Waking up to the sight of her servant waiting over by her door for the princess to awake. The princess rolls out of bed and sits up. The servant brings the princess a cup filled with water.

"Thank you," the princess takes the cup and sips the cool water that breaks the fog of her mind. Placing the now empty cup on her nightstand. She pushes herself from the bed and goes over to the mirrors and twirls. Maybe showing off too much jiggle for her servant, but she didn't care.

"Alexis, give me something extremely modest, that won't choke me." Looking at the reflection of the servant nodding and shuffles toward the closet.

After a moment of the Princess striking poses and faces at the mirror, the servant came over with an off yellow dress that covered everything... Everything. The servant did her job too well it seemed. After a couple of tugs and a moment of fighting the dress it was finally on.

"Princess how would you like your hair?" Rose looked at the mirror and cringing at how the dress ill fitted her and her personality.

"My hair will be styled in the way my love likes it."

"Lord Howard has spoken how he likes his woman with their hair in a bun." With a wicked smile from Rose she looked at her servant.

"Then let's keep it down." The servant shook her head at what the princess just implied. "Thank you Alexis. Tell my mother, I will be skipping Court today, you may leave."

Bowing Alexis took her leave after grabbing the empty cup.

******************

Opening the door and headed down towards the front door. With a skip in her step she almost reached the door without incident. Her mother was a step ahead of her though.

"Good Morning Rose dear, I invited the Boone to breakfast in the garden. Since your servant told me you were skipping Court I am lead to believe you are so happy with your union that you want to spend all day with Howard." The Queen got a hold of her daughters arm and lead her to the garden for breakfast.

"How did Alexis find you so quickly? I just sent her to deliver you the message."

"She gave me the message before she went to wake you. It seems Alexis knows you better than you."

Princess Rose cursed under her breath at her servant and begun to keep pace with her mother that was tugging on her arm.

Arriving at the Garden Rose saw Lord Howard and his parents at the table already sipping on some lemonade. At the sounds of their footsteps the Boone Family all got up and bowed towards the Queen.

"Thank you for coming out on such short notice. My daughter and I are glad you are here." At this the servants pulled the chairs out for the queen and princess and once they sat they scooted them back in. After the queen sat the Boone family once more sat down.

"Our Howard is very glad that the princess chose him for marriage. If there is anything you need for the marriage you need do not hesitate to ask." Duchess Elizabeth was practically jumping in her chair at her words. Duke David just nodded and smiled at his wife's words.

Before any other words, were exchanged the servants filled the table with different varieties of fruit and one giant bowl of fresh steamed rice. The buffet of dishes that sat in front of them stopped any conversation from beginning.

After everybody finished the meal the queen took Howard's Parents around the Garden and left me at the table with Howard.

"So all this time you were jealous of your older sister being with me so you told mommy that you were going to marry me." His face scowled at me and looked at my hair, "You can't even keep your hair up like a proper lady. At least you were smart enough to cover those oversized udders."

Too angry for the jab at her, she almost didn't notice the cup in her hand slowly breaking. Finding another use for it, she threw the liquid in his face and stormed off towards the entrance of the castle once more. She screamed back over her shoulder, "I would be more jealous of a pig covered in shit than I would be of you."

*************

Even though she was extremely angry she remembered to watch where she was heading, but not so much where she was heading. When finally she calmed down and looked around, she was in the housing district. A couple of people coming back from the market and a few kids playing guards and thieves. She probably just wanted to be away from the mass of people. Heading over towards a fountain that supplied this district with clean water. She sat on the edge of the fountain and looked into the fountain and gave it a couple more drops of water from her face.

"I GOT YOU" Came from the voice of a child who got one of the 'thieves'.

Steeling herself from the fools insults she was about to go about  to head back towards the castle when she spotted a hooded figure using a wall as a balancing beam.

"It's you again!," the princess says shocked. The hooded figure turns his body to face the princess and bends himself at the knees. His eyes can't be seen under the shade of the hood, but a smile and his brown hair locks were very much visible and still sent lightening through her body.

"Well, I do believe it is so," the smile grew even big enough to show a row of pearly whites. The princess reached behind her to push off the fountain and get up. But to the hooded figure he saw something different. "Oh darling, I hope that is a knife you are pulling on me."

The way he said it caused the princess to blush a deep crimson, "why would a princess need a knife."

