“Wow, I have never been so close to the King's castle until now. Are you sure you are the Prince? You don't look like a Prince and you sure as hell aren't dressed like one….” Nick started lamenting as Daniel and him were approaching the castle gates and there were guards everywhere. He started wondering if Daniel wasn't just some lunatic who believed he was the Prince. Because he seemed pretty much convinced of what he was saying. At least for him it seemed to be true. But what if for the normal people it wasn't true? What if they'd get arrested, what if….
“Are you having second thoughts? You didn't doubt my words earlier at the pub when I offered you drinks and a hearthy meal, did you?”, asked Daniel, winking at the guards while Nick stood behind him and by the look on his face, he was probably thinking of running away. So Daniel grasped his shoulder to stop him and nudged him forward. He couldn't refrain himself from a good laugh when he saw that Nick's legs were wobbling and that he looked as if he was going to throw up everything he had eaten at the pub.
He approached the guards who seemed a bit confused at first but then they really seemed to know him.
“Hey, Steve”, Daniel addressed the chief of the guards, “will you open the gates for your Prince? Or are you going to make me waste my time here with you? You know I would love to chit-chat, but I am kind of busy right now, showing my new bodyguard to his chamber and giving him a tour of the castle. After I change my clothes, of course, as he seems not to like my style….”
Now Nick was sweating, fear, no, terror in his eyes. He really thought that his newly made friend wasn't in his right minds. But it was too late to run now, his legs were so weak that he wouldn’t be able to take more than a few steps in the state he was in. This was a bad idea. Maybe it would have been better if he had stuck with Clark and his gang. But it was too late for that, too.
“Oh, sorry, my Prince I didn’t recognize you in
your…ugh….fine clothes. The King said you were in your room, indisposed and that you weren't to be disturbed. Were you out by yourself? No guards…?”, babbled Steve who seemed now even more scared than Nick, if that was even possible.
“Yeah, I was indisposed but then I got better and decided to have a stroll on my own. Now there is no need for the King to find out, right, Steve?”
“No, of course not….but what about this guy?” Steve said looking at Nick with inquisitive eyes.
“He is Nick, my new bodyguard. You will train him every day. He is your responsibility from now on. I want you to turn him into a real warrior, ok?” and Daniel punched him in a friendly manner on his shoulder. “He starts training tomorrow”, went on Daniel as he was entering the castle gates, followed doggedly by Nick.
“This wasn't so bad, was it Nick? I can't believe you chickened out. You should have seen your face. Marvelous!”, said Daniel laughing from the bottom of his heart.
“I admit I got scared a bit…”said Nick, trying to recover from the fright.
“A bit? You almost pissed your pants!” and Daniel laughed even louder. “Come, let me show you to your room and present you to the king. You can't go around the castle before I introduce you to the king and the generals and the guards. I will tell them that I hired you at Steve's advice. So no worries.”
Nick had finally managed to control himself and get over the shock of it all. He couldn’t believe he was actually in the castle, in the presence of the Prince. And furthermore, that he had a job, an important job, as his bodyguard. It was like a dream. He was wondering what he did to deserve all these. Then he told himself that he must have done something good in his life if God helped him like this. So he was going to take his chance and do his best to deserve it. He would be faithful to Daniel. He swore it to himself. He had served Clark out of necessity but he was going to serve Daniel out of friendship. By giving him this job, Daniel had saved his life, had saved him from himself, from his old lifestyle, from all the things he had to do to survive while at the orphanage. He owed his everything, he owed him his new life. And he was going to be a good warrior to be able to protect him. He was happy beyond words.