A Guard and a Girl (DaftDeviant!)

[Anonymous]

Aeron glanced around and sighed, running a pale hand through his black hair. He hated feeling like a loiterer...And hanging around the large estate behind him certainly did not help much.

"This was where I was supposed to come...Wasn't it?" He muttered to himself, silver eyes scanning around him.

The area was one full of monstrous and richly decorated homes, which made their surrounding neighbors look like the poorest of peasants. The young guard had been summoned mysteriously to the one he was standing in front of for one simple reason...Duty. He had not been given many specifics, simply that he was to guard the daughter of a great noble, who had promised him excellent pay...But that was not really what had motivated the young man to take the job; he was in the area for another reason.

Well, Aeron knew he would have to wait a bit before he could go fulfill his real mission...He would just have to stay attentive in his job for now. Pulling his cloak closer around him with another sigh, he waited.

[Anonymous]

Alexandria walked up the dirt path to her house, a large smile on her lips but it was hidden by the shadow of the large hat that sat upon her head. Her blonde curls brushed her cheeks, just reaching her shoulders as she clutched the book and bag of candy to her chest. Her dress, a blue color that matched her eyes, fluttered about her as she threw a hand up to catch the hat, before she stopped, seeing a man standing before her house. She blinked as she took a few more steps forward, tilting her head back so light could stream beneath the lip of the hat and illuminate her ivory features, and her crystal eyes.

“Hello?� She called out, before jogging up to him, fixing the sleeve of her dress, not even noticing the cold as she looked to him. Her lips parted and she gave another welcoming smile, fixing her book and candy.

“Uhm, can I help you?� Her head tilted to the side as she continued to stare at him with shadowed eyes. It was probably some man for her father and she would simply guide him inside. She’d lost track of time and had been in the city much longer than she had planned on, so she’d be seeing her father soon anyway, to explain to him why she’d been absent so long.

[Anonymous]

Aeron turned, giving a questioning blink of his eyes. She looks...Just like her as a child... He thought to himself wistfully. But he quickly passed the thought out of his head and hastily bowed towards the girl.

"Hello...Good afternoon...I believe your father has appointed me to protect you..." He glanced at her from under his somewhat long black hair. "You are Alexandria, correct?"

He would have to be careful, he knew. If her father held as much prestige as he had heard, then he knew that he must watch his words carefully. It was fortunate that he rarely stepped out of line.

"May I speak with your father is he is present?" The guard added, tilting his head slightly to one side as he straightened. He seemed unable to smile, but nonetheless he had a gentle air about him.

[Anonymous]

Alexandria blinked as she walked up to him, her arm still holding the book and candy to her chest. Her other hand lifted to push the wide lip of the hat back so the light hit her blue eyes, and they glittered like diamonds.

“Protect me?� She asked, slightly confusion in her voice as her eyebrows drew together. The weight shifted between her two feet. When he said her name, she knew he must be at the right place. Her top teeth grabbed onto her bottom lip. Her father would get an earful for this. She needed no protecting!

“Yes…he should be inside. I actually have to have a word with him myself.� She said with a smile, but her crystal blue eyes were threatening. Slightly. It was as if she were trying to be threatening, but really, she was simply curious.

“What did you say you were here for? I’m sorry, I missed it.� She gave another smile, before waving her hand towards the gates which she walked towards and opened. If he followed, she would lead him up a path lined by bushes with roses in them. The manor at the end was magnificent, like a building out of a picture book, and her father was just a noble.

[Anonymous]

The male blinked again as he noticed the look in her eyes. He slightly arched an eyebrow, adjusting his cloak slightly. Choosing his words carefully, he replied, "...I'm sorry...I did not mean to be offending..." He bowed again. He was always a bit uncomfortable around girls...Especially younger ones. This might harden the job considerably... He mused in distress.

"Um...I believe your father hired me...I wish to speak with him to confirm this and anything he feels I should know..." He started again, still speaking rather tactfully. He did not want to end this job before it began...That would also worsen things considerably.

Aeron glanced up at the house, marvelling to himself. He had never lived in anything larger than a shack...Most of the time he had not even had much of a shack. But he had managed as a child, things had never been that bad. They could have been worse.

Realizing that his glance had become a stare, he quickly averted his silver eyes. He continued after younger girl in silence, his footsteps barely echoing off the path beneath him.

[Anonymous]

Alexandria waved her hand and gave a laugh, the sound like chiming bells as she continued to walk down the path, her bright blue dress fluttering about behind her with each step.  

“I’m not upset with you, although, I could be if I wanted to.� She gave a sly smile back to him from beneath the lip of the hat, and continued walking. “I just think it’s foolish that he would hire a guard for me. He knows perfectly well that I can take car of myself. I can work a sword, you know?� She asked him, he mouth not stopping once it had started.

When she reached the door to the large manor, she pushed it open and pulled the hat from her head, her wavy blonde hair falling forward to brush her cheeks. The hair wasn’t long, chopped just to brush her shoulders, but somehow it fit her personality.

“If you’ll just follow me. No doubt he’s in some meeting room, arched over a book.� She gave a laugh as she moved towards a table, dropping the hat, book, and candy as her free hand brushed through her curls. She looked over her shoulders towards the man, gave a slightly encouraging smile, before leading him through the manor towards an oak door. After giving a gentle tap, she took a step in to see her father there.

