Princess Ella looked up at the Grand Duke who was pacing back and forth. "Your parents entrusted me to protect you until you come of age to take the throne. You must help me, your highness. You cannot just waltz into town unguarded," he said.

"Grand Duke, I was fine. I went in disguise. No one saw me as anything more than a simple country girl," Ella said with a smile.

"Your highness…please, I beg of you to think of your Kingdom if not for yourself," he said. "If something were to happen to you, then the Kingdom will be lost. You are the only heir to the throne."

Ella sighed and looked down. "Yes…you're right, I'm sorry," she said and folded her hands in front of her.

The Grand Duke looked at her and gently took her hands. "I know that it's unfair, Princess. But, I do believe that I have found a solution…if I may?" he asked.

Ella nodded.

"We could send you to the market with guards, but I don't believe that it would be something that you would wish for, right?"

Ella gave him a small smile and she shook her head.

"That's what I thought. Now then, I had a thought. If you were to walk around undercover, perhaps someone else can walk around undercover as well," he said with a smile.

Ella smiled back at him and raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean Grand Duke?" she asked.

"Well, I recently hired a young man whose father was in the war with your father. Unfortunately his father didn't make it…like yours," he started.

Ella looked down and frowned.

"Anyway, he wishes to take his father's place and serve the royal family," he continued. "He will be your personal guard. He will put your life before his own; making sure that nothing and no one harms you."

Ella looked up at him. "Grand Duke…I…I don't want someone to do that for me," she said.

"Princess, people do it for you every day whether you'd want them to or not," the Grand Duke said with a chuckle. "Now then, you can either take your own personal guard, or you can remain here and never leave the palace grounds unless with royal guards at your side.

Ella sighed and looked out of the window. She wore a black dress since she was still mourning her father's death in battle. Though she was sad and upset over losing her father, who was the kindest man she'd ever known, she still wanted to live. She wanted to be able to leave the palace walls and walk around like a normal girl. But she had a responsibility to her Kingdom. She had promised to protect it. She couldn't very well protect her Kingdom if something happened to her.

She looked back at the Grand Duke and nodded. "Very well, I will accept this…personal guard," she said.

"Wonderful," he said. "Now then, come with me. We have plans to discuss for action in the war."

Now this was another thing Ella didn't understand. Why was it always all about war? She didn't enjoy the thought or the idea of war. It was too painful to think about. The war had taken her father from her, and fathers from many other families. What was the point?

After the meeting occurred, the Grand Duke took Ella to the throne room where she would meet her personal guard. Ella sat in her father's throne and fiddled with her fingers.

The doors opened and Ella looked up and sat up a bit straighter.

"Princess Ella, may I present Kit, son of Henry Charmont," the Grand Duke said.

The man, Kit, stopped before Ella and bowed low to her.

Ella slightly tilted her head as she looked at him. His hair was black and his eyes a brilliant bright blue. He was quite handsome actually…

"Your highness, it is my deepest honor to assist you," Kit said and looked up at her.

Ella stood and gave him a small smile. "No amount of words can express my deepest gratitude to you, sir," she said. She walked down to him. "This means a lot to me…truly, it does. Thank you for your willingness to do this for me."

Kit smiled at her and gently took her hand and kissed it. "As I've said, it's an honor," he said and smiled at her again.

Ella bit her bottom lip and smiled back at him.

The Grand Duke cleared his throat. "Now then, since you are acquainted, Princess, we have a lot more to discuss," he said to Ella.

Ella nodded to him. She turned back to Kit and smiled. "I will…see you later…Mister Kit," she said happily.

Kit bowed to her and matched her smile.

The next morning, Ella decided to go into town. She put on her simple blue dress and in order to keep honoring her father, she tied a black ribbon into her braid. She heard a knock on her door and she turned and walked over to it. She opened it and smiled when she saw Kit.

"Your highness, are you ready?" Kit asked and matched her smile. He offered her his arm.

Ella nodded and took his arm.

The two of them walked through the palace hallways then they walked out of the palace. Ella smiled and breathed in the fresh air.

"It's a lovely day today," she said with a grin.

"Yes, it is. We must always cherish days like today," he said and smiled at her.

"Indeed," she said with a small laugh. "Was I interrupting something?"

"Sorry?"

"When I asked you to come into town with me…were you in the middle of something?" Ella asked.

Kit smiled at her and shook his head. "No, I was merely reading. Something you can stop then pick up again with ease," he said.

"Reading? What book?" Ella asked with a grin.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream," he responded.

"Shakespeare?"

"Yes…he is one of my favorite authors," he responded.

"Really? Not many would say so," she said with a grin. "He is one of my favorite writer's as well."

"Why wouldn't anyone say so?" Kit asked.

"Well, not many agree with his work. They find it to be…sacrilegious or too tragic," she said with a small shrug.

"I see…well, I find his work to be…genius in itself."

Ella turned to him with a smile. "Quite so."

They walked and talked as they walked through the town. Ella bought some food and asked Kit if he would join her for a picnic in the woods.

He accepted, and the two made their way to the woods. Little did they know that they were being followed.

"Are you sure it's her?"

"Yes, I'm positive. I've seen her come around here many times…this is her first time with someone else…but we can take him. The Princess shouldn't have left her palace today…"

Ella and Kit sat on the blanket they had purchased and were eating the food they had bought. It consisted of cheese, wine, fruits, and some pastries for dessert. It may not have been a full course meal, but they two seemed to be very content with their picnic.

