Kayla reached Shal'Mer with no trouble. She didn't understand why, but she felt like she was being followed. She kept doing double takes, thinking she saw Drizzt at every turn. She relaxed as she entered the city. The drow would have no reason to follow her. Her parents both knew she was leaving, and her mother had given her a parting gift. But she knew that her father would go to any length to protect her. She rented a room for the night at a small inn at the edge of the town. She shed her traveling cloak and hung it on the door. She laid down on the comfortable, feather-stuffed mattress and fell asleep. But she wasn't alone. Three men dressed entirely in black slipped in through her window. The first man chuckled quietly, looking at her peacefully snoring form.
"Aw, isn't she precious. The future queen of Mithril Hall. Too bad she won't be alive to rule." He chuckled again, louder this time, as he raised a dagger above her head. There was a flash of light, a shuffling sound, and three muffled thumps. The three assassins were dead before they hit the ground.
Kayla awoke to see a man turning towards her, his hand on her window latch, locking it. She leapt up, reaching for her daggers. But they weren't there. The man smiled, holding up Kayla's belt and daggers. But then he did something unexpected. He tossed her belt to her and moved towards the door.
"Hurry up. We have to get out of here as fast as we can. It's not safe for you here, Kaylaron." She gaped at him. Even through her shock, she noticed that he was very handsome. He had dark, slightly curly brown hair and brown eyes flecked with golden specks. He waved his hand in front of her face to get her attention.
"Kayla! Move! You almost died last night and if we don't get out of here now, it's likely to happen again. NOW MOVE!"
"But-you- who are you?" He moved towards her, extending his hand.
"Manveru Altharen. And you," he looked her over, his eyes lingering when they met hers, "are Kaylaron Battlehammer, future queen of Mithril Hall. Did you really think that someone so important could simply disappear? Now follow me. I know a safe place where you can hide."
"No," she said, not accepting his hand, "I can take care of myself. I don't have to follow anyone I don't want to."
"I think that this situation is more dangerous than you know. Please. I need you to trust me. Everything will be explained to you soon enough. But we need to move you to a safe place. Please. It would be in your best interest. If you want to stay and die, be my guest. But I want to help you." After a moment of indecision, she buckled on her belt and followed him out of the room.