The Queen of Assassins (Part 1)

So, I decided that I was going to try to get a rhythm to this blog, not just post randomly, so I'm hoping to post every Wednesday and Sunday. please come and read them! and post on which ones you'd like me to extend! 

I swung my head to the left only to be met with another fist. It's blow knocked me back wards. I staggered trying to keep my balance, but I couldn't. After beating the lows, was I to fail only to someone who was a brute. I fell onto my butt. The rocks on the ground tore at my leathers. I heard laughter all around. If I wasn't almost ready to cry, I would have yelled at them. I had just beaten half of them. Most of them wouldn't have lasted two seconds against this man. Brute. I might have scoffed if it I wasn't about to get my butt handed to me. I got my hands on the ground above my head. Smiling at the brute above me, I pushed. I swung my feet wide. A felt distantly a rub of leather on my calf. I really hope I don't get a rash. I have a date with the Lord of Hosire. He might get to distracted with my poorness for me to enjoy my kill. One foot caught the brute in the face the other whipped around his head. I used my weight and momentum to throw the man to the ground. I snatched my dagger I had dropped in the fist fight earlier. With the speed of a snake like the Master taught me to I put the blade at his throat. I flipped my golden ponytail behind my head. I smiled at his face as he realized I won. His face contorted. I felt the urge to slit his throat. It would be my first kill. But I decided I wouldn't waste my first kill on this man.

“Celestine is the winner.” said Master. I laughed in victory. I lifted my blade up slightly to show the small slit of blood coming from his neck. I had pressed a little to hard. I broke the skin. I stood up. The men all around me slowly cheered. Men. Because I was the only lady assassin in the keep.

“Day three of the tournament winners are Sasha, Julian, Chris and Celestine.” I was only two victories away from being the second highest ranking assassin in the keep.

I spit a little bit of blood down onto the dusty rocks of the tournament ring. I stuck out my chin and walked across the field of men. I smiled and winked at some of them. Losers mostly. And I growled at some. And I purred at others.

I made way to the building and walked up the stairs. My gait like a queen. Because I would be one one day. I would be Queen of the Assassins. I made my through the hall way and into my room. My daggers on my door jingled as I opened and closed my door.

I slowly started peeling off my rough leathers. I first checked my calf. I cursed at I saw red welts forming on my mid calf.

I would have to just wear a long dress. Not as fun to assassinate in, but I can't have this showing.

I changed into my dark pink dress. Pinning my hair back, I debated weather going shopping or not. The market had finally opened. They had been working on it for months. It looked magnificent and inviting. I suppose I am in need of new combs. Smiling I put on my nice blue shoes.

I stood in front of the mirror. I adjusted the golden waves of my hair. Perfect.

Twirling around I left my room. As I walked through the halls of the keep I could feel every eye of the men of keep settle on me. Begging for me. I ignored them. I walked out of the keep, the eyes had find somewhere else to look.

I feel like I need to squint at the hundreds of glittering diamonds. They were magnificent. Fit for a queen. Fit for me.

“Excuse me sir how much are those?” I said pointing to the glowing combs.

“12000 hundred pounds.” Definitely fit for the queen. It cost a fortune. Luckily I had one. Or five. I could bet I had more money then the king. I slipped my hands into purse and started drawing out all the money I had, just enough for a deposit. Then I'd have someone deliver the rest later.

“Calven! Those are magnificent! What can I offer you for those combs?” the question came from behind me. It was an soft voice. It was unyielding too. A voice that could only belong to a royal.

I turned to the prince of Halven.

“I was actually buying those.” I ground out.

“Okay, I really don't care. I'm buying them now.” he said. Oh, how I wish I could slip the knife out of my purse and slit his throat. But one, I would hate to get blood on this dress. Even if it was royal blood. Two, there were hundreds of people here. Three, I can't get this nice new place dirty like that.

“Of course, your Majesty, it's 11000.” The man was going to rip me off. I added Calven to my to-kill list.

“No.” I said. “I'm buying those combs.”

