Page 11 of The King's Bodyguard
Lady Hartford had outdone herself arranging the décor. However, there was too much light and sound and glamor. I needed some quiet. I knew that behind some of the deep velvet curtains, spacious window seats and hidden doors waited. Some doors led to private balconies and parts of the patio.
Close by, just around the corner, I found a door and slipped out. Once seated outside, I set my plate down, drew in a breath of cold air, and heaved a sigh of relief. The heavy scents of perfume faded. Tension melted from my shoulders. I could finally breathe.
I reached for my wine glass and raised it to my lips only to suddenly find a hand resting on my wrist. It paused the arc of my movement. A quiet voice rumbled in my ear.
“Pardon, Your Highness.”
Instantly my tail rose. It fluffed out as fear chased down my spine, followed by desire at the familiar voice that growled low in my ear. My tail betrayed me, seeking his warmth and brushing at his thighs. I could not control its trembling as Corrin’s voice washed over me.
My breath caught in my throat. I stiffened a little as he gently pulled the wine glass out of my hand. I half turned then. Corrin was twirling the glass around, gazing at the wine carefully. He raised the cup to his lips and took a tiny sip. As his chin tilted back a little, I caught the barest edge of his throat. I was so flustered; it was struggle to look anywhere else but at him.
“Tastes alright,” he said. “It’s safe.”
“Wh-why wouldn’t it be?” I finally managed to get out, accepting the glass.
“Apologies for the fright,” Corrin said. “I saw Lord Morne by the table. The way he has been acting... I was simply taking precautions.”
“Oh, well, I knew that my cousin has been... unreliable, but I never thought he would attempt to, um, murder me,” I said,feeling suddenly a little naive and quite vulnerable. My ears fell a little and then rose at the realization. “Wait, how did you know about my cousin?”
“I’ve been here for a month, Your Highness,” Corrin said with no little amusement. “How could one not know at this juncture?”
“True,” I sighed. “Lord Elthorne and Gareth have shared their concerns with me, but we have as yet to catch him in the act. Honestly, the worst thing is that my cousin is just so... smarmy. I know he must have had quite a shock to discover that I had survived the War of Succession. To be honest, I was shocked as well!”
“Yet, here you are.” Corrin eased back a little, but he hovered close. If anyone were to attack me, he was positioned to protect me at all costs. The realization warmed my heart a little. “Something for which we are all grateful.”
“I don’t deserve gratitude though.” I felt a little guilty. “I did nothing.”
“You are leading us even now,” Corrin assured me. There was a warmth in his eyes that made my heart skip a beat. “You sacrifice your own happiness for your people even when they take you for granted.”
“If I was truly a good person, I’d be happier about my sacrifices, wouldn’t I?” I had to ask the question that had burdened me from the day of the big decision. “Ever since that day, I’ve been fairly miserable. I don’t want to get married... and I bet Morne is waiting for me to rebel or make some mistake.”
“Hm.”
Corrin grunted and then fell silent. He didn’t look happy about the mention of marriage. That made two of us.
“Perhaps Morne is, but he’ll have a long wait coming,” Corrin said. “As for the marriage... I can only give you one small piece of advice. Something I learned in the mountains—to take each day one at a time.”
“Thank you, Corrin,” I sighed. “I’ll try to keep it in mind.” I frowned and then glanced up at him. “Why are you here anyways?”
“Before this evening, Lord Gareth took me aside and asked me to take on a special assignment.”
“Really? Are you spying on Lord Morne?”
“No. On you.”
“M-me?” My voice suddenly seemed to pitch higher than usual.
“I am here to watch over you. You may think of me as your personal guard, your bodyguard,” Corrin told me.
Out here, the light was dim. There was a thin sliver of moon hanging in the sky with only the barest trace of clouds veiling the stars. It was difficult for my eyes to adjust, but I noticed that the green rim of Corrin’s eyes had shrunk to a sliver. His Munni ancestry gifted him the ability to see in the dark much better than I did. Looking at him like this—dark, shadowed, and almost black-eyed—Corrin seemed wild and untouchable.
Tonight, he had opted for blacks. From his ebony black hair pulled back, half up, half down, to his black dragonhide boots, Corrin looked like he belonged in the mysterious night. The muted color of his garb differentiated him from the standard uniform of Lady Hartford’s staff. At the same time, it helped him blend in with the shadows. The only thing that stood out was the pale skin of his face and neck.
Somehow I managed to drag my attention away and down to the glass in my hand. Alas. There was no mark on the glass where his lips had once been. I took a sip of the wine and contemplated the pastries.
“Will you take a bite out of the pastries as well?” I asked, trying to keep my voice even and failing.
“No, but I will if you prefer.” Corrin’s gaze was fixed on my face. What was he thinking? I shivered as his look dropped to mylips. He added, “I already double-checked the food and watched everyone who approached the table.”
