D'ARCY SINCLAIR

A few days ago, the King of Pretoria had asked something of me. Something he knew was unacceptable.

He wanted me to protect his granddaughter. And by doing so, I would have to marry her.

He knew better than to ask me for favours, considering the long-standing hatred my family had for the royal family.

After they publicly gunned down my parents many years ago.

I was seated in my office when the second invitation came in. The king of Pretoria had requested to see me. It had been weeks since our last discussion, and now, I heard the little Princess was back.

I'm seated in his office already, as he walks in with a couple of men. They each salute me with an average bow as they take their seats on the available couch in the room.

"Mr. Sinclair. I'm glad you could come despite the impromptu request," King Smith says to me.

I acknowledge him with a nod, as an issue of being a gentleman rather than out of respect.

The king knows that I may be a citizen of his country, subjugated to the royal throne as a matter of authority and government, but I will never bow to any member of the royal family.

"Now, I know that we have already discussed the matter at hand, but the reason I invited you here today is so that we can sit at a round table and come to an agreement."

I want to call bullshit on his words, but I hold back. We both know he has not yet discussed the marriage agreement with his council yet.

This is just a courtyard moment to make sure the ball goes around to everybody.

"I have already agreed to marry your granddaughter. Is there any other thing needed to discuss?" I ask, knowing that this will cause an uproar.

"Sire, you want to have an alliance with a rebel family?" One of the council members spoke up.

Soon enough, there is a spread of whispers around the room. I roll my eyes and lean back, my sunglasses covering my eyes.

"Silence! We know what is at stake here! If we put Freya in the last place anybody would expect to find her, she would be safe from danger." King Smith below.

The room goes silent immediately.

"This is not up for contention or discussion!" he adds.

One of the men leans forward, rethinking his next words before he speaks.

"But Sire, she would have to show up at public events. The wedding will be a public ceremony. We are not exactly hiding her." He mutters his words one after the other as if that would change the effect of it.

However, I silently agree with him. But that was not the reason the King asked for my help anyway.

"I am not trying to hide her. At first, it seems so, but as we all know, Mr. D'arcy Sinclair here is a high-profile security personnel who once served in the military and..." He trails off.

"He owns a security company and every asset I am certain would protect Freya when the need arises." The king replies.

His councilmen keep silent. And just when the king is about to open his mouth and say something, the door pushes open and a young woman barges in.

"Freya! Where are your manners?" The king exclaims. Her eyes barely scan her environment before she opens her mouth to speak.

"I am sorry, Grandfather, but I am not getting married!" Her voice sounds firm and steady. Not as though she is merely suggesting to him, but is telling him.

A smile crawls up my lips, and I feel amusement seethe. This is the princess? What a rebel.

"I will not marry some charlatan that you picked from heaven knows where!..." I zoned out on her remaining words because I was furious at this point.

Charlatan? The little wench! Who does she think she is, referring to me as a charlatan?

Is she any better? I relax once her grandfather dishes her a taste of her own medicine.

"Who would you rather have it with than? The scumbag who cheated on you and threw you out of his house?!" he yells out.

Oooh, I bet his council did not know that. I smiled again, but to myself, until I saw the tears in her eyes.

It doesn't matter. I was dragged into this mess in the first place. What makes her think I want to be trapped with her for the rest of my life anyway?

I only agreed to this because I know that all my parents wanted was peace, but that does not mean I won't have my share of fun with it.

She strikes me like a firecracker, and I have exactly what she needs to douse out those flames.

As soon as her grandfather dismisses her, she bolts out of the office. He turns to us, furious yet unable to speak.

Silence fills the room from her last statement, "I don't want to be Queen!" That must have struck a chord.

I have never known a member of the royal family who wasn't thrilled to be a monarch, just so that they could control how the entire system works.

"This meeting will have to be adjourned. The council and I will make plans for the wedding as agreed. Please, do the same on your end, Mr. Sinclair." The king mutters.

"I believe you should make sure your granddaughter is on board with this first. The one thing u would rather not have is a bride on the run." I mutter coldly in a tone that surprises even myself.

"Bride," I mutter quietly.

"She has no choice. It is for her safety, and she will do as I instruct her to." He replies boldly. I want to tell him how bad an idea that might be, but instead, I nod and get up.

"I do not like surprises, Your Majesty. I don't like surprises." I reply and walk out of the office.

As I get into the backseat of my car, I feel a strong need to unwind. It's been a long day.

Besides, if I am going to be married to a prude, I need a long rodeo of my bachelor time.

"Take me to the town's club. I need a strong drink."