Guys, I'm sorry that took me long enough to update this chapter. I hope you guys still read this story though and I'd like to wish you all

"Merry Christmas 2009"

Gbu all ^^

Let's go to the story, shall we?

His Guardian, Her Prince

Rating : T

Genre : Romance/Drama

Summary :

Add Noctis as a cold Prince and Lightning as a stoic soldier who guarded him. Put a little romance between them. What we got? Lightis of course. Btw, it's Vanille who did the math

-x-

Chapter 2

"His Plan, Her Feeling"

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Noctis was very surprised when suddenly he heard that his father wanted to have a conversation with the former. He was surprised because his father barely had a conversation with the former. Without any hesitation, he walked to his father's chamber. While he was walking, he was wondering what his father was going to talk about. Could it be about political issue again? Or about his engagement to that Stella princess or something? Nah, Noctis shouldn't think about that now. Better he arrived at his father's chamber on time. He knew better than made his father angry.

When he had arrived in front of the chamber, he knocked the door. His father told him to come in and so he did that. He saw his father was standing in front of the window and Noctis could only see his father's back. "Did you ask for my arrival, Your Highness?" Even though Noctis was the prince and it means he was his father's son, he was told to still call his father by 'Your Highness'.

King Caelum turned around upon hearing his son's voice. He stared at his own son. Scanning him from head 'till toe. He never expected time would travel so fast. His 'little' boy had turned into a very fine and good looking man. He cleared his throat then walked to nowhere. He was wandering around.

"Is there anything that you want with me, Your Highness?" asked Noctis again. This time with the cold tone he usually had.

King Caelum turned around to face his own son. He smirked. "Well, can't I see my own son? Should there be any reason when I just want to meet my own son?"

Noctis made a 'tsck' because he knew very well that the reason was not for real. He glared to his father. "Yeah, whatever." He murmured slowly.

"Noctis." His father called his name. Noctis looked up to see that his father was staring at him directly. "There's something that you should know."

"What is it, Your Highness?"

"I've assigned a great soldier to watch over you." His father said that calmly like it wasn't wrong.

Noctis couldn't believe what he had heard just now. Did his father just say a soldier to watch over him? Yeah, he did say that. If there's anything that Noctis hate, it was when he didn't know what's going on. "Excuse me?"

"You are a prince." His father started. "Especially since you are the only heir to the throne, there must be many who are after your life and I can't take that risk." Noctis raised both his eyebrows, questioning his own father. "So, I've come to this decision. I've talked with Cloud about this and he has already chosen a great soldier among the others to be your bodyguard."

"Father." It's the first time Noctis called King Caelum as father. But when he was about to interrupt, King Caelum put his hand, so, Noctis had to be silent again.

"No but, Noctis. I can't put your life in danger just because of your selfish wish." Noctis was silence. He knew that his father had a good reason about that, however, he just didn't like when his father took all decision without his knowing especially since it was about himself. Shouldn't he, at least, be given a choice before his father came to this decision?

King Caelum watched his own son carefully. He knew what his son was thinking and he knew that the latter was not into the idea, however, like he had mentioned before, he couldn't put any risk by letting his own son in danger. Even though, he looked like he didn't care, actually he was really scared if something happened to Noctis. After all, he was his son, the son of his and his beloved wife.

12 years had passed since his wife had passed away because of the illness and yet he couldn't forget about her. How could he forget? She was the only one who looked him as who he was not what he was. The one who taught him about love and the one who gave him Noctis, the heir to his throne, his own son.

"Forgive me, Your Highness. However, I don't find it is necessary for me to have such a bodyguard to watch over me. Besides, I can watch over myself and I don't know if there's anyone who is capable enough to guard me. What I'm intending to say is."

"There's no one stronger than you, is that right?" His father interrupted him before the latter could finish the sentence. Noctis nodded to that statement. As a prince, he sure had been taught to be strong and that made him the strongest among all the others. Though, there's Cloud who was still capable to fight him.