“No.” said the Prince. “I am. Now run along.” I might just kill this man, forget the consequences. He was pissing me off.

“I will offer double the price for the combs.” I told the man. I didn't care if I was going to break my bank account.

“I will offer double that.” said the stupid prince. The man opened his mouth to say something but I was already talking.

“I will offer 200000 pounds for it.” I said. I must be out of my mind.

The man opened his mouth again.

“I will offer 400000 pounds.” I had never seen that much before. I doubt the prince even had that much. Why did he even need the combs? His short black hair had no use for them. Was it for a princess? For his lover?

“Yes sir, that would do.” said Calven. I was speechless. I couldn't offer anymore.

“Good, it will be delivered.” he smiled a sly smile at me. “I will be taking those with me.”

I mutter a word at the prince that could very well end me up in a cell.

The prince smirked at me with promise of a worse second meeting. I really hope I never had to meet the prince again.

He slowly gathered up the beautiful combs. I felt like throwing a tantrum. They should have been mine.

I was going to murder that prince. I promised. I was going to feel his blood drip down my hands and I was going to enjoy it. Thoroughly.

“I enjoyed doing business with you Calven. Good day.” he said. And then he walked away. North towards his castle.

Dead. A dead man walking.

I found myself back in my room. Comb-less. I had debated finding him tonight and murdering him. But I would leave too much evidence.

I changed into my nightgown and locked my door and windows. A habit from living with assassins. I laid my head down but something, anger, was fueling me. I couldn't sleep.

Rolling back and forth on my rich bed. The thought of the combs and the prince rubbed the wrong way with me.

I got out of my bed. It was useless. Trying to sleep when I was angry.

I decided to go to the one person who could make it better. Or much worse.

I slipped out my door and tiptoed down the hall. I knocked on his door.

It swung open. “Why in Masters name are you still up?” he asked when he saw my face.

“Hello to you too, Kov.” I said.

“What do you want, Tina?”

“Well, Brother,” I walked past him into his room. It smelled like father. “I... can I ask a stupid question?”

“Better than anyone I know.” he said going to sit on his bed.

I scoffed. “Thanks.” I said sarcastically. “if someone wronged you, would you find a way to... wrong them?” I asked looking over at him.

“Depends, if he stole something from you? Sure. If he stabbed you? Yes. If he did something that your just pissed about, no, not really. But what ever you do, when you wrong him, you have to do it carefully, or else it might just make things worse.”

Koveno, my older brother, always full of good advice. Even when I didn't want it.

“Okay. Good.” I said already thinking of how I could sneak into his castle tonight.

“And Celestine,”

“Yes?”

“Take your time when taking revenge.”

he knew I was planning something tonight.

“be careful.” I rolled my eyes.

“Brother, have you ever known me not to?”

“Yes, in fact, I don't I've ever seen you careful before.”

I stuck my tongue out at him as I made my way to the door.

“Goodnight Kov!” I called behind me as I walked through the halls back to my room.

“Goodnight Tina.” I heard.

Sasha smiled at me from across the ring. His black crooked teeth shown. They made me want to gag. This was my second to last fight. Then I would be so close to becoming queen.

“You still have time to back out girl.” the gruff voice came from Sasha's mouth.

“I was just about to say the same thing.” he spat at the ground. Couldn't he have just swallowed the spit?

I cracked my head to the left. Then to the right.

“Begin!” shouted the Master.

Sasha charged right at me, just like the brute did. Like a bull. I took a step to the right and he barreled past me.

He recovered fast than the brute. With lighting speed, he had my legs from under me. He flipped me over, I was on the ground. I lifted my hand up and stabbed his feet. I distantly heard his scream but I was too busy trying to get my self on my feet.

I finally stood up. It seemed like forever when I was in a fight. But Sasha was still recovering from the stab. I learned this morning, Sasha was a great fight, but he had no pain tolerance. All I had to do was to hurt him and he was as good as finished.

