Chapter 8: Choices
"Hello, Miss Eleana."
I backed up and hit the desk, stumbling a bit.
"Don't be scared, Eleana. I came to ask you for your help."
"You don't look like you could use help," I said.
Should I call the guards?
I looked frantically around the room, trying to find ways to get out, or maybe even outsmart the man at my door.
"Believe it or not, I do need your help," he said.
"With what?" I said trying to buy time.
"I need you to asassinate the king," he said seriously.
My thoughts froze, no longer thinking about escape.
"Are you crazy?!" I whispered out loud.
"Even mentioning something like that is gonna get you killed! And me! Just for being in the same room!" I said continuing.
"Calm down, there aren't any guards near here, I checked."
"Oh that's really reassuring. It's not like you could kill me and no one would know."
"Relax, I'm asking for your help," he said.
"Why would you ask for my help? You seem pretty capable yourself," I interrogated.
"We both know I would killed the moment I got close to the king."
"Yeah, me too! Anyone too close to the king gets killed. Especially, if you look suspicious," I said.
"I have a plan, but I need you to help me," he said taking out a bottle and presenting it to me.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Poison," he said.
Oh, that's not cliche at all.
"And? You think I'm able to get him to drink that? Cause I'm not."
"You just need to put it in his food. You don't even need the full bottle. If you just get a little of it in his drink or food and he'll die."
I didn't reach for the bottle. The man could tell I was hesitant.
"Don't you want to end all of this killing? He's murdered so many girls in this ball alone! He deserves to die after all that he's done! Don't you agree? This is the only time that someone can get close enough to him and do it. Please, help me end the kingdom's suffering." He said.
He's not wrong.
"He's a heartless monster, Eleana. A psychopath that's obsessed with killing. He must be stopped. You just have to give this poison to him. You'll be saving thousands of people. Thousands if you just kill one man."
The man stepped forward, making me lean back on the desk my hand bumping into the book on politics.
I looked at the book and thought about the king.
Heartless... What should I do....
I picked up the book and held it.
I shouldn't act out on impulse. Think through my options. I can't just be swayed by a stranger who showed up and had swords ready to kill me with. Even if I were to try and help him that doesn't garantee that I'll succeed and then I'll be executed for treason... The king trusted me with the books in the library... That has to count for something right?
I looked at the stranger, "I'm sorry, but I won't help you."
"He murdered so many people, Eleana. And you're just gonna let him live? What if you're next? The moment you don't pass a test you're dead."
"And I'll be dead sooner if I help you. I'll still die if I succeed and if I don't then I'll die for helping attempted murder. No matter how you look at it, not helping you is a better option."
"I'll leave this here in case you change your mind," he said. I looked at the bottle as he placed it on the desk next to where I stood.
"Don't even try to tell the king or the guards. If you don't help me, then we'll just find another way. I've gotten in here before, I can get in again," he said.
As soon as he left, I dropped to the floor and held my book tightly.
What am I going to do?
I looked at the time and noticed lunch was practically already started. I sprinted to the dinning room, hoping to get there before the lunch bell rang and thankfully made it. I had just gotten through and took my seat. I noticed some girls missing from the gold table where I sat. The King sat in his chair and the food was brought out. Once the king took the first bite, then the rest of us were able to start. Sophie was there and helped me go over the table mannerisms again which I had pretty down at this point.
"You're doing great, Eleana. You're practically like a princess with that posture."
"If it wasn't so tiring, maybe I would want to be a princess," I said and we both laughed. We continued to eat our food and my thoughts wandered back to the poison. I knew that I wasn't going to help him, but I didn't know how I was going to warn the king about him. He said he could just find another way to get to the king and that worries me. If the kings knows, then maybe he'll be more prepared for any attacks that may be plotted. But that guy was able to infiltrate a castle full of guards like it was nothing and even got in my room.
"Are you ok, Eleana?" Sophia asked.
"Yeah just worried about passing the next test, that's all," I said.
"Don't worry, you'll be fine. I'm sure of it," she comforted.
"Thanks. I'm sure you'll do great too," I replied.
The king stood up, causing our attention to shift to him, "Good afternoon, girls. Tomorrow will be the next text, a test on mannerisms and etiquette. It's going to be set in between lunch and dinner, so everyone will leave to be tested immediately after they eat tomorrow. Thats all," he said before turning around and leaving.
