The Assassin

A Dance for Two

Luella watched as everything was put into place for the ball tonight. Decorations were being set, maids scrambled about making everything spotless, the orchestra was already at the palace setting up their stands and instruments. It was quite busy.

The king wanted her to wear a red dress to the ball to signify her first bloodshed and steps into war, it made her incredibly uncomfortable but she didn't argue the monarch. 

The princess looked over the balcony of the second floor with her head in her hands, she wore a somber and uninterested expression. Her eyes would lazily follow the movements of the scurrying people down below then switch to someone else and follow that person for a few seconds. The heavy red material that was draped over the balcony entrance was pulled aside by a gloved hand, Oliver silently walked next to the princess, she could feel the man's presence but decided to say nothing as they both looked over the progress of the ballroom. 

"You should probably start to get yourself fixed up, your father wouldn't like to you to still be in your day gown when the ball begins in just a few hours." Oliver said, Luella just sighed.

"I guess you're right." 

"Would you like me to call a maid for you, your highness." He asked

"No," Luella said. "And why do you still call me 'your highness' at times?" 

Oliver shrugs. 

"I'm not sure, I like the way it sounds I assume, unless you don't want me to call you that." He said.

"No, I don't mind I was just wondering." She said as she left the balcony to change into her scarlet evening gown. 

The dress was beautiful, she couldn't deny it but she could still feel the meaning behind it clinging to her heart and ripping off pieces little by little, she was sure by the end of the night bits and pieces of her heart would be scattered around the ballroom, the thought of her teared pieces dispersing as she danced made her upset. Those belonged to her but her father insists she wears like dreadful dress with beauty as its disguise.  

Even with the heavy feeling it brought along with it she couldn't help but admire the silk ripples and ribbons that were lined up horizontally at its bottom, she liked to run her hands over the golden pattern on her sleeves and bodice and she liked the white ruffles that peeked from the cuffs. It had a big red bow on the side of her hip where she hid her dagger in. It was odd, the weapon she used to kill the woman was one of the things that made her feel safe and secured. Her braided hair twisted into a bun decorated with roses matched nicely with the melancholy of the dress. 

Luella walked down the steps to hear festive noises from the ballroom begin to rise, 

"Already?" She thought. Sure enough there were subjects filling the space talking and swaying. It was hypocrisy for the princess to judge the crowd so harshly in her head for just enjoying the ball, especially when she was going to do the same once Phillip arrives but her gloomy state caused her not to care and she continued to bearate the guests silently.

"You look stunning." Luella could hear the voice of her guard over the jovial commotion. 

"Thank you." She said tucking a stray hair behind her ear. 

"Your father is looking for you, he's at his throne." Oliver said.

"Okay." Luella wasn't ready to be presented in front of a crowd of people but she didn't have a choice, she began shuffling her feet to get her destination but Oliver stopped her for a second and gave her supporting hug before she went on display. The comforting space made it harder to hold in the tears she already was having trouble hold back but she somehow managed anyway. 

"You'll be alright." The man soothed. She hoped he was right, she continued to her throne with her guard following close behind. The king beamed when he saw his daughter.'

"Luella, that dress looks wonderful on you!" He exclaimed.

"Indeed, you look like fine young lady." Beatrice added.

"Thank you, father, mother." She said with a false smile. What a pain. She passed them to sit on her throne and Oliver took post near her assuming his statue like stance. 

As more and more people walked in, the more her mood lowered when none of the guests were Phillip.

Had he changed his mind? Did she share too much information yesterday? 

Luella knew she was being ridiculous and he was probably just taking a while but how she wished he would hurry. The ballroom was once again full to the brim and now she was wondering if he was here and she just couldn't see him. What a shame if that was the case.

The king suddenly stood up from his throne taking the hand of his wife and urging Luella to stand up. The throng of people noticed the royals had stood so they began to quiet down and turn toward them, looking up waiting for the words of the king. 

"Yesterday I had gone on a quest with my daughter," He began, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "It was the first quest she had ever gone on and already she has made history!" The loud din of the crowd's clapping made Luella want to hold her head but she held her tranquil expression.

"As my back was turned a woman was charging at me with her sword and with one quick swing of her dagger she had saved my life!" The king boasted, the crowd cheered. 

"So today I would like to celebrate not only Luella's first quest but for her saving my life, to Luella!" The king toasted as the crowd gave a loud hurrah. The princess smiled hoping it didn't look as forced as it felt to her. Thankfully, the music picked up again and everyone had gone back to whatever they were doing. 

