'He's dead?' I repeat Miere's words like an echo.

'Yes, he died at a ball he held. Him and his son are both dead. They were your mother's only ties to Abel. She will have to find another one now.'

I laugh humorlessly, 'she will be so lucky.'

'You ought not to be so flippant about this. You're a part of this kingdom too, you know,' he says, kicking a pebble.

We are walking outside in the castle garden. The sun is bright, so many of the ladies of court are taking walks. Occasionally, we cross paths, but I do not look at them. They dare not look at me either. Not unless they want to see their last meals again.

'You also ought to say hello to them, Sebastian,' he inputs, 'how else will you find a wife if you keep ignoring them all?'

'They don't pay attention to me,' I say, 'how can you ignore somebody who pays no attention to you?'

He gasps in mock horror, 'they always pay attention to you. That one over there,' he points across the garden to a girl walking with her handmaiden, 'she couldn't take her eyes off you.'

I look at her and squint, 'you know perfectly well what she was staring at,' I say, 'and let's not talk of that anymore. It's such a glum subject.'

'Oh, then let us talk about Bel, shall we?' he beams

I shield my eyes from the sun and walk towards a tree for shade. Miere hops along beside me, shooting questions at me.

'She has a strange face, doesn't she?'

I frown, 'she has a normal face.'

He grins.

'Shut up.'

'I didn't say anything.'

'Well whatever you're thinking, stop thinking it.'

'Very well,' he says, slumping down onto the grass. He leans himself against the tree and starts pulling grass out from the ground. 'What does your mother plan on doing with her? What do you think?'

'I don't know, and I don't particularly care. She can hang the girl if she likes.'

Miere gasps, 'you horrid boy,' he says in a granny-like voice.

'Don't care.'

'Well you should,' he says in his normal voice. 'A girl with her skills could come in handy.'

'For what? There's nobody I want to kill,' I say. I cock my head and think about it again, 'well-

'Don't,' Miere warns me.

'Fine. But do you think she killed the Duke and his son?'

'Could have,' Miere says, 'I've never heard of a princess being an assassin before, but this is really something.'

I say nothing for a long while and Miere nudges me with his foot, 'why have you suddenly gone so quiet? Do you want to go back to your library? The sun will do you good, you don't get nearly enough of it cooped up in that place.'

'I'm fine. I'm just wondering about father. Have you heard anything yet?'

Miere sighed and carried on pulling the grass out of the ground, 'not yet, Sebastian,' he says, 'try not to worry yourself about him too much or you'll get ill as well.'

I open my mouth to answer him, but across the garden, I see Bel and her handmaiden. Bel's hand is on her handmaidens arm and they are talking quietly to each other. It looks like they have become friends, which is funny since my mother clearly paid that handmaiden to spy on her. I begin to wonder whether she has noticed anything between my mother and I. But for the moment, I do not see why she should be let to walk the castle grounds like some sort of princess, even though she is one.

'Oh let us say hello to them,' Miere smiles, getting up from the floor.

I give him a reproachful look, 'weren't you the one who told me it was stupid to talk to her right after she tried to kill me?'

'Yes, but after meeting her, she seems like a nice girl. Besides, she did apologise for Benjie did she not? Now how many assassins do that?'

'None that I know of.'

'You don't know of any assassins,' he adds.

I exhale sharply, 'shut up, Miere.'

He just grins.

For a while, I read my poetry book. But during small intervals, I look up and watch them walk and talk to each other, and I realise that I am quite curious about her. I know absolutely nothing of her, and although something tells me that I should not attempt to get to know her, it feels as if there is some invisible string, pulling and compelling me to.

And she also asked me about the book I was reading. Nobody-not even Miere-has ever bothered to.

A short interval later, I look up to watch them again, and when I notice that they are heading our way, towards the tree, I almost jump right out of my skin. I push Miere and he lets out a startled yelp.

'What are you doing?' he stares at me. He follows my gaze towards Bel and her handmaiden and then looks back at me and smiles. 'Ohh.'

'Stop that,' I say to him, straightening myself.

He gives me a queer look.

'Stop it Miere, unless you want to be peeling potatoes for a week.'

'You know as well as I do that your threats are empty. You wouldn't survive an hour without me.'

I let out a short laugh, 'I'd wager all my fortune against that.'

'Look like I'll be coming into great wealth then.'

As she approaches, Bel smiles.

She curtseys, along with her handmaiden, 'Your Highness,' they both say.

Miere and I bow. Me to Bel, and him to the both of them.

'A rather nice day for a walk, isn't it?' she says, 'our summers in Abel are quite relentless. I like the breeze here.'

'I'm afraid I cannot compare,' I reply, 'I have never been to Abel before.'

'Oh my, then we must rectify that at once, don't you think, Your Highness?'

I squint at her, 'so you can actually accomplish killing me?'

'God, you're still hung up on that?'

I begin to wonder whether this girl has lost her mind completely. She must be a lunatic. ' Well it's not everyday that a princess bursts into my bedroom with a gun. It is a hard memory to forget.'

The way she smiles at me is as if she is hoarding a secret. Or teasing me about it.

There is a long and awkward silence and I begin to trace the spine of my book anxiously.

'Laila, why don't we take a peruse of these marvellous rose buds?' Miere quickly says. He takes out her hand and starts to beckon her towards the middle of the garden. Laila opens her mouth to protest, but he is speaking so fast about the flowers that she is left confused.

'It is only for a moment, Laila,' Bel says to her.

'It will be fine,' I assure the girl.

Miere nods and grins at her, 'now let's take a look at them!' And they are off.

Bel walks towards me and takes shade beneath the tree. She is standing beside me, so I turn to face her, aware that she can see the horribleness of my face up close. But she acts like she does not notice.

'D-did you want to discuss something?' I say, gulping and fidgeting with my book. I take a small step away from her.

She exhales quietly and squints at me, 'I had no idea your mother was using me to do that to you. If I had known, then-

'Really, there is no need,' I say, lowering my eyes, 'it is quite alright. Besides, it is not your concern.'

'Fine,' she says, 'but I saw your face. You know, you are quite useless at masking your feelings.'

'This is beginning to sound less like you are taking pity on me, and more like a parade of insults.'

'You clearly don't know the difference between an insult and an observation.'

'Yes, neither do you.'

She laughs and looks up at the leaves of the tree, and the sunlight filtering through them. When it shines on her, I realise that her eyes are a cacophony of browns-like wood on fire.

'You really have no idea what happened with my mother, do you?' she asks me

It takes me awhile to answer. There are lines of grief on her face. 'No,' I say quietly, 'was she killed?'

She looks at me but she does not answer. Without telling me, though, I already know what the answer is.

'Bel, are you really sorry for not having killed me?' I ask her

A small sighing noise escapes her, like she is thinking carefully about it, 'not anymore,' she says, 'you clearly had nothing to do with it. It was a mistake on my part.' She looks at me with conviction. 'But I will find out the truth.'

'Oh...If I can be of any assistance then-

'You would help me?' she furrows her brow at me, startled.

'Anything to get under my mother's skin,' I say.

'Well then,' she says, 'if you ever need a favour.'

'I'll be sure to ask,'

She smiles at me.

And funnily enough, I think we have become friends.