"Another one?"

Mina nodded, having heard of the assassination attempt from nobles at the tea house only days after it had occurred. Her current group, made up of about fifteen other people, had gathered at the center of their campsite to discuss their upcoming plans. Reva sat next to her, a frown crossing her face at the news.

"Some maid tried to stab him, apparently," Mina explained. Picturing that scene in her head made her snicker a little, imagining his wide eyed and panicked expression in response to getting a knife drawn on him.

Joss scoffed. "Must've been a sloppy attempt."

"I swear, that boy is the luckiest bastard alive. How has he managed to dodge every single attempt so far?" Hoda sneered.

Eldin, a tall and stocky man with piercing grey eyes, leaned back in his seat, stroking his black beard thoughtfully. He was the leader of their little group, providing some sort of order and guidance to their movements and decisions. He was about the age of Mina's father, and sometimes, when it suited him, he filled in that paternal role in her life. He had found her almost eight years ago in the company of a gang of crooks, much worse people than her current gang ever could be. She was battered and bruised and obviously had been taken advantage of in more ways than one, but the fire blazing inside her was apparent. Eldin took her in upon learning of her relentless desire for vengeance on the king, hoping to leverage that energy to advance his own goals. From the beginning, he made it clear that she had to earn her keep and weakness would not be tolerated if she was to stay with them. He trained her to properly fight and defend herself, and ever since, she served him with unwavering loyalty.

"Maybe it's time we made our next move," Eldin murmured.

"Now? Fresh off the heels of another assassination attempt?"

"We won't do anything that drastic for now, but we can continue to sow more seeds." He looked over at Mina. "I assume there's a new job opening, now that this maid has been disposed of, hm?"

"Yes, I believe so."

"Then there's our shot. Erik and Samira have already been there for a while, so it's about time we added one more."

Mina's hands subconsciously grasped onto the fabric of her skirt. For the first time in all her years working with the rebels, she actually had the chance to make a real step toward her goal, and she was not about to let this opportunity slip through her fingers. "I can do it," Mina piped up, causing all eyes to turn toward her.

"You?" Joss taunted. "Oh please, whenever you run that mouth of yours, it never ends well."

She ignored him. "Eldin, please, this is all I've ever wanted."

He tilted his head. "It's an incredibly critical task, and we can't risk sending in just anyone. You'll be surrounded by royals and loyalists there, so there's no room for any slip ups."

"I know, but I've been around them already through working at the tea house. I have more experience up close with them than anyone else here."

"Yeah, you've gotten real 'close' with them," someone snickered, and she gritted her teeth, doing her best to ignore their taunts.

Eldin nodded. "That's true. Tell me Mina, what would you do once you get to the palace? I know the king is your ultimate target, but the prince would be the easier one for now. If we take the heir out, we can cripple the king."

She nodded slowly. "Well, based on most of the recent attempts, you clearly can't sleep your way into his trust. You have to take it a different way."

"And what way is that?"

"I'd have to observe him for myself to find out exactly how, but I know I need to take it slow if I want to gain his trust more naturally. Though it will take more time, I believe the payoff in the end will be worth it. I just need to get my foot in the door."

Eldin clicked his tongue, raising an eyebrow. "You do know what happens to those who are caught, right?"

She heard Reva suck in a breath next to her, but Mina remained firm. "I'm aware."

"And if that happens, you cannot say a word about the rest of us and our whereabouts lest we suffer the same fate."

She raised her chin. "I'd die before I let a single word slip." He still seemed hesitant, so she added, "I can do it, I promise you. This is the best chance we have to get anywhere close to him, so I swear, I won't let this opportunity go to waste."

"I don't doubt you have the will to do it, but do you have the guile to properly carry it out?"

She bit her lip as murmurs spread throughout the group. It was true that she wasn't the most careful with her words, often letting her emotions get the best of her. She could lie if ever she needed to but was never fond about stifling her opinions. In her eyes however, this was a minor issue that could easily be fixed once she set her mind to accomplishing something important. Eldin held up a hand to quiet the group down before speaking.

"Maybe we can send multiple people and see whoever gets the job. Lith and Mina are our best bets, I think."

Mina looked over, making eye contact with a brunette who smirked back at her. Lith was better than Mina in seemingly everything, being bigger and stronger but also prettier and sweeter with her words. She caught the attention of every man she so much as passed by, so Mina had no doubt she'd have the prince wrapped around her finger in no time. Feeling her chances immediately sink like a weight dropped into water, she frowned, standing up and walking off as soon as the meeting was adjourned. Reva followed close behind, aware of her friend's discouragement.

"Don't lose hope, Mina. There's still a chance."

She sighed. "I know, but I don't want to get my hopes up over something that'll just leave me disappointed."

"Think positive. You just need to find a way to stand out."

"But how?"

Stopping at the nearby lake, Mina kicked rocks around at the bank while Reva settled down on the grass. It was a sunny and cloudless day, and a soft breeze drifted through the air, tickling their skin. "Well...maybe be real with them instead of kissing their ass and telling them what they want to hear."

