There's Crows In The Garden | 3rd Life AU

.: More Threats And More War :.

TWs: an attempted assassination, death, war, quick mention of arson

***

A little over a week after we got back from the desert, I was awoken by a creak. It was an inconspicuous creak, probably just one of the noises the castle naturally made at night, but when I tried to fall back asleep, I couldn't. A feeling that something was wrong lingered under my skin, itching like a rash.

I sat up. 

Ren grumbled and nuzzled closer to me. "What're you doing?" he asked, his words slurring together as a result of him still being half asleep. 

"Nothing; go back to sleep," I murmured, trying to ignore how my heart was racing. Ren slumped into me and drifted off to dreamland again.

I stayed up for a little bit longer, until the paranoia faded away and sleep started pulling at my eyelids. It had been long enough since the creak that I assumed it was safe, so I sank back down into the mattress and gave in to the temptation to close my eyes . . .

The door squeaked.

I shot back up (thankfully not waking Ren this time) and stared at the door. It was hard to tell in the dim light, but it looked like it was cracked open a little further than it had been previously. I laid back down, pretending I was unaware of any nefarious happenings.

Again, the door made a sound. It was closer to a groan this time, and was accompanied by a floorboard creaking. I was lying on my back, so I looked over at the door out of the corner of my eye and saw a shadow edging its way into the room.

I stayed very, very still.

Quietly and carefully, the shadow made its way around the bed, to Ren's side. I rolled over, causing it to pause where it was. When I heard it finally start moving again, I reached out and grabbed my dagger from the bedside stand, flicking off the square of fabric that had been concealing it. It was an obvious disguise during the day, but was barely noticeable unless you were looking for it at night.

Dagger acquired, I rolled until I was on my back again, and then I waited for the right moment to strike. 

The shadow stopped when it reached Ren's side and shuffled around until it was able to pull out a dagger of its own. I watched out of the corner of my eye as it was lowered down, down, a little further . . .

And then it was within striking distance, so before the shadow could do a thing, I swung my arm over and parried its blade with my own. The shadow gasped and dropped its dagger on the bed, on top of Ren, which woke him up.

"Wha's going on?" he mumbled, yawning.

"Don't worry about it; I've got it taken care of," I said, snatching the shadow's dagger before it could pick it back up. It left a dark spot on the quilt, and I smiled. "Poisoned— impressive."

That seem to wake Ren up, and he straightened into a sitting position quite quickly. "What? Poison?!"

"Like I said, don't worry about it," I smoothly replied, then shouted, "Guards!" I would've taken care of things myself, but I could barely see, and the guards would have lanterns on them. 

The guards rushed into the room, Skizz (who had been staying with us since the battle in the desert, along with Impulse and Etho) right behind them. Light was cast over the shadow for the first time, and it turned out to be . . .

"King Cleo?!" Ren gasped.

"That's me," they grumbled as they were restrained by guards. "I shouldn't have failed that, and I wouldn't have if Martyn didn't get in the way. How was I supposed to know you and your Hand slept in the same bed?!" She glared at both of us.