The Queen of Assassin's (Part 2)

I sat on my chair in my room staring at the knives jingling on my door because of the breeze for too long. I heard their screams echoing in my head for too long. That laugh rang in my head like a thousand pounds for too long. I sat in my blood stained clothes for too long. I remembered his face for too long.

After I stabbed Sasha, I heard three sets of screams. I only figured out who they belonged to after I left the room mutely. After they had stopped and my brother was released.

One belonged to Sasha.

One belonged to my brother.

One belonged to me.

My brother screamed for reasons unbeknownst to me. I didn't think it was in physical pain. For recently, I have become very familiar with that sound.

Sasha's screams only lasted a few minutes until he's system shut down and he died.

I screamed because... I don't know. Maybe it was the blood. Maybe it was the other screams. Maybe it was because I could feel the life draining out of him.

I learned something I had never given much thought to before.

Learning to kill was much harder than killing.

In more ways than one.

I didn't train the next afternoon. Every time I picked up a knife, I could hear the screams. It was the first time not training in years. Instead I focused on my next mission. Becoming friends with the future king.

I was in market again, looking for the shop owner Calven, because he seemed familiar with the prince. Even though I hated him almost as much as that prince, he would help me find more about the prince. When a royal messenger came to deliver a message.

He said I was to come with him to the castle. The king wanted to see me.

For what? He did not say.

So I followed him. It might have been my execution. I didn't have it in me to care.

“Miss Celestine,” Greeted the king.

I bowed low. “Your Highness.”

“You did a great good deed for me yesterday.”

“Yes, Highness?” I said staring at the kings eyes. The prince sat a few feet away from him. They both sat on thrones. Though the prince's was smaller. The large hall was empty save for a few guards, me and them. Gold was melted over everything in this room. It was practically shining with wealth.

I was waiting for my death. For the king to say that I was to be killed for being an assassin.

“You saved my son, the prince.” said the king. I did not let out a breath. I did not sink to my knees and thank God for letting me live. I only dipped my head down in acknowledgment.

“And you showed great skill in dire moments.” continued the king. “Tell me, where did you learn that?”

what was I to tell him? I couldn't tell him that I learned it at the assassin's keep.

“My father.” I lied.

“What does your father do?” asked the king.

“Nothing anymore. He's dead.” I said.

“Sorry for your loss.” said the king without much sorrow in his voice.

“Yes, thank you king.” I said with equal emotionless.

“Do you know how to fight.”

I could lie, but it wasn't illegal to know how to fight. “Yes.”

“My son needs to know how to defend himself and learn to think fast in dire moments.” the prince shifted in his seat. It was the first movement I've detected from him.

“Your Highness?”

“Would you teach him?” said the king.

“Father-” protested the prince. He's face showed enough about how much he didn't like this arrangement.

“Be quiet, prince.” scolded the king. The prince deflated in his throne.

I looked from the king to the prince. Slowly blinking I stared at the prince. He met my gaze. His eyes, I saw for the first time, were a bright mix between green and blue. Like a teal. I lock of his jet black hair fell into his face. His eyes were begging me to say no. but his face told me that I couldn't say no. the king would never let me out of this castle without my answer being yes.

“Yes.” I whispered. Never taking my eyes off the prince. “When do we begin?”

I could feel the king between us. I don't know what he saw, but I feeling he didn't like it.

“Tomorrow, and every morning after that, until he can defend himself.”

the prince shifted again, it would have been easy to ignore, if the room wasn't so quiet. The shifting of him in his seat was as loud as his protests.

I finally moved my gaze from the prince and shot it at the king.

“Yes, your Highness.” I said. The king waved a hand to me. A dismissal.

I bowed low again and left the castle room.

I was another step closer to killing the prince.

I knocked at my brother's door.

The door opened and I saw his face. I nearly cried out. He's face had become even more colorful. I could recognize him. His weight was all on one leg. His facial expression was glued in a wince.

“Kov!” I gasped. I went to hug him, but he held out a purple hand.

“Don't, it hurts.” he said.

“Oh, Kov, I'm so sorry!” I was cursing the Master in my head.

“It's...” he groaned.

“Oh, gosh!” I said lightly grabbing his arm. “let's get you back to bed.”

we moved painstakingly slow across the room, I gently laid him back on his bed.

He moaned as the soft pillows embraced him. “..Not your fault.” he finished.

“If I hadn't cut off Sasha's legs,” I winced at the name. “This would have never happened.” I lost control.

“Okay, fine it was your fault.” he said. “it doesn't matter. As long as he didn't hurt you.” said my brother.

“No, no, Kov, I deserve being like that, not you.”

“Like I said, it doesn't matter.”

“Kov...”

“I'm tired, let's not argue right now.”

I huffed. I couldn't believe Master would do this. Ever sense I started getting older the Master's punishments got harder, more bloodier.

“Stop making that look, you look like Kane when you do that.”

I laughed. “Kane? How do you even remember this look from him?”

“I was older than you back then too, I can remember them better than you.”

Them. Mom, Dad and Kane. My other older brother was a great thinker. Up until the moment he was killed.

“I miss them, sometimes.” I said.

“Me too.” said my brother.

We were silent for a few minutes.

I laughed, though it was a sad laugh that brought tear near. “It's been ten years.” I said.

“Ten years.” whispered my brother. A tear slipped down his cheek. The tear made my own eyes water.

We sat in more silence.

“How pathetic. Were crying over dead people and we're assassins.” I said.

“No, you're an assassin. I'm an spy.”

“Same difference.” I said. But there was a big deference, he didn't have to kill, like I did. I needed to fight. He needed to sneak. I killed. He stole. I trained. He... spied.

“Kov?”

“Tina?”

“Do you ever wish we had died with them?”

“I would live a thousand years if it meant you got to live.” he said.

I hurried to castle the next morning. I was late. Last night I stayed too long with my brother. I didn't wake up before it was was time to leave and I had to hurry to change and put my hair up. I looked one pin away from a mess.

I got to the gates several minutes late. Cursing I asked the guard at the gate where I was to train the prince. He told me the armory, which was on the other side of the castle lawns. I cursed again, loud and colorfully, making the guard stumble a little bit. I dashed across faster than a lady should. Panting I reached the armory.

I heard a laugh from inside the armory.

I went to the door and saw the only man inside the armory. Still laughing.

The prince.

“Majesty.” I said

“Miss Celestine.” said the prince. He said through his laughs.

“Are you done?” I asked impatiently.

