Protector of the Crown

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

After a week at the camp, Jax and I had found an easy and comfortable familiarity with the people. Initially they seemed scared of us, scattering away when we walked by. We were after all, a Prince and a Protector, two people generally associated with the dark and evil king. We were able to break through their walls once Jax and I introduced our purpose to join the rebellion and told them about our backgrounds and ourselves. With Jax's people skills we were laughing and joking with them after a day. By day two the women in the village began talking with me about planning our wedding. By midweek Jax and I were leading the meetings on how to get past the guards and I was teaching the men and a few women different offensive and defensive tactics. Most of they people had no training in combat, but they were quick learners, motivated by the goal to end a lifetime of misery. By the end of the week we were ready for our first mission.

The rebellion had a good stock of weapons. It wasn't quite the same as the Protector's vault in the palace, but it wasn't anything to scoff at. As a Protector I had heard musings of a rebellion, a few sightings here and there, but nothing serious. If they saw the stock of weapons the rebellion had they would take it a bit more seriously.

"Are you ready?" Jax said, walking up behind me as I was reviewing the weapons.

I turned and took him in. From the moment I met him, Jax had been a sight to behold. He was tall, lean and muscular, and had an athletic grace and power about him. However, with his sandy brown hair more unruly than usual, his stormy gray eyes clear and striking from fresh air and freedom, and his simple outfit of worn jeans, work boots, and a white long sleeve top, he was truly striking. He was meant to blend in in his outfit, which was a stark contrast to the suits he normally wore, but he was such a force the people wouldn't be able to keep their eyes off him.

In turn I tugged on a pair of comfortable skinny jeans and pulled on a back flowing top I had tucked into the waist of my jeans, tall black boots, and forest green jacket over the top. My jacket was used to conceal my handgun, bullets, and knives.

"As I'll ever be," I said, throwing my hair into a bun.

"You won't blend in, looking like that," Jax smiled, walking over to me and placing his hands on my hips, "You know I've never really seen you in normal clothes, just Protectors clothes and athleticwear? There was the one time you found me in the library wearing some jeans, but it was dark and I couldn't get a good look."

"Lou gave me some, but I figured I'd need them more if we ever needed to leave, so we could blend in. I packed most of them up into our go bags," I said, laughing and he ran his hands around my hips, "I've actually never worn normal clothes, like a normal girl."

"Well they fit you, wonderfully," he laughed, kissing me.

"If you two are finished, we need to get going," Axl said from behind us.

"Don't be jealous, Axl. You'll find yourself a good woman one of these days," Jax laughed. Jax and Axl had developed the beginning of a beautiful friendship in the week we spent with them. It was nice to see, like Jax had finally found the brother he deserved.

"Living in these woods? Sure, maybe I'll meet a nice wood nymph," Axl laughed as we walked back to the center of the village to meet the others.

"Ready?" Richard asked as we walked up to him. When I nodded he handed us the reins of our horses, pausing when he reached me, "Your father would be proud of you."

"I hope so," I said, taking the reins.

"I was with him when you were born, Mia. You are more now than he ever dreamed you'd be."