Arrangements

Chapter 17

Princess Serina's POV

Footsteps echo softly through the room. The thought wasn't frightening...at first. Kion will commonly check on me throughout the night, but then I felt the large animosity emanating from the mysterious trespasser. It seems...familiar somehow. I remain perfectly still as they approach fighting to keep my breathing deep and even, proving especially difficult as Zahar begins to growl threateningly. Just as I am about to scream for help a hand tightly grips my throat forcing me roughly to the wall where I hang helplessly, no air gets through.

"You thought I was done with you, didn't you?" Jaric! Zahar jumps biting his leg with savage teeth. He growls, but as he lets me go I hit him where it counts. When I thought I was free, he kicks Zahar off, knocking me to the ground and straddling me. He rips a dagger from his belt. He is about to plunge it into my heart, but Zahar recovers and tackles him forcing him to cut my cheek instead. I move, free, as Zahar attacks him. In my near panic only one thought comes. Corin! In a second he is there. Taking barely any time to survey the scene he takes Jaric, now badly injured, from Zahar.

He forces him to the wall punching him hard enough to knock him out. The sight is a frightening one, "Guards!" in seconds the room is full and bustling with activity, "Find the king!" The sudden change increases my hyperventilation. Where is Kion?! He should be here! I get up on shaky legs to search. Zahar with me. Turns out I didn't have to go far. He is across from my door gagged with a side wound, "Kion!" I run to him nearly losing balance before dropping before him. I place my hands over his own. His eyes find the quickly bleeding cut in my cheek. It's deep and will probably need stiches, but I ignore it to focus on him. I'm fine, Serina, are you?

As I can be. Corin finds us out there not a minute later, being just as worried about my cut as Kion while also showing concern for Kion. He ushers us both to the med hall. With stiches and a bandage, I'm given leave by the live-in doctor only exiting with assurances of Kion's easy recovery. Due to my unstable walk Corin carries me to the meeting hall. Both royals are pacing as we arrive. I am placed gently in a chair as if I were made of glass the questions are instantaneous.

"Are you alright?!"

"What happened?!"

"Do you need anything?!" As the adrenaline wears off I am left extremely drained and the blood loss leaves me dizzy, but I simply message my head as I try to answer their questions.

"I'm as well off as can be expected after a near assassination. Jaric did not stay away as I expected." The statement doesn't anger me, create further anxiety? Perhaps, it is a much different thing to flirt with death when one doesn't expect it, but I have so often faced the worst of man to feel anything, but tired.

While I may not be angry, Corin Certainly was. His breathing was erratic, his hands in tight fists, shaking all over, his eyes held a dangerous glint that only softened when he looked at me.

"This is the last straw. No more mercy, he tried to kill her, that is treason! He must be put to death!" they all consider the choice before agreeing, they turn to me after all I am the victim in this particular incident.

"I don't want any more blood on my hands." Corin kneels before me oh so gently stroking my injured cheek.

"Darling, there is nothing more we can do, he tried to kill you, we can't let that stand," quieter so only I can hear, "I can't let that stand. It won't be on your hands it will be on mine." I look into his tormented eyes before nodding my consent. I can make no more excuses for that man.

Just as he is to bring me back to my room I curl further into him, "Can I stay with you?...I don't want to go back in there." He doesn't question, moving toward his own room. Zahar curls up in the foot of the bed silently keeping vigil after tonight's scare. I stroke his head in thanks. It isn't until I am laid in his bed his arms wrapped gently, but protectively around me that I begin to cry. He shushes me combing his fingers carefully through my snowy locks as he whispers sweet nothings into my ear. As he begins to gently swirl circles into my skin I fall to sleep.

Choked against the wall I watch hopelessly as by the hundreds my men drop to the blows of an unseen enemy while father laughs in the background. As the last soldier falls Jaric strikes me through the heart.

I jolt awake struggling for breath as tears stream down my face and Corin is there comforting me as he had last night, "Thank you."

"No thanks needed, darling, try to go back to sleep, I'll be here." I fall into a wonderfully dreamless sleep.