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Still, nobody messed around with General August. Except maybe his sweetheart of a wife Princess Macey, his two cute children, and of course the famed, ‘wild child’, Princess Kiera. Mason almost smirked thinking of the fun-loving and adorable little princess. She’d arrived home from her university studies in American several days ago. He hadn’t seen her yet.
He had a different nickname than ‘wild child’ for Princess Kiera, he liked to call her the Fearless Little Princess. He hoped her time in America and traveling the world was going well. It had been a while since he’d seen her in person. Last Christmas? Crazy how time flew. It would be fun to tease her this year and see which new parkour or extreme sports tricks she had to show off to him.
“Close the door, Captain,” General August stood next to a large window looking out at the bright winter’s morn.
“Yes, sir.” Mason closed the door and turned to face his military leader again.
“I’ll get right to the point, Captain.” General August faced him.
Mason had to hide another smile. The general had never wasted time in his life and always ‘got right to the point’. With almost anybody else Mason would’ve risked a joking comment. He simply nodded, hoping his eyes didn’t sparkle with the withheld humor.
“Princess Kiera is home from America until after the new year.”
“That’s wonderful, sir.”
“I love my sister, but you know what she’s like.” General August lifted a hand and an eyebrow.
“I haven’t seen her much in the past few years, sir,” Mason said. Princess Kiera had been attending an American university or traveling the world since she graduated secondary school. As a captain Mason had responsibilities in Augustine and had never been assigned to her four-man private security detail. He’d seen her only briefly last Christmas.
“Well, her personality hasn’t changed much but other facets …” He blew out a heavy breath, looking like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.
“Sir?” Mason felt his own eyebrows lift. The general was never jovial but he was obviously put out. It was also common knowledge that he doted on Princess Kiera just like the rest of the family did.
What ‘other facets’ could be bothering him? Was Princess Kiera causing trouble for her security? He’d never heard anyone complain about guarding her, only regrets about being gone from Augustine and family for months on end. Possibly she’d found a nice American boy and was dating someone exclusively? She was far too young for anything serious. What would she be now … twenty-one. He thought that was right. He’d heard she’d brought a ‘friend’ to Augustine with her. He’d simply assumed it was a female friend. He could imagine a boyfriend would upset the entire August family. They were ultra-protective of Princess Kiera. He pitied the poor fool who ever tried to secure her hand.
“Forgive me.” General August thumped his clenched fist against his leg. “Please sit.” He gestured to the chair in front of his huge cherry wood desk and then sat himself.
Mason followed suit.
“I’ve had four guards protecting Kiera since she left home three years ago. We’ve rotated through different men that I implicitly trust. It hasn’t been easy on them or their families.”
Mason nodded. He knew all of this. It had been difficult to keep a well-trained, irreproachable, and willing group of soldiers with the princess at all times. They were paid extremely well but all of the Augustine military was treated well and paid well so the extra money wasn’t as huge of a draw as it might have been.
“I assumed with her coming home this Christmas her guards could have a well-deserved break. She would stay with the family and between the royal guards, myself, and Chad being at the castle we wouldn’t need added security.”
Chad was Lieutenant General Prescott to most of the people Mason associated with. A fabulous guy whose mum had married the illustrious King Nolan eight years ago. Chad was a lot more charming and easy-going than the general. Lieutenant General Chad and Mason got along smashingly.
“Of course Kiera had other plans.” He planted his clenched fists in front of him on the desk. “She’s brought her friend Sarah home and they have been exploring the castle and Augustine for a few days and now they’ve set up a ski weekend, using Hope and Faith’s Wengen Switzerland home as their base to ski the Jungfrau region.”
“I see.” He didn’t really. So the friend was a female friend. Why was the general upset then? Did he want Mason’s suggestions for the best men to protect his sister and her friend? Of course she’d need security.
“You do?” The general studied him then nodded. “Thank you. I’ll feel much better knowing you’ll be there. With your athletic ability and skiing talent, you might be the only man I trust fully, who also has the skill to not only protect her but keep up with the ‘wild child’.”
Mason had no answer for that. He hadn’t realized he’d just volunteered himself to protect the princess and her friend on their ski vacation. Skiing was his favorite winter pastime, and he’d always enjoyed his interactions with Princess Kiera. She fancied herself a ninja warrior like her brother Prince Derek and his wife Princess Ellery. Mason excelled at extreme sports and related well to the Fearless Little Princess.
It should be a fun assignment. A weekend wouldn’t cut into his committing to date Miriam plans. Ah, the smirks on his brother’s faces turned to respect. He could just hear it, ‘Dr. Miriam Cruz?’ and ‘Wow, little brother, she’s accomplished and beautiful’. He almost rubbed his hands together. There would probably also be the ribbing, ‘What does she see in you?’ and ‘I give it a week, tops’.
“Can you think of anyone else you trust implicitly, is proficient in combat and security, twenty to thirty years old, and can snow ski at an expert level?” General August asked, drawing his attention back from Mason’s future visions of gloating at his older siblings’ expense.
“Um …” He racked his brain for some ideas. He could think of men who fit all those parameters, but three of them had recently been in America with the princess. They were the exact men who needed a break. “Sergeant Naples is a skier, but I haven’t personally skied with him,” he hurried to throw in.
The young sergeant had found out Mason loved to race, flip, and twist down snowy mountainsides and they’d chatted about different resorts and runs. If Naples wasn’t simply bragging, he’d at least skied double black diamonds. Whether he could keep up with the princess might be an entirely different matter.
“He’s solid in all other aspects,” Mason continued, “loyal to Augustine, excels at hand to hand combat and tracking. The tracking expertise could be essential in case we lose the little princess.” He smirked.
The general didn’t. He studied him and Mason lost his smile quick.
“We won’t lose her, sir.”
