Dangers that lie beyond these doors

Paitently Korso waited by Charlottes bedside, pacing in annoyance as he watched from the window the land before them. He obviously could not see the evil that lurked out there, but he knew it was ever-present. What had just happened only proved his own ideas.
Hearing her stir he turned around to look at her. He had made sure she was comfortable, and checked that there was no long-term damage. But still he was wary of her current state. 'How are you feeling?' he asked carefully.

Charlotte turned her head toward her fathers voice. She opened her eyes slowly, her vision cleared slowly.

"I'm ok Daddy." she said softly smiling up at him. She shifted slightly in her plush bed and tried to sit up slowly. Her head felt slightly dizzy and she stopped half way up.

He smiled, glad she was better, but he also had matters to speak with her. After all she had left the castle, and ultimately disappointed him.
'You probably shouldn't strain yourself' he said with a sigh. She was still weak. 'The maids have made you soup' he said, gesturing to the bowl by her bedside should she get hungry. 'They were also concerned for you. You should not have left the grounds so carelessly. I thought you were to know better.'

Charlotte sighed in annoyance and finished sitting up.

"Daddy I'm fine. I was able to defend myself just fine. The worst I got was a bump on my head. And I still got in safe. You taught me well. I know how to defend myself. Can't you trust me?" Charlotte took her fathers hand. "Daddy I'm 24 years old. You have to learn to trust me at some point."

Charlotte knew this wouldn't work but she had to try to keep the freedom that she had. She had no idea what kind of bodyguard he would give her now. She just had to try. She looked up into his eyes pleadingly.

'I do not care how old you are' he muttered, not willing to accept she would grow into anything less than what she already was- his daughter. 'You are not prepared to face what is out there alone. I don't care how much you protest, you are forbidden from leaving these grounds alone without one of the guard to watch you.'
He was stubborn, and he would not listen to her pleas. He was already going over the choices of who he could trust. Softening his expression slightly, he knew he would consider her preferences. 'You are free to go as you please as long as there is always at least one guard one hand to watch you. He did not want to waste resources and choose someone highly skilled, or else their own defences would be threatened. His mind instantly thought of their newest members to join the army therefore. Ping was at least a similar age to her, but he was unsure if he could trust him.

Charlotte sighed. Her father was stubborn and paranoid arguing with him was useless. Even if her sisters were still alive she would still have been the baby. She would always be the one that had to be looked after. She learned long ago that arguing with her father would not help her.

"Alright Daddy. I will abide by your rule." For now. She spoke silently in her head. She hoped he would choose someone good as her new guard. Helga was out of the question as her fathers second and anyone else that she had know for a long time was to highly skilled to be chosen for the position without a weakening of the castles defenses.

"Anyone you choose to guard me I will except." She leaned forward and hugged her father close. She had always loved human contact. After she learned of what happened to her sisters she had lavished her father with hugs and daughterly kisses. She wanted to make sure he always knew she loved him. Even if she hated being watched, she always knew he had her best interests at heart.

"Do you want to hear about the fight, Daddy?" She asked sweetly. Even though he was protective she knew he would be proud of how she damaged the werewolf that attacked her.

He smiled as she hugged him, relaxing momentarily. He would organise her guarding at once though, so she had no time to make such a foolish decision again.
'Of course' he said, priding himself that she had at least put up a fight. Even if he would always be worried about her, he could not deny that she had grown up into a fine woman. If the circumstances were different he would prehaps be considering her betrothal to strengthen their kingdom, but instead all now he could wish for is that she kept herself safe and would be able to one day take over the castle for him without attempting to risk all they already had. He and his wife had bore no sons, and so a female heir it would be.
'What was it?' he asked, distainfully.

"Werewolf." She told him. Her arms stayed around his body as she looked up at him to tell him what happened.

"I went to the tavern and had one drink and was on my way back. I knew you would be unhappy if I was out too late. He must have followed me from there or somewhere nearby. I stopped to look up at the sky and relax a bit before heading in because the rain had stopped. He came up to me. He must have thought I would be afraid because when he spoke to me he acted like he was waiting for me to run. I pulled out my heel daggers like you had made for all my shoes. He lunged at me and I slashed at him. He tried to make fun of me being a princess. I told him I wanted a new bath mat and would make it out of his skin." She said the last bit cheekily. "I lunged at him at one point and stabbed him in the side. I got off and..." Charlotte thought for a moment. Her memory after that point was fuzzy at best. "I'm not sure what happened after that. There must have been more of a fight because I hit my head and remember being on the ground again, but nothing is clear." Realization dawned on her. "It must be because I hit my head. I don't remember the last bit of the fight. Sorry." She looked at him sadly wishing she could remember the rest. She snuggled back into her fathers chest loving to listen to his heart beat.

When she was little he would always put her against him like that. Eventually any heart beat became a soothing sound for her. She later learned that is was a way for him to teach her one way to recognize a vampire given that they have no heart beat.

He nodded as he listened to the detail, proud of her bravery. 'Well it is a god-send that you were not harmed more' he said. 'I'm glad to hear you inflicted pain on the beast.' He smiled. 'However I must stress, it is important you remember your place and value. If they know you are the Princess then the matter becomes entirely different. You should try not to tell people when you can, and defend yourself rather than try and harm them. You should be most important.'
He had always worried Claude or Dean would return and try and take her away, and to this day he still believed it to be true. In this war she was a bargaining tool to be used against him. 'Your new weapon should help too' he smiled. 'Prehaps we can look into making you a belt to keep it on your persons.'
He broke away from her. 'Now I shall attend to your guarding. You should eat and be dressed.' He frowned, knowing her maid should be here to help her but was running late. 'Do you know where your haidmaiden is?' he asked. 'It should be her responsibilty, not mine, to remain by your bedside now.'

"I'm sure it's fine, Daddy. She may have had an emergency at home. She will come when she gets here." She gently set her bruised feet onto her soft thick carpet. "I'll get cleaned up. Just send my new guard right in and we'll start to get to know each other." She stood giving her father another hug and a sweet kiss on the cheek. She then turned and moved toward the bathroom.

He frowned. 'I have employed her to help you, and shes not doing her job.' However she was happy enough to get ready by herself, and he would speak to the maid when he could.
'I'll see to your guard immeadiately' he said. 'Stay in the castle until I say otherwise though, or I'll have to be more restrictive' he warned.
He then turned and left the room, leaving her to herself. She would not exactly want her father over-looking her whilst she readied herself.

Charlotte nodded and smiled. "Alright Daddy."

After her father left she gently removed her ripped and tattered clothes from her bruised body, leaving her only in her underwear.

She then moved into the bathroom.