“Why do you look so good in that?” Jennifer asked as she studied me.

“I’ve always felt most comfortable in leather,” I said as I studied the spear in my hand.

It was dull, but not missing its metal tip. The top of the spear just had a dull colored bronze tip, one that had been flattened and rounded. So it kind of blended with the end of the decorated spear. Likely why Jennifer had thought them pointless. She was no warrior, so likely didn’t pay much attention to them.

“Hm… You look strangely perfect. We really won’t have any problems, will we?” Jennifer wondered as she reached over to adjust my shirt. The undershirt, beneath the leather breastplate, had crumpled a little as I put it on.

I allowed her to fuss over my appearance, since she’d know best how prim and proper the guards here were. Some places cared a lot about appearance. Others didn’t.

This seemed to be one that did, since Jennifer then went to adjust the rest of my attire.

“The guards who accompany us into the chambers never say anything unless spoken to. They stand either outside the door, or enter but stand next to the door until we maids leave,” Jennifer explained to me as she messed with my pant legs. Staring down at her as she adjusted the ends of my pants, I wondered how old she was. I knew she was older, being someone I’ve known for a long time, but I wasn’t sure her true age. She acted… young, in a way, sometimes. Yet others, like now, acted mature.

She was a strange woman. Finding pleasure in such weird ways. But at least she was happy, and content. It was more than I could say for most of our members.

“You look good too, by the way. Even if the outfit is such a dull color,” I said.

Jennifer froze, and then slowly glanced up at me. I smiled down at the woman who suddenly looked pale, as if sick.

Woops. I had just meant to be nice. To make the conversation light and easy, since what we were about to do was risky and likely stressful for her.

Maybe I had made a mistake.

Though…

I glanced behind me for a tad moment. To look at the man I had just killed. I was now wearing his uniform, and carrying his spear.

She hadn’t been bothered at all by what I’d done. So maybe I hadn’t needed to make her feel at ease. She was obviously made of hardier stuff than her playful demeanor let on.

Jennifer slowly stood as I looked back at her, blinking at me… and then she smiled. “Why Vim, that’s the first time you’ve ever complimented me,” she said warmly.

“Hm…? I’m sorry,” I said, and meant it.

She was rather good looking, honestly. She kept herself plain, likely a way to defend herself here in the center of human attention, but… well…

Studying her smile, and the slight blush that had filled in her pale face… I compared her to the freckled face Sarah.

Yes. I’d have chosen to bed Sarah first. But there was a certain charm to Jennifer. Was it the maid outfit? It was actually kind of plain, for what it was. There were no frills. No emphasis on her body or she herself. It was an outfit entirely for work and appearance. Not to be sexy, but to be appropriate and useful. It allowed everyone to know who and what she was with a glance, without being something to ogle or notice. However that very plainness, added with Jennifer’s strongly plain features, only made her all the more alluring.

There was a certain strange attraction to something common and normal.

“I’ve always wondered… but are you perchance the kind of man who gets hot and bothered when doing stuff like this?” Jennifer asked with a grin.

And there was typical Jennifer. No longer plain looking, or acting so. This was her true self, but honestly I didn’t find it any less appealing.

“To be honest I do enjoy stressful moments. But no. I wasn’t flirting with you, simply stating a fact,” I said.

Jennifer’s grin softened a little, but didn’t die. “Aw… Vim that was my invitation for you to do so, not backpedal away from it,” she teased me.

“A maid and a guard, doing naughty things in a hidden nook deep within the castle…” I said as I glanced around at the tiny room of supplies. “I’d think by now you’d have had your full of such trysts and stories,” I finished.

Jennifer happily giggled as she reached out to grab my leather breastplate. She pulled on it, as if to shake me. I didn’t allow myself to budge, though. “Vim! You get me so well! What the heck? Have you always been like this? Maybe I should pick Telmik instead of the north?” she asked herself, enjoying the moment.

Please don’t.

I’ll make sure Cassie accepts her.

“Regrettably for you, I lost the taste for this kind of thing a thousand years ago. I’ll admit I had always preferred the servants over the princesses or queens, but today my only desire is for a king,” I said.

Jennifer giggled even harder. “What the! So you do know what I mean! You have to tell me all about that stuff, Vim, afterward,” she said, a little loudly.

“I’ll think about it,” I said. I did owe her… for offering to help me with this. And if a little gossip from a millennia ago was enough for payment, I may as well offer it up.

“Hm…” Jennifer hummed as she let me go… and then stepped back to nod at me. “You look great. The only person you… or we… need to really worry about is the knight captain. He sometimes makes the rounds, and he’s very good at his job. He’ll notice you instantly,” she said.

“What’s he look like?” I asked.

“A bit taller than you. Red hair, but it’s short and he always wears a gray hood so it covers it. He has a bunch of scars on his face, from battle. He’s actually kind of lanky, not as thick as you, and he never carries a spear but has a sword instead. He’ll be the only armed man wearing a hood, and sword, here,” she explained.