He laughed for a few more moments. I was very close to murdering him here and now. But they would know it was me now. Once he got control of himself he said: “Your late.”

“I needed my beauty sleep.” I said. I was glad that I was in my fighting leathers and my hair was in a ponytail, or else it would have been ruined.

He laughed again.

“If your ready, we can start fighting.” I said, I was so ready to kick his butt in a fight.

“Here's the thing.” said the prince, giving me a very serious look. “I'm not going to train, and there's nothing you can teach me.”

“What?” He can't mess this up for me.

“This is all my father's doing, we won't be training. This is a mistake.”

this time it was my turn to laugh. I knew just how to make him stay and fight.

“What?” said the prince.

“You afraid of fighting me.” I said. Still laughing.

“What?” he said, offended. “No. Fighting you? No.” It was working. I could see it in his eyes, he was close to just throwing a punch.

“You are. Oh, this is hilarious.” I said laughing still. “I can't wait to tell Cassandra about this.” I had no friend named Cassandra, but the mention of me telling other people of this sent him over the edge.

The prince threw a sloppy punch.

I swung my head out of the way and grabbed his arm. Twisting it, he cried out, I sent out my leg kneeing him where the sun don't shine.

I swiped out my leg, catching his legs just right I sent him of his legs. Then with his arm I flipped him over me and he landed on his back on the ground.

I laughed. The prince was screaming on the floor.

“You're not dying.” I said.

The prince didn't answer. I don't think he heard me through his screams.

A guard came running in, he saw me standing over the prince and bolted. To do what I don't know, maybe call more guards. I wasn't really concerned, I was doing exactly what I was hired to do.

The Prince's screams quieted.

I walked over to some swords and sat on the floor.

“You know, I think Cassandra would love to hear about this.” I said.

The prince made a very improper noise for a prince.

“What was that, prince? Have you broke your prince pipes?” I baited.

“Shut... up...” moaned the prince.

“Oh, so he's still got the pipes.” my voice was chipper.

The prince only groaned in response.

“So, I have this counter deal for you.” I smiled. “How about, I beat your royal butt everyday, and you don't have to do anything.”

The prince responded with a growl.

“I'll take that as a yes,” I stood up. “Well, I have other stuff to do today. Pleasure playing with you prince.”

I walked out of the armory.

I could hear a curse directed at me coming from the armory from the gates. I chuckled.

“And to you, prince.” I whispered to the castle.

I stood in front of the knives. “Okay.” I said to my self. “You can do this.”

I took a deep breath and reached out to grab my knife. I closed my eyes as the blade started singing.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

I told my self to breath.

I brought the blade to my face and examined it. It wasn't as sharp as the one that I killed him with.

I dropped the blade.

Him.

He haunted me. All ways lurking behind my back. Telling me that I could never get rid of him.

I reached down picking up the knife.

I never let any tell me what to do yet. Why start now.

I walked over to the dummy and started training again.

The next morning I debated actually going to the castle to “train” with the prince. I have no doubt the prince is hoping that I don't show up. That made me know for certain to go, I was going to make the prince's life a living hell.

I walked past the guards by the front gate. They gave me an extra glance. Though it was a barely second glance. They must have heard about yesterday with the prince. Yes they still didn't see me as a threat. I guess it was a perfect disguise for a assassin.

I walked into the armory. The prince sat on the ground, by the shields on the wall.

I smiled sour darts at him.

He didn't even bother to tilt his lips up.

His back was stiff. Most likely from the impact of landing on it when I flipped him over. His arm was in a sling. I didn't twist it that hard.

“well, prince, you don't look so good.” I said as greeting.

The prince cursed at me.

I clicked my tongue. “Now, now, prince, no one likes a sore loser.”

The prince only continued his cursing.

“Hello?” I said tilting my head. “Do you only talk cursing?”

The prince shook his head and sat quiet.

“What? Does somebody not like daddy's arrangement?”

“Don't,” growled the prince at last. “Talk about my father.”

“Why?” I prodded. I was poking a angry rhino.

The prince only frowned and sunk more into the ground. Or I was kicking a hurt dog.

“Prince?”

The prince didn't answer.

Fine. “Are you ready to train?”

“Train?” a pained laugh came from the prince. “More like a butt whooping.” he looked up at me.

“Isn't that what I'm here for?”

“Hurting me isn't how to train.”

“That's how I was trained.”

“Your father beat you up everyday until you learned.”

I forgot that I was supposedly taught by my father. The thought of my father hurting me like my Master did, didn't sit well with me.

“No-” then the prince gave me a look. I had to say that he did, though it hurt me. “I mean, yes. That is how I was taught.” My betraying voice broke slightly talking about my father.

The stupid prince noticed. “What about your mother?”

I knew what he meant. “Dead.” I whispered. Seeing her immaculate face in my mind.

“Mine too.” said the prince. I knew that of course. Everyone knew that queen Canary died years ago. But some how it made me feel a little better.

I needed to stop getting emotional about dead people. I was an assassin.

“Get up.” I told the prince. The irony wasn't lost on me. I was a citizen telling the prince what to do.

The prince looked at me funny. But with a little exaggeration the prince got up.

“Well, sense you seem to be fine, we're going to fight.” I said.

The prince groaned.

“You can throw the first punch.” I told the prince smiling.

“How kind.” said the prince sarcastically.

He lifted his uninjured arm and shot it out. The movement was jerky and poor build. He only put the weight of his fist into it, not his whole body.

I easily grabbed the arm and twisted it.

He cried out and I let go.

“Poor structure.” I said.

He growled and threw another punch.

I used my forearm and batted it away in a fast movement.

“Jerky.” I said.

The prince didn't say anything as he threw another punch.

I dodged the fist and punched him in his abdomen.

He started choking as I hit the air out of him.

I laughed. He whizzed.

He stumbled and fell to the ground. He gasped on the ground, cursing. Baby. I was taught to breath through the pain, he only had the air knocked out of him.

“Get up.” I told him.

The prince only whizzed.

“Up.” I demanded.

He shot me a look full of pain and got himself up.

“Again.” I told him.

He threw a punch.

I grabbed his fist again and pulled him closer and then slammed my fist to the side of his head. He was dropping to the ground in a blink. His eyes were closed as he landed on the ground. But his breathing was rabid. I stared down at him. Weak. He was weak. He was an easy prey.

“Get up.” I growled at him.

He didn't respond.

“Up.” I told him.

He didn't shift or move at all.

I growled at the air. He was so weak.

I turned walked out of the armory. Leaving the prince on the floor of the armory.

