Dani knew it was stupid to talk to the king as she did, but she wasn't entirely sure she cared enough to attempt to earn his graces again. He stood and Dani stared right back at him without fear. Perhaps a bit, but not of the king so much as of his guards. Without knives, Dani knew as well as he did that she was defenseless other than her fists, and she was a lot smaller than the guards around her.
Leo moved between Dani and the king and she felt a small urge of annoyance but knew that he was only trying to help. Perhaps he didn't realize she wasn't as fragile as she appeared, and often let others believe. Dani slowly moved to the corridor Leto had pointed out previously, her movements slow enough that they wouldn't draw attention as Leto spoke to his father. It wasn't as if the king couldn't sick his guards on Dani still, perhaps he was planning to strike her as he did Leo, though Dani doubted the king had enough of a spine to do something such as that.
Dani nodded at Leo's words. The Nanderan bloodshed was horrendous. She had even heard children, not much older than twelve, had been picked off the streets, given a sword, and told to go fight. Dani, so focused on going to her friends, barely registered that Silas lashed out at his own son.
As the king made the final order to grab her, Dani took off running for the corridor. One guard charged at her and she managed to evade him though not the arrow that skimmed her calf. Dani let out a muffled cry as she fell to the floor, her leg bleeding. Thankfully the arrow had only barely hit the outside. She had forgotten to search for archers, bound to be present since the king knew she was graced. Kings rarely took chances around the graced.
Dani felt rough hands grab her and saw red just around the corner, most likely that of her companions. Dani felt tears stain her face as she saw Racien's hand with the single ring that he wore for his father on his left hand. It was unmoving and Dani wasn't sure if he was alive or not. She looked for that servant, the graced one from the town, but he was nowhere to be seen. Dani bit back another moan of pain as the guards dragged her, her injured leg leaving a trail of blood out from underneath her skirts. They stopped before the King and Dani met his eyes still, her anger and hatred undisguised now that all pleasantries had been discarded.
Leo looked at her and she just looked at him sadly, realizing how much he had just destroyed trying to help her yet neither of them had succeeded. Dani wasn't sure if Leto was the one who should take the throne briefly, sure he would be a better king than his father, but would kindness and compassion be enough when he wasn't necessarily self confident or uncertain of himself in general?
Dani nodded at him but looked to the king a moment later. "If you harm them, you'll regret it," She stated, not even caring there was a slight quiver in her voice from her fear of her friends' condition. She couldn't even stand properly with the blood slick beneath her and the skirts becoming sodden with it. "It's coming to an end Silas," She stated simply, figuring he was smart enough to understand what she meant.
The guards began pulling her along, forcing her to try to stumble along and attempt to keep up or have her injured leg dragging on the ground mercilessly. She limped along as fast as she could, not even caring how undignified the king would believe her to be.[/center]