The Princess of Cithrí - Chaol Westfall Fanfiction

Part 20

I shovelled the pub dinner into my mouth, wiping the juices off my chin. Rowan stared up at me from his plate horrified, his knife and fork in hand, politely cutting up each chunk of meat and potato. "No one will ever think your a princess if you eat like that!" He protested.
I shrugged, leaning back to take a moment from the food, I should be savouring the taste, but my stomach was desperate. The hot steam wafted in my face, screaming at me to pick up the plate and pour it down my throat. "Good, then I won't get arrested...."
It fell silent between us.
Rowan had left Elena after Helsha was captured, he considered it too dangerous to stay with them, and was now beginning to get his fair share of the street life. He had cried about leaving her. It amazed me. He was only leaving for a few days before we take back the throne with the Eyllwe rebels. Now he was sat here refusing to accept he had red eyes, he was picking at his food oblivious to the fact that I had noticed. He put down his cutlery and watched me finish mine. "What would you do if Chaol cheated on you?"
I frowned, confused as to why he would ask that. "I know he wouldn't."
Rowan rolled his eyes, clearing not agreeing that Chaol was loyal to me. "But say he did?"
I shrugged, rubbing my last potato in the gravy. "Make his life so painful, I would haunt his every nightmare."
Rowan laughed. "A tad eccentric."
"Why you asking?" I asked, my stomach now overflowing with food, I sagged back into the chair, carressing my food baby.
Rowan shrugged, his dark hair cropped around his face almost touching his shoulders. "It was just a thought."

The inn wasn't busy, most the customers had their fill and were now heading home, a few left unconcious in their seats or being dragged back by mates. The smell of vomit lingering around the toilet doorway. "Why were you so upset about leaving Elena?"
Rowan's bottom lip trembled, he bit it, trying to stop the tears. "Y-you will find out later."
I nodded, I knew we had a meeting tonight, out by the far wall at around one in the morning. We had to collect some news for the Eyllwe rebels. I felt all bubbly thinking about it. We were going against the king. It would be our first stand against his dominace over Erilea, and his new ways - including the awful labour camps and mines.
I just hope he never finds out, there would be no stopping to what would happen then. He would certainly kill Helsha, and if he found out about Chaol and I... I bit my lip, the thought of Chaol's blood leaving his body enough to make me cry! "Poor Helsha." I whispered. "She must be so lost."
Rowan nodded, we both knew the king would take no care in treating her right. He only cared for her beauty and what it was worth. She was probably locked up in some dungeon right now, huge shackles clamped on her hands and feet, starving for dinner, shivering in the cold, wet, musty dungeon. Almost our entire fanily would have been in there now, how sad to think.
"You done eating?" Rowan interrupted my thoughts, dragging me back to reality. His eyes were watching the moon dial - a device thay uses the light of the moon to form a clock, it was unreliable most days but luckily tonight was a crystal clear sky. The moon no longer waning or waxing. "We should be going."
I nodded, running a hand ove my dagger, making sure it was still there. "Aren't you going to finish yours?" I asked Rowan, who was already on his feet, pulling his jacket tight around him and handing me my cloak. It was midnight blue, silver threads lining the edges like stars. It flowed behind me in a trail, as I threw it on. Rowan dismissed the plate with a wave of his hand.
I shrugged and picked up his fork, tucking in as fast as I could. "Seriously?" He laughed, and then nudged me towards the door. "You'll be sick if you continue at that rate."

We left behind the inn, women looking for work already standing outside. "Hello handsome!" They all coed at Rowan, he pulles his hood sharply over his head, grumbling.
"Hello sweetie." One grabbed my hand, her toothy smile freaky. I stumbled back, her teeth they all stuck out in weird directions, some were yellow, or orange, some were even black - rotting inside her mouth. "Do you fancy a change? I assure you a night you will never forget at a bargin."
"Errr." I was speechless, confused. What did she mean a change? It didn't make sense. Rowan snatched my hand out of the woman's hissing at her.
"No thank you, I'm good. Have a nice night!" I explained as he dragged me off.
Rowan held my wrist firmly, but his eyes just looked worried. "We have somewhere to be."
"I know." I replied, pulling up my own hood and sticking close to my brother. The streets he was choosing to take were ones I would never have dared on my own and with good reason; at night they were no place for women. He moved his hand to my back, his shoulder opening for me to hide into, I noticed the other hand gripping his sword handle. I held mine too. I would be the better of the two of us with blades, Rowan's glory lived in heavy bone crushing weapons.