The Queen's Blade III - Invisible Assassin

by T C Southwell

  "Your Queen requires your company for luncheon."

  "Does she?" Blade tossed aside the towel and reached for his shirt. Several scars marred his chest, some of them quite fresh. His whipcord build revealed every muscle in sharp detail, no trace of fat softening it. Noticing Olan's scrutiny, he turned away as he pulled on his shirt and laced it up.

  Olan commented, "I'm surprised that she requires your company so often. Are all Jashimari women so insatiable?"

  Blade scowled, then chuckled, turning to face the servant. "You think that's the reason?"

  Olan shrugged. "What else? If the King finds out..."

  "Tell him. He'll be most amused."

  "Amused?"

  "He knows what you obviously don't, so do many others. Are you truly so unobservant?"

  The servant looked miffed. "What don't I know?"

  Blade pulled on his jacket and headed for the door, passing close to Olan. "I'm not going to tell you. I'm flattered that you think me the Queen's lover."

  Olan trotted after the assassin as he sauntered down the corridor. "Why else would you spend so many time-glasses alone with her?"

  "She enjoys my company."

  "I'm sure she does."

  "Not for the reasons you suspect."

  "Are you claiming to be so trustworthy, spending long time-glasses with a beautiful woman doing nothing more than talking?"

  Blade chuckled again. "You seem disappointed."

  "It makes no sense to me."

  "Good." The assassin turned at the Queen's doors. "May it puzzle you forever. I'll not enlighten you."

  Olan glared at Blade as he knocked on the door, looking frustrated. "You're lying."

  "Perhaps." A handmaiden opened the doors, and Blade entered, leaving Olan in a quandary.

  Minna looked up with a smile when Blade entered her apartments, the sight of him bringing its usual warm pang. The meal passed as many others had done, in quiet conversation accompanied by good food, which the assassin picked at as usual. Minna avoided contentious issues, discussing more light-hearted subjects, upon which Blade made little comment. Normally she steered clear of personal topics, but today she noticed his continued lack of appetite and could not contain her curiosity.

  "Are you so afraid of becoming fat, My Lord? You hardly eat anything, yet the food is good. I would say you could safely gain several pounds. It would lend you weight in a fight, would it not?"

  Blade smiled. "Indeed it would, My Queen. That is why good fighters carry more weight than I do. It adds to their strength, and, should they gain the upper hand, aids greatly in overpowering their opponent.

  "But to an assassin weight is not helpful at all. We need to be as light as possible. It makes sneaking around a lot easier. Creaking floorboards have cost many assassins their lives. It also allows us to be more agile, and since stealth and agility are the most important aspects of an assassin, we choose that over strength. It rarely happens that an assassin must overpower his victim."

  "I see." She smiled, delighted to have stumbled upon a subject about which he seemed happy to talk. "So all assassins are like you? It is not one of your peculiarities?"

  "Not really. Any assassin who values his trade, and his life, will keep himself fit. A fat assassin will not last long, and many are forced to retire because they do not have the discipline to restrict their eating."

  "And I suppose it must be even more difficult for you?"

  He inclined his head, his smile fading. "Yes, My Queen, it is."

  Realising that she had blundered onto a delicate point, she picked up her wine cup to cover her embarrassment and changed the topic. "Are you now able to complete your dance, My Lord?"

  "No. I doubt I shall ever regain my former stamina."

  "This must be a great source of chagrin to you."

  His faint smile returned. "For an assassin who is past the age of retirement, I am content with my present abilities, much as I would enjoy the advantages of youth."

  "Is there a mandatory age of retirement for assassins?"

  "No, but most choose to retire in their late twenties, or earlier if they can afford it. Few continue past that, and those who do seldom live to retire at all, for they lose their edge and..." Blade broke off as the doors burst open, and Minna looked around in surprise.

  A tall man stood in the doorway, his dark blond hair framing a brutal face in which pale brown eyes glittered with venom. Though a couple of years younger than Kerrion, he carried himself with the same assurance and arrogant disdain, but possessed none of Kerrion's noble features or the clear golden eyes that bespoke honesty and valour. Instead, he radiated King Shandor's imperious brutality. Blade stood up, eyeing the intruder, and Minna-Satu frowned.