"Is it…much too personal for me to ask of your father?" Ella asked Kit.

Kit blinked a few times in surprise then he gave her a small smile and shook his head. "No…not at all. What would you like to know?"

"What was he like? The Grand Duke said he served my family very well but…I'd like to know more of him," she said.

Kit looked up in thought. "He…he was a good father. He was stern…but not too stern. He knew his place and made sure that I knew mine. I don't believe my place to be a bad one. His either…we were a good family even though it was just the two of us. I…I loved my father," he said and looked to her.

Ella gave him a small, sad smile. "That doesn't have to be past tense you know. I know that my father is…gone. However, he's never truly gone, especially since I keep him alive with my love for him," she said.

Kit smiled and chuckled lightly. "Yes, I suppose you're right," he agreed.

She lightly giggled and looked up at the sky. "It truly is a lovely day. I wish it could last forever," she said happily.

"Yes. But eventually the sun will go down, then there will be more lovely days to come," he said.

"And now you're the one whose right," she said with a small giggle.

Kit laughed and nodded.

"Excuse us."

Kit and Ella turned and saw two men walked over to them.

"We're very sorry to interrupt…but we're lost and were wondering if you knew the way," one of them said with a sincere look.

Ella raised her eyebrows. "Oh, of course," she said with a smile. "The town is just through those trees there."

"Ah, many thanks to you, miss," said one.

"You look familiar…where are you from miss?"

Ella blinked a few times in surprise. Not many recognized her…she couldn't give her cover away though.

"Here…this Kingdom. I don't believe we've met before," she said as casually as she could.

Kit was growing uneasy. He gently put his hand over Ella's and didn't take his eyes from the two men.

"Funny…you look like someone I believe everyone knows," the man said and they both took a step closer.

"Have you ever seen the Princess Ella?" the other asked.

Ella and Kit both stood and Kit took her hand and slightly narrowed his eyes as he drew closer to her.

"N-no…I have never seen the Princess," Ella said.

"Are you sure? You look just like her…" one said and they both took another step forward.

Kit pulled Ella behind him and drew his sword. "That's close enough. We've given you directions…now be on your way and leave us in peace."

The two men drew their swords and narrowed their eyes. "We'll leave you in pieces and take the Princess far from here. Only way to get her back…surrender your Kingdom to the Kingdom of Leorada," one said.

"So that's what this is about…the war?" Kit asked.

"Indeed…now we can do this the easy way or the hard way…we'll allow you to live if you hand her over."

Ella felt fear inside her and she held tightly to Kit's free arm. But she wouldn't allow him to die for her. She had to go with them. She had to be brave. She released his arm and stepped around him. "I will go with you willingly…but only if you don't harm him," she said.

Kit took Ella's hand and pulled her behind him again. "I'm not allowing you to do that, Princess. I swore to protect you…and so I will," he said and looked at her.

"Kit…please, don't. I can't…I can't let you do this," she said.

"Run," he said and stepped forward towards the two of them.

"You can't make me," she said and stayed where she was.

The two men charged at Kit and they began to battle.

Ella ran over to a tree and held it as she watched. She didn't want to watch, she wouldn't be able to handle it if Kit got hurt. But she couldn't look away because she wanted to help if he did.

Swords clanged as they fought and Kit was doing rather well against two big guys.

Ella dug her fingers into the bark of the tree as she watched and worried. "Kit!" she yelled and he narrowly missed a sword to his neck.

One of the men broke away from the fight and start towards Ella. She then took Kit's advice and she turned and ran as fast as she could towards the village. She'd be able to lose him if she lost herself in the crowds.

She had almost made it to the village too…but she felt strong arms around her waist and she screamed and tried to get him off of her. "No! Let go of me! Stop! You can't do this!" she screamed.

The man dragged her back towards his companion and Kit, but Kit met him halfway.

"Release her," Kit said and pointed his sword at him. "It's over, your friend has finished fighting."

The man quickly took a dagger from his belt and held it against Ella's throat. Ella gasped as she felt the cool metal against her neck. She tried to pull his arm down, but he was much stronger than her.

"No, don't," Kit said and lowered his sword. "Don't harm her."

"Drop your sword and let us leave…then I won't kill her," he said.

Kit looked at Ella then dropped his sword.

"Good lad…now…we'll be leaving," he said and began to walk backwards and took Ella with him.

Ella continued to try and pull his arm away from her, but it wasn't doing any good. Then she realized that she was the only one who could save herself now.

She looked down and smashed her foot against the man's as hard as she could.

He yelled out in pain and loosened his grip on her and she pushed his arm away. She freed herself from his grip and rushed over to Kit who sighed in relief and took her hand and grabbed his sword.

"Are you hurt, Ella?" he asked.

Ella shook her head. "No…no, I'm fine," she said.

"I suggest you take your leave, sir," Kit said to the man.

"This…isn't over," he said then ran off into the forest.

Kit waited a moment before he turned to Ella and gently inspected her neck and arms. "Are you sure, you're alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine…truly. Are you alright?" she asked him.

Kit nodded with a small smile. "Yes, I'm fine."

Ella nodded and without thinking, she wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you," she whispered.

Kit hesitated then hugged her back. "It…was a privilege," he said back to her with a small laugh.