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Anakin POV:

The second my mother gave me the location of (y/n)'s assassin guild, I all but sprinted out of the castle gates and over to the stables, eager for the chilly, fresh air, and hopefully some adventure.

My mother agreed that it was alright for me to leave as long as I arrived back to the castle in time for our annual winter ball - which I'm dreading. With the amounts of alcohol and politicians—never a good mix—at these parties, I'd say it's probably more dangerous than potentially the expedition I'm about to go on.

"C'mon, girl. Let's get out of here." I mumbled as guided my personal horse, Violet, out of the stables. Her pelt is a bluish grey color, and under the sun often glows like a silver moon. She is the most beautiful horse in the kingdom, and the best any Prince could ask for.

I was never given a personal horse until my mother decided I was, and I quote, somewhat responsible enough to care for one.

She may have only been kidding, but I've used this opportunity to show her that I can be responsible and considerate; sure, taking care of a horse isn't exactly a life-changing accomplishment, but if it will show my mother that I'm more than capable of making my own decisions—and hopefully prompt her to give me more freedom outside of the castle walls—then I'm all for it.

And if I'm being honest, it hasn't been a difficult job at all. Violet is a sweetheart and I've genuinely grown to love her. She's a gentle horse and my rides with her are always so smooth, but she'll be more than willing to run faster than lightening if need be.

I exhaled happily as I began to exit the castle grounds through the portcullis as it creaked, slowly moving upwards so I could depart. 

The pale light of the sun shone brightly down upon Coruscant, making the endless tundra of paper white snow shimmer all throughout the kingdom, ultimately signaling a perfect day to take this little journey.

I could feel myself growing more and more thrilled at the idea of getting to see this mysterious guild of solely female assassins firsthand. Based on the stories I heard today, I have a feeling not many people in the kingdom can say that they've done that, perhaps out of fear or simply because these assassins supposedly never stay in one place for too long.

But I'm mostly interested in meeting (y/n) - who is not only the assassin that saved my life, but I learned that she's also their leader.

I'm confident that she will be elated to see me; who wouldn't be happy to receive a visit from the Prince of Coruscant?

And I have a feeling she'll be more than thrilled with what I'm going to offer her; an opportunity to be my personal guard.

My mother was reluctant to the idea when I first mentioned it—and I'm fairly certain she's still not too keen on it—but I reassured her that it would be a good thing since this assassin is quite clearly very skilled and capable of being my protector.

And normally even I wouldn't want to waste my time and energy trying to find a personal guard, especially since I'd say I'm fairly capable of taking care of myself.

But now circumstances are different. I've never been directly attacked like I was last week by that group of Red Knights, and the fact that they had somehow managed to set foot on kingdom grounds—something that hasn't happened to us before—is borderline frightening.

Our kingdom has one of the most safe and secure fortresses surrounding the castle, with guards stationed almost everywhere. It would be nearly impossible for anyone to break in, meaning that there's a blatant possibility that the attack was initiated by someone on the inside, and that fact alone is what's put everyone on such a sharp edge.

That's why for once I won't be taking any chances. As much as I hate to admit it, this experience made me realize just how much I've pushed my luck with danger. But I'm hoping having (y/n) as a personal bodyguard will not only be beneficial in my protection, but that I'll be able to learn more about her and her guild.

I've never encountered an assassin firsthand  before, not until her.

I'm used to seeing the same people, with the same big hair and obnoxious outfits, in and out of the castle every single day. And saying that it's getting exhausting is an understatement. I could probably count the wrinkles of every member of the small council by memory if I was asked to.

I exhaled happily, feeling the wintry morning breeze gently kiss my skin as I rode with Violet at a leisure pace, departing from the inner baileys of the castle. The large walls always always make these grounds feel more like a prison than a kingdom, so I'm more than content with venturing outside whenever I can.

"Off on another expedition already?" A familiar voice asked from behind me, making me tug on the reins of my horse, promoting her to let out a nicker of confusion before slowly coming to a halt.

I then gently guided her to turn around, and couldn't suppress the smile that formed on my lips when I saw none other than one of my closest friends and most supportive ally; Firmus Piett.

