One

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A cool breeze whispered among the rooftops, carrying the smell of salt and the faint odor of freshly caught fish. Wolf leaned back against a crate on one of the many flat roofs in the port town of Equis, and watched the dockworkers unloading a ship that had just come in. They hurried back and forth, unloading barrels of mead and bringing them inside one of the warehouses. Wolf smiled slightly, glad that his shift had ended before the largest shipments came in. Now he was free to sit on the rooftop, as was his habit, and watch the ships come and go from his sun-warmed perch. It was a place of freedom and solitude, as people hurried about on the streets below.

Wolf felt something touch his shoulder at about the usual time.

"Hi there, Wolf," said a familiar female voice. "I still don't understand why you always choose to sit here, of all places."

Wolf breathed deeply, and smiled, turning to face her. She was as beautiful as ever, he thought. Her hair was dark brown, blowing slightly in the wind as it spilled down her shoulders and upper back. Her eyes were a stunning dark blue, and whenever he looked into them, they seemed to see into his very soul. It wasn't that probing kind of sensation. No. They seemed gentle, understanding, and full of trust. She was wearing her usual white and green-trimmed robe.

"I don't know. I guess I feel more relaxed from here where I can see everything."

The brown-haired girl walked over to the edge of the flat roof and peered down.

"I know, and I understand that entirely." She sniffed the air. "I just wonder why you don't find somewhere that smells less like fish. There's lots of better places, even in the warehouse district."

Wolf shrugged.

"This was most convenient, Kiara. Besides, the smell isn't so bad. You get used to it."

"I don't." Kiara remarked lightly, her dark eyes seeming to sparkle more than they should have in Wolf's shadow.

She tugged at his sleeve. "Come on, there's got to be something better to do than just sit around. It's the Solstice, and the festival's going to start in a few hours. There are already some interesting vendors in the market street, and they're putting the stage together."

Wolf sighed. He was glad she came to rescue him from sitting on the roof alone.
"Fair enough," he said, standing up, reaching toward the sky as he stretched his arms and back. "As long as you have a dagger on you. I don't trust anyone in a large crowd."

She looked at him, and smiled. "Relax. You and I both know that we'll be above the crowds anyway."

Wolf raised an eyebrow. "And yes, I have it," she finished.

Satisfied with the latter, Wolf winked at her and sprinted to the edge of the roof, toward the many two-story rooftops that clustered the market district. Upon reaching the edge, he leapt across the sketchy alley below and landed easily on the roof ahead. Kiara, he realized, was not far behind.

The rooftops were close together near the docks, and they were easily able to clear the gaps they were presented with. It was a tiring mode of transport, but they both enjoyed it immensely since it was the best way to beat the crowds, especially on such a busy day.

Beneath them, people hurried about, chatting about the festival, and about recent events. Wolf caught a bit of a conversation between two of the town gossips about the new guard Captain, and sighed as he continued. The events of the previous Captain's disappearance, and the multitude of rumors surrounding it, had been discussed, re-discussed, and eventually dropped in favor of the new Captain; a man named Wallace. He was a popular man, and the townspeople and mayor alike approved of the appointment.

Wallace had leapt into the job with both feet, and dealt well with the rumors and doubts that surrounded his appointment. Maybe, Wolf thought as he stopped on a rooftop near the edge of the market district, Wallace would be more lenient about their rooftop escapades. Wolf glanced over at Kiara, who stood several yards away, looking down at the streets, which were filled with people, all heading towards the main square with an atmosphere of pure exuberance.

Wolf nudged Kiara. "The speeches are about to start. Let's head towards the stage."
Kiara raised an eyebrow, swiveling to look at him. "You want to listen to those boring windbags speak?"

Wolf laughed. "No, but the real entertainment will be starting right after. I heard they've got a master storyteller, and he's got expert fighters to reenact 'the battles of legend'. You have to admit, that'll be something to see."

Kiara stood up as well. "Mmhm. I guess so." Wolf and Kiara resumed their customary roof jumping, making their way towards the south end of the thoroughfare.

…

Zan strode through the crowds, keeping an eye out for any who would threaten the peace. Wallace had been insistent that all the guards be vigilant and that they deal with any fights or unruly behavior swiftly but with as little fuss as possible, so that the festival went off without a hitch. It was important that the guards earn back the confidence that had been shaken by Captain Taspo's selfish flight.

Zan brushed his short cape behind his back, and another passing guard threw him a salute upon seeing it. The cape, and the silver-edged insignia it bore, indicated his rank as a Sergeant of the Equis Guard. His violet-tinged blue eyes and his distinctive dark green hair narrowed his identity down even further. He returned the salute, and then moved off into the crowd.

As he approached the edge of the square, Zan heard a shout and turned quickly, catching a glimpse of two people jumping from roof to roof as one of the tenants yelled after them.

The guard sighed. Balek 'Wolf' Shybá and Kiara Russo never stopped that, no matter how many times they were cautioned to, and those names had come across the complaints desk about as often as he could breathe. Their antics turned the usually quiet job of working the complaints desk into a mountain of paperwork, and one of those shifts often had Zan restraining himself from cutting the desk in half in frustration as he left.

…

Wolf and Kiara reached the market square, just a minute before the speech. The majority of the town was assembled, and the vendors lining the sides of the square enthusiastically called out across the crowds, advertising their wares to any who passed by. Wolf looked around for any guards that might cause trouble, but most of the them were clustered near the stage, standing out in their blue surcoats emblazoned with the Equis seal: two crossed harpoons behind a sailing ship.

Out of the corner of his eye, Wolf noticed another group of people sitting on a roof, looking towards the stage. With such a large turnout, he was hardly surprised that others had considered climbing for a better view.

Onstage, the mayor of Equis stepped up to the podium, clearing his throat. The city bugler blew a long note, signaling quiet, and the noise of the crowd subsided. The Mayor glanced down at his notes and began to speak. He began brightly, speaking of the joys of another Solstice having come, and his satisfaction at the great turnout. Soon enough, he turned to less intriguing matters of trade, and Wolf let his attention wander, glancing over the crowd. He looked back at the stage as the mayor stopped talking. The speech had been much shorter this year. Maybe the mayor was actually learning to—

Wolf stared as he noticed the mayor jerk backward, and fall, knocking over his two escorts.

He looked at Kiara. "What just—"

He trailed off as he noticed her staring behind him, and followed her gaze to where the people several roofs over were amidst packing away ebony crossbows. His disbelief was shattered by a shout from below.

"On the roof! Stop them!" Wolf knew, with a sinking feeling, that the crowd wasn't referring to the real assassins. Wolf felt an abrupt tug on his shirt as Kiara turned and ran for the edge of the roof, pulling him after her, with the sounds of the chaotic market square fading in their wake.