"It's already so late". Liora murmured, twisting her fingers nervously in the folds of her skirt.
None of them had ever been outside this late and not to even say that they were a long way from home.
The Princess just sighed and didn't say a word.
"We're already past the human world now. We should reach the Dark Valley in about an hour. Then a day's ride more to our final destination, the palace". Orion said and the ladies nodded.
Liora swallowed hard as she retracted her gaze from the window. "Is… is the sky really dark over there ?". She asked in a small voice.
There was a short pause before Orion replied. "Yes".
The carriage was silent for a while until it jolted over a rut in the road, jostling the two ladies . Liora let out a small gasp, her fingers flying to clutch Eleanor's sleeve immediately.
"After this mountain". Orion continued. " There's an inn before we get to the Dark Valley. You'll take a rest there. You need it and so do the horses."
The ladies exchanged glances and Liora's lower lip trembled in fear.
Sensing their hesitation, he sighed and added. "I mean, it's a human inn and is safe for you guys. It's the last one before the valley and we won't find another one past it so you can rest there ".
"O-okay". Liora whispered in relief and her grip on the Princess loosened .
The Princess however, couldn't shake the feeling of unease coiling in her stomach. "But if the inn is only minutes from the Dark Valley… and it's already nighttime …". She hesitated, then forced the words out. "Won't the vampires be near?".
Liora gasped , her fingers darting to clutch the Princess sleeves again as she whimpered . "W…would they attack us?".
Orion let out a dry chuckle and she could almost imagine the pride on his face as he spoke.
"Of course not. This is a royal carriage. They'll know better than to court death".
"Great then".
With a shaky exhale, the Princess leaned back against the cushioned seat, closing her eyes to take a quick nap before the arrive at the inn.
____________
However after enjoying a short moment of blissful nap, she was jolted awake by the sudden and violent jerking of the carriage.
The carriage jerked to a halt so violently that Princess Eleanor's head snapped forward, her teeth clacking together.
Liora shrieked, nearly tumbling from her seat. Outside, the horses screamed their hooves skidding against the dirt and then ,there was an eerie silence.
"W … what's happening?!". Liora cried and immediately grasped the sleeves of the Princess's dress.
The Princess's heart slammed against her ribs violently .
Were they under attack?
Had the vampires come?
Orion's voice came out in a low growl from the partition. "It's just some fool seeking death by constituting a nuisance. Don't be afraid, just stay inside quietly . I'll deal with them."
Before they could respond, the carriage shifted as he leaped down. The thud of his boots hitting the ground was followed by an eerie silence.
Then…
Chaos.
A guttural snarl ripped through the night followed by the sound of bodies hitting the earth and splattering against the dirt.
Liora whimpered, her entire body trembling as she pressed herself into the corner of the carriage.
Princess Eleanor's throat ran dry and her breath came in short, frantic gasps. Her face became even paler as she noticed the sounds getting more louder and closer and it seems like there weren't just one or two attacker but a whole pack of them.
Her hands flew to her chest as the dreadful fear spread throughout her whole body.
What was going to happen?
Were they going to die here?
Outside, sounds of what seems like a sword slashing into a flesh filled the air and the growl, snarl and the sickening crunching of bones seems to multiply.
At this point, she didn't even know how Orion was faring. He was the only one they had to protect them but their attackers were so many and she wondered if he could fend them off himself.
She tried to listen for his voice but all she heard was the overwhelming sound of the chaos ensuing.
"Please. Please don't get hurt ". At this point she whispered to no one in particular , her voice breaking as she trembled in her seat. "Please don't get hurt. Don't leave us here alone."
Even after a while, the sounds outside didn't fade and if anything, the sounds multiplied.
Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to move. Her limbs trembled and her muscles locked with terror, but she couldn't just sit here. Not if there was even a sliver of hope the Orion was still alive.
She had to at least be sure that he was still alive.
"Stay here quietly ". She ordered Liora in a shaky voice who let out a choked sob but nodded anyways.
Lowering herself to a crouching position on the floor, she reached out with her trembling hands, she reached for the carriage door.
The brass handle was icy beneath her fingers. She took a shuddering breath and was about to yank it open but before she could, the carriage shook heavily.
BANG.
The carriage jolted as something heavy slammed onto it causing the Princess to be thrown backwards to the opposite wall, her waist ramming into the seat with force and Liora immediately let out a yelp and screamed.
The Princess yelped as her body crashed against the wall and the seat.
She shook her head desperately and she almost passed out from the fear and abrupt push against the wall. But she wasn't even sure if Orion was still alive.
Gasping, she pushed herself up. At this point, Liora was already curled into a ball, sobbing.
Summoning the last dregs of her courage, she crawled to the door again, her pulse hammering in her ears but the moment she touched the door , everywhere immediately went eerily silent.
Tremors shook her body and she swallowed. This wasn't a good sign. Was it over ? Was he safe?
Please let him be alive. Please let him be alive. She murmured to herself as her fingers closed around the handle.
She bit her trembling lips and pulled.
The door creaked open and the freezing wind howled inward, biting at her skin and the moment she saw what lay before her, she froze.