Creel

Creel looked up just in time to see someone draw their knife and head for lady Sheenavora. She rose to her feet, hand flying to her knives by instinct. Less than an hour as Sheena's official bodyguard, and she already had a chance to show her skill.

Sheena let out a piercing scream as the person- Creel couldn’t tell if it was man or woman- leaped a table and charged her. Like ripples breaking, more shrieks began to spread over the banquet hall. Men jumped away, ladies fainted- for nobles, they sure were cowardly. Even as Creel darted towards Lady Sheena, her thoughts raced as fast as her feet.

I knew this was a bad idea. I save Sheena once, after being her lady-in-waiting for years-! And a banquet in my honor. That’s the perfect setting for someone to sneak in unannounced.

Creel spied the flash of silver as her heartbeat pulsed through the seemingly stretched seconds.

“Duck, my lady!” Creel yelled.

Sheena, looking bewildered, crouched. Winking, as if divulging some secret, the knife that the attacker had thrown flew over Sheena’s head and over the balcony rail into the garden. Creel darted in front of Sheena and brought her knife up to block the intruder's swing. She had no time to wonder why both knives had been aimed far above Sheena’s head as her blade met the attacker’s. Her teeth rattled from the from the cracking force of the two blades as they met.

Creel locked eyes with a young man only a few years older than her. She gritted her teeth as he pressed forward, by far the stronger one.

“You should be ashamed,” she hissed. If she could upset him, distract and confuse, she had a chance. She certainly couldn’t win by force.

The man- boy, really- barked a laugh. “Ashamed?”

Creel shoved his blade up and stepped back to give herself some space. Sheena backed away nervously. He parents, Lord Forden and Lady Descrah, hurried towards her.

“Ashamed of attacking your rulers!” Creel growled through clenched teeth. The boy frowned.

“Liars. Things that you have no idea of are at stake.”

Creel ignored his words and stepped back, testing, pivoting, ready to dart in an instant. It was almost a dance, really, precise footing and hairbreadth precision. Concentration and utter focus or game over. A dance of death, perhaps, but a dance nonetheless.

This boy knew the dance well. He was light on his feet and balanced perfectly. Creel knew this was going to be a fight for her – and everyone else’s- life.

The boy growled in frustration, and Creel tensed. But to her surprise, he didn’t strike. Instead, he spun his knife and slid it smoothly into its sheath. He held up his hands in a half-shrug.

“I have no quarrel with you,” he said quietly. “Step aside. I am here for nothing but information.”

Creel narrowed her eyes “From whom?”

The boy jabbed a finger at Sheena, who flinched and took a step back, eyes wide with fear.

“I know what you did,” he said in a low voice, and Creel’s heartbeat did triple time. What did he know? But he wasn’t speaking to her, she realized.

He was looking straight at Lord Forden and Lady Descrah. “Forden, Descrah, mark my words. Someday, all that you’ve done will come out of the shadows and into the light.”

Forden glared at the intruder, trembling with rage. “You dare not point at my innocent daughter, you vensgone peasant. Go now and perhaps your life will be spared.”

The boy merely gave him a look, a look that Creel dreaded he would turn on her. It was a searching gaze, filled with – pity? “Have it your way,” the boy said. “But I must get what I came for.”

Creel saw him reach for his knife even as she darted forward. Instinct saw his fingers twitch, ready to throw, and she acted. She brought her knife up and pivoted on one foot, bringing her other one around with a stunning blow to the intruder’s middle. He staggered back as Creel planted her feet.

“I told you-“ he coughed “- I have no quarrel with you.”

Creel lifted a fist in warning. “I am Lady Sheenavora’s bodyguard, and you threatened her. This is my quarrel.”

The boy regained his breath and smirked. “She has a bodyguard, now? You can’t even protect yourselves? If you all ganged up on me I wouldn’t stand a chance. But you don’t move. That lady won’t duck unless you tell her to.”

Creel took a threatening step forward, and the boy lifted his knife.

“I’m warning you to leave,” Creel growled. “I’ve had enough of your taunts.”

“Very well,” the boy let out a breath. He reached back and flung his knife at Sheena, who let out a scream that could rival an eagle’s. Again, Creel wondered why it was so far above Sheena’s head, but she didn’t stop to wonder.

