I don't think I made it more than a handful of steps inside my old room before Maylyn came running after me. She stopped and gasped at the scene. The assassin still lay on the bed, half wrapped in cloth by a few guards. The room had cleared out mostly since coming here earlier, but it still felt claustrophobic. Signs of fresh blood were no more. However, the stains made themselves a permanent home in the floorboards. The carpet had long been removed since that whole mess with Kaiden happened.
When I came in the previous night to rest, I took notice of the measurements carved in them and realized Maylyn was having the wood redone. And if my speculations were correct, the plan would be to take up the carpet and leave the wood be. Since the wood underneath was so well kept even after the paints had damaged the carpet. But, now that the blood is soaked through, leaving stains, the process of my room being fixed and ready to be used will take much longer. But then again, what does it matter that it'll take longer? This room DID feel safe until this afternoon.
I clenched the earrings in my pocket. It was time to stop running and face the culprit. This person knew where I was no matter where I went. Even if I were to go to another kingdom, word would get out, and that person would find me eventually.
Maylyn went around speaking to everyone left in the room. She commanded that more guards be posted, and I watched the guard from earlier with ash brown hair and eyes nod, then bow without hesitation, leaving to report to their commander. I felt like a tiny ant in the corner, watching everything pan out. I didn't know where to go or what to do next. The people I suspected thus far have proven innocent.
I needed some fresh air, and I hated having these earrings anywhere on my body. Walking along the wall, trying to stay out of everyone's way as I aimed for the closet and grabbed a thick coat, folding it over one arm, then stepped past everyone unnoticed as they were too busy dealing with the chaos in front of them. I was glad they were distracted because I didn't want to answer any questions right now; I just wanted to be alone. Before all this, I had thought I was unrestrained and that my private quarters were my sanctuary where I could escape and think and be myself, but now...now, I can't stop feeling like someone's watching me constantly. I have no solitude. And I couldn't stop thinking about those golden eyes, which left me feeling vulnerable. It was as if they were lurking around every corner.
It had gotten dark outside when I made my escape. There was no moon, and the stars seemed more distant than usual. A feeling of relief wrapped itself around my body. Something I've wanted all week to have. It was so damned annoying because I know this feeling won't last forever. I hated feeling like prey being stalked by its hunter.
I took a detour around where fewer guards were posted and where it was usually easier to get through. At least, I thought that was so, but I had forgotten that Maylyn strengthened the watch around us after the assassination attempt on her life a day ago and mine today.
It was weird that all of a sudden, I was being targeted. Typically, they only went after Maylyn. Yet, a lot has happened in the last week. And what set it off was when Kaiden was found murdered. Then there was the fact I haven't had an illness attack in years, and people tend to talk.
The Guards had spread thick, and I tried to wean across without being suspected. However, I did not get far and ended up getting caught. But once they had realized who I was, they let me pass. I could see them using hand motions and creating noises with their mouths that echoed throughout the forest, informing the others.
Before heading deep within the outskirts of the forest, I asked them not to say anything to my sister and to let me go alone unbothered. That didn't seem to sit well with any of them, so they said that they would follow close by, but not enough to ruin my privacy. I was slightly annoyed by this, but I let it go. They were just doing their duty, and it was better this way, I told myself, since I had a stalker, and even though the mysterious person didn't attack me or threaten me, there was still a possibility. And ideally, this would be a perfect scenario to show their true colors: a young girl, aimlessly and arrogantly walking into a forest alone in the dark. It just screams murder me.
When I got deep enough into the forest, my feet led me directly to a favorite spot of mine: a pond. This pond during the full moon was beautiful. Even with very little light, it was still magnificent. Getting close enough to the edge, I clasped my hand around the earrings in my pocket, and without a thought, I threw them in the water, watching them sink rapidly into the dark black water, resembling that of a monstrous gaping mouth. Looking around as if suspecting someone to be there, observing, I sighed out a breath of relief when I didn't see anyone or hear anything.
"There now stay. Don't show yourself again," I said out loud.
This time, they were gone for good. That pond went down deeper than your average pond, and only a fool would try to go and search for it. The bottom consisted of red, dark brown dirt that was sticky, and there would be no way that anyone could find those earrings. It was as if that pond was created just for this moment.
