As his horse’s hooves clopped on the cobblestones between the Dancing Bear Inn and its stables, a young man stepped out and waved a greeting towards him.
“You here for the wedding?” he asked, taking the bridles that Nash handed him.
“What wedding?” Nash asked, feigning ignorance.
“Oh. Um, the Princess is getting married tomorrow,” he said. “I thought you might be here for that.”
“No,” Nash said. “I’m just staying the night and heading out to Drenad at daybreak.” Nash handed him a silver coin. “I haven’t seen my daughter in over a year,” he lied convincingly. “Could you have him ready by then?” he asked and pressed a second silver coin into the boy’s hand.
“Absolutely, Mister!” he said enthusiastically.
Nash smiled, “See you then,” he said and turned to leave. He walked to the inn and entered the large doorway.
It was early, only a few people were in the bar area eating. A few people were setting up chairs on a stage at the end of the room. Nash approached the bar. “I need a room for the night,” he said. “Something away from whatever is going on in here tonight, I need to sleep to get up early,” he claimed.
The matron in charge checked the pegboard she had and said, “I can put you on the third floor at the far end of the building.”
“That’s fine. The stairs will help wear me out so I can sleep,” he said with a friendly grin.
She smiled back, “That they will,” she agreed and held out a key. “That’s four silver for the night,” she assessed.
“Steep,” Nash said, with a frown and counting out the coins. “Tell me the sheets are fresh for this price,” he said.
She laughed at him. “Of course they are, my lord!” she made fun of him. “Changed daily,” she reassured him.
Nash wasn’t really sure if she was lying or not, but he gave her the coins and took the key. “How much to have a chicken dinner sent up to the room?”
“Chicken and a pint can be sent up for a silver coin,” she said.
Nash handed her two. “Thank you,” he said. “Keep the rest and book someone quiet next to me if you can,” he laughed as he turned to leave.
“No promises,” she said. “I’ll try, though.”
“She sounded sincere that time,” Nash thought as he departed. He found the room and made himself comfortable while he waited for the meal. Phase one of his plan was nearly complete. He had to establish a place where he had been seen go into and never leave. It wasn’t necessary, really, but you never know when a backup plan might pay off. Plausible deniability was the name of the game in this business.
A knock at the door broke him out of his thoughts. “Come in,” he said clearly.
The door opened, and a beautiful woman half his age entered with a tray of food. “The chicken dinner you ordered is ready,” she said cheerfully with a big smile. She moved to the small table near the window and placed the tray on it. She stood there, nervously as he sat to eat. Nash picked up his fork and knife and then realized she was waiting.
“Is there something else?” he asked curiously.
It took the woman a moment to work up her courage, and when she did, she blurted out all at once, “Hanna thought you might be able to afford to work off some energy before bedding down tonight and sent me to help you fall asleep.”
“Hanna?” Nate asked. “The mature woman at the bar?”
“That’s her,” the woman confirmed. “My name is Lilly,” she added. “For two silver, I can keep you warm for the night.”
This was not what Nash meant when he said, “Book someone quiet next to me.” She was pretty, though, “Keep me warm,” Nate repeated as he looked her over. “So polite,” he said playfully. He took a sip of the ale that was on the table to wet his mouth before he fished two coins out of the king’s sack of travel coin and handed them to her. “Avail yourself to the washbasin and warm the bed while I eat, Lilly. I hope you are up for this, it’s been a while since I was last kept warm.”
She smiled nervously, not really sure what he meant by that last statement. She began to disrobe, and she could feel his eyes on her as he stared lecherously at her and ate. She laughed at herself, she was acting like this was her first time. Far from it, it was just the way this man looked at her that made her nervous. She decided to put on a show and began removing just a little at a time and pretending to wash a bit as she did.
When she looked over to him, he was smiling and watching. He apparently knew her game and was enjoying the show. As the last piece of clothing fell, she lifted the sheets and slid into the bed. She wriggled a little bit to warm them against her skin. Lilly smiled at him and closed her eyes to wait.
Nash finished his meal and stood. He wiped the chicken grease off on the towel they had provided with the meal and moved to the washbasin to wash the rest off.
Lilly was staring at him, expectantly from the bed. “She really is pretty,” he thought. She smiled and dragged the sheet over her head playfully. When she did, Nash engaged his ability. Time seemingly froze, but he knew that wasn’t quite right. Time still marched on for him.
His dagger hung loosely inside his cloak. His skill got him close to his victim, but it was his dagger that gave him the nickname Soul Assassin. The blade invariably killed anyone he stabbed with it. In a slashing motion, it worked like any other knife, but in a stabbing motion, it pulled a person’s soul from their body and, most interestingly, never leaves a mark.
With all the time in the world, Nash wandered through the Inn, into the streets, and up to the castle entrance. His ability seemed to be holding fine today, so he entered the castle and began his search for the Princess. He had been in many castles, and they were all closely laid out the same. It was easy to tell which areas were servant areas and which were living quarters for royalty.
He found the King in a somewhat compromising position with a young maid. She was paying homage to his royal staff.
He found the queen with several attendants in a nearby room, and soon he found a room with a teen girl in it. She was staring into a mirror, and there was a tear frozen on her cheek.
Nash walked over to her, this was the part he always hated. He took his knife out and pressed the point to her back. He leaned in to whisper in her ear. “I’m sorry,” he said as he inhaled her sweet perfume. Suddenly she began to move!
He quickly embedded the blade into the back of her neck and watched as the light left her eyes in the mirror. Princes Adriana crumbled to the floor wordlessly. A surprised whimper sounded behind Nash, and he saw her in the mirror as her sister fell. The youngest Princess was staring at him. She had seen everything! Nash attempted to freeze time again, and she stopped moving.
“Not again!” he said to himself. He looked at Princes Adriana and realized she faintly smelled of jasmine.
Nash approached the youngest Princess as she stood there frozen. He estimated her to be about thirteen years old and scared. As he saw it, he had only two choices, and he had to choose fast.