*Mature themes and sensitive content*
Y/N's POV:
I stood there, overlooking the city for hours. Watching as the children retreated to their homes for the night and their parents and other adults came out to drink, sing and dance.
The melodic tune of their songs travelling through the air.
I began to hum the chorus to myself as I turned to return inside the palace.
I couldn't help the smile that began to grow on my face as the feeling of happiness filled me.
By the time I reached cold stone halls, all around me was silent.
I could just barely hear the sound of their own music coming from the dining hall.
Everyone had either retired to their rooms for the night or were spending their time with friends and family.
Keeping my head down, I cautiously headed back to my room to rest as well.
I slipped off my shoes before locking my door from behind me.
I pulled back the soft, silk covers and lowered myself onto my cloud-like mattress; as I was pulled into a restless sleep.
-
I hadn't been asleep long. The nightmares preventing me from resting for more than an hour.
It became a normal occurrence for me now. Waking up drenched in sweat, taking a few moments to realize where I am. Telling myself I'm okay and realizing there's no one there to comfort me.
No one to tell me I'm okay. No one to rub my back and nurse me back to sleep. No one to hold me.
That's how it had been for a while, only this time I really felt alone. This time the walls seemed further from me and I was slowly being consumed by the size of the empty room. Shrinking me until it didn't matter how close I bunched myself together, part of me felt alone and afraid.
I wasn't a child anymore, although some days I wished I was. To not have a care in the world.
To walk around as if the joys of my life were everlasting.
I took it for granted.
I would do anything in the world to be able to pull myself out of the hole I was stuck in. Every time I tried to climb my strength gave out just as I would make it to the top.
No root was strong enough to support my weight. I no longer had someone to throw me down a rope and pull me up; as each passing day convinced me that I didn't deserve to get out.
I tried to tell myself It was easy but could never find a reason that made it worth it.
After a while of being lost in my thoughts, I threw off the covers and hauled myself out of bed.
I could still hear the sound of the music playing from my window as I grabbed a cloak from my closet.
Its thick, dark fabric covered me completely making me unrecognizable with the hood over my head. I grabbed my sheath from the nightstand and took the dagger I had placed under my pillow and placing it inside.
Fastening the sheath against my upper thigh, I made my way for the door.
I slipped out of my room and into the dark hallways keeping myself to the shadows that hid its corners.
Making sure no one had seen me as I crossed halls towards the stairs, I made my way down towards the front steps.
Once at the front doors of the palace, I carefully pushed them open cautious to not make a sound.
Not that anyone would hear me but, it wasn't the brightest idea to go into town by myself at night.
Still, I needed the escape even if it was only for a few hours.
A chilled wind blew past me brushing the skin on my cheeks as I pulled the hood further and the sides tighter around myself.
Trying to enclose any heat I had left within the cloak and me.
I began down the steps towards the city, moving as swiftly as possible as I passed by the guards stationed by the outer posts of the palace.
As I made it into what seemed to be the centre of the city I was in awe.
Each house beautifully decorated as string lights hung from roof to roof.
The shutters on few windows are painted in different colours. I was sucked into the cities magnificent aura.
The music and the dancing pulled you in as people laughed and sang all around.
It was hard to see the ground as almost everywhere you turned the cities people stood. Vendors and merchants had their carts and stores opened on either side of the road awaiting customers.
I weaved my way through the streets, finding the first bar that came into sight. Its old sign swung back and forth on the metal road it was bolted to.
'The Red Sparrow' it read.
As I walked in, I was greeted by many drunk and disordered men making fools of themselves or attracting women.
The bar was dimly lit by lanterns that had been placed evenly around the room.
Tables and booths lined the walls and scattered the rest of the room.
I pulled my cloaked tighter around myself as I found a seat on a barstool. I turned my body to look around the room. A line stood at the entrance of the restrooms as people danced nearby.
"What can I get for the pretty lady?" the bartender began as I turned sharply to face him.
I hadn't realized that while I was finding my way through the maze of people that my hood had fallen off.
I quickly pulled it back over my head as the bartender awaited my reply. "I'm good for now, thanks."
