The Point of A Dagger

Fourteen

There was no time to collect myself, no time to do anything and the guards rounded the corner, spotting me in a crying mess.

"Your Majesty?" one said, running to me. "Is everything alright?" Her voice was filled with worry and her whole demeanor was alert, looking around for the perpetrator of my tears. The other guard looks at the dagger in my hand and moves his hand to the hilt of his blade.

"Everything is quite alright," I say quickly, wiping my tears and pasting a smile onto my face. "I just need a moment before I return to the celebration."

"Of course, miss," the woman says, nodding.

"For your hand," the man--no, he is a boy--says, handing me a handkerchief. I quickly look down, finding Griffin's blood dripping off my fingers onto the stone floor.

"Please have someone clean this up immediately. And keep it discrete," I nod, taking the handkerchief.

With a shuddering breath, I right myself, leaving the two guards and quickly moving back into the ballroom. The festivities have carried on like I never left, though wandering eyes quickly find me as I re-enter.

"Your Majesty," a small, feminine, voice calls. I turn to the side, toward the tables of food, finding Willow, beaming up at me in a green, tulle dress that compliments her dark skin. "You look so beautiful." I smile, squatting down to take her hands in mine.

"You look like a princess yourself, Willow," I say, kissing her cheek.

"Your Highness, I am so sorry," another voice says. I look up, finding Willow's mother, who is an exact replica of the little girl, simply older. She curtsies, taking her daughter's hand. "I told her you had important people to speak with and not to bother you." I smile, standing to bring her into a hug.

"It's no problem at all, May. I would much rather speak with Willow than a bunch of old men in suits." Willow giggles at that, swinging May's arm. "It's good to see you."

"And you as well, Cassandra."

Before I could greet any more of the townsfolk, Nova pulled me away, bringing her to a smiling Erora and Adda.

"We are saving you from the Earls and Counts headed your way, princess," Adda says, pulling both my hands. I laugh as she spins me around, the events of the evening leaving my mind as I dance with the girls.

My royal duties eventually catch up to me and I am pulled into conversations beginning with condolences and demands of how I plan to run the Land. I must have spiked my drink more than I meant to, because my mind begins to haze in the middle of a conversation with Count Ashdown.

"Will you excuse me for a moment?" I say before slipping away and into a hall.

Before I can even catch my breath, Ronan is beside me, asking what is wrong.

"I just need a moment," I say again, ushering him back inside.

He leaves me with a wary glance before shutting the door behind him. I almost groan in annoyance when I hear it open again not a moment later, this time bringing the scent of rotting roses with it.

"Are you all right, Cassandra," my uncle says, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Yes, I'm fine. Go back to the celebration."

"I actually need to speak with you for a moment. Walk with me?" he asks, his voice gruff and unsettling. I nod, forcing my eyes open, the dim light of the hallway not helping the headache as I try to see though the shadows.

Helmer leads me to a small room, an office of sorts. I recognize it from games of hide and seek when I was a child. This room has many hidden passageways I found with my mother and father. My heart aches.