The King's Assassin

The Capital, Porto Halesi  The soft clicking of stiletto shoes echoed in one of the back halls of Merenell Castle. It led only to one chamber at the end, used simply for one purpose only by the visiting aristocrats and members of the court. No other person could be seen under the light of the torches but a lone woman, with finely shaped curves that was hugged by the thin material wrapped around her body like a cloak. The silvery thing made her seem like she was floating specter down the stone hallway. She stopped once she reached the end, reaching out a pale hand to push the wooden door and letting it swing open for her, before greeting the man lounging languidly on the great bed with a bow fit for a king. The candles illuminating the room seemed to burn brighter, feeding off from the lust that showed in the man’s eyes. "Is it not highly improper for a beautiful young woman such as you to visit me in these rooms at this late hour?" The Duke of Benley smirked at the woman before him. "Lady Olivia, right?" Lady Olivia smiled, her lips curving sensually as she shook her long black tresses out of its pinned state and gathering it at the shoulder. Her neck was now exposed; skin soft and supple, teasing the Duke further. His c*ck strained further. "I come as I am bid, sir Duke," her voice carried sweetly. "Prices are very high these days, don't you think?" The Duke did not understand, and neither did he want to. He was too preoccupied with the breasts he still hadn't been able to get his hands on. A lazy grin settled on hismouth. He stood and the silk sheets covering him exposed his manhood as he sauntered towards Olivia who kept her eyes on his. The Duke was old and had flab where he did not take care of his shape, but he was a proud man, ruling proud lands while commanding great wealth. And now, here was a girl who has learned the art of making a man want more and fall to his knees and the Duke knew it well. It made him very excited to see how many ways he could make her beg. "I wonder how you taste," he whispered roughly, just inches away from Olivia's lips. "Do they make girls in Viravena sweet?" "You'd have to die to know," she said coyly, letting her silver shift dress fall to the floor. The Duke visibly swallowed. "Perhaps I won't mind." "I am honored, Your Grace." Air wafted into the room from the open window of the balcony, and as the wind kissed their skin, their lips also touched. But instead of sighs of pleasure, the choked sounds that followed signified something more vicious. Their first touch was like fire, the Duke noted, but that fire rapidly became too unbearable and immediately felt like Olivia's lips were scorching him from the inside. From his mouth to his throat and everything in his being was shriveling up fast. The Duke fell to his knees and slumped on the floor, looking widely at the woman before him, mouth hanging open. A trickle of blood sprouted from the duke's mouth that pleased the woman before him. He was already struggling for breath, the poison on her lips that she was made to be immune to, was already in his system. In a matter of minutes, his organs would fail and his heart would stop working, thus ending his life. Olivia crouched to examine the Duke on the floor, a pitying pout on the lips that brought him untimely and cruel death. She chuckled as he tried to get away from her. "I told you prices are high these days, especially when you're buying death to those who wronged you," she whispered. The Duke thrashed and croaked, question and pleading in his wide eyes where life faded fast. "Oh no." Olivia shook her head, understanding what the Duke wanted to know. "Not me. Truly we only met tonight. But someone very important paid greatly to bring death fast to your doors. Do you remember the Archbishop of Viravena? Apparently, he does not take kindly to how you have been icing him, and his influence, out." Olivia's smirk widened at the recognition on the Duke's ashen face. Knowing that her job was done, she stood and turned away, picked up her dress from the floor, clasped its shoulders, and fled the room. The woman left behind no trace, no witness, except for the body that laid lifeless on the cold floor of the castle. The night slipped deeper and soon it was dawn. But as the light cracked through the darkness, so was the silence that was broken by a lone scream that haunted and echoed and reached even the new King in the castle.