The Prince's Bodyguard

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

Chapter 11 (When in Yerba)

David's gaze was even and his expression was flat as he held the curled up puppy in his arm. "When," he started with a slow and calm voice while turning his eyes down in annoyance, "and where did you get a dog?"

"Jason got her for me when we went to visit Patty's ranch." Trina's eyes lit up and her father grunted in reply. "Remy had puppies and Miss Patty was giving them away. I just had an instant connection with this little one." Trina pat the puppy on the head and grinned as Tiny licked the palm of her hand. "Her name is Tiny, she's the runt of the litter."

"Okay. Next question." David walked to the couch, pulling a newspaper from the end table and spreading it out on the center cushion before placing Tiny on the paper. "Why is this dog here?"

"You want me to babysit my sister's friends, you get to babysit my new puppy." David snorted and leaned upright, watching as Tiny crawled onto the left cushion. With a growl, he picked up the dog and placed it on the newspapers.

"You stay here." Tiny looked up at him for a second, staring into his eyes. "What?" The puppy then moved to the right cushion and curled up. Trina covered her growing smirk and watched with amusement as her father moved the dog back onto the newspapers. "Not on my watch, runt." Tiny cocked her head, waited for a few seconds, then moved to the left cushion. "Hey!"

Once more, David moved the dog back to the papers. This exchange continued for several more times until Tiny sat in the center of the papers, looking at David. David leaned forward, his hands on his waist and eyes narrow. "I win." Tiny cocked her head and David's face softened. "What is it?" The puppy stood on all fours and her tail started wagging. "That's not going to work on me, you can't affect me with cuteness."

The puppy yipped again and moved in circles, crumpling up the paper and eventually managing to push it off the couch. "Damn it!"

Tiny instantly sat, her ears drooping and head bowed. Her eyes rose towards David, causing him to frown and lean forward. "Oh come on." Then, very slowly, Tiny lifted her small head and started to lean forward. David raised an eyebrow and blinked twice as the dog licked the tip of his nose.

He shuddered, rose up and swept sighed with defeat. "Fine, you win, you can have the damned cushion." Trina laughed and Tiny yipped jovially before curling into a ball. David let out a grunt and shook his head. "You and my daughter belong together, runt..."

It was almost certain the pup was going to win him over, but that would just be a matter of time. Her father had a soft spot for animals, but his soft heart was covered by an extremely thick exterior of toughness that was difficult as hell to chisel through. "That's your grandbaby for now, Dad." David flinched and Trina moved towards the dining room table. "Anyway, I suspect you told Tori I had to go along with them? What were their reactions?"

"Eh, could have gone better." David checked his watch and took a seat on the couch. The minute he did that, his hands flew up and he stared down to see Tiny crawling in his lap. "The hell? All that struggle over a cushion, and now this?" Trina laughed.

"She's a lapdog, be prepared to have her climbing into your lap." Trina flung her hair over her shoulder and crossed her arms. "I don't trust kennels, and she's too young to be in with the big dogs. In my opinion. They'd just think she's dinner."

"Ah. Well..." He lowered his hand to the puppy's back and let out a soft sigh. "We can't have that." The front door swung open and the room was filled with the bickering of Tori's friends, each arguing about Trina having to go to Yerba with them.

Trina rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest, glaring at the group with an annoyed expression. "Enough, please!" Tori cried out. "I'm not in control of that, my dad is."

"Your dad doesn't even care," Andre said over everyone's voice, "All you have to do is just tell him you don't want Trina along and then he'll just say it's fine." David looked at Trina and she stared at him, bouncing her eyebrows and keeping one arched high as if to tell him, 'see what I deal with?' David pat Tiny's back gently and cleared his throat loudly, causing the group to fall silent and stare at the two with wide eyes.

Before anyone could say anything, Cat squealed and shook her hands excitedly. "Oh a puppy! How cute!" Tori's jaw dropped as the redhead rushed over. Tiny yelped and tried to climb up David's chest with a loud whine. This made Cat step back and frown, as though rejected by a lover.

