The next major occurrence in David and the Princess's relationship came a couple of month's later. David was out in front of the carpentry shop sweeping the front when he spotted Princess Arabella crossing the street towards him at an angle. She was headed for a fabric store a couple doors down, but when she saw him she waved and smiled. 

Just as she did, a horse-drawn cart came around the corner. The horse had been spooked, thrown the driver, and was out of control–and headed right for the Princess! David saw what was going on and what would happen next. He leaped into action, dropping his broom and running full speed in an intercept course with the Princess. He knew he wouldn't be able to stop the scared horse in time, but he could get her out of the path.

David ran into her none too gently, but tried to absorb as much of the crash himself as he could, rolling with the impact and bringing her along with him. He fell hard on the dirt street and, tucking her into him, they rolled together to a stop. He jumped up and pulled her to her feet, immediately dropping to one knee in respect.

"I'm sorry Your Highness! I'm sorry! But you were about to be run over! I hope you aren't hurt!"

She brushed off her dress. "No, I'm not hurt, just dirty. Thank you, sir, for saving me. Are you hurt?"

"Nothing that won't heal in a couple days. I don't know what happened, you waved to me and then that cart came out of nowhere!"

"Yes, I didn't even see it! I just saw you running at me yelling like a madman! I didn't know what was wrong until after you ran into me!"

"Well, I'm glad I didn't hurt you. And I'm sorry that I ruined your beautiful clothes. Please allow me to walk you across the street, Your Highness. It's the least I could do."

Princess Arabella smiled and took the arm he offered her. He walked her across the street and up to the door of the fabric store. He was about to turn to go back to his shop and back to work when she stopped him.

"Please, sir, come to supper tonight with the King and I as my guest. Please, I'm sure the King would like to hear of your bravery and thank you for saving His daughter!" Then she turned to go into the fabric store and David returned to his work sweeping up the front of the carpenter's shop.

That evening, just as the sun was about to touch the top of the castle wall, David headed for the keep and up to the King's home.

Since there were no clocks and his wristwatch had disappeared when he first came into the castle, he had no way of knowing precisely what time it was. So he learned how to tell what "time" it was by the position of the sun. And he knew that when the sun was about to touch the castle walls on the west side, it was close to suppertime.

As he entered the keep, the first set of guards stopped him. He explained that he had been invited there by the Princess and he was allowed to pass. At the door leading into the throne room, another pair of guards stopped him. This time the Princess herself came to the door and once the guards realized he was there by her invitation, they let him pass.

"I'm so glad you came, David."

"Well, one doesn't pass up the opportunity to dine with a beautiful woman... especially if she is a Princess!"

Princess Arabella giggled. "Thank you, sir. You are most kind." 

She noticed he was favoring one leg a little bit. "You are limping! Oh, I hope you are not badly hurt!"

"No, it's fine. I just landed on this knee when we first went down and it's a little sore. But it will be all right in a few days. I just need to keep working it and not let it stiffen up."

"I'm glad to hear that. You were very brave and I would feel terrible if my inattention caused you to get seriously hurt!"

Just as they reached the corner of the hallway and were about to enter the dining room where the castle servants were setting out the food, the Princess stopped.

"David, while we have a private moment, I want to give you something..." then she leaned forward and softly kissed him on the cheek. "That's for saving me today. I couldn't give it to you at the time with all the people around us - it would have caused quite the stir. But I wanted you to know I appreciate your quick thinking and self-sacrifice."

"Thank you, Your Highness. I am honored. I am just glad I was in the right place at the right time to be able to help."

"Please, David, when we are alone like this, call me Arabella. I get so tired of the formality all the time!"

"All right... Arabella." Arabella smiled and kissed his cheek once more. Then they went into the dining room.

"Ah, Arabella my dear! So is this the hero you have been going on about?"

"Yes, it is, father. David Simmons, this is my father King Breckenridge."

David knelt and bowed his head. "Your Majesty."

"Arise, my good man." The King then waved to the table filled with all sorts of foods "Shall we?"

