Black Belt Anthology

Reunion Festival

Merek sprinted past market vendors lining the streets, looking around desperately. Where's Sybil? The two of them had been hired by a wealthy foreigner to take out Princess Isolde of Wulfhaven. And while Merek liked to think he and Sybil were somewhat loyal to the royal family, the payment was rather persuasive.

Merek peered into an alleyway and saw a tall, thin woman with a scarlet hood thrown over head. She was pointing a knife at a frightened stable boy.

"Sybil," Merek hissed as he approached.

She didn't take her eyes off the boy. "He told me how we can get into the castle."

Merek looked back at the boy and noticed blood trickling from his nose. "Why is he bleeding?"

Sybil shrugged. "Because he's a clay-brained lubberwort."

"I didn't know being a lubberwort caused spontaneous bleeding," he said, amused.

"Must be a new phenomenon." Sybil slipped the knife back into her cape. She waved a dismissive hand toward the boy. "Run. But if you tell anyone about our encounter, I'll make sure you don't have a nose left to bleed from."

The boy ran, and Merek decided not to even try to lecture Sybil on the dangers of running off alone. She never listened anyway. "What did he tell you?"

"The castle has a back entrance by the sewage drain. A guard is stationed there, but he doesn't actually do anything. When the castle staff returns to work tomorrow morning, we can enter with them." She tugged at her hood, making sure it hadn't fallen down. A strand of blonde hair peeked out, though. Merek reached a gentle hand toward her face and tucked it in place. It reminded him of a ray of sunlight, somehow woven into its tangible form. He thought it was beautiful, but Sybil despised it.

"What are we going to do while we wait for tomorrow?" Sybil asked.

"The Reunion Festival's going on. How about we have some fun before everything blows up in our faces?"

She smirked. "Everything blowing up is the fun part. But lead the way."

-- -- --

The Reunion Festival was a two-day celebration in Wulfhaven. The royal family had first declared the occasion ten years ago, when their eldest daughter was mysteriously kidnapped. Families all throughout the kingdom reunited on the day in the hopes that it would lead the crown princess home.

People flooded the streets, dancing in time to the harpists and fiddlers' lively music. Children darted through the crowds, the girls with flowers woven into brown or black hair and the boys with mock crowns jostling atop their dark-haired heads.

Merek gave a vendor coins and received a flower in return. Thanking the man, he turned to Sybil, whose eyes were transfixed on the celebration.

"I have something for you," he said. 

She looked at the flower he was holding, confused. "You know I can't show my hair."

He shook his head and tied the flower around her wrist. "Perfect."

Sybil smiled at him. "Merek Ashdown, you certainly know how to make a girl feel special."

-- -- --

The next morning, Merek and Sybil crouched behind an empty market stall. The Reunion Festival would resume in a few hours, but the streets were mostly quiet as the sun rose on the horizon.

Footsteps echoed through the marketplace, and Merek peered out from behind the stall. Several castle employees walked past, heading to work. He pressed a hand against Sybil's shoulder, warning her to be ready to move.