So I got one vote for Regina and one vote for Harold. I haven't established the companion in this chapter, so if you still want to have a say in who should be James' companion, you still have time. This chapter's kind of short, but it took forever to write because I was deciding what to include and what not to include.
Here you go!
The party guests were annoyingly reluctant to leave.
James wanted to scream when one of the ladies dropped her trunk, her garments going everywhere on the sidewalk. Of course, nobody decided to help her so it took twice as long to clean up. James tried to point to the distressed woman, hoping someone would go over there and aid her.
Why aren't you helping her?
Oh, it was the douche conscience, striking again. Who needed him?
James' Aunt Lydia was the last to leave, only because of her heavy drinking. She put on her biggest hat to keep the sun from melting her eyes out of her head.
"Where's your carriage, James?" She was getting settled in her own when she said this. He leaned against the door.
"Don't worry, it'll come." Eventually. As in never.
"Alright. Don't stay too long and bother the king. Besides, I know he liked me the best! He invited me to the next ball, and it's not for a month!"
James just chuckled and hugged his Aunt through the small doorway. She rode off, humming to herself and desperately trying not to keel over.
King Midas sent for him not long after. Otis took him to the large room, grinning evilly. James was officially scared for his life. He wasn't even sure where he stood with the guy, except that it was somewhere between breakfast and met in a room James had never seen before. It was pretty intimate, a large wooden desk being the main focus. Midas stood in front of it, holding a piece of parchment with a wax seal. Before James could decipher what house the seal was from, Midas offered the parchment to him. "Your father's on his way, I sent your carriage for him. Read this."
James raised his eyebrows at the bluntness of his words, but took it from his hands and scanned it.
"King Midas-
I wrote to you because my daughter is in great danger, and it is my wish that you might protect her. Her father has harnessed unthinkable power, and we will all pay the price if it is unleashed.
He holds evil in his hands.
-Lady Orishnal of The Mount"
James stared at the words, wishing they would rearrange and spell out the trouble she really meant. She hadn't even said who her daughter was, so how could Midas protect her? What kind of trouble could be that perilous?
Midas saw that he was finished and took the letter back.
"Her name is Atahala. She is from a long line, and her family practically made the land."
So he knew this woman. "Who is her daughter?"
"A servant of mine. She goes by Rebekah."
James hadn't really met any servants except for Otis. Unless you count the girl who told him to move up when he had entered the ballroom..
"She works here with her father. The situation is interesting. Both parents are royals, but the father decided to watch the girl and become a servant as well. Who was I to intervene?"
James nodded in agreement. So a servant girl's royal mother gives them a cryptic message saying an evil will ruin the kingdom and the girl herself. Why did Midas want him for this job?
"And what is your plan for this? How do we even know this is real?" James really didn't want to die for some king he just met.
"Well, it is my knowledge that you are excellently trained in the art of the swordfight, as well as any other form of defense that can harm another human being. I've heard rumors across the forest."
That was true. Since he was young he'd been taught many different ways to fight. He wished he could do it more often. Maybe Midas was giving him the chance to show it off, fight some bad guys and do some good. Maybe Midas wanted him to be on his army, or his right-hand man, or give him the title of "Eternal Warrior". He'd always wanted to be called that.
"I want you to watch the girl."
No way. He wanted him to babysit the servant? What kind of BS was that?
"I'm not going to be a bodyguard to some random chick. Why can't Otis watch her?"
Midas looked at him as if he was speaking nonsense. "Otis the manservant?"
James nodded. What other Otis was there?
"He wouldn't hurt a fly. Just last week he helped my sister's child catch butterflies in the garden."
What!? Otis caught butterflies? Why had he choked the life out of him if he couldn't hurt a fly?
Because you insulted him.
James rolled his eyes, thinking 'not now, douche'. Ok, so Otis was actually sweet or whatever. Wasn't there a guard or a henchman or anyone else that could watch her?
"You're the only one with enough skills. I'm scared her father will hurt her, and her mother is very distressed. I urge you to accept."
James just wanted to go home now. Then there was a knock on the door.
"Come in!" Midas called.
James almost had a heart attack when Regina walked through the door. She stopped halfway and eyed the prince.
"You wanted to see me." she said cautiously. "I'm very busy with packing, Midas."
That was Regina. Impatient and demanding, just the way James liked her.
"I have a favor to ask. I'll be quick, but I was hoping you might stay here awhile. There are some srrious issues I must tend to, and I was hoping you'd consider looking after my daughter."
He wanted Regina to stay? Holy crap, this could be the opportunity James needed to get her in bed. Maybe even multiple times.
"I'm very busy, I have to meet with a friend regularly, there's just…"
"Have your friend come here! Look, I'm not going to say I'm your number one fan, but I need her looked after and I thought you were a good fit. If you don't want to do it, then don't."
James liked Midas so far, he really did, but he wanted Regina to tell him off and storm out...while still accepting. He hoped and hoped and watched as her face changed from offended to resignation.
"Alright. But this is only a one time thing, and you owe me something in return after this! Don't think I'll forget, either!" She turned on her heel and stomped off. She had done it. James wanted to find her and ravage her, but he could do that later.
"Midas, I'd be happy to watch the girl."
The king put out his hand to shake, and James awkwardly grabbed the gauntlet. When it was done, Midas offered to show him the girl.
They ended up asking a few other servants if they'd seen her, and they pointed towards the upstairs rooms. While on the way, James was filled in on what would be expected of him.
"When she goes to the bathroom, stand watch turned away from her. Same when she dresses, stand watch outiside her room's door. You'll be sleeping in the servants' quarters in the room next to hers. You'll take meals with me, and she will serve them, so you are together. You'll switch roles when she eats, and stand guard on her breaks."
James couldn't help but feel downgraded. He was a prince, and he'd be living with the servants. He may appreciate peasants' hard work, but he never expected to live like one.
Then he realized that he wouldn't have to wake up and have his father tell him what he had to do. He would get to stand guard, be vigilant, just the way he always imagined it. 'This might end up being awesome' he thought happily.
They found her in Abigail's bedroom changing the linens. James thought her short red hair looked familiar. It was in a sort of bob. When Midas cleared his throat, she whipped around and James realized that it was the girl from last night, the one that told him to move up. So he had met her...sort of...not really. He saw her.
"Rebekah, I've received news from your mother." Her blue eyes went wide, but she tried to cover it up and act indifferent. "You have, your highness?" She kept her eyes downward, not meeting anyone's eyes. This girl had royal blood? Must be from Harold's side of the family…
"She says that something dangerous is after you, and that your father is not to be trusted." At that, Rebekah turned her eyes toward the king, though only for a moment. James shifted his weight from his right foot to his left.
"That's...ridiculous." Sure it was.
"I'm sorry, but I'm giving you a protective detail. Have you met Prince James?"
She turned slightly toward James and nodded a greeting. He returned it. "She told me to move up when I wasn't paying attention on my way into the ballroom."
Midas clapped his hands together. "Well, I'll leave you to it. Lunch is in three hours."
James moved to the girl after Midas left. "Prince James of the Enchanted Forest." He stuck out his hand for her to shake. She stared at it, then nodded again. "Rebekah." she said simply, and turned to her work. This was going to be a blast, he could feel it.
