Now, however, he made an effort to sit up straighter, his muddy eyes widening in apparent surprise.
“A…a Cyborg, you say?” he choked out, gazing at James with a wary expression on his wrinkled face.
“One who is partly organic and partly enhanced,” James said again, nodding. “Do you require more proof of my enhancements or of my ability to guard the Princess Ka’rissa?”
“No, I…I don’t believe so. But you don’t…” The Steward frowned. “You don’t look like a robot. Or not what we consider to be a robot, here on Regalia Five. I have my doubts about the propriety of leaving you alone with Princess Ka’rissa, who is a virginal and chaste Royal lady!”
James examined the female in question again—the one he somehow felt he knew. Had he dreamed of her? He would need to scan the dream banks stored in his enhanced memory to be sure. For now, though, he only felt an intense need to be at her side. But in order to do that, he had to prove that he was fit to guard her.
“I think you can see that my physical abilities are more than adequate to the task of keeping the Princess safe,” he said blandly, nodding at the guards and their knotted spears behind him. “As for any desire you imagine I might have to ‘despoil’ her, please be assured that, as a Dark Kindred, I have no emotions and so, no interest in that direction. The Princess is, indeed, most aesthetically pleasing to the eyes, but my emotion damper prevents me from having the same lusts and desires that another, un-enhanced male might have. In other words, I have no wish to bond her to me or Join with her—I am only here to protect her.”
“Well…” The Steward hesitated. “Commander Sylvan of the Kindred High Council, did promise to send a warrior who was beyond reproach.”
“He chose me because I am a Dark Kindred with no emotions,” James said, nodding. “One who will guard the Princess faithfully and dispassionately until she is Joined to the correct male and ascends to the throne.”
It might have been his imagination, but he thought he saw a sour expression cross the old male’s face at the mention of Princess Ka’rissa—who was still staring at James with wide eyes—ascending to the Regalian throne. It was hard to tell, since the Steward, with his pursed and sagging lips, looked rather like he had been sucking tart citrus fruit anyway. At any rate, the old male didn’t say anything contradictory, but only nodded briefly at James and muttered,
“Well, well… Let me think on it a moment…”
He seemed to consider the situation for a long time—or maybe it just felt long to James, who was feeling more and more urgently that he needed to be near the female he had come to guard. At last, however, he gave James a nod and murmured,
“Yes, he’ll do. He’ll do very well.”
“Excuse me?” James raised his eyebrows, wondering if the remark was directed at him or if the old Steward was just talking to himself.
“I said, you’ll do, Sir James,” the old male said, raising his voice. “I do not believe our friend and ally, Commander Sylvan, would have sent us anything but a proper guard for our dear Princess. Therefore, you may be presented to the Princess and kiss her hand.”
There was a low murmuring among the Regalian Nobles at this pronouncement and James saw some shocked expressions from the corner of his eye. He ignored them, however and so did the old Steward.
“Well?” he demanded querulously. “How long must I wait? Ka’rissa—come here girl, and meet your new guard and Constant Companion!”
The girl beside the throne gave a little jump, as though someone had shocked her. Then she came forward slowly, as if in a dream, to stand at the edge of the dais. Her cheeks were pink with a blush and the glowing, pearlescent sheen to her creamy, light brown skin made it look incredibly soft and touchable.
“Sir James,” she said in a low, trembling voice, and extended her hand to him. “I am…most pleased to…to make your acquaintance.”
“And I yours, Princess.” James knew what was expected of him—he must bow low over her hand and kiss the back of it briefly before saying some sort of meaningless pleasantry.
Instead, he found himself sinking to his knees before her on the steps of the dais. His ocular scope retracted, so that they were truly eye-to-eye. Without breaking eye-contact, he bent his head to kiss the back of her small, soft hand.
“Princess Ka’rissa,” he murmured, I have come to serve and protect you—to give my life, if I must, to save yours. I swear that while I am near you, no harm shall befall you. I will kill or die to defend you—not a drop of your blood shall be spilled unless all of mine has first been shed.”