<em>It will not always be so easy, my grand-daughter.</em><br/><br/>Darius nodded.  The oath seemed harmless enough.  Perhaps the princess would say something unflattering about her father, but in his heart there simply wasn't room to suspect her of anything dark enough to test his loyalty to both crown and crown apparent.  Nor did he feel the touch of magic as it flowed from her fingers.  Or if he did, he dismissed it as butterflies at the touch of such a pretty woman.<br/><br/>"I swear by the Sun and the Moon, by the heart that beats in my chest, that I am your true and loyal friend and guardian.  I am your servant in all things my lady Aurora."