I was still scowling as I walked out of the castle gates.

“Master?” I said walking up the to the keep. The man was standing at the entry way.

“Celestine. Have you completed you mission yet?”

“No, sir.” I could feel the disappointment coming from him. “The prince is very heavily guarded, I'm very close to killing him, though.” I assured him.

“Good. Be done with it soon. We can't lose this job. It will pay the keep handsomely.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Good, now run along.” he said. I would have loved to kill him now. I've thought about killing the Master many times. But I wouldn't be able to become queen until I was second, then I would kill him. Then I would be queen.

I walked past the Master and walked to my room.

I sat on my bed, thinking.

How was I to kill the prince? When would be the best time? Could I get him to take me for a tour? Then I could push him off a ledge. Though I would love to feel his blood on my hands, a cliff would be best. But no, he wouldn't take me for a tour after I kept beating him up. Could I stab him and say it was an accident? No, I'd be charged for killing the prince.

There was a knock at the door. It was a hard pounding. Too hard for it to be my brother. Plus, he was still recovering.

I opened it.

I smiled bitterly.

“Julian.” I said to the tall man on the other side of the door. Julian was tall and lean. His face was harsh and not very handsome. His brown hair was always matted. His gray eyes were dead.

“Celestine.” drawled the dirty man.

“What do you want?” I asked.

“I want to talk.” I had a feeling that was not what he wanted to do.

“About what?” I asked sweetly.

“May I come inside?” he asked looking inside my room.
“No. say what you want now.”

he tilted his head in a growl. “Let me inside.”

“No.” I said.

“Let me-” he started again but a chipper voice cut him off.

“Julian! Celestine! How's it going?”

Chris.

Julian turned to Chris. “Go away, Chris, I wouldn't want to break your nose again.” indeed, Chris's nose was slightly off center. Besides his nose, Chris was moderately good looking, very much unlike Julian.

Chris winked at me. As if he knew my thoughts.

I think I blushed a little.

I scolded my self. I'm an assassin.

“No, I wanted to talk with you both.” he said.

Julian looked between me and Chris, realizing he was out matched here, he backed away.

Chris may not of been able to beat Julian in a fight alone. But with my help, we could have Julian down in seconds.

Julian growled and backed out of the hall way. Chris and I smirked as he left.

After he left I turned to Chris, “I didn't need your help.”

“It certainly didn't look like that.”

“I had it handled.”

“Sure you did.” laughed the assassin.

He turned and started whistling as he made his way back to his room.

“Wait, Chris.”

Chris stopped and looked at me.

“Thank you.”

He smiled. I felt my pulse speed a little. “Your welcome, Celestine.”

I was in my room, staring at the wall. Feeling like a complete idiot.

Chris was the assassin's flirt. I knew it. Everyone knew it. But I still fell under his trap. He rescued me.

Ugh.

Shaking my head, I got up to pace. I had many things to do, and think about Chris is not one of them. I had far more important things. Like how to kill the prince. How to fight Julian when it comes to that. How to make my Master pay for what he did to my brother. What I will change when I become queen.

I walked into the armory not at all in the mood for the prince's voice.

“Celestine.” said the prince in greeting.

I said nothing as I set down a bag. It thumped on the ground with clanking.

“What is that?” asked the prince.

“A bag.” I responded lamely.

“What's in it?” he asked.

I didn't answer as I pulled out a large wooden sword, it was the same sword I used when I was training.

“What are you going to use that for? Beat me up more so than usual?” he scoffed.

“No, I'm not using it.” I said handing the sword to him.

“Isn't that unfair?”

I gave him a look that said, I've beaten you up many times when it was fair, you think this is going to make a difference?

The prince only shook his head and took the sword.

As soon as the prince had the sword in his hand I knocked it out of his hand.

The prince stared at the sword on the ground.

“Pick it up.”

the prince swooped down to grab it.

He lifted it up again. I swiped out my hand and knock it to the ground again.

“Pick it up.”

“What's the point if you're just going to knock it out of my hand every time I pick it up?” asked the prince angrily.

“Don't let me knock it out of your hand every time and this wouldn't be a problem..” I growled at him.

“And how, pray tell, do I do that?”

“Hold on tighter.” I said. He was weak, he couldn't.

Frowning he picked the sword up again. His knuckles were white from holding on tight.

I slapped his face and stole the stick from his hands.

The prince groaned and put and hand to the red imprint of my hand forming on his face.

I groaned inwardly. Why did the prince have to be so fragile?

“Why did you slap me?” he sounded offended. Hurt.

“To distract you, so you lost your grip. It worked, you gave no effort to keeping the stick in your hand.” I said.

“Isn't that dirty playing?”

I scoffed. “There's no rules in an actual fight. In which, you would currently lose, it is my job, to make you win.” gosh, I was starting to sound like my Master.

“How can one do anything without rules?”

“One can do anything without rules, if they are taught hard enough.” I parroted my Master. I had asked all the questions the prince is asking now before. The answers my Master gave me back then didn't make sense to me, now they roll off my tongue with ease.

“Seems like a pretty awful world to me. Though mine of only rules is pretty terrible as well.” thought the prince out loud.

“It can be awful sometimes, but one gets used to it.”

“I'm not sure I would want to get used to it.”

it made sense, that he was weak and young and under trained, so he didn't know the true sacrifice of a hard life. But it was so naive that it was almost... cute. I hated putting that word with the prince, but it was the only one to describe it.

“Well, stop talking and pick up the sword.” I snapped at him.

The prince only rolled his eyes and picked up the stick.

I knocked it out of his hand with a smile.

The prince and I had trained for longer than usual, though usually I would leave because he was too hurt. We trained for a few hours, almost never talking, he kept the sword in his hand a total of one time when I tried to knock it out, then he cheered for joy and got distracted so I knocked the sword out of his hand, shutting him up. He only growled and tried to pick the sword up again.

That afternoon I came back to the keep tired and hungry. I went straight to the dinning hall.

“Lady Celestine.” greeted an ugly voice. Ulke. Our spy-tax collector. And the biggest slob-drunk in the keep. I tried to stay away from him as much as possible.

“Ulke, nice to see you as always.” I said making my way around him.

He grabbed my arm, yanking it to himself, the force shook the plate I was holding and spilled a little milk on my peas.

“We could see each other later too.” said Ulke sneering in my ear. I could feel his rotten breath caressing my face.

“I would love too,” I answered sweetly, “But I have better things to do.”