I couldn't help but smile and feel overly confident. Stepping away from the pond and heading back to the castle, I stopped dead in my tracks. There in the heart of the forest stared with intent malice were a pair of golden eyes. On in pulse, I stepped back, feeling my flat shoes sink deeper into the mud, but I couldn't pull my eyes away. At first, the only sound I could hear was my heartbeat. Then, a crunching noise came from its direction. Those eyes seemed to move closer like a mountain lion stalking a doe.
Blinking out of my stupor, trying to collect myself, I fumbled for a knife hidden under my skirt wrapped around my thigh. They moved faster now in my direction. My body shifted independently, remembering how to defend itself as the adrenaline rush pulsated through my veins. Within seconds, the knife flew, leaving my shaky fingertips, and I watched those eyes disappear among the tall, thick, deep, ebony-rich trees and bushes.
Breathing rapidly, I remained in that awkward position for a moment longer, my mind racing. But the main question
constantly repeating itself was, should I go and see who this perpetrator was? I've finally done it! It was all too easy, though, and I'm wondering now if it is all a trap to lure me in.
Pulling my foot out of the mud, which had wrapped a thick hand around my ankle, and with caution, I walked towards the area where the object had fallen. The dead leaves and twigs snapped loudly under my feet, and I hoped that the body had not been hidden too far or, worse, escaped injured. For I'd hunt them down, not wanting to go through any more future harassment.
I paused, scanning the dark eeriness. What if it was Cesteil? What if he never truly died? Part of me hoped it was him, not seriously injured, and that the rumors of his death were all a lie. My heart was playing tricks on me again. I had thought that the feelings I had for him disappeared and that I had gotten over him. If it was him there, what would I do? Would I put my kingdom and sister in danger because of my selfish and one-sided emotions? We aren't affiliated with the new Elven Kingdom, so my loyalty wouldn't be tied down, but it would be extremely dangerous if he were found out to be helped by us. Shaking my thoughts away, I went deeper, and the forest swallowed me whole, leaving stains and marks across my skin and on my clothing.
Coming dangerously close to where a person's body should have been laying, my breaths became quieter and my footing more calculating, all the while keeping an eye out for anything and anyone. Thankfully, no guards were around, or things would become messy and awkward.
A clearing bloomed before my eyes, and my heart skipped a beat as it landed on a dark figure lying in the middle of it. Carefully,
my fingers wrapped around scaly tree trunks as I pushed myself silently through until I was just inches from stepping out and becoming exposed myself.
The shadowy figure didn't move. It was so dark out that even though my eyes adjusted, I could barely make out what was a few feet away from me.
Looking around carefully, searching as best as I could to ease my own worries that whoever was lying there wasn't surrounded, and I ambushed in the end. When I felt confident and at ease enough, I pushed forward until the object became smaller and smaller. My heart dropped, making me feel so sick and nauseous with a mixture of utter disappointment and hopelessness in that instant. The mysterious golden-eyed object that lay there on the cold, wet, and murky ground was an owl, my knife baring deeply into its chest, killing it instantly.
Leaning down feeling a mixture of anger and relief because, one, it wasn't the mysterious person who's invaded my life against my will when I could've interrogated them, and two, that it wasn't Cesteil, I still had a small sliver of hope that he wasn't dead. I easily pulled it out of the Owl's chest. I did feel sorry for its sudden death as I probably interrupted its hunt and it lost its life instead. Taking the animal by its feet and leaving towards the castle I'll just have the butcher drain the blood, pluck the feathers and cook it. How bad can it taste? Besides I didn't want it to go to waste and leaving it out here would result in a growth of unwelcome animals such as wolves, mountain lions and even bears.
I'm dreading having to go back to the castle. Maylyn will give me no rest with all her questioning and I have nowhere that's safe from whoever it was that was so adamant in gaining my favor through creepy weird and assertive ways. Although, the stalker had killed an assassin for me they only did half the work we still had to clean and rid the body...and I never asked for any help. I could've killed the attacker without any issues. But then their was a small part that felt bad for thinking this way. My emotions where skewed and confused and realistically all I needed was to find the person behind the earrings and letters. Then I can have my sanity back and rid myself of these weird thoughts and emotions.