The robe figured smile faded to a frown and then he looked away, " You are boring. Every woman should at least have a knife on her person or maybe..." Jumping off the wall and runs up to the princess and turns her around and presses a knife to her clothed throat. "Some petty criminal might cut your pretty little throat and leave you for dead."

But Princess Rose wasn't frightened. No, she felt his breath on her ear and his voice rumbled deep into the darkest of her being. His warmth of his body melded into her even through her dress. She felt if she spoke then this moment might shatter as if nothing happened. But sadly no moment could last forever. Finally, he unwrapped his death hold and by the time she let out her breath and turned around, he was gone, but he left his dagger on the fountain's edge. She picked it up and  once more caught in her throat. Its handle was a tight beautiful Celtic weave. The blade was sharp on both edges and fit perfectly in her hands. Looking closer at the blade she saw some writing... "Protéger mon fleur rouge"... Whatever that meant. She looked it once more over and gave the handle a stronger grip. She agreed with the hooded figure. She wouldn't be caught without a knife... Or at least without his knife.

***************

Walking back to the castle, her thoughts were on the strength of his grip and the feel of his breath on her neck. She slipped the knife into her dress's sleeve. Entering the front gate, she saw Alexis reading a book while waiting on her. Hoping to bypass the servant by being slipped past her quietly. As soon as she was in front of the Alexis she looked up and smiled. Putting the book back under her arm and giving the princess a bow.

*I was not expecting you to back yet, Princess." Looking back towards the gate at the hustle and bustle of the streets she turned her face once more towards Rose. "Maybe the city life is starting to bore you? Nonetheless lunch has already long passed. Would you like me to bring you some leftovers."

"No Alexis. My head is full of thoughts and I need to sort them out. Is Howard still here?" Looking down at the book that Alexis was reading, "So what is the name of the story this time?"

"The Boones family excused themselves after lunch telling the Queen that they needed to take care of their mining operations." Hold up the brown leather book she showed the princess the name, "It's called Taotuz's Melody. It has adventure and monsters and even some steamy romance. Maybe I should let the Princess read it."

"Sadly Alexis I have the family heritage to read up on." Rose gives her servant and displeased face, "Maybe another time alright?"

"Of course My lady." Finally reaching Rose's Room, Alexis opens the door. "Though in all my time as your servant, Rose I don't think you have ever said no to a romance. You may have found a man out in the city who is giving you all the romance you will ever need."

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Stopping in her tracks at the thought of the hooded man and giving a slight brush. "Of course not Alexis. I am to be engaged to... Howard."

"Of course My Lady forgive me for such words." With those parting words she closes the door behind Rose and whispers, "Queens have had plenty of Concubinus in there life times."

*************

Opening the book to the first page. "The Boones family began as simple..."

Hours passed and Rose got about 30 pages in and remembered most of the her soon to be ancestors. Then Alexis once more entered her room after a knock and got Rose prepared for dinner.

Heading down to the dining room her sister looped her arm around and begun walking with Rose to dinner.

"So what did you say to Howard that made him so mad." Raven asked.

Shushing her sister, Rose whisper, "keep your voice down. I told him i rather be married to a shit covered pig then him."

Raven resists the urge to laugh, covered her mouth and walked along with Rose.

Entering the dining room they both took their seats. Servants exited the kitchen with mouth watering scents trailing from them. Rose looked at each one and none of them wore a hood or had long brown hair.

Disappointed at the missing servant, she placed the towel on her lap and straighten her back. This action caused her to look into her mother's angry eyes.

Once all the food was placed, the servants all headed back into the kitchens.

"So, dear are you going to explain your outburst at breakfast." The Queen asked while cutting into her steak.

"If that man could keep his simpleton mouth closed nothing would have been said." Rose got a muffled laugh from Raven.

"All men are simpletons, except your father god rest his soul."

"I know mother, but could you not find anybody better. Anybody... A Royal Pig perhaps?"

"You will marry him and nothing you can say will stop it. Now eat your food and get back to reading that book." Her mother waved her away at that last part. Rose finished off her meal and sipped at her wine generously.

*************

After two refills of wine she walked back to her room. Alexis was two feet behind Rose the whole time just in case. Getting to her door, she threw off her dress and laid in her bed.

"Mumble mumble." Came from Rose.