  "Another of Kerrion's brothers, I assume," Blade muttered.

  The stranger walked closer, raking the seated Queen with a caustic glance. "I am Prince Ronan, and you will bow to me, woman."

  Minna raised her chin. "I am Queen Minna-Satu, and I bow to no one."

  "I shall see you grovel before you die," Ronan snarled, ignoring Blade. Apparently he had discounted the assassin as a mere courtier, a Jashimari fop, dressed as he was in plain black cloth trousers and a white silk shirt under a rather ornamental, slit-sleeved jacket.

  Minna rose to face Ronan. "Are all Cotti Princes murderers by trade?"

  "Mind your tongue, woman, we Cotti do not tolerate insolent sluts."

  The Queen's frown deepened and her cheeks warmed with anger. "And I do not tolerate upstart Princes with no manners. Get out!"

  Ronan smiled, his eyes venomous. "Do you really think I will obey you? Only the King can give me orders, and he rarely dares to, for he knows I dislike them."

  "He will kill you when he learns of this. If you lay a hand on me, you will pay the price."

  Ronan chuckled. "He told you that, I suppose? Kerrion will say many things to gain the favour of a beautiful woman, though you are not to my taste at all. I am in no danger, I assure you."

  "Two of your brothers have already died. How can you doubt it?"

  Ronan shrugged. "I did not say he was a clever man. He hopes to lessen the threat to his throne, but he can do nothing to me if I kill you. And since he is not in the palace today, there is nothing he can do to stop me, either. It seems he had to go and inspect some new well outside the city, one of the tedious duties of a king. Of course, I commissioned the well, my gift to the pitiful inhabitants of a dirty village, for just this purpose. So there will be no interruptions. Now, before you die, I want to know where the assassin is hiding."

  "You sound just like your brother, Rigal. He too came in here with thugs and threats, and he found my assassin."

  "As I suspected. The story Kerrion told the advisors made no sense to me. I sent Rigal to kill you, not to protect you."

  "And he failed, as will you."

  Ronan stepped closer, his attitude menacing. A growl made him look around as Shista rose from her pile of cushions and walked towards him, her eyes fixed on him with palpable intensity. The Prince's hand dropped to the hilt of his sword.

  "Unlike Rigal, I have no qualms about killing a sand cat, stupid woman."

  "I cannot prevent her from defending me, Prince Ronan. You have chosen an ill moment to accost me, it seems. It may be that the King is absent on business, but you should have made certain my familiar and my assassin were also absent."

  "Your assassin?"

  Blade, who had stepped behind the Prince, raised his hands to signal the Queen not to divulge his presence, and lowered them hastily when Ronan swung around. The Prince raked him with a dismissive glance.

  "This? He is nothing but a girlish courtier, one of your neutered playthings. You do not fool me with your stupid lies." Ronan turned to face the approaching sand cat once more, his eyes narrowing as Shista prowled closer. "But if your cat comes any closer, I will not bother to find out where your assassin is, I will kill you now." He drew his sword and pointed it at the Queen, close enough to run her through with
a jab of his arm.

  Minna stepped back, but Ronan followed, not allowing her to slip out of range. She looked at Shista, but the cat had already read the danger in the situation and stopped her advance, watching the Prince. He smiled, content that his plan had worked.

  "Now, where is the assassin?"

  "I do not know."

  "Come now, do you think me stupid? Of course you know where he is hiding."

  Minna shook her head. "Only Kerrion knows his hideout. I see him when he is brought to me for instructions."

  Ronan moved closer, raising the sword until the tip was pressed against her throat. "So, he is not such a fool after all, and you think he dotes on you. Obviously he does not trust you, does he?"

  Blade walked up behind the Prince, his feet silent on the marble floor. As he drew near to Ronan's broad back, he released the catch on one of the wrist sheaths and let a dagger slide into his hand, the warm steel comforting in his palm.

  "Since you do not know, you can die now, Jashimari slut," Ronan growled.