The cow growled at me. Balancing the plate on my arm now, I had slipped my knife from my leg strap. I put the tip of it to a weak spot on his stomach. He felt the dagger's point ripping into his skin and swallowed slowly. I dug a little deeper into his clothes until I felt the tip hitting skin. Ulke hissed.

“I suggest you think twice before talking like that to your future queen.” I whispered into his dirty ear.

“Future queen, agh?” said the man. I dug a little deeper, but he continued tightly. “what? Are you going to get that prince to marry you?”

I pushed hard into his skin, not hitting anything important. But I was hurting him. A lot. He was going to have a scar. I tore the knife from his skin, and walked away before he could even cry out.

As I took my seat at a empty table, I heard cries from men and someone calling for someone else. A doctor probably.

Marry the prince?

The thought made me gag.

No, I would be the queen of assassins. Not queen of Halven.

I heard the whispers through the halls when I passed, I knew that what I had done to Sasha wasn't a secret anymore.

I heard the ridiculous stories they concocted about why I killed him and I what I did to him in the process.

Some said I did it just out of spite. To finish the job I'd started.

Some said he had tried to rape me, so I stabbed him in the heart.

Some said I was trying to get the prince to like, so I was going to present him with a prize. An assassin.

As for the speculations about what I did to him in the process, I won't go into those gory comments.

No one did, or would ever speculate that I did to save my brother.

In the evening, I swallowed shallow bites of food, the whispering was loud in the dinning hall, I could hear hundreds of tales told of me, some were very outlandish.

One suggested that I was a sprite.

I could help but laugh quietly when I heard that one.

The gory tales told of me were good, I thought, they would help rise fear so when I was queen I wouldn't have to deal with so many people fighting against me, but all the same, they made me squirm and want to tell them the truth.

I felt someone sit next to me.

No one ever sits next to me.

I was about to open my mouth to tell the idiot to leave, when I saw who it was.

“Chris.” I said in greeting.

“Celestine, I heard some odd rumors about you and some other man.” Chris said.

I waved a fork, “Now, I have no idea where that came from, but you should know never to listen to rumors.”

“Wasn't that what you were doing just now.”

I started.

“You didn't notice me come up, you had your ear perked. You head was cocked to the left slightly. You had your eyes closed.” he said nonchalantly, “So, either, you were listening to the rumors, or you were meditating, in a really weird way.”

I laughed a little. “Well, you'd make a good spy.” I said.

It was Chris's turn to laugh.

Then I noticed the entire hall had fell quiet. They were all trying to inconspicuously look at us. And failing.

I bared my teeth slightly, “Enjoying the show?” I asked the hall.

The all shifted. And turned back to their food, though no one seemed to be in the gossiping mood anymore.

“You gotta show me how to do that.” said Chris with a laugh.

“Do what?”

“Shut them all up like that.”

“Kill a man.” I said getting up and throwing away my leftovers and leaving the hall.

The prince cursed.

“Pick. it. up.” I growled at him.

He wasn't doing well today. He said his hands had blisters from the wood. He said his eyes hurt from staring at my face. He said his back hurt from picking up the stick. I told him if he held onto the stick he wouldn't have to pick it up.

Today my hand print on his face had turned purple, a mark of a failure. I had deemed it. I had deemed all his Injuries that.

The mark on his face was a small hand. A ladies hand. He wore like shame. He probably was jeered at for it in the court. I didn't have it in me to feel sorry for him.

The prince bent down to pick up the stick and tried to stab me with it.

It was in the air in seconds, and in my hand in a few more.

“I honestly have no idea how you've lived this long.” I said stabbing him lightly with the wooden sword.

The prince gasped and grabbed where I stabbed him like it was a mortal wound, though only a few drops of blood got on his shirt.

“I...” he said through his gasping. “Have guards.”

“What do you do when your guards are all dead?” I said nonchalantly, though it was valuable to my mission.

“I run.”

I scoffed, then I realized he was serious, his only defense was his guards.

“Haven't you ever thought about training with the guards? Why would you rely on other people to save your life? They always let you down in the end.”

“My guards are loyal.”

“Even loyalty can be bought.”

“Not all the time.”

I saw the attack at least a minute before it was coming. Note to self, the prince has NO sneaking abilities.

He took one step forward. To do what? I'm not even sure he knew, maybe to steal the stick? But it didn't matter he was on the ground soon enough.

“How do you do that?” moaned the prince from the ground.

“I learned to not let down my guard. Ever.” especially when I was with an enemy.

The prince only scoffed and leaned back to the floor.

“Don't go to sleep.” I ordered him. “Get up.”

“When did you become queen of me?” he quipped.

“When you became to lazy to do anything.”

“Lazy?” laughed the prince. “Lazy is when you choose to do nothing. I do quite a lot. I'm tired. I have been doing stuff non-stop. I just want a nap.” complained the prince.

“Fine. Take your nap. But don't expect me to stand and watch.” I said turning and leaving.

“Celestine...” called the prince but I was already gone.

A guard sneered at me as I left. I shouldn't have, but I did. I whipped around to him and tilted my head.

“Do you have something to say, guard?”

The guard, unlike the assassins didn't back down like a scared puppy, probably because he didn't know what I was capable of.

“Yes, ma'am, I wanted to say beating up the prince like that could get you in to jail.”

“I'd like to see them try.” I muttered.

“I would like to try.” said the guard seizing his sword.

I smiled. I wanted a fight.

The guard came closer sword put. He didn't think I could beat him, I could tell by his lazy stance. He wasn't thinking this would end in a fight. And he definitely wasn't think that I would be the one to walk away from that fight.

But I would.

The guard got near. Near enough for me to swipe out my legs, the guard jumped back in time to dodge it. Better than I expected. He jabbed out his word, I felt a wetness to my side. But before he could take me down, my fist flew out and hit the side of his head, crumbling his body down. I was on top of him soon.

“I suggest you think twice about saying anything about this fight to anyone, I have a few I very believable stories I can tell.” I sneered into his ear.

I got off him and made my way to the exit. Looking back once, I saw the guard frowning at me. Behind him, was the prince, staring at me from the armory.

I gave him a wink, and left the castle gates.

That night I went to go visit my brother in his rooms. He was looking better than last time I saw him, his face had a more natural color. There was a new scar on the side of his head. Every time I glanced over at him and saw the scar I wanted to kill my Master all over again.

“I heard some nasty rumors about you today.” said my brother after I had served him a dinner from the dinning hall.

“Yes, some of the rumors around here can get pretty nasty.” I dodged.

