Steel Assassin

Trust is gone

(Take note: The italic word means that the character or being is speaking in Avian, the language of Aviara.)

Elowen's POV

She watched him knocked out on the ground and thought, 'Get your knife out, Elowen. He's just lying there. He won't even feel the pain.'

Elowen snarled as she had an internal conflict. She decided that she would just carry him to his room or something when she realised she had no idea where that was. 

Just at that moment, a guard walked past the hallway. He turned his head and found two unconscious bodies lying there and a maid standing over both of them, knuckles bleeding. He shouted, "STAY WHERE YOU ARE!"

He ran towards her wildly, Elowen flinched and sneered, 'Who runs like a wild disheveled homeless?'

The guard crashed into Elowen before she could process what was happening. She spun a few times and the guard caught her arm before she fell. He threw her against the wall and Elowen hissed as her knuckles smashed into the wall.

The guard said, "Do not struggle or I will be forced to knock you out."

Elowen sighed. She decided she was defeated. Besides, if she started a fight, he could probably inflict enough wounds on her to be suspicious enough if she were to stumble out in that state, alive. 

He pinned her arms behind her back, patting her down, his hands just skimming over the knife. Elowen held her breath. When he did not find it, he pinned her onto the ground with his boot on her back. 

He picked up Atlas first, slinging the prince over his shoulder and used his unoccupied hand to heave Elowen to her feet. He grabbed her roughly and pushed her towards the other direction that she and Atlas had come. 

The guard stopped right in front of a door that read 'Queen Elizabeth' on a sign. The guard rapped on the door, and said, "Your Majesty, I have brought an intruder."

"Come in."

The guard shoved Elowen into the door and her hand flew to the knob and twisted it before she could crashed into the wood. The door swung open and revealed the guard with Atlas on his back and Elowen, with her bloody knuckles. 

The guard said, "Your Majesty, I found this maid with bloody knuckles standing over His Highness' body. She seemed to have assaulted him."

The queen dismissed the guard, waving a lazy hand. The guard laid Atlas on the ground and left, closing the door behind him. The queen asked, "Who are you? And why did you attack my son?"

Elowen noted the absence of motherly love or worry in this queen's voice and expression. She seemed almost tired and annoyed. Elowen replied, "I am his maid. And I did attack him. But it was because I did not want him to witness me knocking out his other maid."

"Which other maid?" The queen asked with a curious expression on her face. Elowen's brows knitted together. Thinking, 'She still hasn't asked about her son's wellbeing.'

"The one called...Liera." Elowen thought back to what name Atlas had used to tell the maid she had been fired. 

The queen's expression immediately shifted to one of delight. Raw, pure joy. She said, "You did an amazing job! Is she fired? Did Atlas fire her?"

Elowen frowned in confusion. She nodded her head, "Indeed, Your Majesty. May I bring His Highness to his chambers? He needs to recover from the wound I inflicted. I might have swung too hard."

The queen laughed, "No worries, girl. He probably needs the rest anyways. He's going to become king soon. Aren't you happy? You will be taking care of the country's leader!"

Elowen's frown remained plastered on her face. She tried her best to inject joy in her voice, "Of course!" In her state of pretence, she had completely forgotten that the queen hated to be spoken to in Common. 

The queen's joyous face immediately snapped into one of fury, Get out! Take my vermin of a son and leave. NOW."

Elowen didn't flinch under the reprimand and simply hefted Atlas onto her shoulder using one arm, the other used to open the door. She slammed it shut behind her, hearing the huffs of the queen inside. 

She strode along aimlessly for a while and when she finally bumped into a servant, she asked, "May I know where the prince's chamber is?"

The servant looked perplexed, "Liera will take care of the prince."

Elowen shook her head, partly in act and also in impatience, "Liera was fired. Haven't you heard the gossip? The prince himself dismissed her."

The servant gasped, "Who saw it happen?"

Elowen said firmly, "I have no clue. But spread the news please. Anyways, where is His Highness' chamber?"

"You can find it over there," the servant pointed to the right and Elowen took off without a thank you. The servant was left there at that spot, shaken by the abrupt news. 

Elowen reached the door that was labeled, 'Atlas Monet Aviarast'. She twisted the door knob and stepped into his room. She stalked over to his bed and dropped him swiftly on his sheets. She sighed, 'He's surely going to hate me after that punch...'

Just as she finished thinking, Atlas shot up from beside her and yelled, "Why in Aviara's name!..." He trailed off as he noticed Elowen sitting beside him. 

He flinched and let out a high-pitched squeal, "MURDERER!"

[891 words]