The Power Of Cithrí - A Chaol Westfall Fanfiction

Part 17

I stormed towards the prince as he rushed head first to me.
"Where the hell have you been?"
"I've been looking for you everywhere!"
"You missed the meeting! Do you have any idea how angry your father is!?"
"You vanished whilst y/n is being attacked! No wonder you're having issues!"

I paused, biting back my tongue. "Y/n was attacked?" I brushed my fingers over the paper envelope in my pocket, I had been on my way to find her before I ran into the prince. I could no longer cope with having a lonely bed. I had hoped one of the letters from her brother might cheer her up, make her forget about the kiss and the rape case I was investigating... or well... it was confusing now, that meeting had made my head ache.
Dorian nodded, like he was amazed I hadn't heard. "Yeah, her and Saskia went for a walk and were attacked, Shadow saved them."
I gulped at the mention of the huge wolf that kept my gorgeous girl warm at night. "Where is she?"
Dorian gestured down the hallway. "They're in my room, cleaning up the mess."

Dorian's chambers used to be one of my favourite places in the palace, that was at least until y/n moved in with me, then my chambers were my favourite place... now I barely have the energy to rethink where I want my favourite place to be. Dorian led me to his bedroom ensuite. Saskia raised an eyebrow at me, she was on a chair scrubbing away at a cloak with a bar of soap, I didn't need to ask to know she was removing blood stains. Y/n's dagger was laid out on the counter, water glistened along the sharp, pristine blade. Then next to that was a belt with many small viles, along with a coin pouch. The middle of the room was consumed by a hot steaming bath tub, the wolf inside it snapped at the soapy bubbles that floated around her. Her fur clinging to her skin, I could see the muscles rippling in the beast. Her white tipped tail was gone, now a washed out red, and her chin was soaked in blood, dripping onto the floors, splattering up the walls as she shook. Y/n was knelt at her side, frowning as she scrubbed the wolf's body, her hair pulled back into a bun as she worked. "Are you cut?" I asked, remaining in the doorway, I wasn't scared of y/n or the wolf, it was the deathening stare Saskia gave to me.
Y/n turned her attention back to the wolf. "No, thanks to Shadow."
The wolf panted her tongue licking up the foam around her. She was loving the care y/n took in bathing her. I semi wished she could bathe me instead. I walked in, warning looks from Dorian. I patted the wolf's head. "Then maybe I thought wrong of it... Shadow." I hated using the wolf's name, it meant acknowledging she was part of our potential family. If I would ever be let back in.
"She killed five men." Saskia interjected. The only reason I bore that woman any kindness at this moment was because she was yournames best friend, and only emtional support. "So stuff your grey wolf nonsence. She is a dire wolf and that is that."
I looked down to the wolf, remembering the time y/n had carried her into our room, I doubt even I could carry her now.
"I think you're right Saskia, she isn't just another wolf."
I stepped around the tub, closer to y/n who was now on her feet, she stunk of drugs. I cupped her elbow carefully, afriad she might lash out at me. There was so much conflict in her. "Why did you leave your chambers without a guard?"
"I don't have any chambers." She scoffed, breaking my heart, my chambers were her's. They had always been, until the ball.
"Y/n!" I couldn't get angry with her, I was frustrated but also scared, she wasn't letting me in, she had put up a wall. "There is a murderer in the palace, you cannot go out alone."
She eased Shadow's legs out the tub, rubbing them down with a towel. "I wasn't alone I had Shadow." She paused, like she was finished. "And Saskia." She quickly added blushing red.
The wolf shook herself dry getting us all soaked, Dorian cried out behind me laughing at the stupid creature.
I reached out at touched her cheek wiping away the pink water, she shut her eyes breathing deeply. "Can we talk? Alone?" I asked, wishing she would just run into my arms and kiss me.
Y/n nodded, the hair around her face falling out the bun.
"You guys can have the games room." Dorian said leading the way.

