Chapter 1

Takiya raced along the shadow cast by the wall, bent low and making absolutely no sound with her footfalls. She reached the end of the wall and jumped up, her fingers grasping the top edge. She pulled herself up, grunting quietly with the effort. She reached the top and pulled her legs over, taking shelter within the coverage of the fern bed grew at the top, green and thick. She surveyed her surroundings.

It was a fair-sized villa, made entirely of creme stucco and red tile roofing. The walls were tall except for the one she had just scaled on the northern side. The eastern wall was built right up to the sea; it was tall and thick to withstand the waves crashing up against its surface. The courtyard that led up to the palace was full of every kind of plant imaginable. Red and green ferns, blue star roses, golden sunflowers, dogwoods with red flowers growing in and amongst their leaves, even cherry blossom trees from the Far East.

There were two sentries that she could see, sentries that she would have to bypass if she were to enter the palace. She sat laid there for several moments, observing their patrolling patterns. The first sentry, about forty feet from where she hid, stood looking up at the stars with a dumbfounded expression on his face. He would be easy to get pass, but the second guard was another matter. Where as the first sentry was idle and inattentive the second was constantly moving, his eyes wide open, silently scanning his surroundings like a hawk. She might have to cut his throat if she was going to get to the palace. She gripped the hilt of her dagger where it was in her belt, taking comfort in the cold surface of the silver.

And then, with a single smooth movement, she sprang from the fern bed and rolled on the ground, crawling to the three-foot high flowerbed that separated her from the first guard. She found a rock on the ground next to the wall and grasped it. Slowly popping her head up she saw that the guard was still staring upward, as if he were reading the stars like the text in a book. She tossed the stone away to her left and it impacted against the wall about twenty feet away. The guard took the bait hook line and sinker, pulling his eyes away from the night sky and strolling toward the sound to investigate.

Takiya hopped the wall and bounded toward the palace. As she neared the second guard she slowed and crawled along slowly. Keeping to the shadows, staying behind the walls. She reached the wall that the guard patrolled the other side of and pressed her back up against it, sliding along it until she reached it's end. She could hear the guard walking toward her hiding place on the other side and could swear that she could feel his eyes staring at her through the wall. She could hear her heart beat in her ear. The adrenaline was building, and fast. He stayed at the end of the wall for a moment, staring at the sea, and when he turned around to walk back the other way she struck. She spun around to the other side, her hand outstretched. In one smooth motion powered by adrenaline and quick as lighting she found the sentry's mouth, covering it to muffle his cry and pinned his head up against the wall. Her knife found the unfortunate sentry right in the throat. She slammed the blade upward and ended his life with a violent twist. She listened for a moment, to make sure that the other sentry hadn't been alerted. No sound. He must have returned to his appraisal of the firmament.

She dragged the body into the shadow of the wall so that it wouldn't be discovered until morning. The sentry's tunic served as a rag to wipe her knife clean, and after she had finished she moved on. This close to the palace she could hear the sounds of the party ushering from within. The clink of wine glasses mixed with conversation and laughing, and above it all was the dissonant sound of a piano ballad.

Takiya made her entrance through a side door that led to one of the storage rooms. She undressed amongst chairs stacked almost to the ceiling and piles of pots and pans. With her loose fitting assassin clothing off she took out the midnight blue gown from her pack and donned it. It was far to tight and revealing for her taste but it would serve for tonight's purpose. Her larger knife, silver with a sapphire in it's hilt, would have to stay with her pack. There would be no way to conceal it with the dress that she wore. Instead she took a much smaller dagger, the blade edged with diamond. It had an ivory hilt with fine golden inlay, but it was just as deadly as it was beautiful, much like herself.

The dagger was placed at the top of her waist-length braid, dark and shining. To the naive nobles that she would see in the party it would look to be nothing more than an expensive hair piece when in truth it would be used to kill their lord. Takiya found that rather comical.

She hid the pack with her belongings behind a pile of pots and then she found the inner door, opening it and emerging into a long hall. It was beautifully decorated, with golden inlay work in each door and fine tapestries hanging upon each wall. Every twenty or so feet was an end table that sat against the wall filled with pottery, or fine china.

She found the ballroom rather quickly, just following the sounds of the party. The two doors that led into the enormous room were propped open, with two guards standing at either side. She nodded at them as she walked through. They made no attempt to stop her; to them she looked like just another person invited to the party, perhaps the daughter of a rich noble. She emerged into the wave of music and conversation and highborn nobles.

If the hall was well decorated the ballroom was nothing less than extravagant. The ceilings were high and vaulted, painted with the scene of a group of beautiful people dancing in what looked to be the very same ballroom. The floor was creme colored marble veined with both silver and gold; they gleamed brightly from the light cast from the three enormous chandeliers that hung above. The eastern wall was made completely of glass, with three doors along its base. The doors were open, leading out onto a wide balcony that looked out on the sea and the full moon, it's blue light reflecting on the surface of the waves.

