Just Say A Word

"Wakey, wakey," Ayse chortled, drawing the half-alert prince's attention. 

The groggy Charling tried to reach up and rub his forehead. Till he realized that he was still tied up, far more so than the last time he was conscious. 

Charling's batting eyes also caught light of Ayse in front of him. It took a second for Charling's vision to adjust to the morning light. And the moment they did, he screamed, "Blood! Why so much blood–"

"Shhhh…" Ayse pressed a crusty, bloody finger to the prince's stressful lips.

While the prince tried to shirk the filthy finger, Ayse softly spoke, "You're fine. I'm fine. Everyone here is fine. Apart from Forde and his men, because this all belonged to him before his passing." 

That sent the pampered prince into a tizzy. Charling's entire face twitched from the thought of a dead man's blood being smeared against his lips of all places!

Of course, Ayse didn't care about that.