<span style="font-style: italic">"If that's the room you want to go with, I'll trust your judgement. But that doesn't mean...That I'm not going to that treaty gala tomorrow. It's for the good of the people, and I will be there. Do you need anything else? Or are we okay to go?â€</span>Her eyes held a challenge in them; Alan knew that this battle was going to be hard fought, but this was absolute insanity. Her life had just been threatened and she wanted to throw herself into some royal party with<span style="font-weight: bold">only </span>a few hundred people there. Alan hadn't even been here 24 hours yet and he already sensed that<span style="font-weight: bold">this </span>would be the job that put him in an early grave.<br/><span style="font-style: italic">Oh, dad, how wrong you were. Killing people is simple. Protecting them is a pain in the ass. </span>He thought and with that he opened the floodgates to an argument.<br/><br/>â€œLook, this event is a bad idea. The amount of people going present too many variables, thereâ€™s a good chance you could be put in danger.â€ He said, attempting to present a logical side of this. Hopefully reason would work.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"And if I don't go, more lives than my own will be at risk,"</span>she countered.<span style="font-style: italic"> "It's imperative I be there  for the good and safety of my people. You have to understand that."</span><br/><br/>He shook as head looking at her. â€œYouâ€™re people arenâ€™t going to be better off if your dead. Why is it so imperative that<span style="font-weight: bold">you</span>attend this event?â€ He asked smoothly. Her father was the ruler here, why did she have to attend this event when her life was in danger?<br/><br/>That had her up and moving about the room, gesturing with her hand as she went.<span style="font-style: italic">"Because I'm to keep his son happy, along with every other dignitary. It's part of my duty. Part of this treaty is hingent on me and I won't mess this up."</span>Alanâ€™s eyes narrowed slightly at that. Keep his son happy? This could only spell disaster, the look was gone as soon as it came flitting across his face for no more than a nanosecond.<br/>â€œSurely they would understand if it was a matter of your life.â€ He said then againâ€¦ maybe they wouldnâ€™t nobles were notoriously assholeish when they felt slighted in the least, of course they would never openly say anything but behind closed doors reputations could be ruined.  Not that he much cared for all that. He had no stomach for all the politics and backdoor alliances that ran around the higher ranks. As an assassin his reputation was dead (literally) as soon as his boots touched the ground. However, he could see how this would be important to those of the royal family, but to put oneâ€™s life in danger for it?<br/><br/>The look she shot him was anything but humoring,<span style="font-style: italic"> "You know how wrong that is without me needing to refute it,â€</span>slowly she came to a stop.<span style="font-style: italic">"I'm going. It's non-negotiable."</span><br/><br/>Alan barely suppressed a groan of irritation. He wasnâ€™t going to win this. â€œThereâ€™s no way to postpone this in light of recent events?â€ He was grasping at straws now, he knew it, and she probably knew it too.<br/><span style="font-style: italic"> "This has been scheduled for months. There's no rescheduling. It would have the same effect as me not showing up."</span>Annoyed Alan rose to his feet, but kept all expression off his face as he turned and stared out the window.<br/><br/>â€œFine. But Iâ€™ll be actively on the floor. Not at your side. But close at hand.â€ This was something<span style="font-weight: bold">he</span>wasnâ€™t going to budge on.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"How close is close? Because there's the dancing and dinner...I have to be able to move freely."</span>Alan turned back to her conveying the droll stare she couldnâ€™t see with his body language, though he had to admit her apprehension stung slightly. He expected it, though at the same time he would have been happier if she outright disdained him. He could deal with outright disdain, at least then he could hate her back. Instead it felt almost as if she was questioning his abilities not to get in her way. Alan sighed.<br/><br/>â€œPrincess I can assure you that I can blend among your people. It wouldnâ€™t be the first time I masqueraded as a noble and I assure you it wonâ€™t be my last.  Iâ€™ll have you in my line of sight, but wonâ€™t approach unless something happens.â€<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"I wasn't trying to say you can't do your job, But  the minute anyone suspects I've got a detail on me, they'll think I don't trust them...that my father doesn't trust them...I can't help being cautious." </span>She started pacing again and Alan was tempted to grip her shoulders and stop her, he was getting dizzy just watching her.  He stood with his back against the wall near where the door to her room had been. The lingering smoke fumes were a constant reminder to him, now that he thought about itâ€¦ those bay windows were making him pretty damn nervous too. Time to wrap this up.<br/><br/>â€œI will attempt to keep our interactions to a minimum. If I do need to step in it will be discreetly as another noble. Not your detail. But if someone attacks you, all bets are off. Can we agree on that?â€ It seemed reasonable enough to him, if someone tried to kill her heâ€™d beat them to it.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"We can agree on that. Will I need to get the tailors to fit you or do you have something already?"</span>Alan considered his options for a moment.<br/><br/>â€œIt would be best to get something tailored I think.â€ Though he wouldnâ€™t exactly enjoy the experience his suit wouldnâ€™t exactly cut it for this. It wasnâ€™t exactly latest fashion. â€œThough now we should change our location.  The details can be hammered out there.â€ And he could insure they werenâ€™t being monitored.<br/>"Alright. Need me to lead you to it or are the schematics clear enough?"<br/><br/>He had memorized the path from her room to the new location, but on the off chance that he screwed up somewhere along the way it would be best for her to lead. Plus this was her home. â€œYou lead.â€ He said approaching the door. â€œAnything you need while weâ€™re still here?â€<br/><br/>"Clothes, I suppose, but that could be handled later," came her quick reply. Alan nodded and stopped in the doorway allowing her to take the lead. As they left the room his link buzzed with a new message. One heâ€™d been awaiting since arriving. A quick glance told him all he needed to know. His team was here.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Thank the gods for small favors. Theyâ€™re here and unscathed.</span>He thought as they he followed her down the hallway.