As per routine, everyone else also stood up to leave, and went back to their rooms. Except me. I had taken the book with me to the dinning room in my rush to get there and thought I should read some of it to clear my mind.
There might be a section on what to do with possible assassinations that I missed the last time.
I also didn't want to even be near the poison that the random guy had given me.
I'm not going to kill the king.
I opened the door and went straight to the comfy chair in the back. I didn't want to do anything else other than be wrapped in a blanket and read. Once I was in the optimal position, I continued the book's section on Dialogue techniques. The next subtitle was Bluffing and how to use it properly. As I was reading, I had a sudden revelation.
Bluffing! The guy from before was totally bluffing. He said he could just come back in anyway even if I told the guards, and so I shouldn't even bother telling him. If I told the guards about a possible Assassin on the loose, the security would increase ten fold. It would be much harder to get in, and he would lose the element of surprise. Even if it doesn't stop his plans, it would definitely put a damper on them.
I closed my book and rushed through the bookcases, I was about to round a corner but someone beat me to it and we slammed into eachother.
"I'm sorry!" I exclaimed, brushing off the dull pain. My panic increased at the sight of the king, "I apologize your highness, I honestly did not see you, please have mercy on me," I said bowing.
"Why are you in such a hurry? If you have a good enough reason, I'll spare your life," he offered.
Right, the assassin. I could tell the king!
"Your highness, I was trying to warn someone that there was an assassin trying to kill you."
"Were they here just now?" He asked.
"No, it was before lunch, sire."
"Then why didn't you say anything then?" He threatened accusingly.
"He told me that he would just figure something else out if I told anyone."
"You were talking to him?" He asked stepping closer and towering over me.
"He- He asked me to help him, but I said no, Your Highness."
"How do I know that you aren't secretly conspiring with them?" He interrogated.
"I'm telling you about the assassin... I don't think I would be doing that if I had planned to conspire against you, My king."
He seemed to grow silent, as if thinking about what I had said. The quietness only made the butterflies in my stomach grow, making me want to remove myself from this situation.
Please, believe me...
"You pass," he said. I stood confused.
I passed like he wasn't going to kill me for running into him?
"Congratulations, Eleana, you completed the next test," he said.
"Next test? I thought that was on mannerisms?"
"We held a test in secret. After all, I can't have a queen who's not loyal to the crown," he said.
This..... this was a test?
I sighed in relief.
"You really thought I allowed an assassin in the walls of my castle?" He said.
"The swords on his back were very convincing, your highness," I defended.
"I'm curious as to why you didn't choose to help poison me," he said.
"Well, the most convincing thought was that it would be nearly impossible to poison you and get away with it," I said.
"And what if it was possible?" He asked, "What if you were already holding a knife to my throat, would you do it?"
"No, Your Majesty, I wouldn't even- how would I even get that close to you in the first place? I wouldn't try to kill you-" I was interrupted by the King drawing his sword and putting it in my hand. I looked up, frightened, and saw he placed the sword against his throat. In a blink of an eye, I was holding a weapon that could potentially harm him.
"How about now then?" He said. I looked in his eyes and saw the challenging expression he held. The piercing brown that I had seen when I first came here held a merciless glint in them. This wasn't a joke, and it scared me.
"Y-your Majesty, please take the sword back. It's really heavy and you're putting it right next to your neck. I don't want to hurt you."
He was silent and kept the challenging look in his eye. His hand kept the blade steady, near his neck. I looked back at him frightened.
"Please, Your highness," I called, trying to keep the sword up. My knuckles were white from how hard I was gripping the sword. My panic wouldn't allow my hands to loosen, and my arms quivered.
Why are real swords so heavy? This is my fault for never working out.
"Your highness, I don't want to hurt you, please," I pleaded. Another moment passed. I looked into his eyes once again, trying to show him I truly didn't want to harm him. Soon the challenging look turned into acceptance.
Finally, he moved the sword away and took it back from the handle.
"With the way you were holding it, there was no way you were going to hurt me even if you tried."
Oh, well I'm sorry for not knowing how to properly hold a sword.
I was relieved when he sheathed the sword, covering it with his cloak.
"You're weak," He stated.
Now you're just insulting me? Rude.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness." I said.
"Come with me. Everyone in gold is meeting in the tea room once again," he stated walking away. I kept silent and followed him.
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