Lavender & Ice

48. A Cruel Reunion

Author's Note:  Short chapter but the action continues in the next from a different POV! Please give me feedback!

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Ashima followed Rahn as quickly and quietly as she could manage, ducking behind a support column as the female guard approached the two other guards at the door.

Ashima wasn't sure what the female guard was saying, but the two guards tensed suddenly when the female staggered back and held her head in her hands. She was losing her balance and staggered a bit further down the hallway, away from Ashima. One guard caught her just before she hit the floor.

"A little help here?" He called out to the other guard.

With a quick glance around the hallways, the other guard took steps to join him.

Ashima quickly darted from her hiding place and forced herself to not look in the guards direction as she slipped through the doorway and into the room. She took several steps to the side, out of view.

Her eyes rounded at the sight of a large ballroom, filled with twinkling lights and crystal chandeliers. She could hardly see the other side, at this distance. And this room was packed full of people. One wall to her left was open to a garden terrace that was also covered with people as far as she could see.

She drew in a deep calming breath and pushed forward, staying close to the wall opposite the garden. She would never blend in with this cloak, when everyone else was in fine garments for the occasion. She hid behind support pillars and decorative statues as she stayed close to the wall. Her only saving grace was that everyone seemed to be paying attention to someone speaking at the end of the hall. The voice was becoming clearer in the distance as she made her way. That had to be The Premier.

Painstakingly slowly, she got as close as she could be without drawing attention to herself. She could see The Premier now. Her attention focused on Kietnan as soon as her eyes found him. She frowned. He looked so tired. And extremely unhappy. Her heart twisted and she held herself back from running up to him. Rahn was right, she'd be subdued before she could get close. Potentially killed on the spot.

The Queen was giving a speech, but Ashima was in no state to comprehend her words. It was becoming extremely hard to stand here in the shadows while her adrenaline was rushing through her. Where was that Rahn??

The Queen finished her speech and the entire room erupted into applause as she sat beside her husband. Ashima gasped in horror as she saw a servant carrying a tray toward their elevated table. Oh skies above. It was one of Zein's guards from her transport from camp. She had no way of knowing if she was involved in the assassination attempt but it was too much to risk. Why would a guard be serving drinks anyway? She looked around. Rahn was nowhere in sight. It was all on Ashima now. When she felt she couldn't wait a second longer she pushed off the wall and sprinted toward the woman.

Ashima was so full of adrenaline and hyper focused on her target, the entire room seemed to fall silent around her. She didn't hear chatter, she no longer heard shuffling as people took their seats, she didn't hear guards shouting as they noticed her. Truth be told, she had no idea what was happening around her, she just knew she had to stop the tray of potentially poisonous drinks from reaching its target.

Her arm reached forward to grab the tray, but just as her fingers felt metal, it slipped away as she suddenly collided with a body and was tackled to the ground.

She twisted onto her stomach and tried to pull free as her attacker pinned her hands down behind her, onto her lower back.

She looked up, frantically, where did the tray of drinks go? She spotted it, now sitting on the table directly in front of the king and queen. The woman who was holding it now standing there, pointing at her. She looked up to see the entire Premier staring at her, guards all around them were rushing to the front of the table. Suddenly all the noises she had been blocking out came to her ears full force. People were shouting and the uproar was deafening.

She looked around in panic, what could she do? She couldn't seem to find her voice to call out.

Suddenly the weight was lifted off of her, and she was embraced in warm, strong arms. Her head being pulled into a familiar chest. "Ki..." she whimpered. Unable to hold back her tears as emotion filled her with the physical contact.

"Shima." He spoke gently in return, caressing her hair with one hand while the other was wrapped around her back

"Get away from him!" She heard people shouting.

Focusing back to the moment at hand, Ashima pulled her head away from Kietnan to look into his face. "You must warn your family, he is trying to kill them."

Kietnans face showed confusion, "What? Who is?"

Before she could answer, guards were pulling her away from Kietnan

"No, let her speak!" He yelled. "Don't touch her!"

"She just tried to attack the Premier!" The female guard yelled at him, pulling her further away from Kietnan as two male guards held his arms, pulling him away from Ashima and back towards his brothers.

"No!" Kietnan yelled as he struggled. "Ashima!" He fought the guards and slipped away just in time for another to grab him. Four guards were now holding him back as Ashima was fighting against the one guard holding her.

She turned to the king and queen. "My lords, I beg of you to listen! Zein is free and trying to assassinate you and your family! He said he was going to poison you!"

The hall erupted into a deafening roar once again. The king and queen motioned their hands to quiet the crowd.

"They planned to poison you and blame it on me. Arrest me if you must, but please don't drink or eat anything! Find Zein! He has General Garen!"

Queen Thala's eyes widened and King Japheth turned to speak with a guard, who then ran off. Presumably to look into what she had said.

"Stupid girl." The female holding her whispered into her ear. She pulled Ashima closer to the Premier's table, kicking the back of her knees to make her kneel directly in front of the king and queen. "My lords, we must deal with her attempt on your lives swiftly!" She held up a knife to Ashima's throat and Kietnan's roars from behind them echoed through the hall.

"No!" Kietnans brothers all yelled at the guard.

"Stop what you're doing! We will investigate this matter. Guards, take her to a cell for now." Relief flooded through Ashima. She had done it, she had saved them and somehow she was still alive. But her relief was short-lived. The guard didn't remove the blade from her neck. She seemed to be stalling, unsure of what to do next. Finally, her grip on Ashima loosened slightly. 

"As you wish, my Lord." Movement from behind the king and queen caught Ashima's eye. But everyone was watching her, no one was looking behind the royal couple. A cloaked figure, sneaking up behind them. She saw a flicker of light off of metal and realized there was a knife or dagger of some kind.

"Watch out!" Ashima yelled. With the guard holding her using one arm to sheath her blade, Ashima was able to pull free. Diving onto the stage, underneath the premier's table, between the king and queen. As she was getting her legs underneath her again, the king and queen staring at her in shock, the hood came off and Zein raised his blade up to strike the back of the king.

"For Domu!" Zein yelled

Ashima pushed forward into a dive again and circled her arms around Zein's legs just as he brought his blade down.

"No!" She heard Kietnan yell loudly, mixed with other voices yelling various things.

"You fool!"

"What have you done!"

She had failed. She listened to the upset cries of the people around her and tears streamed down her cheeks as she drew in a weak breath. She had done everything she could but it wasn't enough. Exhaustion filled her.

With the last amount of energy she could muster she called out. "I'm sorry. I am so sorry for everything, Ki. I love you." 

Then everything went black.