INTO THE ASHES

9. The Family Dynamic

Zelda's eyes wandered across the now empty room. She wondered if the the King had gone out on a stroll. She could not wrap her mind around the sudden change of events. One moment she was in the dungeon and the next moment she was sitting inside the King's room, getting her wounds treated.

What am I doing here? What's going to happen next? What will be her next plan of action? All these thoughts kept revolving in Zelda's mind making her head hurt.

"Do you want me apply some medication on your abdomen?" The doctor asked after he was done applying medicine on her face and arms.

"No, I will do it myself."

"Alright. I will leave now." He handed her the medicinal gel before straightening up. He quickly collected his belongings and left without another word as Zach had earlier instructed him to leave immediately after he was done.

Zelda watched him walk out of the room and close the door behind him. She let out a tired sigh. It had been a long day and all she wanted to do was go to bed and rest. Gingerly, she stood up from her seat and examined the room which looked deserted and assumed she was the only one left in the room.

Zelda decided to quickly slip out of there and started to shuffle towards the exit. Just as her hand reached the door knob, she heard something move behind her followed by a low male voice, "Who asked you to leave?" Zelda turned to face the direction of the voice and her heart dropped.

"I- uh." Zelda tried to form a proper response but her mind chose not to work at that moment. She stared at silhouette of the man standing at the opposite side of the room. Zelda squinted her eyes as she tried to figure out the person standing in the shadows it was almost impossible.

Zelda looked back at the door in a hurry wanting to leave the room instantly. She tried opening the door but it was stuck! No matter how much she pulled and twisted the handle, the door did not move an inch.

"It seems stuck."

Zelda felt his hot breath right next to her ear and tensed at the proximity. Slowly, she turned around to meet eyes of the man towering over her. Her heart that had earlier dropped now started beating wildly in her chest. She felt sweat form on her forehead and the air felt suffocating.

Zelda saw his eyes dilate and the corner of his lips rise in a smirk. There was a wild look in his eyes which forced her to back away. She moved her eyes to her feet and clasped her hands together at the front.

She sensed his hand go up to her head and squeezed her eyes shut in fear. Sebastian gently twirled a strand of loose red hair and tugged it lightly exciting a gasp out of her.

"Do you want me to repeat my question?"

Zelda peeled her eyes open and raised her head to see the smirk was still present on his face. His sharp facial features, dark calculating eyes and that intimidating smirk combined to make him look menacing. One wrong move and you're torn into pieces.

Sebastian took a step back letting Zelda exhale a puff of air. His eyes still remained on her, watching and waiting. Waiting for her to make a wrong move, Zelda thought to herself.

"Milord, I was on my way home." Feeling that the answer was not sufficient, she added, "I thought to change into fresh clothes and rest for the day."

"You were not going to run away?"

"No milord. Why would I do that?"

"You know, lying is not a very good trait and especially when your life is on the line."

"Milord, I just- I presumed His Highness would want to rest after the long day and was taking my leave." That's not a complete lie.

"That is not the complete truth either but for now I'll accept your excuse-,"