Stars of the Sea

Together

Mira sat at the side of the queen, in her sitting room. Lords and ladies were gathered around, drinking tea. The princess and the guard were sitting together, and they would occasionally glance at her.

Mira sipped her tea. She supposed she should have been grateful that it wasn't poisoned. Mira hated poison, it was cowardly, and it took away the right to fight back, to go down honorably. Mira set down the tea.

"Trust me when I say we, the Augustians, are horrified by what happened to King Adar," Queen Thirza said. Mira swallowed and turned to look. "We have apprehended the assassin, and he will be executed. We are simply filled with fear at how an assassin broke into one of the safest places in our fair nation and slaughtered a trusted ally. This was supposed to be a day of trust and celebration between our two countries, to celebrate the future and honor the past. Tragedy struck and tainted this day. Yet we hope that with the death of the vile wretch who would dare to disrupt it, we can move forward with peace and tranquility."

Everyone turned to look at Samirah, who looked like she just choked on something.

"Yes," Samirah said. She cleared her throat. "What happened was tragic, but when justice is served, we can move forward as allies."

"More than that, I hope," the queen said. "As my granddaughter is to be wed to King Adar."

Bella dropped her teacup. It shattered on the floor with a loud clang, and those who weren't already looking at her turned to stare.

"Yes," Belladonna said. She looked happy, and open, save for how hard she was clutching Samirah's hand. It must have been painful. "I did not expect to announce it so early, but I am pleased to confirm to the esteemed court that it is true."

Samirah looked pale. Mira tsked under her breath. She isn't used to this. She doesn't know how to hide her feelings. Mira sipped her tea. She'll learn. Samirah's pretty, dark eyes were wide as she gazed ahead, at a pebble on the floor. At the first moment, she slipped out the door.

Mira hoped Samirah didn't have to, though. She hoped that the girl would run away and never look back. Mira didn't want the girl dead: she reminded Mira too much of herself, she was captain of the guard. Back before the war, when she was just one assassin in a guild of many before she was Death's sister. Before the war.

Mira didn't believe for a second that Samirah would run. Because every time she did, she would come back before dawn arose. Mira came back to court, to the game of chess that the queen controlled, every time. Samirah would too. It was like asking someone to cut off their own hand, asking a warrior not to fight.

☽•☾

Rayan watched the girl. Her dark hair was thrown over her shoulder, with a smile painted over her features, and hung upside down on a trapeze. The ribbons around her ankles fell off one by one, fluttering to the ground below like feathers.

Rayan looked away and went back to dragging the unconscious guard into a closet. He was more lucky than some of the others, who had blood pooling around them. Rayan shoved the guard into the closet and piled over the others.

The girl swung back and forth, flying through the air before being caught by another on the trapeze. The girl was thrown again, but this time she caught herself on a circular ring. She sat on it and swung her knees idly like a small child. Everyone stared, and the girl stood up. Rayan could see her lips pursed together, and the smile was gone. She reached into a pocket in her leotard and pulled out something that wasn't quite visible, but Rayan knew what it was.

A throwing knife.

The girl punched forward as much as possible without falling, then threw the knife.