The Princess of Cithrí - Chaol Westfall Fanfiction

Part 2

The week passed and I saw less and less of Chaol, he even had a friend escort me everywhere because he was too busy. I was walking round the gardens, Chaol's recommended guard for the day trailing behind, he wasn't a horrible guy, he kept his distance as a sign of respect but it wasn't space I longed for, I wanted someone to talk to, someone who would make blunt comments without realising how funny he was being.

An arm slipped through mine, their strong golden hands rubbing over mine. I retracted my arm turning to snap at the person. "Chaol?" I gasped.
He smiled. "You forgotten what I look like already?" I looped my arms around his neck hugging him, I squeezed him so tight I might have been worried about breaking his neck in half if he wasn't so strong. He was smiling down at me as I swung off his neck. "I wasn't expecting to see you here." I said. Chaol's eyes searching in mine, undoubtly they showed how bubbly and tingly I felt around him. I pulled myself back together, brushing down my dress. Chaol turned to the guard behind us who had kept his distance adverting his eyes the moment Chaol arrived. "Thank you, I have got the princess from here."
The guard bowed at both of us and took leave, I thanked him, knowing I had dragged him away from his duties just to walk in the gardens.
"Now." The captain started, linking his arm with mine. "What are you doing out in the gardens?"
"Could say the same for you." I retorted, holding my chin up.
Chaol smirked. "I was passing and happened to see a very lonely looking princess." He walked me round the gardens, weaving between the flower beds and head-high stone figures.
"Oh a damsel in distress." I paused at the clock tower, looking up at it, it was such an out of place ugly think to put into the royal garden. "I'll keep my eyes out for one."
He coughed, as he gazed down into the pond besides it. His sword strapped in the exact same place, the golden pommel shaped like an eagle soaring in the clouds. He rested a hand on it, staring at his own reflection. "I wanted to see the kennels." I said leaning next to him. "But apparently they're Dorian's private ones."
Chaol rolled his eyes at me. "You want me to take you into the kennals?"
I bit my lips, giving him my best puppy eyes, batting my eyelids at him. "Don't do that." He said. "You look like all the other girls."
"Oh!" I exclaimed. "Do you get a lot of girls batting their eyelids at you?"
Chaol stod up immediately regretting having said anything. "Let's go see the kennels."

***

It was late at night when I was walking back from the library, the guards had left to check a disturbance down the hallway and had never returned. I brought my dagger out from under my dress clipping it to my small little belt. I shouldn't be scared I'm perfectly safe inside the castle, none of my Father's enemies could get me in here. I just wish Chaol hadn't been summond to a meeting by Dorian, they always seemed to have meetings, it felt like I never got to see him, the gardens having been four days ago now.
I turned a corner, and swallowed hard, at the end stood a man, dressed all in black, his cape hood pulled firmly over his face. I couldn't even distinguish his skin colour. The firgure seemed to come alive as he noticed me, I turned another corner, moving faster than before. I pulled out my dagger as I heard footsteps far behind me, getting closer. I glimpsed the reflection of the black hooded person as I hurried behind past a metal plate fastened onto the wall. Sweat was breaking out on my brow. I can't remember the last time I felt this afraid, it must have been at home, which felt like a life time ago but was really only a month.

I scurried into my room, grabbing a chair and positioning it under the door handle. The maid, Philippa, stared at me gob smacked as if she had seen a mad woman break in. "Princess, what is the matter? Your hair has fallen out!" She exclaimed rushing over to mend my hair, but it was the last of my worries. I pushed her away, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Philippa I need Chaol." I told her.
She patted my shoulder. "He's in a meeting princess."
I clamped my jaw shut. "I don't care! I need him...Now!" The maid looked completely confused but did as commanded and rushed out the door in search of the captain of the royal guard.
I paced my room, pulling the pins that scratched my head out. My long hair fell down my back, brushing along my neck.
I rummaged around in my bag, searching through my many vessels of poisons. Where was it?!

When the captain arrived followed by the maid, I was sat at the window sill, my dagger unsheathed and laid out on my lap. I flashed around at them, hand gripping my handle dagger like my life might depend on it. "Y/n!..." Chaol, slowed himself down, glimsping the maid still here. "Your highness, you called for me."
I took a deep breath and tried to smile. "Can you keep me company, Captain Westfall?"
Hearing his formal name in my voice sounded wrong, I didn't like to put up those barriers between us.
He nodded, moving closer and kneeling besides me.
I looked to Philippa, she must have guessed something was up between us, I could have called on anyone for companty, I'm sure any of the Queen's women would have loved to gossip away to me all night... and Chaol was hardly the best person to entertain someone, he hardly spoke. "Thank you Philippa that is all."

The moment she left, Chaol ran his hand over my arm. "Are you alright?"
I sighed and nodded my head. "Yes I'm fine now."
His brown eyes gazed up at me, like a child watching the stars, "y/n, if you feel like your safety is at risk..."
I put a finger over his mouth, hushing him. "I am alright Chaol, just haven't seen you in four days."
He frowned. "I was in a very important meeting..."
I rolled my eyes, pushing past him and heading over to the table, I mopped the last of the spilt over liquid on my sleeve. "Would you like a drink?" I said grabbing two cups and filling them. Chaol looked hesitantly at the burgundy liquid.
I laughed. "Don't worry I haven't poisoned it." He didn't seem convince. I groaned internally, why did people always assume I was like the rest of my family..... maybe because I was but not at this very moment. I sipped the liquid from both cups. "See still alive." I said handing him the cup. He took it cautiously sipping it. I slumped past him collapsing on the sofa. I felt normal again with him here, I was his damsal in distress from the gardens but he didn't need to know that. "What was your meeting about?"
Chaol took the chair from under the main doorway - him and Philippa having entered through the servants door - frowning at it, looking back to me, before pulling it over to sit opposite me. He didn't say anything just kept his normal neutral expression.
"Guess it would be bad guarding to tell the daughter of the enemy the kings plans." I mumbled taking a deep sip from my cup.
Chaol frowned. "Your not the enemy."
I laughed. "Why do you think the king assigned you to me?! Not for my own protection, if I die there is nothing my father can do to complain, the king would just crush him and take the city."
Chaol reached out for my hand, rubbing his thumb over my palm. "Why did you come to here y/n?"
He didn't mean to these chambers, he meant to the palace, to this place filled with my father's enemies. I took a deep breath. "I need to find a suitor." I took another drink, this one draining the cup. "My father owes some man a huge amount of money so he needs to sell my sister and I to some wealthy suitors to pay back his depts."
Chaol gulped, watching me with saddness in his eyes. "Your just a deal?"
I shut my eyes, shapes of colour dancing on my eyelids. "Thats all a princess ever is."
He shook his head. "Not you." He whsipered. There was a bang in the corridor, I flinched, staring at the oak doors with wide eyes, just waiting for someone to push it open a knife blazing in their hand. "What are you so afriad of?"
I smiled up at him, willing so hard for me to be myself again. "I'm not afraid of anything."
He laughed. "Thats some rubbish the king would say."
I giggled at him. "Shall I have you hanged for treason?"
He made a fake scared face, breaking out into laughter. He ran a hand over my hair, cupping my cheek. "You would tell me if something was the matter, right?"
I rolled my eyes, look at me, I had turned the captain of the royal guard into a soppy puppy. It was probably my biggest achievement. "Yes, you know I would. Now tell me how someone your age become captain of the royal guard."