The shadows engulfed their precious charge and swallowed her whole, rescuing her from these idiots who challenged the Princess's protection. The touch of the forest folk should never overstep the protection of the Shadow King's vows. As it were, they formed a safe funnel to whisk her away settling her in a place that was safer than her current situation.
Raina, unaware of the considerations of the Shadows, found herself in total darkness, a slightly unnatural feeling that was warming at the same time. The scent of Kyera was heavy in the air, relaxing and soothing as she felt the warmth of light through her eyelids. Her body landed on something, not something stone either. A warm chest, and a pair of hands grabbed her arms swaying dangerously as if to stay teetered on some unknown edge. Raina quickly realized it was a ledge, and she was on something… or someone's lap.
She looked up into the rather surprised face of Hayden. It seemed he had cut his hair, and it now fell in almost wild spikes around his face and ears, a bit messy but after all, he wasn't on duty. A stick from a sugar sculpture was poking out the corner of his lips as he looked down at her. Her back was against one of his legs, which apparently, he had been sitting with bent up to rest his arm on. Her weight was resting on his thigh, leg extended and swinging loosely off the edge of the wall.
"Princess?" He asked raising an eyebrow, his hands still on her shoulders as he balanced the pair of them. She could hear the music from the dance not far away.
"H-H-Hayden?" She asked and confusion knit her little eyebrows together. "Mommy said the shadows would lead me back to her." Hayden looked at the depth of the shadows around him and chuckled. That made alot more sense, granted why the shadows had burdened him with the young princess made him quite curious. He was only 3 years her senior and yet… Oh well.
"The shadows work in mysterious ways. They probably took you to the safest servant of shadows in the area. Knowing your mother she is with Clovis and around your 'family' and I use the word loosely. So obviously, here with me was safer than there with them." Hayden replied trying to take this new development in stride. He carefully shifted under her, so the pressure of the wall ledge wasn't putting his leg to sleep.
"Oh Goodness, I'm sorry I was in shock…" She whispered as she tried to scoot off his lap. She then saw the drop below, a long fall and gasped clinging to his hand. Hayden laughed and hugged her as she began to panic.
"Princess, stop moving. Let me." He scooted out from under her and stepped backward, off the wall onto the stone floor. He took her around the waist and helped her down. "See, no harm done."
"So high…" she whimpered and he smiled at her.
"I know, but it's the best view in town." Now that she was down and not worked about falling, she followed his gaze. The forest spread for miles, she could see the tallest trees flirting with the clouds. She could see the storm twins swirling around each other creating designs in the clouds. It was… breathtaking.
"Wow…" she was awestruck. He chuckled.
"Now let's get off this roof before we fall. My apologies for my rudeness but I need to take the liberty of holding your hand again, Princess." He took her hand and led her down, safely from the rooftop. "Watch your step" he warned as she took the ladder to the ground.
"Thank you." Raina sighed deeply, glad to be back on the ground.
"No, thank you Princess. You did much better than most girls, and most actually climbed up there." He teased still holding her hand. They both realized that at the same time and let go.
"Well I need to find my Mom…" Raina pointed out and he nodded.
"Let me escort you. If you walk back alone and get lost I will never hear the end of it." He told her and she nodded. The pair walked in companionable silence through the crowd.