Security

Security
ell, it’s been two days since the King made his announcement about the rouges and he has stuck to his word. I try to wiggle a bit stuffed into this tiny car but have no room, I am shoved in the back seat between two huge men. They are probably the size of Damon and are adamantly watching out the window as we pull up to the dress shop. I couldn’t even share a car with the girls and them follow in the one behind us, when I ask they said kings orders. So here I am trying it reach for the door to exit my car when one of the guards grunts and shakes his head no. I am about to tell him to open the door when the guard in the front speaks up. “I’m going to do a perimeter check stay in the car until I give the all clear.” Then he taps the roof of the car and begins to circle the building after a few minutes he rounds the opposite side of the building and looks like he is heading to the car, but then opens the door to a sweep if the inside. I appreciate the concern but this feels like a bunch of overkill. After another 5 minutes the guards comes out gives us the nod and opens the car door for us all to exit. The guard who did the perimeter check decides to stand outside of the shop while the other two follow me in. Thankfully they stay towards the front door, I really thought they would follow me up and down ever isle. I head over to where the girls were all waiting for me and start to feel a bit more relaxed. They are holding mimosas and I see one waiting for me. “Hey guys, sorry I’m late. Security wanted to do a full check before I came in.” I say sheepishly. My mom smiles at me “good I want them keeping my daughter safe!” Hazel and Lizzie try to hide their laughter, they like me think it’s a bit of overkill. It’s one thing to be escorted places for protection but it’s whole other thing to be receiving the kind of escort the King gets when visiting other territories. That’s right even the King doesn’t get this level of protection in his own city he has more freedoms here than I do. Ridiculous! I look around a bit more thoroughly and see that Alice did decide not to join us after all. I understand it was a lot just for to accept hanging out with me for an hour a day, now throw her in with my whole family? If I was her I would have be overwhelmed by the idea too. She is so kind though and did promise to come to the ball even if just for a little while. “Well how is Damon doing? Has he calmed down at all since the news? I know he has been really worried about you.“ Hazel says with a look of pride, I think Damon is starting to grow on her she can really see how much he cares for me and of course I him. “I’ve got him to calm down a bit but not much. If he had his way I would would be followed by two guards when it is him and I, and I would receive 10 guards when he wasn’t with me.” I say with a chuckle. “ We have talked about it a lot in the last two days and he is starting to realize that I am right. More guards won’t make a difference I can take care of myself and there’s no way they are breaching the city let alone the castle. This is the first time I have even left castle grounds and don’t think I will again anytime soon.” Lizzie nods “yeah Carter doesn’t even want me to leave castle grounds without him or some kind of escort. I got away with today because he knew you were coming with one. I try to remind him it’s you they want not me, but he says who’s to say they won’t take me to use against you.” I shudder at the thought of the rouges getting their hands on any of them. “Carters right I didn’t consider it but all of us should be extra vigilant right now. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you guys.” I say feeling the guilt bubble up over what happened to Liam at Blackwood yes he was fine, but he never would have been in that position had it not been for me. “Hey, we will. Let’s start to cheer up I hear they have a huge selection. Come on let’s go check out the dresses!” Hazel says trying to pull me out of hole I just dug myself into. I take a deep breath and smile and nod the ball is in 4 days I need to get my dress and shoes together. I’m honestly a little stressed we waited this long in the first place. We split up and make our way around the store picking out dresses for one another, and after almost two hours of all of us trying on dresses we all finally settled on the perfect dresses for ourselves. I even picked one out that is getting sent to Alice, it’s a similar icy blue to her eyes and I think she will look incredible in it. I feel bad she wasn’t comfortable going shopping with us but she also told me she didn’t necessarily have anything she could wear either. I hope she likes it! We are rushing back to the castle for Damon and I’s first training lesson together, I’m excited and nervous but I think we will get the hang of it rather quickly. We have both trained our whole lives and I can’t imagine a couple of months off at most for me would really slow me down. Damon might take a bit longer he said he hasn’t really trained in years, I am hoping I’ll be able to kick his ass at least for a little bit while he catches back up and surpasses my training knowledge. We will find out soon enough I think as we pull up the castle, I grab my dress and head to our room hanging it in my closet and changing into some leggings and a sports bra. I grab a T-shirt and throw it on before slipping on my sneakers and heading to the training room. I bump into Damon in the hallway and can’t help the smile that takes over my entire face. “Hello beautiful, how was shopping” he asks planting a kiss on my forehead. “It was great, I can’t wait for you to see my dress it’s the most beautiful thing I have ever owned!” I describe still in awe of the dress I found. “We will have to pick out the perfect masks to go with it then won’t we?” Damon asks holding the door open to the training room for me, I see it’s a private lesson with just me and Damon in the ring and let out a sigh of relief. That is until this giant older man walks in. He looks like he’s in his mid thirties but I know from conversations with Damon he’s in his mid fifties. I am about to walk over and introduce myself when he yells “why are we just standing around sprints let’s move!” And just like that the training has began.