Cardans POV oneshots

After the coronation

This is right after Balekin murdered the royal family

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As i'm walking away I think about what I just saw. All of my sisters, gone. Dain and my father, gone. Even though I didn't like him I never would have wished for him dead. I shake my head to myself, I knew Balekin wanted the crown but this much? And then I think about Jude, just standing there frozen as she watched Madoc run a blade through Dain and Balekin murder the royal family. I saw her leave before anyone noticed her, she went farther into the castle though like an idiot. She's in danger, everything is in chaos now some faeries might not hesitate to kill her even if her father is the grand general. 

I start to look for her, somewhere in my mind is telling me to run and hide seeing as i'm the only one who can crown Balekin now. Im glad I decided to miss the coronation i say to myself with a laugh, this reminds me how drunk I am. But I keep looking for Jude I need to make sure she gets out of the castle then I will hide. I start looking under the tablecloths because I remember she and her sister used to hide under them during the balls and revels. I must find her, I pick up the pace. I look under the last tablecloth and there she is....with a knife in her hand, about to stab me. 

I grab her arm and pull her out from under the table "you're mortal" she looks at me with spite "It's not safe for you here. Especially if you go around stabbing everyone." 

"Not safe for me?" she says incredulously. "Get down here before you are recognized."

I know I said I would look for her but she really wants me to hide under a table. I am still a prince even if I am in danger I am not going to just hide under a table in the dirt. Who does she think she is. 

"Playing hide-and-seek under the table? Crouching in the dirt? Typical of your kind, but far beneath my dignity." I laugh unsteadily

For a second I think she might laugh too or just leave, instead she punches me in the stomach. "Ow" I shout, falling to the ground. I feel her tugging me under the table. 

"We'll get out of here without anyone noticing," she says, "We stay under the tables and make our way to the steps to the upper levels of the palace. And don't tell me it's beneath your dignity to crawl. You're so drunk you can barely stand anyway."

I snort "if you insist". I want to say something sharp back but she's right i'm too drunk to think of anything anyways. While we are waiting in the dark i'm wondering why she is helping me, for a second my traitorous brain thinks that she may have some feeling for me to. But there is no way, why would she, I have been nothing but cruel to her. 

We start to go through the tables and I can hear some music still playing and if I listen closely even some screams. I shiver, I hope none of the faeries who caused those screams find us. As I shuffle behind Jude i notice she looks nervous. Nervous to be around me or just to be at the palace right now I wonder. I stop moving and sit on the ground when all thats happened has finally come back to me. Out of the corner of my eye I see Jude has turned around.

"He despised me" I said

"Balekin?"

Everyone I want to say but thats not who i'm thinking about right now. "My father" I snort again ""I didn't much know the others, my brothers and sisters. Isn't that funny? Prince Dain—he didn't want me in the palace, so he forced me out." I don't know while I am telling her this, few people know and for a reason. I look up at Jude, she looks confused.

At that I look at her  "And now they're all dead. Thanks to Madoc. Our honorable general. They never should have trusted him. But your mother discovered that a long time ago, didn't she?" I know its not the right thing to say right now but I cant help it, I don't need pity especially a mortals pity.

She narrows her eyes at me, it seems she has remembered that she hates me "crawl" she says.

I smirk a little "you first". I think she might murder me right there for the look i'm getting from her. 

We start crawling from table to table until we get to the one closest to the steps. I step out and hold my hand out to her. I'm mostly doing it to mock her but a small part of me hopes she will take my hand. She doesn't of course and stands up on her own. She starts towards the steps but I remember something.

"Not like that, Your fathers knights will recognize you." 

"I'm not the one they are looking for" she says

I'm starting to get annoyed ""If they see your face, they may pay too much attention to whom you're with." 

She seems to realize i'm right "If they knew me at all, they'd know I'd never be with you."

I ignore the jab of hurt that causes and wait and she takes down her hair. When she's done she looks even more pretty than usual. 

"you look..." not daring to finish that sentence I close my mouth.

"Give me a second" she says and before I can stop her she plunges back into the crowd. I grab some wine nearby and sit down. After a couple minutes when I am starting to worry she left me I see her come back with a mask in hand. 

"Come on" she grabs my hand. We go up the steps and are stopped by 3 knights.

""Look elsewhere for your pleasure," one informs us. "This is the way to the palace, and it is barred to common Folk."

I tense not knowing how we are going to get out now when an idea strikes me. Its ridiculous but it might just work.

"We will do as we are bid" I hear Jude say to them, she starts trying to drag me away but I'm not budging.

"You are much mistaken in us" I say "The High King Balekin is a friend to my lady's Court," Im trying to be convincing, It seems to be working. "You may have heard of Queen Gliten in the Northwest. Balekin sent a message about the missing prince. He is waiting for an answer." 

One of the knights look skeptical "I don't suppose you have any proof of that?" I pull the royal ring off my finger as he says this.

"Of course" I say and show him the ring, "I was given this token so you would know me."

It worked. Yes! We start walking away when one of them goes "What about the mortal?"

I turn "Oh, well, you aren't entirely mistaken in me. I intended to keep some of the delights of the revel for myself," They all smirk and I feel Jude tense next to me. 

I drag her along up the stairs. I lead us through doors until I think we are far enough away. I sigh in relief before I feel a knife under my chin.

"Jude?" I ask carefully looking at her holding the knife to my throat while I'm backed against the wall.

I hope you guys liked this chapter, I don't usually see this scene in Cardans POV and I wanted to try it :)

I know my writing definitely isn't the best but please tell me what you think and which scenes you would like.

Word count- 1299