Dalton stood his ground as the young man made his way, albeit shakily, to his feet. The grip on his sword tightened as the man spoke, uttering words that hit Dalton in his pride but he wouldn't allow it to show on his face. Dalton had fought and bled and trained everyday since he was a boy of 16 in order to make a name for himself. He loved his father and was proud to hold the Longfellow name but God be damned if he would be nothing more than "Sir Derek Longfellow's son". Dalton wanted to be known and admired for his own name, a name worthy of his titles. He had been named Captain of the Guard after his father because of his merit in battle, not because of his ancestry. He had been honored by the king himself as the personal knight to the Princess Elect because of the trust and honor he had earned [i]himself[/i].

Coming back to himself, Dalton reoriented to the present as the drunk fool of a noble stumbled away through the great French doors. The white-knuckled grip on his sword loosened as Dalton's adrenaline fell back down within normal levels. Releasing a calming breath, he turned around to face Melanie just as she collapsed against the balcony railing. With a startled jolt, he leapt forward to catch the girl before she could accidentally harm herself.

"No need to thank me, Princess. I was merely serving my duty as your knight." Dalton stroked a hand over her wavy copper hair in a weak attempt to calm her nerves. "Allow me to escort you back to your bedchamber. You've had a very trying evening."

Dalton held Melanie by the arm as he helped her to her feet and handed her the silk handkerchief from his breast pocket. He then led her back into the ballroom once she had a chance to dry her tears and recompose herself. Quickly scanning the thinning crowd in search of Sir Albert, the couple picked the least populated route over to where he stood.

"Sir Albert, if you could please inform the guests that the Princess is retiring for the night and send for her handmaidens to help her with her gown. I will be escorting Her Highness to her room then I'll return to relieve the troops from their posts." Dalton bowed to the older man before holding out his arm for Melanie.

~~~

The walk down the marble corridors was a quiet affair. Dalton figured Melanie had a lot on her mind and wouldn't be open to discussing what happened so soon. A lot had happened in such a short amount of time for the young woman. Only this morning she had been a citizen helping out her grandparents and now she was heiress to an entire kingdom. That was a lot for anyone to swallow. They finally came to a stop in front of the door leading to her room. She seemed so deep in thought that Dalton paused for a moment before speaking, hoping not to startle her too much.

"This is where I leave you, Your Highness. I apologize for what occurred this evening. I should have been more aware of the situation. I'm glad no harm befell you but I promise you, on my honor as a knight of the kingdom, that I will not allow something like this to happen again." He hadn't meant to say so much, the words tumbling forth unbidden. "Good night, Princess Melanie."