I swiped at his legs but he caught my leg. He twisted it, I decided to twist with it. I twirled in the air and hit his head with my free leg. Then once he dropped my leg, I swiped at his legs again, but with my knife. My knife sliced through his legs. The blade sung as it came back from another slice. The man was yelling as my blade came back for a third time.

I swung again.

And again.

Again.

Then when I swung again. My knife hit nothing. His legs had fallen off his body.

I heard a mix of screams and cheers.

“Celestine wins.” said the Master.

I started to realize he was telling me to stop. That I had gone too far. That this was not in the rules.

“Sorry.” I muttered to the Master. He gave me a look that said I was going to get my punishment later.

I turned back to the screaming man. I was tempted to tell him to shut up, he wasn't dying.

I gave a smirk, enough to tell him that he should have back down. I walked back to the keep. I passed a hallway.

I had lost it. I had cut off another assassin's legs. Worse, I had cut off a high ranking assassin's legs. What would be my punishment? What would the Master have me do?

A door opened at the end of the hall way. The Master.

“Celestine.” he said. His voice was calm. That might have been the scariest thing of all. “You knew the rules.” he said stopping in front of me.

“Yes, Master.” I said.. standing up straight. I had my chin out. But it kept dipping lower every second.

“You know that there will be punishment.”

“Yes, Master.” My chin went lower.

“You will not compete in your last fight. Chris or Julian will be the second.” said the Master.

“I... what..! but...” He couldn't take this away from me!

“But,” Continued the Master, “if you complete this assassination.” he said.

“Yes, yes!” I said. “I will do what ever.” I said.

“We have been hired to kill the prince.”

I could have laughed. Oh, it was a dream come true. “I would gladly.” I smiled.

“Good.” smiled the Master. I was already rethinking my plan to sneak into the castle. “But this assassination will be different than the one's you've been trained for. You have to get his trust first. You cannot sneak into his castle. It is too heavily guarded. You must become friends with the future king.”

those words almost made me gag. Become friends with that brat?

“But... Master,” I whined. “How am I to do that?”

“You're a smart girl. Figure it out.” he growled.

“But...” I started but my Master had already shut the door. I growled a curse.

Julian won the next fight. I watched the quick fight from the crowds. Chris was good. But he would never have beaten Julian. I would have. I would have beaten Julian. I would be the second.

And once I killed the prince. I would become the second. One step closer to becoming the queen.

I took a deep breath. I asked our spy this morning what the prince's schedule was. And he told me. The prince comes out of his palace to enjoy the public gardens every other day at dawn to smell the flowers. I would have thought this was the perfect time to assassinate him, but there were seven guards that always circled him, making it impossible.

But it made a good opportunity for a “Accidental” meeting. And I'd have to convince him to... meet me again. The thought disgusted me. But I did as I was taught. I put my feelings last and the mission first. I was to be a spy.

I opened the door to the gardens. It was warm. Warmer than it was in the already burning sun of the summer. I walked through the door way. A hundred faint aromas hit me at once. Bright colors could be spotted everywhere.

I turned to a flower, pretending to examine it. It was bright and smelly, but it did not interest me. I felt all seven of the guards train their eyes on me. I knew why. It wasn't because I looked like a threat. I was a teenage girl after all, but because I was wearing a dress that made me look like a 300000 pounds of gold. My hair pinned back, I had a view of the prince from the side of my eye. Even though this wasn't when I was to assassinate the prince, I had a blade strapped to my hip, below my dress.

I took a deep breath, as if I was smelling the flowers. But I was really trying to keep my self from grabbing the knife and throwing it at his stupid face.

“Back for another round?” asked the prince.

I turned to him and feigned a surprised face. “I'm sorry, I didn't see you there.” I smiled. Though I made it taste like poison.

The prince made his way towards me. Lifted my head and met his eyes, I struck out my chin and stood straight.

“Prince.” I said as greeting. “Pleasure meeting you again.” I lied.

He was close. So danged close I could have killed him with a flash. But the guards would killed me if I did. And to be queen I would need to be alive.

The prince smiled. A wicked smile. Promising death. He waved a hand. The guards moved father back. Out of hearing range. But still too close for me to kill and get away from this.

