The Royalty gets a Bodyguard.

Alice shrugged. She hadn't met anyone that wasn't an asshole, given her particular line of work. "Maybe they are. You just need to be an asshole right back."

Taryn actually cackled at Alice's suggestion. "Oh no no no no,you don't do that in court," they said, giggling. "You have to be polite, and insulting at the same time," they said producing a fake sort of half curtsey from their sitting position. "Being a right out asshole doesn't work."

The corner of Alice's mouth turned up in a hint of a smile. "You would know better than I, Majesty. Diplomacy is not where my skills lie." Especially, she reflected, since she herself was terminally incapable of not being an exceptional asshole.

"Taryn," They insisted, smiling more. "I'm sure your skills lie in a number of fun places," they said, not realizing the potential innuendo. They yawned a little, glancing outside for a moment, their eyes lingering at the window that the man had fallen out of before.

Alice smiled outright at that. You have no idea. "They do, but diplomacy has never been part of that set. I have a very low tolerance for petty quibbles and power plays."

Taryn smiled. "Fair enough, your smile is beautiful by the way," they said, realizing this was probably the first time that Alice had ever really smiled, at least that they noticed. They were really feeling the alcohol at this point, but was determined to stay awake and talk.

Alice raised an eyebrow and plucked the drink from Taryn's hands. "I think you've likely had enough for tonight." She placed it to the side on their dresser.

Taryn quirked a small smile, looking back over at her. "Why? Cause I complimented you? Does that not happen very often?" they asked, knowing full well Alice was probably right. They allowed Alice to take the drink, not that they would have been able to stop Alice even if they wanted to.

"I can't say it's ever been a regular occurrence going on in my life." Alice said dryly. She was hardly what most people considered beautiful- intimidating was a word she heard more often, along with cold and imposing.

"I mean you're beautiful, a little scary, but beautiful," they said, the alcohol preventing them from holding back any sort of queer feeling type things. "I mean...if the prince looked anything like you...and wasn't a boy things would be a 1000 times better."

Alice shrugged, combing her fingers through the ends of her dark hair. "It might also be helpful if he weren't a wretched, self serving, whimpering little pig." Who thinks that somehow anyone he hires could do this job better than I can. Arrogant little welp.

"Maybe..." Said Taryn. "Maybe he's not so bad. I was probably just overreacting," they said, not really believing the words coming out of their mouth. "He's still a man though, I don't really like men."

"You were hardly overreacting." Alice said. "But you're entitled to your opinion and your feelings, Maj- Taryn." She unwound the leather from around her wrist and swept her hair back up into a ponytail. "

Taryn shrugged. "You can relax, sit down, join me," they said, patting the bed. "I'm sure you'll be just as good at your job sitting down." Taryn ignored the part about the overreacting, because they really weren't sure what to make of the situation.

"I'm good at my job whatever my current position." She said. Still, Alice hesitated for a second before carefully perching on the edge of the bed and crossing her legs.

Taryn smiled at her, making themselves more comfortable. "I'm sure," they said. "Really, relax, no one is gonna make two attempts in one day," they said completely unaware of the actual workings of assassins.

Alice frowned, even as she carefully worked the knot of her leather tie loose and her hair spilled down her back, over her slight shoulders. "They could. It wouldn't do for me to be surprised by a second assault."

"I know, but are you ever really surprised?" They asked, watching Alice's hair. They found it quite pretty, like everything else about Alice. They had a little bit left in them to restrain themselves from blurting things out that may make things uncomfortable.

She thought about the surprise she felt when her ex pulled a knife on her, the shock when he tried to hold her head underwater long enough for her to drown. "Sometimes." She said, looking down at her hands.

Taryn's smile faded. "You doing ok?" they asked, wondering if they had said the wrong thing. They slid over to Alice, hesitating, but putting a hand on her shoulder in a poor attempt to be comforting.

Alice tensed up for a moment at the unexpected contact and then slowly relaxed when she realized it was only Taryn. It'd been a very long time since anyone had touched her without intending violence. She cleared her throat and nodded. "Of course, Majesty. I'm always fine."

"Taryn," They said again, softly. "And no one is always fine." Taryn bit their lip, knowing exactly how it felt to always put on the always fine facade. It was utterly exhausting. They slid their arm around Alice, rather than just placing their hand on her.

Alice allowed it, sighing softly. There was a part of her, small but insistent, that almost wanted to lean into them and relax. But she knew better than to do that, knew better than to cross those boundaries of professionalism. Even if she wasn't upholding those boundaries much currently. "I am."

"No one is," Taryn repeated. "Trust me, I spend my whole life pretending to be fine. Smiling, dancing, giggling when I feel horrible inside sometimes." Taryn's hand absently moved slightly, rubbing the place on Alice's arm where their hand is.

"I am always fine." Alice repeated. It had been her mantra for years, and she still held the slight hope that as long as she repeated it, it might turn out to be true one day. Alice stroked her thumb over the leather band clutched in her hand, bit her lip. Her hair slipped forward, brushing the high arch of her cheekbone.