Before I could turn to get off the stool a man had already slithered his way onto the seat beside me. His dark hair was spread unevenly against the sweat of his brow, drink in hand. His cloak once in good condition now tattered and falling off.
"Oh come on, a drink for the lady." he began.
I subconsciously moved my hand from the bar to the dagger at my thigh, feeling its cold metal against my hand.
"I'm fine," I smiled coldly "thanks."
"At least stay a while, I'm sure a young lady like you is lonely on a night like this."
Without answering I got up to leave but his hand snaked around my wrist. Without hesitation, I pulled the dagger out from underneath my cloak and pointed it to the base of his neck.
"Let. Go." I said sharply.
He laughed scarcely, "A pretty face with a sharp tongue. Does your blade cut as deep as your words?"
I said nothing, my eyes remaining on his.
After a second of hesitation, he let my hand go from his grasp. He raised his hands, palms open in surrender as I slowly lowered the dagger.
I turned my back on him leading myself out of the bar.
"You would never stand a chance against me. Crawl back to your master you dirty wh-"
He never had the chance to finish his sentence before my fist collided with his face. I felt the stinging pain shoot through my hand as I pulled myself back.
He gasped clutching his face and with his other hand, he signalled for his friends on the other side of the bar. He staggered a bit on the spot before standing up straight.
"Grab her!"
"Shit."
I ran for the door pushing people out of my way as I made it back onto the crowded streets.
Running as fast as I could and knocking over some fruit on a nearby stand, I thought that I had almost outrun them.
Almost.
Just as I managed to steer myself out of the way of an oncoming carriage I heard them yell from behind me.
"There! Don't let her out of your sight!"
I began to grow tired as my blood pulsed through my ears. My legs were starting to grow sore and my throat became coarse with each forced breath.
I stopped for a second to check my surroundings.
Hide behind a cart? No, they'll find me.
Face them? No, you absolute idiot. You think too highly of yourself. It's more than 3 against one you'd never win.
The alley? The alley! That could work.
Now we're getting somewhere.
I looked behind me to see that they weren't far behind at all.
I ran towards the alley turning sharply into the darkness of its shadows.
I pressed my back as close to the wall as I could trying to calm my breath quietly. The cold bricks cooling my heated body.
Behind me, the alley led out to a dark forest. I could hear the wind blowing through the leaves and the sounds of what seemed to be an animal running through the grass. It would be a last resort to go running through there if worse came to worst.
I stood there for a few moments hoping that they'd run past me and forget about me. I closed my eyes for a few seconds and I opened them to be greeted by a knife at my throat.
A wicked grin was plastered over his face as he turned to call for the others. I could smell the alcohol on his breath as the wind blew it in my direction. Just like the man at the bar he, too had an old cloak wrapped around himself.
As he turned he left a small gap between me and the knife giving me just enough space to pull mine out and block it.
Before he could turn back around my hand had already grasped his wrist as I pulled it away from myself turning it around his back.
I kicked behind his legs bringing him to his knees as the others began to arrive. Before they could reach me I took the end of my dagger and hit him on the back of the head rendering him unconscious.
Just as they made it to the entrance of the alley I took off running into the woods but, before I could completely slip into the darkness a swish came from the air behind me as a knife plunged into my shoulder. I cried out in pain but I knew I had to keep going.
The leaves crunching against my feet with every step I took.
It was probably crawling with animals that were more likely to kill me than they were but I had no other choice.
I was to either outrun them or face them and I could only do one.
I could hear their voices through the woods as they slowly started to grow quieter. I knew they were growing tired as was I but I needed to move deeper into the forest to be sure.
My running turned into a slow jog and then into a walk as the blood that was coming from my shoulder began to seep into my cloak and undergarments.
After a few minutes of walking and looking behind myself I took a second to look at the forest I had run into. Its dark trees spread for what seemed like miles. When I looked up I could see the bright moon shining through the leaves giving me little light to see with.
I was about to sit myself down and take a much-needed break when I heard footprints coming quickly in my direction.
