Auriel Ch1 Pt1

The Kingdom slept. Creatures of the night took over the cities, villages and towns, wandering through the dark streets. Every now and again, they would be startled by the flicker of the torches the Guards carried through the empty roads.
A gentle breeze washed over the city. A Guard shivered, the light of his torch wavering, scaring a small animal of some kind, resembling a cat. It shot past the Guard and disappeared into the shadows of the nearby trees. The Guard shook his head; he just wanted to go home. He didn’t know what or who he was looking for; all he knew is that the King ordered him and the others to watch over the city.
And surely what the King says is right?
He looked up at the grand palace, surrounded by beautiful gardens, and statues of previous Kings and Queens. It was a breathtaking sight. He wondered what it looked like inside, not in the main part of the building for he had been in there many times, but the part of the building where the King spent most of his time. Only he and selected servants could enter. Even the Queen had not entered it. The Guard had heard what the mysterious room looked like from other Guards - though each story was different. But each told of a beautiful room, filled with the secrets of the Kingdom. A small animal scurried past his feet and startled him, he snapped out of his daydream and carried on walking, patrolling the streets.

Auriel watched a torch light dance through the road outside the Palace from her room. She leaned against the window ledge and sung softly. She was not sure what the song was, it must have been something from her childhood, although her childhood was not something she remembered much of. Her lullaby swept through the nights air.

Some distance from the castle, Eric, her King stood in a clearing in the forest, watched over by his Guards.
A small man or boy was laid on the floor, his arms and legs tied down though he need not have been tied down as he was paralysed with fear.
He couldn’t move, even if he wanted to.
He couldn’t move for Eric would surely kill him if he mad any effort to protest.
Eric raised a sword high above his head. It glittered in the moonlight, reflecting its deadly light on the face of his victim.
He swung the blade swiftly down, his eyes filled with rage and then stopped. The blade hovered inches above the man's neck.
"Tell me now, Leo should I spare your life?” Leo stayed silent, not sure whether to answer or not. “I said, should I spare your life?” Eric’s soft voice now a menacing hiss.
“Please! Yes, Sir, King, I didn’t mean… I was confused… I…”
Eric laughed and lowered the sword just enough to create a small incision and to draw blood. Leo moaned in pain. Eric laughed again coldly. He didn’t respond to his victim’s plea. He raised the sword again, one swift movement, Leo’s head hit the ground, a small stream of blood reddening the ground underneath him.