But the Production Director—a fussy little male with bright pink hair and an immaculate white suit—refused to let me do it.
“No, no—absolutely not!” he exclaimed, coming over as I was trying to fasten my belt around Isla’s waist. “Just what do you think you’re doing?” he demanded, glaring up at me.
“Making sure the Lady Isla is protected,” I growled, continuing to fasten the belt.
“But that ugly, clunky black thing clashes horribly with her outfit!” he exclaimed, nodding at my belt in obvious distain. “Look, Mr. Bodyguard person, it is my job to make certain everyone looks perfect for these appearances,” he told me. “And I absolutely forbid this fashion disaster you’re perpetrating!”
“Well, it’s my job to protect Lady Isla,” I snarled at him. “So I don’t give a Goddess-damn if you like the way the belt looks or not. All I care about is keeping her safe.”
He took one look at my face, realized I wasn’t backing down, and hurried off for reinforcements.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!” he howled, flagging down the Prince, Le’rank’s father. I saw him whispering in the monarch’s ear and then he dragged the Prince over to me by the sleeve of his opulent gold-sateen coat. “Look—just look!” he cried, gesturing to Isla. I had finally gotten my belt fastened around her waist and it stood out very black against her blindingly white gown.
“What is this, Doodle?” the elder Le’rank asked, peering at where the pink-haired idiot was pointing. “Some sort of fashion accent? I don’t know that I like it—it breaks up the lines of the gown.”
“Exactly what I was saying, Your Majesty!” The Fashion Director whose name was apparently “Doodle” glared at me triumphantly.
“Your Majesty,” I said to the Prince. “I’m Sark—a Security Specialist your son hired to keep his wife safe. My only interest is protecting the Lady Isla.” I gestured in the direction of the balcony. “She has no other shielding and that crowd out there sounds ugly.”
“Really, Mr. Sark, is it?” When I nodded the Prince continued. “Really, you cannot let your fashion choices be ruined just because the peasants are a bit restless.”
A bit restless?” I demanded, wondering if he was hearing the same boos, hisses, and shouts that I was. Was he deaf? “They’re screaming for blood out there!” I told him.
“Oh, they’re just a bit upset because we’ve had something of a drought here on the Northern Continent these past two years.” He waved one hand negligently and I noticed he had multiple rings on every finger, including his thumb, and all were crusted with precious stones. “It caused the verma-wheat crop to fail which means they haven’t had as much to fill their bellies as usual and I suppose they’re getting cranky because of it.”
He shrugged as though this was no big deal that his people were apparently starving. Well, it was a big fucking deal to me, mainly because the angrier people get, the more likely they are to start shooting.
“I really have to insist that Lady Isla keeps my belt shield on,” I told him firmly. “She doesn’t have a Force Bubble like you and your sons do, Your Majesty. Although I think in the future you should get her one,” I added.
“Buy an expensive Force Bubble for a mere female?” For the first time I seemed to have really gotten his attention. He looked at Isla, who had been standing there quietly through all of this, as though she was worth less than the dirt under his feet. “Certainly not!”
“Well, then let her wear my shield belt this time and we can have a more ‘tasteful’ one made up for her next public appearance,” I growled.
I was very fucking close to losing my temper but I was well aware that if I offended the rich prick in front of me, I would be thrown out of the palace and the family complex, in which case I would no longer be able to protect Isla. And though I had been reluctant to take this job in the first place, now it was extremely important to me. I couldn’t leave her here with these assholes alone and unprotected! I fucking couldn’t.
“Your Majesty, please! See reason!” Doodle exclaimed, as though I was being the unreasonable one. “The addition of that dreadful belt around your son’s wife’s waist will utterly ruin the look of the entire royal family! It must be removed!”
The Prince looked Isla up and down, his lip curled in distaste as he surveyed her. He was looking at her like she was a bag of garbage someone had thrown in his path, I thought, feeling myself get even angrier. How could he not see that she was the most beautiful female in the room? With her gorgeous full curves and big dark eyes and that incredible silver hair, she was a fucking goddess!