When The Nightingale Calls

Dedicated to, my first follower, PercyPotter323 

The slender figure swathed in a midnight blue cloak approached the guard knights and came to a halt a few steps before them. She removed the hood from her head revealing golden, shoulder length curls, her icy turquoise eyes scanned the castle before her. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Can I help you?" inquired the taller of the two guards. "Yes," the woman said silkily "Yes you can. I am Selena Nightingale, you may have heard of me." the guards stiffened at the sound of her name. "Just incase you do not know who I am, I am a master assassin and I am here to kill the king" Selena purred smoothly and articulately, the knights adjusted their stance in preparation for battling this notorious assassin. "Luckily for you" Selena rasped, now pacing to and fro "I am willing to offer you a choice." the guards now entranced by her smooth words relaxed their grasps on their spears "Either you let me pass... or I make you." Her words were soft but brutal, the guards snapped out of their almost hypnosis-induced trance to hold their spears tighter and retain a hostile stature. Selena chuckled almost eerily "I was hoping you would choose that." her pacing ceased and her hands slipped to her waist where her swords hung.

The guards called for help, but none other than Selena heard. She drew out her two ornate short-swords and twirled them slowly with her wrists before leaping into the air, feining direction to the left. The guards reacted to Selena's bluff, instinctively darting to the right "Amateurs" Selena hissed to herself. She altered her weight as she landed, swiftly impaling both of the guards with one graceful, sweeping motion, landing on one knee with her arms spread like a bird taking flight. A smile curled across her pale face. As Selena rose to her feet she undid the ornate gold clasps fastening her cloak together, swishing the silky fabric from her shoulders and casting it aside nonchalantly. Her gold hair contrasting with her cold blue eyes, she could have passed for a court lady had she not been wearing tight, creamy coloured trousers underneath a turquoise, cotton tunic. Clearing her throat, Selena sheathed her short swords in the brown, leather belt slung across her waist. With a final gaze at the gargantuan walls that stood before her, she strode confidently through the stone archway. Selena studied the foyer area in which she now stood and silently listed the significant things; two guards at the left corridor, two guards at the right corridor, two guards beside the stairs, all guards have spears, vines on the marble wall, shrubs lining the paths, no civilians, two lampposts beside the stone path. "Just as the plan goes" Selena murmured nearly inaudibly to herself. She approached the guards on the left corridor the shorter of whom simply said "State your business" tiredly. "I need not state my business here" Selena began toying with a strand of her golden locks "As it will become extremely apparent very shortly". And with that she pulled out a long dagger encrusted with tiny crystals of topaz and sapphire on the handle, twirled it between her long fingers and skilfully and silently thrust it into the guards' torsos. The other guards noticed the men's dying moans and rushed to see what the source of the sound was. Selena dove into a nearby bush with her dagger at the ready. As the guards grouped around the still bodies of the dead men, she leapt into action, impaling them all with a flash of steel. Selena then stealthily scurried to the foot of the stairs, the stairs that she knew led to the corridor of the king's throneroom. Selena ascended the staircase, her worn leather boots making no sound on the white and grey rippling marble. As she laid eyes on the door her heart leapt, knowing that all her life's training was leading up to the moment when she, Selena Nightingale, would stride into the throne room of the king of Courtdelle and assassinate the man who created the biased system of rule, sparking the coup that would lead to the overthrow of the kingdom. Selena had to will herself to be calm as she pushed open the great doors to reveal the glorious corridor that seemed to be made of white marble and pure light. Her eyes alight with happiness and fulfilment, Selena bounded joyously to the arched doorway of the king's throneroom. Stopping at the door she inhaled deeply preparing herself for what was to come, when almost out of nowhere a dominant strength forced her slim body to the ground. Writhing against the weight upon her, Selena's confidence faltered. She no longer saw the vision of prevalence but a vision of a future filled with nothing but sorrow. A tear welled in Selena's eye, No she silently scolded herself stay strong. Somewhere inside of herself, Selena found the power and strength to fight against her attacker. She grasped one of her swords and with a cry, Selena swung the blade at the throat of the man holding her to the ground. The man darted out of the swords trajectory, removing his weight from Selena. She rose to her feet, regaining her balance only to see an army's worth of soldiers and guards all ready for battle filling the hall to the last inch. Spying the wide window to her left, Selena weighed up the risk of staying here to fight and fleeing. Scrunching up her nose in disgust at her own cowardice. Selena dashed at the window leaping at the last minute, smashing through glass that cut her skin. Landing skilfully on the top of the palace's guard walls, Selena took one last look back at what she'd lost. Selena slid down the wall, sheathing her sword. She mentally prepared herself to return to the pack of assassins who had been ready for her to penetrate the castle's walls and eliminate the king, not to mention Amyas Pierson her mentor and leader.