She's the Prince

Chapter 47

Hotel Trouble

The suite was grander than expected. Richly decorated tapestries lined the walls, and the scent of polished wood hung in the air. Prince Ares strode into the spacious room, reminiscent of his quarters in the Zodiac Palace.

"Wow, this room is huge," a soldier murmured, taking in the surroundings.

Prince Ares shot him a glance before addressing the innkeeper. "We'll need another room. Just for the three of us."

The woman behind the counter raised an eyebrow. "There's a room next door. Will that suffice?"

"Perfect," Ares replied, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. "For us three."

The woman nodded, her expression as unreadable as ever. "I'll retrieve the key."

As she turned, Ares called again, "Do you serve food?"

"Of course, my prince." She inclined her head respectfully before hurrying off.

The moment she was gone, Callan stepped closer to Ares. "Wasn't this supposed to be a room for everyone?"

Ares gave him a playful shrug. "You said we should treat ourselves, didn't you?"

He then turned to the rest of the soldiers and nodded. "Enjoy your night."

They murmured their thanks, though a few exchanged glances, clearly surprised by his generosity. Without another word, Ares strode out, Callan and Sebastian trailing behind him.

***

Later, as they settled in, the inn staff brought a lavish meal to their room. The table was laden with steaming dishes, and before any of them touched their food, Sebastian carefully inspected each item. He took small bites, his face a mask of concentration, before nodding approval.

"When outside the palace, one should always be vigilant," Callan remarked, watching Sebastian's methodical tasting.

Ares leaned back, casually swirling his wine. "And yet, you don't seem accustomed to such precautions, Prince Ares," Sebastian said with a hint of reproach.

"I trust too easily, I suppose. Like I trusted you," Ares responded, his eyes glinting with a mischievous challenge.

Sebastian fell silent, clearly uncomfortable. Callan chuckled, breaking the tension.

After their meal, they each retreated to their activities: Sebastian engrossed himself in a book on medicinal herbs, and Callan meticulously polished his sword. Ares, however, slipped out unnoticed, drawn to the quiet of the inn's lobby.

***

The lobby was dim, and a few stragglers milled about. As Ares walked through, he noticed people's eyes on him, whispers trailing in his wake.

"Why is everyone staring?" He thought, it weighing heavy in his head.

The innkeeper spotted him and hurried over. "Your Highness, is there something you need? You shouldn't be out at this hour."

Ares shook his head. "I just wanted to stretch my legs."

The woman frowned. "It's dangerous out there, especially at this time of night."

"Dangerous?" He raised an eyebrow. "Then why keep the inn open?"

"We're open 24/7, my prince. Travelers need a place to stay, whether for shelter or... less noble pursuits."

Ares smirked. "You don't fear anyone will harm you?"

"Not with our guards around," she replied smoothly.

Ares studied her, sensing a tension in her words, but chose not to press further. "Then, if I could trouble you for some wine?"

She nodded and stepped away, but Ares felt the weight of several eyes still on him. Among them, a man was openly watching him, his face etched with suspicion. Ares flashed a brief smile, but the man didn't respond, his stare hard and unwavering.

***

Back in the room, Callan peered cautiously out the window, his brows furrowed.

"Odd... there's no one outside," he muttered.

"If it's dangerous, they may be hiding," Sebastian suggested, closing his book and joining Callan by the window. Just then, an arrow sliced through the air, embedding itself into the table in front of Ares.

"Well, that's one way to say hello," Ares quipped, a bemused smile tugging at his lips.

Sebastian leaped up, alarmed. "An attack?"

"Relax," Ares replied calmly, motioning to the piece of parchment tied to the arrow. "Seems like a love letter." He handed it to Callan.

"A... love letter?" Sebastian echoed, incredulous.

Callan took the note, inspecting it. "It's for you, Prince."

"Good. Open it then," Ares gestured. "I'd rather not risk blowing myself up with a poorly written invitation to danger."

Sebastian sighed, clearly torn between frustration and admiration. Callan read aloud, his voice tense. "They're demanding we leave."

"Leave?" Ares arched an eyebrow. "And for what reason?"

"No reason given," Callan replied, tossing the note onto the table.

Before anyone could respond, a frantic knock came at the door. Callan swiftly drew his sword, approaching with caution. "Who's there?"

"It's one of our soldiers, Captain," came a muffled reply.

Callan opened the door to reveal a soldier, his expression grim. "There's a commotion in the lobby, Captain. Some of the guests are demanding we leave."

Ares exchanged a glance with Callan. "Let's go and see."

***

They descended the stairs, greeted by a tense crowd. Some faces were hostile, others merely curious. A man stepped forward, his voice rising as he addressed them.

"So, you're finally here. Are you planning to leave?"

Ares crossed his arms, assessing the man. "Why should we?"

"Your presence has stirred up trouble," the man shot back, his gaze sharp. "Our belongings have gone missing, and the women—" He trailed off, his expression dark.

"Eight thieves are here," another guest spoke anxiously. "They're armed and ruthless."

Ares tilted his head, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes. "Eight, you say? Quite the welcome party. And in less than an hour, no less."

The guest looked taken aback by Ares's calm. Murmurs rippled through the crowd, unease growing palpable.

Just then, a loud crash sounded outside. People gasped and ran to the windows for a closer view. Ares and his guards remained still, observing the chaos with guarded expressions.

Ares turned to the innkeeper, his voice low and steady. "Does this happen often?"

"Every time we host... powerful travelers," she replied, her tone clipped.

Before Ares could respond, the woman gave a slight nod to a companion, who slipped away with a whispered command. The innkeeper then turned back to Ares, her expression unreadable.

"We can handle it from here," she announced confidently. "Our guards are well-prepared."

Callan's eyes narrowed as he glanced at Ares. "Shall we intervene?"

Ares shrugged, suppressing a grin. "Let's see how things unfold. Perhaps our presence isn't as welcomed as we thought."

And as he took one final, steadying breath, the doors burst open, and the night's true dangers revealed themselves, cloaked in shadow and silence.