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sized him up. It was as if she was looking through him, and he was very uncomfortable. He sensed by her bemusement that she enjoyed his discomfort. Finally, she spoke. “I want you to be her tutor, her escort, and her teacher.” Then, as if as an afterthought, she added, “Oh, and her bodyguard.” Jacob felt the air go out of him, and the blood rushed so fast to his lungs that his head started to spin. He choked slightly. Nothing she could have said would have shocked him more. Nothing he could have done could have prepared him for the stunned feeling that came over him. It traumatized his whole system, and he reeled from it for a moment. When he finally regained his composure and spoke, his voice almost squeaked and sounded to him as if it weren’t his own. “Your Majesty, a tutor? I’m a soldier.” The queen continued to smile the same maddening smile. “Yes, that is true, so while you are at it, teach her to defend herself. You never know when that might come in handy.” Jacob, desperately trying to retain any dignity of his job as Captain of the Guard, knew he had to attempt to to talk his way out of the assignment. “Begging Your Majesty’s pardon, but what can I teach a princess?” “Everything. You can teach her things you learned at the university. I understand you love the music of the great composers, that you read the works of the great 15