"Sorry Princess what  was that?" Alexis picks up the thrown dressed, asked.

Poking her head up so that she could be heard, "Life sucks." Once more she face planted the bed. Rose stretched her arms towards the head of her bed. Her fingers went under her pillows and felt the touch of cold steel. Grabbing the handle in her hands. It felt like all the stressed disappeared.

"Forgive me my lady, but at least let me get you dressed in your nightgown." Alexis had now a royal purple gown in her arms.

"Don't wanna."

Alexis looked down at the Princess and rolled her eyes. Putting the nightgown away, she left the Princess to mope.

Crawling into her bed correctly, she pressed the side of her face into the pillow. Under the pillow the knife and laid her hand around it. This is how our young princess fell asleep that night.

****************

She woke up with a heavy weight on her chest and something over her mouth.

"Forgive me, Princess but Lord Howard has sent his regards and wishes to give you an early wedding gift. A swift death. Paid with 5 thousand gold coins."

The princess frighten and enraged, went to punch her soon to be assassin, but happen to cut him along his jaw line.

Shocked the assassin uncovered her mouth to press his hand against his own face.

"Somebody he..." once more he covers the princess's mouth and muffled her screams of help. The princess tasted the copper taste of her assailant's blood.

"Who sleeps with a dagger under their pillow?!" Struggling with getting her dagger out of her hand. He succeeds and throws her dagger away from her bed. He looks the princess in the eyes showing her his murderous intent and pulls his dagger from his back and aims it at her heart. Pushing down towards her with all his weight. The princess shuts her eyes and screams into his hand.

After a second all the weight on top of her disappeared and she felt so light.

'This must be what death feels like'

A second after the weight disappeared, she heard the stumbling of bodies on her floor. Opening her eyes, she barely saw two bodies entangled in a fight. Finally who ever was on top pulled their fist back and pummeled the body underneath them. The body on the bottom became slack and lost grip on the top fighter.

Untangling himself the body came to her breathing heavy. Grabbing her shoulder with a steady firmness. "Princess are you alright?"

Looking closer she noticed the body had long wavy hair. "It is you! Why are you here? How did you get here?"

"You were in danger. Of course I would come and save you." He touched her chin and looked all over her face. With his green eyes, she could get lost in them. They held so much worry and mystery and... and....

The assassin got up and pulled his dagger. He ran towards her savior. Hearing the footsteps her mystery man turned on the spot and grabbed the assassin's wrists. Fighting for dominance the assassin finally let off a scream at the sounds of bones cracking. Finally, he dropped the dagger to the floor. The mystery man finally let go of the assassin's hand and punched him in the gut the uppercut him. He kept punching till they were at an open window.

"You shall pay for attempting to kill off this Rose. Your punishment... Death from above!" The mystery man kicked the assassin out the window. Seconds later the sound of broken bones and blood was heard from the window.

The mystery man watched the whole thing and once the sound was done he picked up her dagger and wiped the blood off it with his shirt. He handed it back to her with a smile on his face. "Don't worry darling. I'll find out who sent him and make him pay too." He rubbed her hair.

"The assassin said it was Lord Howard." The mystery man frowned at that.

"Alright, I will take care of him." He straightened up and picked up the dagger the now dead assassin used. "So why are you in your undergarments, my lady?"

"I... I... I..." Rose true to her name had a blush so strong it could be called Rose red.

The man just smirked and placed the dagger in his belt. Before anything else could happen the sound of heavy footsteps were outside her door.

"Please before you leave what is your name and how can I find you."

"Most ladies call me Prince Charming, but for you, call me Taotuz. Say my name three times and i shall come. Like a charm you could say." With that he escaped out the window.

Her door busted open with guards and Alexis ready to defend the Princess.

Alexis went over to the Rose and checked for and cuts or wounds. The guard sees the princess looking to the open window looked out and say the remains of the assassin.

Alexis covered the princess with a seat and asked Rose what happened. Rose told her and the guards what happened. Without the part about Taotuz of course. Alexis and the guards were surprised at the story but left it even with its plot holes. She also left Howards name out of it too. Taotuz told her he was going to take care of it and she knew he would.

From that night on Alexis checked to make every window was locked and every princess would have two guards at their doors just in case.

Authors Notes: 2889 Words! Please shoot me comments or PMs. Tell me what you think.

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