Chapter Five: Edwyn

Enid saves Delia.

The next few days went by fast. Edwyn watched the InnKeeper burn after death, trying his best not to think of the man’s family back at home. After that, celebration. Getting so drunk that he didn’t have to think about the things that he had done previously.

He didn’t really think about anything else the next few days. Delia would make fun of how drunk he got as she helped him back to his room each night and he would never be able to think of something smart to say. “You’re really stupid sometimes, you know that?”

“Thank you.” He said one night as he collapsed. That was probably a sign that he should have stopped drinking there, but he didn’t. It continued into the next day, he got drunk again and didn’t really pay attention to what was going on around him, but then again, that was basically what everyone else was doing.

Something in him just wanted the rest of the world silenced as he finished his drink, but of course, things didn’t work that way. Edwyn didn’t really know how it happened, all that he remembered was the aftermath of the events. There was screaming with the horrific realisation that the chandelier had crashed to the floor, there was a body of a performer under it.

The thing that really got Edwyn’s attention was the girl. Enid. She had pushed Delia to the ground and soon, Edwyn figured out why. There was one long knife sticking out from her chair, Edwyn looked to his side to see a good chunk of his chair missing. There had been two assassination attempts. “Sorry,” Enid pushed herself up off of the girl and backed up, trying her best to make herself small.

The King recognised her anyway. “You saved my ward,” He said. Enid was frozen there, and didn't say anything. “You must be rewarded for what you did.” He didn’t hear Enid’s reply, her voice was so small that he couldn’t hear it, but he guessed that the King said something that Enid rejected. “Nonsense,” He said. “As a reward, you shall be named her new serving girl.” The girl blinked and then nodded.

“Thanks?” She said. That was all she could say. Edwyn looked to Delia, she was staring up at the girl who was just trying to sink away from the attention that everyone was giving her. He knew what was about to come next.

As everyone cleaned and Delia and Edwyn left the room, she was quiet. “Well, that was eventful.” Edwyn said when the silence got too great. Delia provided a little smile, staring down at the ground as she walked. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” She said.

“Right, fine.” He replied. The two of them walked a little bit more, before Edwyn spoke again. “Someone’s daydreaming.”

“Shut up,” She rolled her eyes.

“You liked that girl, didn’t you?” Delia rolled her eyes again.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” She said. “Also be a little louder, why don’t you?” Edwyn rolled his eyes, knowing full well what that meant.

“She’s pretty.” He offered her. Her cheeks flushed momentarily and she looked to the side.

“Yes, she is.” Delia said. “I’m glad that I have her as a maid now, but I don’t think that she was very thrilled with the prospect of that.”

“I don’t think she wasn’t thrilled with the prospect of serving you, I think it was the prospect of having to be near me more by proxy.” He watched Delia’s lips turn up a little in a smile, before she tried to quell it again.

“Well, then. I wouldn’t blame her.”

“Right.” He said.

“Because you’re a miserable human being.” They made there way to Delia’s room.

“I take pride in that compliment,” He laughed.

“I know you do.” With that, she bid him good night and closed the door to her room. Edwyn made his way back to his room, trying to forget the whole experience that had just happened, but there was something sort of off about it. Like there was something about the girl that would become important to him in the future, but he didn’t know what yet.