Cardans POV oneshots

The Knife to throat scene

Hey guys sorry it took so long to write this chapter, its one of the more important scenes in the first book so it took a while to figure out how to do it. Anyways I hope you like it :)

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I am playing cards with the goblin and 2 faeries when Jude walks in.  She looks to the corner where I used to be when she left, I watch her face as she goes from confused to angry when she sees me playing cards at the table untied. 

"Jude, sit down! We'll deal you in." I hear the female faerie say

Jude turns to her, I sigh a breath of relief. At her least her anger is placed on someone else right now if even for a couple of seconds. I turn and smile at Jude like nothing is wrong when in fact everything is wrong.

"What are you doing? He's supposed to be tied up, he's our prisoner." she says

"Worry not. Where's he going to go?" the goblin replies. "You really think he can get past all three of us?"

I stop paying attention as I notice more wine on the table and take a drink, Jude and the goblin go back and forth a couple of times and next thing I know Jude is on her knees cutting the pieces of her dress tying my legs to the chair. Oh how i have fantasized about her being on her knees so many times before. Stop it, I chid myself, you are her prisoner and you still can't bury your feeling what is wrong with me?  

I smile down at her to hide my nervousness, "Can't we stay out here? Theres wine out here?" I say as a last attempt to not end up in a room alone with her.

The goblin snickers "Something bothering you princeling? You and Jude don't get along after all?"

This time I can't keep my face controlled and it betrays how worried I am, god how I hate being called princeling. It makes it seem like they think of me as a child and not an actual prince, if I wasn't currently a prisoner they would have surely paid for that. 

I follow Jude into Dains old office and she locks the door. "Sit down" she says. I do

She reaches into the drawer of Dains desk and pulls out a crossbow and immediately points it at me. I try to take a deep breath that ends up coming out shaky. "You're going to shoot me? Right now" I don't even bother to hide my nervousness now, whats the point. I decide to try and change her mind or at least prolong my death.

"I can see why you would want to" I start with because well honestly I can, "I would just prefer if you didn't"

"Then you shouldn't have smirked at me constantly—you think I am going to stand being mocked, here, now? You still so sure you're better than me?" She replies shakily.

I grimace, I don't like to think about all the horrible things I did to her because it reminds me of why I did them and that in some ways I am.just.like.my.family.  I hold up my hands in surrender for once holding no rings.

"Im nervous, I smile a lot when im nervous. I can't help it"

She looks unconvinced but lowers the crossbow a little. I take my chance and keep talking before she can change her mind and shoot me. "You are terrifying. Nearly my whole family is dead, and while they never had much love for me, I don't want to join them. I've spent all night worrying what you're going to do, and I know exactly what I deserve. I have a reason to be nervous." 

I watch as she starts slowly lowering the crossbow, "I'll tell you whatever you want, anything."

"No word games?"

"I swear it" I say with my hand over my heart.

While she contemplates my offer, I beat myself up mentally. I can't just tell her anything but now I have to, great. I must be the dumbest person in Elfhame history.