The Prince's Bodyguard

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:I wanted to give you this to give you a glimpse of what to expect. There's a major trope that I want you to get out of your head, because it won't happen so easily like that. This isn't going to be a story of a girl quickly falling in love with the prince she's taking care of. Rather, it won't be that quick, read and you'll see.


Chapter 2 (Of Princes, Princesses, and Hope)

The training was rigorous and long, and having her father as a tutor wasn't as easy as she thought. The training was to be a month long, but within a week she had to pack up her things and move into the Sikowitz home. The guest room that she was to stay in for the duration of her assignment was upstairs and directly across from the room Jason was.

Much of her stuff had been moved into this room already, and on the day of her official move, she had to find a way to explain it to her sister. Tori already knew the reason was because Trina had been hired under her father to be someone's bodyguard. What she didn't know was the nature or status of the person she was protecting; and she couldn't know, lest her safety as well as the Prince's be put in jeopardy.

"Don't go," Tori said while hugging Trina tight. Trina winced at the vice grip her sister held her with. "I don't understand why you have to live with this guy."

"It's a twenty-four, seven thing." Trina hugged her sister back and looked at the group of Tori's friends sitting around one of the tables in the back-yard. They'd all been playing a game of poker. Of course, Tori had to be pulled away from them to come talk to Trina on the patio; the group knew nothing of Trina's job assignment. All they were aware of was that she was moving. "Remember you can't tell them anything, okay?"

"I don't know enough to even know what I could say that would be bad."

"Even if all you said was I was hired to be some kind of body-guard, it could put you, me, and even the person I'm protecting, all at risk." She was aware how badly Tori wanted to tell her friends, so they wouldn't all speculate or gossip and come up with tales. "You could even put them at risk."

"I know." Tori took a step back. Bowing her head, the girl tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I know I don't show it much or even act like it, but I love you Trina. I'm going to miss you." Trina laughed and gave her sister another quick hug.

"I won't be far, and it isn't like I'm never going to come around."

"Yeah…"

"I love you too, Tori."

"I wish I could have been more honest with them, you know." Trina pat her back and looked across the yard with a tense expression. The group looked at them, watching as though wanting to know their conversation. "I just wanted friends that wouldn't be scared off."

"Me? Scare someone?" Trina smirked and her eyebrows fell flat. "Never." Trina snapped her fingers and pointed at Jade. The raven-haired girl jerked back and shook her head when Trina curled her index finger in a come-hither motion. "I'll give them a glimpse of truth, how about that?"

"What?"

"They should know to treat you right. It starts with this one."

Jade started to stand and Tori pushed Trina's arm down. "Trina, don't. I don't want to start something now." Tori's eyes flooded with tears as Trina took a step forward and focused on Jade. "Don't start a fight."

"Relax, Tori." She couldn't watch her sister like a hawk anymore, she couldn't protect her. That meant the friends could do just about anything. "They need to know they can't get away with anything. I'm still going to notice them."

Jade sauntered up, looking smugly at Trina. "So when are you leaving? We would kind of like to have Tori back, so whenever you're done pestering her about whatever-"

"Shut the hell up." Jade's eyebrows rose and Trina seemed for a moment to tower over her. "I've watched you, I know things and I've seen the way you and the others carry on with my sister." Trina narrowed her eyes and took a small step forward. "I will warn you that just because I'm moving away, it doesn't mean I won't be watching. You will treat my sister and my family with respect, do you understand me? Because as of right now, things are different…You watch yourself. You and your friends."

Jade scoffed and put her hands to her hips. "You don't scare me, Trina."

She smiled, curling her lips away from her white teeth. "Good." She didn't want to scare anyone-because then they would know to expect it. She loved being underestimated, because there was shock value in the underestimated.

Jade's right eyebrow arched high and she turned her head sideways. "Um." Jade scratched the back of her head. "What?"

Tori walked forward, looking from Trina to Tori. "My um, my sister's actually very protective of me. She's always been." Jade craned her neck and Trina rolled her eyes. "I just haven't ever mentioned it."

Tori would never assert herself, nor would she ever defend herself; not to her friends. She was passive, had been passive ever since she was a little girl. Yes, there was a vindictive side to her which she'd shown a few times over the years, but these were rare moments to come by.

Trina pat Jade on the back, causing the girl to flinch. She then began walking, pushing Jade with her and leaving Tori behind. "Let me lay it out to you like this. I'm not threatening you, I'm not threatening the others." Jade furrowed her brow and tried to pull away, but when she did, Trina clutched her shirt between tight fingers. "What you see of me? Good, that's all I care about. To you, I'm a crazy diva that constantly inserts myself into your every affair with my sister. I'm some 'bitch that can't sing, act, or do anything requiring skill and talent'. Good. I'm glad that's what you think of me."

"Would you stop touching me?"

"No." Trina turned and faced Jade, moving her hands to the girl's shoulders. She slid them into the crevice between the shoulders and neck, then began to push. Jade's entire body started to tremble and the girl's knees began to buckle. Soon the girl had her hands on Trina's, and was on her knees before the girl.

