Nightshade
The Tale of the Assassin Princess
Book 1
By Jennifer Pierce- Gaeta
Dedications
This book was a labor of love; it was written at a time when my life was in full change and upheaval mode. Some of the changes were good and some of the changes were hard. All of them were learning experiences. The best change was learning that I carried my son. At forty years old, I never expected to become a mother though I did try. This book is for my son Xander Gabriel Pierce. I give him this book because it is all about changes life makes when god above decides to give your snow globe a shake. It is also dedicated to my mother Corkey Knuthson, my best friend, Jennifer Spencer-Hill and my best friend Kevin Garner. At every turn, you have all been there for me and reassured me that I can do anything I put my mind to, including raising my child on my own.
To my Twitter family, you are all angels and I love you all dearly. You lift me up when I feel like a failure and acknowledge my triumphs as if they are your own. Big Hugs and a million kisses. I would also like to thank YWS (Yelland Writer Services) for everything you do for this budding author. You make my book babies shine.
Last but not least I want to thank my favorite authors, one of these days I will get to meet you all and gush in person. Thank you Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, Laurell K. Hamilton, L.A. Banks, and Kim Harrison, just to name a few. Your stories give me mental breaks and a little bit of love with every one I read. Hugs and love my peeps.
Prologue
Introductions:
Zoey Nightshade wasn't your average princess. She remembered very little of her pampered court life, as it did not last very long. She didn't grow up in pretty dresses or attend dreamy balls like all other royal children; she grew up learning how to fight, how to be a shadow, how to defend and how to kill. It made her the most dangerous person in the kingdom though you would not know it by looking at her. She was of lithe build standing at an average five foot eight inches. Her hair was long black waves that made you think of the ocean waves at night, her eyes a pleasing violet that almost glowed was the only feature that made her stand out. Her face was dainty and fair, she looked like a person that could not hurt a fly, yet she was really the spider that weaved the web in hopes of garnering death for its breakfast.
In a sense, she was beautiful though she would disagree with that description were you to ask her own opinion. Quiet and well behaved, she existed almost like a ghost. She was left to wander the royal halls unnoticed by those who should fear her displeasure. Are you puzzled yet? I am pretty sure you are asking yourself why on earth a royal child would be subjected to such a horrific duty? It is quite simple; the Queen needed an assassin, who would be devoted to the court by more than oaths. She wanted blood ties that could not be broken since she had two, and only her oldest could take the throne, she had chosen her youngest to become the protector of the crown and kingdom. She would become a tool to be controlled by her mother's whim and her sister's once her sister ascended the throne.
At this point, I expect you to be shaking your head, horrified at the decision to teach such a young girl the arts of death, but to Zoey's mother, it was a mere passing thought. It was a solution to the problem that had plagued her since she took her throne. It wasn't that she didn't love her daughters; it was that she saw them as kin, a piece of the pride, and tools to be used. It's sad if you think about it, the Queen had birth both an alpha (Zoey) and an omega (Sasha), two rare species in a lion pride. Both girls held value and power that was far beyond the Queen's understanding, yet she knew instinctively that they must each be designated a place. It was harsh but necessary. The girls themselves were both loving and possessed very different magical skills. They were and still are the very heart of the White Lion Kingdom's Pride. While Zoey was intelligent and kind, Sasha was more reserved and selfish, lending the sisters a workable place within the pride.
Not one word of ill will would be said about the princesses' demeanors till much later in their lives. Follow me back in time to the mind of a raven-haired girl, whose one blue eye and one violet eye shined like stars from her tiny face.
Chapter 1
Zoey
My first memories of my mother and sister are my fondest memories of them. I was three years old and felt like the world began and ended with Sasha and my mother. We had a picnic, and mommy was teaching both my sister and me how to roll down the side of the hill through the tickle grass. The sky was a bright, lazy blue with little clouds that seemed to make funny shapes in the air. The hillside was quiet as we were in the royal forest where none dare tread without permission. I remember hearing my sister's laughter as joyous as my own as we rolled, only to pop up like a jack in the box and go running back up the hill to do it again.
