Attempt

Alora began to regain consciousness. She was fearful to open her eyes. She could feel every heartbeat pulsate painfully in the back of her head. It reminded her of when she was younger and Lydus would train her in hand-to-hand combat. He accidentally put too much force in a kick and knocked her backwards. She hit her head so hard she bled and the world started to spin. Lydus then carried her all those miles back home, he was only 11 years old then. Alora smiled to herself at this thought. Had he done the same today?

She slowly began to open her eyes. The room she was in was lightly lit, she blinked a few times to clear her muddy brain. By just the walls and the ceiling she could tell this was not her home. She shot straight up, causing her head to spin and stomach to do flips. She looked aroundand noticed she was in a soft bed with a warm blanket. She felt weak, in pain, nauseous, and fatigued. She had to sit there a moment, with her eyes closed tightly and collect herself. Somewhere between her drumming heartbeat and the ringing in her ears she heard the sounds of shoes clicking on a hard floor. Alora opened her eyes and tried to focus in the direction the steps were coming from. Her eyes were a bit blurry as she tried to look forward, but she did make out a tall figure with black hair.

She reached up to rub her eyes to help clear them, "Papa, where are we?"

Eldon smirked at the young girls question,"Edward, mighty fine job. It seems you gave the poor girl a concussion."

Alora frooze. That voice sounded familiar but she couldn't pinpoint where she had heard it before. She slowly brought her hands down from her eyes to come face to face with the man who had black hair and devilish looks. A man she had met outside the main hall. He had a smile that looked sinister. Her memories came flooding back to her. About the banquet, her magic, killing those men, and throwing a knife at this man. Had he seen everything?

"You look surprised, Lady Alora." Eldon stopped walking toward her, letting her take a good look at him.

Alora knew that in her current weakened state she would not be able to wield any magic to protect herself. She found herself unable to answer him but knew she had to pull it together quickly if she was going to make it out of there.

Eldon smiled at the girls reactions, her face told him everything he needed to know. She had remembered what happened. "I find you to be a very perplexing woman Ms. Tavelin. After meeting you I stepped into the kitchen and saw two men dead. One man was missing a head. Now how did that happen?" He paused for just a moment and reached down to twirl a piece of her black hair in his fingertips then continued before she could answer, "I am giving you one chance, do not try to deceive me Lady Alora, I am not a patient man."

Alora was scared, never in all her time had she thought this would happen. How much does he know? He hadn't mentioned the ashes, maybe he does not know that those belonged to a person. Alora stuck to the truth as much as possible without revealing too many details, "Having a father who was a knight, I grew up among the men. I was taught to fight. I am acquainted with the arts of combat. With or without weapons." Alora hoped this would pacify the man.

Eldon sat on the bed in front her. He slowly eyed her from head to toe, she was beautiful. Even with her hair in knots and her dress that was tattered, she was stunning. "Yes, I am aware of your father Sir Savren." Eldon hummed at her "I have come to know much about you in the day that has passed. You are quite versed in history. Specifically, battles, combat strategies, the art of war, and warfare. Such a strange thing a father would let his daughter learn."

"My father never had a son, when I took interest in his life's work he was eager to teach me. I am fortunate my father allows me to learn my passions." Alora quickly retorted back to the man. Before the man could say anything more of her father she questioned "Who are you? What do you want from me?"

With a push the man lifted off of the bed. Alora took a deep breath not realizing she was holding her breath.

The man turned around and grinned at her, the smile could kill her where she sat.

"So smart yet, you lack a more common knowledge. Around here a question like that can get you killed." he stopped for a moment and let his words sink into the young woman. "Do not forget whose blade was thrown. That was attempted murder Lady Alora." He saw her gulp and her eyes went wide. "That is an attempted assassination of the king"