The Princess of Cithrí - Chaol Westfall Fanfiction

Part 11

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Chaol bursted in through the chamber doors, his hair swept back as though he had ran a marathon. His tiger eyes darting onto all of us. In his hands was his eagle sword, blaring with overdue hunger for blood. He started towards me, Vanir clutching onto my dress behind me, his eyes confused and afraid. "Captain!" I snapped at the out of breath man. Dorian stepped forwards to meet his friend. "What is going on here Chaol?"
"He's here you have to go." He blurted out. I pulled my dagger out from under my dress, walking to the doors and peering down the corridors, no one was there, only the guards. Chaol clearly hadn't meant my father's killer. "Who?" I asked him, grabbing onto Vanir's hands suspecting that we were going to have to suddenly run. "Dorian's uncle! He has come to take you and Helsha with him, he wants to leave within the hour."
I glared at him, that's not possible! I was queen! I couldn't be shipped off to be married if I was queen. I growled this must have been the king's back up plan, what was the point of him giving us the option other than for public display. "Vanir, Helsha we have to go now." I ordered my younger brother and older sister, Helsha was all up for it, not wanting to go to her suitor yet either. Chaol was next to me, checking the hallway, still holding his sword firmly. "You must go to your brother. You said he works in the forge, go there trust no one else." He directed. I headed down the hallway carefully, still gripping onto Vanir, the poor boy's hand being crushed in my palm. There were loud voices, booming off the wall as they laughed. I turned around, pushing Helsha back with us, her brown hair tied into a nice plait on one side, the other clearly had been spoilt by Chaol's sudden intrusion. Dorian ran to my side. "What about the passageway? That led somewhere outside."
I shook my head, sweat forming on my brow as I rushed through my mental map of the castle. Why did Dorian's room have so few escape exits!? "No, we can't go down there."
But Chaol wasn't listening he though it was a brilliant idea, he managed to push the door open with one haul of his muscle built body. That had taken me three goes. "You have to go down y/n."
Helsha already agreeing it was the better option had grabbed a torch handing it to Dorian and trotting down the first four steps.
I shook my head backing away. "I can't, you don't understand what is down there."
Chaol grabbed my wrist, pulling me ao close, his curvy lips brushing over my forehead. "I know it's painful, but you have to do it."

"You can't come with us." I told both the men as I reluctantly agreed to this stupid plan. "The king will notice your disappearances the most."
Dorian nodded patting Chaol's shoulder. "I'm his son, he will have some leniency with me, but she is correct Chaol if you get caught, he will spare you no mercy."
Chaol opened his mouth to protest, he had wanted to personally see us to safety, make sure our brother would take us in. "Captian!" I hissed at him sharply, the sound of footsteps getting louder. "You need to go before they catch you." I told him, Vanir, Helsha and Dorian waiting for me halfway down the stairs, I could still hear the sounds of the creatures screaming out of the darkness. Chaol grapped my arm, his nails digging through the thin silk. He radiated of that flame, the one he had had at that moment in his chambers, I wanted to drag him in with us. "Be careful!" He whispered, let go and shut us in the darkness. I turned to the others, the torch made all their faces look a haunted orange. I gulped, the stairs swirling into darkness, I was to revisit the place that was consumed by my nightmares. I swallowed hard, my heart beat the only thing I could hear. I felt soft hands slip into mine, intertwining the fingers. Dorian smiled down at me reassuringly, I took a deep breath and we walked down, glad Chaol had shut the door now.

We came to the large open space, the next set of stairs opposite. "My legs hurt." Vanir whined.
I rolled my eyes, we had hardly got anywhere. "Helsha can you sort him?" I asked her, desperately trying to not turn around and see the small cupboard I had hidden in. This whole place was giving me the chills, and it wasn't just the creepy paintings, or the yucky smell of human waste.
"I'm tired too." Helsha said leaning against a wall, trying to rid her arms of the black dust that was falling from nowhere. The air semed to be made a coal, like a huge plume of it had been spat out. I waved my hand in it, it came away a matt black. I frowned and wiped it off on my dress, leaving a long black handprint. Dorian was waving the torch around investigating the room. "We should get going." He whispered to me. I could only agree, the more precious time we wasted here, the longer we were at danger. I squated besides Vanir. "Do you remember when Korgan used to carry you around on his back?"
Vanir's eyes lit up with joy, and he nodded frantically. "Are we going to play that game?"
I nodded, turning around and letting him jump on my back, jesus! I stumbled back a few paces, he was miles heavier than I expected him to be. "Now that's sorted..." My voice was strained as Vanir shuffled around getting comfortable. "Helsha get to your bloody feet. We either go now or wait to be caught trying to escape."
She nodded, her bottom lip quivering.
"This way." Dorian said, guiding us to the stairs, his torch creating a perfect bubble of light around us.