Mommy sat in the shade under the big oak tree in her pretty dress, clapping her hands and laughing as she cheers us on. Her eyes filled with love and happiness; at that moment, I would have never guessed that she would send me away. I had no clue how uncaring she would be when she did it, but it happened a few scant years later anyway.
I was five years old the day my darling mother chose to send me away. My birthday had been the day before, but it had not been a day of celebration as planned. Just as the party my mother had thrown was getting underway, an assassin attacked her. The man covered in darkness like a shadow appeared out of nowhere and cut my mother’s face from the top of her forehead to the bottom of her chin on the left side. It took her left eye leaving the gruesome moment etched into my young mind forever.
I shook with my first glimpse of genuine fear that day; it had not occurred to my young mind that royals could be destroyed. I had thought them immortal. I was raised to believe in them like gods and goddesses gifted to the people by their royal birth. Sure we had rituals for succession, but most were pomp and circumstance, till the final battle for power. It was sporadic in the current peace of the kingdom for a challenge to be issued, so the crown passed by a succession of blood. I had lived in a luminous world surrounded by people who catered to my every whim. Why would anyone want to hurt my mommy?
My questions were answered far sooner than I would have liked. The very next day, I was summoned to my mother's chambers. The attendant held the heavy white marble door for me, allowing me to step into a breathtaking bedroom. The cold marble under my feet felt soft instead of hard; a cool breeze blew through the gossamer drapes that covered generous sized windows and glass doors that led to opulent balconies. My mother lay in her purple velvet bed big enough to sleep at least five lions; the thick curtains pulled around the top portion of the massive bed to create a shaded space. My mother was sitting up; she wore a hood that made her features hard to see.
"Zoey, you have become a big girl now, and I have a critical mission for you." She said as I took a seat at the foot of her bed. I ignored her announcement caring only about her health and that she was okay. No one would let me see her after the court physicians were brought in to tend her wounds.
"Mother, are you alright? Did the healer fix your face?" I asked as I could not see her face; only her glowing turquoise eyes shone from under the hood she wore over her head. Their feral glow was sparking in annoyance like a grimace on her face. It was clear to me that she was not ready to answer my concerns as a low growl slipped from her lips. Her lioness was asking for my obedience and my silence.
"My wounds are not your concern, my dear. The mission I will be sending you on is of great importance. Zoey, my child, you have been chosen to become the first court assassin." She said. The purr in her voice evident as she mused the thought around in her mind. It was a sound I knew well; mother had made up her mind. I had no choice in this matter. I would be sent on this mission even if I had no idea what an assassin was
at five years old. Confused, I did what any child would do, I asked.
"What is an assassin, mommy?" I said, letting my voice drop low, so she understood that I didn't understand what she was talking about, it was all too confusing. Perplexed, I waited my breath slow and shallow as I hoped for an answer and not her anger.
"An assassin is a protector of sorts, skilled in remaining unseen, undetected, and able to appear at a whim to save those whose charge they hold. Since you are not able to inherit the throne, I have decided to make you its protector. You will protect me, your sister, and this court with your life." My mother ordered.
Wanting nothing more than to please her, I agreed not having the slightest inkling what I was getting myself into or the damage it could cause. My childish heart held one desire; it wanted to protect mommy and sissy from the bad man. By going where mommy meant to send me, I would learn how. I could come home when I finished. It shouldn't take too long, or so I thought.