He stood with his arms crossed over his armored chest, a solid plate of steel, and was leaning the pauldron of his shoulder against the gray brick wall of the inner bailey, and maintaining an expression of clear amusement. "Shouldn't you at least wait until you're not oozing with who knows how many diseases before you throw yourself into the fray once again?"

I rolled my eyes, "I'm not throwing myself into the fray. I'm going into the forest to find the assassin that saved my life." I held up my finger to stop him as a look of confusion appeared on his face, knowing what question he was about to ask, "Yes; my mother knows. And no, I'm not taking Obi-Wan because I'm certain he'll take all of the fun out of it by stopping every ten steps at the sound of squirrels running by, and giving me a list of reasons of why I shouldn't go."

Again, I adore Obi-Wan and love him as though he is my own brother. But like most siblings' relationships, he still always finds ways to piss me off every now and then.

Piett's smile widened, his dark emerald eyes shining in the sunlight as he pushed himself off the wall and sauntered over to me, "Why don't I join you instead? After all, someone has to be there to protect you when you inevitably become a damsel in distress again." He jested.

I clenched my jaw irritably, and clicked my tongue as I pointed at him like he was a child. "You're an asshole. I don't need you to hold my hand." I sighed, fixing him with a serious look. "And this isn't supposed to be a daily morning excursion, Piett. I'll be potentially meeting an entire guild of assassins; an elusive one consisting solely of women, unbeknownst to most of the kingdom."

The only reason my mother knew about Black Ice is because of the descriptive reports sent to her from town, and sleuths who have provided insight on their business and current whereabouts.

They're not necessarily a secretive group, seeing as some of them have supposedly taken their own minacious adventures within the towns of the kingdom, as well as the outskirts near bordering countries. But they do live private, secluded lives in the forest, and don't interact with people unless they need to.

If I'm being honest, not all of it makes sense to me. We currently only have more questions than answers, so I'm hoping some light can be shed on it all later today.

A look of intrigue instantly lit up his expression, "Women, you say?" He asked, raising his eyebrows. "Now this I've got to see." He ran his fingers through his wavy brown hair, clearly trying to make sure it looked good enough.

I sighed, "These aren't just any normal women, Piett. They're assassins, and I'm willing to bet they could easily wipe the floor with you in only three seconds."

Maybe even less than that.

He smirked, a mischievous glint shining in his eyes as he suddenly jumped atop my horse to sit behind me perpendicularly with both his legs hanging over the side, "Even better."

I scoffed amusedly, shaking my head at his lewd mindset. "Did I say you could come?" I teased, turning my head back towards him as he adjusted his armor to sit properly.

"Oh please, you love me." He chuckled, playfully petting Violet, which made her flick her pale gray tail happily. "And either way, we both know the Queen will have our heads if I let you out into the forest alone."

I couldn't argue with that. After that last fiasco outside of the gates with the Red Knights, she's been wishing for me to be extra cautious, which I understand. The primary reason why she was alright with me leaving for this little mission is because these assassins could be useful in aiding us to protect our kingdom and unmask my attackers, assuming that they're willing and mean no harm to us.

Yes, I've heard all about the negative reports, but I want to hear their side of it as well. Sometimes people make bad choices, but it doesn't necessarily make them bad people.

"Fair point." I mumbled, nodding my head in agreement.

Piett is definitely a much easier and more thrilling adventure partner. He's about a year older than me, and I met him as an adolescent when he began his knight training, and watched him from behind the fences to the field as he trained with the other knights. I did my own knight training too; not to become one, but to have enough skills to know how to wield a sword and defend myself.

But I never trained with the other knights. Instead I was personally taught every skill I know by Obi-Wan, which is how our brotherly relationship came to be.

Every once and a while though, I was able to train with the others. My mother let me do so because she felt it would be beneficial for me to create friendships with other boys my age. The issue with that was that I couldn't get along with any of them. I was made fun of for my title, and treated like I didn't know how to hold a weapon.

The only boy who took a chance on me was Piett. And that is something I'll never forget.

Ever since then, we've taken our own wild adventures—both permitted and non-permitted—within castle grounds and all the way into town, and through the woods. There are so many more places I want to see and things I want to do outside of the kingdom, but even as a royal, my freedom only goes so far.

I nudged him with my elbow, and nodded my head in the direction of the stables, "Grab a horse, and let's get going while it's still dawn."

