A story that bit me hard one evening and I couldn't get it out of my head. :)

Ben 10 belongs to Cartoon Network and Man of Action. I only own Carl, Rachel, and Sasha.

Also, Mariflor is a planet I made up. :)

The Gold Heart Of A Princess

Chapter 1: A Wish Granted

Princess Rachel leaned back tiredly against the plush cushions of her throne, sighing quietly as her father conducted his business with the head general of his soldiers. After the head general left, she sat up. "Father, I don't mean to complain, but I do tire of hearing the head general bring such petty things to your attention," she said.

Her father smiled. "As King, I must handle all problems, even when the solution is obvious, my daughter," he said.

The teenager nodded quietly and a sudden commotion drew their attention to the door where some of the soldiers were having trouble holding a very strange person in chains. "Your Majesty, we have finally caught this thief who was helping some prisoners escape!" The head general said.

Rachel sat up. "Which prisoners do you speak of, Head General?" she asked. "As far as Father and I both know, we have no prisoners in our dungeons."

"I speak of the two alien prisoners we had caught earlier," said the Head General. "He helped them escape, but was caught."

King Carl cocked an eyebrow. "I was not told of any prisoners when you gave your report a moment ago," he said.

"Forgive me, my King, I did not know how to tell you," said the man sheepishly.

"You mean you refused to tell him because you did not want us to know," Rachel said with a scoff. "You fail at your task of telling the King everything, General."

Her barbs struck him and he looked at her angrily, but she glared back so fiercely that he was forced to look away. Rachel then looked at the prisoner with interest. "Father, I have not seen an alien like him before," she said. "What species is he?"

Her father chuckled. "A Vladat," he said. "They are like the legendary vampires."

Rachel cocked her head to the side and stepped down from her throne chair. "Soldiers, bring him closer," she said. "I wish to have a better look at him."

"But my Princess, he will hurt you!" Said the Head General.

"He is bound in chains, General, plus he no doubt recognizes royalty and wouldn't dare raise a hand to strike, for it would mean an unnecessary war with his planet and our own planet, Mariflor," she said firmly. "Soldiers, do as I command."

They did so and the Vladat looked up at her, his green eyes narrowed. She glanced at him and then looked at his face before circling him to continue her observation. She then noticed a cut on his face from a whip and she gently cupped the injured side of his face in her hand. He cocked an eyebrow at her behavior, but didn't move. She then stood up.

"From what I see, he is quite strong," she said. "Father, you know I have wished for a strong man to be my bodyguard as I venture about."

"Any of my men can be your bodyguard, Princess," said the Head General. "Better than this thief."

The Vladat's eyes narrowed and Rachel turned to the Head General. "You boast that, yet your men have trouble keeping this prisoner still," she said. She then turned to the soldiers and selected four of them before turning to her father. "Father, may I suggest a challenge between this prisoner and the four men I have selected? Have them fight and whichever of them comes out victorious shall be my bodyguard."

King Carl looked at his daughter, seeing the earnest hope in her eyes. "I know of your wish, my daughter," he said gently. "For I wish the same, to put my mind at ease about your safety."

He then straightened. "Very well. Let the challenge take place in this throne room now!" He proclaimed.

The servants quickly moved back while the prisoner was unchained and the four men were about to use weapons, but the Princess stopped them. "He has no weapons, therefore you shall not, for this must be a fair fight," she said.

The challenge soon began and it was not only the shortest challenge, but an intriguing one too as the Vladat easily took down the four men and stood tall, despite having some injures from a few lucky punches and kicks.

King Carl stood up. "The Vladat has bested your men, General," he said before turning to Rachel. "What do you think, my daughter?"

"I am not surprised, Father. The General is a weak leader, therefore his men are weak as a result, sadly," she said. "Will you grant me to have this alien as my bodyguard, Father?"

The King nodded. "He is your bodyguard, my daughter," he said, to her delight.

The soldiers were about to bind the Vladat in chains again, but Rachel held up her hand. "No," she said firmly. "I will personally escort him to my chambers."

The servants gasped and the Head General was about to speak, but the Princess' harsh glare stopped him cold. She looked at her father, who nodded and she curtsied in respect before looking at the Vladat. "Follow me, please," she requested.

Her request caught his attention and he followed after her with two of the guards following them. When they reached her chambers, Rachel opened the doors herself and gestured the alien inside before sending the guards back to the throne room. She stepped in the room herself and rang for one of her maids, who instantly came. "Bring cold water and salve," Rachel ordered her. "Then leave us."

The maid bowed and did as the Princess commanded. When they were alone, Rachel motioned the alien to come closer, which he did, surprised when she tended to his wounds. He caught her wrist in his hand, his sharp claws gently pressing into her skin.

"You are complex, Princess," he said.

She smiled. "Thank you," she said. "My complexity is something I am proud of."

He was surprised again and noticed his wounds were not hurting anymore. When Rachel finished the task and put the supplies away, he caught her hand in his own. "You are very kind, Your Royal Highness," he said respectfully.

She smiled again. "Please, in my chambers, you may address me by my first name. You may use my title when we are not in my chambers," she said to him. "I hear my titles too many times every day, but rarely my first name without them."

He bowed to her. "As you wish, Rachel," he said. "If I may ask a question?"

"You may," she said.

"Why were you so keen on having me as a bodyguard?" He asked.

Rachel smiled again. "You are very strong, something I deeply desire in a bodyguard, and have a stare that would make a thief tremble in his shoes," she said. She then found some comfortable armor that one of the soldiers had brought in the day before and she gestured for him to put it on. She smiled when he had done so and turned to her for inspection. "Your new armor makes you look fiercer."

"You are pleased, Rachel?" He asked, a smile on his face.

"Very pleased," she said. "And very happy that my wish to have a strong bodyguard has come true. Please, tell me your name."

He bowed before her. "My name is Whampire, my Princess."

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GoldGuardian2418