My brother wouldn't let it go though. “Tina, why didn't you tell me that there were rumors?” demanded my brother.

“because their just rumors.” I shrugged hoping he would let it go.

He didn't. “Rumors about my little sister.”

“I can deal with a few rumors.”

“A few? There were hundreds.” Not exaggerating. “some are too gory for me to think about. One called you a sprite.” I couldn't help but laugh at the the mention of the sprite one. “Celestine, this is a serious matter.”

“No, it isn't the rumors will die down in a few days and the keep will forget it ever happened, like all the other gossip, it will pass.” I smiled hopefully.

They did not pass. They seemed to have only amplified in the next few days. The prince go no better at keeping the stick in his hand. The guard did not utter a word about the fight as far as I could tell, he made himself scarce in the mornings. I didn't him again.

“Are you ever going to talk about what happened with the guard?” asked the prince.

“I have no idea what you speak of.”

the prince tried to jab at my wound to show me, but he was too slow.

“Your not even going to use it as an example of how I should be fighting and dealing with pain?”

“I still have no clue what your talking about.”

“you got stabbed and your not even wimping when you use those muscles. So I've decided you're either inhuman or you've cut off all you nerve endings some how. “ said the prince.

I did not speak. I only started unpacking the sword.

“How do you do it? That wound must have been deep. Did you use a salve? Is it already healed?”

the answer was no to both of those, when I got home, I stitched the wound and I was taught how to deal with pain when I was ten.

“It would really help my training if you told how you did it. Maybe if it was a salve I could find out how to get it and I could use, or if it was something else, I could find a way to do it. But if you did cut off your nerve endings, I'm not going to do that, sorry, I like hugs far too much.”

I only scoffed and handed the sword to him.

“If it was a mediation tactic, like some kind of warrior stuff, could you teach me?”

I swiped my hand out and the sword fell from the prince's hand with out any resistance.

“If it's because you're inhuman, which I can totally believe, then I gotta meet the rest of your race. Wait, are they as mean as you? Because if they are, then never mind I don't want to meet them.”

I only growled at him to pick up the sword. He did no such thing.

“What is it? What is your secret, Celestine?”

“I'm not constantly blabbing.” I sighed. “Now pick up the sword.”

the prince absentmindedly swooped down and picked up the sword in a graceful movement. Though he did not attack with it, he just held it.

“Where do you live, Celestine?” asked the prince. He was dangerously close to my personal life, which he did not need to know about.”Because the records show nothing of where you live now.” he was so close to the precipice. “They do show where you used to live, with your parents and your brothers.” he was doing a drunken dance on a precipice and he didn't even know it. “And what happened to them ten years ago.”that sentence broke my string of calm. I sliced out with the dagger barely missing his arty on his leg. I grabbed his head and banged it on my knee knocking him mostly unconscious, before he could go to sleep I sneered into his ear. “Don't ever speak of my family.”

then he slumped and I dropped him on the ground and left.

I lost my cool. Again. It seemed to be happening a lot sense I met the prince. I marched across the city, the keep seemed filled with too many people. Too many eyes. My eyes seemed to be filled with too many tears. I had walked passed the keep and continued walking soon I was hit by the awful smell of the slums. It seemed like someone was always crying, running or dying in the slums. The streets were filled with garbage and the walls cover in paint. The people were bundled in the trash. Either trying to keep warm or cold all the time. The smell of decay wasn't too far away from the street. A entire building was filled with dead bodies. Poor men's bodies.

At least the dead stayed together. Even when the live didn't.

I walked past the Dead Hospital, as the poor call it. I went behind the Dead Hospital and found the grave yard I was looking for. I walked past the names of my ancestors and went to three names I would never forget.

Queen Margaret Kol and King Gareth Kol

Beloved

below, on another stone, read,

Prince Kane Kol

Beloved

“I miss you mom, dad and Kane.” it felt like a lie.

If you had missed them why haven't you visited them before?

Because it hurts too much.

When was the last time you let pain stop you? You didn't miss them.

I did!

No.

Yes, I did, I miss them terribly.

The voice didn't say anything as I heard foot steps.

I drew my knife and turned.

The prince.

The prince had followed me here.

I should have killed him right then, it would be easy. It could be blamed on one of the poor people who tried to rob him. I could have done it and I could have been over with it. But in front of my parents just seemed wrong.

“Go away, prince.”

the prince still limped towards me. How he got this far without any sort of help, I have no idea.

“I do have a name you know.”

I was not in the talking mood.

But it seemed he still was.

“It's Flynn.” he sighed. “Flynn Holin.” he said.

I already knew that. So did the entire kingdom.

“But, of course you already knew that. But I didn't know your name. Not until I dug very deep. Your Princess Celestine Kol.”

“Don't call me that.”

“Forgive me if I'm wrong, but didn't you die in a fire ten years ago?”

I only tipped my knife up a little higher, warning him. He didn't heed my warning.

“Along with your two brother and parents.”

I took a step towards him, my knife still out.

“Though, your family technically wasn't royal anymore, the people of my kingdom loved the Kol almost as much as the true king and queen. My parents.”

another step. He wasn't far now. I could throw my knife and kill him.

“How did they die? No one ever knew. No one ever knew where they were buried. Except the poor it seems.”

another step.

“I bet you know. You were there weren't you?”

I was now in front of him. Knife out. He didn't seem scared though.

“I'm very sorry for what ever you saw and what you had to lose.”

then without any warning his body crashed into me, at first I thought it was a attack, then his arms closed around me and I knew it was a hug.

I did not want a hug from the prince.

Still I did not push away from him.

I only stood still as a tree and breathed in his scent. It smelled like pine and snow.

His arms had slight bumps of muscle, most likely gained from our training.

How he figured out about my heritage, I did not know. Now even my Master knew.

But as I felt his arms fold around. For a second. And only for a second, I was glad he had.

“So when do I get to meet this prince your taking out?” I started. I had been cloudy ever sense I left that grave yard hours ago.

“Huh?” I blinked at my brother.

“I want to meet your first official kill.”

I laughed. “No you don't, he's a pain in the butt.”

“That reminds me of someone else I know...”

“Shut up.” I jabbed at him.

“So when's the big day?”

“Big day?”

“Oh, well I assumed you already have a date planned for the kill, something memorial I hope.”

“Oh, uh, I don't have a 'Big day' planned” I shrugged.

“You... don't.” said my brother surprised.

“Nope.”

“Haven't you been seeing him for like, a week?”

“Yeah.”