Christ, how long can these guys run for?
I got up and began running again when a big rock came into view. As I ran past it an arm came out and pulled me behind it. Their one hand was wrapped around my waist as the other came over my mouth keeping me from screaming.
It moved its face towards my ear and I swear it could hear my heartbeat through my chest.
"Stay down and don't make a sound."
I knew that voice and when the realization hit me it was too late to push myself off him and make a run for it.
I tried to worm my way out of his grasp but couldn't and the searing pain from my shoulder was almost unbearable. Then when everything around had gone quiet I had realized just how close I was to him. My body pressed against his and his arm wrapped tightly around my waist.
I could feel the warmth from his body seeping into mine with each passing minute.
When we both knew it was safe for us to come out I quickly reached for my dagger at my thigh.
"Now is that how you treat the person who just saved your life?"
"I was doing just fine on my own."
"Oh, I could tell," he said gesturing to the blade protruding from me.
"What the hell are you doing out here anyway?"
"You didn't actually think you could get out of the palace unnoticed did you?"
"Seeing as no one has come for me besides you, I think I did a good job."
"Not good enough."
"What do you want Loki?"
"Well you see I was enjoying a nice evening stroll around the castle when a cloaked figure fleeing down the steps caught my eye. Know anyone with this description?"
I rolled my eyes and began walking back.
He followed.
"I was very intrigued seeing as I had nothing else to do so I decided to follow the sneak to the town's square. How's your hand by the way?"
I hadn't realized my hand was now bruising on the knuckles from my punch earlier.
"I'm fine."
"It was then that I realized who exactly you had punched in the face."
"And who would that be?"
"Ernik Usoro and his gang of thieves."
I stayed quiet so he could continue.
"They are a small group of peasants who find pleasure in terrorizing people and torturing those who get in their way."
"Sounds like someone I know."
"You could have been killed."
"I can handle myself."
"I didn't say you couldn't. I'm just saying that now you're on their radar. First, you caught Usoro's eye with your appearance and then you hit and escaped him."
I kept walking back where I came except I had no clue where I was going.
"Are you afraid of them?" I asked.
"I'm a god. They fear me."
He seemed insulted that I had even asked the question.
"You're going the wrong way."
I didn't answer.
"Y/N, you don't know where you're going."
"Yes, I do."
"So what are you doing out of the castle?"
"Stop following me."
"You're bleeding profusely from your shoulder. If you plan on passing out I would really enjoy not attending another funeral."
"I told you to leave me alone and I plan on following through on that."
"Where's the fun in that?"
I kept walking aimlessly as he followed. Part of me hoping that he would leave but a small part of me enjoyed his company as we walked through the forest together.
Then just as I thought it couldn't get any worse Ernik appeared from out from behind the trees along with his gang surrounding us.
We both stopped in our tracks. Loki's whole body tensed in front of me.
"Stay behind me."
"I'm not a damsel in distress who needs protecting."
I unsheathed my dagger once more and held it in my hand. We stood back-to-back weapons at the ready.
Then they came at us. Two came towards me as the rest swarmed Loki.
"Ah, so this is your master?" Ernik began, charging towards me.
At this Loki tensed even more. He turned to me with seriousness on his face. "Close your eyes," he ordered and I did as he asked.
In a matter of seconds the men who had been running stopped and dropped to the ground. I slowly fluttered my eyes open and looked around us.
Each man had been stabbed in the heart as a deep red was seeping into the earth.
I was in shock and also the smallest bit afraid.
I turned in a circle looking around at each one of the men lay lifeless on the ground.
"Take my hand and look at me."
"No."
"Y/N take my hand I'll get us out of here."
"I can manage on my own just fine."
"You're ridiculous."
"I'm ridiculous? Loki I can take care of myself. I'm perfectly capable. I don't need you to hold my hand. They're dead. No more worries. I can get on with my night and so can you."
"I just saved your life from those men and now I'm offering my help. Most people would take the help rather than argue and bleed out."
"The knife is still in my arm meaning I won't die in the next five minutes and I'll get to a healer as soon as I get out of the forest."
