"Are flowers that special?" Dawson asked as he didn’t see why many go crazy about them.

"Of course they are. Maybe it is because you haven’t seen the gardens in the palace. They are well taken care of so they are the best in the kingdom. I haven’t travelled to see many gardens but I have a feeling that nothing compares," Alana replied. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"You must be mindful of what I told you about couples in the garden. The darkness provides an opportunity for them to enjoy each other," Dawson said, resisting the urge to laugh at the horrors Alana was thinking of.

"I do not understand why anyone would wait for a party hosted by someone to fool around in a garden. Why don’t they just meet at their homes or elsewhere? The risk of being caught is just too high. They’ve spoiled the palace gardens as well," Alana said, remembering a few caught couples.

"It is exciting to some and for others, they are meeting with someone they have been forbidden to speak to. Perhaps they are just making plans of eloping and then they kiss to seal it. We mustn’t judge them," said Dawson.

"You sound like someone who might have had his fair share of sneaking around in gardens. It would not come as a surprise if you have some women waiting for you to be alone so they can speak with you," Alana said as she noticed the attention he received.

"I am only a guard-"

"That doesn’t matter. You are a very handsome man and you are well known as Scarlet’s guard. That alone is good enough to have a few women looking to you as a good match. There have been some older women who marry younger men for their pretty faces so you shall have no problem when you are ready to find a wife," said Alana.

"I am offended that you think so low of me that I would become someone’s plaything. Besides, I don’t have any plans of getting married. Why do you look surprised?" Dawson asked as Alana looked at him like he delivered the worst news.

"You don’t want to get married. Everyone wants to get married at some point," Alana replied, finding him to be stranger than normal now.

"No, they don’t. Times are changing and everyone is starting to realise that marriage is not all you need. I spend my time on Scarlet’s estate protecting her and I enjoy tossing around the people that get in her way. I am not stopping that anytime soon to have to go home at night to anyone," Dawson explained.

"Is it honestly that or the past you once hinted to? When you spoke about not being a good person? I do not see you as a bad person. You are just annoying at times," Alana said, hoping he could see himself differently.

"I have killed many whether it be for work or not," Dawson replied.

Alana smiled as he forgot where she grew up. "I have lived my life surrounded by palace guards, town guards, men from the court, or representatives from other kingdoms who have killed before. I know that Scarlet removed a few people bothering her from this world. I trust that you aren’t some crazy murderer. Are you?"

Alana stopped in the middle of the garden as she now realised how far she had walked with him.

"I am not. I didn’t grow up well protected in a palace like you did. Well, in the sense of having guards to protect you from outsiders," Dawson answered. Alana wasn’t protected from her brother.

"Then I won’t judge you. I am certain Scarlet looked into you when she hired you and she trusted you well enough to place you as my guard. Do not think low of yourself. Everyone has their dark secrets," said Alana.

"Even the princess?" Dawson asked, failing to believe Alana could have some dark secret.

Alana looked around to be certain no one was near. "I didn’t just take all of Luke’s bullying growing up. I might have pulled a few pranks on him. One that left him with a scar on his back that he is yet to figure out how it got there. Or the raw meat in his shoes so the palace dogs would chase him. Please don’t tell anyone."

"You have my word that I won’t. I don’t know why I was expecting so much more from you when you spoke of dark secrets. I am disappointed princess," Dawson said, finding himself stupid for expecting something exciting.

"There was the one time I wanted to push him from somewhere high. He had made my mother cry with his words and I just wanted to get rid of one of the people making her unhappy. Maybe I would have done the kingdom a favour if I had gone through with it. Luke is a pain in the ass," Alana said and then covered her mouth.

"A pain in the ass if it’s worth acting like you just killed someone? You are something," Dawson said, shaking his head at her innocence. "It is time that we return inside, princess. I don’t want any rumours to start of us being together and Scarlet must be worried."

"We have been away for a while," Alana realised. If what happened with Jeremy was going around, it would reach Scarlet. "We should go back inside now and maybe leave. This party isn’t as good as I remember it to be. I would be doing all of us a favour."

Alana led the way back inside. Like Dawson said, couples were starting to go to the garden but Alana wasn’t worried about being seen alone with Dawson. It was obvious that he was her guard and she viewed him as a friend. She trusted being alone with Dawson more than anyone else who would approach her tonight.

As the two started to get back to the crowded area, Dawson put more space between him and Alana. Guests were looking their way and whispering as their gaze fell on him which meant that Jeremy might have been telling a different story since they were gone.

"Scarlet is gone," Alana said after finding the corner they were previously at empty.

Dawson scanned the room to find Ian or Scarlet. Scarlet would never leave Alana at the party so she had to be near. "They are dancing."

Alana looked at the dance floor and thanks to Scarlet’s hair, she was easy to find. "Then I won’t disturb them. They should enjoy having some time to dance now and then we can leave later."

Alana envied how Scarlet and Ian were able to dance whilst ignoring the watchful gazes of the nosy guests. By tomorrow, it should spread around that the rumours of Ian having another woman were nothing but lies as he looked in love with Scarlet.

There would be others to call it an act but everyone present could see that there was nothing but love between the two. Scarlet had gone from being angry with Luke to laughing about something Ian whispered to her.

"I know you won’t speak to me now since we are in a crowd but I want you to know that I will end my search tonight. It was short-lived but my eyes were opened tonight. I want love to creep up on me like it did with Scarlet. I want to experience what she has. I will just need to put up a good fight against Luke," Alana revealed, worried but still ready.

Luke had toyed with her long enough and if she did not start fighting back now, she would spend the rest of her life needing help from others.

Dawson didn’t respond since Alana was standing among other guests but he was proud of her. None of these men who just wanted to marry a princess were deserving of her. She should show the king and the queen that she didn’t need them to survive.

"You should dance once princess," Dawson spoke quickly.

Alana tried not to make eye contact with the men who wanted to dance with her. "Unless you are willing to go out there and dance, then I will remain right here. Don’t forget that my guard must go where I go. How odd would it look for me to be dancing with a man and my guard is right there beside us? I almost want to see it."

Dawson couldn’t be more grateful for Scarlet’s return with Ian.

"You two looked wonderful dancing together. Do you plan to share another dance?" Alana asked, wanting to watch the two dance from the start.

"Certainly not. I told Ian that he could only get one dance out of me. He wanted to dance so much yet he kept stepping on my shoe. It pains me to stand right now," Scarlet said, making a note to never dance with Ian again unless he learned how to.

"Well, your feet will be happy to know that I am ready to leave. It is more fun when we are at the estate. Can we please return to have fun there?" Alana asked.

Scarlet was confused since Alana was excited to be there. Still, she didn’t question it now as Alana would tell her at some point. "We are here for you so if you are ready, we are ready. Give me a moment to tell the host that we are leaving now."