The princess and the American (Hope and I)

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"This is just too much mother!" Olivia paced the drawing room back and forth and turned to look at her silent father "you both said I still had time! You said I have till my 21 st birthday before getting married to Frederic!" She walked to the windows overlooking to the private gardens. "I'm not even 20 yet and you want to take what's left of my freedom away..."

"Olivia just calm down" the king sighed "we're just informing you that your indiscipline has consequences. You're not a normal girl, you're the princess, the heiress to the throne. Act like it."

Olivia bowed and walked out as elegantly as she could, trying to contain her anger. She met Justin's eye on her way to the main doors and held up her hand "I'm going out, and alone! My tracking device is on and don't you dare follow me Justin, I'm serious."

Justin just smirked and handed her a cap "I knew you would go out. Here's your cap, don't be long or I'll be forces to go and get you."

Princess Olivia took her secret passage out of the palace and made her way to the beach wanting nothing but sit in her hideout. She had been fighting with her mother for years, the queen not wanting to understand her needs to experience life as a normal girl, even just for a little while. But her mother saw her little experiences as acts of deffiance and always inflicted some kind of punishment.

She took off her sandals and sighed as her feet contacted the cold sand. She knew no one was around at this time but wouldn't risk exposure in her laid back clothes. Being in kaki shorts and a tank top wasn't really princesslike.

Reaching the groove she stopped dead in her track as she saw the back of a man taking a picture. She was about to leave before he noticed her but he turned around.

“Thank you..” May whispered, reaching for the door, “hey, is it always this dramatic here? I mean.. am I about to have my hands full in relationship bullshit because I didn’t come here to be a therapist, you know what I’m saying?” She asked him with a raised brow.

John was sitting up in bed reading when Liv walked in, “hey..” he whispered, pleasantly surprised as he let his book fall in his lap, “I didn’t think you were coming.. “

"Well, usually the princess don't talk about her problems with anyone except Justin, the head of security. So I would safely say you won't have to be a therapist unless you ask too many questions."

"For a minute I wasn't." She smiled and walked further into his room sitting on a chair mext to his bed. "Hi". She smiled "I'm sorry I took off, I thought my parents could get me out of that engagement but... turns out I have no choice."

“Right. Don’t ask too many questions. Got it.” She smirked up at him, “Thank you mister…?”

John felt deflated but held it in as he watched her speak, looking helpless and frustrated, “Well.. if there’s nothing we can do to change it, then let’s not ruin the few moments we have left by focusing our energy on something that isn’t going to change anyway..” John got up and took her hand, “come on..” he said softly, grabbing a blanket and leading her to his patio. He had a beautiful view of the ocean, and the only sound you could hear for miles was the sound of the waves crashing along the shore.

He pulled up a bench and guided her to sit next to him, covering them with a blanket before he wrapped his arm over her shoulders. “Just breathe, and listen.” He whispered in her ear.

"It's Jeremy my lady, at your service."

"This is breathtaking". She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes as tears fell down her cheeks. She felt safe with him so close. She felt complete. They sat there in silence for a while enjoying the view. The ocean always calmed her, but tonight she knew that nothing in the world would be able to do it.

-Just go with it, and hang in there. I have a lead.- justin
She looked down at her phone with a frown "go with it? Justin is getting crazy!" She huffed and burried her face in John's chest "what if he kisses me? What if he touches me?"

May looked him up and down before giving him a small nod, “Jeremy… keep me safe alright?” She asked with a wink before she walked into her room.

Johns body tightened at the thought of Frederic trying anything with her, “Just tell him you’re not ready. If he’s any kind of gentlemen, he’ll leave you be.” He said, trying to convince himself that the scenario he suggested would actually happen, “and if he doesn’t I’ll kill him.” He said in a matter of fact tone. He wasn’t a stranger to death. It was his job at one point to welcome it, and he was certainly not afraid to welcome it to Frederic if he tries to put his hands on her.

Jeremy chuckled before going back to his post.

"He's not one bit of a gentleman I can guarantee that." She smiled knowing he would protect her. "All i have to do is see him with a chaperone. And you. You'll have to be there at all time John, you can't leave me alone with that pig!"

John sighed and turned so he was facing her, “listen to me. I can’t protect you all the time, Liv. I won’t always be there. You need to learn to protect yourself first and foremost.” He ordered, “I can teach you. I’ll do everything I can, but never rely on anyone for your safety, livelihood, honor, nothing.”

She nodded understanding. "Justin tayght me a little but not much so yes we can start tomorrow if you'd like? I know nothing about the engagement like it's mot even mine. Isn't that weird? I mean why is he rushing into this?"

“It is odd..” John agreed and sat there silently in thought, “He hasn’t met me yet.. maybe I can go undercover and get some intel..” he suggested, staring into the star filled sky. “It’s obvious there’s something going on, we just don’t know what..”

"Yes maybe we could do that." Olivia fell asleep in John's arms feeling sao safe and complete. She woke up in her bed when her maid came in to get her ready for the ceremony. John must have put her to bed.
"Is my designer coming?" She asked Mary who nodded.

