Protect Me

Chapter-2

                            Chapter-2

We exit off the jet after an 8 hour flight. Brandon smiles and walks to the limo. The driver puts our bags in the trunk and I get in the back. "So, are you excited to be back?"

"Lets see. I get to wear royal dresses all the time, get hunted by assassins and the Rebels, and get to be ignored by my parents. Yeah, so excited." Note the sarcasm. He gets in next to me and the driver drives off.

"The Rebels and assassins wont get you, you got me to protect you."

"Maybe." I lean my head on the window and watch the country go by. I've missed home. "Its been awhile.." I look around outside.

"See, you are excited to be home."

"Excited no. Maybe a little happy. I have missed this place.." But I haven't missed its danger.

"Well you should get used to being here. I don't think we're leaving again. And besides, your going to be stuck here a lot once you take the thrown."

"That requires me to be married first. And that is if I ever get to take the thrown. The Rebels would do whatever they could to make sure that doesn't happen."

"They wont do anything. Me, and the guards would stop them." He sounds so determined, but I know deep down he worries just like me.

The ride is silent the rest of the way. The limo soon enough pulls up at the castle. Press cameras surround the gates as we get out. "Smile for the camera."

Brandon just frowns and narrows his eyes at them. We grab our bags and go inside.

"Arthur!" I smile, dropping my bags and hugging the butler. He's been our butler for as long as I can remember and he always looked after me while my parents were always busy when I was a kid. He's old but not too old and still the best butler ever, he's like family.

"Welcome home." He hugs me back and helps with the bags. "I'll take the bags to your rooms. Your parents would like to see the 2 of you."

He takes the bags and we go to the thrown room, joining my parents. They sit at the throwns, discussing business. They have the same, serious, strict look that they always have. They stand at attention. "Welcome home sweetie." My father gives a small smile.

My mother turns to the servant. "Go get her one of the royal gowns, make sure she changes from those..clothes."

"Its called a t-shirt and jeans, you should try it sometime." I cross my arms over my chest.

"You'll change and then we can catch up on things." My mother was always one about looks, always had to look like royalty. Its the 21st century get rid of the old royal dresses!

The servant brings me a dress and I go to the nearest bathroom. The servant helps tie the corset in the back, sucking in a sharp breath. "Oh my God I forgot how tight these were." I put the dress on over it. Its sleeveless. Also very fancy.

"Beautiful your majesty." The servant smiles. She takes my hair out of the ponytail and it falls down into dark brown wavy/curls.

I walk back out to the thrown room. "I sure didn't miss this.."

My father clears his throat. "As you know, your at the age where you will soon be married and take the thrown."

My mother speaks up. "We've agreed to allow you to marry who you choose, as long as you make sure he will make a good king. But now its come to the time where you have start searching."

My father cuts in. "The Rebels realize this. Their going to try and do whatever they can to make sure that this doesn't happen."

My mother looks as if she's contemplating saying what she's about to say. "As you know, we used to be able to predict exactly what they were up to. Well..they have a new leader, we don't know exactly what their up to... The new leader is Aaron."

My heart hurts at the mention of his name. Aaron is the guy I was in love with, and one of the biggest mistakes of my life. He, and Brandon were my bodyguards back in high school. I was 15. I knew that no one else had liked me. So when Aaron said he did I said what the hell lets give it a shot. I never thought I would fall in love with him. I spent 4 years with him. I had done everything with him. I thought he would be the guy I married. I was so happy. Then he broke my heart and tried to kill me. He turned out to be apart of the Rebellion all along. I was devastated, ruined. I never went for anyone else again. And even after all that, he tormented me. He never gave up trying to come after me. He would not only do that, he would screw aroun and mess with me, he made sure to torment me. Just thinking about him makes me want to cry.

"He know's you more than almost anyone. You have to be aware, and be unpredictable. Understand?" My father gives me a sympathetic look.

"I understand. May I be excused now?" Tears threaten to fall down my face while I try to keep my composure.

"You may."

I leave the room in a hurry. Brandon follows behind. "Elena, wait."

"Go away." I'm going to cry, I can feel it coming. Aaron's betrayal still hurts.

He catches up to me. "I know his betrayal hurts. It hurt me too, he was my best friend."

I stop and point my finger at his chest. "Don't you dare say it hurts. You don't know what it was like. He was the love of my life, the only person I've ever loved and the only person who ever liked me. And he betrayed me! Tried to kill me! And is still trying to kill me! You have no idea how much it hurts unless you were in my shoes feeling the pain. He was your friend, I understand that. He was the guy I was going to marry! You have no idea what that's like because you've never loved someone in your life." I turn on my heel and walk away. The pain he inflicted still stings and I feel like it'll never go away.

He grabs my arm, turning me towards him. "He wont touch you! It may have not have hurt me like it did to you, but it still hurt. And he wont kill you, he wont touch you, hell he wont even get near you or I swear I'll kill him for what he's done."

I lean my forehead on his shoulder, trying to fight back my tears. He puts his arm around me. "At least I know I can trust you." I've known him since we were kids. I was 5, he was 6. Back before Aaron. He was training always. I would watch him train often. I also trained myself sometimes, but with archery, some fighting skills. We were friends, mostly. We got on each others nerves then too. But I know I can trust him, he's always been there, and he never betrayed me. "Promise me, you wont let him get me again?"

"I promise."