---Thorn's POV---
The search party was made up of two people. My sister and me. I don't know why my father went through all the trouble to keep us "safe" if he's just going to send us off alone to capture an assassin. Yes, it made me feel older and more independent, but I was only 14, and Ivy was only 17. I had had 10 years of experience, she had 13. That was definitely not enough to survive against an assassin we knew nothing about.
---King's POV---
I thought about what Thorn said to me as I arranged the search party. Both my children had had enough experience to survive in the forests on their own, plus they had supplies and weapons.
Suddenly I realised something.
How did Kai know what the assassin looked like?
---Rayne's POV---
I had slept pretty well the night before, considering the prince knew what I looked like. Logan was still asleep, but I snuck out of the tent to get some air. The forest was warmer than yesterday, but it wasn't much of a difference. I climbed a tree to look over the temples, and noticed that people from the palace were out and clustered together. It wasn't till then that I realised there would be a hunting party that was due to come for me.
"Logan!" I hissed. No response. "Logan!" I said a little louder. Still nothing.
"Logan!" I said, shaking him as I climbed into the tent. "We have to go!"
"What? Why? We just got here," Logan sat up slowly, stretching.
"There is a search party coming, meaning there's an assassin nearby," I quickly added the last bit, just remembering then that he didn't know I was the assassin.
"Oh, of course! Let me pack the tent up first, though, this thing costed me a fortune," Logan climbed out of the tent and started pulling at the picks that were stuck to the ground. He was moving agonisingly slow. I shoved him aside and heaved the pick out with ease. My brother stared at me as I started on the others.
"When did you get so strong?" He asked. I shook my head.
"Shut up, it doesn't matter. Start pulling down this stupid thing, we need to get moving!" I collected the picks and shoved them in the bag. I had been camping before with my parents, so I vaguely remembered how to put up and take down a tent. Logan pulled the poles out of the material, and I started to roll it up. My brother shoved it all into his bag and we began to trek alongside the swamp. Mosquitoes swarmed around us, and I batted at them carelessly. I winced as Logan stepped on a pile of dead leaves. He was being way too loud for my liking.
"Could you be any louder?" I asked under my breath.
"Huh?" He called back loudly. I sighed. Irony.
---King's POV---
"Kai, I need to talk to you before you see off the children," I called from the training temple. Kai glanced back at me before turning around.
"Yes, Your Highness?" Kai bowed.
"We're not in the court rooms, you don't need to be so formal," I paused, thinking about what I should say next. "Ah, Kai, how did you know what the assassin looked like?"
Kai's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?" He asked hesitantly. "Doesn't everyone?"
"Of course not, boy! All we know is that she's a girl."
"But there have been wanted signs all over the nations, sir, surely I'm not the only one who has some idea!"
I narrowed my eyes. He had said he saw her skinning a squirrel...for all he knows she could have been a tribute or Earth Nation citizen!
"Tell me Kai. What was she doing, exactly?"
Now Kai looked nervous. He was doing well at hiding it, but after years of deciding people's fates, I could see right through him.
"I-I...don't you believe me? She was skinning a squirrel!"
"Survival is what we learn, you idiot! Tributes and citizens learn this kind of stuff! She could have been innocent, for all you know!"
"Yes, but she spoke to me! She told me about your warning to the Ice Nation, and she tried to escape! Successfully, too, might I add."
He had a point there. We don't learn to escape as tributes in Earth Nation, only as an extra subject. That must have been what gave it away.
"You will attend the hunt, as you know what she looks like. A woman like her could take down the prince and princess easily."
"Oh, sire, she's no older than the prince himself, by the way." Kai smiled slightly.
"You mean she's 14? All this time we've been terrified of a 14 year old?" I laughed. "This should be a piece of cake! Let the others know immediately, Kai," I laughed again. All my doubts had disappeared.
---Kai's POV---
Great. I'm going on the hunting party. As I entered my dormitory to prepare myself, I kicked the wall in frustration. How would I hide myself? She would recognise me straight away, no doubt about it. I could wear a hood or a mask, but that would raise questions. I had no idea what to do.
---Thorn's POV---
I was training for the remaining time we had left before we started the search. I threw knives, practiced archery, fought with swords and practiced hand-to-hand combat with my sister until we thought we were actually prepared to meet an assassin. Kai called us over and told us he was coming with us. I stifled a sigh of relief. But what he told us after that made me feel like an idiot.
"The assassin is a girl, no older than 14 years. She is weaponless and alone, for all we know, but she is still dangerous."
"A 14 year old, weaponless assassin with no backup? Why are we getting so worked up over this?" Ivy laughed.
"You know better than that, princess." Ivy stepped up to Kai and drew her knife.
"Never call me princess," she said in a low voice. I don't know if I imagined it, but I thought I saw Kai swallow. I rolled my eyes.
"She's half you age Kai, calm down a bit," I muttered.
"Thorn, Ivy, Kai, it's time for you three to leave. Don't worry about armour, she's a little girl after all." My dad winked and I smirked at him. "Grab any weapons you think are necessary and head off when you're ready. Good luck," with that, the king embraced my sister and me in a hug. I let him do it, as we won't be seeing each other in a while.
"Remember, bring her back to me if you catch her. Don't kill her." My dad said the last part sternly, mainly looking at Ivy. She rolled her eyes and nodded.
Then the search began.
~~~~~~~~~~
Guys I need help!! What's a good last name for Rayne? Comment or message me what you think...
Ps sorry for late update...was at the Melbourne show and stayed over at a friends house...then I got writers block :P
