Clockwork Assassin

Chapter 1

I packed the last of my decent dresses into my traveling bags, already overflowing with silky fabric and awkwardly folded bustle skirts. My emotions were torn between nervous nausea and a grand sense of duty. I was going whether I wanted to or not, but thanks to my brother Jebediah and his insane plans, I wasn't leaving for the sake of an event I wanted no part of.

The palace in Varona was preparing for the annual spring courting festival, in which the noble's children of the kingdom that have come of age gather together and their guardians (parents, aunts, uncles, etc.) work to arrange a marriage between their respective young adults. The point of the courting festival, rather than plain agreement between families, is so that the young people have a chance of at least having a small say in who they marry. Some end up falling in love, or what they believe love to be, others settle for a respectable match.

As much as I would despise to have to settle, almost as much as I would despise falling in love, I couldn't return home empty handed. That was what scared me the most. Whether I liked it or not, I would return home betrothed. Because, even settling is better than returning home empty handed.

Women who are not married by their first courting are not allowed to return to another courting festival. They have one chance of marriage, and should they blow it, they bring shame on their families and are, essentially, cut from the family name. I found this deplorable, considering that the young men could return as many times as they wished.

I wasn't thrilled with my home life, nor was I eager to play the puppet and please my aunt and uncle, but I'd seen women who returned empty-handed. I didn't want to end up like that. I knew I could survive on my own on the streets, but that life promised misery and poverty until death.

Aunt Eleanor came into my large polished room and sat on the soft, satin-covered bed. "I'm so nervous," she said excitedly.

I rolled my eyes. "Why are you nervous? You're not the one being sold off to some pompous stranger."

She sighed softly and stroked my dark hair back from my eyes. "Demetria," she said, "you're not being sold. This is a huge honor! I'm going to make sure that Clarence chooses a perfect young man for you." She giggled excitedly. "And besides, you can't tell me you're not at least a little giddy, considering?" she prodded.

Ah, yes. This year was especially important to her. For you see, Prince Lucian was still unwed. He had gone through a few courting festivals, but no maiden had yet earned his heart, or the crown. Not that I even had a chance. I was pretty, sure, and plenty talented, but who in their right mind heard the name 'Demetria' and pictured a beautiful maiden? Not I. But should fate play it's cruel tricks, I vowed to slit my throat should I find myself married to a royal of the Bloodheart bloodline.

This was where my brother's plan was born. King Zebulon was, well, a tyrant. To say it out loud was treason, and since I wanted to keep my head, Jeb and I spoke of our plan in secret...with his friends, too, of course. My brother tended to think of himself as some great revolutionist. His comrades looked to him for leadership, and so did I. Jebediah was, as it would have it, smooth with words and passionate of heart. He was brilliant, and he was strong. But we were not in a time where people look for leadership. They were quite content, the majority, to stay quietly under the king's thumb.

Those who understood King Zebulon's political strategies saw him as the snake that he was, but alas, he was a snake with a silver tongue. He was charming and handsome. Varona was enchanted by his spell, too enchanted to be broken. That was where I came in. Jeb jumped eagerly at the idea of me being in close proximity to the king. It was not my immediate duty to assassinate him, thankfully. But that wasn't out of the question.