I've been strictly reminding myself that I need to be back at the castle by sundown for the winter ball. If I'm not, there's no telling what hell will be in store for me. My mother may be one of the kindest, and gentlest rulers this world has known, but when she's angry...that's a different story entirely.

"Couldn't we both just use your horse?" Piett questioned.

I shook my head, "I'm not letting you wrap your arms around me." I cringed at the mental image of us riding off like that as if we were newlyweds.

"But I thought you loved me." He grinned playfully, despite his feigned tone of sadness as he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind.

"Not that much." I chuckled, shrugging him off of Violet, and laughing as he awkwardly stumbled to the icy ground and shot me an annoyed look.

— ✧ —

The forest itself is separated into four different sections, or territories, as some like to call them. Each territory is inhabited by different groups of people; mainly those with specific occupations like nature-based merchants, blacksmiths, or woodcutters.

The Black Ice guild is sectioned off in the most northern part of the forest, in a small territory called Shadow Grove. There aren't many trees in that specific area, but I've heard it is layered with walls surrounding it that I assume poses a clear message; keep out.

But I'm confident that once I explain who I am, they'll all warm up to me in no time.

The ride through the forest so far has been exactly what I needed today. The lower temperature and glacial winds only increased my adrenaline. Acres and acres of porcelain white snow stretched beyond the pale horizon, coalescing with the frosty sky as I rode side by side with Piett, every now and then pushing ahead of him as if we were racing, and laughing every time he tried to catch up on his horse but failed.

As I said, Violet is truly the best horse any Prince could ask for.

"A little slow there, aren't you grandpa?" I laughed deviously as I moved in front of him for a moment, watching from behind me as Violet kicked up some snow into his curly brown hair, dotting it with small flakes of ice.

He shook the ice out of his hair before shooting an offended look at me, "That's not very appropriate behavior for a Prince." He deadpanned.

I maintained a bright grin as I continued forward, drawing closer and closer to my destination.

The glacial particles of snow falling from each tree gently bit my skin, integrating with the cold wind, and the subzero chill in the air. It felt so liberating. I could probably ride through the forest forever if I wanted to.

Up ahead I could faintly see a shift in the borders of each territory, signaling that the south side of Shadow Grove was just up ahead.

"Anakin?" Piett suddenly asked from behind me, his voice slightly breathy from the impact of the ride on his horse.

I side eyed him as soon as we were both riding directly next to each other at the same pace, taking note of the concerned look etched onto his expression, and his slightly widened eyes at the sight of the first set of rather intimidating gates up ahead.

"Are you truly certain that—" He paused to catch his breath, "they will just welcome us with open arms?"

I chuckled breathlessly, "What, is someone too shy to meet them?" I teased, as if I was talking to a little boy.

He rolled his eyes. "Hilarious. You know what I mean; if these women are as ruthless as you say, then what in your right mind makes you think they will make an exception for us?" He pointed out. "Personally, I would like to make it out of this encounter alive."

"Trust me," I assured him with a smug grin, "If anyone can win these women over just by one glance, it's me."

"You cocky arse." Piett laughed as we slowly brought our horses to a halt about twenty meters from the gates.

I was pleased with the time we made in arriving; it was just the start of sun high, meaning the journey on horseback took about an hour, which is less than I anticipated.

We couldn't see much past the walls in front of us, but I did have an idea of how large this territory is. Their encampment must be big enough for a small village, at least. But based on the skilled architecture of these seemingly indestructible walls, I can't help but imagine that it's just as well-put together inside. Which to me poses the question; when was this all built? And by who?

"I'm a little surprised that no one is guarding the entrance." I mused as I scanned the terrain. The blanket of snow in this part of the woods was more thinned out than back towards the castle, making it easier to maneuver in, and ultimately ebbing out the persistent chill in the air.

"Well," Piett sighed as he dismounted his horse with a quick hop, before tying its reins around a thin tree stump sticking out of the icy ground, leading me to do the same. "I suppose they weren't expecting any visitors this far out into the forest." He pointed out.