Y/n stood at the pool table, pushing one of the blue stripped balls. She looked upset, as she hung her head low.
I stepped closer, shutting the door. "Why did you go out of the palace for real?"
She kept her back to me. "We went for a walk."
She was lying, blankly lying to me and she knew I could see it. I stormed around to the otherside of the table, pulling the balls away from her. "Y/n look at me!"
She clamped her jaw shut.
"Look at me love."
She did, her eyes watery but with a rush through her, like she was coming down from an adrenaline high.
"Is this about the kiss at the ball? Because that wasn't my fault!"
She shook her head groaning, arching her shoulder blades. "I don't care about that bloody kiss Chaol!"
"Then what?!" I asked.
She squeezed her eyes shut, bitting her lip. "About the murder Chaol... I.." she was struggling to say the words, form the sentence. She was afraid of whatever it was she wanted to say.
"What is it?" I moved closer to her, hoping my presence could warm her like hers normally did to me.
She pulled the band out her hair and sighed. "It's nothing, I just miss Cithrí."
Her hair fell around her face, unorganised and scattered. Her beauty was still there, hidden away from the rest of the world, yet I could see it clear as day. "What's happening with the... thing?" She asked.
I sighed, falling into a chair I had dragged up. What was happening? That is what I was confused about.

The meeting the king called me to this morning was about the murder case; Minister Mullison had confessed that after I had left the ball to chase y/n, he had began to flirt with the young woman. He only chose to confess after Duke Perrington had grassed him to the king.
Minister Mullison admitted him and Natalia had talked about sex, so when she left he went to find her. He said he had found her lying on her back in the corridor, she hadn't said a word, or moved as he had sex with her. It only dawned on him now that she may have already been dead before he found her.
Of course there was no crime in having sex with a young lady you happen to meet at a ball, so the Minister only had to bare the humilation of having to confess in great detail his sex life to the council. My jaw clamped as I thought of him still walking around in the palace, free. What he had done was still rape! It was why I worried about her so much.

"They've dismissed rape, and now its just a murder case."
Y/n gulped turning bone white, she trembled as she sat into a chair, staring off out of the far window. "Do you have any idea who it is?"
I shook my head, she would be back on my list of possible suspects, her motive was a good one, but would she have done it? Nothing about the murder style screamed y/n; it was a snapped neck, not a dagger wound, or poison.
"Do you have anything else to say? Or are we done?" She asked, still refusing to look at me.
I pulled the envelope out my pocket, pausing, this letter was one of the first ones I had blocked off. Luckily Rowan hadn't written a date on it. "This came today."
She became a completely different person, as she took the envelope recognising the written. "Oh Chaol!" She cried excited, she wasted no time in ripping it open and frantically absorbing every word. She smiled, giggled and cupped her mouth as she read her brother's letter.
I was almost jealous at the attention a sheet of paper could get.
"Thank you Chaol." She sighed, rereading it.
I brushed the tips of my fingers through her hair, it was damp with all the steam from washing Shadow. She flinched. She never used to get shocked at my touch.
"Your welcome love."
She clutched the letter, slipping it inside her tunic, that only now did I see the dark spots on. "Shadow will be missing me." She said, getting to her feet, the thought of the murder case now behind her. I followed her out the room, desperate to grab her hips and pull her into me.

The others were exchanging small chat when we entered the bathroom, Shadow running up to yourname and licking her hand. I ran my hands along the wolf's rear above her tail. It was strangely soft, and I understood why y/n always cuddled into her. The wolf stared up at me, and for once she didn't growl.

Y/n walked to Saskia. "Can I stay in your room?"
Saskia clasped her hand, smiling. "Anytime." Then she turned to me, with rich ocean eyes. "Captain, I need to talk to you, meet me tomorrow after breakfast."
She was a controlling, demanding woman, obsessed with Dorian - from what y/n had told me. I gave her a curteous nod. No one else seemed to think it was strange. Already I felt the dread of what I had signed up to. Not even y/n seemed to care. Then out of pure need, I grabbed y/n and hugged her, squeezing her against me, breathing her in.
She didn't struggle, just wrapped her arms around my back. "Thank you for the letter."
I hummed, unable to stop my stupid grin as Dorian tugged me away asking about the meeting.