With Rile watching the Princess in the other room, two were left on watch duty whilst a trio rested by the fire.
One of the watchers leaned back, eyes narrowing.
His breath clouded the air:
"You think Rile's gonna control himself? Weren't much of help last time."
There was a slight pause.
The other man turned, a brow arched.
"Rile? He's not crazy enough", he turned his gaze upwards, offering a light scoff. "A hair misplaced and were all dead."
Silence settled in that cold atmosphere.
Broken only by the hiss of fire.
CRACKLE!
The two didn't look at each other again.
--------------
Rile sat hunched on a crooked chair, the lantern beside him burning low.
Its glow painted shadows across the walls, stretching and twisting as the wind howled overhead.
WOOOH!
His knee bounced.
tap.
Fingers tapped against his thigh, restless.
A hand dragged down his face, as he let out a rough sigh.
"Haa..."
His jaw worked slow.
"Damn cold..." he muttered.
His eyes weren't on the fire.
They lingered on the girl lying motionless on the cracked bed.
A silence pressed in the air, heavy enough for him to his own heartbeat.
Staring....
He leaned forward slightly, elbows now on his knees, studying the silhouette in the flickering light.
"Royalty huh? To think I have a Princess in front of me..." his voice dipped low, hushed like a whisper. "Defenceless...."
He rose from his chair slowly.
creak
The wood creaked below, echoing the walls with sounds of tension.
The golden strands peeking through the blankets....
The rise and fall of her chest....
His throat bobbed.
Slight discomfort.
"Surrounded by men like us. No guards. No golden halls."
"Just frost and stone....."
Tap. tap. tap.
His steps carried him closer.
Each foot landing soft, deliberate, as though he was scared to wake her yet, but he wouldn't stop anyway.
The lantern hissed, as if warning.
The princess stirred faintly, a breath escaping.
Her lashes fluttered beneath the cloth, but she didn't wake.
tap....tap....
Closer.
Rile froze, chest heaving.
It was then a crooked smile tugged.
"Relax...just checking you're alive," he muttered.
That hand never stopped twitching.
His arm rose, lowering an inch closer to her arm....to her hair.
He hesitated, licking his lips. "Nobody'd know."
The lantern crackled, painting a scene across the walls.
His shadow loomed over her now, long and hunched.
From above, through a hole in the wood, Riven's breath slowed to nothing.
A golden glow painted Rile's shadow long across the wall.
His hand hovered over her like a vulture's wing.
Too close.
Far too close.
Riven's fingers tightened around his swords hilt, his knuckles burning white.
He clenched his jaw as the temperature dropped further, the cold not being the only ailment.
He saw it.
Rile's hand lowering, trembling fingers daring to graze the girl's hair.
Daring to reveal her face beneath its sanctuary.
Riven's chest hollowed.
WOOOOHH!
The wind cut through the cracks, masking his sounds as he dropped below.
'Move!'
The command burned through, sharper than the storm.
No choice.
Not anymore.
No sound.
No presence.
He approached the man quietly.
Rile's back loomed in the lantern glow, shoulders tense.
His hand grasping the girls hair.
Riven's chest hammered.
Thump. Thump.
His grip tightened.
Mael's Fang whispered to him.
'Now.'
His hand lifted.
Then--!
A weight pressed against his spine.
A gaze.
Heavy.
Wrong.
It wasn't just sight alone.
It was something colder. Like the air itself bent toward them.
The storm outside seemed to be holding its breath.
What was it?
Riven froze, chest tight.
His breath caught mid-draw as his instincts screamed.
Rile stiffened too.
Was it because of the cold presence....or the shallow breathing down his neck?
He snapped his head.
The lantern's flame faded. The shadows quivered.
For a brief second, their gazes met.....
Both wore faces of distress.
WOOOOHHH!!!!
The storm howled.
Riven surged forward, blade flashing in the faded light.
Steel met flesh in a wet crunch.
Rile's breath was silenced.
CRASH!
The faded lantern toppled, scattering wisps of smoke across the decrepit room.
SPLAT!
Blood flowed from Rile's throat, running like a tap.
The sword sank deeper than Riven thought it would.
His hands shook as a spray of blood hit his cheek....
It was hot.
Hot against his cheek.
Hot against the cold air.
His stomach churned.
Jaw clenched so tight it hurt...
For a second, he wanted to rip the blade free and stumble back.
He couldn't....
He forced his hand to stay. To hold it.
"Haa...haa...."
Breaths came ragged, sharpening and tearing at his throat.
He stared at the man's wide fading eyes.
He watched the light drain out.
He watched the body slump like a pile of wood.
The air was quiet.
Silence pressing heavy....heavier than the blood on his hands.
His eyes flicked to the girl, her body twitched....but she was still unconscious.
....This would stay with him.
creak.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Certain.
Coming closer.
Riven's head snapped toward the door.
His chest tightened.
'Not now...'
The corpse at his feet still leaked warmth at the frozen wood below.
The girl stirred faintly in her sleep.
The scene was chaotic.
His pulse roared in his ears....
THUMP! THUMP!
He had seconds.
No more.
He staggered forward, boots slipping in the blood, cradling the princess in his arms.
Her skin was cold despite the blankets and cloths.
Her weight was limp.
Cold sweat dripped down his forehead.
CRACK! CRACK!
The door began to rattle.
"...move."
Faint voices.
Panic surged loud in his head.
That presence.
He couldn't fight whoever was coming.
Not this one.
This was a predator.
One that smelt blood.
One that sensed a cut-throat act on a silent night.