The Princess of Cithrí - Chaol Westfall Fanfiction

Part 3

~~
The city's market stunk of fish, cow patt and the general digusting odour of people. I had no idea why the princess insisted on coming here, there was nothing amazing to buy and there was absolutely no hygine at all - I had warned her about trying the food, not that she seemed to have listened, I watched, from the stairs overlooking the market, as she popped a small cake into her petite mouth. I chuckled a little, she was going to do what she wanted no matter what I told her, not in a spoilt bratty way like her sister, in a way that I could tell she was just looking for fun and an adventure. Maybe thats what everything was at the castle to her, maybe I was just part of her adventure. If I was then I was a fool, but if I wasn't and I suddenly turned away then I was a fool too.

She had been so beautiful at the ball, her crimson dress perfectly hugging her body, her mask and cherry lip smile. I don't think I've ever enjoyed a ball so much.
I took a deep breath as I watched her moved deeper into the crowd, chatting to the maid who accompanied her. I should really have gone in with her, I would have been a lot more efficient at protecting her in there, but she found me a nuisance, always guiding her away from stalls I considered dangerous. Because they were dangerous! So she told me to wait for her to finish, she had never ruled her power over me, and it felt like my heart had been chipped at by a pickaxe. Nevertheless, I would not allow her to get hurt so I followed her with eagle eyes, scanning every movement, who she talked to, gave money to, who took second glances as she past by. So many of the men looked at her, I knew what they were thinking... what would happen if that dress would fall.... I shook my head I shouldn't think of her like that, she was a duty, nothing more.

Last night had been the biggest shock, something had been wrong with her. Her hair was down, something it never was, and she took no care to hide her dagger. She had looked so terrified when I had opened the door, yes it disappeared the moment she saw me, but she was on edge the whole night. I wonder how much sleep she got?
I surveyed the people around her, a mixture of rich and poor made it an odd picture to watch. Just ahead at the stall was a man wearing a black cape, the hood pulled over his face, I could see his eyes anyway, they flicked over to another man dressed in a forest green cape, the hood pulled up again. I watched the forest green man pull something silver out of his pocket, the man in black doing the exact same. Looking over the crowd there was about six or severn of them all preparing some sort of shifty weapon. They all had their attention on the princess, who was locked in deep conversation with the maid, drawing closer and closer to the man in black. Shit. I cursed bolting down the stairs drawing my sword. I pushed through the crowds calling to the other guards to get to her. No. No . No . I wasn't going to make it. I paused quickly, luckily seeing the man running at me with a kitchen knife. I parried his weak blow, knocking him back a few steps, people around us were screaming, running away from the fight. I gritted my teeth together, every moment I wasted on this man, the longer y/n was in danger. I parried his next blow and lunged low, my sword gleaming red with victory as it sliced through the man's thigh. He fell down screaming trying to stop the blood, I didn't stay to finish him, I ran off after the princess, leaving my men to gather him up for questioning.
I reached the princess, she was dodging a blade delivered from the man in green, her movements agile like a soldier's. I searched for the maid, but couldn't see her or a body, she must have got lost in the chaos. What I did spot would stay with me forever. It was the man in the black cape. He was dead on the pavement, a small cut on his arm. The worst part was the creamy foam that gurgled out his mouth and nose, chunks of vomit mixed in with it. His throat was swollen and blue the veins looking like they could expode any moment. His eyes were wide open staring at me, haunting me.
I forced myself away and intercepted a blow from the man in green that was meant for y/n's head. The man looked taken back, shocked. Y/n seized the moment like a trainer killer and reached out cutting the man on his wrist. I frowned, surely she knew to go for the body, what could a scratch do? The man obviously thought the same and snickered. He shoved me back, I parried his next blow easily, his movements seeming lazy. I tried to pull y/n behind me, but she wouldn't budge she was just watching the man... waiting... The man's face went red and he cough, his hand unable to cover his mouth in time, and blood splattered all over y/n's silver gown. She gasped, and I went stiff. The man's throat began to darken and the veins bulged, blood trickling out his nose.
I grabbed y/n not waiting to see the man die and ran back, shoving my way through stalls, jumping over a crate of snakes. She followed, wielding her dagger in her hand. It was covered in blood, but in an odd way, not like my sword. Hers looked like it was covered in a thick layer of oil as the droplet of bloody ran down the blade and onto her hand. I locked my jaw shut, I knew what she had done to those men, no wonder her family had such a bad name.