The three sat down at the huge heavy oak table, the King at the head with Princess Arabella on his left and David sitting across from her on the left.

As the servants dished up the food onto their plates, the King wanted to hear about how he saved the Princess. "Now tell me, David Simmons, how you came to my daughter's rescue today."

"Well Your Majesty, I was outside the carpentry shop where I work as an apprentice, learning the trade. I was sweeping the front step when I saw Princess Arabella here crossing the street headed to my side of the street and going to the fabric store two doors down.

"The Princess and I have bumped into each other a few times and we say hello to each other when we do. So it wasn't unusual for her to wave to me as she crossed the street. But today, as she did, a riderless horse and cart came dashing from around the corner. The horse had been spooked and was out of control. The horse and cart were headed right for the Princess who was unaware at that instant. 

"So I jumped into the street and ran for her. I'm afraid I grabbed her pretty roughly, but I had to get her out of the way. We fell into the street and rolled to safety with me trying to protect her until we stopped. Then I apologized for running into her so hard and helped her up. I walked her back across the street to the fabric store and she invited me to come here to have supper with you."

"I see. Well, that's pretty much how Arabella here explained things. And I appreciate the fact that you risked your own life to protect and save her. I will think on the matter and come up with a suitable reward for your bravery."

"You are too kind, Your Majesty."

They all began to eat and was enjoying the sumptuous foods on the table. There were breads and meats, fruits and vegetables of every description - it was really quite a feast! The wine servant kept their glasses filled as they ate and drank their fill.

They were just about done eating when Princess Arabella innocently asked a very delicate question. "So David, where do you come from? We never get a chance to just sit and talk and I know that you are a new addition to the castle only being here a couple months. So where did you come from?"

David stopped eating and looked over at the King for direction. He had said that he wasn't to tell anyone who he was and where he came from... but did "anyone" include the Princess?

The King saw his discomfort - he was between a rock and a hard place. "Why don't we go into the other room where we can sit and talk more comfortably?" he said, giving David an out for now. They all went into the great room - what we would now call the living room - and sat down in the chairs there. 

"Arabella, my dear, David is from a far off land - a land we've never heard of. They have some very strange customs and he is trying to learn how to live the life we have here in our castle. He cannot return to his home, so he has asked to become one of us and learn our ways."

"Where is this far off land, father? What is it called?"

"It is very far to the west, many many days travel. Then once you go as far west as you can by horse, you must get on a great ship and travel many more days by ship to reach my land."

"It sounds like a great distance, David. How long did it take you to get here?"

David did some quick mathematical calculations in his head before answering. He knew he didn't have to be too precise - there was no way she could ever figure out where he was from by his calculations. "About three months of traveling, Princess."

"Oh, my! That is a great distance! Well, I am glad you decided to stay and become one of us, David. Otherwise, I might have been run over today!"

"I'm glad I was here too, Princess. And now that I am, I'm going to see to it that no harm ever comes to you."

David's statement gave the King a wonderful idea. "David, I am pleased to hear you say that. But if you are to protect my daughter as you claim you will, you will need to be at her side constantly. That would be impossible with your current job as carpenter's apprentice at the carpentry shop. So I will have to appoint you as her guardian. 

"If you truly wish to be my daughter's hero and protect from harm, I will appoint you as Princess Arabella's personal guardian. Your job will be to accompany her everywhere and see to it nothing happens to her. Inside the walls of our home you will not need to accompany her, but when she goes out into the general castle you will be by her side at all times. Does this position interest you David?"

David looked at Princess Arabella who was thrilled with the idea. She practically bounced up and down waiting eagerly for his answer. He didn't even have to think about it.

"Yes! Yes, Your Majesty, I would be honored to be Princess Arabella's guardian and protector. Thank you for such an esteemed position!"

"Of course you will need to become one of the castle staff and live here in the keep so you can watch over your charge. Where do you live now?"

"I have a small room above the carpentry shop, Sire. As an apprentice, I am also responsible for keeping the shop safe after it closes. So I sleep there at night."

