Shin
Everything ached even the hairs on my chest and I wanted nothing more than for it to stop. I sat up from the bed I was sleeping on. The breeze that beat my skin did nothing for the ache that was furiously claiming my body. I touched my neck still feeling the sword pass through and the whole scene replayed in my mind again and replayed over and over and as I relived that...past I subconsciously started clenching my neck and stated choking.
'Sir!' A maid walked in and dropped her platter. 'Sir! Sir!' she rushed to me and tried to stop me from choking myself but she was weaker than me. 'Guards call the doctor! Sir! calm down' I heard footsteps down the hall rushing to my room.
'COUSIN!!'I heard a shriek and another hand was on me. The pain was becoming too unbearable. I saw blood and my head rolling over and over and every time it stopped rolling it looked at me. I started screaming hysterically pushing everyone around me away. Stronger hands held me down and I felt a sting on my neck and everything faded away. everything except my head which kept looking at me.
I woke up again this time in the night. My hand was still on my neck but I didn't squeeze. I still saw my severed head but I tried seeing past it. I stepped out of bed and staggered out of my room. Everything was pitch black. I stumbled and fell face first. I started feeling around and the more I touched the more weird it became. I couldn't create a picture in my mind. No vibrations were registered on my skin, scents were no longer identified with their corresponding image and my ears were silent. I had gone truly blind that was until a maid walked in carrying a lamp. I saw the bright flame and its surrounding. I had never used my eyes before but I was sure there were more colours than the one I perceived everything in.
'Your majesty?' It was my first time seeing a face. It was plain not that different from what I would make up in my mind. 'Guards call the lady his majesty has woken up!' She completely ignored me and called out. I stood up and tried taking another step but I miss calculated and fell again face first.
'Your majesty!' she quickly helped me up. As she was supporting me, I saw, as if a vision, I saw her as a child, watched her grow up, watched her have her first time, watched her get married , watched her get a child, watched her wean him and watched her come here down the hall and I finally watched her helping me stand. Is this how people with eyes see? I highly doubted it. I rubbed my eyes and coughed.
'Ho...' I tried talking but I was unable to. I tightened the grip on my throat again and I could see the panic written on her face. I released my grip and smiled at her.
'Shin' Adriel walked in her heels announcing her arrival before I even saw her face. It was the first time I ever saw her face, she was surprisingly beautiful unlike the picture I drew of her using her voice, sent and bodily vibration. Like the maid's her face was also plain and the same colour. She shooed the maid away and supported me herself.
'Are you feeling fine? Does anything hurt?' She looked me over worriedly and I patted her head.
'I...' I wanted to answer but decided against it. She nodded as if she understood me and after sitting me on my bed she took a glass and filled it with water then held it on to my lips. I greedily drank the feeling soothing my perched lips and cooling the fire I was feeling in my throat. 'You scared us... I thought they had gotten to you...' She shook her head and looked away. 'I should let you rest' She helped me back to my bed and pulled my blankets. She stayed for a while and must have left after I dozed off.
The sun was up and shinning spreading its warmth to everything it graciously blessed. I woke up from sleep yawned, scratched my neck and jumped out. My bath was already made all I had to do was jump in and send the maids out. I never liked getting bathed, it was better if I did it myself. I washed up, dried myself and put on the robes that were placed for me. They were sleeping robes and it was fine, I wasn't planning on fighting any battles any time soon. I strapped a dagger to my side right under my left arm and walked out.
The palace was craftily built with intricate underpasses and open courtyards. No room was truly separated from the other yet they were all on their own ensuring privacy. With the guidance of a maid I walked outside where Adriel and uncle were having their meal. I pulled a seat and sat. A maid served me everything I pointed at and I smiled in thanks, I started eating.
'It seems your fine. And here I was worried' uncle stated. I looked at him. A young face, masculine, hair the same as mine overgrow already at the shoulders and in dire need of a barber, but was instead tied back. 'We need to talk' his tone quickly became serious.
'Cant this wait until he's at least eaten?' Adriel started as she took a sip of her tea.
'Its been three days already I need to know what to look for' I raised an eyebrow at his statement and he explained.
'We cant find a trace of whomever attacked you and lady Hellan' He started but I can tell there's more to it. He looked at Hellan.
'We found something different, something... You should see' I put down my fork and she frowned. 'After you've eaten' She added. After I was done eating, I followed Adriel and uncle into a dark room. I started panicking without knowing why. The light was lit as we walked in and there was a table in the middle of the room. Uncle pulled the cover that was covering my dead body. My heart was on the verge of quitting its job. I took a step back unable to control my breathing. Adriel noticed this and she held me and supported me as my steps faltered.
'We never found y... the head' uncle said and that was the last stroke. My knees buckled and my head filed its resignation. I was going to blank out again but I held on just barely. 'What happened on that day? Hellan only has half the story' uncle was almost pleading. I looked at my headless dead body then at Adriel.
'How many days has it been?' I started slowly swallowing the bile that was burning my throat.
'Three days' uncle answered. 'You've been...asleep for three days. Who attacked you?' I bit my nail looking around like a deranged person.
'How did you not find anything? I killed about a hundred of them yet you didn't find even a body?' I turned to leave. I couldn't stand being in the same room with my dead body. I looked at Adriel.
'So I missed the opening games?'
'You didn't miss much of anything. The whole city's been put under curfew, the games are going to be cancelled' She answered indifferently. 'I've been dream walking but nothing, we don't know who attacked but when we do we'll...' I stopped her.
'What of Hellan?' She was shocked.
'You should take a look at yourself first, your in no position to worry about anybody' She was almost shouting.
'I was attacked by people who had been hired to collect my head' it felt weird saying that as my head...my other head was missing. 'There was a whole army. We should start by finding how they got here' Adriel smiled a bitter smile. 'you've already tried that?'
'Yeah we found nothing. its as if they just stepped out of thin air' My eyes widened.
'They did!' She was confused. 'After Hellan left I noticed they were walking out of the dark. they were even better than anyone I've ever seen.'
'That's not possible, only we do that' She was even more confused but so was I. I scratched my head in frustration.
'Forget them. How are we doing around...'I changed the subject.
'Fine actually. Not many are stupid enough to try us now.' She answered in a way that told me she was wishing someone would try.
'Burn m... the body' I said in finality. She nodded her head. 'How many have seen it?'
'Not many we've made them swear to silence or get a dagger down their throats.' When she said throat, I subconsciously held my neck and she noticed. 'I don't understand what is going on but I am glad your not dead' I smiled at her words and hugged her.
'I am also glad' I walked away my heart beating wildly. I had tried a couple of times ever since I saw my body to shadow walk and I completely failed. I had lost my connection to Keel. Adriel was quick-witted I just hoped she had a solution. I sighed and rubbed my neck again.