Crown's Hunt

Chapter 9

Ashaz 

Ashaz stumbled up the stairs to his room in the inn, clutching his head and while regretting having drunk so much. Earlier, Javrek and Gidynn had invited him to the inn's tavern, and he had accepted the invitation. He hadn't meant to drink so much, but Javrek forced tankard after tankard on him, even through his protests, and he now  seriously regretted not having declined more firmly.  

He wrenched open his bedroom door and barely made it to the bed before collapsing into it. 

***

The door to his room opened silently and Chaeya stepped in. What was Chaeya doing here? In the middle of the night? Somehow, he wasn't unconscious anymore, he could see her clearly. Too clearly. 

She was beautiful. Turquoise eyes lit up like stars in the sky. Her flaming hair flowed around her bare shoulders... 

*** 

His eyes flew open and shock jolted through him as he caught sight of the gleaming knife hovering right above his heart. His hands shot out and grabbed the hands of the shadowy figure holding the knife. 

He pushed will all his strength but his attacker was strong, the knife now dangerously close to his chest. Ashaz's arms shook, his mind was foggy, tendrils of sleep clinging to the edges of his consciousness. His attacker pushed harder, the tip of the knife grazing the thin fabric of his shirt. He tried to call out, but all the came out was a low grunt. 

The door flew open with a bang. A blade flashed from the light coming through the open door. His attacker sensed the danger to late, and there was the sickening sound of steel impaling flesh and the attacker collapsed onto Ashaz, blood pooling around them both. Brenwen dragged the attacker off him onto the floor. She tore off the cloth covering the attacker's face to reveal a young man around their age. 

"I'm really sorry about this, your majesty." Brenwen said. "I must alert the landlord of this immediately." Ashaz just nodded numbly as she left the room. 

His heart still hadn't calmed from the shock of the attack and his head was aching. Blood dripped from his arms onto the smooth floorboards. He didn't notice the soft footsteps on the floor until Chaeya was right beside him. 

Her face was illuminated by the lamp she was holding. Her beautiful features highlighted by the soft glow. The image from his dream was still in his mind. He couldn't stop staring at her face. She was so beautiful...

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked him. 

He averted his eyes quickly. "Nothing." 

She bent down and examined the attacker's face. "Do you know this man?" She asked him. 

He just shook his head. 

"Do you know who might want to attack you?" 

"No."

"Chaeya, I..." What was wrong with him? He had just been attacked, yet he couldn't care less.

"What?"

"Nothing." Must be the drink, he told himself. He tried to assure himself what he was feeling was just the effect of the drink, or possibly, the shock of the attack. Deep down he knew it wasn't. 

Hey everyone! First off, thank you for 500 reads XD!!! Hope you liked this chapter. If you did, please vote or just leave a comment :)