Luella was going to return to her throne but Charles held out his hand.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked. She couldn't say no to her father. She nodded and he immediately had whizzed her off onto the ballroom floor. The upbeat tempo kept their feet moving, the princess was trying to keep her spirits lifted but soon she didn't have to pretend for the happy dance her feet were doing made the gloom of her dress a bit less gloomy. 

The remainder of her sorrows were shaken off when she had finally caught sight of Phillip in brown trousers that stopped right under his knees, white socks covered the rest of his legs, he wore the brown vest he always wears, and a cream colored jacket over it. He was handsome, as usual. She finished the dance with her father and made haste toward Phillip.

"Hello!" She greeted him, he jumped a bit not expecting the princess to pop up like that. His eyes widened in surprise before he gained his composure. How Luella loved to admire his eyes, they were such a gorgeous blend of blue and violet. 

"O-oh, Hello Luella." He said, she knew he was a jumpy man but for some reason his attitude felt off today. His anxiousness usually felt like it was birthing from a place of bashfulness but today it seemed like he wanted to...avoid her?

"I'm glad you were able to come, is your mom here." Luella asked. The mentioning of his mother seemed like it made him even more nervous, he gulped down a glass of tea before answering the princess' question.

"Sh-she couldn't um..come to-come to the ball." He said with a c***k, was he okay? Was something wrong? Beads of sweat poured down his forehead. 

"Phillip, are you okay?" The princess' asked suspiciously. He nodded his head with a tight-lipped grin as he gripped the side of a table so hard his knuckles turned white. 

"No you aren't." She stated, she could tell he was struggling to even be around her, what did she do?

"Did I do something to make you act like this?" Luella asked. Phillip frantically shook his head.

"No, no, no, no you didn't do anything, nothing at all!"

"Then why are you acting like this?"

Phillip's voice got caught in his throat. 

"Hello? Why are being like this?" She asked again with a bit more authority. It a while for him to finally mumble something incoherent. 

"What?"

He repeated himself a bit louder but still mumbling.

"Phillip, please, speak clearly." She said. He gave her sad eyes before he leaned in close to her and forced his words out.

"My mother..didn't wan-want to come." She could finally make out what he said.

"Why?" She asked.

"I-" He had to swallow thickly before continuing to speak. "I didn- I didn't know our family were...Nostarians." He whispered.

Luella felt her heart drop and her head pound, this couldn't be.

"M-my mother joined your father's kingdom aft-after the first attack he di-he did on Nostar." Phillip's voice sounded like it was going to break in multiple places. "She t-told me I was born here." She could see his hands shaking. "My mother's sister wa-was in..the village..y-your father..." He didn't have to finish his sentence.

Luella felt sick, her head was turning. No way, she couldn't have...did she? 

Did she kill Arabella's sister?

Phillip's eyebrows were curved and his lip was trembling. The poor man.

Luella stared at him with barren eyes and a blank expression. Just when she thought this night wouldn't be so bad. 

"S-she want m-wants me to..kill your father." Phillip said quietly. Luella snapped his head towards him.

"She wants you to do what?" She said flexing her jaw.

"She wanted m-me to come to t-the ball to...kill y-" He couldn't finish the sentence as he drew a sharp breath in, he was on the verge of tears. 

"I have to report her right away." Luella said going to turn march to Oliver but Phillip grabbed her shoulder to halt her, the princess looked at him with an angry expression.

He pulled his hand back back quickly.

"S-sorry! Sorry, just please don't tell anyone, please." He pleaded. 

"What do you mean don't tell anyone? It's my father's life in danger here."

"And it's my mother's life." Phillip said back, he was taken aback by his sudden firm tone but he didn't apologize for it.

Luella bit her lip and cursed herself in her head, he was right. If she reported her surely Phillip's mother would be hanged and it wasn't like Arabella didn't have a reason to be mad at the king. Luella was almost one hundred percent certain that she had killed Arabella's sister and Phillip wasn't even mad at her for it. And just now she was going to cause the death of his mother...

She sighed. "Okay, I won't..report it." She said.

Phillip looked like a wave of relief washed over him. 

"Thank you, thank you." He told Luella. She didn't think she deserved any thanks but she stayed quiet.

They stood there motionless as the people around them enjoyed their fun filled night oblivious to the serious conversation that had crossed Phillip's and Luella's lips. 

"Do..you still want to dance?" He asked. Luella glanced up at him.

"Sure." She said, they locked fingers and she placed a hand on his shoulder as he placed his hand on her waist, the music slowly down just in time to fit the dingy mood of the dancing couple as the swayed sadly and shuffled their feet to the music. It was a mutual understanding of sorrow as they danced into the darkened night..