I rushed y/n inside the glass doors to the castle. "My maid!" She cried. "We have to go back for her."
I shook my head, sheathing my sword, and pushing a hand on her lower back as I guided her inside. "My men will find her."
She looked back to the doors, her hair falling out it's usual bun. Her eyes were wide with adrenaline. She still held her dagger, letting it drip a trail of blood.
"What's on your dagger?" I hissed as we passed servants all giving us weird looks.
Y/n wasn't thinking properly. "Errr. Nothing"
"Don't lie to me again." I hissed agressively. "What is on your dagger?"
She gulped, her skin turning pale, as I guided her into the stone part of the palace. "Belladonna." She whispered her head hanging low.
"How many poisons do you have?" I hissed as i took her down the passageway to her chambers.
"Five." She admitted, she sounded ashamed, like someone was bullying her for it. I hadn't even started to show the rage inside of me. She was right! The king had asssigned me to the Cithrí sisters to protect the royal family, not her. Had he known she would do this?! Kill so brutally.
I shoved her into her chambers, she stumbled forwards a little. I wrestled her dagger out her cramped hand, throwing it on the mahogany table. "Where are the rest?" She pointed to the bottom draw od the cupboards, in there was a leather bag rattling with lots of small pots, a few labelled, hemlock, bellabonna and bloodbane - one of the most deadliest poisons ever. To my relief all the jars seemed to be full apart from one - belladonna. At least she was telling the truth now.
I turned around to lash ny full anger on her, but I couldn't. She was shaking so vigorously, her skin whiter than roses. Her eyes were so afraid like they had been last night. Her trembling hands fumbled with the clasp on her cape, unable to find the small leaver. I walked over to her using my gentle hands to remove her cape. It was coated in thick blood, probably contaminated with poison. I carefully threw it onto the bathroom floor.
"Y/n." I said, lifting her chin up so I held her attention.
"Am I going to be hung?" She whispered.
I forwned at her, what was she thinking?! "No, of course not, but you have to dispose of these."
She nodded weakly. "I'm so sorry Chaol, I... I should have trusted you to protect me."
"Look princess," I said. "Much as it hurts me to say this but I would never have made it to you in time. It pains me to say it but I'm glad that you fought those men, even if it was with trickery.... because..."
She looked into my eyes, with her beautiful ones, water glistening in them. "Because I don't know what I would do without you. You've made this place so much brighter since you arrived." I groaned throwing my head back, why couldn't I say what I wanted to say?! It felt like there was a physical barrier on my lips. I didn't think twice and pressed my lips against hers, I went careful in case she rejected me, but she didn't seem to want to. Her skin heated back up under my touch and her lips began to move with mine. A flower bloomed in my chest as we kissed, her arms around my neck, mine around her waist, trying to pull her closer and closer. I gasped for air. "I have fallen helplessly in love with y/n over the past weeks, and I know I've been busy but there isn't a moment I don't think of you. I can't pay back your father's debts, but I can promise to love you for eternity."
She smiled, tears flowing down her angel like cheeks, I brushed them away. Her voice was delicate and melodic. "I love you too Chaol." She whispered, her hair tangled around her face. I couldn't stop the huge smile on my lips. "Lets get you changed into some dry clothes, and then I'll have someone bring us some food, and I promise no meetings, no training, just you and me all day."
She nodded. "I would like that very much."