As we travelled from the docks to the inn I tried to remember our exact orders, but the foul odor of the damp wood and the grating sound of the singing of drunken sailors drove me to distraction. I can only hope that I would have time to remember, for there would be no room for error. The smallest mistake would cost us our lives. My eyes wandered to my two companions. I prayed that we would be able to complete this last mission. We have all lost so much during this war. Lili Zwingli: Blonde hair with radiant blue eyes that have lost all innocence. The pale Liechtensteiner had watched her older brother, Vasch, the only family she had left, get shot down in their own home. And Natalya Arlovskya: tall and elegant with her platinum blonde hair that fell lightly past her shoulders and her pale skin. Her brother had gone insane and killed their sister and three servants. She could only watch, with calculating blue eyes that were as pale as the ice and snow of her home country of Belarus and just as cold, as her beloved brother was declared guilty and hung.

Then there was me. Aaliyah Vargas. My two brothers were drafted for the army. They weren't fighters. 30 minutes after they left they were captured by the British and tortured for information. They were found later that day. I remember that day as if it was only a month ago. Oh wait, it was…

*flashback*

I watched them leave, glittering tears falling from my eyes. We tried to tell them, Grandfather and I, but they wouldn't listen. We tried to explain to the soldiers that my brothers, Lovino and Veneciano, weren't fighters. They never have been. But the soldiers didn't care. They said everyone must do their part. Lovino told me that everything would be all right, that he and Veneciano would go. They said that they wanted me to live in peace without fear. I turned and went back inside. As I cleaned up, someone kicked the door in. I screamed when I saw that they were wearing the red coats of the British military. Grandfather rushed in and tried to fight them off but one drew his sword and ran him through. I ran, crying to his side as he fell to the floor like a marionette that had its strings cut. Four more red coats entered and they drug two figures between them. I saw them tie my brothers up and then, I felt something strike my head and the consuming darkness took me…

*end of flashback*

We arrived at the inn and took up residence. We had three rooms. Each one the exact same as the one before. Each one with a door connecting it to the two other rooms. We met in my room, the one in the center, to plan. It was simple. We would infiltrate the household and gain their trust. And then, when everyone else was the faire, I would strike. Lili and Natalya would stand guard.

*3 months later*

At long last! We would finally complete this mission! I moved silently towards the library. I was feeling some reservations though. I had inexplicably grown close to one of the targets. I closed my eyes when I reached the door of the library, listening for the voices of the two targets. Oh, how I wish that I didn't have to kill him. He was so kind to me and the others. I must now confess that I cannot kill General Kirkland…I love him too much. I hear his voice through the door; I can't tell you how much I shall miss the sweet sound of it, and the sight of his brilliant green eyes. And since I can no longer take my revenge on him, I shall end my suffering in another fashion. As I took my dagger from its sheath and laid its edge on my neck, the door opened and he walked out. And he saw me. Holding my dagger to my own neck with my eyes shut and glistening tears streaming down my already tear-stained face.

Silently, he walked over to my side and removed the dagger from my hand and brushed away my tears. "Aaliyah," he said. "Tell me what is wrong." I just shook my head and reached for implement of my suffering's end. He held it away from me and took my hand saying: "Tell me what is upsetting you, love. I can try to make things better." I looked at him and spoke for the first time in three months. "Nothing can make things better. My family is dead, Lili's family is dead, Natalya's family is dead; and when someone finally hire's us to kill the man responsible for their deaths…I fall in love with him. We had the perfect plan. We didn't think that anything could go wrong, but what did I do? I fell for one of our targets. Assassins only have one option if they fail, General: death. Usually death by the hand of the one who hired them. By falling in love with you I have killed my two friends."

He looked at me; his green eyes filled with shock, and said in voice that was almost a whisper: "You're in love with me? How is this possible? How could anyone fall in love with me?" I gazed at him, not truly understanding what he was saying. I replied, "How could anyone not fall in love with you? You're perfect in every way! A person would have to be blind not to see that!"

"And you are far from blind. I will protect you, Aaliyah. I won't let anything happen to you or your friends. But only on one condition."

"What?" He looked at me with love and compassion in his eyes, got down on one knee and said: "Will you marry me?"

I now knew that I would never be alone again. There was only one thing I could say…

"Yes."

Fin