The Assassin

Confrontation

Vernon didn't expect for so much happiness to swell in his chest when he heard the princess had returned. Oh, what a joyous day or night as he should put it. The night sky twinkled and winked down at the running man, he somehow navigated the night without tripping or even hitting a branch as he recklessly sprinted toward Astor. He assumed it was the magic of love that lead him.

Love? Was that what it was now? Well, he didn't care what it was called because it felt wonderful. He bet she looked as beautiful as ever, he hoped he looked decent enough to be in her presence. The trip to Astor didn't feel as long as it usually did which he was grateful for, what a rush he saw the torches of the ballroom flooding out onto the cobblestone ground, turning its black blue tint into an inviting warm orange. 

Vernon was about to step out into the open, away from the cover of the trees but the glistening swords of the guards who stood under the moonlight reminded him that he probably wasn't welcome. What an i***t. He was too busy imagining dancing with the princess that he didn't think to stop and think how exactly he was planning to do that. Vernon crouched in the bushes and observed the guards, the humongous door they stood in front of was wide open, there could be a chance it was an open ball but he wasn't sure. Every few minutes another guest would walk right past the guards and into the palace, perhaps he could do the same but he looked down at his worn and torn outfit compared to the nice ball gowns and tailcoats that waltzed in. 

The only nice part about his outfit was his shirt that was given to him by Gavin and him of course. Maybe he should observe the guests a little closer. He creeped toward the garden and looked up at the high fence. This will probably sting.

He jumped the fence much faster this time with no observers around and yes his injury did ache a bit but for the most part he was okay and he was pretty sure all his stitches were just fine.

He ran his fingers over them just to make sure....Yes, all of them were intact. Good, great in fact. He wouldn't want to be waltzing with the princess just to realize he was bleeding all over her.

The garden was easier to find this time than his last visit for the large glass door was illuminated by the light inside. He peeked from the side to see if any one was guarding the area. No one, once again, how lucky. Vernon opened to door much more carefully this time remembering the echoey clicking sound of the door but he didn't think it would be much of a problem if he wasn't careful for he could hear the barely muffled noises of the party. Goodness, it must be packed. 

His silent footsteps roamed the palace as he followed the incredibly easy noise to track as he slowly approached one of the ceiling tall doors leading to the ballroom, he hid on the side and peeking out from the doorway just enough for him to search the sea of people. It was almost as if the princess was a magnet because his eyed found her right away. 

Well, he didn't need to worry about staining her dress for her gown was already a blood scarlet. How magnificent. He watched her as she danced with some other man, it was odd because they both looked incredibly sad. Had something happened? Who was he?

It didn't matter, Vernon planned to lift her spirits. He's already seen her fear and doubt, he wanted to see her smile, He wanted to see her pink lips curved upward when she sees him and not frowning with uncertainty. 

Vernon had to stop himself for a moment. Goodness, he's really fallen down a hole. He wasn't even sure he had liked her and now he was yearning for something as simple as a smile. It tugged, pulled, yanked at his heart when he saw he do the smallest of movements. Once her dance was over with her despondent partner she grabbed a bon bon from a long table covered in a white cloth and brought it to her lips, she delicately grazed it with her teeth and it broke easily into her mouth. It was somehow relaxing and satisfying to watch the princess eat but the princess herself didn't looked relaxed at all.

She was tense as she ate to calm her nerves, her face was indifferent but her actions proved otherwise, it seemed like she enough of the racket from the ballroom and picked up her gown avoiding people and invites to dances. Vernon ducked behind the doorway making sure she didn't see him, she walked out of the doorway right next to the doorway he was standing in. He turned around to see her walking away, she hurriedly made her away from the ballroom as she walked through the palace. 

Vernon followed her. Soon, enough he realized she was making her way to the garden.

Perfect.

She was about to open the door when a voice called out to her.

"Luella." Vernon recognized the man's voice, it was the voice he heard talking to the princess through the washroom door he was hiding in, he was dressed like a guard.

"Are you okay? I saw you talking to Phillip and you looked like he told you something horrid." The man said.

Luella faced the man and fidgeted with her hands.

"I think I killed Phillip's aunt." She said.

Well, that wasn't what he was expecting to hear. She killed someone?

The man who was talking to her looked rather surprised too.

"Why do you think that." He asked softly.

"The woman who was going to kill my father looked eerily similar to Arabella and I didn't think much of it at first but Phillip just told me his mother's sister was living in the Nostarian village that my father and I-"

She began to sniffle and tears ran down her face. 

The man didn't say anything. He just hugged the crying girl. Vernon didn't feel like he should be there, it felt like he was intruding on something personal. He stopped peeking and rested his back against a pillar as he stared at the ceiling. It almost felt like a dream hearing Luella's small gasps and hiccups echo through the space mixed with the cheerful sound of the ball.

The night was getting late, Vernon closed his eyes and waited for the princess to be consoled so he could finally get a chance to dance with her but he did the grave mistake of letting the rest of his body slack as well, the injured man started to drift into sleep when he felt the sensation of his body tipping over. The man jolted awake and slammed his foot on the ground to keep himself from falling. Vernon tucked his foot back in and he hoped they'd just ignore the sound but of course, the didn't.

