Ash and Olivia arrived at the palace dirty with tired expressions. Ash had taken lightly all the things the girl had told him. She was shocked by the reality of the world and that was why she was trying so hard to convince him she wanted to change it. The world would not change, for years and years it had been this way, rotten and decaying more every day that passed. Everyone was looking for a way out, it would be ridiculous if Olivia was actually looking for a way in so she could just help.
"I think we should try and do something about the orphans first. I have some money saved up and…" Olivia told him once they stepped through the palace door. The guards looked at her with a confused expression, the girl shy, knowing how she looked liked but still she didn't stop trying to explain to Ash her plan as they headed towards his room.
"Olivia, stop." Ash told her strictly. "There is nothing you can do. You have money, so what? Also it is not your money it is your family's you won't be able to just take it and gift it away…" he said, sighing.
"I'm sorry. I know it must sound childish but I really want to do something. I can't just go one and live after what I've seen." she told him, looking at the young vampire with wide doe like eyes. Ash placed his palm on her dirty shoulder, looking down at her since he was taller.
"That's what everyone else does. You should do it too."
"I don't want to."
"I won't argue with you about this too. The Alleys are dangerous, you saw that yourself. We will not be going there again." he warned her.
"I will go on my own then." She said, stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest and staring at Ash with a look that signaled she was not going to change her mind. The blue eyed vampire clicked his tongue, his eyes rolling as she heard her.
"Do as you wish then. Be sure to come back." he brushed her off.
"So you won't come with me next time?" She asked, kind of discouraged.
"No. I have things to do. I should be out today either, Kai could need me and I would be away. I am his guard. I don't have the time to…"
"Did you hear that the prince has been imprisoned?" Ash heard two maids gossiping as they were passing by him and Olivia. His eyes widened, his face frozen with shock as his head snapped and he grabbed one of them.
"What did you just say?" Ash asked her, looking at her with such an intense expression that he scared her.
"The-they youngest prince. He is accused of killing a vampire together with that drug lord friend of his and they have been locked in the dungeon while they search for clues." She explained and once she was over, feeling Ash' grip tighten she pulled her arm off, rushing away with the other girl.
"How could something like this happen?" Olivia whispered, shocked herself about the absurd news.
"I shouldn't have gone with you. I wasn't here. Even though I had promised to be here and help him I left with you and now he is being accused of murder!" Ash shouted, making Olivia take a step back.
"Ash, I am sorry I didn't mean to…"
"Don't ever come near me again. I have one job and that is making sure that Kai is well." he told her, his voice filled with hatred as he ran off, agitated leaving the young girl there, feeling guilty and in the brim of tears.
"I am sorry." she mumbled, thinking that truly this was her fault. Ash didn't like her at all, she felt like a nuisance to him but why couldn't she stop herself from wondering how he would look if he genuinely smiled at her…did Olivia like him? She wondered, the revelation shocking her. "Impossible." she mumbled.
Ash had run off to where he didn't know, he had no idea where the dungeons were or what he should do but for now he simply wanted to find Kai and help him. What would happen to him if he was actually found guilty? On his way to the gods knew where, rushing he found himself colliding with the crown prince.
"I finally found you!" Xan exclaimed, grabbing him.
"Let me go, I need to find Kai."
"That's why I need you." the crown prince whispered and looked at him with a serious expression. Xan pulled him to the side, getting him away from any possible wandering eyes and ears. "Do you have any idea for how long I have been looking for you? Where the hell…it doesn't matter. Kai and Lun will probably get executed, I need you to help me."
"Executed? How? He is the prince!" Ash asked.
"Because he is accused of killing a werewolf! Does the reason really matter? I need you to do something, maybe this way we can buy some time…"
"What should I do?"
"Go to Lun's bedroom and Kai's, make sure no one finds out and find the weapon the one who did it has planted there, then I need you to leave the palace and throw that shit into a river or something. If the weapon is not found then…"
"The weapon has been found, how horrible." A guard said as walked to their side. "It was in the prince's room." he told the other man that was with him. Xan's eyes widened, standing on the side he tried to realize how he had been so slow.
"Shit, fuck!" He cursed, startling the guards who hadn't noticed them by now. "What are you looking at? Fuck off" he swore at them making them ran away. Today the news were being delivered by total strangers and they were not pleasant, getting worse every time.
"What do we do now?" Ash asked with a worried expression.
"Now, we pray." Xan answered him, his eyes staring blankly at the floor.
He had tried to help him but he had failed.