“And you haven't planned it yet?”

“Nope.”

“Sister, your loosing your touch.”

he had no idea.

“I guess I am.”

“Are you okay.”

“Yes... no. I visited their grave today.”

“Oh...” said my brother looking at the ground. “you should have told me, I would have gone with you.”

“It was a sudden trip.”

my brother nodded in understanding.

“Was it the first time?”

“Yes.”

“Well, now it's official, your braver than me.”

I laughed weakly.

I decided to take the next morning off, I didn't go to the castle. Flynn would be mad. And I did really care.

I ate my breakfast in my room, I didn't want to deal with hundreds of grown men sneering at me today. I stared at my brightly decorated walls until I thought I would go blind. My room was so alive. So girlish. Bedazzled knives, combs, brushes, jewelry and swords covered my walls and dresser.

They were too bright.

I finally got up and took down my knives from the wall. I threw away my pink brushes. I boxed up my jewelry.

After a few hours my room was empty save for my bed and dresser. Carrying a box of jewelry I went to the market.

The jewelry sold easily.

After selling the jewelry I made my way down to where the knives were sold.

And two people were there that I wanted to not see that morning.

Prince Flynn and Chris.

They were across the store from each other and I was in between them. I was hoping I could turn and walk away without either noticing but as soon as I saw them. They saw me.

Both of them started walking towards me at once. And I thought I might just faint if the prince met Chris.

And if Chris met the prince... There would be way too many questions.

They both reached me at the same time.

“Hello, Celestine.” Chris said first.

The prince looked at me then at Chris.

“That was what I was about to say, hello, Celestine, is this a friend of yours?”
“I-” I started but Chris was already talking.
“Yes, I'm her boyfriend.”

My what?!

“Her boyfriend?” asked the prince, his voice laced with suspicion and something else I couldn't name.

“Yes.” I said tightly.

“Well, she never mentioned you.”

“I-” I started again, but Chris cut me off. Again.

“Well, have you ever asked before.”

The prince smiled. But there was no joy in it.

“No, I didn't”

Chris smiled back at him.

If I didn't know better they looked like they were about get into a fight about... me?

I turned to the prince, trying to defuse the situation.

“Sorry I didn't-” but Chris cut me off. Again.

“Well, thanks for meeting me here, Babe.” I'm pretty sure he added the last word just to annoy me and Flynn.

“I-” but this time the prince cut me off.

“Meeting you here? I thought she was meeting me here?”

I have no idea what they're talking about any more.

“No, you must be mistaken.” said Chris.

I tried to take a step back but Chris grabbed my arm at the same time Flynn did.

“Come, Babe.”

“She's not a pet.”

then before I knew what was happening they were in the dirt. Fighting.

Shaking my head I left without seeing who won that little fight. I already knew the answer.

One was an assassin. One was a prince. It was easy to know who would win.

Sitting in my empty room again just seemed like a reminder that I did not get what I needed at the market.

And why.

They baffled me, the two grown men, they were fighting about... what exactly? Me? Or was it pure male dominance?

I couldn't figure out why.

But I had walked away without seeing what injuries the prince sustained. Though I hope Chris kept them limited.

Though I don't know if Chris would. Depending on how angry they were, I didn't know.

It scared me to think the prince was disabled.

Stupid. It was stupid to be scared for him, he was my kill.

I should be worrying if I still get that kill.

I was walking on very thin ice.

And danged the consequences, I got up and headed to the castle.

It was nearly lunch time before I got the nerve to ask a guard for the prince. I of course used an accuse that I was going to train with him, even if it was late, the guard would believe me. The guard only laughed and said that the prince was in no condition to fight today. When I asked what had happened to him, the guard said that the prince had a run in with a angry man. Happens a lot, the guard said, people, especially the poor, get angry at the royals for not doing enough for them.

The story was most likely one told from gossip, it was not the real story. Though I wasn't quiet sure what the real story was.

I asked to visit the prince, the guard only shrugged and led me to the prince's chamber door. Walking away the guard laughed quietly, and muttered a prayer for the prince. I had no idea why. That was, until I opened the door.

I gasped. “You look horrible.”

the prince turned his head slightly and saw me, he was in his bed, and didn't look as if he could get up. His face was red. A purple bruise swelled on the side of his head. It was ugly looking. His lip was cut and his neck seemed red from a strangle hold.

“Thanks.” Muttered the prince.

Rolling my eyes I moved across the room in a few swift steps.

“You didn't stay to help.” moaned the prince shifting to sit up.

“In a real fight, there would be no one to help. As I keep telling you. And I have no idea what you were fighting for, so I had no idea who to fight for.”

The prince opened his mouth then closed it, seemingly reevaluating his words. For once, I thought.

“No matter now, your boyfriend won.” he said boyfriend with such disgust. I wonder why.

“Well that'll teach you not to get in fights with...” I almost said assassins. “Other men.”

“Well, I'll try to remember that. Did your boyfriend help teach you to fight like that?”

I nearly choked. Chris? Teach me how to fight? It was laughable. “No, I taught him how to fight.”

“Oh?” he didn't believe me, the fool.

“Yes.” I said proudly.

“Do you you teach people as a profession? Here I was thinking I was the only student in your horrible class.”

“I do sometimes teach the art of fighting to some.” I said softly. I was getting too close to the truth.

I should kill him right now. I could blame it on his injuries. They seem mortal enough. I could drop a poison near by. But I couldn't he was looking so hurt. I just couldn't.

“Well, one day I should join you for a real class, I want to see if your giving me special treatment.”

“I'm certainly giving you special treatment. I have to with what a pain in the butt you are.” I said hoping to veer away from the class lessons. I'm pretty sure the prince would faint if he saw who I taught.

“How am I a pain in the butt? You beat me to a bloody pulp every time I see and the next day I can barely move, much less be a pain in the butt.”

“Can't move? I think your mouth is an exception to that.”

“Yes, because I'm lucky that you don't punch me in the mouth.”

“Punch you in the mouth? Is that all it would take to shut you up? Well, remind me to do so next lesson you start flapping you cake hole.”

“Cake hole?”

I smiled. “I expect you in practice tomorrow. Useless limbs and all.” I got up and moved to the door.

“Goodbye, Lady Celestine.” said the prince with a smile. A secret. And a complement. Lady, only people of the keep called me that.

“Goodbye, Prince Flynn.” the prince smiled wider at the mention of his first name. Before I could start smiling like a stupid fool. I walked out the door.

“How about tomorrow?” my stomach squeezed.

