Upside Down

Ugly face on the princess eyes

Here in the very kingdom. I am the most trusted guard. The lord give me an order to keep an eye on the princess's bed room's door. I am here standing almost all day. Everyday, I need to ensure anyone who is going through the door that I guard is permitted to do so. Day by day, I keep doing my job fully-heartly, unfortunately, I never had a chance to escort the princess from her bedroom. The captain said that the one who escort the princess shall be only and only the elite guard.

From here on, I invest my time to train outside my shift to keep an eye on the princess door so I can get promoted as an elite guard. Day by day pass by, I try to endure anything for my princess. Everytime the pricess step out or come into her bed room, her smile always motivate me. She didn't talk a lot to us, the guard. However, it is fine, I enjoy seeing the princess doing her daily routine even though I don't have any chance to accompany her to her activity.

One night, I can hear the princess chatting and laughing in her room. I notice there is no one that come inside the princess's bedroom. The last maid who tend to her pajamas have left hours ago. I just keep this as a secret, since no order come to investigate private activity in princess bedroom. Since that night, her chatting and laughing seems more cheerful. However, in contrary I getting less and less smile from the princess when she pass me by. She tend too tired in the morning or too excited to get into her bedroom at the evening.

Suddenly I heard about the princess engagement to the prince from the vassal kingdom. Personally, i don't really know any detail about it, but the news have spread throughout the kingdom. Due to this circumstance, the princess seems more likely too stay at her bedroom. For several days, the one who cross the door that I protect are only maid who bring food or take away the plate for the princess. The princess seems depressed because of the engagement.

Another night, I can hear the princess muffled cry. The princess seems talking to someone about everything in her mind. I know how bad the princess don't want to be engage to the princess. But some sentence she said left me intrigued. As if she is talking to a man she loved deeply, she tell him to take her away from the palace. Knowing that and holding the urge too protect the princess, I keep my mouth shout and promise to myself that I will keep the princess save within the palace.

Several month pass by, the princess rumbling still about how she want to be taken away by "him" that she talk to. The wedding of the princess have been decided. In two days, the princess will be the queen of the vassal kingdom since she is not the queen candidate in this kingdom and her brother will inherit the kingdom from their father, the king. The next day, the princess comes out of her room for dress fitting, with black circle around her eyes and sleepy eyes.

One night before the wedding, the bell is ringing, a sign of emergency situation. The patroling guard run around passing information and order. Apperently, the princess escape through a window with a black hooded man. All guard are ordered to catch the man and bring the princess back to her room. At the moment, I can think a perfect escape route that I found when I was still a new recruit, I rush my self to that place.

Since all of the guard seems scatter around, no one seems follow me and focus on finding one single man with the princess. As I arrived at the mentioned route, I still can see the hole on the palace wall that well covered by bushes inside and outside the wall. I remember I find this hole with my friend that recruited at the same time, but because of his reputation he becomes one of the elite guard.

From the darkness, I can see some movement. I draw my sword and prepare to attack. I am sure that movement is from people who made a sneaky move. As it become clearer, I can see the man in black hood and the princess running toward the hole. I mad at myself that my friend and I didn't report anything about this since we used it to get to the town without permission before.

The closer they get, they also can see me near the hole. The man draw his sword and make a stance. I harden my grip and getting prepared for anything that comes. The hooded man jump toward me and our sword clashed. His technique is extraordinary yet so familiar. The hooded man knock my helmet of, but it seems lowering his focus. I grab my chance and tackle him to the ground. As I lock his position below me, I point my sword toward him and hold it with both of my arm. The man cower in fear, then I suddenly pushed by the princess. 

From my position, i can see the princess clearly, he cover the hooded man with her body. I can clearly see her face in rage and sadness. Her big eyes reflect an ominous figure. A figure that sit on the ground with sword on he hand. A figure that seems like an ogre, with an ugly face. The hooded man stood up and grab the princess hand. Something stop me from thinking when I see the hooded man actually the man who I befriend in the past. The man run toward the hole with the princess while I just stare into nothingness. I don't hear their movement anymore. 

Some guard seems find my in my condition. I cannot hear what they talk about, and I don't know what happened after that as if I just wake up the next day. In the center of the palace yard. The king sentence me to death due to my neglience in letting the hoooded man escape with the princess. As the executioner put my neck on the wooden block, I just with the princess will find happiness with the elite knight who turn into the hooded man.