Page 106 of The Ballad of a Bard

“Where is she?” He asked softly, fervently like a lover drawing pleasure from their partner. West had a sneaking suspicion that the man enjoyed every bit of this, even the parts that were wrong.

“I don’t know,” He lied as he came out from behind the desk to face him. “I was looking for her and I couldn’t find her.”

“No?” The Prince studied him, as if he would find Crimson hiding in the panels of his face, the column of his throat, the broadness of his shoulders, something. “I have a spectacularly hard time believing that she wouldn’t have gone to her brother first, or here even. There is nowhere else within this castle that Crimson would call her own, and yet she wasn’t in the healing ward.”

West pressed his lips together, swivelling around his room as he snuck a quick glance down at her. Her hand was clenched tightly around what he assumed was another damning note, one that he’d take a look at when they were alone. But she shook slightly in fear.

And it angered him.

“I suggest you leave my rooms, Prince Altivar.” He cautiously advised, shoving his hands into his pockets and setting himself on the front of his desk. One ankle kicked over the other as he leaned.

“Without Crimson here, who will take care of the little boy in the ward?” The man hummed. “It would be a shame to see something happen to him without her protection.”

A growl toyed into his words. “I am. If you’re suggesting that you’d let any harm come to an innocent boy, then perhaps we should turn our attention towardsyoufor your mother’s murder.”

Fury flashed in the Prince’s expression. His arms unfolded and came to his side. “Search his rooms.” His cold, dead tone rang out and the men instantly snapped to action.

West flinched, “I’m the captain of the Watch, lest you forget. These men respond to me.”

A smile appeared, cunning and cruel. “Not anymore. My mother bestowed that title on you, and now I’m taking it away from you. Perhaps if you’d done your job properly instead of galavanting on ships with little Bronze Gate rats, my mother wouldn’t be dead.”

The accusation sliced through him like a spear to his heart. He grimaced in pain as it broke a small part of his beating muscle.

“I did my job.” West said. “Protecting you, assheordered me to do.”

The men fanned out and began to rifle through his things, through his rooms, through his life. They weren’t careful or kind either, tossing pillows this way and that, removing his portrait and dumping it on the bed, throwing his items off the surfaces and leaving them on the floor. They rifled through his dresser, pushed his supplies aside, dropped his boots.

Two pushed past him and he fought back, refusing to let them behind his desk. They all turned their attention towards his office at his refusal, as another two came forward, gripping his arms and pulling him away as his feet dragged on the carpet in any attempt to hold back.

Altivar tsked in feigned disappointment, “Be more obvious, Westley.”

Crimson scrambled back as far as she could as one of the sentries grabbed her leg, dragging her out of the hiding spot. She hissed like awild cat, scratching and clawing and his pride glimmered as she fought to survive. Something she’d never stop doing.

Altivar rounded the corner and waited as they hoisted her up. “Crimson Bard, you’re being arrested for your horrendous crimes against Tazali. You’ll be sent to the cells until a trial can be arranged.”

“Let go of me!” She seethed, struggling to break free.

West did the same, grunting and pulling at the men that tried to restrain him. They only held on tighter, dragging him back against the wall and forcing him to his knees.

“Crimson-” He began to warn but she slammed her eyes shut as he began to glow. His skin turned and burned into a brilliant white as his power flowed through him. He felt the sting of magic as it tore into his system, allowing him to access it to its full might.

“Do that and I’ll toss the boy out on the streets without so much as a concoction to help ease his passing.” Altivar threatened and West immediately halted.

Crimson looked as though she might break on the spot, her mouth falling open. “Please don’t hurt Cobalt, he had nothing to do with any of this!” She pleaded as she stopped fighting. “I’ll go with you, just don’t touch him.”

He spun to face the captain with a lifted eyebrow. “And you, West? Am I going to have any more issues from you?”

“Westley, please.” She begged him, tears lining her beautiful green eyes. His full name, even if it wasn’t his Saint-blessed one, sounded wrong on her tongue. It was that that halted his actions, turning to look at her as she whispered, “Just let them take me. Take care of Cobalt, please. For me.”

He nodded slowly, hating the feeling that rose and fell within him like a crashing wave.

“Fine,” He sourly agreed.

“Good, take her away.” The Prince ushered with a flick of hisfingers in the air and she let out a shuddering exhale as they marched her out of his rooms and down the hall. “And lock his doors. I want men stationed in front of them at all times.”

They’d locked him in his apartment like some kind of rabid hound, sending someone in twice a day with a tray of food. He supposed it was for the best because there was no way that Crimson Bard, out of anyone, had murdered Muse. He refused to believe it.

He’d read the note she’d dropped and it only fueled his wrath even more. Even his powers sizzled in rage, light flickering in and out of his fingers like a toy ribbon as it wove in between them.

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