25 A Bargain in the dead of night

Darius' POV

"Terribly," She told me honestly.

"Um... I heard you died..." I said.

She sat up and let her leg dangle over the bed. She looked down as though deep in thought. "I did... for a moment..." I said. "but I don't expect that to surprise you."

"Why?" I asked, getting off the pavement of the window and walking towards the bed.

She chuckled lightly and looked up at me. "Because had you fallen from such a height, you still wouldn't have died."

Her answer was shocking but I refused to show it. "You remember," I said.

"Yes and for that same reason I am still alive." She looked down at her legs. "and I can't walk."

I said nothing and continued to stare definitively at her.

She looked out the window, brushing away the reckless titan curls off her face. The bright moonlight illuminated her bony face and the moon reflected on her unnatural, black, beady eyes.

"Your eyes don't work on me, sire." She took a deep breath. "I remember what I saw you do."

"And you have come here to threaten me?" If that was so, it would mean that the girl had changed. She always had her eyes down and was always fisting her gown in trepidation. Her courage to come to me tonight was outlandish of the Zelda that I did not know much of.

"You and I know that you could have killed me yet you chose to make me forget,"

"But that did not seem to work,"

"It didn't..." She accepted.

"So you know what I am?"

"No..." She said, "Not exactly but I know that you are not what you claim to be."

"Neither are you," I said. "What do you want?"

She turned to look at me with tension on her forehead. "I never knew... mother hid it from me,"

She wanted to cry but she did not know me enough to be in such a vulnerable state in front of me. And it did not help that I was not showing any empathy.

She calmed herself. "I need your help, you are the only one."

I stalked towards her until we could have collided with one more step. "Because you have something you can use against me?"

"I am no threat to you, even if the fall did not kill me, I know you can and I have something you might want."

I raised a brow. "What is that?"

"About the girl, the lost princess,"

That had my attention.

She continued, "I heard that my mother was not only deceiving me, she..."

"She was deceiving the entire kingdom." I took the words out of her mouth.

She was quiet for a moment before speaking again "The girl arrived today?"

"Yes,"

Zelda mused, she must believe it would be a sensitive topic for me since I would lose my title.

"Tell me," I insisted, my patience wearing thin. "What do you know?"

"First, you have to help me," She said. "I mean help my mother."

"How?"

"I know the royals will make her take responsibility for everything and say the king was not involved, the offense is grave."

"And they will send her to her's," I told her.

"She will be executed but I ask you to save her and then I will tell you what I know about the princess."

I crouched down to her level so I could look her in the eye. "I won't spare you this time if it turns out you are as deceitful as your mother,"

She did not reply instead, she swallowed.

I gave her some space. "But why would you save your mother even after what she has done to you?" Changing the course of our discussion.

"You are right, hiding something like this from me is unforgivable but if I want the whole truth I have to keep her alive.

Silence reigned. " Alright then, you have my word,"

****

Eva's POV

A knock on the door woke me up. Oh no! Cecilia came to wake me, which meant I would be punished before I started my chores. I pushed the blanket off me and was surprised at how heavy it was. I fell out of bed and was on the floor, confused as to what was going on. Then it all came back, I was not with them anymore. I was at the royal castle. And my bed was no longer just a worn out mattress on the floor.

The knocking persisted. I got up and went to answer the door. In the doorway were two maids. In the hands of them was a tray with strange items and in the other was a tray of food.

"Good morning, your Highness," They said. "We are your royal servants," They bowed.

"Good morning..." I said as I began to bow.

"No!" They both gasp.

I stop midway realizing why they had their skirt in a bunch. I wasn't supposed to do that. I was already messing up this early in the morning. I laughed awkwardly as they stared at me.

"Come in," I said, moving out of the way for them to pass.

The chubbier one with the honey coloured hair closed the door while the taller one with the food tray placed it on my nightstand. I was nervous because of how close she was to the box I had been given but it quickly faded away as they both started to talk.

"My name is Dana," The one still with the tray of strange items introduced as I put the tray on my dressing table across the room.

"I am Priscilla," The other said. "We were sent by the Queen mother to get you ready for today,"

I blinked. "Today? What is today?"

They looked at each other in surprise. "Your official tour of the castle," Dana told me.

"Okay..." What was the big deal about a tour that I would need help with? I wondered.

"We hate to rush you but we have to be prompt," Dana informed

"Alright," I smiled, trying to bury my nervousness.

Dana led me to the bathroom as I noticed Priscilla rearranging my room. I hoped she would not open the drawer.

"Undress princess," She said softly but firmly.

Remembering the old royals judgemental look yesterday, disallowed me from asking any questions. There was not time to be a prude and not be hesitant. I did as she had asked while getting the water ready for me. She was still looking down at the water when spoke to me again. "Enter, princess,"

I stepped into the bubbly golden bathtub and she finally looked at me again. I could see it flash in her eyes; surprise, fear and pity but her expression was back to being neural within a second. The scars had affected her but she was good at hiding it.

She took a sponge and washed me with both speed and effectiveness. She gave me a towel once I stepped out of the bathroom making sure not to look at me. She got me a soft coral robe when I had finished drying myself up. She led me out of the bathroom.

The room was tidy again, just as it had been the previous night.

"All done, princess," She told me with another bow.

"Thank you, Priscilla," Uttering her name, I believed would make sure I remembered it.

She smiled softly at me. For some reason, it seemed more genuine this time. I felt hands on my shoulders, "This way, princess," Dana said, leading me towards the dressing table.

Once I was seated, "Please, call me Eva,"

They were silent for a moment as they took a quick glance at each other before looking at me through the mirror.

"As you wish," They both said and they got to work.

Dana dried my hair with a towel. "Your hair is so thick and silky," She complimented.

I smiled, knowing she was lying about the last part. There was nothing 'silky' about the coarse thing that went from my scalp to the small of my back.

For the next hour, they groomed me. Dana with my hair, Priscilla with my face.