Too late

Sleeping beauty

"Hi Haley!" Aurora greeted me cheerfully, as I came over and sat with her, Kian and Alishia on the grass. Jack, for once, was nowhere in sight, thankfully, but I guess it was board daylight after all and he would be asleep. It wasn't unusual for guards to sleep through the day as our biggest enemy and main concern was vampireattacks.

"Aurora, you wanted to meet?" I asked politely while getting down to business. It was the middle of vampire night and I wanted to return to my bed before my own shift started tonight..

"I just wanted to make sure you were settling in fine. I heard you got appointed to Rufus Hale, that was a surprise?" She stated almost like a question. I wasn't sure if she meant me getting an important royal was a surprise, or me getting anyone other than Alishia. Either way I just shrugged and tried to play it off without taking offence.

"Yeah, well he asked for me and it was a big chance, so I said yes." It was the truth. Mr. Richard had laid out three choices for me, one of them had been to keep my current desk job. I had considered it, I really was comfortable on the fifth floor. Knowing I wouldn't be in a life-threatening situation any minute was relaxing. In the end, however, I decided that wasn't the life I was meant for. I would die at a desk job, mentally at least. Or 18-year-old me would have, and I was trying to be more like her lately. The other was a Romanov, not a bad choice, but she lived in Seattle and I didn't want to leave the protected grounds just yet if I could avoid it. Aurora nodded with a smile that seemed to be painted on. Her normal smile showed her teeth but this was with tight lips, and a fixed gaze. I knew that smile. It was the one she gave to people she was only being nice to because she was polite. 

She went on; "And everything is well?" 

I shot her weird look, but before I could answer, Kian cut in. "Oh for god's sake – Haley, Aurora wants to know if Rufus is abusing you."

"I – what?!" Not what I was expecting. 'Aurora wants you to help her political agenda', sure, but Rufus, abusing me? Hell no.

"Why on earth would he be abusing me?" Aurora closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as if preparing for what she was going to say next.

"Haley, Rufus is a difficult size. There has been going rumors around you see: He usually gets a new guard every decade, and every time he gets a new one he usually goes through about three or four before one stays: The others quit without warning and leaves. None of them wants to talk about their reasons for leaving, they just go. So naturally there has been assumptions about why they leave, especially the female guards never stay for more than a few days." I didn't know if I should feel touched at their concern, or insulted that they thought I would put up with abuse, but one thing popped into my mind. Rufus had said I was protecting his reputation as well as his life, right now Aurora was threatening that reputation.

"Aurora, what happens during my shifts is strictly confidential, but I will assure you, Rufus does not abuse his guards or any member of his staff." I thought that and the tone in which I said it would make her back off but Aurora was tougher than I had given her credit for.

"Then why does his guardians quit?" She asked persistently. I bit my lip and considered whatever or not to tell her. I considered Aurora my friend, no doubt, but she was also Rufus' political enemy. I wasn't sure if the rules he set for me could be used against him.

"Rufus has a set of rules that he wants the people around him to follow, I guess that might be too much for some guards." That caught her interest.

"What kind of rules?" 

Deciding I had already said too much I tried to play it off cool and shrugged. "Minor things."

"Like what?" I had a feeling she wouldn't let me off before I told her. This was a negotiating I realized, not a friendly act of concern.

"Just things like not to dress inappropriate and then he doesn't really want to hear my political opinions." Bingo, she looked completely outraged.

"He is limiting your freedom of speech – how are you okay with that?!" I shrugged.

"I guess I just don't see it like that big of an issue. I mean it is not like anyone else wants to hear my opinion and nobody listens anyway. And it is a really good position." I decided to point out how lucky I was to even get the position. Nice positions came with a price, everyone knew that. Well everyone except Aurora.

"So you are trading your human rights for a nice position?" I was begging to feel like her outrage was pointed at me.

"Well a good position and several benefits, like a pretty awesome bedroom." I swear, her eyes bulged and not in the good way.

"You are shutting up for a 'nice' bedroom?!"

"It has got a great view." I pointed out, remembering how I had sat in the plush chair all yesterday and just stared at people going around in the garden, how peaceful they had looked.

"I don't give a s**t about the view Haley! Can't you see how wrong it is?" Her voice was really high-pitched at this point and I saw Kian flinch and Alishia trying to cut in.

"A garden view, Aurora, and a full-length mirror. Oh and I get like twice as much time off as I would during normal circumstances. Honestly I don't care if it is wrong, it is awesome and I love it. Every part of it actually. I love that I don't have to make any decisions for myself. I love that there is someone that makes me breakfast every morning. For god's sake, his housekeeper serves me pancakes and fruit salad every morning, packs my lunch and makes dinner for Rufus, his wife and I. Literally, I eat with them. So, no Aurora, I don't see how wrong this is, I think it is freaking awesome!" I didn't realize I had stood up during my rant but suddenly I was looking down at them. I took a deep breath to calm myself, reminding myself that Aurora wasn't my enemy.

"Look I appreciate your concern but there is nothing to worry about. Rufus is a great charge. He gave me the option to quit, but I chose to stay because I am okay with his rules. I like working with him, besides his flaws he is a good man and he treats me well. So please stay out of it." I didn't await her answer. I knew she wasn't about to back down. She would try to persuade me to betray him somehow, but I had meant what I had said: I liked working with Rufus. Especially since he called it that, I was working with him, not for him. He had called me Rose and I called him Rufus, no titles. He had given me full charge of everything involving his safety, including cutting a meeting short or canceling a 'date' if I decided it was too dangerous. In his opinion, I worked for the fairyworld government, and my nearest employer was Mr. Richard. If there was a problem, it would go through Mr. Richard, Rufus wasn't about to boss me around because as he said: "fairies don't have a clue on guards business, just like guards don't have a clue on fairy business." I wasn't sure what fairies business covered, but I didn't ask. Instead, I appreciated getting to do my job without being interrupted by some royal thinking he knew much better how to ensure his safety. I had explained to him that since we would be without assistance when we went outside court I would have to near guard him, while at court I could blend with the shadows. He had just told me I knew what was best and told me my cover would be his as his PA when we went to human meetings. Returning mentally to my friends on the grass I told them I had to go and left quickly not looking back.