Chapter 55

Hunter Cole

He had just finished his patrol and was returning to the headquarters with the guards.

As he entered, he didn't see one of the guards. He got scared and immediately started to look for him and then jumped out as he tried to scare him.

"Hey, brother." Said Gabriel.

"Shh, not so loud, or they'll hear you." Said Cole, as his little brother smiled and laughed.

"No one is here yet, and I still don't see why we can't tell anyone we're related?" asked Gabriel.

"Because it's no one's business, to begin with, plus I don't want them to think that I'll only protect you and not the rest of the guards." Said Cole as his brother shrugged, and when they saw the door open to reveal Brandon and Phoenix.

"Hey Gabriel, what are you doing here? There are a lot of princesses to watch and take care of, if you know what I mean." Said Brandon as we winked.

"Derek will kill you if he ever hears you say that." Said Phoenix.

"He has a right to though those princesses are hot and gorgeous, especially the queen; I can see he got lucky." Said Angel as he entered the room as well.

"Watch it, dude, that's Derek's wife; respect her as your queen, or I'll make sure you do." Said Phoenix getting upset as Angel only rolled his eyes and left the room again.

"What about you, Cole? What do you think of these princesses here?" asked Brandon.

"I'm here to protect and try to catch the person who king Derek assigned to me, not for anything else." Said Cole, as the guys smirked.

"Are you sure, buddy? Brandon and I saw you with princess Fallon earlier in the library as we passed by." Said Phoenix, as his brother Gabriel tried to do the same thing.

"Aww, is someone falling for the princess? It's okay if you are." Said Gabriel.

"I am not!" exclaimed Cole.

"Why are you shouting if there's nothing to hide?" said Brandon with a smirk.

"Besides, I saw how you looked at her, and let's say I saw you having difficulties trying to talk to her." Said Phoenix as he and the rest started laughing.

"What about you and the blonde with the blue dress?" said Cole to Phoenix, and he quickly stopped laughing and started smiling.

"Hadley? You mean, yes? she's great; she understands me completely, much better than my ex, and she was a real pain in the ass." Said Phoenix.

"So, your falling in love then?" asked Gabriel as Phoenix looked at him, confused.

"To tell you the truth, I don't know, but if I am, so what? I have nothing to hide or be ashamed of; everyone finds love eventually." Said Phoenix while he was looking at Cole, while he just rolled his eyes.

Cole was never a big fan of love; he knew what he was getting himself into when he chose this job. This job is required all the time in the world, and if he were to fall in love or even marry, he doesn't want his wife or child to feel like he abandoned them; plus, this may require him to travel, and it's very risky.

He remembered when the pressure was too much for his mother that it made her lose herself; his dad disappeared and was never found again; the only thing they found was a piece of his clothing.

Everyone declared him dead, and it destroyed his mom, and he doesn't want his wife to go through that, so he has decided to lock up his heart and not open it to anyone.

But his brother worried for him even though he told him not to, that if he ever gets married and has kids, he will become the uncle that travels on missions.

"Come on, Gabriel, we'll show you around the castle because we both know Cole will leave again on patrol soon." Said Brandon.

"And I have to go report to Derek." Said Phoenix as he got up and left, and Cole also made his way out.

Queen Genevieve

"There you go, Henry, now your all warm and toasty." Said Genevieve as she and her sisters had come back inside and changed her son.

So, he would be all warm, and she saw that he was tired and fed him some milk before putting him in his crib, so he would nap.

Knock… Knock

Suddenly there was a slight knock at the door, and she went to open it, and it was the twins; Hadley was hugging Isla as she looked like she was crying.

"Genevieve, we need your help." Said Hadley; as she nodded and invited them in, she noticed that they saw Henry sleeping and gave her a look.

"It's okay, girls, he's sleeping, and now a day's he can sleep through anything as long as we don't shout too much, but what happened, girls?" Said Genevieve.

"Isla should go first; something happened to her; when I got to our room, I found her in her bed crying, and I can't get her to stop crying." Said Hadley worried as Isla continued to softly cry.

Genevieve got close to her sister, hugged her, and placed a hand on the top of her head.

"Shh, it's okay, Isla. Take a deep breath and calm down; tell me what happened?" asked Genevieve; as Hadley grabbed some tea for her twin sister and placed it on the nightstand, she grabbed the chair from Genevieve's vanity and sat down.

"It's…. Tobias…..." she said, shaking.

Then Genevieve remembered and was crushed; his sister probably discovered what she and Tobias talked about as her father.

"Why didn't you tell me anything?" she asked Genevieve as she brushed her hair with her hand, and Hadley looked confused.

"Because he asked us not to tell you that this was something you two had to discuss alone." Said Genevieve.

"Can you tell me what's going on?" asked Hadley.

"Tobias wanted to buy me or rent me or whatever it's called; it's the same in the end." Exclaimed Isla as Hadley was surprised and looked at Genevieve.

