Golden Prophecy

I X

"YOUR BODY guards?" Coralia was staring at Andorra like she had multiple heads. "But how? And why?"

"Our daddy dearest thought the Princess needed some help. And of course, who better to protect her than us?" Callum flashed his teeth, but it felt threatening. Andorra knew they would die if she did, but she wasn't convinced that either of them would try hard enough to keep her alive. And they certainly weren't her friends.

"Why are you taking this so well?" Aihfie growled to Callum. "This is the worst punishment for something we didn't even do!"

Callum wagged his finger. "Tsk tsk, sister. We have the most important job in Anlithamy. Protecting the baby Princess from all the big, scary monsters."

Andorra felt heat slide into her cheeks. "Shut up."

Callum's grinned dropped in an instant. "Make me, Princess. Oh wait... you can't do anything. Because whether or not you like it, we're stuck to you. We aren't going anywhere."

This was quite possibly the worst day of Andorra's life. Well, okay, not entirely, but it did suck. She turned to Coralia. "Where are Bort and Hans?"

Coralia looked over her shoulder at the empty square. Everyone had scattered instantly when the shadow had erupted from Aihfie. "They took cover in one of the stores. I made them leave. I wasn't... I wasn't sure if it was safe, and you were stuck in there. I couldn't leave you."

Andorra felt her chest warm at Coralia's words. Her actions were loud and clear: she cared.

"So, how can we change this?" Coralia pointed between Callum and Aihfie. "Unless Prince Puck bound them for life?"

Andorra shook her head. "No, he said once I find new ones, these two goons will be released. Finding new ones can't be that hard, right?"

Coralia looked down at her shoes. Callum and Aihfie looked at each other, not a word between them. Andorra felt a sense of helplessness sink down inside of her. "So, it is hard, is what you're telling me."

"Guards are... trained beings. Fae that have been bred and born to guard. Their master of sorts can bind them to a person. But, normal people don't have masters. Parents can count as a master, like Prince Puck with these two. But, unless the person has a master, there can be no binding."

Andorra let Coralia's words sink in. "They need a master? That seems a little like slavery to me."

Coralia shook her head. "No, not like that. More like... master in the sense of the word boss. Like, their boss could have the ability to bind them to you. So, we have to find guards available and have them bound by their boss."

"So all of Prince Puck's guards were bound to him?"

Coralia nodded, but it was Callum who spoke. "No fool would hire a guard without binding them first. In this world, it would be too easy to backstab the person you're guarding. Many Princes and Princesses have been slaughtered by guards working for the wrong team."

A shiver ran down Andorra's spine. "Probably why our dad bound us to you," Aihfie spat. "He knew we wouldn't kill ourselves for you. Ruthless, selfish bastard."

Understanding was donning on Andorra. "And he knew it would be a process. He knew it would take a while. That's... that's why he wanted me to have motivation to start looking. Because he knew it would be a lengthy process."

Callum snorted. "Don't give my father that much credit. He isn't the good guy you suddenly think he is. Our father wants us to spy on you, Princess. Every move you make goes back to our dear daddy, so be careful what you do."