  Shista snarled, her tail lashing as she sensed the danger to her friend, but Minna's thoughts held her in check. Blade reached the Prince and raised the dagger. Minna's eyes widened as she realised what he planned to do with the dagger now poised next to the Prince's ribs. One quick stab would snuff out Ronan's life.

  "No! You cannot kill him here!"

  Blade froze, and the Prince spun around, raising his sword. His elbow hit Blade in the side of the face hard enough to knock him down with a grunt. Ronan stood over him, the sword pressed to his throat, and smiled.

  "So, the little fop is trying to play hero? I was not going to bother to kill you, but now I shall."

  Minna raised a hand to her mouth, horrified by the situation she had caused. Blade shot her an accusing look as he prepared to elude the Prince's sword. His chances were not good, he knew. As Ronan raised the weapon, Minna shouted, "Shista!"

  Ronan howled as Blade stabbed him in the ankle, and the cat sprang at the Queen's command. She landed on Ronan's back, her claws sinking into his shoulders. Her weight caused the Prince's knees to buckle and sent him crashing on top of the supine assassin. Blade coughed as the air was punched from his lungs. His vision darkened and his ribs creaked under the strain of the Prince and sand cat on top of him.

  Shista gripped Ronan's neck, her fangs closing around his throat as he shouted and thrashed. Obeying the Queen's thoughts, she lifted him and dragged him off the assassin. Ronan had lost his sword in the fracas, and beat at the sand cat with his fists, making Shista growl in annoyance. Minna dashed forward to kneel beside Blade, who stared at the ceiling with wide eyes.

  "Are you all right, My Lord?"

  His gaze flicked to her face. "Apart from being a little flattened, I suspect that I will live, My Queen."

  She smiled, then dissolved into helpless giggles at his indignant look. The assassin struggled to sit up, holding his ribs. "I cannot believe you stopped me. It was the perfect opportunity."

  She shook her head, sobering. "We cannot kill him here. How will we explain it?"

  "We could hide the body until Kerrion returns. Let him deal with it."

  "No. Doubtless someone knows he is here. It would not work."

  Blade looked at the Prince struggling in Shista's jaws, making gargling noises as he tried to pry the cat's mouth open. Shista looked bored, and her eyes begged the Queen to allow her to spit out the distasteful morsel. "Then let Shista kill him. You can say that she was defending you."

  Minna pondered the suggestion, then shook her head again. "With Cotti laws I cannot claim self-defence, since he is within his rights to murder me if he wishes."

  Blade rose to his feet, grimacing at the pain in his ribs. "How can you stand to live like this, at the mercy of these petty, tyrannical Cotti princes?"

  "It is better than being dead, I suspect," she replied, and he looked away, turning his attention to the Prince.

  "We must keep him silent until Kerrion returns," he said. "If he calls the guards there will be trouble."

  Minna nodded, and he used a napkin from the luncheon table to gag the Prince, then bound his hands behind his back and his ankles with a curtain cord. Once Ronan was trussed, Shista released him and padded over to rub against the Queen, demanding praise for her obedience. Minna hugged and stroked her, whispering lovingly to her. Blade dragged the Prince into a corner and propped him against the wall, ignoring his enraged mumbles. He then returned to seat himself on the cushions before the luncheon tray and pour himself a cup of wine, draining half of it in a few gulps. Minna joined him, rubbing her neck with a shiver.

  "That was rather too close for comfort, My Lord."

  He smiled. "A good thing he dismissed me as a fop. It pays to look harmless."

  "Harmless, you? I would not say such a thing."

  "You know what I truly am, but most people think assassins look disreputable and sly, perhaps even brutish and scarred, which many do. The best disguise is that of nobility, as Talon, my mentor has. I do not claim to look noble, only innocuous."

  Her eyes sparkled. "Perhaps innocent is a better description."

  The assassin's brows rose. "Innocent? Now you do surprise me, My Queen."

  "Yet when you are angry you do look quite dangerous. That is how Chiana described you on the day you came to the palace."

