“I thought you hired the best! Because of his failure the entire thing blew up in our faces!” The man, sitting in a luxurious chair, almost yelled.
“I did, he’s the best assassin in the kingdom, I’ve never heard of him failing a job before.” The woman sitting opposite the man said.
“And the price! He charged you extra just because he had to leave the city for a few days. He’s an Assassin not a noble!” The man was apparently a money grubber.
“Hah, money is the last of our concerns after you’ve become king. You know this was the right thing to do, your brother would have run the country into the ditch.” The woman clearly had a better handle on things.
“Well, at least one good thing came of this mess. Since Evelyn survived the Assassination attempt we now have a kid!” The king said with glee.
“Yes yes dear, I know you always wanted a kid, and I do too, but was traumatizing her and murdering her parents a good way to go about it?” The woman, apparently the queen, said.
“Oh come on, you know she wasn’t supposed to survive, so the least we can do after ruining her life is to take care of her.”
“Yes I know, I just hope she recovers soon. I hate seeing her like that, she’s a kid, she’s supposed to be running around and playing happily, not sulking in her room.” The queen said with sadness in her voice.
•••
Lilly was sitting in a bar, the same one in which she received the job of killing the royal family. She was drinking and chatting with the other patrons about all the rumors around the recent Assassination. She had gotten off work a few hours ago, deciding to take a few days break with the money she had earned the previous day. After hiding in a tree with [Overlook] she had waited for several hours until the search was called off. Then she had snuck back to the city and entered through the sewers. Once home she collapsed on her bed and drifted off to sleep.
When she woke up the next day it was already noon. Deciding to keep up her façade as a perfectly normal member of society, she grabbed a few bags of potions and herbs and headed off to her day job. On her way there she overheard people talking about how the royal family was assassinated, who did it, and what would happen to the kingdom now. That would give her the perfect cover story for why she was late. Eventually she arrived at a small potion and healing shop in the commercial district. There was a little sign over the door reading; Four Leaf Potions.
“Yer late Lilly, again.” The shopkeep grumbled.
“Sorry Bart, I got caught up in some gossip with a friend.” Lilly excused herself.
“Yeah fine, shits crazy, if even the royal family isn’t safe, who is?” The shopkeep named Bart said.
“Yes, it’s scary to think how those Assassins can make their way in anywhere, without being seen.” Lilly feigned some fear.
“Cept this time it didn’t go so well, heard the Assassin was supposed to kill the princess as well, but she survived.” Bart said.
“Oh, and who do you think did it, Ghost, The Reaper? Lilly asked, purposely not including herself.
“Seems the general opinion is Ghost, Fucker likes tormenting his victims. Probably got caught up in his fantasies and knocked something over.”
(At least people aren’t suspecting me yet.) Lilly thought. Incidentally, her “work name” was Shadow, since she silently entered and exited her victims homes without being seen.
“Anyway, I doubt we have anything to worry about, unless you went and groped a noblewoman again that is.” Lilly said in a mocking tone.
“Yeah yeah, yer never letting that one go are you?” It seemed Bart had resigned himself to being mocked for his drunken blunder.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
“Nope, I brought some potions by the way, the usual price?”
“Off course Lilly, yer potions are top notch, this shop wouldn’t be here anymore if not for you.”
Lilly grabbed her pouch and started filling it with gold coins. Usually employees wouldn’t sell the products to their employer, but since Lilly provided her own herbs, the production didn’t actually cost Bart anything. Finished counting her coins, Lilly went about sorting and putting her potions in the display cases. Afterwards she headed to the back to make some potions. She was going to make some Mana Potions and Mana Regen(eration) Potions, since she had used up quite a few during her escape.
Mana Potions were fairly self explanatory, they simply gave you an immediate amount of mana based on quality. Mana Regen Potions however, increased the consumers regeneration of mana also based on quality, but they also had varied effect on different people. Lilly received average effect from Regen Potions so she tended to use a lot of them.
After a day of potion making she said her goodbyes to bart and told him she’d take a few days off. Heading out into the bustling street she walked towards the inn district. Wanting a good ale she entered the first bar she found and sat down at the counter.
“Barkeep, an ale!” Lilly hollered.
“Aye, here ya go.” The barkeep filled a mug and handed it to her.
Lilly chugged it in one go and slid the mug to the Barkeep asking for a refill. She decided to get absolutely wasted and have some fun. Her idea of drunk fun being bar fights, she didn’t have to wait long before fun found her.
“What’s a pretty girl like you doing in a run down place like this?” Fun 1 asked.
“Yeah, there’s only men here, perhaps we could protect you?” Fun 2 chimed in.
“Drinking away my holiday, and thank you but it’s not necessary, I can take care of myself.” Lilly said, dismissing them.
“Aww don’t be like that, I’m sure we could make your stay a lot more interesting.” Fun 2 persisted.
“Interesting how? I don’t think two drunkards make for good company.” She continued egging them on.
“Interesting in how yer gonna follow us out back and have sone fun.” Fun 1 had lost his patience.
“No thanks, I prefer my ale.”
“Sorry but you aint sayin no to this, now come on!” Fun 1 hissed and tried to grab Lilly but promptly had his hand showed away.
“I said leave me alone!” Lilly yelled in mock panic, she obviously wanted to escalate it into a fight.
“Bitch yer commin with us and we’ll gladly drag ya!” Fun 2 said as he grabbed ahold of Lillys arm.
Deciding the fun was riled up enough Lilly spun around on her stool and punched fun 2 in the stomach. Groaning, he let go of her arm and stepped back. Seeing his mate beaten, fun 1 threw a punch at the back of Lillys head. Bending slightly to the side she grabbed his arm and yanked, throwing fun 1 over her shoulder and onto fun 2, felling both.
Untangling themselves they eventually stood back up and immediately charged at her. Fun 1 threw a punch at her face while fun 2 tried to tackle her. She kneed fun 2 in the face and tried to catch fun 1’s fist in her own. Being fairly drunk however, she missed, but fun 1 did as well. The punch carrying his weight, fun 1 stumbled forward into Lilly, knocking her over and landing on top of her.
Fun 1 one had a moment of glory thinking he had won until he took a knee to the crotch. Yelling out in pain he rolled off her and clutched his balls. Fun 2, having recovered and seeing his mate writhing in pain on the floor, charged Lilly and kicked her in the chest. Having the air knocked out of her, she rolled to the side and stood up shakily. Heaving for air Lilly charged at fun 2 feinting to the right. Instead dropping low on his left, she grabbed his leg and pulled it out from under him causing him to faceplant with a loud crunch.
Having incapacitated both sources of fun, Lilly grabbed a random mug of some beverage and chugged it in one go. Discovering it was cheap beer she threw it at the wall and stumbled over to the counter where she finished the rest of her ale. Fishing up a few coins from her pouch she tossed them at the barkeep and stumbled out the door. She headed off in a random direction wanting to find a new bar and maybe some more fun.