Throne of Glass - fic

Chapter 3

Celaena stalked down the hallway of the ship her crimson cape billowing out behind her. She turned her hunting knives over in her hands measuring their familiar weight resting in her palms. A scowl crept onto her face as she ducked into a shadowed alcove. Two guards strutted past her and she glimpsed the wyvern emblazoned on the chests of their tunics: the royal guards uniform.

"We're not going to find anyone. Plus even if this lost Queen does exist she's not gonna be stupid enough to sneak into the capital." The taller man scoffed. Celaena's scowl deepened as she edged out of the niche and started striding down the passageway behind them. She merely wandered up to them and cleared her throat.

"I have my reasons for going to the capital thank you. I have business there" She said sweetly and plastered an innocent smile onto her face. The shorter man spun round in shock and took a step back as if to support himself.

"You... You're the..." The man stuttered his voice raising as he spoke until it was almost a yell and would surely alert the rest of the guards. Celaena sliced her knife through his throat before he could finish and tisked in distaste as she eyed the crimson stain left on her ivory gloves.
What a shame. She thought to herself. They'd been expensive and extremely difficult to find. Wendlyn was clearly not known for it's fashion. Celaena shook her head in irritation at the stain as the other man was still frozen to the spot.

"I'd almost forgotten how messy this is." She sighed and turned on her heel. She stalked up to the trembling guard and with a swift twist of the neck he was unconscious.
She really needed to find a better way of keeping people quiet about their encounters than killing them. She thought to herself as she walked, killing them was messy in more ways than one. She'd have to stop and get new gloves. The ones she was wearing were now covered with blood, dirt and grime. She gazed at them sadly and with a sigh tucked them into a pocket, the blood would draw far too much attention to her.

She decided to find a rowing boat of some sort. It was too risky to stay on the ship, with the guards searching for her. The man who'd been in her room had probably been found and reported her presence. Guards didn't tend to keep quiet even with her threats she'd have to pay him back for his. She pranced about the deck, a ship like this must have at least one lifeboat! For wyrds sake... She choked back a screech of frustration and brushed her hair back under her hood.

A few minuted later celaena was stood outside the captain quarters, hood down, mask on and a curtain of hair hiding her face. Every knife she possessed concealed in her tunic. She knocked quietly on the door and was releaved to hear only one voice and no weapons being drawn.
"what is it" a shaky voice answered.
She cleared her throat quietly, adopted her most innocent face and pushed the door open. What faced her was a small office with a wheel at the front held by a boy, her age or less. She smiled inwardly and started her performance.
"Excuse me sir, i'm ever so sorry for bothering you but, well... i just really wanted to see the controls of the ship it's so interesting" She squealed in her best silly little girl voice.
"well i'm not really supposed to let anyone in here..." He replied nervously.
"Oh, well i'm sorry for barging in. I just really wanted someone who knew about it to explain it to me. I've been so dreadfully bored on this journey." She looked up at him from under her eyelashes and flashed him a half smile. She turned and headed for the door.
"Wait!... I mean... I'm sure no one would mind if i showed you the controls." He almost shouted.
"Oh thank you!" she turned on her heel and draped her arm across his shoulders he flinched but grinned at her.
"Anything you want to see in particular?"
"well i've been wondering what happens if theres a big disaster and we need to evacuate! I always get so paranoid on ships."
She giggled shyly.
"Um... Well there's the rowing boats but you need a key to get in there." He smiled tapping his breast pocket.
"Oh so where are they kept?"
"Well... i suppose... i can show you."

They quickly walked to the lifeboats and the boy opened the door and showed Celaena the ropes of untying and setting of the boat. She occasionly muttered vague replies to his annoying questions and until they'd completely unhooked a boat.
"So all you'd have to do now is push off and you'll be on your way." He grinned and reached out a hand to help her down. She quickly smacked him round the head with the oar and pushed off.