Sanity

2. The Target

The next morning, she woke before the ship arrived at the dock and went to pick a dress. There were three sitting there for her, and she assumed that whichever one she picked, the rest of her dresses would be similar in style. She picked the simplest one; a long, light dress that had a ribbon tied around the waist. She slipped into it, finding herself admiring how it puffed out a little beneath the ribbon but trailed straight to the ground, with no cage or big net making it triple the size it ought to be. It was as simple as dresses got, and if she had to wear one at all she liked the one she wore now.

There was a knock on her cabin door, before it opened slightly and the man with the spectacles poked his head in.

"My lady," he said, "the ship is about to dock. Are you ready?"

"I am," Jaelyn replied, looking down at her dress. "I quite like this dress, you know. Is it the only one?"

"There is an entire wardrobe waiting for you at the palace," he replied with a nod. "There are quite a few in that style, I am sure. I will have one of the guards come retrieve you once we dock, my lady."

"Thank you." He left after closing the door, leaving Jaelyn to move over to the mirror to change her face. She had washed off all the dirt the previous night, and now her face looked clean and her skin looked smooth. She tilted her head sideways, watching her wavy hair move with her head. It was lengthy and nice, and she quite liked it when it was soft and washed. Her eyes were dark and curious, and always had that inquisitive glow in them that constantly scanned her surroundings for dangers. She was a trained killer; it was in her nature to hide from guards. Now she was surrounded by them, and they were escorting her to a palace where she was going to kill even more people.

What part of this was right?

"My lady, we have arrived," someone called from the other side of the door, and Jaelyn looked up. Moving hastily to hide her nerves, she picked up her books and moved to the door, opening it carefully. A guard stood outside, and he seemed to be waiting for something. Remembering her training, Jaelyn straightened up.

"I'm ready," she announced, and he nodded, turning around to lead her through the ship. She followed with ease, keeping an eye on her footing. Although she thought someone would see right through this act, she thought she was quite good at walking, talking and acting like royalty. It had become a habit, one that she would be very reluctant to quit.

Jaelyn entered the deck alone, the guard staying on the ship. Since this entire 'marriage' thing was very hushed, no one was supposed to know she was here, although she was allowed to be seen. This was another excuse she had for not leaving the palace, so no one could see her face before the real Princess intervened and took her place. It was going to be a long month, but she was confident she could get through at least the first few days. Then they would start to suspect.

She left the ship and approached two of the guards waiting for her on the deck. They were Jaquin guards, which made her breath hitch in her throat. These guys didn't know about the assassination plot. They had no idea. This was when the act began; from now on, she was Princess Kamryn Matzen, until otherwise proclaimed. There was officially no going back, now.

"Your Highness," one of the guards announced as she approached them. "If you'll please follow us to the carriage, where you will begin your journey to the palace."

"Certainly," Jaelyn replied, nodding to the guard. He smiled curtly and they both escorted her down the deck and onto the stone streets, where a horse-pulled carriage was waiting for her with an old man sitting in the driver's position, reigns in hand. The second guard helped her into the carriage, and then spoke to the driver who whipped the reigns and the horse started trotting down the road, past poor and rich people alike. It was a big change, to go from living beneath a noodle shop killing people for a living to riding in a carriage towards the palace where the Royals lived. From her seat, where she looked out the window, Jaelyn noticed how different it felt. Now that she was one of them – a highborn – it was like the commoners and the beggars didn't even exist. It was like her eyes just skimmed over them, like they weren't there. And she realised a truth about it all. The highborn people didn't have time to think about those less fortunate than them. They were busy doing their own thing, worrying about their own jobs, that they hardly noticed the rest of them at all. They weren't cruel; they were just blind.