About to argue against his point, I took a step forward, but the second I moved my boot from the ground, an arrow was shot from up above down to the clothing of my pants, piercing straight through it and deep into the ground so that my leg was stuck. Although it didn't make contact with any skin, I felt a rush of fear at the thought of being wounded by another arrow. But the way this one was shot; I could tell it wasn't an accident that I didn't get hit. Whoever shot that arrow purposely avoided inflicting harm, and meant to shoot it through my clothing.

Piett was instantly in front of me with his sword unsheathed, bristling with alarm as both of us gazed up at the top of the wall where the arrow was fired.

"Are you hurt?" He asked quietly without turning back to look at me.

"No." I responded in a whisper, watching in awe from behind him as a young woman I didn't recognize suddenly appeared at the top of the wall with a bow in her hand, her elbow held back as she prepared to shoot another arrow. She had long, dark copper brown hair, with natural highlights that I noticed shone when the sun hit them in just the right spot. She wore blue and gold armor; her chest plate was golden and had patterned crevices which were laced with shades of deep blue material. Her skirt was designed similarly. She glared down at us, her eyes a dark hazel color. She had to be at least eighteen or nineteen, I thought to myself. Pretty young to be an assassin, but definitely has enough skill to be able to reach her target from all the way up the wall.

"Calm down, love." Piett cautioned to the woman, holding his other arm up in a placating gesture. "We aren't here to intrude."

She scoffed, anger blazing in her eyes, "Call me that again, pissbrain." She snapped, tightening her hold on her weapon.

I rose my eyebrows in both surprise and amusement at her retort, and almost laughed because of Piett's reaction. He was taken aback by her bold response as well, but instead of becoming angry, had a mischievous smile on his face. "If you insist." He responded cheerfully, slowly putting his sword back in its sheathe. "If you wouldn't mind, love," He purposely exaggerated the word, making her clench her jaw in irritation. "I'm here with the Prince of Coruscant to see your leader, (y/n); the one who saved his life not too long ago." He explained, followed by a short chuckle. "So if you would be so kind to let us pass through and not rip us to shreds, it would be much appreciated."

"That was the best you could do?" I mumbled under my breath.

"Shut up." He replied through gritted teeth, maintaining his smile.

She rose an eyebrow, lowering her weapon slightly. "Why should I?" She questioned skeptically.

I didn't blame her for not trusting us. And it's not like Piett is making our case any better, but I was hoping we would run into (y/n) first since she now clearly knows who I am, based on our last interaction. If I could just get to her, then I know she will recognize me.

This time I—after pulling the arrow out of my pants near my foot—stepped forward ahead of Piett, "I'm the Prince, Anakin Skywalker." I gestured to myself. "And I ask that you let us pass through to see (y/n)."

She scoffed at my title as if it was the most ridiculous thing she's ever heard, and shook her head. "Tough luck, skyguy. Just because you're some random Prince doesn't mean I have to listen to you."

My eyes narrowed, "Don't get snippy with me." I warned, "Whether you like it or not, this territory is on kingdom grounds, so you do have to listen to me." I commanded firmly.

She lowered her weapon slightly, enough to get more of a proper look at us. Her expression remained impassive, but the tension in her jaw told me that she must be seconds from blowing a fuse. Though, what happened next took me completely by surprise.

"You know what? Fine." Suddenly she put her bow back in its sheathe attached to her waist, and skillfully jumped from the top of the wall, and landed in a powerful crouch in the middle of a pile of thicker snow. "Be my guest." She smiled sweetly, her viscously defensive attitude dropping as she gestured towards the entrance.

I furrowed my brows in confusion at her unexpected change in tone, "Really? Just like that, you'll let me in?" Less than a minute ago she was just about ready to chase us out.

"Of course." She nodded, batting her eyelashes as her voice became significantly kinder, "You convinced me to have a change of heart." She tilted her head, "I'm sure (y/n) would love for you to stop by and pay her a visit." I wasn't too sure, but it seemed like her eyes held a devious glint. But I shook it off as just me being paranoid.

"Okay," Piett said slowly, "This is odd."

I scoffed, "Yeah, no kidding." We both began to take a few steps forward cautiously, preparing to finally see the inside of these walls.

But the young assassin quickly pulled out another arrow and held it in front of Piett, blocking his path. "Not so fast." She rose her eyebrow, gesturing to me, "Only he can go."

Piett crossed his arms, taking a step back as he tilted his head in confusion, "And why is that?"