"Not anymore. You will be given a room here in the keep - one that I'm sure is nicer than living in the attic of a woodshop!"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you."

After he had eaten and visited with the King and Princess Arabella, he went back to his attic room and thought about this strange day. He woke up in his attic room, a simple apprentice to the castle carpenter - himself just a peasant as well. And either through Fate or Destiny or even Divine Providence, he had been placed in just the right place and just the right time to step in and save the Princess from being trampled by the runaway horse and cart. 

Now he had become her guardian and protector and tomorrow after he told the carpenter what had happened, he would be moving his few possessions into the castle keep and becoming one of the privileged in Castle Breckenridge. Yes, it had been quite a day!

But the surprises didn't end with the sunset that day.

The next morning as soon as the shop opened up for the day, David told the carpenter what had happened and that the King had appointed him to be Princess Arabella's guardian. The carpenter was very understanding and was glad that David was winning the King's favor.  David gathered up his things and after giving the carpenter the key to his old room, he began walking to the castle keep and his new job.

After passing the guards and making his way up the stairs to the interior of the keep, a young woman saw him walking around, looking lost and confused.

"Pardon Sir, but might you be the David that saved the Princess yesterday?"

"Yes, I am David. David Simmons."

"I thought you might be, Sir. My name is Diana. I am one of the maids here in the castle. Princess Arabella wanted me to show you to your new room. If you will follow me..." and the young maid turned on her heels and led David through the halls of the castle keep to a large wooden door. 

"Here we are, Sir - this is to be your new room. I do hope you find it to your liking."

"I'm sure it will be fine, Diana. Thank you." Diana blushed and curtsied - David was to find out later that it isn't very often when a servant is thanked by name and Diana liked it.

"If there is anything you need Sir, please be sure to ask me." Then she left and David opened the door to his new quarters.

The door swung wide to a good-sized room, fully three times the size of his room above the carpentry shop. Across the room from the door there was a large window with draperies to keep down the drafts (glass windows were quite rare in the 12th century) and on one wall there was a fireplace to take the chill off the room when needed. 

The room had a good sized bed - David estimated it to be the equivalent of something between a modern-day full and a queen-sized bed. There was also a comfortable chair next to the fireplace and a few hooks on the wall and shelves for his clothes. David found it a little humorous that there were no dressers, nightstands, or even closets, but those things wouldn't be found in a medieval castle... they would come along many years later.

David had just finished putting his clothes away when Diana appeared at his door again. She softly knocked although his door was already open. "Sir?" she said quietly.

David turned around and saw her standing there. "Yes? What is it, Diana?"

"Sir, when you are done putting your things away the Princess would like to speak with you."

"Oh, well take me to her then. I just put the last of my things away a moment ago."

Diana led David to the throne room where the Princess was sitting next to King Breckenridge. "You can go on in - they are expecting you. I am not allowed in the throne room as I am just a servant," Diana said, waiting outside the room...

"I see. Well, thank you, Diana," he said. Diana curtsied and giggled hearing her name again. As she hurried off to tend to her other duties, David entered the throne room walking up and kneeling before the King.

"Your Majesties."

"Ah, David, My daughter here desires to go outside the castle into the village. She wants to get some fruits and vegetables and the Farmer's Market isn't open for another three days. I want you to escort her on her shopping."

"Yes, my King, I would be glad to. Permit me to ask, just what are my duties to be - we never really discussed what I would be doing as Princess Arabella's guardian."

"Indeed we did not. But it really quite simple - your job and your duty are to protect the Princess with your very life should that become necessary. You already risked your health, if not your life, yesterday with that runaway horse and cart. Now you will be charged with guarding her all the time. You are her personal bodyguard. That is your job now."

"Yes, Your Majesty. But I have no sword with which to defend her."

"You will have no need for a sword, David, for there is no one in my kingdom that would wish harm to her. And if there ever came a circumstance she needed defending, I would have an army dispatched to protect her. But if you wish a sword, I shall have one made for you - although you might find it a bit unwieldy and uncomfortable to roll over on the hard street!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty. The other matter which I wanted to discuss - and I hate to bring up such a matter in front of the Princess - is pay. What does the Princess's personal bodyguard get for wages?" 