*  *  * 

Vernon went to stand up and stretch him limbs, his mental tiredness was gone but the ache in his body still remained, it was reduced significantly he will say that but he wished it was completely gone. Though he's only been resting for two days it had felt like a month, Gavin's company has been a nice past time though. He cautiously folded at his waist to touch his toes and flexed his arms and legs making sure they stayed limber. Gavin strode in with two napkins that each held a small quantity of nuts and berries with a piece of what he assumed was rabbit meat. The man handed Vernon a napkin and sat down on his bed as he watched the other man do the same.

"Did you miss me?" Gavin said with a smile.

"You were gone for about ten minutes." Vernon pointed out.

"That's not what I asked, I asked if you missed me." He said with a smile, the rugged man laughed. 

"Yes, I did." He said. Gavin beamed as he took a bite out of the meat he helped capture. 

Vernon tried the berries first, they had a soury tang to them but they were delicious nonetheless. Then he took a bite out of the cooked rabbit's leg.

"Is it good?" His tent-mate asked. Vernon nodded still chewing the tough but tasty meat. 

It was sort of pathetic in his mind that he couldn't even Gavin hunt. Sure, he can kill humans no problem but when it came to animals it was just...difficult for him, even so it seems that he's started not being able to kill humans either. He sighed. 

"Are you okay?" Gavin asked, vernon just nodded. He wasn't quite sure that man was telling the truth but he didn't want to push it and he kept eating his meal silently. 

The pondering man kept thinking to himself quietly, he still hasn't figured out the reason why he wasn't able to kill the princess. Yes, of course the simplest explanation would be he liked her, but that wasn't a good enough reason for the man so he kept looking for answers in his brain. Then as he was about to take the last bite of the rabbit meat it gave him an explanation.

Maybe...just maybe, the princess reminded him of an animal. The way he phrased that in his mind was distasteful, he tried again. What he meant was the princess was as delicate as a mouse. The pain in his side said otherwise, he attempted once more. Her appearance was as delicate as a mouse, though her spirit was not. She was a fighter but a beautiful one, not a desperate opponent who had been knocked to the ground with a bloody lip and a primal look in their eye. It reminded him despite the way he had her cornered she didn't hesitate to jab at him with force. It was odd, nothing he's ever gone up against before, she was beautiful to be sure. 

Gavin squinted at the man before him who was gazing at the piece of meat he twirled in his fingers.

"Are you going to eat that?" He asked snapping Vernon out of his daydream. 

"Oh, uh, yes," He said popping it into his mouth. Gavin chuckled a bit at the behaviour but brushed it off.

"So..has the princess returned yet?" Vernon asked, he could see the man pause a second.

"Uh, I haven't checked yet." He said.

"It's already night, what do you mean you haven't check yet." He tried to keep his voice calm.

"I've been busy, I'll go check now." He said. Vernon sighed.

"No, don't go. It's much too late I don't want you to lose sleep, just check tomorrow." He said dejectedly. 

Gavin could feel the guilt punch his heart. He knew the princess was there, he's just doing this to make sure Vernon would heal but the saddened look on his tent-mate's face made him want to confess to him.

"Ahh..." Gavin hissed. Vernon looked up at him.

"What's the matter." He asked.

"Okay, look....don't be mad." But  Vernon's furrowing eyebrows already dismissed his plead.

"Don't be mad about what?" 

"...The princess arrived yesterday." He said altogether hoping Vernon wouldn't understand but he did.

"She did!" He said going to stand up but ended up plopping back down due to a sharp pain because of his abrupt movement. "How do you know?!" He asked.

Gavin answered his question happy that Vernon was more excited about the princess that angry at him.

"I heard the citizens talking about a ball she was hosting tonight-"

"Tonight?!" Vernon went to stand up again and ignored the pain this time as he threw on his jacket and quickly ran his hands through his hair.

"Does my hair look okay?" He asked.

"And where are you going?" Gavin crossed his arms eyeing the man up and down.

"To the ball of course."

"I knew it!"

"You knew what?"

"This is why I didn't tell you she arrived yesterday because I knew you would go over there right away even though you need to rest. I wanted you to have at least one more day of rest." Gavin said.

"Well, I got my one more day of rest, didn't I." Vernon said with a smile.

"I said at least, you still need to rest more and the day isn't even fully over yet." 

"I'll see you in a few hours." Vernon said leaving the tent.

"Vernon, wait!" He yelled but the man was already on his way to see the princess.