CASSANDRA: The Unfavored Princess-Chapter 59: Ed

Everyone was standing in a row.

"All the guards are present here." The secretary said as he looked at the guards standing in front of him.

There were people with different robes representing their masters. The black was from Duke Salvador while silver represented Duke Bentham. The white one was from Duke Crawford and the brown represented Duke Garfield.

The secretary looked at each and every captain of the team. They were one of the best in the Empire. "I hope the Dukes have given you the instructions properly. I will not go into detail but I would like you to be more careful about how you are going to conduct yourself in front of the Vivere Kingdom’s people.

The secretary looked in the eyes of every guard. It was as if he was giving them silent instructions hoping that they would understand it. "I don’t know the arrangement that the Duke’s have agreed upon but I hope that you will not disappoint me."

The secretary waved his hand indicating the guards to leave.

Once everyone had left the secretary went towards his bookshelf. He was one of the many collectors of old ancient books. It ran into the family. They collected unusual artifacts and books. One of them contained ancient stories that have been forgotten over the course of time.

The secretary looked at the book he had just taken out. His hand moved over the text as he looked at the words with his heart trembling. He closed the book in a hurry as if he was afraid that someone might see or read it. The secretary did not look anywhere else as he kept the book back in the position.

"The Vivere Kingdom’s people should never have come in the Empire."

"I hope they leave the Empire without causing any trouble."

"I need to keep an eye on them."

The secretary sighed as he left the room as if nothing had happened.

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Soon the guards reported to their respective masters.

They were assigned their target who they had to protect. They all contained a letter indicating which forces they belonged to and how they will be guarding the people.

The black eagle-like all the other guards also had a letter in their hand. They reported to their respective Princesses as their bodyguards in disguise.

Cassandra was sitting in her room rubbing her eyes. The sun was shining in the sky as the sound of birds filled her room. Cassandra’s eyes gazed outside the windows. The flowers were blooming as they shined in the sun.

"Princess," Amy said as she stood behind Princess Cassandra’s back.

Cassandra looked back at Amy but her lady in waiting was not alone. There stood a man in black clothes with red eyes.

’Is he the Duke?’ Cassandra thought as she looked at the man.

Although the man was covered in black, his red eyes replicated that of Duke Salvador’s. Even his body structure was the same as him.

Cassandra swallowed as her gaze shook a little. "Amy .... This is .."

Cassandra’s voice trembled as her sight focused on the man.

"Here." Amy came forward bringing the letter that was given to her by the man.

Cassandra took it as she indicated to Amy to leave the room. Amy wanted to stay but Cassandra knew that the man’s gaze was focused on her like an eagle looking at its prey.

’He is not thinking about anything.’

’Is he really the Duke?’

[Princess, don’t send me out.]

[There will be rumors circulating that you let an unknown man come into the room.]

[We don’t know who this man is.]

Amy’s mind was filled with worry as she looked at Cassandra with every step she took.

Cassandra sighed as she looked at Amy with a soft gaze. She knew that Amy was always worried for her but now was not the time to play safe. The instructions in the letter were simple.

[Read it alone.]

Cassandra smiled at Amy as she said in a soft tone. "He is the guard appointed by the Duke’s to protect the Princess. I will be okay, Amy."

Listening to Princess Cassandra, Amy nodded. She looked at the man with a sharp gaze telling him with her eyes.

[If you try anything with the Princess. I will kill you.]

The man in black narrowed his gaze as if making fun of Amy, before looking at the Princess.

Amy’s eyes widened as she clenched her hands. [Just watch out. I will really kill you.] Amy turned around as she left the room, closing the door on her way out.

The room was silent with only Princess Cassandra and the man. They both looked at each other with none of their gaze moving.

"You should leave as well," Cassandra said with a smile. "It says read it alone."

Even when Cassandra said it, the man refused to leave, staring at Princess Cassandra.

"Very well then." Cassandra sighed as she looked at the letter in her hand. "We should both read it then." Cassandra’s voice was low as a whisper. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Cassandra opened the letter as she read it loudly. "Read it alone." Cassandra looked up at the man who did not move even a little.

"The Salvador Dukedom have the honor of protecting the Princesses by sending their most powerful guards, black eagle." Cassandra looked up again as she looked at the man.

’He looks like a black eagle.’ Cassandra raised her eyebrows.

"They will be protecting the Princesses by being their shadow. The man assigned to them will be the main guard and at times a sub guard will take their place when needed. The Black eagle will always be in the shadow when other people are around the Princess but Princesses are free to interact with their guards at will. The black eagle will only protect their assigned Princesses till the Vivere Kingdom’s representatives are present. The Princesses are forbidden to contact black eagle after their assignment is completed."

Cassandra read the rest of the letter as her face turned bad. Many rules were provided. The Princesses were not allowed to discuss private matters with the guards. The guards had freedom whether to reply to the Princesses’ questions or not. And most importantly, they all were forbidden to remove the guard’s mask.

"So many rules." Cassandra sneered. "It feels like I am in the military." Cassandra’s voice was low as if she was talking with herself, but the man in black could hear it properly.

Cassandra stood up as she moved towards the man. His red eyes were calling her in. She could not help but stare at him some more.

"What is your name?" Cassandra asked with an innocent smile but the man did not reply.

’I cannot even force him to reply.’

Cassandra sighed. It was as if her whole life was repeating itself yet again but Cassandra had a smile on her face.

’So what if he treats me invisible.’

’I can do whatever I want in front of him.’

’They cannot tell on me nor can he complain about me to the Emperor.’

’It will be as if he is my friend in the palace, even though it would only be for some time.’

Cassandra did not know where her courage came from but her face was smiling. She was happy with the situation.

"So you do not have a name?" Cassandra rubbed her chin. Her eyes glowing with mischief. "What should I call you then?"

Cassandra circled the man with a smirk. "You look like your master. Duke Salvador. But I know you cannot be him. Your eyes do not shout ’I am going to kill you’." Cassandra giggled as he continued observing the man.

"Your red eyes are a shade lighter than the Duke. Does your army have many people with red eyes?"

Cassandra stood in front of the man. ’He is tall. His height is the same as Duke Salvador.’

"So what should I call you? Hmm ... How about Black? You are wearing black." Cassandra said with a smile but soon her smile vanished as she saw the eyes of the man.

It was as if the man was saying. ’Are you dumb?’

Cassandra shook her head as she continued thinking. "Now that I think about it, the name is a little weird. How about red then?"

But before Cassandra could be happy about it, she shook her head. "No, bad choice." Cassandra could see that the man was trying hard to bury in anger. His hands had formed a fist at some point in time.

"Let’s be creative then." Cassandra thought hard. "So you work for Duke Salvador. If I am not wrong the Duke’s name is Aiden right?" Cassandra looked up at the man whose eyes had calmed down a little.

"Right, Aiden." Cassandra was sure that she was not wrong with the name. "So I should call you something related to that name. Won’t you be happy being called something similar to your master who you look upon?"

The man in black nodded, but before Cassandra could say anything, a deep voice said. "The Princess can call me Ed."