"David, you will have no need for pay or for money for that matter. As the Princess's personal bodyguard you will eat the same food we eat - either at the table with us or the food can be brought to your room. And anything you need, you only have to ask for it and it shall be provided to you. A new shirt, new shoes, whatever you need just ask for it and you will have it. So you see, there is no need for pay or money.

"This is the same with all of the guards - none of them get paid wages. I do this to prevent them from becoming swords for hire. I don't want to have to worry that one of my guards will become a mercenary and that their sword will fight for whoever pays the best. I want loyalty in the people I trust to defend my family and so I have taken the lure of money away."

"That sounds like a very wise move Your Majesty. Very well then, I will agree to these items. And now, Princess, if you are ready, we can go take you shopping." David offered his hand to help the Princess down from the raised platform the throne was on and then tucked the hand under his arm to escort her from the room. As they came to the first set of guards outside the throne room doors, Princess Anabella stopped to introduce David to the guards.

"This is David Simmons. He has been appointed by the King to be my personal guardian and protector. You will grant him complete and unhampered access to all parts of the castle as he needs it for he is to accompany me on all my excursions into the castle grounds and the village beyond the castle gates. Understand?"

"Yes, Your Highness," they said in unison. The pair then went downstairs to the ground floor and at the second set of guards just outside the keep itself, she repeated the introduction and told these guards of David's status.

David and the Princess walked over to the stables and picked out a couple of horses to take them into the village. Princess Arabella was an excellent rider but David had only been on a horse once and that was as a child in a petting zoo setting. She giggled when she saw his clumsiness and ineptitude at saddling and mounting his horse. "David! You're on the wrong side!" she said, trying to stifle a full laugh. "You aren't very familiar with horses are you?"

"No, I'm afraid horses and I are not intimate friends. I suppose I will have to learn how to ride if I'm to keep up with you, Princess!"

"That's okay, David, I will teach you how to ride." And then two headed out the castle gate to the village at a slow walking pace. David found his rhythm after a little way and was able to move with the horse instead of slapping down on the saddle, which made for a much more pleasant ride!

At the edge of the village, they stopped and tied the horses to a handy hitching post. The town was too crowded to easily maneuver their horses and he didn't want to have them get spooked by the crowds and activity. Besides, this gave him a chance to walk with the Princess and he was better able to keep her safe.

"So David tell me more about where you are from. It must be a wondrous land... are there many people in your country?"

"Oh, yes, a great many people. It is a very big place though and we are spread throughout the country."

"But if you do not ride horses, how do you get from place to place?" 

David could tell he would have to be very discrete and diplomatic when talking about where he was from - she would know nothing of modern transportation, modern conveniences, or the modern way of life.

"Well, we get around mostly by car - what you would call carts. But most of us live in cities - large villages like this only much bigger. Some people have farms and grow the food we eat and bring it to market just like here."

"I should like to see your country someday - it sounds wonderfully exciting!"

"Oh Princess, it is. But it also has a very dark side. Because there are so many people there is a lot of crime - robberies, killings, and such. Our police - what you would call guards - can't be everywhere at once. Everyone in my country is so busy trying to make a life that no one really talks to anyone except to do business with them. We don't know our neighbors and we all just keep to ourselves for the most part. 

"No, trust me you have a much nicer, much friendlier place right here. Here, people wave to you on the streets and they are polite and sociable. Which is why I came here to see it. And now that I have, I don't want to return to where I am from. I like it right here!"

She hugged his arm tightly. "I'm glad for that. I like you here too!"

A few moments later she asked, "David do you have... a girlfriend or wife back in your country? Won't you miss them?"

He turned to look at her. Arabella looked up into his eyes as she waited, holding her breath for his answer. "No, Princess, I have no girlfriend and no wife back there. My own family has long since died so I have no ties to that world anymore."

She smiled at this news.