"Ah it's alright." David picked Tiny up and set her back in his lap gently. "You just startled her, I think."

"Yeah." Trina uncrossed her arms and stepped forward, sighing heavily. "She's still so young. You shouldn't run up to her or make sudden movements like that." Trina picked Tiny up and cradled her against her chest, smiling as the puppy's paws wrapped around her forearm. "Anyway guys, Dad's making me go along. None of us have a choice, so deal with it."

Jade groaned. "You're at least going to stay out of our way, right?" The goth's eyes flashed with disgust. Knowing she wanted little to do with them as well, she flashed a toothy grin and raised her eyebrows.

"I have shit I have to take care of, so yeah, I should be out of your hair as much as you need to stay out of mine."

The Chancellor had already been informed of the situation going on, and was willing to respect the secrecy and privacy of Jason's arrival. Evidently Tori's friends had been invited to stay in Yerba's top hotel to perform some music number. The Chancellor was a little surprised, but apparently honored that the Prince of Vanderkova would be visiting.

That said, he understood the reason was due to Trina's position as his chief bodyguard and Tori's sister. The man agreed to keep quiet Jason's presence, and would focus solely on Tori and her friends.

Now the flight to Yerba was tiring. Jason was flying coach, disguised and out of the line of sight of Tori and her friends. Trina was flying with him, preferring his presence to theirs.

They got off the plane and were guided in different directions. Trina would meet with her sister at the hotel later, first she needed to attend to Jason. Before they could meet with the Chancellor, however, the man had sent wardrobe designers to them in order to befit them with some of the finest attire.

For Trina, it was a surprisingly gold and silver dress that zipped up in the back and bore no sleeves. The dress flowed out around her heels and hugged her body firmly. When she was guided out of this dressing room, she caught the eye of Jason as he was being led out of his room.

She smirked upon seeing his eyes travel along her body, studying every curve. He was dressed in a regal outfit as well, consisting of woven silk. "Y-You're beautiful," he said with a stutter.

"Thank you." Her cheeks burst with a crimson shade and she slowly turned away. "I think we're ready to go meet this Chancellor now." Jason chuckled nervously, still unable to take his eyes off her it seemed. She enjoyed it, and was grateful for the dress as it drew his eyes. "Are you still anxious about actually being here?"

"Actually yeah, yeah I am." Jason cleared his throat and closed his eyes. "I don't like it, and I'm hoping we don't have to stay for long." The deep breath he took rattled for a moment, then flowed from his lips with ease. "I feel very out of my element, and that's odd. Odd for me."

"Why?"

"Because, I mean, I've been to places that my old guards would say were too dangerous. I've been in areas that were 'not where a prince should be', and felt perfectly comfortable there." He shivered and started down the hallway with her. "I can't get comfortable here."

She followed him closely, examining her surroundings as much as she could. There wasn't much to look at beyond the gilded walls of the palace. "A necessary evil, Jason." She agreed with him. Even now, she felt out of her own skin and was struggling to get used to this environment.

There hadn't been much to see so far, since they'd essentially been pulled away the moment their feet stepped off the plane. Trina was curious to see Yerba as it was. There was so much that Jason mentioned about it that she had already formulated a mental opinion of the country, but she needed to see it for herself. Once their business at the palace was concluded, she'd be able to deal with that at her whim.

Eventually they met with the Chancellor. He had one patch over his right eye, which according to some of his aides, was the result of some insect biting him.

The Chancellor rose up, clasping his hands together and grinning at the two. "Hello, I am Chancellor Lanton Yrgris. It's good to see you, Prince Jason of Vanderkova...and his esteemed bodyguard." Jason bowed and Trina performed her best curtsey. Lanton placed his hand on his stomach and bowed forward a bit. "It is my pleasure and honor to greet you. I am pleased you have chosen to grace Yerba with your presence."

