Chapter Ten

Dazed eyes gazed silently into the wall.

"LADY EVE!"

That snapped her out of it. The violet female turned her attention to the huffing red guardian that was Sir Gawain. His jaw was slightly gritted, showing that he was on the verge of 'rage-quitting' from trying to get her attention. When she finally turned to him, he huff a loud sigh and grumbled.

"This is important, come with me." He stated, walking down the hall to a more secluded area. The hedgehog soon followed after with a quiet 'yes sir'.

When they had returned from the forest, King Shadow had told her to take it easy and rest since she hadn't had a decent night's sleep. However, being her, she had continued her chores but had a distant look glassed over in her eyes. She was listless and worked like a zombie that was until Knuckles came up to her.

Now, there they were conspiring under a large weeping willow in the courtyard.

"I gathered herbs like those from last night but these ones will take a bit longer to effect the person's system." Knuckles said.

"We're drugging him. AGAIN!?" She questioned, exclaiming.

Gawain shushed her, "Don't say that out loud. Besides, would you rather him charging through a village and getting someone or himself hurt?"

Eve frowns, looking down before sighing softly. "Y-yes, you are right Sir Gawain." she replies, rubbing her arm. She shifts nervously, eyes setting in determination. This was for the good of the king and his people. With a nod, the echidna begins to tell the maiden his plan, keeping an ear out for eavedroppers and the likes.

~X~

As per their plan, Eve was supposed to get on the dinner shift that night. Which she did do since all of the kitchen staff were all like mothers to her, praising and coddling her like a child. It worked because her parents had apparently abandoned her after the fall of the kingdoms.

The fall of kingdoms was horrid time in the Mobius's existence where the old kingdoms fought to take control and in the their kings' greed, the nations felt. Even the prior kingdom of this province, one of the victims in the violence was destroyed in the flames. Until The present king, Lord Shadow had came to the distraught people and rebuilt the kingdom to even greater heights than the previous royalty had. Unfortunately, many lives were lost in those old wars. The royal couple before the bachelor king had only one heir but no one knows what happened to her after the fall.

Vanilla smiles, watching the purple hedgie fidget nervously as she waits for the king's main course to cook. It wasn't everyday that she would do this and allow the older rabbit to rest her weary feet of always cooking. "You poor girl you, nervous that a king will dislike your food? He's had it before darling." She laughs, earning a pout from the younger mobian.

"You could say that Lady Vanilla." Eve murmurs, pushing around the steak in her pan, spicing it and making the air around it smell delicious.

The knights sitting at the table for evening meal hum in approval at the scent. Their armor off for this night as the king had decided to include himself for dinner. A few rumors were that Lady Eve was cooking today, and that was why he was here tonight. Knuckles glances at the kitchen doors, foot tapping under the table and hoping that the herbs he gave Eve would be laced in the correct meal, that she'd be able to do it at all, and that his king wouldn't notice the special ingredients he decided to add on to his dinner.

"You look restless Knuckles." Crimison eyes set in his direction as he moves to look at the bored expression on the midnight king's muzzle.

"Only for a meal my king." He replies with a slight grin, trying to keep up a calm demeanor while waiting. Before long the doors swing open and the knights, or at least rowdy ones were commenting on food before the food was even placed in front of them. Lady Vanilla smiles sweetly as she places a dish in front of the reptilian knight, Sir Agravain while he chuckles quietly, nervous in her presence, but unable to speak to her as she moves back into the kitchen to clean up. The shy purple female comes out and timidly makes her way to the head of the table where Lord Shadow sat. A slight smile stretches on his face as she sets it in front of him, normally his meals would be sent to his chambers, but this occasion was very rare for the sweet maid to cook him something, something still warm and tasteful.

"Thank you Lady Eve." Lancelot murmurs to her softly when she bows, making her cringe but also blush at the thought of her meals making him happy.

"Y-yes, of course Lord Shadow." She responses as she moves back into the kitchen, catching a glance of Knuckles's violet eyes. Their plan was now a go. Knuckles smiles in relief before starting to eat himself, enjoying the meal that the chefs created to perfection as always.

Soon after, the king drank his wine and finished his meal, pushing away from the table to stand, alarming his knights that ate with him. "Please, enjoy your meals, I'm only retiring for the night." Shadow declares, his cape whipping behind him as he leaves the dining room quietly. The red knight looks over to the king's plate to see it empty, not a scrap was wasted. Perfect.

~x~

"How was it Sir Gawain? Did he eat?" Eve asks the crimison knight as they meet up outside the castle walls, the sunset setting quickly. The purple hedgehog follows after him, even after several, several protests.

"Yes, he did and I saw him go this way too so I need you to be quiet and stay close." Knuckles responds, brushing back limbs of bushes and trees as they walk through the forested area around the wall.

She puffs lightly, hugging her arms as she follows him before gasping sharply when hands wrap around her form from behind, one going over her mouth to silence her. "Lady Eve, haven't we gone through this before? You should know better than to go outside the castle." A deep voice murmurs in her ear, making it twitch and lower in the hypersensitivity from the tone. Sir Gawain snaps his head back, hand on his hilt before sighing once he sees the dark king of this castle, frowning at them both. "Weren't the previous night's activities enough for you two? It is very dangerous to be out here." Shadow continues, his arms losening around Eve's body, letting her relax a bit. "Especially for you Lady Eve." His hand touching the bandages around her throat, a shiver running through her.

"W-we know my lord but we wanted to help you. It isn't right for you to be out here by yourself and fight this battle alone." Eve mumbles, glancing back at him timidly. His eyes were half casted, showing the tired and cautious look he gave her. "W-we can handle it if you can trust us." She says, turning to face him.

"Lady Eve is correct, I personally could handle you for quite some time last night and neither one of us were hurt." Knuckles states, glancing forward to find an old shed, perfect for what they would need.

Shadow gives a small sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Please, don't get into anything you'll come to regret." He breathes before gently pushing Eve on her shoulder, getting her to move away and for good reason as the sky became dark. Crimson eyes becoming feral, pupils slitted like a demon's as he cringes, looking away. Looks like night was here and they better hope their plan works otherwise there would be two missing the morning to come.