I nodded, dedicating such traits to memory. “If it goes bad I’ll handle it. You just escape the moment something happens,” I said.

“Hm… I bet we’ll be fine. No one notices those like me, Vim. It’s why I enjoy doing this,” she said.

No one noticed her…? Not a chance.

Jennifer had guided me into the castle with ease, thanks to being dressed like a common worker. Half the people we had passed had waved at Jennifer, or even stopped her to spread gossip. Only a few had even glanced at me, and those that did simply teased me… interpreting my following Jennifer as if I was trying to seduce her.

Jennifer was likely the source of gossip herself in this castle, based on the way the people acted around her. If she realized such a thing or not though was debatable.

“In the main hallway, the lord’s kitchen is near the south of the building. We’ll head there, and I’ll volunteer for the nightly duties. It might take a few hours before we can head to his chambers, but once we do you can just escort me as the guard,” Jennifer explained, once again, the plan. Likely for herself more than me.

“Will you volunteering really be okay?” I asked.

“Yeah. They’ll just think that I’ll be trying to find gossip material,” she said happily.

“Gossip, huh,” I huffed.

She giggled. “Sometimes he has really young ones, or weird ones. A few months ago he had some old nun lady, that had been juicy,” Jennifer said as she turned to open the door.

“That’s what happens when you have a different woman every night. You lose your sense of taste,” I said.

Jennifer paused with her hand on the handle. She spun, grinning wildly at me. “Right…! That’s so funny to hear from you, Vim!” She happily enjoyed the moment as she clapped at me.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“Don’t be alarmed by what I do and say while in there, okay?” I said gently after she calmed a little.

She nodded. “Tonight I hear it’s his cousin. You can kill her if you’d like, she’s mean to my friends and the Lady,” Jennifer told me.

Cousin…

“I know right? Gross. She always spends the night with him after his night with the Lady. I hear it’s normal for royalty though? To keep it in the family?” Jennifer asked.

“It didn’t use to be,” I said softly.

“Huh… well she’s a gross human, so feel free to kill her too,” she said, nodding confidently.

“We’ll see. You ready?” I asked. I was tired of being in this cramped room with a dead body.

“Yeah,” Jennifer nodded as she opened the door.

We left the small supply room, and entered a larger storehouse. It had likely at one time been a real room, since it had a fireplace. Right now though it was just being used to store boxes and goods. Some of the stuff looked like it had been here a long time, since there was a thick layer of dust on some of it.

“This rooms a fire hazard,” I said as we headed for the exit.

“It’s never frequented. No one even uses this place to do the nasty. I think it’s because of the smell,” Jennifer said.

It did smell of mold.

Jennifer giggled as she paused in front of the door that led to the hallway, again. “You’re fun, Vim,” she said to me.

“Hm…? Because I’m a great source of gossip? Yes. I know,” I said.

Her giggling increased, and she had to cover her mouth to muffle it. I internally praised the woman for being aware of her surroundings. She knew that loud noises could now be heard outside of the room, with us being near the door.

“That and I get to do this with you! I know I can’t ever tell anyone what we’re doing, but the mere thought of being able to…” Jennifer shivered a little, and I suddenly realized just how much she enjoyed such scandals.

Strange woman.

“You could share with the Society members, I suppose,” I suggested softly.

“True. But they don’t seem to care much. Most are like Randle. Prudes,” she said as she calmed down.

“Rather most are just boring. But boring is a good thing,” I said. I’d not be able to handle the Society if they were all like her.

“Aw, but that’s no fun…” she said as she grabbed the door’s handle… and then frowned at me as she studied me.

Hm…? I patiently waited for whatever she was about to say, and then her frown turned into a wry grin.

“I think I know what I’ll ask for after this,” she then said, and I did not like the look I recognized in her eyes.

Wonderful.

“Can’t ask for anything until it’s done. No work no pay,” I said, hoping to avoid the request.

“Hmph. Like you’d fail…” she said with a laugh as she opened the door.

I followed Jennifer out of the room and into the hallway. It was one of the smaller ones, but it led to the main hallway. The one she had spoken of earlier. I could hear voices coming from that direction, but didn’t see anyone nearby.

“Any requests, Vim?” Jennifer asked as she closed the door behind me.

“For?” I asked. Surely she wasn’t still talking about her earlier decision…?

“Snacks? Or drinks?” she asked with a grin.

Oh. Right. She was to take such things to the king. That was our cover.

“I’m fine. Grab something for yourself, you’ll not be able to eat anything for a bit as we get out of here,” I said.

“I plan to grab some of those yellow melon things. They’re delicious and I only ever get any when the Lady shares them with us,” Jennifer said.

Yellow melons…? It’d be interesting to know what she spoke of. As far as I was aware this region, and the surrounding ones, didn’t have such melons.

Such things were found far to the east. At least in today’s era. But… this was a mighty kingdom. They might just so happen have such luxurious foodstuffs here.

“Hehe… A snack and a show,” she murmured excitedly.

