Chapter 192 TEIGEN XVI
"Oh, it is you" Elara panicks, laughing awkwardly as she exchanges guilty looks between Sir Cotton and Ryker.
"I-i didn't see you there, forgive me" Ryker fixes his shocked expression and walks out of the trunk to her front. He straightens up, gazing forward in a stoic stance like Commander Tanner had commanded he remain at attention.
Elara watched him in amusement, thinking to herself how constipated he looked. Her gaze swept down his from, his new guards uniform did nothing to help his serious expression. She snorted, holding back her laugh as she took notice of his crooked collar, his mismatched metal adornments that were supposed to hang low on his chest, instead they were slanting to the side and flipped awkwardly.
Ryker's gaze found hers and he wondered what it was she was finding so humorous. He did not flinch or relax his muscles instead he ignored her, trying not to break character when she pushes herself onto her feet and approaches him with Sir Cotton in her hand. His gaze flickers over to her, his eyes taking in every movement of hers. She stands in front of him, a bit too close. Close enough for him to see the light freckles that were scattered across the bridge of her nose, how her eyes seemed to radiate with life and mischief.
She places Sir Cotton into his hands, stepping even closer she looked into his eyes "You have really pretty eyes. They look like amethysts" she observed them, absolutely amazed by how they seemed to buzz with color and different hues of emotions.
Ryker held his breath, her words completely rendering him fuzzy brained. His heart swelled, threatening to implode at her compliment. Everyone who saw his eyes never had anything good to say about them but here she was, a complete stranger, calling his biggest insecurity beautiful.
"Your guard's uniform is crooked, mind if I assist you?" She politely asks, waiting for a response but Ryker only nods her an answer, his gaze glued to her face.
Satisfied she properly places his metal adornments, straightens his collar and puffs out his sleeves. She steps back, examining him before nodding in satisfaction, "The guard's must have been snickering about your lack of decorum. They should know better to correct you though, but no harm done. At least Fowler did not see you otherwise he would have scolded you quite a bit"
Ryker wanted to say something but he did not want to encourage a conversation with the princess. He was not forbidden from talking to her, no he simply knew that if he were to speak to her whatever strange attachment and intrigue he had begun to feel for her would simply increase and he could not afford such unfounded feelings, least of all to his employer's daughter. Like clockwork from that day on Ryker had formed the habit of remaining mute towards the princess, every morning without fail she would come out to the wildlands at the same spot every single day to speak to and feed her bunnies, yes with an s.
She had three pet bunnies, Sir Cotton, Lady Ruby with her brown fur and Violet. The strange princess named one of her bunnies after her new body guard's beautiful eyes which she never failed to complement him on.
She concluded on one sunny afternoon as he held an umbrella above her head that since the human Ryker refused to converse with her she would talk to the bunny Violet and sometimes in a very cheeky manner complain or make mischievous comments to Violet directed towards Ryker. Against his prior conclusions Ryker had failed miserably in diminishing his fascination with the princess, unfortunately it had only grown stronger.
Now he looked forward to walking three steps behind her everyday, his daily errands to the kitchen to get food for her bunny babies as she so often liked to call them or following her to the main town to buy miniature clothes for her bunnies. He had found her talkative nature and constant one sided banters absolutely adorable and endearing.
Although he had learned to better mask his reactions and amusements it did not stop him from enjoying her company and growing fund of her over the passing months. His days began and ended with her voice and as much as he hated to admit it, he could not see his days without her as anything other than unfulfilling and utterly undesirable.
The old woman, her governess watched the two from afar, casting him deadly stares when she caught him staring from time to time at Elara without her notice. Ryker soon concluded he did not feel comfortable around Fowler, the Grand Duke's right hand. He had never been one to right off on a person's character just from their mannerisms, but he had noticed from his silent observations that Fowler was always too invasive and overly friendly with the lady, much to his dislike. Ryker kept his odd feelings to himself, he was in no position to speak on it or feel the way he did. Fowler held much influence on the Grand Duke, ever since the Duchess's poisoning the Duke's over protective nature became even more obsessive.
Frequently so, Elara would constantly feel suffocated which could be the reason behind her openess to having just one guard with her instead of the usual 5 armed ones that would follow her around like brick walls, scaring away anyone who tried to approach her. Ryker could feel his heart softening towards the princess. He had begun to realize just how lonely she was, even with the occasional balls and parties she would attend she never had any true bonds with any noble ladies her age.
Normally, during the balls Ryker would accompany her to the noble ladies would ask Elara about him, where her father found him and where they could get guards like him for themselves as well. It was obvious their snide remarks made the lady uncomfortable. He watched the same ladies that would talk to Elara go off and isolate her for whatever reason, leaving her alone to wander around the busy hall with a dance card filled to the brim.
The only times she was truly happy was when she was dancing and when she was to leave. Sometimes to cheer her dampened mood, Ryker would ask for them both to be stopped to get treats from a nearby sugar shop that had opened at the square. Ryker knew the coach rider would report back to the Grand Duke, so he had them be dropped at a textile shop and they would sneak off. Elara's triumphant excited giggles danced through his ears, making his heart swell with content and joy