Carry Me Home - A LEGEND trilogy (Marie Lu) fanfiction

22: Day

To tell the truth, I don't trust Captain Pierre Velarde. I can say that I doubt every motive he has. Maybe because there's something about him that certainly makes me edgy. Not to mention that he treats June as if they've been the best of friends in the past - that absolutely heightens my jealousy. But, goddy hell, I hope that it will only be that. And that this tingling tug in my soul is just because of that small thing, not something incredibly big like, say, betrayal etched on the surface of his skin.

"Do you really think that this is the best way?" June asks the Elector a second later, cutting through my thoughts. The Elector and Captain Velarde glance at her direction, although I've already been watching over her since we got here. Clearly, three pair of eyes are now looking at her. She looks stern and confident. She is beautiful and the spark of fire on her eyes is undeniably visible. "I as a Commander can assure that I can take good care of myself and probably, our people should be the one being protected, and not me. Let Mr. Wing be protected if that's the case."

I clear my throat, cutting right away. "Actually, I can really see that you've been taking a very good care of yourself, Ms. Iparis." I avert my eyes from her face for a moment, moving down to her wounded side and to something at the wall behind her. I can't bring my eyes to look at her again. "Probably I should remind you that you were shot in my defense. I think that we're in dire need of an equal protection."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Wing. My instinct to protect the guest of honor in such celebration just kicked in," she tells me. Her eyes are full of authority, and hard to read. "Remind me not to next tie, and I can assure you that I'll really let you die," she mutters. I notice that her cheeks flush once. I can tell that she's trying to make me take back my words and admit that I am indeed grateful of her protecting me. But I can't just bear the idea of her getting hurt again because of me. "I won't really ask for any bodyguards."

Captain Velarde sighs. "But these insurgents are indeed after both of you. It is your necks that are on the line if everything goes wrong."

"I don't care," June blurts out. "I chose to be a soldier, a protector of this country. If I am to die doing my duty, I'll be happy with that knowledge in mind."

"As well as I," I interrupt. Now, all of them turn my direction. I brush a hand onto my hair and continue after a minute of silence, "I think it is only fair if I won't have bodyguards as well because Ms. Iparis doesn't have one."

The Elector clears his throat. "No matter what happens. This is a protocol that both of you shall follow. My decision is final and you can't change anything about this." He then turns to June, continuing, "You, Commander Iparis, whatever your position or duty, as you like to call it, is, it will not change the fact that you are the most celebrated prodigy the Republic has ever had since you are a teenager, and that you are currently climbing the ladders of the military at a fast pace. Not to mention that you've been shot, even if you consider it as an instinct to protect Mr. Wing." Finally, he casts me a hopeful smile and says, "And you, Mr. Wing. We would like to ensure that you are safe, as well as your younger brother Eden. What happened last time, that assassination attempt on you, must never happen again. They will not succeed to kill you. The least thing that we can do for now is to have you under strict security protocol twenty-four, seven."

Arguing more is useless. I know that June also realizes it later, since she doesn't say another word to object the Elector. Of course, whatever happens, even if he is some years older than I and June, he is still the leader of this country. His words are the law of the Republic.

* * *

After the meeting with the Elector, Captain Velarde immediately summons bodyguards for me and June. Both of us have seven bodyguards along with us dressed in the common standard you see for one—black suit and ties and glasses. To my even greater surprise, the military jeep waiting outside the compound features another set of seven men. They say that, since they are going to safeguard me and Eden, we need double the number for one person.