"As are we pleased to be here," Trina replied. She wanted to do her best to show a sense of grace despite how much neither of them cared for the place. Jason glanced at her with a wry smile and nodded to the Chancellor, saying nothing. "We hope to get a feel for your country and its politics." She glanced at Jason, waiting for him to speak.

Lanton clapped once and flashed a smile as he looked from her to a Jason. Jason locked his hands behind his back and mustered a polite smile, following her lead. "Yes." He took a breath. "I hope to see how you deal with leadership and to gain an understanding of your policies." Trina nodded with pride, watching as Jason moved his hand to his chest. "Hopefully you can provide me with examples to learn from for me to better lead Vanderkova when it is time for me to inherit the throne."

"Thank you." Lantos raised his hands and started to laugh. "I will have my guards show you to your rooms." Jason bowed forward. "I have a performance to attend, a group of American singers. Do you wish to attend?"

"I am afraid I must decline. I do apologize, but I believe you have been informed of the situation with those American singers?" Lantos stroked his pointed beard and he nodded once.

"Oh yes, those are the ones with whom you wish to avoid. I understand a small amount, but nevertheless." Lantos motioned his hand towards the hallway and smiled. "Please, enjoy your stay in Yerba."

"Thank you, once again, I look forward to learning from my time here."

With that, they turned and followed a few feet behind the guard taking them to their rooms. "Well done," Trina whispered while sidling up next to Jason. She smirked as he deadpanned. "Here I thought you were going to insult the man by saying nothing at all."

"I said I don't want to be a ruler, not that I can't talk like one."

"And so you've learned the art of lying through your teeth, have you?"

"Lying?" He chuckled and shook his head. "Oh no, I'm going to be learning a lot from this visit. Like how not to screw my country over with a pitchfork up the-"

"Got it."

Up ahead was a young man dressed in royal blue robes. He had a warm, stubbly face and sharp brown eyes. "Ah you've arrived," the man said with a smile. Trina raised an eyebrow and Jason bowed. "I am Raymond, son of Chancellor Lanton." He took Trina's hand and bent forward, kissing it. "It is an honor to be graced by one with such beauty."

Jason cleared his throat and Trina started to blush. "Thank you." She took her hand back and turned sideways. "Allow me to introduce Prince Jason of Vanderkova. I am merely his bodyguard." Raymond chuckled once.

"I see. Welcome to Yerba, Prince Jason." Raymond straightened his back and extended his hand. "It's an honor to have you. I hope you do not mind that I was making sure your rooms were adequately stocked with all the amenities you may need." Jason shook the man's hand, his eyes drifting towards Trina's kissed hand.

Trina waited for him to release his grip, shaking her head slowly when she heard Raymond grunt. "That's quite the grip you have there, Prince Jason." Jason grinned and released the man.

"Thank you...It is an honor to be so welcomed here."

"Yes." Raymond tapped his chin and turned towards Trina, humming with curiosity. "How is it one so radiant could be your bodyguard, Jason?" Trina bowed her head and closed her eyes, smiling wider as a blush blossomed on her cheeks.

"Last thing you want to do is underestimate her. She's beautiful, but deadly, and that's why she's my chief bodyguard." Trina raised her head and watched as Raymond's eyebrows lifted upwards.

"Stunning. Simply amazing." Raymond walked past them, glancing over his shoulder as he departed. "I will leave you two to your rooms. Please, enjoy your stay." Trina could almost feel the man's gaze on her body, and could only grin when she saw a look of jealousy flash in Jason's eyes.

"Simply an asshole," she heard him mutter. Trina rolled her eyes and moved into her bedroom to set it up before she left to check on Tori.

So they're here in Yerba, and David's stuck watching a puppy. What are your thoughts and observations? Any bets on Tiny winning over Mr. Vega? And of course, we have another prince making a brief appearance in this Yerba arc, much to Jason's clear annoyance.