Book 2 Season's Change Spring's Revenge

29 A Slip In The Night

The palisade was perfect; so beautifully dressed in silks and linens. The colors were rich and beautiful. Torches and lanterns were in all the right places. The music was magical. The food was amazing. There was so much of it that Dannikas was certain that most of it would go to waste; the guests could not possibly consume all of it. It was a waste. It appalled him. Every year, year after year, right after the harvest a ball similar to that one was thrown. Year after year they open the castle gates and invite all the wealthy families to join them in a week-long celebration of the harvest. All to show off their own wealth. He had been raised right beside the princess by as much of the king's hand as she was, yet he did not understand this need to constantly display their wealth or power; everything except dignity and kindness. They were the royal family, naturally, they were powerful and had an excess of everything. But they only had what they had or were what they were because of the people. The people that worked the fields, tended the herds, fought the hordes. It was the people, the farmers, the ranchers, the warriors and the soldiers that secured it all for them. He'd never once seen the King raise a sword in battle or practice. He never saw the king's blade out of its sheath.

And what of his beloved princess? Had she ever worked a day in her life? He knew the answer to that question. She hadn't. She didn't need to. She was the princess. She didn't dress herself, didn't brush her own hair or wash herself. Did she even know how to do those things? One look over at her and he lost all train of thought. All the light in the room both came from and to her. She was elegant. Beautiful. He momentarily forgot how to breathe or that he was required to do it to live. When he remembered he recovered himself, but she had noticed him staring. She pretended to smile at the young pretentious noble that was talking to her about his father's holdings as if she was to be impressed by this, but her smile was not for him. Not at all.

As duty dictated, Dannikas watched nearly every move ArorahBeth made. The only time his eyes were not on her was when they were looking at the would-be suitors attempting to hold a conversation with a woman that was not interested in anything they had to say or offer her. They were all offering something. None were successful but most were overly flirtatious. It seemed the masks that people wore made them a little careless. Some of their carelessness nearly ended with his blades out. Those fools were quickly and quietly escorted away from the princess and likely from the palisade.

He was forced to watch as man after man, boy after boy lined up to dance with the princess; Something he really wanted to do but could not. Most kept their hands where the dance indicated they go. Those that tried to do otherwise were either dismissed by the princess or wisely chose to move on after seeing Dannikas's disapproving glare. His hand on the hilts of his weapons and the murderous look in his dark eyes was a powerful deterrent and motivator. She danced until he was tired, which was well into the evening, then left the palisade for the gardens.

Her heart was full by the time she excused herself from the ball. She danced with nearly every male at the ball except the one that she wanted to dance with. Instead, he watched with certain murder in his rich brown eyes if a single hand that touched her was misplaced. It always made her smile to see him so protective and jealous. He was jealous. She could see it in his eyes. Never mind that it was his sworn duty to protect her. She breathed a sigh of relief as she left the palisade and walked toward the gardens and he was the guard that followed her. Of course, he followed her; he was required to. She stopped once she was far enough away from the palisade that she could no longer see it. "Dannikas?"

"Yes, My Princess?"

"Come to me." He did as he was commanded without question. The other guard remained where he stood.

"Yes, Princess." Dannikas bowed deeply. He tried to not get lost in her beauty again. She smelled as sweet as a rose. He got distracted.

"I am positive that you are more than enough to protect me in my own castle. Dismiss the other guard. I would speak with you about matters that do not concern him."