"Well, I do realize about that." His father sighed. "I've asked Cloud about that and he has given me his choice." He took out a brown envelope from his desk, gave it to Noctis. Noctis received it reluctantly and opened it. There he found the detail of the soldier, unfortunately, got that 'honor' job. Noctis found that as a surprise because the soldier sure had a great score in some battle and there's another surprise. When he saw the picture, it was the girl whom he saw walking out from Cloud's room before, the girl who, surprisingly, had taken his interest.

Noctis was to focus in reading the data of the girl that he didn't notice a sly smirk appeared on his father's face. A smirk that was telling everyone that his plan was working. He should give his gratitude to Cloud for choosing the right one for his son. Well, he thought that the game was about to begin.

-x-

When Lightning got back to the practice field, Malchus has been questioning her about what Cloud had told her. She shrugged his shoulder and said that it was nothing special, just another task. Malchus knew the girl was lying, however, he decided not to ask anymore question because Lightning had the 'don't ask me again' face.

At practice, Lightning's mind seemed to be in somewhere else. She didn't concentrate in the practice. She even couldn't budge Malchus' attack, which previously she could avoid it. At this rate, Malchus decided to force Lightning to spit whatever it was out before he, accidentally, killed her in the practice.

"You know that people can kill you easily if you're not concentrating." Malchus' voice took Lightning back from her own mind. She looked up to see Malchus was taking a seat beside her. Her eyes quickly looked back at the others, who were training at that time. Even though, she didn't see, she could feel that Malchus was staring at her. His eyes showed some eagerness to know what exactly was going on with her. "Can you tell me what's going on here?"

"Huh?" asked Lightning with an innocent face she made. "What's wrong?"

"I'm the one who shall ask that question, Light. What's going on with you? Ever since you got back from Cloud's place, you're so not yourself. So, do tell me what's in your mind right now."

Lightning didn't want to bring up the topic, however, she knew that Malchus would never give up until he got the answer. That leaving Lightning no choice. She sighed. "I don't know what's going on with me either. It just…Cloud gave me a new task."

"I've heard that."

"The task isn't what I expected." Lightning continued slowly. She looked hesitated whether to continue this or not.

"Do surprise me."

"Unfortunately for me, I've been assigned to be the prince bodyguard." After gaining a lot effort, she could manage to say that.

"Oh, I see." Malchus seemed to take that calmly…or not? "Wait a minute. Did you say that you're being assigned as the prince's bodyguard? As the Noctis prince, the son of King Caelum, the heir to this Kingdom? That Prince?" asked Malchus in disbelieved. He was surprised by the news he had just heard before.

Lightning nodded reluctantly. Her eyes showed some kind of unwillingness. Malchus didn't know what he should tell to the girl in front of him. Every sane soldier would be very happy if they got this task and here she was, looking like she had lost from a battle. Shouldn't she at least be excited about it? Hell, if Malchus were in her shoes, he would, perhaps, cried in happiness.

"And why, should I say, you look so sad?" asked Malchus carefully.

Lightning was taken aback by the question. Yeah, Malchus was right. Why should she be sad when the task, which was given to her, was everyone's dream? If they could guard the prince, that meant they were qualified and trusted enough to even be the prince's bodyguard or so they said it. Lightning didn't know what to answer because in the very beginning, she never expected that to be happened. In other words, she didn't want to be given that task.

"I don't know either, Malchus. I just…" Lightning's face looked so sad that made Malchus decided it's time for him to stop pushing her like that. He rubbed Lightning's head slowly. "I'm sorry. If there's something that you want to share, you know where to do that, right?" Lightning smiled and nodded in understanding. Then, it's decided. They're going to continue that practice and Lightning promised that she wouldn't think about her task anymore, not until the day where she had to meet the prince came.

-x-

Today was going to be the day where she met the prince and being introduced to the prince. She had heard some rumor about the prince. That before her, there're many others who were assigned to be his bodyguard, yet until now they were MIA or so what they had been told. She tried to calm herself many times. It was just another introduction, she shouldn't be nervous, right? Yeah, however, what she thought and what she did totally different.