“Are you following me? Those combs can't mean that much.” he said. He was trying to make me seem like a child and petty. I wouldn't bite that hook.

“No, this is one of my favorite places. I was thinking you were following me.” I said.

“No, it isn't. You don't like the flowers.” he said.

“What?” how could he know? “Of course I do!”

“No,” he laughed. “You aren't. You don't enjoy the aromas. Or the colors.”

“I... yes I do.” I was lying through my teeth, I knew it. He knew it. But I still did.

He laughed harder. Then I heard it. A arrow. I felt time slow. The arrow soared right for the prince's head.

I was angry. Who was trying to kill him? He was my kill.

My kill.

My kill.

My kill.

The words echoed in my head as I made a decision. I shoved the prince and the arrow shot right where his head was.

I saved the prince.

I didn't regret it. Yet.

The prince looked stunned for a moment. I was surprised at that. I would have thought he had death threats everyday with the way he acts. And with as many guards he has as well.

The prince looked back at me and laughed.

I saved him. But he didn't know why. I was going to murder him.

Sitting on my bed, I knew I should have let him die. It would have been a lot easier for me. I could have claimed to be the one who killed him, then I could be on my way to being queen. But I didn't. I saved him. No, I didn't save him. I insured my vengeance. This didn't change anything. I still needed to gain his trust and find a way to assassinate him. Maybe if I could get him to have a meal with me, I could get poison in his food. Or drink. Or I could get him alone and I could stab him or break his neck. Or if we went to a balcony, I could push him to his doom.

I hear a knock at my wooden door. The daggers jingle with the door's pounding.

Sighing I get up and walk to the door.

“Master,” I say as greeting to the man who stands on the other end of the door way.

“Follow me, Celestine.” Said my Master.

I nodded, but Master was already walking. I quickly walked after him.

“You did something wrong again.” He said.

“What?” I asked, had he found out about the prince? Was that wrong? Saving him for my own vengeance?

“You saved the prince. I'm starting to think you don't have it in you to kill.”

“I...” I was baffled at the thought that I could be so weak, that I could not even kill. “I am not weak. I wanted to kill the prince myself.”

“So you're selfish.” said my Master.

“No, Master, I-” I started, but my Master put up a hand to silence me.

“I don't want to hear your excuses. You could have let him die today, and I could have been paid handsomely and you could have become second.”

“I'm sorry, Master.” but I wasn't. I was going to kill the prince, no one else.

“I don't care.” he said as he lead us to a door with big metal locks on it.

My Master open the door and we walked inside. I gasped.

There was two people in that room already. They both looked horrid. Blooded and one was missing his legs.

Sasha and my Brother.

“You say you're not weak. Prove it. Kill Sasha. Or your brother dies.” said my Master. The words sounded far away and distant as I watched my older brother's face. It was contorted with pain and bruised with so many colors, it reminded me of the garden. The coppery smell of blood was a hundred times worse than the smell of those flowers.

“If you kill my brother, I swear I will kill you. I will kill you all.” I promised. Looking at my Master and motioning to the whole keep.

My Master only laughed at my promise. “Kill Sasha.”

I didn't want to waste my first kill on someone so... mediocre. But I was going to have to. I couldn't live without my brother. I would never live without my brother.

I slid the knife from my leg strap. It sang a old song as I lifted it to my face.

Sasha looked at me then the blade. “Please, please, don't do this. Please.” he kept whispering, over and over again.

I took a deep breath and angled my knife. Just like we did with the practice dummies. Low below the rib cage then up to the heart. Hundreds of warnings came through my head. The warnings pounded in my head sense I was eight.

Don't stab directly at the heart. Or else you hit bone and then you won't be able to pierce the heart.

Don't stab too shallow.

Don't slice to light.

Don't cut an arty if you want to have a fast kill.

Don't hesitate.

Don't wait.

Don't leave evidence.

Make sure they're dead before leaving.

I slowly released  the breath and dug my knife in his skin. Sasha started screaming. But soon I pierced his beating heart and stopped it.