Chapter 190 TEIGEN XIV
The sign of a personal guard meant the Grand Duke would not pursue the alliance which meant Elara would stay and Fowler would have to take a back seat. By some amazing stroke of luck Elara's last guard had died while protecting her from what seemed to be a planned attack by assassins, but with this new guard an obstacle had been put to block Fowler and there was nothing he hated more than not getting his way.
☆
Elara's bare feet drilled holes into the carpet as she paced back and forth, her fingers twisting, tugging and pulling at her curls in angst.
Was this a joke? Some kind of punishment? What were the odds that the only man who had ever seen the true identity of the Veiled dancer would be the man father chose as my personal guard? Where did this man even come from?
"You have to do something Elara, your pacing is making me dizzy sit down dear" Augustine, Elara's governess beckons her.
Worry pinched at her skin, "I can't sit down. What if he is already telling father as we speak? What if father is marching down here to marry me off to Sawyer!?" She stopped, her electric blue eyes wide with fear, anxiety and nervousness.
Her palms began to heat up, her pupils began to dilate a different hue but before she could spasm out of control Augustine grabbed hold of her wrists and spun Elara around to face her. Her chest rose and fell with her sudden rapid, shallow intakes of air.
Augustine gave her a stern look, "Calm down Elara" she warned and Elara had to force herself to breathe. She blinked away the foreign shade from her clouded eyes, the heat from her palms dissipating as she took in deep breaths.
"If he told the Grand Duke, he would have rushed down here by now. He has not told your father yet, but before he does I will go speak to the Grand Duke so he could get the man fired and bring in somebody else"
Elara's brows dipped in disapproval, "What? No you can't do that"
"It is all to protect you Elara" Augustine reasoned, taking hold of Elara's hands in hers.
Elara shook her head still, "No, there is another way. I will speak with him before he reports back to father, we cannot make an innocent man loose his work just because of my secret"
Augustine sighed, "And what happens if he doesn't listen to you, Huh?"
"Then you can speak to father. But let me try find him first"
★
Ryker tugged at the hem of his shirt, eyeing it strangely. He turned to the tailor, "This is kind of small" he complained, watching as the tailor rolled his eyes at him.
"Nothing else, manage" was all he said before he got up and lazily strolled out of the room. Ryker sighed, examining his new guard's attire. He was suspicious as to how his size was not available, seeing as there were guard's much larger than him.
He already got the feeling like the other guard's were judging him, picking at every imperfection visible, the way they stared at him like he was some kind of show monkey, with weird violet eyes.
He wanted to hold Commander Tanner back when he said he left to get them both some food from the kitchen. Now he was here, wondering how his days would look like. The princess already looked very terrified of him, for all he knew she could be speaking to her father the Grand Duke right at this moment to fire him because he had dared to sneak to her tent and was fortunate enough to see her face.
He pulled away his tunic, the image of those electric azure eyes staring back at him, first with a strange fondness then with equal amounts of fear both times. Just then he heard scrambled footsteps from outside the door right before it came flying open and coming right for his head.
Elara stood behind a pillar, watching quietly as the tailor walked out of the room.
Now is my chance!
She rushed over to the door, watching to see if any servants or guards were passing. Once she was certain the hallways were clear, she barged into the room unceremoniously. A loud bang and a hiss followed her dramatic entry.
She gasped, a loud groan coming from the figure that leaned against the wall, holding onto his head.
"Oh my goddess!" She exclaims in panic, rushing into the room and shutting the door behind her. She stops in front of Ryker, not knowing what to do she just starts blurting out apologies, trying to get a look at the part of his head he was applying pressure on.
"Are you okay, are you bleeding?"Ryker winced, removing his hand from the spot.
They both sighed when there was no sign of blood, "It's fine. I have dealt with a lot worse, you just caught me off guard"
Ryker swallowed thickly once he noticed how close she was. His eyes met hers, those same fiery blue orbs, burning, crackling like a blue flame as if daring him to come closer, to touch it's heat. Elara cleared her throat awkwardly, her eyes going wide when she registered his half nakedness.
Immediately she pulls away, turning her back to him. "I am so sorry. I didn't know you would be changing, um I just came to tell you to please keep my secret identity away from my father. He does not know I am the Veiled dancer, you are the only one who has ever seen my face. So I would appreciate your discretion"
Ryker's lips itched to ask so many questions but he kept them sealed, he didn't need to know, he just had to agree to it
"Okay" was all he replied as he stared at her long red curls cascading down her back. He stood there mesmerised, low electricity buzzing under his skin. Her quiet grace, her soft elegance, he felt this unexplainable urge to reach forward, to say something else, to take this chance. He could feel his palms getting sweaty, his heart racing as she turns around, her eyes briefly skimming down his shirtless figure before they quickly snap back to his gaze, but she was not quick enough.
He couldn't help but be drawn to her, he could feel it as clear as the first time he had laid eyes on her. This was inappropriate, he was supposed to be guarding her, not ogling her up in the servants quarters of the Grand Duke's manor. Elara pressed her lips together, waiting for something, anything.
She didn't know what but she knew she wanted to hear him speak again, "Okay. I will be going now before the tailor comes back"
She still remained standing only turning away to leave when no words passed his lips. The moment the door shut behind her Ryker let out a gush of breath he was unaware was being held.