Jade looked up with widening eyes and a wrinkled forehead. "Understand me, Jade. I see a lot more, know a lot more than you think." Trina leaned forward, glaring into the woman's eyes. "For example. I know when you were an understudy for my sister, you snuck into the hospital and started stealing packets of blood being drawn from her for labwork."

"W-What?" Jade's eyes grew large and she began to sweat. "How can-?" The girl tried to stand, but Trina's grip and force was too powerful.

"That time when you made my sister get detention? I was the first to know you were faking every little minute. I watched you put that makeup on your face in the restroom."

Trina tilted her head and lifted her eyes to Beck in the distance. "Don't forget who it was that kicked your boyfriend's ass at the same time with Andre and Robbie. That was mostly a vulnerability issue, they were doing stuff at a bad time."

"Okay, okay."

"I also know what you've been doing with my sister lately as well, and I want you to know." Trina narrowed her eyes further and dropped them onto Jade. "I don't approve. I don't think Beck would either, but that part I don't care about. Don't use or mistreat my sister because she seems innocent or naïve, because you will have to deal with me."

"Okay! Jesus, woman." Trina released Jade and the girl shot up with an angry growl. "You know you're going to bruise my shoulders right?"

"I really do not care." Trina took a step back and spread her hands outwards. "Just remember. I'm that crazy, egotistical, obsessive diva. I'm not a threat in any way, right?"

"Whatever…Seems like you just don't like us."

"My father and I haven't liked or trusted any of you from the minute we first laid eyes on you and your friends." The only reason they never said or did anything was because they knew Tori needed friends. "Tori needs friends she can rely on, friends she can trust not to tear her apart. Friends who will respect and not use her. Let her be herself and accept her. If you don't care about her, then walk away."

"You don't think we care about her?"

"I'm not blind." Trina pointed to the group at the table. "I'm well aware you weren't exactly on board with Beck's decision to befriend her. I also know the rest only followed you guys. I'm also well aware you're setting her up for a fall right now."

"What?"

"You know very well what I mean, Jade." Trina pat the girl's back and her free hand swept through the air towards the others. "Go back to the table. I'm going to talk to my sister a little longer." Jade nodded and hurried back, seemingly knowing better than to get defensive or fight.

Tori shook her head disapprovingly at Trina, who only smirked. "There you go Tori, I think they know you're to be respected."

"Trina, please don't scare away my friends. I swear you're almost more protective than Dad is."

"You just let me know if they do anything stupid or mistreat you."

From a princess to a prince, Trina almost felt like nothing was changing. At her new place, there was a walk-in bathroom in the guest bedroom she was staying. It was good to have that privacy.

Trina washed her face in the bathroom sink and threw water across her chest and shoulders. She'd been doing a few pushups and was breathing heavily now. Her eyes focused on a pink scar in the center of her chest, just above her bra latch. It was hard to see, and her breasts had grown to conceal a portion of it, but for her it was always noticeable.

An exit wound to one of the scars on her back, one that still seemed to burn intensely each time she looked at it. Water dripped from her nose and she took a deep breath while pulling on a purple shirt and crimson jacket. "God."

Everywhere she went felt as though she were walking through fire. She could almost feel burning wood cracking and splintering beneath her feet, cutting her ankles.

Any direction she looked, she saw danger, but this she was accustomed to.

Leaving her bedroom, she saw the prince leaving his bedroom. He was wearing a white shirt that hugged the form of his body, and had it tucked into long denim jeans. "Jason." Jason flashed a smile and nodded at her. "I hope you don't mind me calling you that."

"I prefer it, actually. I'm just glad uncle didn't hire a bodyguard calling me 'Prince', 'Sir', or 'Your Highness' at every turn."

"Sounds a bit counterproductive for a prince in hiding to have his security detail doing that." She moved past him, heading for the stairs. He followed after. "So, I assume you work out? You seem to be well toned."

"I do lift weights and exercise on a regular basis. I'm not a skilled fight like you, however; but I wouldn't mind learning." Trina stopped at the top step and hummed.

"I could teach you a few things if you wanted me to."

"I'd be eager."

"Well I'll think about it, then." Trina started down the stairs and made her way to the kitchen. "You still going to see that girl? Cat?" Trina poured herself a cup of coffee and turned around, leaning her waist against the countertop.

"No." Jason ran his hand behind his head. "She seemed a little too pushy."

"She's ditzy too." She sipped her mug and closed her eyes, thinking with disgust about all the royal lifetime drama type movies she'd seen and the trope that made her nauseous. "So tell me, and don't draw anything from this question other than conversation. You're not in one of those stupid situations where you need to find a wife or something, I hope."

Jason raised an eyebrow and laughed. "God no." She was relieved she didn't have to deal with that mess, it would be too much if she needed to start following this guy on dates and whatnot. "I mean yeah that's something that will eventually have to happen, but it's not something that I or anyone else are giving any thought to."

"Well, I mean, you are a prince after all."