She twirled the pointed end of the arrow upwards and held it up to his chin, "Because I said so." She turned her head towards me, her long hair falling gently over her shoulders. "(y/n) prefers, let's say, one-on-one interactions with visitors," Again, a mischievous smirk slowly rose upon her lips, "And I just know she will be delighted with this surprise appearance, Your Grace."

I grinned, and without hesitating made my way through the gate entrance; this journey has been so much simpler than I anticipated. If their leader is as eager to meet me as this girl says, then there's no doubting that she will take my offer.

I turned to look behind me for a moment as I heard Piett chuckle amusedly, using his index finger to gently move the arrow away from his chin, "If you wanted some alone time with me then all you had to do was ask, love."

"I would rather get stung by a swarm of killer bees." She retorted, shouldering past him to stand guard by our horses.

Piett's behavior wasn't a shock; I figured as soon as we left that he would try and flirt with at least one of these assassins. But I know him well enough to see through his amorous facade that he seems genuinely interested in her, and her bold attitude, which is uncommon in the women we usually interact with.

"First hut on the right!" The girl called to me.

Though I was happy she was able to let me in with no trouble, I'm curious why she had that quick change of heart. At the beginning she was so hostile towards us, and now it feels as if she wants me to go in. But I've been looking forward to this all week, so I can't complain either.

The second I set foot beyond the gate, I gazed around in awe. The large gray wall surrounded the fairly large plateau of land, and inside it resided what seemed to be fairly stable and secure huts; not too small, but about the size of cottages. Snow dotted each roof, and icicles hung from mist-rimmed windows and wooden overhangs.

I veered my direction to the right, taking note of the closest hut. I breathed out a puff of cold air, my boots crunching against the snow as I drew closer and closer, wondering how I would approach her. I didn't really formulate a plan beforehand.

I stopped in front of the wooden door, and grabbed the metal handle to knock, but when I pulled on it the door instantly opened with a soft creak. It's unlocked.

I rose an eyebrow confusedly. Surely an assassin, and the leader of an entire guild, would be smart enough to not leave their door open?

"Hello?" I called hesitantly, stepping inside.

The architecture of this hut made it seem smaller than it really is, and I only noticed when I took the time to look around. At the back was a thin, narrow staircase that led to a small room up top. A bright ray of light shone up there through a large window, spilling highlights onto the lower floor. Down where I was, furniture was neatly placed in every corner, and blankets were stacked on one of the chairs. I also noticed a fireplace set up in one of the walls, it's crackling flames going strong, meaning it was clearly made recently.

My back was turned to the door that I came in from, but I knew I had left it open upon entering. So my fear instantly spiked when I suddenly heard it slam shut behind me.

I whipped around quickly, my heartbeat racing, and stared completely mystified with wide eyes. No one was there. It was as if a ghost had done it. My palms started to sweat as I felt myself growing nervous. Maybe I should've waited outside, or taken Piett with me, or done anything else.

I began to quickly make my way back over to the door, feeling my nerves tingling uneasily. Something in my gut told me that this wasn't a good idea, but my realization came just a few moments too late. Before I could even reach for the door, my legs were swiftly kicked out from under me, which sent me flying forward as my front and the side of my face made harsh contact with the wooden floor, filling my vision with stars.

I didn't have enough time to comprehend the situation to try and save myself, because in the next second my wrists were grabbed and tied painfully behind my back, making me wince. It all happened so fast, like lightening, and I was hit with a jolt of realization as I remembered only one person who's movements are that swift and skilled.

A hand grabbed a fistful of my hair while the other held my wrists tightly, pushing the side of my face roughly against the floor after I tried to lift my head, making me hiss in pain.

I felt weight settling over my lower back, straddling my hips, and leaning down farther on top of me. I didn't have much of a view in my peripheral vision, but I felt soft hair tickling my neck, and cold breath against my cheek, eliciting a shiver from my body.

"Going somewhere?" A familiar, cold-blooded voice growled into my ear.

It's her.

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(a/n): Hope you all liked this chapter! I always get nervous when I start a new story because I worry that it's too boring or it doesn't make sense so I hope that's not the case haha. But please feel free to ask questions or offer suggestions, and definitely let me know your thoughts❤️