"Isla…... even if it was, you love Tobias, and he loves you." Said Hadley.

"No, what he did isn't love. It's more of possession or obsession." Added Isla.

"Isla, there's a difference, and to be sincere, did you know that it was a tradition for this kingdom. Mother and father were the last to be united by this; Derek recently took this law away, the law was because Glidonia was going broke, and if they charged for the princesses, we would earn money back." Said Genevieve.

"But what about you and Derek? Did he have to pay for you too?" asked Isla. "

No, because he had paid papa by helping and protecting us when we saved the kingdom from Rowena." Said Genevieve.

"Maybe you're still young to understand, or you're just like mother, she never liked this idea because she thought it would mess with our happiness, but that's a prize as a princess. Derek took out the law for the triplets, and you two, this time it's your choice, but Ashlyn, Blair, and Delia decided to go along with this because they fell in love with their husbands. They listened to their hearts, and that's what I want you to do, sweetie; listen to what you want to do with your life." Said Genevieve as she got a hold of Isla's hands.

"If you want Tobias to court you, we'll make an arrangement and say there is no pay. But if you choose not to, that's okay as well, just don't make a mistake and lose the person you love the most." Said Genevieve.

"Can I have time to think about this?" asked Isla.

"Of course, take as much time as you need but don't take more than the necessary." Said Genevieve as Isla nodded and got up and left the room, probably to take a walk.

"Now, what about you, Hadley? You said you needed help as well?" asked Genevieve, as Hadley smiled.

"Yes, I do, but it's a surprise." She said, giggling, as Genevieve noticed this and laughed herself; then Hadley told her what she wanted to do, making Genevieve smile

"That's a great idea, Hadley, but I think you should ask Derek for help as well; I have to get on decorating for the ball; it's in two days, but thanks for the heads up now I know I need to make extra food and get last-minute presents. You can take the royal sled with one of the new guards, but I'd prefer it be Gabriel. I don't trust most yet." Said Genevieve.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Hadley.

"Nothing, it's fine." Said Genevieve.

"Genevieve, if something is bothering you, tell Derek immediately; he'll solve the problem." Said Hadley.

"I know, thanks, Hadley." Said Genevieve as her sister hugged her before leaving and closing the door. Genevieve moved toward her son, watched him sleep, and remembered something that had happened earlier.

Flashback

She was outside with her son talking with Fallon; they had just agreed that Fallon would buy any left presents while she would oversee decoration. Edaline would be cooking the feast since most of the servants would be gone the day before to be with their family.

"Okay, then I'll leave you be, Genevieve. I'm off to make something new for me." Said Fallon as Genevieve knit her eyebrows and laughed; her sister had made herself some weird creations over the years.

Then suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder; she turned around, and it was Angel, the new guard.

"What is a pretty lady like you doing here alone?" asked Angel.

This surprised Genevieve and made her feel a bit uncomfortable; she knew the difference between humor and just being creepy, and this was totally also crossing the line.

"What can I do for you?" asked Genevieve, trying to get away from him.

"Don't back away, my dear sweet queen; I'm just making a sweet conversation with you. Are you afraid?" he asked with a smirk.

"No, it just makes me feel uncomfortable. This can be shown as a disrespect." Said Genevieve.

"I've done no harm, your highness." Said Angel; as he was getting more and more closer to her, she checked to see if her son was still in his playpen, she was going to say something, but Angel raised his hand and started brushing her hair gently the way Derek does it.

She had to think of something quickly before this got out of hand.

"Angel, what are you doing? Get away…" she said, but he interrupted her by placing a finger by her lips, shushing her.

"Shhh." He simply said, then quickly dodged him, snaked around him, and grabbed her son.

"May this never happen again, or I will have to inform my husband of your bad behavior." Said Genevieve as she walked away with her son.

End of Flashback

"Don't worry, Henry, mother will always protect you, and for herself, she'll find someone or simply tell daddy." She told her son as she watched him sleep peacefully.

She heard another knock at the door and told the person to enter, and he did it was Phoenix.

"You called your highness?" asked Phoenix.

"Yes, Phoenix, what do you know about Angel?" asked Genevieve.

"Did something happen, your highness?" asked Phoenix.

"Do you know anything about him?" she asked again.

"Well, not much. I know he came from Thraas; that's his hometown but other than that, nothing much; word of advice, keep away from him, your highness. I don't trust him at all." Said Phoenix.

"Don't worry, Phoenix, I will; I don't trust him either. Phoenix, may I ask you a favor? Could you possibly be the head guard for Henry and me? Without my husband knowing, I don't want to worry him if nothing happens." said Genevieve.

"Of course, your highness. But are you sure you don't want to inform your husband?" Said Phoenix.

"No, first I want to make sure." Said Genevieve as Phoenix nodded.

"That's all, phoenix; you may leave and thank you," said Genevieve as Phoenix bowed and left the room. As Genevieve sat in the bed, she watched her son sleeping in his crib.