Part One

She was devoted.  She loved that man since he was a babe. She tried so hard to figure out how it turned to this; how did he end up at the end of her blade? Thirty seconds. If she didn't need the money; she wouldn't be doing this. She let out the air she was unknowingly holding. Ten seconds. Her target, a tall male with short auburn hair stepped around the corner. Alexander. She knew she had to do this... there was no turning back. He stopped. She panicked. She's never felt that before.

"Celeste.  Don't do this." the tall male spoke, looking to the shadows. His gaze fell on her and her heart stopped. She dared not speak, she couldn't if she wanted to. She silently dropped from her hiding place and place the knife behind her in its scabbard. He watched her movements so fluid like water. "He's contracted you to silence me, I see," he whispered into the autumn air. She nodded and avoided his gaze.

"It can't be helped I assume, You are the deadliest assassin in the country." He smirked, running his fingers through his short auburn locks. As the wind blew between them, she noticed the wedding band on his finger was gone. She stepped closer to him and took his hand, examining the small tan line it'd left in its wake. "She left me," he whispered again. She looked up and his gaze was fire.

If his gaze could start a wildfire, she would be the burning timber. When did he get to be so handsome? She shook her head and dropped his gaze. She did not want to kill him, she could not. Had she finally failed a mission? He sensed this and placed a hand on her shoulder. She froze in her place, her hand on her dagger. 

"Easy, Celeste, You are not the only one that has everything to lose," he whispered sending chills down her spine. She turned around and he was gone. Cursing herself mentally, Celeste calmed her nerves and headed for the Inn for a drink.  

The nightlife of this town was the same as any other.  Drunken men outside the Tavern Inn; passed out in their own filth, the air filled with laughter and glasses clanking, barmaids screaming and giggling, and bartenders yelling obscenities at patrons. Celeste opened the door and quickly found a sit. The owner, who just happened to be the bartender, was yelling at his barmaids to get back to work when he approached. 

"What will it be tonight, Celeste." he smiled continuing to dry the glass. 

"Water." she quickly spoke. 

"Ah, has it been one of those nights?" he chuckled, fetching her a cup. 

She looked over at the patrons of tonight's tavern. Soldiers from the city and lonely old men. 'Seems about right." she thought.  The bartender poured up her water and left a small pitcher next to her. "Seems tonight is rather tame," he muttered. She nodded as she drank her water. "I guess it's better than the repercussions I'll face in the morning." He laughed. This man has seen it all, or so he's said. 

She finished her drink and tried to pay, but the man refused. As she walked to her room, she overheard the soldiers talking politics with barmaids. One barmaid shouted above the noisy tavern; "If the prince chose me as his bride I would be grateful." the other exclaimed, "All those pretty gowns and jewelry as far as the eye could see." The soldiers laughed at the gushing girls. They knew what royalty life was like, so did Celeste. 

Her royalty and their royalty were two totally different things. She laid down on the bed and closed her eyes; thinking about Alexander and how much of a pest to her feelings he was.