Takiya made her way through the crowd of well-dressed celebrators, many times having to push and squeeze through groups of people who were having conversations. She searched for her victim, her eyes looking for something that would make a lord standout. Then she spotted him, in the center of a group who were lining up to kiss his hand. He was an old man, with a potbelly and a head with absolutely no hair on its smooth surface. Every one of his stubby fingers had a ring, or two in some cases. His neck was covered with golden necklaces and his clothing was made of the finest silk.

Takiya smiled.

She pushed her way toward the lord, formulating a plan in her head. When she had almost reached him she had already considered every possible outcome, every route of escape, and every way to kill the fat man. But then something happened that she did not intend. A young man appeared from the crowd, stopping her. He was tall and slim; his hair was a rich red color, tied behind his head in a tail that fell to his shoulders. He was dressed almost as finely as the lord, with the standard garb of most nobles. A black coat that fell to mid-thigh, with golden decorations on both shoulders and the badge of his house over his heart. His badge was of a whitetail deer in mid-leap, on a red field. His pants matched the coat, a bit loose fitting. The young man was a little too elegant for her taste, she preferred more rugged men. She wouldn't deny that he was attractive, though.

"Hello, my lady. I saw you from across the room and decided that I had to talk with someone with such beauty, such grace." The man said. He stared at her with his green eyes. Just as she was about to reply the somber ballad was replaced by a more lively tune. "May I have this dance?" He asked, holding out his hand.

"I am honored, but I really must speak to Lord Dunkirk." She tried to move past but he stopped her once more, grasping her shoulder. Takiya was tempted to draw the dagger and cut his throat. She didn't like being touched without consent.

"Lord Dunkirk is a boring old man. I assure you that I will show you a much more pleasant time than him. Come, let us dance." He said, holding out his hand once more. Takiya, realizing that there would be no other way to get rid of him, reluctantly took it. He pulled her out onto the dance floor and put his hand around her waste. They began to dancing, spinning in circles amongst the other couples.

"Do you have a name, my lady?" The young man asked, as they twirled around in unison.

"Takiya. And yours?"

"I am Glazyre, son of Lord Fennington. I am glad to make your acquaintance, Takiya." He replied. Takiya knew that he had lied immediately. She didn't know what house the symbol on his coat stood for but she did know that it wasn't the Fennington standard. She had seen the Fennington standard before; it depicted a Narseal on a blue field. But why would he lie to her?

"Glazyre...an interesting name. It sounds Merrish but the Fennington's are from Avidia. What is the story behind such an uncommon name?" She asked, curious of what his reply would be.

He hesitated for a moment, unsure, but he recovered quickly. "My father has many friends in Merr; he named me after a mentor he had long ago."

"Interesting...so what do you know about Lord Dunkirk, what kind of man is he?" She asked.

"A vain one. His only cares are for riches and women." Glazyre replied, his fair face souring.

Excellent. Takiya thought. This would be easier than she thought.

"Why do you have such interest in him, if you don't mind me asking?" He asked. She felt his hand move a fraction lower, to the top of her hip.

"He was a good friend of my father, before he died. I met him when I was a child but many years have passed and I wish to become reacquainted with him." Takiya replied. She had formulated the story beforehand, incase of a situation like this.

His hand moved even lower, to the middle of her hip. He had crossed her border. She grabbed his hand and gripped one of the fingers, squeezing it tightly. "Move any lower and I will break one of your fingers."

"I-I apologize, my lady. It's just that I adore the feel of satin." He said, stuttering. She let go of his finger and then the song ended. They stopped their frolic and he led her away from the dance floor.

"I must see Lord Dunkirk now, before he retires for the night. I thank you for the dance, Glazyre." She was turned walk away but a thought sparked in her mind. She turned back to the young man.

"You wouldn't happen to have come here in a carriage tonight, have you?" She asked.

"Uh...yes. As a matter of fact I did. Why?" He asked.

"I am in need of a ride home," she said. She pressed herself against him and whispered into his ear, "if you would provide me with one perhaps we can get better acquainted when we reach my manse. Would that be too much trouble?" She used her most seductive voice, a voice that would make an average man do anything she wished him to.

"...Yes, I would be delighted. Any gentleman wouldn't let a woman such as yourself walk the dark streets alone. Alans Bay is dangerous when the sun goes down. My carriage is parked out front. I will greet you at the door when you are ready to depart. How long to you suspect your deliberations with Lord Dunkirk will last, my lady?"

"Not long. I will meet you in about thirty minutes." She replied. With this she left him, and moved on to her target. She could think of no better escape route than this one, there would be no one to suspect that she was an assassin fleeing from the crime scene. She would ditch the lordling, if that was what he really was, when she was far enough away from the villa.

For now she had to concentrate on the kill...