“Hello father.� She gave a grin, before holding the door open for this guard.

“This is…actually, I don’t believe we’ve introduced ourselves. Well, he certainly knew my name, seeing as how you hired him for a pointless job.� Her words were almost begging for confrontation. Confrontation she would feel horrible about later.

[Anonymous]

((I am to be her father, I suppose...This shall be interesting xDD...-roles up sleeves-))

As predicted, Alexandria's father was leaning over a book at an ornate oak desk, glasses halfway down his thin nose. As he heard his daughter, he glanced up, giving a slight smile.

"Hello, Alexandria..." He said in his quiet but authoritative voice. His eyes turned to the young man behind his child. "Ah...And you must be..."

Aeron hastily bowed and stepped forward slightly. "Aeronti Ceros...Yes sir...It is a pleasure to finally meet you...Th-thank you for considering me, sir..." He stuttered, obviously trying to keep his language as formal as it came.

He simply laughed. "Do not worry...From your record, I am almost certain that you shall not have any trouble with my daughter Alexandria..." He motioned towards the blonde with a smile, and then he turned towards her, shutting his book and standing. "And his job is not pointless...In fact, you should be grateful...He is not only going to help protect this house...But you as well." He added to her, a meaningful note on his voice.

[Anonymous]

Alexandria attempted a smile in her father’s direction, and attempted to be polite in front of this stranger, but Alex wasn’t a person that took having a guard very well.

“I’m sure he would do a terrific job, father, but why in the world would I need a guard? I’m perfectly capable of defending myself.� She crossed her arms across her chest and jutted her stubborn chin forward, curly blonde hair brushing her jaw line and parts of her neck. Her eyes sparkled marvelously in the dim light of the room as her determined stare remained locked on her father.

Alex didn’t care who this man was, or what he was here for, but this was a matter of her pride. She truly wasn’t a horrible girl, she just didn’t like the idea of having a guard. Most noble girls would die to have some man tail them around all day, but not Alexandria. She preferred getting into trouble by herself.

[Anonymous]

Aeron stayed silent for a moment, obviously uncomfortable at having started this father/daughter feud. Being the center of something like this unnerved him greatly.

"Well...I-I would not follow you directly, if you wished...I could watch from a distance..." He tried to add hastily, eager to try and lessen his part in the conversation. Disappointed with himself, he brushed a strand of black hair off of his face and glanced back towards the ground.

Alexandra's father sighed at his daughter's expression. This was exactly like her. "You would need a guard because not every enemy nowadays uses only swords. They use magic and other combat as well...If Aeron is half of the fighter I have heard of, then he is learned in every possible form of both magical and weapon-based defence." He replied, trying to keep patience in his voice.

[Anonymous]

Alexandria folded her arms stubbornly across her chest as she turned to look at the boy, Aeron. She sighed slowly, realizing that it wasn’t his fault that he had been thrown into this. She turned to look back at her father as she heard him, slowly lowering her arms from across her chest.

“Fine. But it’s not needed.� She finally said, tugging on one of her blonde curls, before she curtsied to her father and turned to walk out the door, waiting just outside the door. If her father wanted to speak with Aeron, they could talk while she waited. While she waited, however, she glared across the hallway to the cement wall there. She didn’t need a guard. She was perfectly capable of defending herself. Besides, what was going to come after her that she couldn’t handle? Nobody had really tried to kill her before, so why now?

[Anonymous]

Aeron emerged from the study a few minutes later. He noticed Alexandria and bowed quickly, brushing back a strand of hair that cascaded over his silver eyes.

"I-I'm sorry for having cause so much trouble for you...Please forgive me..." He stuttered worriedly. He had the strong feeling that he had made a rather bad impression from the start...And that wouldn't do a bit. If he was going to get anywhere with his real objective, he would have to create the best impression he could. But obviously, it would not be as easy as he had first though. The young man had never had many people skills...They had always managed to escape him somehow. But he would have to work on that later.

He straightened. "I assure you, I did not mean to be offensive...I just..." He sighed. "I'm sorry...I'm babbling on..."

[Anonymous]

Alexandria turned her attention towards the boy as he left the study. When he bowed she sighed and shook her head towards him, obviously saying that wasn’t necessary.

“Don’t bow to me. I’m not better than you are. You haven’t caused any trouble. I just wish he would tell me before he does things like this. I’m not fond of him thinking I can’t handle myself because I’m, well, a girl.� She said with a smile as she brushed her hair from her face, her eyes bright as she looked to him, laughing as he noticed he was going on and on.

“Stop apologizing. Just…act like you’ve been my best friend for years. Maybe that’ll help you ease up.� She said with a smile and a laugh, tucking her unruly blonde hair behind her ears as she looked to him, tilting her head to the side.

[Anonymous]

"Oh...I-I'm sorry..." He stumbled over his words again. "I just felt like I had caused a rift between you and your father...I did not want to have done that..." Aeron explained hastily.

"I can understand how you would feel that way...But please believe me, I never intended that..." He insisted worriedly, readjusting his dark cloak slightly. "I know someone who has always felt the exact same way...People have always underestimated her, which is a horrible idea..." He said quietly, giving a slightly wistful sigh.

"And I am only a hired guard...I could not be your equal..." He shook his head of black hair quickly. "I wouldn't feel right about it..."