The Arsenic Widow #Wattys2015 (mxm)

Chapter Eleven

This is a shorter chapter :3 I'm setting up more of the plot so that the story will be more interesting and full of different stuff happening! I hope you enjoy!
And oh! We reached over 1000 views on this story! Woot! It's exciting considering I only joined this website this year :P

Par and I were completely silent as we strode the halls of the palace. I was lost in thought, curious about the sexual experience I had just had, and Par seemed to be watching me. I think he was afraid that I was about to break down and cry.

I turned and gave him a tiny smile, "That was... different." I chose my words carefully.

He chuckled softly, a look of relief in his eyes, "It was. We've never done that before." He nudged me like old times and we both collapsed into laughter.

"Did you see her face?" I grinned. "'That wasn't interesting,'" I mimicked.

Par put his hand on my back as his laughter boomed through the silent halls. A few servants that dotted the area turned to stare at him in horror.

I glanced into a nearby doorway and realised we were nearing a library. I cast the area a wishful glance. I could read and write at a basic level, but I could never read a book. The type of writing had too many hard words and the font was intensely difficult. I was used to the rough one or two words scribbled on an old piece of parchment, not letters that had been carefully drawn on parchment for hours.

My eyes focused on a figure in the library and I realised it was Acorn. I was surprised to see that he was back already and obviously forming some sort of plan.

Par glanced at me and followed my line of vision. When he saw the Prince he let out a low whistle, "Who's that?"

"The Prince," I murmured, still watching him.

A look of shock crossed his face, "That's the man you have to..."

"Yes."

"Good luck with that."

I continued to watch him before glancing back at Par. He looked between us for a moment and a look of understanding crossed his features before sadness took over. I looked away, embarrassed that I had been caught looking so longingly at the man I would have to kill.

"I should go," he said loudly, his hand still resting on my back. I saw in my peripherals Acorn looking up at us, finally noticing our presence.

I nodded, "It was good to see you again."

Par grinned and gave me a kiss on the forehead, "And it's good to see you too."

He left me in the hallway and I turned back to the library. Acorn was still watching me so I made my way into the huge room. I gaped at all of the books and manuscripts that covered the walls, wishing once again that I could read one.

"Who was that?" Prince Acorn murmured, going back to the plans in front of him.

"My friend," I replied, putting my sword on the table. I was having difficulty putting it back on after what had happened earlier considering I hadn't had time to sit down and relax.

"Ah," he nodded, his eyes narrowed at his papers. If I didn't know better, I could have sworn I had seen a small flash of jealousy in his eyes.

"How is the village?"

"Surviving," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "But with them sick, I need to work on reinforcing the village in case of attack or a natural disaster."

I bit my lip, "Would the Queen allow that?" I went over to look at the plans. He was obviously considering building a large wall to protect them, but did he have the resources? I asked the question out loud and he shook his head.

"Not only does the Queen not allow things like this to be built, she'd also against giving over any resources." He groaned and slumped against the table, "She thinks we're more important than them because we're royalty. But without them, we'd be nothing."

I looked back over at the plans, "Then we'll need something that doesn't need her permission or resources." I pointed at a word, "What's this?"

He raised his eyebrows, "You don't have that in your Kingdom?"

I shook my head, "I mean, what's this word."

He frowned, "Brick."

I nodded this time, "So we don't use brick. We could use lumber or something?"

He stared at me for a long time, "Can't you read?"

Before I could answer, a loud smashing noise sounded in the room. We gasped and ducked to avoid getting hit with any of the sharp fragments.

"Well, well..." a deep, purring voice sounded through the room. I peeped over the table and focused in on a figure that was now in the room. And, by the smell of him, a demon. My eyes slid over to my sword which was now closer to him than me and I cursed myself for putting it down on the table.

"Come on and play," the demon pouted, turning around. I gasped in horror at his face. He looked so human save for the way his skin was practically melting off his face, and I don't mean that figuratively. A huge wad of pale skin slid off his face and landed on the floor with a wet splat, making me shudder.

He turned towards my gasp, his eyes landing on me, "There you are!" He began stalking over.

"Don't come any closer!" I ordered, ushering Acorn away from the demon. "I will kill you."

The demon laughed, "Without this?" His clawed hand ran over my lonely sword.

"I'm a hunter," I sniffed in annoyance. "I can kill you with anything."

He grinned, "Good thing I'm not here for a fight then. I'm just here to pass on a message to the lovely prince beside you."

I made no motion towards Acorn.

He leant across the table, his claws leaving deep grooves in the wood, "We will be coming for you. The plague is only the beginning." He then suddenly turned and ran straight through an unbroken window, breaking it.

I shook my head. What an asshole!

I glanced down at Acorn and saw him staring up at me in fear, "Hey," I murmured. "He's gone." I extended my hand to him to help him up.

He shook his head, "You don't understand. I didn't see him, but that voice..."

I frowned, getting him to his feet, "Yeah, he had a creepy voice. Kind of raspy like he was in a fire..."

Acorn looked me straight in the eye, "That was my brothers voice."

I would love it if you left me a review!! Just a short, "Awesome!" or a "I think I'd like this chapter better if..."
This story is something that I write for fun randomly, but once I'm finished, I would probably like to go back and edit it and make it better, and your comments help me with that :3 Just please keep it nice and no "YOU SUCK" comments please! :D
And if you don't know what to write at all, answer my question, "Do you think the demon was really Acorn's brother? If so, how?" >:D