  "Did she?" His smile broadened to reveal even white teeth in a rare grin. "As I recall, I was rather angry that day. It seems such a long time ago now. "

  "Yes. A lifetime ago." The Queen gazed into her wine cup as she became lost in memories.

  Shista flung herself down next to Blade and rolled onto her back, demanding that he scratch her belly. He obliged, and the cat purred in a deep rumble. Minna watched him, recalling her first encounter with this strange man whose eyes held the freezing touch of a blizzard. Then, as now, Shista had warmed to him, and the cat was a better judge of character than any person Minna knew.

  Blade stayed with the Queen for the rest of the day to ensure that Ronan did not escape his bonds. In the middle of the afternoon an advisor came to enquire after the Prince, and Blade hid Ronan behind a curtain. The man looked suspicious when told that Ronan had left long before, his eyes darting about the room. Blade sensed that he may have searched more thoroughly had Minna been alone, but the assassin's presence, even as a courtier, seemed to dissuade him.

  When at last Kerrion returned, dusk had fallen and the heat of the day gave way to the evening chill. The King looked surprised to find the assassin sipping wine with the Queen, and shot Minna a curious glance.

  "Still entertaining?"

  She looked at Blade. "My Lord Conash was good enough to stay with me after my uninvited guest had been dealt with."

  "What guest?"

  Blade rose and went over to draw the curtain aside. Kerrion's eyes widened at the sight of his dishevelled brother. Striding over to the Prince, he untied his ankles and yanked him to his feet by his collar, then jerked out the gag.

  "I do not need to ask why you are here, I suppose?"

  Ronan snarled, "Your damned slut has gone too far! I shall not let this indignity go unpunished."

  Kerrion slapped him, making him stagger. "You will be lucky if I do not banish you to some obscure oasis where you can spend your days negotiating with the local warlords."

  "Why do you not?" Blade enquired.

  Ronan glared at the assassin. "Hold your tongue, you insolent fop!"

  "Fop?" Kerrion's brows rose, and he glanced at Minna.

  She smiled. "My courtier, who helped to save me."

  "Ah." The King scowled at his brother. "Your intrusion into my private quarters without invitation is sufficient reason for punishment."

  "What punishment? It is hardly an act of treason."

  "No, merely a personal affront. Something I am quite within my rights to redeem, so long as I do not kill you."

  "You would not dare!"

  "Dare?" Kerrion's voice rose. "I am the King! No o
ne enters my private quarters uninvited. No one!"

  "And I shall demand satisfaction for the effrontery of your whore's dandy."

  The King gripped his brother's collar and jerked him closer, nose-to-nose. "Each time you open your mouth, your situation becomes more dire, Ronan. If you demand any such thing, I will give you more than a few bruises. Perhaps the loss of an ear or eye will cool your temper? Or maybe I should send you to lead the army against the nomads in the east? An honourable way for a prince to die, so I am told. Definitely more so than in some dark gutter when I tire of your insolence. Do not think I will not do it. I am the King, and you should not forget it."

  "Nor should you," Ronan sneered, undeterred. "Even the King is accountable to the courts. You are not above the law."

  "Not above it, but I can certainly twist it to my advantage, and I have many who will help me do it. Has not the fate of your brothers taught you anything?"

  "It has taught me that you are a murdering bastard who will stoop to killing your brothers to protect a Jashimari whore."

  Kerrion nodded. "That is right, because they were plotting to murder her, which makes them no better. Any who pit themselves against me will suffer the consequences."

  The royal Cotti glared at each other, and Blade drawled, "What it must be to love one's brother."

  Both men turned their scowls upon the assassin and said in unison, "Half-brother!"

  Kerrion released Ronan's collar and stepped back, his hands clenched. "So what is it to be? A few bruises, or something more permanent?"

  "You are a coward to beat a man who is bound and injured."

  "I have already beaten you in fair combat. I have nothing to prove."

  "And I have suffered enough at the hands of your slut's fop and familiar."

  Kerrion's fist smashed into Ronan's jaw, and the Prince staggered back. The King went after him. "A few scratches does not satisfy my honour, and each time you insult my future wife, you insult me."