“Sheena, down!” Creel yelled above the sudden panic of the crowd.

Sheena threw herself to the ground. The knife whizzed harmlessly over her head and clattered against a marble pillar. Creel, too focused on Sheena, forgot about the boy. She felt her knife wrenched out of her hand and realized – too late- that the knife was a diversion to distract her.

This is really my quarrel now, she thought angrily.

Well, she was weaponless, but she was far from defenseless.

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She threw herself at the attacker, that vensgone boy, and dropped, hooking her leg around his knees and tripping him. He staggered and fell.

“Persistent , aren’t you?” he scowled.

Creel scowled back. “I could say the same thing about you.” She retorted.

The boy had the audacity to laugh. “Your wit is almost as sharp as your knife, I’d say.”

He jumped to his feet. “Look, I don’t want to fight you- especially you.”

“Especially?” Creel didn’t know if that was an insult or a compliment.

“I don’t fight girls if I can help it. But if you continue to apprehend me, I will have to move you out of the way.”

Creel felt her ire rise. “I’m afraid you’ll find that rather difficult!” She threw a punch in his direction to see how he handled it. To her annoyance, he didn’t flinch.

Creel threw a hook and quickly brought around her other hand, but the boy was quicker. He grabbed her wrist and twisted it behind her, stopping her from moving.

“Listen. You’re good, okay? I’ll give you that. But I need this information.

Creel didn’t bother to answer. He pulse was pounding with indignation. She tried to jerk her elbow back into his stomach to wind him, but the boy grabbed her elbow, spun her around, and pinned her against a pillar.

For once in her life, Creel felt annoyance towards the royals. Surely they were capable of doing something instead of just standing there gaping?

“You are the lowest, vilest, vensgone-“ Creel spit at his feet in anger.

The boy just looked at her with the same gaze he’d given Lord Forden. But in the pity was… sadness?

Creel let out a breath and, without warning, brought her knee up into the attacker’s stomach. He doubled over, letting go of her. She kicked him onto his back as he struggled to regain his breath and drew out her dagger that she kept hidden in her sleeve and lowered it to his throat.

Those voluminous bell sleeves with the copious amounts of fabric were good for something at least.

“Enough,” she spat. “It’s over. Lord Forden?”

Forden stepped forward, eyes dark. “You are arrested for the attempted murder of my daughter- twice! Assault of the bodyguard, breaking into the palace, and intrusion of a private party.”

The boy cleared his throat, wincing at the knife. “Actually, sir, I never attempted to murder your daughter.”

Forden clenched his fist. “You lying, vensgone Lowlander! You threw knives at my poor, innocent, harmless angel!”

“Well, yes, but-“

“Attempted murder!” Forden roared. Creel was concerned he might pummel the boy even while he was on the ground.

Come to think of it, I might let him.

“Sir, I threw them at her, but I’ve been training with knives for a decade. I don’t miss. I was aiming for your daughter’s hat.”

“I hate to argue, but you did miss. Twice.” Forden glared.

“She would’ve stood there and let the knives hit her hat had she not yelled at her to duck.”

“I don’t care what you say!” Forden bellowed. “You will die for these crimes.”

For the first time, Creel saw fear flash across the boy’s face. His hood had fallen back to reveal blonde hair and blue eyes.

“Sir, I only need information.”

“Well why don’t you ask for it?!” Lord Forden’s veins bulged. He was madder than a wet hornet.

The boy laughed. “You wouldn’t give it to me. You’re a lying sneak. Besides, Sheena has what I want.”

“That’s ‘Lady’ Sheena to you!” Forden seethed, his eyes simmering sparks.

“Lady Sheena then. She has what I need.”

“And what might that be?” Forden growled.

“Information.”

Forden let out a snarl of anger.

Behind him, Sheena crossed her arms, looking like a pouting child. “I won’t tell him anything!” she cried. “Please take him away, Father.”

Forden nodded to Sheena. “Of course, dear.” He turned to Creel. “Well done. I knew I made a good choice when I picked you.”

Creel cautiously lowered her dagger and stepped back, nodding to Forden. “Milord.”

