Roman entered the dining room along with all the royalties. He always had to go where the princess went. That included dinner. He had his own seat at the table next to her.

"Sit down," Hunter said to his guests. "Roman, go get the princess. Her presence is needed."
"I'm right here, father," Smilla said.

Roman looked over at Smilla entering. Lana sure had picked a lovely grey and gold dress full of sequins that sparkled in the light. Half of her hair was still pulled back but she had changed it up by braiding it so it looked more upper glass. He was sure that was Lana's doing too. Lana might not be the brightest but she had an eye for fashion.

"Smilla, this is king Corbin and his son prince Dolph," Hunter said. "Gentlemen, this is my daughter Smilla."

Hunter smiled at Dolph.

"Your bride to be," Hunter said.

Dolph smirked at those words. Roman cringed inside. Smilla curtsied at the prince who nodded his head in return. Roman pulled out Smilla's chair as many times before. She sat down and he took his seat next to her. Dolph's smirk fell.

"Excuse me if I'm out of line, but why does a common man sit at your table, your highness?" Dolph asked.

Roman sneered at Dolph without anyone seeing. This snotty brat had some nerves. He had just arrived at the castle today and already he was trying to change things into what he wanted.

"Roman is Smilla's personal protector. Where she goes, he goes. I had to make sure to hire someone big as a bear to fight off anyone who would even think about touching her. She had to remain pure for you," Hunter said.
"I suppose that makes sense but I still don't understand why he sits at the same table instead of standing back and waiting for us to be done," Dolph said.
"He has to eat too," Hunter chuckled. "What better time than to have him eat at the same time as us? He'll always be ready if he's needed. And I like him. He has great stories to tell about animals and people he has tracked over the years."
"No one gets away from me," Roman said.

Roman wasn't even sure if it was meant as a warning or not. Probably. He didn't like Dolph, and he wouldn't mind if Dolph feared him just a little. Dolph kept looking at Roman and then a small, sinister smile crept up on his face. Roman didn't like that smile. There was something in it that he knew wasn't good. This man was not a good man.

"I have my own people for similar positions. The princess will get some of my trusted men as her protectors back at my castle," Dolph said.

Both Roman's and Smilla's hearts stopped beating at those words. Dolph had figured out that Roman was important to Smilla, and the prince wasn't having it. She would be his property, and his men would make sure she would never escape.

"Guess that will leave Roman here with me," Hunter smiled. "You will always have a job here, Roman. You are the best tracker this land has."
"Thank you, sir," Roman said.

There was nothing else Roman could say in that moment. There was a lot of things he wanted to say, even scream if he was allowed to, but he kept it all inside. Smilla was never his to begin with. He always knew this day would come. He had just hoped it would be futher out in the future, or that he at least could go with her once she left.

"Let's eat," Hunter said.

Roman remained quiet during dinner. It was not his place to say a word in the conversation that was going on across the table. The upcoming marriage. Smilla didn't talk much either. She answered when she was asked something, but other than that she kept quiet like the good wife she was going to be. It was easy to see Dolph enjoyed the idea of the submissive wife that would never speak unless spoken too.

"Let's have a drink at the library," Hunter said after dinner. "Roman, escort the princess back to her room."
"Allow me, your highness," Dolph said.

Hunter smiled and nodded. Dolph walked over to Smilla and held out his arm.

"Princess," Dolph said.

Smilla stood up and hooked her arm with Dolph's. Hunter and Corbin smiled satisfyingly. Dolph and Smilla started walking towards the door. Roman got up from his seat too to follow. Dolph stopped and frowned at Roman.

"Tell your dog to stay," Dolph said.
"Where she goes, he goes," Hunter reminded Dolph. "Once you're married, he will stay here. But for now, he's doing his job that I hired him for. I can't let you be alone with my daughter until you're officially married. I don't want that kind of reputation. It took a lot to restore faith in me with the people of this land after her mother died. I will not let another scandal wash over me like that."

