A/N: I was given the idea to write a JillxEddie fic, so that's what I'm gonna do! This story is set after the events in Last Sacrifice.
BEWARE OF LAST SACRIFICE SPOILERS!
Disclaimer: Jillian and Eddie belong to Richelle Mead. I just play with them.
The Trouble with Dragomir Princesses
Chapter One
Every girl dreams about being a princess. Few actually are one.
Even fewer than that are the ones who don't know it.
But I am one. And I didn't know until three years ago, the summer after I turned fifteen. Some wild stuff happened, in which I was informed of my legacy, kidnapped by a crazy old guy, and then taken to the Royal Palace where a friend of mine got shot and nearly died. Yeah, true story.
Now I'm living much more comfortably than I ever have in my life, surrounded by people that care for and protect me.
And I hate it.
So you'd think being a princess is a great life and all with people fawning over you and worshipping you even though you did nothing to deserve it and could give a rat's ass about any one of them. But you live with it because your good image depends on it and decides what people think about you and the rest of your family, or what little may be left as it is in my case. No matter if you're an illegitimate child who has only recently learned who her real father is. As long as you look like you belong… you belong.
But I don't belong. I may look like I do, with the evidence in my flesh and blood, but deep down I know that this isn't the kind of life I wanted to live, trapped on a compound with maximum security who decides who gets in—or in my case, doesn't get out.
Which is why I'd made a plan to stow away in the trunk of one of the guardians' cars just after breakfast. I knew for a fact that Morris, my combat instructor, was heading home for a few days to be with his family in Pittsburgh. It was now or never. Serena, my guardian, wasn't around me all the time since we were safely inside the perimeter of the Royal Court and the threat of invasion by Strigoi or other enemies was low with the increase in security we'd had over the years. Serena was off at one of the guardian administrative buildings helping Hans, the guy in charge of all guardians at Court, with some paperwork regarding something Rose Hathaway, my sister – Queen Vasilisa's – guardian, needed done. Serena was trustworthy with tasks like that, which worked out well for me because it meant she wasn't around. However, that didn't mean other eyes weren't watching.
I stuffed my jacket pocket full of whatever cash I had and packed a small backpack with clothes and other essentials. I wasn't running away per se. I just needed to get away for a while. Privacy was such a rare commodity for me now with everyone watching my every move. The only thing I could think was how precious having a little privacy could be. You didn't miss it until it was gone. I'd have killed for a breath of fresh air away from all of this grandiose opulence, but I wasn't allowed to leave the compound unless I had authorization and a legion of guardians to protect me.
See, the thing is, I'm theoretically in danger of being murdered. Three years ago the last queen, Queen Tatiana Ivashkov, was assassinated by someone who was against the laws she was passing. To restore order, an election process occurred in which my sister had a serious chance of winning. But according to ancient laws of the Moroi Court, each eligible family needs at least one other blooded relative in order to receive a Council vote. In Lissa's case, no one would've been allowed to vote her Queen because she had no family. That is, until Rose found me. I'm the only thing that could keep Lissa from her throne.
It's not as if I don't like knowing who my flesh and blood is. And it's not like I don't want my sister to remain Queen. In fact, with Lissa at the throne, the world seemed to have begun to right itself. I just sometimes wish I hadn't known about this life, had never agreed to coming here and announcing my lineage in the first place. If I could stay ignorant of all of this crazy political junk, I would. I could see the pressure it was putting on my sister and could easily deal without that kind of stress in my life. As if being targeted for theoretical murder wasn't bad enough.
Sneaking out of my suite was easy, but with my current position, making my way to the parking garages without anyone seeing me would be much more difficult. I was in the courtyard by the red stone church, and I'd have to cover a lot of ground, at least twice as much, than if I'd started out from my suite. But it was essential that I come here first because this was the least likely place they'd come looking for me if it became quickly known that I was missing. As it was just after sunset, I had darkness on my side. But darkness alone wouldn't help me escape, and I had to duck behind some statues in the courtyard as a couple of guardians patrolled nearby. They weren't frantically searching for anyone, so I assumed my whereabouts were still unknown.
Both guardians were male, though one was obviously much older than the other. The younger looking one had hair that swept out at odd angles like he hadn't bothered to comb it after rolling out of bed. He was tall and lean, though obviously muscular beneath that uniform. He didn't have a stake on him like the older one did, but was wielding a smaller device in his gloved hand.
