Blood Born: Assassin Book 2

Blood Born- chapter 1

"Evelyn."

"Mother."

"Why do you insist on escaping from your training?" she asked.

"Because it's all I do! I have no fun. I do nothing except train, lessons, and learning."

"You are a princess. Certain things are expected of you. I grew up in the French..."

"The French courts. You trained everyday and never complained. Yes, I know. You've told me this same story over and over."

"So why fight me on it?"

"Evelyn, you need to listen to your mother. There is a reason why we're having you learn these specific sets of skills."

"Why?" I asked, looking at my father.

"She's old enough to know now," he said.

"No," Mother said firmly.

"Yes, dear."

"I don't want to scare her. I was going to wait another year or so before informing her of the truth."

"What truth?" I asked.

My mother pursed her lips together and hung her head. Standing she walked to the large fireplace behind the thrones. She picked up the gold and diamond dagger that rested on a purple pillow nearest her. She handed it over to me. I grasped the diamond hilt, feeling something prick my fingers.

"Ow!" I yelped, letting it go.

My mother reached out with lightning fast reflex and caught it.

"What was that?" I asked.

"This is a dagger from the Guild. It was sent as a wedding gift to your father and I."

"From the who?" I asked.

"The Guild. A secret society of assassins."

"Why did they send you a gift?" I asked again.

"I am, well I was, an assassin. Your father's assassin. I was chosen as a child, about the age you were when I began training you, to protect your father once he became king. We fell in love."

"Okay?"

"An assassin falling in love with her king is forbidden. The Guild would do everything in their power to keep it from happening, even going so far as to kill their own assassin," she said, placing the dagger back on the pillow.

"You're alive."

"It wasn't easy. I had to kill my mentor and many watchers. Angeline broke from them and helped so she could marry as well."

"Angeline? Your old friend? Elizabeth's mother?"

"Yes. That Angeline. Don't let her motherly ways now fool you. She is a very lethal woman."

"So what does this have to do with me?" I asked.

"Everything," my father said. "You are the product of our love. They would love to see you die as well. With your mother training you, at least you'll have a fighting chance when and if that happens."

"Kill me? And ew, dad, a product of your love?"

"Well you are."

"When are they going to kill me?"

"There's no guarantee that they will try, but they'll try something sometime. Maybe not now, perhaps when you have a child and are queen."

"I don't want this."

"I know, sweetheart. It's not fair at all, and we're not saying they will target you, but we want you to be prepared in case they do," my mother said, pulling me close to her body.

I wrapped my arms around her waist, inhaling her sweet scent. She always smelled of vanilla and cinnamon.

"Now, I must return to my talks with Prince James."

"Why is he here?" I asked.

"We'll discuss that later," my father muttered.

"No. We can discuss it now," I said.

"It's time to think about you getting married."

"Married? You're kidding right? Mother, tell him he's crazy."

"Evelyn, your father is right. I was married by the time I was eighteen."

"The two of you are insane. And to Prince James of Scotland? He's so stuffy and uptight."

"He's a good match."

I rolled my eyes and turned to leave.

"I'm not that stuffy," James said, standing in the doorway.

"Prince James." I curtsied to the visiting dignitary.

"Princess Evelyn." He bowed low to me.

"It's so very nice to see you, again."

"Yes. Now that I know you're not a crazy peasant girl."

"I'm just a crazy princess." I walked past him, heading toward my chambers.

"Evelyn!"

"I need to wash."

I slammed the doors to my chamber behind me. My handmaid, Charlene, appeared from beyond the bower.

"Princess."

"Charlene. I need to wash. Please prepare water for me."

"What happened to you?"

"Long story. This day went from normal crazy to insane in an hour."

"Please tell me."

"Apparently there is a secret society who wants to kill me and my father wants me to marry the prince of Scotland."

"Oh not that tall, rugged, red haired lad?"

"Prince James? Yeah. Him."

"He's good looking," she said, pouring hot water from the kettle over my fire to a pitcher.

"He's so stuffy and boring."

"How do you know?"

"I've met him. Once."

"Yes. Once. Give him a chance, perhaps he'll prove to be worthy of the princess of England."

"I doubt it," I said, untying the stays of the gown I wore, letting it fall to the floor.

"You never know," she said, pouring the water over my head as I leaned over the basin. "Rose oil?"

"Yes."

I closed my eyes as she rubbed the cleaning oils in my hair and handed me a cloth to wipe up with.

"Shall you be dining with your parents and James?" Charlene asked.

"I suppose I shall."

"The red dining gown will go marvelously with your hair."

I pulled a gold chemise on before stepping into the thick petticoats and red skirt. Charlene helped me get the stiff bodice on and tied it tight.

"If you yank those ribbons any harder my ribs may crush everything on the inside," I huffed, placing a hand on my breast.

"A tiny waist, princess."

"I like breathing."

The top slipped over my head, the trumpet sleeves reaching down to my knees. I slipped my toes into the gold slippers and sat, allowing her to twist my mass of curls up. She tucked a silver and pearl tiara into my hair.

"A tiara?" I asked.

"Embrace your princessness, Evelyn."

I pursed my lips and glanced in the mirror. I hated the tiaras. They were nothing more than a symbol of my imprisonment in the castle. She didn't know what it was like to have your entire life planned out for you, having no option but what others decided for you. There was no escaping what I had to become one day. I knew I would do exactly what my parents wanted, even though I wanted to fight back. And I would. What little pleasure I could have, I would take.