Dolph nodded but looked anything but happy. Roman kept his smile down as he followed behind Smilla and Dolph. At least he had won this round. Dolph would not be able to do anything to Smilla yet. They walked up the stairs and stopped in front of Smilla's door. Roman stopped by the door to his room which was the room next to hers. There was even a door between there rooms in case he ever needed to run into her room to protect her in a matter of seconds. That door had been used every night for their secret meetings.

"Your father showed me your mother's wedding dress. I like it. You're gonna look great in it," Dolph said.

Roman pursed his lips together. He had never thought Hunter would let his daughter get married in her dead mother's wedding dress. He had no doubt she would look amazing in it but he didn't want her to ever wear a wedding dress for any man but him.

"I like that you're this quiet," Dolph smirked. "I don't like chatty women. Know your role, do as you're told, and we'll get along fine."

Dolph turned his head and smirked at Roman.

"Smile, dog. It's a happy day. Your princess is getting married," Dolph looked at Smilla again. "I bid you goodnight, princess. I will see you again tomorrow. Wear pink. I do love that color on a woman. And it'll prove to me that you truly know to do as I say. If you don't wear pink tomorrow, your wedding night isn't going to be a happy one. Make no mistake. I'll take you either way. You decide whether it's going to be a pleasant or a painful experience."

Roman wanted to tear Dolph apart with his bare hands. Instead he just stood there and tried his hardest not to show any emotions. Smilla nodded, opened the door to her room and disappeared. Dolph smirked at Roman and then started whistling as he walked downstairs again.

Roman walked into his own room and stared at the door leading to her room. He wanted to run to her so bad and just hold her. He couldn't though. Not anymore. She belonged to the prince now no matter how much Roman hated that idea. He had to stop loving her and start seeing her for what she truly was to him. A princess whose father he worked for. Nothing more, nothing less. He was there to protect her although he couldn't protect her from her husband to be.

He pulled a chair over to the window and sat down in the darkness of his room. He sat there just staring out at nothing for a long time. He had no idea how long. Hours went by. The door between their rooms suddenly opened which led him to believe it was past midnight and everyone had gone to sleep while he had been sitting there in his own trance. The light from her room made her look like a goddess in the open door as she entered his dark room. She walked over to him. He stood up from the chair and wrapped his arms around her.

"The owls are quiet tonight," she said.

Once again he hadn't noticed anything out of the order outside until she pointed it out. Normally he could hear the owls at night. Not a single one was making sounds tonight.

"Another bad omen?" He asked.
"A help to escape so we can hear if anyone is following us, and where the stream of the river is in the darkness. The stars are bright tonight too. They'll light our way through the forest."

He broke the hug and stared at her.

"You're planning to flee?" He asked.
"With you," she answered. "Come with me, Roman. You saw Dolph. You saw the man I will be forced to live with. Is that truly the fate you want for me?"
"No," he said. "But we can't leave. I can go to Hunter and plea my case so that I can come with you. I can continue protecting you."
"You know you can't. This is it, Roman. Time has run out. If I don't get out of here, my fate is sealed. I will be doomed. Come with me. We can be together. I love you," she said.

His heart broke hearing her say those words. It should be words he was happy to hear, and normally they were. Everything had changed today, and he had no idea how to handle it.

"And I love you," he said. "You know I do. More than anything. But we are not from the same ranks. We can't be together. I will fight with everything in me to go with you when you leave with Dolph, but that is all I can offer. From here on out I'm your protector. Not your secret lover."

She took a step backwards and licked her suddenly dry lips.

"I don't believe you," she said.

He took a deep breath. He had to push everything away that he felt for her. She was not his. She would never be his.

"Princess," he said.
"No," she whispered. "Don't call me that."
"Anything else you need my help with tonight, princess?" He asked.

Tears ran down her face. She shook her head no, turned around and walked back to her room. His room fell in total darkness again as the door between their rooms closed. It would never be opened again. He knew that. He walked back to the window and sat back down. He listened for the owls but they kept quiet.

"Come on, you stupid birds!" He growled. "Make some noise, damn it! Tell her I made the right choice."

The night remained dark and dead silent around him. All he could hear was the sound of himself crying.