Poison Rose (Roses & Kings1)

Chapter 1

                 Reyna
   
      
     Reyna had just returned from the library-where she had re-read the history book of the outbreak for the umpteenth time. Hoping the long book would help lure her to sleep, instead it made the questions that have always plagued her sprang into her brain. Questions she had no way of knowing the answer to. Reyna was still as wide awake as when she'd sneaked into the library some hours ago-which defeats the purpose of going there in the first place.

  She never could go to sleep on nights like this when it's raining. There's something that plague her about raining nights,Reyna didn't know what it was but she always had nightmares on those nights. Even though she desperately needs sleep-with the training and everything,she couldn't go to sleep and she's always tired in the mornings.

   But it seems she's become a creature of habit, she guess the countless sleepless nights she'd walked this hallway throughout the years. Had made it part of her nightly ritual, walking through the castle helped calm her nerves. She was just rounding off the corner of her mother's room when she first heard it.

    A low groan/grunt sound that gave her a fright. Reyna wrapped up the shawl she had taken to wade off the night chill, tight to her body as she took a hesitant step towards the ornate double doors of Cassandra's room.

   The sound came again, only it wasn't just a groan/grunts, there's a feminine moan that was low and long. Reyna bites her lips hard and moves closer deliberating on the course of action. She could run and call the guards to come and check who is inside the room. Or she could take the risk and check it out herself, she's well trained and could hold off an enemy before the guards arrive. One thing Reyna was sure of is whoever is inside the room it's definitely not Cassandra.

  Her mother doesn't retire to her room until midnight, sometimes even dawn. She guessed that has to do with her job as the queen of this Queendom. She's always busy with work, trying to find ways to govern and protect her citizens.

   So Reyna doesn't believe it's her inside the room. The guards were supposed to be here,what could have been so important for them to leave their post? She could try to call them, but that would means whoever is inside will run away. Or she could wait out until they came back so they can check it out together, but that would be cowardly and Reyna's not a coward.

  The moans and whimpering sounds remind her of a wounded animal or of someone who's in pain, and it's only growing in crescendo accompanied by a strange slapping sound. Her mind was already decided, she would check out who is inside or what's going on before she raise the alarm and call the guards. It could be that the person inside needed a doctor instead of the guards.

     Just in case she might be wrong and be faced with a dangerous situation. Reyna stopped and silently pulled out her dagger from its sheath on the thigh knife holster bind to her left thigh. She twisted the knob opening the door quietly. Reyna was light on her feet as she quietly made her way into the lavish big room that's more like a throne room than a sitting area. When she finally reached the bedroom the sounds were louder. She carefully knelt down, her heart galloping faster in her chest, she squinted an eye and peek into the room through the keyhole.

   There are bodies writhing on Cassandra's massive bed, but she couldn't see much. There was no way to know who they were without bursting into the room and giving herself away. The bodies were under the sheets twisting and grunting/groaning.

  She felt her heart beat increased,her right palm was suddenly so sweaty which made the silver handle of the dagger slightly slippy. Whoever is in there must be in pain. She concluded, they needed help desperately, the whimpering/moaning she'd heard cemented that thought.