To Kill The King

A sliver of the silver moon hung high in the sky. Its curve like a scythe; slim and sharp. Its light was pale and cold. The shadows were long and dark. A figure in black moved swiftly through a grove of trees growing upon a cliff and settled itself on the ground at the roots of an oak, relaxed but alert; waiting.

There came the sound of stones shifting. The figure among the trees rose noise to it's feet. Another figure was making it's way up the side of the cliff. The figure was robed in black with a hooded red cloak and soft, worn leather boots. It moved almost noiselessly as it climbed along the narrow path carved into the side of the cliff. When the figure reached the top it pulled back its hood. It was a woman. Her hair was short, roughly cut and brown in color but the light from the moon bathed it in it's light and turned it a soft gray. She stood still, her hands clasped in front of her. Her body was stiff with fear. She turned her head and surveyed her surroundings. She was standing in front of a grove of trees. It was easily recognizable that they were planted because of the straight lines they grew in. The shadows cast from the trees interlaced, creating a web at their roots.

A shadow tore itself from the web and moved toward the woman with predatory grace. The shadow reached back and threw off it's hood, revealing itself to be a woman. Her hair, braided into a single braid that reached her waist, was an unusual color, a blond so pale it was almost white. The light from the moon turned it silver. She stopped in front of the woman with the red cloak who had just climbed the cliff. The weak light made it hard to see the face of the silver-haired woman clearly. She was pale and her brows were highly arched. It was impossible to tell what color her eyes were. There were twin streaks of black on each of her cheeks, like war paint.

"Thank you for coming, Sarah. Do you have the map?" said the silver-haired woman. She spoke with a clear tone of pride and her voice had a husky quality to it. "Yes, it's right here." said the woman called Sarah, holding out a folded piece of paper. "Thank you," said the silver-haired woman taking the paper, "I appreciate your help. The League thanks you and the people will too after we go through with our plan."

"Lucille, the League doesn't actually mean to overthrow King Leo?"

"Of course that is what we plan to do. That old man has spent far too long with that crown upon his head!"

"Yes, it is true, but-"

"Are you objecting to our work?"

"No, I only think-"

"King Leo killed his own wife, he collects takes anything he wants, our land, our silver, our lives, he doesn't care about the people anymore! If he did he wouldn't leave us as we are, defenseless without a shred of power-"

"We don't know that King Leo even killed Queen Elfrida, they say she was found dead in her chamber-"

"With her wine goblet still in her hand! Don't you find that to be strange? The King poisoned her!"

"We don't know that. I just don't believe that killing King Leo could be the answer to this," said Sarah in a pleading voice. "I can't let you take the map if this is what you use it for. I-"

The silver-haired woman frowned. Suddenly her hand flew out and she struck Sarah across the chest causing her to stumble backward to the edge of the cliff. The silver-haired woman caught her by the front of her coat.

"I'm sorry, Sarah but I can't leave anyone with objections to The Plan alive."

"Lucille" Sarah gasped, her eyes wide with fear "You can't! What about my daughter? If I don't come home, who will care for her?"

"The life of one child is unimportant in the face of what we are planning. I'm sorry, Sarah. This is for the greater good." And she let go. Sarah's scream ripped open the silence of the night. A cry of pure terror that was cut short as her fall ended. Lucille glanced over the edge of the cliff, Sarah's lifeless body was barely visible in the dim lighting as she lay curled at its foot. Lucille looked down at the map Sarah had given her, which was clutched in her gloved hand.

"It had to be done." she whispered, and then she turned and walked away.

❖

Lucile spread the map out upon the tabletop which was rough with dents, scratches and knife marks from its many years of residence at the base of the League of Assassins. The map was the floor plans of King Leo's castle. It showed every wall, gate, tower, room, hall and passageway and the positions of every guard. Lucille nodded to herself as she looked it over. Her eyes searched the map and she reached out and with one finger and traced a network of passages that ran under the castle. This was the League's way in. The passageways under the castle were not well guarded because they were so difficult to reach.

"Lucille." The voice came from the door at the far end of the room. Lucille turned her head, looking over her shoulder. In the doorway stood a petite woman with raven black hair and warm golden skin. "Nina," said Lucille and bowed her head. Nina was one of the League's best fighters. She also had a strong mind for battle strategy and a keen eye for maps and diagrams.

"I heard you have acquired the map of the King's castle," said Nina

"Yes, I have, though not without difficulty. I have spent much time devising a way to obtain it." said Lucille.

"Your hard work has paid off." Nina had walked to the table and stood over the map with narrowed eyes. "Look at this," she said tapping a finger on the position of two guards and then tracing her way to the underground passages. "This is our way."

❖

"Lady Gabriella," Lucille dropped to one knee and bowed her head, beside her Nina mirrored her pose. The woman who sat upon the throne in front of them looked up, drawing a curtain of shadow away from her face. Her head was shaved along the sides,  her bright copper hair was braided high upon her head like the raised hackles of a wolf. Her expression was stern and imperious. "What news do you bring?" She asked. Her voice had a musical lilt to it that seemed at odds with her expression.

"My lady," Nina said without rising from her bow. "We are ready to begin The Plan"

❖

The moon was rising again. It had grown into a strong crescent since the night Lucille had acquired the map. Shadowy figures flickered among the trees that grew at the back of the castle. The group moved with great stealth, each League member walking with measured steps and carefully held posture. The group was lead by Lady Gabriella. Nina and Lucille, with her pale hair bound out of sight, flanked her. The League stepped quietly from among the trees. They had emerged from the forest at the back wall of the castle. The wall stood twenty feet tall and was studded with iron spikes along the top. It was made of marble so smooth not the smallest hold could be found in it. "There," said Nina pointing to a gap at the top of the wall. "Three of the spikes are missing. You can not see it from where we stand but there is a rope tied to the spikes. It hangs to the ground on either side of the wall. We must move quickly. Do not linger at the top for you can be seen from the yonder watchtower." Nina walked to the wall and slid her hand across it until the roughness of the rope brushed her fingertips. She turned to Lady Gabriella who nodded. Nina took a firm grip on the rope and began her climb.

❖

"The King is dead! The King is dead!" The cry echoed through the halls of the castle. Lady Gabriella stepped over the bodies of two men outside the King's chambers. One's shirt was stained red over his ribs, the other lay facedown, a knife embedded in his neck. Lady Gabriella walked toward the door on the other side of the room. It was slightly ajar and she pushed it open cautiously. A torch on the wall was still burning and its flickering golden light played upon the scene in front of her. Lucille lay on the floor. Her hood had fallen away and her pale hair glowed in the torchlight. Her eyes were open but glassy, a dark ribbon of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. A dagger was buried to the hilt in her chest. Beside her lay the king. His throat was slashed open and he lay in a pool of his own blood. Lady Gabriella dropped to her knees beside Lucille's body. "Lucille?" She whispered. She bowed her head and a single tear threaded its way down her cheek. "Ave atque vale. Hail and farewell, sister"