His heart stopped, or at least, it felt like it did. Everything fell silent to him. Dacian clutched the curtain with his eyes wide, beginning to grow teary. Guilt started to fill him. Sooner or later, he began to feel regret too. So much was going through his head. Everything he has seen has just left him dumbfounded, and yet, full with words at the same time. "Oh heavens have mercy," He muttered. His eyes glanced back at his door; he couldn't bear to look out into the gardens now.
The guard had been, well, torn apart. Evander would be heartbroken in the morning. Not just because he had done it, but because he knew all of his guards by name. Had fought with many of them during the war. And it would break his heart to know what he had done to one of them.
Dacian did not move from where he sat. His legs felt wobbly. If he were to stand up, he'd probably fall. The images of the slained guard replayed in his mind till he forced it to stop. Stop….Something must be done to that hellish thing. Why is everyone just letting it go about? With his right hand, he grabbed his hair while he rested his head against the wall. Never had he expected to witness such a thing before his very eyes. Never ever.
(timeskip?)
The creature eventually finished with its meal, taking to the air again and flying around the palace courtyards, roaring its triumph.
(Yea sure!)
It took him a while to gather up the will to glimpse out the window again. He did his best to not look down at the body of the poor soldier, but rather keep his focus on the monster. How vile and horrid it is. Dacian started to feel drained as he watched. A lightheaded feeling lingered within him. Once it flew away, he sat back down, letting out a deep sigh.
When the first lights of dawn flickered into the courtyard, the monster fled the courtyards. It landed in the upper story of one of the stables, scaring the poor horses into a frenzy. As the creature turned back into the king, the monstrous features melted away, and Evander opened his eyes to find himself lying in the hay, smeared in blood. He was almost immediately sick, retching up the contents of his stomach while tears pricked at his eyes. He knew, though, that he needed to get out of here, back to his rooms. Quickly, before anyone else could see him like this. He grabbed some of the clothes that the groom had left behind, pulling it on, and then quickly making his way through the halls. The guard at his door was shocked to see him, but let him into his room without question. Evander had worn a cloak, to cover up the blood. Once in his own chambers again, he took a bath, trying to figure out what to do about the guard. The body would be found soon, he knew. If not already.
Dacian had not slept at all. Even as he sat there for an hour, his eyes simply could not shut. Every time he did, he saw the monster, blood, and the poor guard. He had to convince himself that he was fine so that he could get up and walk over to his desk. The journal was still open to his last entry. Instantly after sitting down, he wrote everything that happened despite his hands shaking. He wasn't sure if he should show it to the king, especially since most of the entry was written in Sceivanian. Would it appropriate or would it be pure blasphemy? When he finished writing about the horror he witnessed, he yawned. The light coming from the windows caused him to groan. It wouldn't be long till he had to start with his diplomatic duties again.
Once Evander finished bathing, he wrapped himself in a towel and looked in the mirror. He looked dead inside, more so than normal. His grey eyes were shadowed, and he looked exhausted and worn-out. A dish towel wrung out too many times. He grimaced, raking his hands through his wet hair and then getting dressed, still frowning.
By the time he changed into new clothes, he heard a knock at the door. It was only just a servant coming in with his morning tea. Dacian asked for the young man to wait for a moment as he wrote a letter to the king. The idea of keeping what had happened a secret seemed like a burden to him; he must tell someone. He wrote asking if they could meet for discussion some time in the afternoon. After creating the wax seal, he handed it to the servant, telling them to deliver it to King Evander as soon as possible.
Evander got the message a few minutes later, reading through it and closing his eyes for a moment. What to do now? He hesitated for a moment, then wrote out a reply. Yes, he would be willing to meet with Dacian around two o'clock, if that was alright? The servant took the reply to Dacian, and Evander looked up as one of the guards entered his room.
"Your majesty, the creature…got out again last night. It, ah…" the guard hesitated. "Josef Kray is dead, sir."
Evander closed his eyes for a moment. "I'm sorry. Kray…he had a husband, yes? And two children? Have they been…notified?"
"No sir." the guard replied.
He nodded, standing. "Right. Give me a moment." he wrote out a letter to Kray's husband, Matthew, promising any aid the crown could render, along with apologies that this had happened. He sealed it with his signet ring, handing the letter to the guard. "Give this to Matthew Kray, along with this." he handed the guard a coin-purse. The guard bowed, carrying off the letter and coin-purse.
