(Lychorida)

My head felt like it would implode as I walked down the darkened corridor, my hand tucked into Edward's elbow. I hadn't had time to put my bodice or anything on so I only had the two knives in my thigh strap which I could use.

I wanted sleep, I needed sleep. I had to pull off the assassination of my life tomorrow and it wouldn't be easy.

"This is very improper isn't it?" I whispered as he pulled me through a tiny corridor, obviously one I wasn't meant to know about or use.

"I don't really care." He whispered back, grinning, he clearly didn't sense my mood. "I wanted to thank you, for the other day." He pushed what looked like an ordinary wall and we stepped out into a small room, all the candles were lit and illuminated walls crammed with portraits.

"You don't have to thank me, it's what's done when someone dies." I tried to excuse myself again, but he took my arm.

"Not when someone here dies, death is just brushed over unless you're the Queen. So thank you, I owe you a favour."

I smiled for a moment; a favour would come in handy.

But it seemed he was repaying the favour now.

"Do you drink? I know you're a girl but you didn't seem to be much of one when we spoke." He held out two glass bottles. The liquid was clear. He sat down on the green settee and I went to sit next to him. I really needed to leave, to sleep, but the temptation of alcohol, good alcohol, was too much.

I accepted one of the bottles and took a swig, gripping it at the stem as I gagged a little.

"That's nice." I spluttered.

"Strong though." The Prince said, laughing at me as he took a sip. "It's made from potatoes apparently, father gave me the key to it when he died."

I snorted. "My brother Asa preaches that potatoes can cure anything. He's a healer."

Edward smirked. "At his age? He'd have to have trained all his life."

I nodded, taking another swig. "He did. All of us have trained all our lives. James trained to lead armies, Milana trained to marry rich, Asa is a healer, Haddie does history or whatever." I blurted, then cursed myself; what if I had just given away our entire plan.

I looked down in shock at the clear bottle, "Poison is the weapon of the cowardly court" what if he had just dragged me out of bed to murder me?

I looked up at him and he was still grinning like a boy and I relaxed. He was harmless.

"And what do you do?" He had one eyebrow raised as he sipped at the alcohol.

I smirked and looked at my leg, the thigh strap was covered by my nightdress. "You'll laugh when I tell you." I looked up at him, keeping my head somewhat down.

"I won't." He took my hand and my head snapped up, I jerked my hand away and he sat back.

"I'm an assassin." He choked a little on his drink and looked incredulously at me. "I'm serious." I hissed, he just laughed, his eyes creasing at the edges. "Ugh, hold that." I passed him my bottle, furious that he wouldn't believe me, and yanked up my nightdress, grabbing my most threatening knife - named Bear - and showed it to him.

He chuffed and laughed a little. "I don't suppose you arranged this marriage to murder me in my sleep then?" I frowned and shook my head. If only I could tell him that I would be using Bear on his mother in the morning as she prepared me to marry her kind son.

"We had no say in this. If it was my choice I would never-" I shut myself up, realising that I was being rude.

He nodded. "Sounds like something mother would do. Listen, I just really wanted to say thank you, when father died I wouldn't have had anyone to talk to. I would've been expected to forget about him. I-" I put my hand on his arm to stop him, his eyes weren't right.

"You're still not alright. You need closure." I studied how his honey coloured eyes swam within themselves, concealing a million different emotions between bars.
I wasn't just trained to kill, I was trained to dance with death until I was satisfied, and that involved closure.

"Where did they put the body? What did they do with it?"

He looked up at me. "Father? He'll be in the pit."

My nose wrinkled at that name; the pit. But I needed to help Edward.

"Take me there." I whispered, half grinning, half forcing sympathy.