The Princess's Guard ✔️

37

Word Count: 1368

~Kiva

I stare at Ark's imposing boots as they pace back and forth in front of me.

"You're not concentrating," he points out.

My quivering arms give out from under me, my stomach falling flat against the polished wood floor.

"How can I?" I grumble.

"Is this about Caspian?"

"No, although I'm pretty sure I married a horrible man," I mutter tiredly, forcing myself up into a sitting position.

It's a miracle I'm still able to train. I've made a point not to mention it to Caspian. If he knew, he would tell me to stop, although I've been at my father's for a couple days while my recent husband has been away on a trip.

If Ark hasn't received such a highly regarded recommendation to remain as my personal guard from my father, I don't think he would still be employed.

Eventually Caspian will tire of appeasing my father, though.

Without Ark, I'll drown here.

"Has he said anything about the consummation?" Ark asks tightly, adjusting his gloves. I can hear the bite of anger in his voice, although he does well to reign it back.

"No. I slapped him pretty good, so that should be enough to scare him away for a bit. But he will be knocking on my door expecting...things, soon enough," I sigh.

The thought is painfully depressing, although it is impossible to forget. At some point I will have to face it.

"It's not to late-"

"Don't. I don't need to hear that now." He tried it at the wedding and he's going to try it until I'm smart enough to leave Caspian. The problem is it's basically impossible for me to get out of a marriage now.

He smiles a little. "Understood."

I scramble to my feet, rubbing my sweating palms down my thighs.

"I need to talk to Taven."

Ark turns away, but not before his eyes darken. "That's not a good idea."

I'm surprised Ark has hunted him down and killed him by now. He is working for the rebellion, and he is mated to me. Ark should be more angry than he seems to be, which suggests something else is going on.

"I have to learn more about him. And he needs to know I'm married," I say. Taven hasn't made any effort to reach out to me, which is probably due to my recent location change.

"He wants you dead," Ark growls.

"He doesn't..." I break off.

Ark wouldn't understand. I don't even really understand. I'm fairly certain that Taven doesn't want me dead, considering he has many chances to kill me. But there is a small part that sings to me, warning me that Taven may not be who I want him to be.

"You sound doubtful."

"He's just not who I thought he would be, you know?" I sigh, running a hand down my face.

He frowns. "You were expecting someone in particular?"

"You, obviously," I laugh a little, hating how screwed up this situation is. "He just doesn't look like what I thought, and I swear his body was different."

It must have been the veil of night that tricked me into seeing him differently. He just didn't seem like the kind of man to press me up against a tree like he did that night months ago.