The man's previously concerned tone changed to a prickly one as he heard the unmistakable schwing of a sword leaving its scabbard. 

"Who's there!" He yelled. The octave of his voice had dropped to menacing growl.

Vernon didn't have his weapon, he did himself the disservice of leaving his satchel at home thinking he was going to have a wondrous night with the princess. How he wished he had listened to Gavin, damn him.

He figured he should just show himself, he heard the steps of the guard approaching him so he quickly stepped out from behind the pillar with his hands up.

The tip of the man's sword was quickly shoved close to his face.

"Vernon?" He could Luella's voice ring.

"You know this man? Who is he?" He asked still glaring at Vernon. Luella looked at him awkwardly, she didn't look like she wanted to tell him who it was.

"Who is he Luella!" The guard asked strictly.

"Put your sword down first." She said.

"Absolutely not! Tell me who this man is this instant or I'll take him to the king!" 

"Fine!" She yelled. "He...was the man who..broke into my room." She said.

The look the man gave him made Vernon think that the guard was going to impale him right then and there but instead he punched the living daylights out of him and seized his arm and twisted it to his back leading him back toward the ballroom.

"No! Oliver stop!" Luella said as she ran after the fuming guard. "Oliver, I demand you stop right this second!" She commanded.

He didn't even glance at the princess.

"No. I am taking him to the king." He stated.

She started pushing up and hitting the guardsmen to stop. Oliver finally fed up with her behaviour stopped to lean down to Luella.

"Luella." He said very clearly. There was an unnerving calmness in his voice. "Stop. It."

The simple command paralyzed Luella. Oliver slowly raised himself back up and continued taking his prisoner away as she she crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks.

Vernon was giving the princess a chance to get him free but that didn't work out, so he supposes he'll have to do it himself. 

He kicked Oliver's leg making the guardsmen buckle, he took the chance to put all his weight on top of him making them crash into the ground. Oliver's head hit the ground making him loosen his grip, Vernon took the chance to slip out and stand up but Oliver managed to grab hold of one of his arms and yanked him back down. They tussled on the ground a bit as Luella watched panicking and not knowing what to do. She couldn't call for help because they'd take Vernon away and she couldn't break up the fight herself.

She watched as the two kept sliding on the floor, Vernon grabbed the other man's sword but Oliver kneed him in his side causing Vernon to call out in pain, he threw the assassin off to the side, Vernon taking the sword with him. 

The guardsman stood up and attempted to take the sword back before the man on the floor recovered but he was too late as the man pointed the sword at his chest. They both were breathing heavily as they glared at one another.

"Oliver, please just let him go." Luella tried to plead one last time.

The guardsmen kept his eye on the man laying on the ground with a fearful look.

Luella tried a different tactic and she slowly wrapped her arms around the man's neck as she tried to calm him down with an embrace.

"Luella, move." Oliver said.

"I'm sorry but no." She said to him. Vernon got off of the floor being careful to always have his sword facing Oliver and he began to back up to the garden door. Once the door was open Vernon dropped the sword and ran, hopping the fence.

Oliver cursed.

Luella finally let him go and looked at the man. He did not look happy, in fact he looked angry, livid, incandescent. 

"When was he here?" Oliver said through gritted teeth, the princess looked at the ground and spoke low.

"The day before I went to Nostar-"

"He was in your room that day?!" The guardsmen yelled, Luella couldn't stop moving her hands anxiously.

"..Yes." She responded. The man pinched the bridge of his nose and took deep breaths in and out trying to calm down. He didn't want or liked to yell at Luella but right at the moment she was making it very difficult not to. 

Oliver recalled that day as best as he could when he realized.

"Is that why there was a welt on your neck?" He asked.

"Yes, but-" 

He didn't let her finish as began to curse out the man. 

"Oliver please! It wasn't anything!" She insisted. The guardsmen tried his best to listen to her.

"Why did you want me to let him go?" He forced out as calmly as possible. 

"..He was nice," She started. Oliver was about to interrupt her with a scolding but he let her finish. "He said he was sent by a queen to kill me but that he didn't want to!" Luella defended him. 

He let out one more breath hoping it would keep him from snapping. 

"Why was he sent to kill you?" He asked. 

"He said it was Queen Ruth of Gritthian who sent him because my father destroyed her land and killed her husband." She answered. Oliver processed this information. 

"Queen Ruth of Gritthian, I remember that kingdom. It was a very recent." He answered. 

"But that's the whole reason I wanted to let him go! He didn't do anything to me and besides...I might've already stabbed him using my dagger." She said the last part quickly.

Oliver's anger extinguished quite a lot after hearing that.

"Good." He said. "He deserved it."

Luella huffed.

"If he comes back will you please leave him be?" She asked batting her eyes. Oliver looked down at Luella.

"...Maybe." He muttered. If he saw that man ever again he'd probably punch him one more time just for good measure but if Luella wanted he'd at least talk to him next time and by talk he meant interrogate. 

The princess beamed and squashed her face into his chest.

"Thank you!" She squealed.

He patted her back. 

What an eventful evening.