Collaterals

A Heavy Calm

A/N: Mature themes may be alluded to. Read accordingly.

It was well into the dead of night when Leila had begun to wander aimlessly through the palace halls, a heavy robe over her nightgown that she now secured tighter around her frame as the night's chill trickled below the sleeve. 

Execution by Means of Divine Flame: A Guide and History.

It was a dull name for a pamphlet, yet Leila had read it over and over again since receiving it before finally folding it unevenly and stuffing it into the pocket of her night robe. The pamphlet remained there as trudged through the castle, hair pinned up the way it was when she slept. She carried a candlestick, one that did little against the devouring dark as she placed a hand on the stone wall, navigating her way through the dimly lit halls. In truth, she was unsure where she was. She knew only that Captian would not let her hear the end of it should he find out that she'd walked all alone, unarmed, in the dark. Well...not entirely all alone.

She could not hear the Diviner's feet so much as she could the sound of the Diviner's robe, shifting atop the ground with each step behind Leila. She'd simply simply watched as Leila had tossed and turned, then watched as Leila had thrown the robe on, then watched as the Princess took the halls. Leila sighed as she resisted the urge to look over her shoulder at the hooded figure, knowing full well that the sight of that silhouette, the promise of that intense gaze from below the low hood, would only send a shudder up Leila's spine. And so the Hand only looked ahead as she approached a corner, light glowing gently from behind it. Light! Leila's pace quickened. 

The glow of candles was almost polite as it entered her eyes. Leila blinked as she moved down the halls length. Further, dancing from one wall to another was the chorus of laughter, loud and...promiscuous. Immoral. Leila creased her brows as she moved: she was a floor below her own, and had starkly turned her back at her sister's wing. Which could only mean it was Haitham's wing she now walked through, and Haitham's room she now approached. Only there were no stationed guards. At least, none that Leila could see. That was until she reached a large wooden door. There, thrown against the wall, an elbow pressed into the hard wood of an eloquent buffet— atop which sat an empty cup and near empty bottle— was a guard. One that was, very obviously, temporarily incapacitated against anything that might require any form of guarding. Leila glanced at his sunken form, his head nodding off in sleep, before she tipped the bottle forward and leaned in, taking a whiff.

The Princess made a sound as she set the bottle down; Haitham seemed to spare no expense...even on a guard. 

Leila raised a brow at yet another questionable sound from behind the door before pursing her lips inward. No good could come, Leila knew, from whatever company her younger brother was now mixed up with. It was with that conviction that Leila convinced herself to look to the door. Little stealth was needed to move past the guard and place a hand on the door. 

Now...would be a good time to leave. To return to her quarters and sleep so that her mind was sharp, awake when she set med on fire tomorrow. But then...Leila turned her head ever so slightly, catching a glimpse of the deep blue robe, still in her periphery. 

The Princess straightened and knocked. Only once.

The sounds inside quieted, as though hoping she'd simply go away. For a moment, Leila wondered if she'd been quick to jump to conclusions. Then she heard what was most certainly a muffled chuckle. Leila rolled her eyes before knocking once more.

"Go Awayyyy!" A loud female voice sang. The sound of what was unmistakably the creak of a bed sounded and the woman yelped,"Oh! Your highness, won't you—oh!"

Leila raised her brows at the sound of a tumble, ignoring the rush of heat as it invaded her cheeks. She shook her head: Leave. She should leave. What'd she care what Haitham did in the confines of his room. Leila turned her head around in a sigh, looking straight at the sleeping guard. Anyone could walk by and...scandal had claws, she knew. Besides...The Princess needed to speak to her brother. And so she looked ahead, knocking once more.