"Here we are." Cloud said to Lightning as he opened the chamber with his right hand. They walked into the chamber carefully. Lightning took that time to scan the room, to see if it was safe for her to come in or not. She saw that he room was no different with the others, simple yet elegant.

There stood the so called prince and the king of the country. When they have arrived closer enough, both Cloud and Lightning bowed. The King laughed and told them to stand up. "I see, so she is the chosen one, right Cloud?" asked the King with a cheerful tone. However, Lightning could sense that there's something behind the tone and she knew that her father noticed that too.

"Yes, Your Highness. Her name's Lightning Lockheart." Saying her name made Cloud looked a bit sad and Lightning noticed that sudden change of expression.

"I see, so, you are the daughter of Tifa Lockheart then." The King nodded as to say that he understood. Lightning just smiled sheepishly. She tried to avoid the prince. His blue eyes kept looking her in many ways and that made Lightning felt uncomfortable.

The King gave a sign for his son to walk closer. Noctis sighed before walking to his father's side. "I assumed you have known my son, Noctis Lucis Caelum." Noctis nodded his head a little just as a greeting, which Lightning noticed and replied by nodding back too.

"So, I guess, while Cloud and I have something to talk, both of you can go back to your place." Noctis and Lightning ,reluctantly, walked out from the room. Of course, Noctis went out first then followed by Lightning. After they were gone, King Caelum and Cloud still looked to the door, where both the teenagers had gone.

"Is there anything that you want to discuss with, Lucious?" asked Cloud like a murmur, but Lucious –the kIng- could hear that clearly.

"Sometimes I wonder how you could know my name, Cloud." Lucious replied with a smirk. Cloud smirked back to the question when he turned to face the king. "I've known you long enough, Lucious."

-x-

Noctis took a long step to nowhere and Lightning still follow him around. Noctis felt irritated. It just liked he had been followed by some stalker or something. Noctis stopped, he turned around and shouted at her. "Could you at least stop following me?"

"I'm sorry. Even though I want that so much, I couldn't avoid my own task." Lightning replied calmly.

Noctis was supposed to be calm, cold and emotionless. Yet, now here he was, feeling irritated, couldn't control his anger and that's because of this creature. Then suddenly an idea struck his mind. Lightning noticed that. She didn't feel good for whatever it was. The prince walked closer to her and that made Lightning moved back until she hit the wall.

Noctis put both his hands beside Lightning on the wall that made her couldn't go anywhere. "So, you're supposed to guard me right?" Lightning nodded hesitantly. Whatever it was in the prince's mind, she knew that wasn't going to be alright. "That means you can't hurt me, is that true?" He whispered to her ear making her shivered. Not once in her life she felt this kind of thing. She didn't even know what it was called yet she knew it wasn't good. Lightning nodded again slowly. She could still feel the prince's breath on her ear. Noctis leaned closer again to her. Lightning sensed that it was no good. She decided to bow down and quickly escaped from those hands. Now, she was standing beside the prince.

Noctis smirked. This girl kept more and more interesting. Well, looks like he would have something to play with and he was sure that, that year wouldn't be so boring with Lightning Lockheart at his side.

On the other hand, Lightning looked calm, though inside she felt really nervous. If she was going to be at this prince's side for God knows how long, she didn't sure if she could survive. She prayed that God would help her. It's like she was facing the devil itself. The devil that disguised as an angel.

-x-

To be continued…

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eL : So, guys, what do you think?

Clyde : Why don't I have my appearance here? TT^TT

eL : Shut up, you'll have it when it's your turn.

Clyde was crying at the back.

Light : You sure now how to break someone, huh?

eL : Lightning! –hugged Lightning tightly-

Light : ugh, get off of me! Help! –struggling for help

Snow : Well, I guess since eL and Light are busy with the 'hugging' thing. I'd like to ask you guys to leave a review for eL and eL is terribly sorry for the late update and for the OOCness in this story. Enjoy reading (:

Luph u all

eL-ch4n

~Hav a nice Christmas~