“Already here, darling.” May said with a smile as she walked through the door with a handful of dresses, “and I have a lot of options for you..” she said, eager to show her some of her personal favorites.

Olivia looked at May and smiled "thanks for coming." She pulled out a chair for her and the maid poured them both some tea. She waited until they were completely alone "May, I'm sure you have amazing designs but I want something simple and last minute. I was informed of this engagement by you, and I don't like the way it's being handled."

“Ohhkayy…” she frowned, “well…” she laid the dresses down awkwardly, “I have a plain black cocktail dress! One of wear to a funeral” she whispered with a wink.

Liv laughed her mood lightening up a bit "I'll try it on first then." She smiled picking up her phone as she saw a call from Justin.
"Nothing leaves this room." She said to May before picking up.
-Justin you son of a...
"Easy there Princess, calm down!"
"No! I don't want to calm down! You left me when I needed you the most!"
"Shut up Liv and listen!"
" No you shut up and listen! I'm getting ready for my fricking engagement!" She pinched the bridge of her nose listening to Justin
"I'm so close to ruin everything for him. It's only a matter of time"
"John is also trying to find something on him..."
"John who?"
"what do you mean who? Didn't you appoint him as my personal bodyguard?"
"I did, but i didn't know you got on first name basis with him."
"I can call him John if I want to! Just do something before I kill the man! The king ordered me to behave! Can you believe that?"
"Listen, I'll try my best to end it before it even happens."
"When are you coming back?"
"Soon. I have to go, and as the king said. Behave! And I'm talking about John."
"You don't have to worry about that" she lied "there's nothing between John and me." She glanced at May with a blush before saying good bye to Justin and hanging up.

“Hmm..” May said to herself with a small smile as she laid out more dresses for her, “JT sounds a little jealous there my lady, three guys swooning over one woman? Can I take your job?” She teased as she handed her the black dress.

Olivia looked at her and laughed "be my guest! But no, Justin is my best friend. We're friends since we both learned to walk. His father was one of my dad's most trusted men, and Justin was in charge of my security until he was shipped off sonewhere by the king." She sighed "as for the prince, he knows I'm heir to the crown, and he only wants that. There's no lust there."
Olivia touched the silk of the black dress and smiled "this one is breathtaking with it simplicity."

“Well.. Justin sounds like a good friend.” She smiled, “at least you have John in his absence.” She smiled and watched her admire her work, “you’ll look gorgeous in it..” she said softly as she slipped it off the hanger and handed it to her, “try it on.”

"He's my best friend. And probably the only one who can save me from this so called marriage." She took it from her and walked behind the screen to try it on. "Yes I'm glad I have Kohn to be honest." She smiled knowing how quickly John got to her heart.

May smiled at her innocent puppy love, “John has been through a lot.. but he will always be there for you. I can promise you that.” She said as she gracefully moved to the chair by the window and sat down. “He loves to have a project is the thing..” she looked down at her perfectly manicured nails, “I just hope you’re not his next project is all..”

"His next project?" Liv frowned patting down the material before she emerged from behind the screen.
"I... I don't think I'm a project to him. Being a princess I have suties toward England. I can't be with who I want or love... it's not something I can decide. Today's engagement is hard proof of it."

May smiled when she showed herself, walking over to her to properly adjust the material,, “I didn’t mean for it to be an insult.. I’m just saying.. John sees something.. someone who needs to be worked on and.. we’ll.. he engulfs himself in it. That’s why we’re not close anymore.. he just.. couldn’t stop trying to ‘fix’ me” she explained softly and she faced her and moved her hair behind her exposed shoulders.

“You look marvelous.” She smiled.

May smiled when she showed herself, walking over to her to properly adjust the material,, “I didn’t mean for it to be an insult.. I’m just saying.. John sees something.. someone who needs to be worked on and.. we’ll.. he engulfs himself in it. That’s why we’re not close anymore.. he just.. couldn’t stop trying to ‘fix’ me” she explained softly and she faced her and moved her hair behind her exposed shoulders.

“You look marvelous.” She smiled.

"I see..." liv frowned looking out the huge window. "Well we did meet at the beach... I was alone and well, not feeling my best. What if... what if I'm a project as well?" She started doubting herself and her relation with John.
She looked into the mirror, the dress doing her justice, but she hated that she had to go through an engagement party.

May saw what she had done and immediately regretted it, “wow I vented to the wrong person” she said with a sigh and she ran a hand through her thick brown hair, “okay. Listen. I haven’t seen my brother in a long time, and seeing him now just brought up a lot of feelings. Feelings that hav e nothing to do with you. So..just.. let that go okay?” She grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes, “today is going to suck. We know that. But you look hot as hell. Own it. You’re going to get out of this. So just.. enjoy tonight as much as possible. Have a drink. Flirt. Do whatever the hell you want.” She said firmly.

"Well you're right about that, it is going to suck." She laughed nervously "my life sucks most of the time. People see me as a princess and think I have the best life..." she sighed "you're right though, I love this dress. I'm glad you're my designer. The previous one had such a bad taste." She laughed and lovked eyes with May "if I may ask, why did John think he had to fix you? What was wrong with you?"