This chapter contains some serious spoilers about the series. Read with caution.

Missing Scene Three

Drop In The Ladder.

Story: Just The Beginning

Chapter: During Chapter Eleven.

Summary: Duncan has a meeting to discuss his job at the Palace.

He didn't really want to go to the Palace, he wanted to stay out in the forest, hunting with his sisters. And if he wasn't able to do that, he wanted to go home. The Palace hadn't been his home in such a long time, he'd forgotten why he had liked it there so much in the first place. Almost. Because as soon as he reached the gates and gave his name into the small metal box, Duncan felt the surge of pain that crippled his heart. The memories that swept through his mind were kind in thought, but painful enough to make him change his mind and hide out at his parents' house. And Duncan truly believed he would have done it if his life-long best friend hadn't spotted him as he emerged from the Palace gardens and into the courtyard.

Nigel called Duncan forward with a nod of his head. Duncan didn't think twice about running now, not that Nigel was there. They were both in this together, the teenager had to remind himself. Nigel and Duncan had been through almost everything in this Palace together.

"How are you holding up?" Duncan asked, walking sullenly towards the double doors at the front of the castle. One was already open and the two men slipped quietly inside. Nigel was purposely avoiding the question. It was too early to think about it, Courtney had only left an hour ago.

They walked in silence to the board room. Once inside they found themselves in the company of another teenager, this one with a hard expression as she concentrated on the book in front of her. Long, blonde locks fell into her coal black eyes, but she didn't bother to brush them away. Her mind was fixated.

"Hey, Ari," the blonde snapped her head up, ready to slaughter the person who spoke the hated nickname with her words, but came up short when she saw Duncan. She didn't exactly smile, but the scowl was no longer evident.

"Hey, Duncan," she mumbled. "Hey, Uncle Nigel." Without another word she went back to her book. Duncan noted how unusual it was of her to be wearing sweat pants and a hoodie, but since it was a Sunday Duncan figured she didn't have much need to be in one of her Princess dresses. The punk tried to rewind his mind to when he had lived in the Palace; had the Princess' always had Sunday's off? He couldn't remember, and not that he wanted to. The pain of his girlfriend leaving had been hard enough on him for the day.

Not long after the two men had taken their seats on the long, oak table across from Princess Arianna, another person joined them, shutting the door behind her. There was a scowl on her face, but she lightened up slightly when she noted everyone was present.

Kaly, with her close-cropped, dyed red hair, black biker boots, leather jacket, and permanent frown, was a scary person. Though she was barely five feet tall and could pass as a fairy, most people were intimidated by her presence. It was what had made her perfect for a higher-up job in the Palace. Kaly was in charge of overseeing Arianna's Princess duties along with various other jobs that she bragged to Duncan about all the time, though he never really listened. As far as Duncan was concerned, the only thing Kaly wanted from him was his job out from under.

"Now that we are all here, we can begin to discuss the matter at hand." Kaly's words were tinted with happiness. Duncan knew why. This was the perfect opportunity for Kaly to fire Duncan. She didn't understand how he had ended up as a security guard for the first place-because Kaly had only been working in the Palace since Arianna and Courtney were born-and most certainly didn't understand how he had kept the position for the last twenty-seven years. But, as long as Nigel was King, Duncan wasn't going to get fired, he was sure of it.

"Quit the bullshit, Kaly," Duncan muttered, head in hand. "Just get straight to the point."

Kaly straightened up and even Arianna dared a glance in the direction of the adults. "Very well. Now that Princess Courtney has decided to leave her heritage behind and work for the Tracker's, you are no longer obligated to be her full-time bodyguard." It was Nigel's place to say so, but Duncan figured the two had already discussed what was going to happen. "You will take the rest of the week off and come back next Wednesday to escort Princess Arianna to the Annual Growlen summer ball which is being held at the Nishnaville Senate hall. You will then continue your duties as Princess Arianna's escort guard until further notice." Kaly pulled a slip of paper from an air socket to her left, something which her sorcerer-like powers allow her to do, and slid it across the table towards Duncan. The teenage boy looked over the sheet before looking up at his adversary.

"And what if I want to become Arianna's full-time bodyguard?" He asked. Arianna's eyebrows shot up in respected shock while Nigel turned to his best friend, knowing exactly how bad of an idea that was. Kaly just looked pissed.

"Duncan..." Nigel warned, his eyes flittering over to his niece before solidly staying on the boy beside him.

Duncan swallowed hard. He knew it was a stupid request given his history with the Palace and with Arianna herself, but he didn't want to go from being a full-time guard and an escort guard to just being an escort guard. It was a major shock to the system.

"We'll evaluate the situation and get back to you on that one, Duncan," Kaly sourly replied, her lips pressed together in fear she might say something out of line. Kaly often said things out of line to Duncan, but wouldn't dare to with the King and one of the Princess' in the room; one had the power to fire her on the spot while the other could one day have the power to fire her.

Duncan sighed, digging a ballpoint pen from deep in his pocket and signing on the dotted line. Kaly looked too pleased in her self.

A/N: Ouch.

Poor Duncan and Nigel...

So yes, if you just read this and you didn't know the shocking news...COURTNEY IS A PRINCESS! Though, she doesn't know it. Everyone is keeping it a secret from her.

And yes, that is Princess Arianna, the one that Duncan told Courtney he works for, when secretly he's actually working for her too...If some of this did not make sense, all will be revealed by the end of all these stories...I promise! There's a lot to get through and sometimes suspense is a killer, but I really hope ya'll find it worth it XD

And even though Just The Beginning has finished DOES NOT mean that this story has finished! It will be staying on through Real Life too, and I may or may not have a scene or two that fits in between the stories as well ;) So, keep an eye out for those.

Thanks for reading, please review (:

Love ChloeRhiannonX