on a short errand just now. How was Earth? Is your family going to declare war on the Fire Kingdom? What's going to happen now?" Rengie asks as she slowly pours the tea into Sunny's teacup. I notice how slow Gueses move and I wonder if there's a reason for it. The Royal Guards seem to be able to catch up with Sunny well enough, but young and elderly Gueses are much slower.

Sunny sighs as she pour a decent amount of milk into her tea. "Well, I was sent to Earth for my own safety when I receive that death threat all those years ago. Now even Earth doesn't seem like a safe place for me if Hellpods were able to stand Earth's atmospheric pressure. My parents made the decision that I am old enough to return to Oppenheim and my new Guardian will be able to protect me from any harm."

I can tell that Sunny's omitting some parts of the truth as she avoid the other questions.

Rengie nods in solemn and pats Sunny's arm in comfort. "I'm thankful that you manage to live, Sunderlette. Speaking of which, where is your Guardian? Isn't it supposed to be your personal guard?"

I smirk inwardly as I make myself comfortable under Sunny's collar. Despite being unable to communicate, Sunny can definitely sense my presence and overall mood. I'm not sure if this is a Guardian thing or she's been around me a little too much to actually know what I'm thinking.

"She's around somewhere," Sunny replies, sipping on her tea before directing the conversation to Rengie's life. Rengie was Sunny's elementary school friend who still keeps in touch after Sunny left the planet for her safety. I can see why they're good friends because Rengie seems to be the kind of friend who doesn't mind not talking for a few years, and then will greet you like she saw you yesterday. 

Rengie asks about life on Earth and the difference between Oppenheim and planet Earth. The biggest difference is the lack of technological advancements in Oppenheim since the people tend to rely on magic. The humans on Oppenheim are technically not truly humans as they can perform small magic. 

As they talk more about Earth, I zone out and think about my family. Is it bad that I haven't given my family a thought ever since I arrived in Oppenheim? I've been so distracted with this new world and the expectations on me to the point I forgot that I will be giving up everything I knew before. 

Sunny's family had to proclaim me dead and I had no say in the matter. I wish there is some way for me to send a message to Joshua... I know that he's going to be the one most affected over my death. My older brother had always been my hero and he always protected me from the horrors of the world despite my stubbornness to comply. 

I'm trying to imagine the world without me; my mum will be devastated and probably guilty for arguing with me since it was the last time we ever talked. Heck, I kind of wish that I told her 'I love you' before all this shit went down. We may have our differences, but I can see that she was only looking out for my wellbeing. My dad was rarely home, yet I knew he had to be that way after our family was nearly declared bankrupt a few years ago. Ever since his promotion, we were never in such a terrible financial state again. I have no doubt my dad would be guilty of not spending more time with me... with us as a family. 

A sob is stuck in my throat, overthinking about everything that went wrong. I don't think I will ever have the chance to see my family again since Sunny told me that only royals are capable of surviving Earth's atmospheric pressure. Gueses and Animus in the past couldn't last more than a few minutes on Earth before they struggle to breathe. Terra Guardians, such as myself, have an entirely different physique and no one want to risk our lives just to test out a theory.

But then again, the King wasn't sure if the Hellpod that attacked Sunny could truly survive on Earth's pressure if I hadn't shorten its lifespan or would it have died if I hadn't done anything for an extra few minutes. 

Sunny inconspicuously reach up to her collar and gently pat me. I want to so badly chirp in delight, but I stay silent. 

"Ah! Tert is here!" Rengie says excitedly. "Tert! Guess who is here!"

In come a bear Animus with supplies in a few tote bags. I watch in fascination as the bear carefully walks over and pecks Rengie's wooden mouth. Huh, who would have thought that there are interspecies relationships on this planet. 

"Sunderlette!" the bear says in surprise, curtsying in respect. "I did not expect you to remember us after all these years! Rengie and I were so worried to hear about the attempted assassination."

Sunny gives the black bear a quick hug and sits back on her chair. "You have got to be joking! Of course I wouldn't forget my childhood friends! I did not expect you two to be in a relationship so soon! When did this happen?"

Tert gives Rengie a loving smile as the Guese tells her tale about how Tert woo a few weeks back after he realise that he's been crushing on her for years. The only thing that was holding him back at that time was the fact that relationships between different species were frowned upon. His family is apparently a huge believer of maintaining the strong bear bloodline.

I guess racism is present everywhere. 

After the interesting meet-up, Sunny heads back to the palace without a hitch and spend the rest of the day in the palace gardens until the butler announce dinner. 

Tomorrow, on the other hand, is the day I'm going to meet Sunny's younger sister.