From Ash to Ashes

Part 1 - Chapter 1

I waited and watched as my comrades in arms skillfully danced from pillar to pillar, cleverly avoiding the nobles' eyes. My colleagues are part of a group of the poorest people in the country. They are known as the Outcasts. The king had them placed into camps to ensure they would not cause havoc in his kingdom and so that they could do the farm and agricultural work. Some of them, at night, however, become skilled thieves and assassins, but the king was clearly oblivious, as he clearly showed by sitting idlily on his throne. To his right sat Queen Goergiannah, and Prince Christopher sat to his left.

"Why aren't you dancing?" my twin brother asked me while gripping my arm and dragging me to the dance floor.

"Ashton, I don't want to dance. I am not feeling to well," I responded, twisting my arm out of his grasp. I turned to leave as my father approached me and said, "Ashlyn! You cannot leave! I forbid it!"

At this, the king and prince rose and stalked over to where we were standing.

"Is there a problem, Duke Lanchaster?" King Alphor asked.

"No, my lord," answered my father.

"Dohnavahn, take a walk with me. I insist," the king said as my father looked down at his feet. "I would like to help you learn the art of parenthood." He then turned to me and asked, "What seems to be the matter, Lady Ashlyn?"

"I am not feeling to well, sire," I answered. "I was just about to retire to my rooms."

"Carry on then," he said with a wave of his hand, directing my father towards the dais.

I hurried off to my rooms, pausing only to ensure I was not being followed. I locked the door and sprinted to my closet, pulling out a black cloak, tunic, and a leather black pair of pants and jacket. I tugged in my black combat boots and quickly double checked that my concealed weapons were certainly hidden. I stepped out of my room, hood pulled over my face to find a shadow of a figure seemingly above my door.

"Come on, Caleb, we don't have much time," I said, stalking down the hall, Caleb stumbling to keep up with me.

"Did you find him?" Caleb asked, making sure to keep his voice no higher than a whisper.

"Yes, Lord Morris is on the far side near the east exit. AS I walked back, well, during the commotion of my father, the king, and I, I slipped a but of Belladonna unto the drink he was holding. soon enough, he should excuse himself, and we can snatch him then."

"Awesome. I will contact Ben and Jason," he said, pulling out what looked like a little disk which he placed on his head just behind his ear.

"Group Alpha, this is Group Beta. Suspect is on the east side. Dose Primo has been administered. See y'all in a few."

With that, the communicator buzzed back saying, "Group Beta, this is Group Alpha. Tell REDHAWK good job. En route to east exit. MONSTER, secure north exit. REDHAWK, secure west exit. BLUEBLOOD has got the south exit."

After the communicator clocked off, Caleb placed it back in his pocket5 and nodded for me to follow orders as instructed. I stoop approximately 20 maters from the west exit. I realized that in all my hurry, I had forgotten to pin my hair up. instead, my hombre brown to blue hair rested on my shoulders, curling down to just above my waist. I prayed no one I came upon would notice, for I am quite popular for my hair choice, but not in a good way. the dying of the coloration of one's natural hair, according to every noble, was a sign of rebelliousness, and they were all quite shocked when father did not disown me after my mother died. she was the only reason I was never executed as a child. the day I came home with my hair done, by the Outcasts, though I never told them that, my father threw a fit. My little twin brother, Ashton, was why I did what I did. Our father was abusive; however, he was a duke, so he could get away with it. Our mother became very ill when Ashton and I were three. I dyed my hair on my fifth birthday. My mother adored my hair, and she said I looked beautiful no matter what color hair I had. It was also her final wish upon her deathbed that father not consult the king after her death got the decision of my fate. she died three months after our fifth birthday.