A Blade from the Wastes - Throne of Glass

The Attempt

Aelia stood beside Dorian and Chaol as the king addressed his court in his throne room. Aelia was already on a tight leash because of the private conversation she had had with the king and Dorian the day before. She couldn't recall what had been said, but she remembered the anger that blinded her. She had been at the castle for only four months, but Aelia was nearing her edge with being in the king's presence. The things he would say under his breath when he thought nobody could hear. But Aelia heard; She heard everything.

Aelia was gripping her hands in front of her dress so hard, that her nails had punctured the sides of her hands. But she was focused on what the king was saying. He was going to send out a party to round up any people harboring rebels and had them tried publicly. They either plead guilty and were to be publicly hanged, or plead not guilty and sent to Endovier with ten slashes to their backs. It was utter nonsense and Aelia was able to leash her temper, up until the king spoke of the children.

It was at that point, that Aelia snapped. The only thing she could see was red. If she had her magic, the entire room would be dead with darkness clutching to their throats. Aelia didn't wait for any sort of protection or the ability to hide her actions. In that moment, she wanted the king to know that it was her that ended his life.

Aelia had clocked onto Dorian's dagger on his belt when they were walking to the throne room and that was exactly what Aelia wanted. Her aim was impeccable. From this distance, she could kill the king easily. In an unleashed rage, Aelia gripped Dorian's dagger from his belt and pulled it soundlessly from its sheath. Aelia used her Fae speed to her advantage and she was three steps in front of the Captain of the Guard before he realized what she was doing.

Aelia felt a hand on her right arm as she aimed with her left. Dorian was able to deter Aelia's aim enough that she had to roughly pull from his grasp and push him hard against the wall behind them. This all happened in a few seconds, but it was enough to shake the crowd into realizing what was happening behind them. The Lords and Ladies all turned and saw the commotion behind them. Aelia had redirected her aim, but Dorian had regained his composure and went to pull at her again.

Aelia quickly turned and angled the side of the blade to his exposed throat. With the tension so high, Dorian stilled his body and looked down at Aelia. It was like her eyes were burning silver with her rage. The two stood like that, with Dorian's hands up and Aelia's blade against his throat, for only a moment. Aelia physically pushed Dorian again and turned just her head to face the king, keeping Dorian in her peripheral.

The guards had moved to form a wall in front of the king, but Aelia saw the smallest sliver of a path straight to the king's throat. Aelia wanted to make damn sure that she hit her target with enough force to plant the entire seven inches of the blade into his throat. She pulled in a breath and as she let it out she used her agility to turn her body. As she turned her body, she aimed the blade and let it fly with a quick flick of her wrist and a snap of her torso.

The blade seemed to move in slow motion through the throng of Lords and Ladies, through the wall of guards, and finally towards the king. The blade would have hit its mark perfectly, had Chaol not unsheathed his sword and knocked the dagger from the air. The clatter of the metal met the marble flooring and it was silent in the throne room.

The king slowly stood from his glass throne and looked to Aelia. Nobody moved until the king let out a smile. Though, Aelia could smell the slight fear coming from the king. Chaol picked up the dagger and shoved it in his belt as the king descended the dais. Without removing his eyes from Aelia, the king tilted his head down to Chaol and spoke with soft words.

"Take her to a cell. Shackle her if necessary. Await further instruction."

Aelia curled her lip back as Chaol and four other guards started to push through the crowd. Aelia looked each guard up and down. Noted where their armor exposed a weakness and where it was unyielding. She noted the weapons each of them bore. Chaol was the least protected, but he was the most armed.