The Spider

Chapter 2: Snowfall

The snow was relentless. Days had passed since the evening in the wall, and the weather had yet to give. I had no home, and my options were beginning to run out. Every shop owner in Oaken had removed me from their alleys it seemed, and the cold had me near desperation. As night began to fall, twelve days since I had met the prince, I knew I had to go back to where we had met.

I had been avoiding that place for as long as I could manage in fear of seeing him again. He was certainly furious with me for deserting him, and I had never wished to see him to begin with. Still I knew that was where I must go if I wished not to freeze, and as much as I detested this feeling, a part of me was curious to see if he should be there again.

The snow bit at my face, tiny flecks stinging as they were whipped at me. The trees howled and shuddered as the wind blew through them. I was cold and weary, but I moved with purpose. If I was unable to reach the alcove in the wall by nightfall, I would freeze and the wolves would tear my icy flesh to pieces by morning light. I had no furs, only a ragged old cloak I had stolen from a dead man who had frozen on the street. While this was an action of no high dignity, it was above those who had begun to resort to eating the dead. I would sooner starve, I thought to myself hoping it to be true. Desperation and hunger made many people do things they never had believed they would, and I was a survivalist to my core. Still, I liked to believe there were some lines I could never cross.

Shivering and weak, I at last made it to my destination. I rushed inside, at last free of the cruel winds. To my relief, there was no one inside the small rocky alcove. I also believed it impossible that the prince would be able to escape the palace in such conditions. Even if he was able to on a normal day, this was no normal day, and he would be mad to go outside.

I went to the back of the space, attempting to be as far out of reach from the weather as possible. I stayed this way for a while and watched as the world outside grew pitch black. It seemed I was in a world of my own, and whatever lay beyond my concealment of vines had been swallowed by night. I tried to rest, but was unable to sleep. The howling wind was so loud and terrible that it kept me awake.

This is why I at first believed I must have some how nodded off and was dreaming as the prince walked in. I could only imagine how shocked my face must have been at the sight of him. Snowflakes clung to his warm brown hair and eyelashes. He wore lush furs that most definitely kept him much warmer than I. He paired this with a wool vest with the Fortalev crest embroidered upon it, black trousers, and black-leather hunting-boots. His face was cold and unloving as he looked upon me, his brown eyes full of anger.

I stumbled to my feet. "Prince Fortworth, how is it you made it through the blizzard? I thought surely you wouldn't be able to! And how did you know I was-"

"A prince has his ways, including a guard I paid to keep watch for you," he said, cutting me off. "But it is not I who has answers to give this evening. Tell me, John Arraine, bastard and thief, why is it you left me that night?"

I had no clue how to respond. Every word could mean life or death. Clearly I had enraged him, and the prince was a bad person to enrage. I had taken note of the fact that he had not corrected me on calling him Prince as opposed to Leon, meaning he no longer meant to be amiable with me. Still, I had a quick mind and a way with words, meaning that I could change that if I played my cards correctly.

"Prince Fortalev, I meant you no dishonor," I began, trying my best not to sound inauthentic. I knew I harbored few regrets for my actions, but he would never know that. "I merely thought it may be unbecoming of me to sleep in the same chamber as a prince such as yourself, and left to protect your righteousness, that was all." I knew this would work. I had yet to meet a soul that could see through my deceit.