Dycen remained seated at the small table as he listened to the muffled complaints of the princess as she roused from her slumber. A small smile curled the edges of the young man's lips as he watched the thin silk press itself against her lithe curves as she swung her feet over the edge of the bed and got to her feet. Even though he'd seen her nearly daily since they were young, he had never really looked at her as he would another woman. She was out of his reach, always had been and always would be, as any royal would be for a mere soldier, royal guard or not. Her destiny was to marry into another royal family and create blood ties with another kingdom, much as his own fate would be to watch over her and protect her with his life. The young soldier's father had been adamant that Dycen never develop an emotional attachment to the princess, that it would impeded his duties as her guard, a fact that Dycen had grown to hate. He couldn't remember exactly how or when it happened, but some months ago, the way he looked at the princess, the very way he thought about her, had changed. Sure, he still saw her as the princess, forever out of his reach, but now he also saw her for the woman she was.<br/><br/>Such thoughts always troubled Dycen, but there was simply no way to avoid it, now that he couldn't see her as just a royal. Unrequited love was not a story he was fond of, and the fact that he was headed down that path bothered him more than a little. His journey with the princess would be too long and full of danger, both from his own thoughts and the world around them. As much as he hated to admit it, his father had been right, and Dycen could easily see how his deeply hidden feelings could cause more than a few issues in the future.<i>'It doesn't matter Dyce... she could never be yours. Fae is your princess and never more than that.'</i>His smile faltered as he chided himself, unease growing stronger the more he thought about their travels.<br/><br/>Thankfully, his companion's voice brought him back to reality, helping to force the unwanted thoughts from his mind as he focused his attention on the plate full of food. “Leelan Lake huh?” He had waited for the princess to take her fill of their food before he grabbed one of the small loaves and split it open, following suit with the pseudo sandwich she had made. As he began to eat the first makeshift sandwich, he pictured the map of the surrounding areas in his mind's eye, judging it's distance from their kingdom and any potential threats. “That should work for a short time. It'll be a nice, out of the way area to relax and decompress from all that has happened recently. It won't be a permanent solution though.”<br/><br/>Dycen fell silent as she made her worries known to him, concerned that she would never be able to go back to her home, to feel safe in the place she'd always known. Her worries mirrored his own, but he could never say as much, he had to be strong, a rock for her to anchor against. Taking a few quiet moments to finish his food, he considered what their best course of action should be after they had taken a few days to decompress near the lake. “There's no need to worry princess. None of this is permanent.” Glacial orbs focused on the princess, a warm smile splitting Dycen's lips as he continued. “You will get to go home sooner than you think. My father is leading our armies against our enemy. It's only a matter of time before victory is attained and we can take you back to where you belong.”<br/><br/>“I just have to keep you safe until the way is finished and those who raised a hand against the queen are punished. After that, we go home and things return to normal. You're a princess... your place is on the throne, next to a king of your choosing.” A lighthearted chuckle accompanied a slight shrug of his broad shoulders. “Think of this as an extended vacation.<br/><br/><br/>Pushing himself from the table, Dycen got to his feet as he considered her request to stay here one more day. It was potentially dangerous to stay, but he wasn't sure he could deny that glint in her ice blue eyes.<i> 'This kind of shit is what you meant, huh da?'</i>With a heavy sigh, he shook the thought from his mind and offered the princess a nod of his head. “I suppose we can stay another night here, but we leave at first light on the morrow, yeah?” Dycen turned from the table and made his way to the door of their shared room. “If you would like to go ahead and clean up and change, I'll wait down in the great room for you.” Glancing over his shoulder, he motioned to the small wash basin and a clean bucket of water. “I've already replaced the water for you, so you can wash up before you change. If there's nothing else princess, I'll give you a little privacy now and wait for you downstairs.”