In The Mist of Shadows

Chpt. 2

The name rang through her. She couldn't get it out of her head as she and Roen walked towards her room. She felt this way before, when her mother whispered-

"I tired to give you a week before you had to leave. The maps and scrolls of this realm are extensive." Roen spoke.

She pushed her thoughts away. "Are you coming with me?"

"No. I tried to make him let me but he says he wants me to oversee the armies for when we go to Prythian."

"Why me? Out of everyone he knows, even trained emissaries why me?"

"Probably to play the princess card."

She rolled her eyes. Like anyone respected her as a princess. Biting her inner lip she thought about what she would even say to this lord. 'Hey I'm Princess Adela and my kingdom would like to move into your realm and conquer it, starting with your Court though. Don't worry, you could join us so it doesn't feel like we've invaded your home.'

Roen snorted. Shit. She accidentally shoved her thoughts in his own mind. He didn't seem to mind though, he never minded. She has been doing this since they met when she was so overwhelmed or tired she couldn't control it. It was a cool gift from her fae heritage, being able to talk to others without saying anything. And Roen promised it didn't hurt him or leave him with any "side effects" so they did it every night they were on duty together, mostly to complain about the other guards. Everyone hated that only they knew what was said, like an inside joke.

"I'm sure you'll find a way. I mean if you could convince Peter that the rats in the walls were actually talking you can do this." She smiled at the thought of the prank she pulled when she was a teen.

"That's different. This is, the start of a war." She lowered her voice at the realization.

Roen felt it too. And to be honest when he heard of this plan days ago he considered resigning and running away before the armies found him and killed him for giving up his position. But he needed to make sure Adela was safe, especially after that night.

He was making his rounds, making sure everything was going smoothly. But to his surprise not one, but three of his soldiers were not in their posts. He asked the others but they kept quiet, not saying a word. He threatened them with being thrown in the dungeons or being thrown into the forbidden forests by the end of the threatening but they all gave him the same response. "They were called on by the King." They wouldn't say what they were doing so he walked to the King's privet wing.

He knocked on the office door and when the door opened by a wave of the King's hand he walked in, back steel rod straight. "Forgive me Your Highness but I have noticed three of my soldiers are not in their posts."

The King had a wave of anger flash in his eyes, gone a second later when he spoke. "They had other business to attend to in the dungeons."

"Did we get a new prisoner?"

The King looked at him, as if he was contemplating telling him at all. "No. My daughter-" Roen's gut wretched to the point he could have thrown up. "She needed.... Some guidance."

Roen felt the words pang in his being. What the fuck kind of guidance is she gonna get with being in a dungeon? With three males.... Holy Gods. He forced himself to nod as if he understood and walked out of the wing. But the second he was out he sprinted. His feet crashed on the floor so loud it echoed as his soldiers watched in confusion as he sped past. Some of them followed.

Who the fuck would do this to their own daughter? Is she going to be able to live after this? What the hell are they doing to her?

All the questions forced himself to keep pushing as the stairwell came into view. He decnded three, four steps down at a time until he heard it. The blood curdling scream. Bile rose in his throat but he kept pushing. Following the screams and the sounds that sounded like squelching through mud he saw one of his soldiers walking out.... Completely covered in blood.