There are three things you learn as a second born princess. You learn that no matter what, you aren't likely to be chosen for an alliance. You learn that you'll rarely oversee any guests and lastly, you're usually married to a lord or something for money. The last two doesn't apply to me as I'm soon to be the general of my brother's army. My father died in a war just before my younger siblings were born and made my mother his heir until my older brother, Markus comes of age which is in three months. Usually the second son is chosen to be general but my older other brother, Frederick is going to be in charge of the treasury so Markus wants me to be his general. There's a knock on my chamber door that makes me spill the ink over what I had just written.

"Yes?" I ask sharply and my maid, Alexandria walks in, holding a new dagger. "Oh, thank you, Alexandria. I thought Thin Richard said it wouldn't be done until tomorrow." Then I realise too late that it's not my dagger, it's too ornamental to be mine and Alexandria holds it to my throat where a dribble of blood comes out.

"Don't worry, milady. I'll make it quick." I reach for my hairpin and stab her hand with it before she can slit my throat. I quickly grab her and throw her to the ground.

"I'll ask my mother's executioner to make it quick, don't worry," I whisper in her ear before starting to yell. "HELP! ASSASSIN! HELP!" Markus runs in with his guards behind him.

"Charlotte, are you well?" He asks as his guards grab Alexandria and I nod, picking up the dagger with interest, it looks so familiar. "Take her to the dungeons. We will speak to mother at once." I nod and follow Markus to our mother's private study where she's writing a letter while drinking from a goblet.

"What was that yelling I heard?" Mother asks before looking up and focusing on my throat. "Darling Charlotte, what happened?" I open my mouth to tell her but Markus interrupts me before I can.

"That servant of hers tried to kill her," Mother leaps up and hurries over to me, checking my throat carefully. "Thankfully, the hairpin you gave her saved her life...Charlotte, I know we've had this conversation multiple times but I think you should have your own guards." I shake my head and open my mouth when mother interrupts me this time, dabbing at the blood.

"I agree with your brother," Markus looks smugly at me before mother continues. "Only until your brother comes to age. Then you'll have the army to protect you," I smile, happy I only have to suffer three months of being guarded. "Now, I believe it's time we go torture the maid...Charlotte, go talk to the master of assassins, he can give you one of his assassins as a guard. Better to have a guard that knows all the tricks than one that only thinks with his sword." I nod and walk with them until I turn into the courtyard. I find Master Oylvar training with three of his new assassins, one of them glances at me for a second and turns Master Oylvar in my direction.

"Princess Charlotte? I heard about the attempt...Are you well?" Oylvar asks, his blind eyes looking to my right and I hug him before answering.

"Yes. I escaped with just a mere scratch on my throat," He reaches out and touches the cut. "My mother has decided that I need a guard until my brother is of age. Any of your assassins up to the job, Oylvar?" Oylvar strokes his goatee for a moment before looking in the direction of his keep.

"I believe the oldest ones at my keep will suffice," He holds his arm out uncertainly. "Would you mind leading me back, Charlotte?" I take his arm and lead him to the keep.

"You should never have to ask," I pat his arm gently. "Especially since you teaching me how to fight with a hairpin...You saved my life just as much as that hairpin did." Oylvar smiles at my hand.

"You were one of my best pupils. That saved you more than me and that hairpin," We get into the pulley and get pulled up to the roof where five boys around Markus' age are fighting each other while one watches carefully. "Attention, please," The five stop fighting while the one still watches them carefully. "Today's your lucky day. Princess Charlotte needs one of you to guard her until her brother is of age," He touches my hand lightly with calluses. "How would you like to choose?" All six of them watch me and I smile brightly at them.

"How about they go against you and the last one you beat is my guard?" Oylvar grins, showing his gap-filled mouth.

"You heard her, boys. To the arena," I lead him towards the stairs, feeling like the boys are watching me. "They're just curious about a princess who's soon to be general, let them stare. I'm very proud of you," I squeeze his hand before he adds sadly. "Your father would be too. I wish we could both see you now," I lead him to the staffs and he picks one at random. "Staffs only, boys. If you're on your arse, you're out. Got it?" The boys choose a staff carefully unlike Oylvar and surround him. "On your mark, Charlotte." I smile, leaning against a far pillar.

"Begin," Oylvar twirls his staff, waiting for one of the boys to make the first move. The tallest one with blond hair goes to swing Oylvar's feet from under him and gets a staff to his private area. He falls and I smirk. "One down, five to go," The boy who was watching the others glances around before suddenly attacking the others, helping Oylvar and soon enough he's the last one standing. "Looks like we have a winner...Who cheated but still a winner. What's your name?" The boy walks forward and kneels in front of me with a smirk.

"Joseph of Baveil, my lady," He takes my hand and kisses it briefly as his name sounds familiar. "You probably don't remember me but we trained together." Then the memory clicks and I smile at him.

"I remember you, Joseph," I help him up and a tendril of darkness comes out of his hand. "You can call me Charlotte...The darkness hasn't left you yet?" He shakes his head sadly, his black eyes looking down.

"Someone has to love me for it to go away...It hasn't happened yet, Charlotte," He looks around and heads towards the dorms. "If I'm to be your guard, I should probably get my things." He hurries away and Oylvar smirks at me.

"You still have feelings for the boy?" I ignore him and wait for Joseph outside, feeling the heat in my cheeks.