A taser, I realized.
Then suddenly I recognized who this guardian was. He was Eddie Castile, one of Rose's friends from school. I didn't know him personally, but he was partly the reason I was here now, and partly the reason Lissa was Queen. Rose once told me how he'd played a role in her finding me, and also how he protected Lissa when a Moroi tried to attack her. He'd actually done one better by staking the Moroi. Lissa had been grateful. His superiors… not so much.
Guardians are supposed to protect Moroi, not stake them, apparently even if one of the last of a royal bloodline is in life threatening danger. Personally I thought he'd done what he had to, and I believed he was still here as a practicing guardian because someone else believed him too valuable to let go. Guardians are essential to our way of life. They protect us because most of us can't protect ourselves. And with Strigoi out there picking us off one by one, every guardian is invaluable.
Eddie was looking in my direction and I tried not to make a noise, tried not to breathe, as even a small breath of air in this cold weather could give away my position. I didn't think he'd spotted me. Rather, it seemed as though he was gazing pensively at the statue I'd crouched behind – a duplicate of the one of legendary Queen Alexandra, currently dusted lightly with snow.
"Those replicas don't do justice to the real deal," the older guardian commented on a sigh, his breath swirling like smoke through the air.
"Were you there when they exploded?" Eddie asked, tucking his hands into his pants pockets.
"Yeah. Blew 'em sky high they did," the old guardian said shaking his head.
"Who did?" Eddie asked, though I knew he knew exactly who from what Rose had told me.
"We still don't know," the other guardian said. Then looking down to his wristwatch, he said, "Shift's over. Come on."
Eddie shrugged his shoulders and the two began to head away towards the main buildings. They were almost out of earshot, and I'd started to move out of my crouch when I accidentally knocked some ice from Queen Alexandra. It tinkled like broken glass as it crashed against the bronze figure, catching Eddie's immediate attention. He doubled back, stalking quietly forward, and I ceased breathing, afraid of what would happen if he came any closer.
The old guardian turned around, noticing Eddie wasn't behind him anymore. Eddie waved him over, whispering that he thought he heard something.
"Well, check it out," the other one said, pushing Eddie forward into the garden.
Who was I fooling anyway? Had I seriously thought I could get to the garages without anyone spotting me? Besides, I hadn't really even thought my plan all the way through. After escaping, assuming I could, where would I have thought to go?
I decided the jig was up and revealed myself to them. I couldn't tell if Eddie was more surprised that someone had been hiding back there or simply that it was me.
"P-Princess," he stuttered. I doubted I could ever get used to hearing that.
"Don't tase me bro," I said half jokingly with my gloved palms facing forward. He had the device ready in hand and I didn't doubt he'd use it if he thought there'd been a threat.
"What are you doing?"
"Not escaping," I muttered under my breath. Eddie's eyebrows crunched together as he offered me his hand and guided me around the ice and the short stone wall.
"Princess Jillian," the other guardian said in surprise. "What are you doing out here in the dark? Shouldn't you be at breakfast with the Queen?"
I swore in my head, realizing all of the faults in my escape plan. And not just the tiny ones, like forgetting that I eat breakfast with Lissa every morning before she gets on with her queenly duties. But big ones too, like escape from this place not being an actual possibility.
Like, ever.
At least, not without some C4 and a getaway car.
"Err, yeah. I was just headed over there," I said, smoothing my hand over the staticky ends of my hair, feeling the cold begin to seep through my jacket. Should've worn something warmer.
"I'll escort her," Eddie stated.
"Sure," the older guardian said. I really needed to learn that guy's name. "See ya next shift, Castile." Eddie nodded after him and then turned to face me.
"What were you really doing back there?" he asked suspiciously, eyeing my backpack.
"Nothing," I said taken aback.
"Well, that's funny because I could've sworn I heard you mutter something about escaping." He looked pointedly at me and I had a hard time trying to deny it at this point. But that didn't mean I was giving up without a fight.
"Must've been cotton in your ears," I said, shrugging my shoulders and walking off without him. He could follow me if he wanted, but I didn't need him to show me where my breakfast was cooling.
"Princess, please don't do anything reckless," he said after me.
A/N: So... what do you think so far? There's more to come, but if you leave me a friendly review the next chapter may come faster. ;)