The Assassin Princess

An Unexpected Turn

                  

Calira would give the Countess due. She had wanted her biggest rival out of the way and had acted on it. It was more than she could say of Alaric's other mistresses. Of course, whatever mild impression she left on Calira, Countess DuBare was committing treason all for a chance to sleep in the same bed as the King. It was a ridiculous reason in Calira's mind. Alaric's bedroom skills could not seriously be worth an execution, at least not in Calira's opinion.

"If I can ask, ma'am, what do ya plan to do with her?" The leader of the mercenaries sounded as curious as he was wary.

"Why, kill her, of course. My brother and I are quite invested in it." Veronique Dubare's cold voice had probably sent shivers down the mercenaries' spines. All it did was piss Calira off.

                  

Three of the best assassins in the world had tried to kill her and none of them had succeeded. She was Sarana, a monster that lurked in the shadows, an unstoppable force of nature. No spoiled rich girl was going to get the best of her.  Calira felt around the sides of the carriage until she found an exposed nail. Calira would've smirked if the gag in her mouth made it impossible to do so.  She readjusted her bound hands and used the nail to saw the bindings. She could hear the men moving around the carriage and she knew her time was limited so she worked faster until the rope finally gave way. She quickly ripped out her gag and untied her legs. As soon as she was free she heard the handle of the carriage being jiggled, so she prepared herself for an ambush. She just had to surprise them enough that she could get away. She'd worry about revenge when she had her weapons and backup.

As the door opened, Calira launched herself at the mercenary and knocked him to the ground. She slammed his head into the ground and heard the crack of his skull. She turned quickly and kicked another man. Another was hit by her elbow. She caught sight of an opening and she ran for it. Suddenly a gunshot rang out across the air. A second later, pain exploded up Calira's leg. She fell unceremoniously to the muddy ground and clung to her bleeding leg. Another gunshot echoed in the air and Calira let out a scream as another bullet whizzed through her other leg. She looked up and fought back tears of pain. She was surprised to see a well-dressed man standing next to Countess Dubare with a matching malicious smirk stretched across each of their faces.

"Running away is such bad manners, Princess." The man remarked viciously.

***

                  

                  

Alaric paced the area in front of his father's bed as he thought of the situation they were in. Calira had been kidnapped; Wesley was weeding out the staff that had betrayed them, and Zarek was chasing down every possible lead that would help them find Calira. 

"Two assassin bodyguards and she still manages to get kidnapped!" Alaric seethed more to himself than his father. Triscan followed his son's movement warily. A whimper from beside him brought his attention back to the dog and young boy that were still in the room under Wesley's orders.

"It's quite alright boys. Calira can take care of herself." Triscan remarked quietly as Alaric turned to face his father.

"Is that why you let her carry on as she did? To prepare her?" Alaric asked as Triscan frowned. The old man looked pale but Alaric wasn't sure if it was the situation or his illness that caused it.

"I made a promise and in order to fulfill that promise, I had to make sure Calira would be safe. Zarek was a trusted friend and ally. I knew he would raise her well and keep her safe." Triscan answered solemnly. Alaric frowned at his father's assessment on how well Calira had been raised.

         

As a child, Calira had been bright and happy. She had been much smarter than Alaric and far kinder than even his mother. Now, Calira was cold and distant. She angered easily and her kindness was limited to only Triscan and the dog. Alaric couldn't necessarily agree with his father's evaluation of how well Zarek had raised the blonde. 

But Alaric had seen glimpses of the girl who had shared her childhood with him. When she let her guard down, she was every bit the kind of woman Alaric had seen himself being married to. Those moments, however, were far in between. Most times she was the ruthless assassin.

"She has killed people father," Alaric remarked suddenly as the thought hit him in the chest. 

"So have we, my son.  So have we." Triscan replied gently.

"Doesn't that mean Her Grace might be alright wherever she is?"  Valerius' question earned Alaric's complete and utter attention. The boy, no older than seventeen, stood calmly in the corner of the old King's bedchamber and managed to keep the otherwise rowdy dog just as calm as himself. Alaric wondered briefly how much the boy actually knew about the situation.

"Do you believe that, boy?" Alaric asked since he, himself, was skeptical.

"I'd like to think so, Your Highness." Valerius answered easily and quickly. Before Alaric could question why the young servant remained so loyal, the doors to his father's bedchambers opened and Wesley stuck his head in.

"I've found our traitors." Wesley's words were quiet but laced with fury. Alaric turned to face him quickly.

"There was more than one in the castle?" Triscan asked in shock. He had never thought the people who surrounded them would be capable of such betrayal.

"There were nine. I was just about to interrogate them, but I thought I should inform you first." Wesley answered solemnly. He knew how much this betrayal hurt the ailing old man.

"I'll go with you." Alaric announced before he walked back to his father's side and placed his hand on his sire's shoulder.

"Their treachery will be duly punished and we will bring back Calira, alive. And if I have to, Father, I will scour the entire six realms for her. Then I will marry her." Alaric swore as Triscan gripped his son's hand in his own.

"Go. Bring her back." Triscan's words were quiet but steadfast. Alaric nodded his head before he followed Wesley out of the room. The interrogation gave him a purpose and would help them return Calira to her rightful place at his side.

"Who were the traitors?" Alaric asked as he glanced at the assassin turned bodyguard.

"Two scullery maids, a footman, three guards, a cook, and one of your advisors, Your Majesty," Wesley answered furiously. Each traitor was a member of the household staff that had regular and easy contact with Calira on an everyday basis. It irked him that they could so easily deceive Calira. She had been nothing but kind to the servants that catered to her and this was how she was repaid.

"Do not worry, Wesley. We will get her back." Alaric's resolution earned him some of Wesley's respect.

****

Four hours later and the interrogation had yielded nothing. Wesley had tried every interrogation technique he knew on the guards, footman, and Alaric's advisor. Alaric's mere presence had been enough for the maids and the cook to blurt out all that they knew.

Anonymous donations in the form of large amounts of gold and detailed instructions had been given to each servant. No one knew there was others and no one knew where the kidnappers were going.

"Treachery such as this has only one punishment." Alaric's voice echoed off of the dungeon walls. Wesley watched fear stretch across the faces of the traitors.

"Life in prison. However, should the Princess die, so will all of you." Alaric narrowed his eyes as he turned to leave, knowing no more than he had four hours ago.

"Wesley! Alaric!" Zarek's voice stopped Alaric and Wesley cold in their steps. The eldest assassin held a piece of ripped and blackened fabric. Upon closer inspection, the fabric seemed to be stained with blood.

"I tracked them as far as I could when I found this." Zarek thrust the piece of fabric between him and the other two men. Wesley noted the lilac color while Alaric's eyes were drawn to the dark red stain splatter across most of the fabric.

"What is that?" Alaric questioned, confused as to what it had to do with their current situation.

"Princess Calira was wearing a purple dress."