I shook my head as I went to walk behind her. A few paces behind, to her left.

I was a guard now. A knight. It was time to act like it.

Following the plainly dressed maid to the kitchens… I did my best to remain even-faced as Jennifer happily spoke with those we passed. Other maids, guards, and even some of the nobles and aristocrats too. She shared gossip, heard some, told others when her next day off was and even joked with another maid about how she had finally ensnared a guard… all the while pointing at me.

I played along; staying the quiet and stoic guard… and was a little glad to see that Jennifer wasn’t just suited for this kind of work…

But she was suited for assassination too.

Maybe she was being wasted.

She easily allowed us to reach the kitchens, and as I stood guard at the entrance I watched her not only succeed in taking over the nightly duties of supplying the king with his snacks and drinks, but also was able to pilfer some of the snacks she had wanted.

It didn’t take long for her to emerge from the kitchens pushing a large cart full of food and drinks, with me in tow. It rattled quietly, mostly thanks to the rugs on the floor being wobbly, but she easily pushed it along the hallway.

Jennifer hummed happily; to the point that it made even me wonder and question if she comprehended she wasn’t just doing her typical job.

We rounded a corner, heading to the end of a smaller hallway. At the end were two guards standing beside a pair of large doors. Unlike most of the other guards here, they were not wearing leather armor but metal.

As we approached the two guards stepped forward. For a tiny moment I planned on how I’d kill them and enter the room without causing a ruckus… but that moment passed quickly. The two stopped in front of Jennifer, or rather her cart, as the two stared down at the food and drinks.

“Never seen him before. He going to rat on us?” one of the knights asked while staring at me.

“What? Him? If he does he doesn’t get his share ever again either, so not likely,” Jennifer said with a tiny giggle.

The two knights smirked as they nodded and went to grab some stuff off the cart.

I smiled as I watched the two eat quietly. Never enough to empty a plate, or be noticeable. They knew what they were doing, eating the tiny portions here and there. It was done in a way that no one would ever notice.

Jennifer likewise went to grab one of the pieces of melon she had spoken of earlier. She hummed happily as she ate it.

I was glad to see such simple indulgence. People really were the same, no matter the era or location.

“The cousin tonight, right…?” Jennifer asked quietly, as to not be heard from within the room.

The knight on the left nodded as he chewed.

“She was all dolled up. Smelled like candy,” the knight on the right whispered.

“Don’t ruin my appetite, idiot,” the man on the left complained.

The two smirked as they glared at each other and Jennifer stuffed another piece of food into her mouth.

How long were they going to eat…? I wanted to get this over with.

“Okay, okay. You guys can have the leftovers later,” Jennifer then said, right as she picked up another piece.

The two nodded as they too finished. They both stepped away, and then the man on the left knocked on the door and opened it. He didn’t open it fully, however, and only stuck his head in.

“My Lord. The maid is here,” I heard him say.

“Let her in,” a woman’s voice responded.

Finally.

The knight obeyed, and opened the door wider. He stepped aside, as he and the other knight went to return to their stations.

Jennifer hummed softly, likely to tell me it was time, as she swallowed her last bite and went to pushing the cart once more.

Following her in, I pretended to take my position next to the open door. I paused as Jennifer pushed the cart into the room and towards the large bed in the center of it.

A king’s room indeed. It was massive, and circular. The large bed in the center had drapes around it, which thinly veiled the man and the woman upon it. There were balconies, three of them, and they were all open. It made the room cold, but I was also thankful for them.

The room stunk horribly. And not just of sex. What was that smell…? The oil Jennifer had spoken of? It smelled like tar.

“Grab me a drink, dear,” a woman’s voice said from the bed as Jennifer pushed the cart up next to it.

A man grunted as he slumbered off the bed. I frowned at the sight of a middle-aged man with a large belly. He was naked, revealing everything… so it was obvious something was wrong with him. His belly was far too large and bulbous compared to the rest of his body. His legs, arms and chest were actually a little lithe. Did he have a parasite or something?

Jennifer silently went to pouring drinks for the King and the woman. He stepped over to the cart, to grab at the many delicacies upon it. Based off the way he acted it was clear he paid no heed to Jennifer, or me and the men at the door.

A typical king. A typical man who has been in power his whole life. Servants were the same as fixtures and furniture. Things that were just there.

“Wine my love?” the king asked as he handed a cup to the woman on the bed.

She giggled, and I glanced behind me. To the half open door. The men outside were back in their positions, staring down the hallway.

Now was the time.

I felt bad for the men. It was obvious they were just doing their jobs. Based off the way they had treated Jennifer, they were likely good men. Probably even had families.

A sad sacrifice, but one I had no choice to make. It wasn’t like I could just close the door… they expected Jennifer and I to leave the moment she was excused.

So…

Gripping the dull spear, I sighed. Why was I hesitating? Humans meant nothing anymore. Not to me.

They weren’t supposed to, at least.

Feeling horrible… I gulped down my disgust at myself as I turned and began.

It was time to kill a king.

Again.