The Assassin Princess

A Royal Disturbance

Alaric cursed as he found himself daydreaming about his bride-to-be. He should be focused on the task at hand, but his mind was constantly straying. What made it worse was the fact that Alaric knew if Calira found out about his daydreams during the border patrol, she would scold him and accuse him of not caring about the safety of his people.

"Your Grace?" Alaric turned to Tyrus Callahad, his father's most trusted general. The older man had seen more war than Alaric would've liked. Their country was always being threatened by outside entities, but men like General Tyrus kept the outsiders away from the innocents. Alaric shook himself of the depressing thoughts.

"What is it, General?" Alaric questioned. The man looked unsettled and that thought worried Alaric. A man hardened by years of discipline, training, and war wasn't easily bothered.

"We have intel that several groups of enemy combatants slipped past the border patrol to the south." Alaric's frown deepened at the man's words.

"General Vennas is in charge of that region isn't he?" Alaric asked as Tyrus nodded his head, his features plagued by some disturbing fact that Alaric was not aware of yet.

"Vennas claims they were a large group of dignitaries coming in for your wedding, your grace. Intelligence just returned that the names the men used belonged to dead men." Tyrus explained as Alaric's eyes widened.

"Where were they headed?"

"The Capital, your majesty. Their papers included invitations to stay at the main palace." Tyrus answered solemnly.

"Intersect them!" Alaric commanded.

"Our men are several days behind them. We wouldn't reach them before they reached the palace." Tyrus's words caused panic to fill Alaric's gut. His father was at the main palace. So was his wife-to-be.

"Send a man to warn the Princess. Now." Alaric ordered while he wrote down the situation on a piece of nearby stationary and Tyrus grew quizzical.

"The Princess? Wouldn't it be better to send warning to the guards?" Alaric stormed out of his tent and looked around.  The camp would take at least a day to pack up and another day to make it back to the Venta. If the General's information was correct, the impostors would be in the city the next day.

"The Princess is....practiced in dealing with these kinds of threats. She will know what to do." Alaric explained as he grabbed the nearest soldier by his armor.

"You, take a horse and ride to the Palace. Give this to Princess Calira. No one else, do you understand me?" Alaric demanded as the confused soldier nodded his head and took the offered letter.

"Go. Now." Alaric growled before he turned back to General Tyrus. The soldier ran to where the horses were tied up and took the nearest one. He rode into the surrounding forest.

"Pack us up. We have to get back to the Palace, immediately."

***

"I must admit, I'm surprisingly disturbed to watch you pick out flowers," Zarek remarked as he circled the tables filled with various flora. He picked up a red tulip and gave it a thoughtful look before he replaced it.

"Not as disturbed as I feel picking them out, trust me." Calira responded as she glanced down at the white orchid in her hand. Weapons she could handle. Flowers were a totally different story. They were too delicate and fragile.

"I thought Alaric was in charge of this?" Wesley questioned from his place next to the door. Calira shrugged as she glanced at him over her shoulder.

"The border patrol was more important and I volunteered. I should have some say in my wedding, shouldn't I?" Calira's voice was light and easy-going. Without Alaric or her ladies-in-waiting around, Calira was free to do whatever she wanted and all she wanted to do was spend time with Triscan and her two companions. It allowed her to take her mind off of her upcoming nuptials and royal position.