“Why tomorrow?” I asked my brother. Sitting in the dinning hall, my brother finally felt well enough to go outside his room, but as his movements were slow and jerky I was cursing the Master.

“Because the sooner the better.”

“What happened to, 'Tina be careful, take your time' and all that crap?” I said shoving another spoon full of pea soup in my mouth.

“Well, sister, there's being careful, then there's wasting time.”

“Yes, I know all about wasting time, but I haven't had the opportunity yet and I don't think that's going to change tomorrow. Would you like an alive sister who hasn't killed yet, or a dead sister who has killed?” I was lying through my teeth again.

“You know I of course want a live one, but was there really no opportunely?”

“Yes, brother, I would know. I've been training as long as you.” lies. Truth.

My brother only raised an eye brow and took a bite of his pea soup.

“Besides, didn't you want to meet the prince before I kill him?”

“Oh, yes, I forgot.”

“Well, if you ever want to meet him, I've run into at the market a few times.”

he and I laughed.

“No, can I join you tomorrow.”

“I... uh, don't think that's a good idea.” but my brother gave me a pair of puppy eyes that I could not ignore. “You don't want to meet him.”

“Of course I do! I want to see if he is worthy of my sister's first kill.”
“Oh, he is! He's so mean to me, I think if you met him with me, you'd probably murder him before me.”

Kov only smiled and took another bite.

“So, can I join you tomorrow.”

Stupid. Stupid puppy eyes. They melted right through.

“Fine.” I muttered.

Kov let out a little whoop of joy.

“But you have to promise to not kill him before I.”

Kov smiled and crossed his heart with a hand.

“Prince?” I called out. Flynn poked his head out from behind a rack of shields, his eyes went wide as he looked at my brother.

“Celestine,” greeted the prince. “Who's this?”

“My friend, Kov.” I said, because, of course, I told him that my brother was dead.

The prince looks at me oddly, and I realized that he knows my brother's name is Koveno, I shrugged as if it was a coincidence.

The prince looked at me a moment longer, as if not sure to trust me or not. I should have used a different name.

“Nice to meet you Kov.” he smiled finally holding out a hand to him. “Are you one of her students?”

my brother looked at me weird this time.

“No, I'm a librarian.”

“Oh? Which library?” he asked because there was hundreds of libraries in Halven.

“In Gorin.” said my brother, there was a library there, it is our favorite library, me and brother.

“Oh.” said the prince. After a few moments of awkward, the prince turned to me. “So, why is he here?”

“He just wanted to join me today, he won't bother us, Kov, give me the stick.” I said.

Kov quietly grabbed the stick and handed it to me, I handed it to the prince. The prince kept his eye on Kov as he took the stick from me.

“Are you sure you didn't just bring him to make me feel even worse when you keep whipping my butt?”

“No.” I said through a grin.

The prince shook his head laughing. My brother only watched like an eagle.

“Hold on.”

“It won't matter.”

“Not with that attitude.” I said with a wink.

The Prince chuckled.

My brother watched. I had no idea why he was being so quiet.

“Fine, I'm holding.” he said, as his knuckles whitened.

I send a blow at the end of the stick, not knocking it out of his hand, but a second later another blow followed, knocking it out.

The prince sighed. I think my brother laughed.

“Your getting better.”
“Or, your getting tired.”

“I'm not getting tired.” I was trained to be able to fight for days. And this, was easy.

The prince didn't answer and only swooped down to pick up the sword.

“Your being awfully compliant today. Not that I'm complaining.”

my brother shifted in the back round, enough to say, this is compliant? I nodded my head almost invincibly.

“I'm tired of fighting you, today. Don't expect it to last. Plus, I wouldn't want to look like a child in front of your friend. I am the prince after all.”

“You don't seem to mind with me, prince and all.”

“Your different.” the prince almost whispered.

I only rose an eye brow. My brother shifted again, I didn't know the cause this time.

I noticed his guard was let down slightly and swiped the stick from his hand.

“I told you never to let your guard down!” I scolded him.

The prince only stared at his empty hand, he seemed to be in some sort of trance. “Sorry, I was thinking about something.”

“Well,” I growled, “Get your head out of the clouds, you know what happens when you don't train.”

“You mean when I can't train? Yes, you leave.”

my brother laughed slightly. He'd seen me leave before when people became too difficult. He seemed to think it was funny, when I got worked up.

I sent a glare towards him.

“Well, pick up the sword.” I said, impatiently.

The prince shook his head and picked up the sword. I had no idea what was wrong with everybody today.

I was about to knock the sword out of his hand when the prince dropped it and started towards the door.

“Where are you going?” I shouted at him.

“Hell, most likely.” was his only answer as he rounded the door and left. I was dumbfounded. What was up with everybody today?

My brother laughed at I stood there, thinking about the prince's strange leaving.

I whipped around to him, “What?”

“No wonder you haven't killed him yet.” said my brother though his laughs.

“Yeah, because he's heavily guarded, I still need to find the opportunely.” I said, nodding to the guards by the gates.

My brother only broke into hysterical laughter.

“What?”

“You really haven't seen it yet?”

“Seen what?” I asked, annoyed at him.

He laughed for a few moments. “Oh, you'll probably find out soon enough.”

“What?” I growled.

My brother only started whistling and ignored me every time I asked that question.

My brother hadn't stopped laughing until we got back to the keep. What ever he saw, he found it really funny. I have no idea what he could have saw. Maybe he knew why the prince was acting so... weird. Maybe he figured it out by some odd male thing. I had no idea. But my brother would not tell me, no matter how much I begged. He said, if I was blind enough not to see it, it was the prince's to tell.

I heard a knock at my door that evening. When I went to open it, I found it was a messenger, from the prince, he said that the prince requested my presence at the market.

I was angry at the prince. Did he really think he could call me like some common slave? I wasn't at his beck and call. I thought I wouldn't go just to show him that I wasn't, then I thought better of it, I would go there and tell him myself that I wasn't to be called like a maid.

Putting on a purple dress with flowing sleeves, it was one of my favorites, I had yelled at a great number of people in it. Mostly carriage drivers. Lace ran down the back of the dress in white brilliance. Blue flowers bloomed at the waist. I was already cursing the prince as I stepped out side into the rain. Luckily the market's vendors usually had roofs on them. Though it would mean I would need to take a carriage to the market. I had stopped trusting the carriages in Halven almost a year ago when they got mud all over my nice dress.

Grudgingly I called a carriage. Still cursing the prince. What ever he called me for better be important.

