The Shadow Assassin

Chapter 3

Rowan sat there, twirling her knife in her hand, her hair over one side of her shoulder. She gently stroked her hair and argued with herself.

Just do it!

But, I don't really think it's a good idea.

It doesn't have to be a good idea.

But, I want to keep my hair!

Just hack it off! One clean cut, no blood.

But! It's. My. Hair!

Cut. It. Off!

NEVER!

"What are you doing," came a deep voice, "You look constipated. It isn't a becoming look of a young lady."

Rowan snorted. "Lady my ass," she muttered.

"What was that?" Evan inquired.

"Nothing," She said, glaring at him.

"So, how short are you going to cut your hair?" he had the nerve to ask.

"How did you know about me, cutting my hair?" Rowan questioned his question.

"I wheedled it out of Madame Dorthe. She told me everything from you chopping your hair to the orders for you to kill-" she cut off his breath, slapping her hand on top of his flapping mouth.

She leaned in close, her lips to his ear and hissed, "Be careful what you say, my leige. The Shadows are listening."

His eyes visibly widened and Rowan stared as he scouted the area for 'Shadows'.

"That's right," she whispered, harshly, "Goblins, ghosts, and-" Rowan paused in effect, "And Me!"

She twirled around him and jumped onto his back, her battle cry piercing the air. She wrapped her legs around his waist and held on for dear life. She shrieked as Evan grabbed her leg and lifted her through the air.

Rowan's skirts fell from her ankles to her head. She thrashed around, swimming through the five layers of skirt. Her undergarments were on wide display. Rowan desperately tried to grasp her petticoat and push it back down.

Why couldn't he had picked me up after I had successfully become a boy? You know, when I was wearing trousers. Rowan wondered.

"What kind of lad do you think you'll make?" Evan smirked.

She spit on his metal tipped boots.

"Oh, that's right, you'd make an even worse girl."

"Put me down, you filthy mongrel!" Rowan yelled.

He had the grace to look scorned, "Mongrel? I'm the future king!"

"Not, if you continue this behavior," came the snooty voice of Mariam, "With manners like yours, you'll be lucky to become more then a lowly stable hand, Prince Evan."

Mariam Dorthe, like usual, completely ignored Rowan's existence and scolded the prince.

As Evan stood there, awkwardly, Rowan felt her foot slowly begin to slip from her boot.

Evan don't you dare... "Ow!" My head, why my head? No, my feet or hands just wouldn't work. Even my arse would've been better than-

"Eek, Rowan, you are gonna have a nasty bruise," Evan chortled.

Mariam looked scandalized at the poor girl lying in a dirty heap on the muddy ground of the river bank, "What on earth are you doing, child? Are you trying to get your dress completely filthy?"

Rowan rolled her eyes, Yes, because it's all my fault.

She shook her head at Rowan, disgusted by the inappropriate display of undergarments while laying on the ground. Evan put a hand over his mouth, disguising his guffaw rather poorly.

He then held a hand out to Rowan, grabbing her wrist and yanking her to her feet. She dusted off her skirts with the backs of her hands and with a snort of disdain, she walked stiffly away.

Evan and Madame Dorthe watched as the young soon-to-be-assassin-boy walked away heatedly.

____________

Okay, it's time.

Time for what?

Cut your hair.

But!

We already discussed this, pansy. Cut it.

But!

It doesn't have to be too short. Just to your shoulders.

But!

No buts! Do it, now!

And so, around three miles down the riverbank from Evan and Mariam, Rowan chopped off her hair. She held all of it in one hand and slid the blade through cleanly. Her once long honey colored locks fell to the earth.

Rowan stood and brushed all stray hairs off of her pants. She heaved a great sigh and started walking back down to Evan and Madame pain-in-the-unladylike-words.

As she took her first few steps, a peasant from even farther down the riverbank rushed pasted her and called out, "Hurry, lad! You'll miss the ringing of Grand Bell!"

Pete's socks!

I started running too.