The boy climbed to his feet, hands in the air. “I-“

“Silence!” Forden snapped. “Guards!”

The guards stationed at the double doors in the back of the room came forward. The boy turned to Creel and locked eyes with her.

“You’re on the wrong side,” he whispered. Creel had half a mind to slap him.

“Who’s headed for the dungeons?” she challenged. “I know whose side I’m on.” Not that she was aware there were sides now.

The boy raised an eyebrow. “Very well, Creel.”

Shock snapped through her like lightning. How does he know my name? She blinked in astonishment. The next thing she saw was the boy hopping over the balcony railing to the garden below.

* ●●

The banquet was in shambles after that. The guards searched the garden three times over, but the boy was gone. Vanished.

Creel stood comforting Sheena and accepting praise of her skill. Guards rushed to and fro. Squadrons called from the courtyard and garden.

The banquet was, in other words, now chaos.

Lady Descrah stood near Sheena, fanning herself. She was eight inches shorter than Creel at five feet, with green eyes that always seemed to be watching for a mistake.

“Sheena, darling, we’ll double the guards around the whole palace and send for the ambassadors. They can travel and spread the warning.”

Sheena nodded, tears trembling on her eyelashes. “I’m just… shocked. I can’t believe that that horrible boy wanted to kill me.”

“He was aiming for your hat, milady.” Creel pointed out.

“And you believe that dirtbag?” Lady Descrah exclaimed. “I’m sure he was just lying to save his own skin.”

“I’ve trained with knives, milady. And he’s right; the knife was aimed for Sheena’s hat, although I don’t know why the first time. It doesn’t make sense.”

Sheena shivered. Her elegant hairstyle of braids and flowers was coming undone. Her hat- the very one the boy said he had been aiming for- was lopsided on her head.

She sniffed. “I never even got to finish my dessert.”

Creel sighed. Leave it to Sheena to think of dessert in the middle of a crisis.

Although, she had to admit, the food was excellent. Especially the chocolate éclairs.

Especially those.

Creel yanked her mind back to the present. Now is not the time to be thinking of food.

Sheena reached up and straightened the offending hat. “I never,” she muttered.

“Sheena, what information was he talking about?” Descrah asked.

Sheena’s lip started to tremble. “I don’t know. I’ve been reading in the library a bunch. He could’ve wanted anything!”

Descrah patted her daughter’s arm. “There, there. You were very brave. Creel, how could you let such a vile creature escape?”

Creel let out a half-shocked laugh. “Milady, he was gone as fast as I could blink. There was nothing we could do. I just don’t understand how he could have disappeared so fast.”

“Well we will find him, and you won't have to worry anymore, Sheena, dear.”

The other royals were quickly streaming away, no doubt to go back to their cities and double the guard. The edge of the sky was just beginning to show oink, signaling dusk.

“Sheena, why don’t you sleep with me tonight?” Descrah soothed. “Creel, you are dismissed to your room.”

Creel bowed and slipped out of the banquet hall and the panic that threatened to engulf her. She had her own thoughts to sort, anyways. As she stepped into her suite, she saw the boy’s eyes looking into her own again. They were filled with… what? Pity, for some reason. But sadness? Why sadness?

Creel stepped onto her private balcony and looked at the vine growing up the side of the wall.

How did he know my name?

She clenched the railing so hard she was amazed it didn’t break.

How?! It’s not possible. I’ve grown up in the castle and never seen anyone like him.

Forden had called him a Lowlander. And there was no way in the Seven Cities that she had met him before.

Creel took a deep breath, trying to get a hold of herself.

You are a bodyguard. The bodyguard to Lady Sheena. You can’t panic now.

She darted inside, yanking her hair out of its braid. She pulled on her nightgown and slowly, methodically got ready for bed.

No peasant is going to disrupt my life. He must have heard of me somehow.

Yes… that’s how.

Right.

“Very well, Creel.”

“You’re on the wrong side.”

Creel slammed her wardrobe door close to drown out the voice.

Whatever was going on, she was joining the fight.

She yanked back the covers and extinguished the candles. My fight. And while she was at it, she’d find out why that boy knew her name.