"Yeah, thankfully that's not been announced. I don't like women fawning over me like that girl the other night. You're the first one that, knowing who I am, actually hasn't done that…"

Trina blinked twice and took a sip of her coffee. "Charming prince you are." She smirked and rolled her eyes. "What a way with words." Jason lifted his eyebrows and Trina took another sip. "Don't expect me to either. I've been assigned to protect you and keep you safe until that civil war is over. The less people know who you are, the better."

"So you know that redhead from the other night?" Jason folded his forearm on the table and tilted his head to the right. "Uncle says she's one of his students."

"Yep I know her and the others well. Too well. Don't trust them worth a damn, but then, I don't trust many people easily." She lowered her drink towards her waist, still thinking of their earlier chat. "So what you just told me. You've never had a woman not fall all over you?"

"I wouldn't say never." Jason raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "I've had a lot that do it when they figure out I'm royalty. You'd be surprised what a little power and influence looks to some people…"

"Uh huh. Ever have a female bodyguard?"

"Yes."

"How'd they fare?"

"They did their job. My mother usually employed older women though." Trina chuckled once and set her mug on the counter. Her fingers folded over the edge of the countertop and her lips twisted into a smirk. "I do have a question though. Who hurt you so much that you can't trust?" Her smirk faded and her eyebrows raised.

"No one."

"Ah."

"You don't need to worry about me. The job is the other way around." She crossed her legs. "This isn't a Cinderella story, I don't need a prince to rescue me from anything."

"Ah huh." He smirked. "No dragons or monsters that you can think of, then?" She could think of a few, actually.

"Nope. No need for a prince charming in my life, not that any would ever pop up." His eyebrows pushed up further and he raised his hand to his chin.

"Really? You don't say. What do you have against fairy tales and stories of heroics?"

"Please." She rolled her eyes and pushed off from the counter. "Do I look like a damsel in distress? Do I look like I need a hero to come sweep me off my feet? Wake me up with a kiss, return a damned shoe?"

Jason's eyes traveled to the ground on the right and he cleared his throat. "Speaking of shoes…" He pointed a few feet to her right and she saw that one of her house slippers had fallen off without her noticing.

"The fuck?" She raised an eyebrow and reached for it. "Don't touch it." She pushed the slipper onto her foot and narrowed her eyes. "Fairy tales aren't real, prince charming is make believe and princesses are left to fend for themselves against fire breathing dragons, trolls and ogres. There are no fairy godmothers to magically transform a raggedy, worn out, beat down girl into the most beautiful woman that's going to magically catch the eye of a wonderful prince." She pointed and narrowed her eyes. "And don't get me started on happy endings. There's only one kind of those, and you have to pay extra for them at 'special' massage parlors."

Jason crinkled his nose and furrowed his brow. "Those stories. I'm not sure why you hate them, but I can say, they're not just about fantasy."

"Oh sure. I'd love to see Jade West give me a poison apple, then tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee can dance around with their brothers, singing until some prince decides to give me a kiss. That shit's not real, and if someone feeds me a poison apple, I'd be dead. Hell, I'd be so stupid as to trust, so I may as well eat one and die anyway."

"You mentioned 'lifetime movie dramas' too…"

"Oh yeah, those things are almost as bad." Trina laughed. "An innocent, starry-eyed chick comes across a handsome prince and suddenly falls in love. Now that won't happen here." She snapped her fingers and poked a finger at him. "I'm just your bodyguard hired to protect you until the civil war in your country is over. There will be no suddenly falling in love with princes."

"Love isn't sudden. And no, those fairy tales aren't based on reality either, but they serve a purpose. They give people something to dream about, hope that there's always a chance for something better."

"I stopped believing in fairy tales when I was eight. I stopped believing in charming princes or stunning princesses. I learned quick to never let my guard down, protect myself. Protect my sister. Protect those that need to be protected." She narrowed her eyes and grabbed her mug.

"The way I see it, those tales are all about symbolism. Not the princess or the prince, but what they symbolize. Young girls see a world of struggle, obstacles they have to rise above. That's what Cinderella, Snow White, Aurora, Ariel…all of them…that's what they represent. The princes represent hope. Hope that they can find a way, hope something will come along and pick them up."

"Hope huh? I don't need hope." She took a swig of her coffee and marched forward. "All I need are my hands, my feet, and my wits."

As she walked away, she didn't hear Jason mutter. "If anyone needs hope in this world, it's you…"


Tell me your thoughts and opinions. Trina seems to rely on herself and no one else, doesn't appear to let anyone in. Is Jason right in his talk of symbolism? Perhaps she needs to learn to let someone in, but she is so guarded. This isn't going to be a typical tale at all, as Trina mentions, she's not going to immediately fall madly in love with a Prince. In her mind right now, Jason is someone she's assigned to protect, nothing more and nothing less. Then there's Tori, who now she can't protect-but she's clearly going to try. But this is not an easy love story, this is a story with a woman that couldn't care less that Jason is a prince...but, that may actually draw him to her more than if she did care. He'd still have to win her trust like any other man