Mina raised an eyebrow. "Reva, I can't just tell them the truth."

"That's not what I meant. Well, kind of. Don't tell them the full truth, but tell them something that has some truth to it."

"I don't follow."

"Well, besides the whole assassinate the prince thing, what benefit would you get from working in the castle?"

"Better living conditions," Mina replied sarcastically, but Reva snapped her fingers and pointed at her.

"Exactly that. You get a safer and more comfortable life, and you can more easily secure a meal and a place to sleep each night there. Sure, you'll still have to work hard, but you could tell them that you're used to that."

"And you think that's going to work if I say that?"

"Maybe you could reword it a little, but you get what I mean right? They're going to be extra vigilant because of all the assassination attempts, so try to tell half truths instead of flat out lying, and it'll be easier to keep your story straight and everything."

Mina frowned. "I don't know."

"But it doesn't hurt to try, right?"

"I guess not. Thanks, Reva."

Reva smiled, standing up and taking Mina's hand in hers. "You've got this, Mina."

~~~

Magnus watched as the knights mounted their horses, their shiny armor catching and reflecting the sunlight as their steeds snorted and stamped their hooves. His father was there among them, conversing with Sir Orenn, the captain of the guard. They were off on another hunt again, or so they claimed, but Magnus rarely saw them bring anything back after such excursions. It was more for the thrill of the kill than the actual reward, though some would argue that the act was the reward in itself. Something about the way they explained it never sat right with Magnus, but he knew better than to voice that. Nothing he said mattered anyway. Sucking in a breath, he approached them slowly, his heavy footsteps matching the thrumming of his heart. His father paused his conversation upon noticing the prince approaching.

"What is it?" he questioned, his fingers drumming against the armor on his leg.

Magnus sucked in a breath. "Might I join you today, Father?"

The king scoffed. "What makes you think today is any different than any other day?"

He straightened up, trying to stifle the nervousness tugging at his spine. "I'm getting older, Father, so shouldn't I at least know what my kingdom looks like before I get to rule?"

"Dear Magnus," the king responded, shaking his head. "It's far too dangerous for someone like you to be out there." Reaching down, he brushed aside some of the curly locks on Magnus's forehead, revealing the lingering scar on his temple.

Magnus winced, stepping out of his reach. "I'm not a child anymore. I can defend myself now."

"Perhaps from threats like little boys with their sticks and stones, but as you've grown, so has the danger."

"But it's not any safer here in the castle. People are still trying to kill me."

"And how have you dealt with them?"

"Well, Sylvan-"

"Exactly," the king interrupted, exchanging a look with Sir Orenn. "Which is precisely why you'll stay right here, where I want you."

Magnus opened his mouth to protest, but a sharp look from his father reached in and snatched his voice straight out of his throat. Without another word, the king patted Magnus on the head in a dismissive manner before beckoning to the guards to follow his lead. Backing up, Magnus watched as they galloped out the front, leaving a cloud of dust and dirt in their wake. Feeling a heavy weight forming in his chest, he scurried over to the nearest watch tower on the wall. Climbing up the many flights of stairs, he burst out the door and over to the ledge, allowing him to peer at the vast expanse of forest and rolling hills that surrounded his castle. The sun smiled down on the land from where it sat in the sky, and a cool breeze rustled the tree branches and made the grass blades bend. Winter was coming soon, meaning that snow and frost would soon replace the fields of green, but it still had a beauty of its own kind, though not one appreciated by most. The sound of footsteps approaching tore him out of his thoughts, and he looked over to see a familiar green eyed guard approaching.

"Are you alright?" Sylvan asked, his eyes scanning over Magnus's features.

Magnus nodded. "Yes, but since I'm still standing here, you can tell it didn't work."

Sylvan shrugged, leaning on the ledge next to him. "I wasn't expecting much, but it was worth a try."

"I take it you agree with him?

"No, it certainly benefits no one to keep you confined here, and you should know what goes on out there."

"How bad is it?" he asked softly, both terrified of the answer and desperate to know.

"Words can't even come close to describing it."

Magnus frowned, gazing out in the distance again. "These poor people."

Sylvan put a hand on his shoulder. "No use dwelling on it now. Come, spar with me."

Magnus groaned. "I've trained enough Sylvan. I can defend myself just fine."

"There's never enough training. You never know what you might encounter."

"Yeah, another maid with a knife, right? Or a guard trying to run me through with a spear while I tend to the horses?" he retorted, recalling the most recent attempts on his life.

Sylvan hummed. "You were unarmed both times, right?"

"Well, yes."

"You've gained proficiency with a sword and hand-to-hand, but what do you do when your attacker has a weapon and you do not?" Magnus was silent for a moment, prompting Sylvan to click his tongue. "There you go. I'll always do my best to protect you, but there will inevitably be things out of my control."

Magnus sighed, standing up straight. "You're right."

Sylvan nodded. "Come, there's much for you to learn."