In the meantime, he wrote a few more letters. One was for his assistant and the other two were for ambassadors, asking if it is possible to move meetings to other days. The one he was working on as the servant returned was for his oldest brother for he had not written to him ever since he got here. Dacian opened up the response for the king and wrote another, then placed it on top of the others. He handed them over. "Thank you," He mumbled, watching as the servant nodded and made his way to the door.
His eyes lingered over to the letter opener. Immediately he shouted, "Wait!" The servant jumped, slowly turning to face him. Dacian picked up the letter opener and trudged over. He held it out to the other saying, "Keep this. Have it on you at all times and only use it for safety or other appropriate reasons. Understood?" Not saying a word, the servant nodded. A faint smile swept across his face. "Now go."
(wait did he write another message to Evander? Or not?)
(He did write another message. Just one to say that he is fine with the meeting time and will meet Evander then.)
(alright)
Evander glanced at the message from Dacian, then got up and ordered some breakfast. Tea and some toast, butter, and jam. His stomach wouldn't be able to handle anything more than that. He hated that he was like this, hated that the creature could get out, but he didn't know what to do. Killing the beast would kill him, and without an heir…Aven would be left defenseless and kingless.
Dacian barely touched his cup of tea. By the time he decided to drink it, the drink was cold. The letter from King Evander rested between his index and middle finger. He wonder how the king was doing right now. After a long evening and a ball, he was only able to assume things. Setting down the paper, he pulled his journal over, reading what he had wrote. He must plan what he will say at their meeting, if not for his own sake but for the king's.
By the time Evander's breakfast was delivered, he had stoked the fire to a roaring blaze, and sat down by it, wrapped in a blanket, to eat. He always felt cold after a night spent as the creature. Always felt like the blood in his veins had been drained and replaced with ice water. Sometimes he swore he couldn't feel his heartbeat, though he knew it was just a trick of his mind.
The weariness from staying up all night was taking its toll on him. Dacian did his best not to let his focus wander, although he was tempted everytime he looked over to the curtains covering the window. While he did his best to meander more importantly work to other dates so that it wouldn't be affected by his current condition and worries. On another note, he ate his breakfast and had a fresh cup of tea, still with his eyes on the journal, letters, and the curtains covering the windows.
Evander had already cleared his morning of any meetings; he always did, the day after the creature. By afternoon, he would be well enough to meet with people. He had to be. If he wasn't…he shook his head a little at that. He had to be. He would be.
He looked up at the clock standing to the side of the room. There was still enough time for him to prepare or to do whatever wouldn't take away his remaining energy. Dacian shut his journal then got up, walking over to open the curtains. He wasn't sure what made him do this for he couldn't bear to think about the poor guard's death. He felt guilty about witnessing it. The view was eerie now, and it may have that feeling for as long as he stays..
(timeskip to their meeting?)
(alright!)
As two rolled around, Evander was in one of the smaller parlor meeting rooms. More informal, without a big table, but with assorted comfortable chairs. Really, a sitting room, essentially. He sent a servant to fetch Dacian, closing his eyes for a moment as he waited. He was already tired, and he was barely halfway through the day.
Finally as the clock store two, he began to feel a bit better. Somehow he managed to relax and take a nap. About twenty minutes beforehand, he began to get ready. Dacian made sure that he had his journal in hand and that there wasn't a single wrinkle in his clothes. And he did his best to fix any other detail as he walked over with the servant. When they had reached the room, he walked in after the door was opened. "Good afternoon, Your Majesty," He said, while bowing. "Thank you for meeting me so soon. Have you been well since last evening?"
Evander gave a faint smile. "Good afternoon, Ambassador. I've been fine, thank you." he replied, looking at Dacian. "Take a seat so we can talk, yes? Would you like anything to eat, drink?" he himself had a cup of hot tea, which steamed in the saucer he held it in. There was an assortment of small pastries, as well; this meeting with Dacian wasn't the first Evander had had, and some of the pastries were obviously gone.
He shook his head, "I appreciate the offer, but I am afraid that sadly I do not have much of an appetite for anything." Dacian let out a gentle sigh as he walked over and sat down. The journal laid on top of his lap. Biting down on his bottom lip, he thought back to how he planned to talk about what had happened. King Evander's apperance made him weary as his concern for the king had presented itself again. "I do not want to waste your time at all, in fact I want to help you with anything that I possibly can….." He stated. His tone lowered as he inched to the edge of the seat. "The monster…Last night, I couldn't sleep and I happened to see something that I feel that I need to tell you. May I?"