"I was only offering my assistance but seeing as you don't want it then I guess I'll leave."
"I wasn't asking for your help Loki. You killed them for me and I thank you for that but I've been tricked by you once and I'm not letting that happen again."
"I wasn't going to fucking trick you."
"Oh really? So what were you going to do? Help me and then rub it in my face for the rest of my life. Tell me how much I depended on you and needed you and twist the story to satisfy your needs?"
He stayed silent.
"Like I said before thank you for helping me but I can do the rest on my own. I suggest you get back to whatever you were doing before I interrupted your night."
With that, I walked away from him. I didn't feel bad and I didn't want his help. I had been deceived before and I wasn't going to again. It was bad enough that he had killed them to help me and I didn't need another reason to fuel his ego.
"You wouldn't have survived if I hadn't helped you" he called out. "Most people would be praising me at this moment."
"Oh and here we go! Now you're going to shame me into asking for your assistance?"
"I'm just telling you that you most likely would have died if I hadn't helped."
"At least I would have died fighting instead of arguing with you like a child. Now if you don't mind I need to tend to my wound."
"Then go."
"I am."
I could've sworn I saw him smile as I turned my back away from him and carried on into the forest back towards the city and I couldn't help but smile as well.
It took longer than I expected to get back to the main road. People looked my way in shock as I neared them.
I would be too if someone with a knife in their shoulder began walking beside me.
I turned to a lady selling books from one of the local shops. Her long grayed hair was tied up in a knot as glasses sat on almost the tip of her nose.
"Excuse me? Do you know where I can find a healer?"
She said nothing as she pointed to a building across from hers. It was old and almost breaking down.
I smiled and thanked her as I made my way across the street towards its entrance.
Once inside I saw few beds lined in one room and a desk stood in front of the doorway leading to them. It was small but more sanitary than most of the buildings I had seen on the street.
At the desk stood a young receptionist with long black hair who seemed to be writing notes on her sketch pad.
She looked up as she noticed my presence standing in the doorway. "Can I help you?"
"I was wondering if I could have some assistance with this?" I said pointing to the dagger.
"Right this way," she said pointing to one of the beds.
In a matter of seconds, another young girl came from behind a closed curtain dressed in white.
"This may hurt a bit."
Without warning, she pulled the dagger out of my shoulder and began to heal it with her hands. I watched as the two pieced of skin began to mould themselves back together.
Once finished she got up and began walking back behind the curtain.
"Thank you," I called out to her. She said nothing in return except smile and head back to where she came.
I stood up and walked back towards the entrance.
"That'll be 20 gold coins," she said.
"Oh I don't-" I began but was cut off by someone behind me.
"I've got it," he said.
I turned around to see Loki. Again.
"What are you doing?"
"What does it look like? Helping you for the second time. I don't think we should make this a daily thing." he said smirking towards me.
"I was thinking the same thing." I finished before elbowing him out of my way as I exited the building.
He began to follow again. I turned around quickly to face him not noticing how close he was following behind. He now looked down at me as I looked up at him.
"It would be much appreciated if you would leave me alone."
"Oh, but I find joy in seeing you angry with me."
I turned away and kept walking but I could still hear his steps following close behind.
I tried to cut him off by taking another short alleyway leading onto a different street but, he found me a few seconds later.
"Fine, if you're going to keep following me at least take me home now."
"And why would I do that? You told me you didn't need my help. Did you not?"
"Yes I did but you seem so keen on following me throughout the entire city that I suppose you should take me back and have your moment of pride."
"Only if you say please." he finished turning his gaze to people walking on the street.
I took a few seconds still annoyed and finally caved.
"Please."
"I didn't quite hear that could you say it again for me?"
"Please."
He smiled and leaned down closer to me so that we were almost inches apart.
"No."
"No?"
"No."
"You offered to help me not even 20 minutes ago."
"And you didn't want it. So no but, I did enjoy your pleas." he finished with a wink towards me.
"You're a prick."
He said nothing as he turned to leave, walking down the alleyway and into the streets.
Leaving me alone at last.