The Assassin and the King - SOTUS

The Bandit

The room is crowded as I slowly make my way into the hearing hall. I look around, surprised by the crowd, they all seem happy and truly sure, what they came for will be answered.

I wait, along with the rest, as the morning bells chime in the high towers, signalling the time for all in the city to hear.

I have passed many cities to come to the capital, but this place amazed me, a lot of things on my way here have, not in the way I believed them too.

The crowd is lined, the ones who have come to ask for help from their King, it makes me want to laugh at the fools. Do they really think a man of such power would come listen to them? His meeting time would start soon, they would be lucky if he showed up 10 minutes just to wave a hand and leave.

I knew men of power, they cared only for what they had, sitting like vipers on their gold, never giving, never helping. If men like that helped the people, then men like me, would never need to exist in this world.

The court crier announces the proceeding will start, and a young man walks out to stand before his seat. The court is silent, the crier announces the King, the court greets him, bowing in respect before their King. I follow, never taking my eyes off him.

I watch the proceeding for most of the morning, I hear things fall from his mouth I did not expect, I see him do things I did not believe men like him capable of anymore. He helped the poor, he heeded the needy and he advised the ones that asked questions with wisdom. What is this man?

As the time nears for my plan, my mind begins to question my actions, but as I look around at the fools I paid for the distraction start to move, I know it is too late. The fools move, the guards respond, the last few citizens run to the side, I whistle.

They will not see the danger till it is done. But as Harim sores threw the open sky window high above, a figure runs to the King, covering him, as Harim shrieks and flies in the direction of my command. The giant hawk scrapes the figure, I whistle, the hawk immediately flies out the way he came, as I look in horror who it was that protected the King.

He watches the bird fly as he falls to his knees, I watch as Arthit falls to the ground. I want to rush to him, but the King is carrying him out, while his men do their work. I slip out with the citizens, no one even noticed me.

I slowly move to the bed, a figure lies there, as I realise it is Arthit I move closer. I place the healing herb in a glass nearby, filling it with water from the jug, I timed it well, he will wake soon.

Two of my trusted men are in the servant room we slipped in threw, even with help, this was risky, I had this information as back up, I didn't think I would need it to help Arthit.

I focus on him as he breaths, waking slowly. He is warm, his fever high, that's his allergy to the herbs in the mix. I maybe reckless, but even I wouldn't try to kill the King, just cause enough panic so they would talk to us.

"Stupid thing to do Arthit."

He slowly moves his head to look at me.

"Why ruin a perfect plan? They wouldn't have seen us coming." I tell him as I make him sip the water. "Drink more Arthit, it's the healing herb."

He makes faces, but I make him drink at least half the cup, Arthit had a sensitivity to some herbs even as a child.

"A little risky, even by your standards Knot." He tells me.

"Our pleas for help fell on heartless ears, we needed help, this was the only way left." I say checking his head.

His fever isn't too bad, that's a good sign.