Still, I anticipated yelling.

I finally arrived at the market. The prince was at the entry way, he was standing right under the cover so he wouldn't get wet. He looked as if he was looking for someone. Me probably. I was properly late. He was wearing nicer dress than usual, I wonder why. He had a forest green coat-jacket on that brought out the bright teal eyes of his. His white pants were pressed nicely. He had always dressed nicely before, he was the prince after all, but now I didn't know weather to call him over the top or not. But one thing was for sure, he looked really good.

I tumbled out of the carriage into the mud and rain. I walked quickly towards him. Less of a walk and more a run. A run that was very inappropriate for a lady. I tried to be graceful, but alas, I am a assassin not a princess.

The prince, a gentlemen for once took off his green jacket to reveal a even greener shirt and wrapped the jacket around my wet shoulders.

He seemed to be slightly gaping at my purple dress. And I realized I always wore fighting leathers when we met, except the first time we met, I doubt he even took any notice to my clothes then.

“Celestine.” greeted the prince, a bit breathlessly. As if he had just run a mile.

I dipped my head down slightly. “Prince.”

“I.. you, uh,” he swallowed, as if searching for words. I raised an eye brow, daring him to continue. “Look pretty.” he finished.

I smiled, though I felt my hateful skin crinkle on the corners of my eyes. They did that, when I smile sometimes. I hated it. “Thank you, and you look handsome.” I think the prince blushed a little. Blushed? I think he was out of his mind. “Now, do you want to tell my why you've summoned me like a servant and made me drag my nice shoes through the mud.”

the prince winced. “You didn't have to wear nice shoes.”

I rolled my eyes, the prince seemed to relax slightly at that.

“I wanted to give you something.” said the prince a bit nervously.

I raised an eye brow. What could the prince possibly give me that I want?

“I... follow me.” he said taking my hand to lead me. His hand was warm and soft, so unlike my hand, which was hard with calluses. Hands that have done a lot. That have killed. His seemed to never have worked a day in his life, though there were faint scars on them, from paper cuts I think.

“Okay...?” I said following his steps, hand in hand.

“Trust me?” I don't think in the history of assassins, has a victim ever said that to the assassin.

“Yes.” No? Maybe? I truly didn't know if I trusted him or not. I felt like I could, but the only person I have ever trusted was my brother. Would trusting Flynn mean I would tell him my secret? Would that mean I wouldn't kill him? Would that mean I would tell him I am an assassin? Would he lock me up, and throw away the key? Would he ever trust me again? Did he ever trust me?

“Good, now, I have something I want to give to you, I've been meaning to give it to you for a while, I was going to give it to you yesterday, but you friend was there and...” he was just rambling.
“Prince.” I stopped him. “What is it?”

“You'll find out.” why did no one ever tell me thing directly? “Do you remember the first time we met?”

where I vowed to kill him. I nodded.

“You were wearing a pink dress and you had your hair pinned back.” I he said nodding to my golden mane, which was now in a complicated up-do. I guess he was paying attention to my dress back then. “You looked so beautiful, I knew I needed to talk to you.”

“Careful, prince, your getting dangerously close to giving me complements.”

the prince laughed quietly.

“I saw that you were buying wonderful combs, they would look magnificent in your hair, so, I wanted to buy them for you.”

I laughed. Snorting while doing so. “Buy them for me? You fooled me.”

“When you out bid me, I saw the challenge in your eyes, I saw life in them. So, I challenged you. I out bid you.”

I was full out laughing. “You have a messed up way of doing things, prince.” the prince's teal eye glinted.

“Yes, I know. So, then you out bid me, with an enormous amount of money, most likely more than we had in the entire castle bank, but gosh help me, I had to out bid you, even if it meant bluffing. You stood there dumbfounded for a few moments, and I thought, what a perfect time to say I bought them for you, but then...” the prince frowned slightly. “Then, your eyes filled with hatred.”

his frown deepened. I felt something break slightly inside of me for him.

“and I knew I had made you hate me. So, I took the combs, and I payed the store owner a quarter of what I promised.”

I gasped slightly. The little cheat.

“but now, I'm hoping you don't hate me because,” he said as we rounded the corner of the market. I saw them glittering even in the cloudy evening. The combs.

“Are they... for me?”

“they always were.”

I squealed. And ran towards them I picked one up and replaced the one I already had in my hair for it and I felt like a queen.

I spun around the prince, and I could have sworn he stopped breathing. “You look like the queen you were meant to be.”

I blushed. “Thank you.” I said.

“Celestine, I think I-” the prince started but then the screams erupted.

Directly after the screams started, a giant explosion blasted, and the prince, the fool, he jumped on me to knock me down. I almost growled at him that I could do that my self.

But as his shirt caught aflame I was a tiny bit glad he was on top of me, not the other way around.

After a few moments the original explosion, another followed closer. There was a gush of wind that came over us, it was so warm I couldn't breath.

“Flynn, we have to get up and move.” I growled from underneath him.

“Right.” said the prince, standing up and brushing off himself subconsciously. He held a hand down to me so he could help me up, I ignored the hand and flipped up to my feet and dashed, grabbing the prince's hand as I did so.

“Where,” he gasped, “Did you learn to flip up like that?”

I ignored him again, now was not the time for questions, nor did I have an answer to tell him that didn't include telling him I was an assassin.

“Why are there bombs going off?” asked the prince as we hurried out of the market.

“Because someone's trying to assassinate you.” before I can. I added only in my mind.

“Again? This has only happened when you're around, I'm starting to think your trying to assassinate me.”

I tried to keep the cringe off my face, but the prince noticed.

“I'm joking, I don't think you're actually trying to assassinate me.” he said, waving away my worries. “Besides if you were, I think you would have done it by now.” I should have, but I kept waiting. Waiting for a opportunely, even though I've had many.

“Good to know you think I wouldn't assassinate you.” I muttered.

We rounded the last corner of the market, and I saw the prince's guards rushing towards us, the prince was safe, for now.

I looked back into the market, it was on fire now, I could see smoke and flames rising up into the the cool evening air, I would come back tomorrow and search for the assassin who tried to take my kill. I would probably bring my brother, he was good at looking for things.

I let go of the prince's hand as the guards came closer, I nodded to them, though they probably saw me as a bystander, not someone who helped save the prince. They did not nod back, they only took the prince by the arms and started leading him away.

The prince stopped and looked back at me, “Celestine-”

“Goodbye prince.” I said and walked back home, even in the rain.

Who else was trying to kill the prince?