"You leave for your new home this afternoon; I have had your attendants packing your room since you left it for breakfast this morning. Find your sister and say your goodbyes." My mother said as she summoned an attendant to take me away. I bowed my head, knowing that my audience was over, and I had almost no time left to see Sasha. I raced down the marble hallways shifting to my lion form to make better time. I pushed passed attendants and servants as they went about their business and raced for the dark wood stairway, they climbed to the second floor of the palace and Sasha's private wing. At eight years old, Sasha had demanded she have more space. She no longer wanted to share a room with her baby sister. She had more important things to do than deal with a mere child. She was stubborn and grumpy, but Zoey loved her with all her heart and would not miss this chance to say her farewells. Zoey was excited to tell her sister what she was being sent to become. She hoped her sister would be grateful, but one could never say with Sasha. She seemed to feel as if she deserved far more than she needed and that others were beneath her unless they had something she wanted. Zoey never understood her sister's mode of operation, but she hoped that this time, she could be something that Sasha would want and need for the rest of her life, and it brought joy to her young heart and mind.
She banged loudly on the black marble doors to Sasha's room. She knew her sister liked to ignore her door unless she felt like company, and this time Zoey would not be turned away.
"Open up, sis, I have some exciting news to tell you," Zoey said, shifting back to my human form. Sasha's door flew open as she rushed me into her secret territory. Zoey had yet to see the inside of her chambers, but it was just as richly decorated as mother's chambers had been. The difference was merely the coloring of the items. Mother's room had been done in white marble and royal purple as was fitting for her station. Sasha's room was done in black marble and laced with silver at every corner. Her bed was as massive as mother's and covered in a luxurious gold velvet that sparkled in the sunlight that seemed to charge through her windows.
Zoey was a little bit jealous as her room was not nearly this big or this nice, and it was designed for a baby instead of a growing child. She wanted to be mad, but it didn't matter; she was leaving in just a few hours for a new home and to begin her training.
"What exciting news have you brought?" Sasha asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet, hoping it was something better than another ball.
"Mother is sending me away to become an assassin, so I can protect the court when I grow up," Zoey said. Zoey watched as Sasha's eyes grew as big as saucers.
“So, you not going to be a princess anymore?” She asked her voice full of surprise and something that sounded like fear.
"I will still be a princess, just one trained to keep you safe when you become queen," Zoey replied, happy to have Sasha's undivided attention for the first time in many months. Zoey had missed her sister even if she had not missed Zoey.
“I see, how long will you be gone?” Sasha asked her voice sad and lonely before Zoey had even left the building.
"I am not sure, but I will return when I complete my training," Zoey said as She swept Sasha into a hug. At first, she stiffened, but realizing it was only a hug, Sasha relaxed and returned Zoey’s embrace, giving her a tight squeeze that made her childish heart soar with love for her older sister.
"Come back home safe and learn all you can. I will be waiting." Sasha said as she rung her bell for an attendant to take me away. It seemed too soon, but I could not refuse her once I was dismissed. It was part of mother's rules, so I always knew my place and didn't act out of my station in life. I knew I was the second daughter that was supposed to be a son. My birth wasn't a happy occasion as my father was killed in the battle that day, I took my first breath. My mother had always held a distaste for my presence but tried to love me just the same. Maybe I was meant to be this assassin; perhaps it was what I was born to be. At five, I had no clue, but I was willing to try for my mommy and my sissy.
Chapter 2
Sasha
Sasha twirled around her bedroom, her glee at being the only princess in her Pride made her skin tingle in excitement. She no longer had to play nice or hear the people around her dote on her overly sweet sister. Sasha was the only choice they had, and they would bow to her whims, or she would see them punished. Zoey being sent away had been shocking at first, and part of her would miss her little sister, but once she realized that her sister's kindness would no longer overshadow her own deeds, she was energized and ready to make sure she was forgotten. She would make the Pride see her and love her so that when Zoey came home, she would go unnoticed, the Pride’s heart belonging to the one true heir and soon to be Queen.
