The Pharoah's Assasin

protection

I get ready for the long night ahead of me wearing mostly black to shield my presence. It has been a while since I went to find work, nearly a month now. Tommorow would have been the official deadline I was given to kill Atem. Yet instead of killing Atem, I will kill whoever hired me to kill him.

Tonight the market is uncharacteristically uncrowded unlike the last time I was here, where I bumped into Atem. It makes it easier to navigate towards the assassin's booth, yet harder to conceal my presence.

As I enter the shop, the man at the counter glares at me.I take my hood off of my head and shyly greet the man with a nod.

"You're not welcome here," he tells me crossing his arms, "We only service assassins who get the job done."

I stop dead in my tracks at the sound of his words, "H..o..w do you kn..ow that?" I quiver.

He shrugs, "Got a letter from your previous employer, says you were a coward that couldn't go through with your job. I don't want people like you tarnishing my agency's name, and it's a shame you were the best," he shakes his head, "You lost your job for a lost cause too, your previous employer got another assassin to do the job you couldn't. Now you should go and find another job because nobody in this industry will ever hire you again."

After hearing his words I quickly leave the cursed place as quickly as I can. My test tightens up and I can't breath, I can't breath, I can't breath. Clutching my chest I try to calm down, but i can't. My breathing becomes quick and rapid and I can't get enough air. I fall to the ground just outside of the shop and my world begins to crumble. The noise of the crowds around me sounds like thunder resonating throughout my head. Tears stream from my eyes and I can't calm down. I sit there for what feels like hours in pure misery before I finally start to calm down.

They are going to kill Atem. It didn't matter whether or not I killed him, because of course they would find another assassin. How did this thought never cross my mind, I think. It's up to me to prevent this from happening, nobody will ever kill him on my watch.

I finally get up off of the ground and start my walk to the castle. People are staring at me after I just had a panic attack in the middle of the market, but they are the least of my worries. My main concern is protecting the pharaoh.

As I arrive I start to plan out how I am going to get in the palace unnoticed. With me I brought the uniform from when I was a guard. This should be able to help me sneak in, pose as a guard, try not to draw any attention to myself, and find a hiding spot in which I can watch and protect him in secrecy until I know he is safe.

The uniform does the trick and once I am in the palace I try to be as inconspicuous as possible while making my way towards the pharaoh's bedroom.