Prince Rowan's Treasonous Love

The view from my room included a nearly panoramic view of the ocean. I watched a pod of dolphins surface just off the coast, and I let myself enjoy it for a moment. Duty took priority over pleasure at all times, so it was nice to have a rare moment of peace to myself.But that was all it was, a moment. I needed to decide if I should say anything to Aurora about Prince Rowan's flirtations, and I needed to decide quickly. I was getting ready for the state dinner tonight, and I only had a limited amount of time before I had to go get Aurora.The gown I would wear tonight had been chosen for me, one with a slit up one side so that I could easily access a holster on my thigh where my gun would be kept. There were several other hidden weapons within the dress and under the dress, and I felt as if I were suiting up for battle rather than getting ready for a state dinner. At some point, I expected this feeling of strangeness to wear off, this otherworldly feeling as I prepared to do my job

*Genevieve*My alarm went off just before sunrise. I climbed out of bed and debated what a captain of the guard should wear on someone else's date to the beach. I had taken the time last night to put away all of my clothes in the dresser drawers. I was here for the long haul, there was no need to be living out of suitcases. I opened the drawers and stared down at my options.It was hot, but not unbearably so. I grabbed my cargo pants, ensuring I could store everything I'd need for the day in the pockets. I hated the idea of wearing long pants and boots to the beach, but it was the most appropriate attire for the day. My job wasn't to be comfortable, it was to keep Aurora safe.Getting changed for the day, I regarded myself in the mirror. I pulled my hair back into a tight bun. Selfishly, I took a moment to apply just a little makeup, something to accent my features and keep me from looking so washed out. Maybe it was the pressure I felt from being around Aurora all the time, but

*Aurora*The mirror was large, well-lit, and edged in a gold frame. I sat on the little embroidered stool and brushed through my hair, getting ready for the evening. Sometimes, I considered cutting it all off. Long blonde waves that I was constantly washing, styling, brushing, or taking care of. It was a chore. My mother had taught me that long hair was some kind of virtue. I didn't know if I agreed. It seemed like a burden. I was tired. I shouldn't have been tired, I had hardly had to lift a finger since getting here, but I was.Using my pinky finger, I added a little concealer under my eyes. Rowan was so effortlessly handsome, I didn't want him to think ill of me for getting worn so quickly. Makeup was the war paint of the modern world. A person could hide, exaggerate, or alter whatever they needed to become whoever they needed. War paint or armor, maybe. It was just as much protection as it was a disguise. Not that I needed a disguise, not yet at least.It wasn't that the t

*Rowan*"Alright, let's get this over with. I've got Chef Michael working on a roast that I'm rather excited to sample." My father leaned back in his seat, dragging a pudgy finger across the conference table.I hated these meetings. They were a waste of time because my parents never seemed to care about actually doing anything about the plight of our economy. The budget meetings lasted forever, and did nothing but lead to more discontent. I worried that the court would get sick of my parents' apathy before too long. The consequences of that could be deadly."It seems that our GDP has dropped again, for the tenth consecutive year," the financial minister announced.He clicked to start a PowerPoint on the large screen at the front of the room. It pulled up a screen with a graph, clearly showing a sharp decline as every year progressed.The conference room was quiet as everyone stared at the information. It wasn't a surprise. It was just confirmation of years of continual failur

I practically floated through the rest of the day. I didn't know why I felt so over the moon, but I was proud that I had beaten Rowan. And that I wouldn't have to suffer through his workout. I'd seen what sort of weights he liked to lift, and I wasn't sure I could lift that heavy. I'd never be willing to admit that to him, or anyone for that matter.It was getting harder and harder to watch him flirt with Aurora during the day. Aurora seemed to be growing used to the attention, less and less impressed with him, and that made it harder. She was still just as kind and thoughtful, she just didn't blush and giggle at him the way she did when we first arrived. Her attention seemed divided recently.That had me concerned. I didn't like it when she worried over something. There were plenty of things I couldn't do anything about, but if she was worried about something political or something that had to do with her physical safety, I could definitely help with that.I stood outside of her