She dashed out her door, nearly colliding with an attendant that had been sent to fetch her, "Your Highness, your presence is requested in your mother's chambers." Sasha waved the attendant away as she headed in the direction of her mother's chambers her quest to go to the kitchen for a celebratory piece of cake forgotten. Sasha took her time; she felt there was no reason to hurry; her mother would still be a bed no matter how long it took to reach her. She stopped to spy on the ladies of the court as they took their afternoon tea on the balcony.
“Did you hear the Queen has sent her youngest to the Assassin King?” Lady Merry said as she talked with Countess Meredith.
"I had heard a rumor, but to watch the young child be stuffed into a carriage bound for the Assassin Quarter, I am inclined to believe the rumor. To what purpose would Princess Zoey learning such skills have for the state of our Pride?" The Countess asked.
"I have no idea, but I fear for the child. Instead of playing with dolls and learning to sew as a proper princess should, she will be playing with swords and learning to kill. I think it would suit Princess Sasha far more than gentle little Princess Zoey." Lady Merry countered. Sasha furious at what she had overheard stormed her way through the castle to her mother's chambers. Her mother would hear of this, and Lady Merry would be punished; Sasha would see to it herself.
Sauntering down the dark wood staircase, Sasha stopped to survey her home; nothing had changed with Zoey's absence. She couldn't understand why the two noble ladies found an error in her mother's judgment. She was too important to learn to be an assassin and far too precious to lose. Zoey was a backup princess should something happen to Sasha, and based on her mother's new game, Sasha felt she had little to worry about as her concerns slipped from her mind. Sasha continued down the stairs stiffly; her temper cooled from her eavesdropping, Sasha straightened her dress and used the mirrors that lined the hallway to the Queen's chamber to check her appearance. She had to look as if she would miss her sister. The Queen could not know that Sasha secretly had wished her gone. Satisfied that her face showed traces of sadness, Sasha pushed open the doors to her mother's chamber.
She blinked in surprise to see the Queen at her sitting table, brushing her long black waves. Her face, once again flawless, the only scar left was that of the dead orb that was locked in her eye socket. The orb a stark white against
her tan skin, the Queen's healers had tried with no success to revive the eye; all the could do was make sure the scarred orb stayed healthy and did not decay where it pulsed in the face of their Queen. Sasha knew that her mother had tried shifting, and even in her lioness form, that eye was still blind.
Her mother, desperate to keep her secret, had killed the attending healers and had sworn all her attendants to secrecy. Sasha watched as a new healer worked to fit a jewel in the dead orb, making it look like her mother's eye had healed even as the stones caught the light sparkling unnaturally. The Queen took the healers work without a whimper, her strength even with the loss of her eye a marvelous sight to behold. Sasha would be just like her, except she would keep both her eyes if she had her way.
"You summoned me, mother." She said after the healer had applied the last healing spell needed to lock the emerald into place within the dead orb.
“Sasha, I take it Zoey came to see you?” The Queen asked.
"She did mother, and I am rather sorry to see her go, I will be lonely without her," Sasha said feigning sadness at the loss of her sister's presence.
"Don't worry, my child; you will be far too busy to notice she’s even gone. Between your tutoring, dance lessons, and the many activities required of the heir to the throne, Zoey will seem like a faint dream from long ago." The Queen said, waving off Sasha's concerns. It let Sasha relax, knowing she would not have to pretend to mourn her sister's leaving for long. Still, it bothered her that the Queen seemed to feel no sadness at Zoey leaving. It left Sasha to wonder just how much she meant to the woman she called mother.
"Won't you miss her, Mother?" Sasha asked to be cruel. She wanted to be sure that her mother cared in some way small about Zoey, and then she would test the waters to see how much Sasha herself meant to the Queen of the White Lion Pride. The Queen's eye flashed a pain that seemed written hard upon her heart, and then they cooled like a cave of ice when a sudden cold snap appeared. Sasha knew her mother's decision to send her baby away had broken her heart, meaning that Sasha was now all she had left, and she planned to use her mother's weak spot to her advantage.
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