Light Eyes; DarK Eyes

They reached the king’s study without any problems; the guards all but ignored them. Aurora was well known to the guards as an unshakeable and trustworthy leader. On the battlefield, she never led from the back, like so many others did. She was a symbol of victory, and an amazing fighter at that. Even Aiden had heard of her in his own country.
The King was a bit surprised to be woken in the dead of night. He was more surprised by the mind-controlled messenger. But he was decidedly most surprised by the fact that waiting in his study was his daughter, the would-be assassin and a Darric prisoner, who apparently stopped the assassin, and carried him to the King’s study. The fact that he spoke perfect Celestine didn’t appear to bother the king too much.
“Let me get this straight…he’s awake at least three days early.” Aurora nodded. “He took out an assassin.” Another nod. “He told you his name.” Nod. “And then he carried the assassin here.” She nodded for the final time. “Well? What are you going to do about him now?” he asked, while Aiden quietly ignored the proceedings, standing in a corner, looking mildly sheepish. He was trying to pretend that he wasn’t there, because it seemed to work for the other two. Aiden found it rather ineffective, truth be told.
“Keep him close, and keep a closer eye on him?” she suggested. Her father mulled his over.
“Alright. Where will he sleep?”
“The couch.”
“And what about the information we could get from him?”
“I don’t think he’s going to tell us, one way or another.”
“Hmm. Fine. If you think that this is best, and you are confident that he will be civil…you may keep him under close watch. However,” there’s always a sticking point, Aiden thought. “—he will sign a blood contract now, or its back to the tender ministrations of our interrogation unit.” Always. Aiden told himself, with only a touch of bitterness.
“And what is the contract to contain?” he finally spoke up, eyes slightly narrowed.
“You will offer no harm to my daughter, the Princess Aurora. You will not stand by idle if harm is being offered her. Her pain will be yours, and this contract shall strike you dead if you should try to kill her.” While he spoke, he wrote on a piece of parchment with his own blood. He handed it to Aurora to sign. Then it was Aiden’s turn. He read it carefully, testing all of the words so that he would not be expected to do more than what was written. Well, more than the freedom—what little he had had left—he was giving up.
Silently, he picked up the dagger that had been laid on the desk, and cut his hand, signing his full name on the parchment. He didn’t comment on the stare that he received from the king. An invisible chain slipped around Aurora and Aiden, making the contract complete. Had one been able to see it, it would have reminded them of a dog’s choke chain, right around Aiden’s throat.
“Well, I believe that concludes this business.”
“What about the assassin?” Aurora asked.
“I will have the healers look over him, and go from there. More than likely he’ll be sent to one of the other forts. You may return to your rooms, Daughter. And—” he glanced at the page still in front of him. “—Aiden.” He dismissed them, not realizing that Aiden would have told him his name, had he asked.