Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Our story began on a sunny day in this land filled with the greatest kingdoms, the most charming villages, and the wildest of forests. It's precisely in one of those forests that we find Cameron, one of the best assassins in the land. He can currently be spotted lying on the thick branch of a giant dark oak tree, sleeping with the sun shining on his face. Suddenly a crow appeared on the horizon, slowly drawing closer to the snoozing assassin. Once it was practically flying above him, the crow dropped down, landing with a loud crashing sound on the poor man’s head. The impact caused him to wake up and nearly stumble off the branch he was resting on, just barely holding on. And just between you and me, it probably also resulted in a concussion, though I doubt that his intellect could have significantly decreased by it.

 

Cam's POV:

Whhhhaaaaa! What just happened! I was just relaxing when suddenly something hit my head so hard it’s kind of hurting. I lost balance, but my amazing instincts kicked in, and I didn’t fall. Yeah, that explains everything now to get back onto the tree properly. And that’s just what I did, and in my personal opinion, it probably looked really cool as well. Not that that mattered seeing as no one's around. Well, except for this black bird that’s just staring at me…… Wait a second, is this bird what hit me?

 

„Hey, did no one tell you it's rude to fall on people?“ I tell the bird. To Witsch, it just looked at me for a moment and then shook its head. „What! Don’t shake your head at me. Did no one teach you manners?“ I say, and I start not liking this bird very much. The bird now seemed kind of annoyed (well, imagine how I feel arguing with a goddamn bird); it suddenly started flying up to my head and pulling my hair with its beak. „Stop that! No bad bird! Please! What do you want from me?“ After my last question, he stopped and landed in front of me again, now using his wing to point at his neck.

 

„What the……“ I start talking but drift off, noticing a little red collar around his neck. It had black stitching on it that seemed kind of familiar in some way, and it seemed to have a piece of paper attached to the front of it. „Well, what do you have there?“ I jokingly asked the bird as if it could answer. It just flapped its wing again, still pointing at the collar, more specifically the paper attached to the collar. „Wait, do you want me to take the paper?“ I ask it. The bird seemed to nod. So I carefully stretched out my hand trying to grab it.

 

The bird didn’t react or even move much until the moment I had the paper in my hand. In that exact moment it pecked my hand, causing me to pull it back really quickly. „Auchhhh, that hurt!“ I exclaimed, feeling the pain in my hand. The bird just turned its head away, almost looking kind of smug. Instead of continuing to argue with that feathery critter, I decided to investigate the piece of paper instead.

 

I immediately noticed that it was folded a plenty of times, so I, as the smart individual I am, opened it, revealing a letter bearing the insignia of my assassins guild. That’s why the patterns on the bird’s collar looked so familiar—they’re the guilds. „So you little fella work for the same people as me, eh?“ I remark to the bird. But why would they send me a letter via bird instead of the usual footman? Instead of dwelling too long on that question, I started reading the letter:

 

Dear CamBam, (That’s my assassin code name; it’s cool.)

Firstly, we as a Guild switched from human to animal personnel for our information exchange, seeing as they will be less likely to be spotted for suspicious activity and working against us or reading things they are not supposed to. We have a plethora of animals working for us now; you’ll be able to recognise them by the patterned collars that the letters will be attached to. (An animal post service—this should be fun.)

And secondly, the main reason for this letter is that we have a new job for you. (Finally, I’ve been sooooo bored.) We received quite a hefty sum as compensation for killing the second prince of Rivendell. If you choose to accept this challenge, we will provide you with more information and necessary gear at the exchange point located in the same woods as you.

With deadly regards, you know who we are.

 

Now if this was my first mission, I would be freaked out about them knowing exactly where I am. But it isn’t, and I know that they just know this stuff somehow. Guess I’ve gotten used to them just knowing all. I’m about to start moving when I look back down at the letter and notice there is more written on there:

 

P.S: Please give us an answer in the form of a letter written on paper if you choose to accept this mission. Do not repeat any of the previous debacles.

 

Oh my god!

You make a few small mistakes with letters, and now no one trusts you to write them properly anymore. Everyone makes mistakes every once in a while. And why did they have to specify so many obvious things? It’s insulting. But whatever, let's just write this letter. After taking out my ink, feather, and paper, I start writing:

 

I Cambam acsept this mission

 

After finishing, I fold the letter. „Here you go, birdy,“ I say while trying to put the letter on the bird’s collar where I found mine. I say tried because when I was getting close to the bird, it pecked my hand again. Causing me to drop the piece of paper. „Come on!“ I say, pulling back my hand again. The bird just took the paper in his beak and started flying away into the distance. „Well, I guess that’s settled. Now to get to the exchange point, “I say to myself, while gliding down the tree, very gracefully if anybody asks.

 

—————————

 

After a bit I arrived at the entrance to the exchange point. which is just the entrance to a dark cave in the side of a cliff. But the exchange point is not the cave, as some might think; that would be too obvious, and someone travelling in this wilderness could just stumble upon it. No, the entrance to the exchange point is hidden just like an assassin in plain sight.

 

When you enter the cave to the right, there is a slim crack in the wall that looks like it's a dead end. But when going through that crack, you end up in a large grotto. The walls and ceiling in said grotto are covered in this cute glowing fungus stuff. And in the corner is a stone door; it blends into the surrounding area perfectly. If you didn’t know where it was, I doubt you’d spot it.

 

Quite luckily, I do know where it is, and I know the combination of stones that need to be pushed to open it as well. And opening it is just what I'll do. After I pushed the last stone, the door retracted just like a gate door. It revealed a pile of gadgets and gizmos with a closed letter atop it. The only thing written on the envelope was my name, Cambam. I retrieved the provided gear and put it in practical places. Then I read the target's information provided in the letter.

 

And if I'm being honest, there wasn’t a lot. The kingdom of Rivendell seems to be the one farthest to the north, and the way there can be quite deadly without a guide. Thankfully it seems like the guild has arranged for me to have one, not that I need it. I would definitely be fine on my own, but it will make the travel easier. Another piece of information listed is that it seems that Rivendell is a kingdom filled with magic, and it’s possible that the prince might have some too. And the only other thing provided in the letter is where to meet my guide.

 

But that can’t be right! I usually get at least triple the amount of information. And most of this info is speculation or the most basic knowledge of the kingdom. Do we really know nothing about this guy? Well, I suppose that just means there’ll be more work for me. But I am still going to smash this job; I am one of the best assassins, after all. Now to meet my guide.

 

—————————

 

I arrived at the coordinates where I was supposed to meet my guide only minutes before the approximate meeting, but all I see is a dusty road. The letter said that the guide would know me to be a professor that wanted to do some research on Nordic plant life and animals. The guild reached out to them pretending to be a university where I supposedly study and teach. Though I am unfamiliar with its name or with who the guide is and why they travel to Rivendell in the first place.

 

While contemplating my situation, I noticed a strangely colourful caravan approaching on the horizon. It was kind of crazy looking, and I for sure know that it doesn’t look structurally sound. It seems kind of hilarious, though. I wonder where it’s headed? When passing by me, the caravan Suddenly stopped, and a clown lady in a pastel red, yellow, and blue costume with radish-brown hair and a red rubber nose Stepped out of it.

 

Before I could say anything, she started talking: „Hey there, I'm Shubble the clown, but my friends call me Shelby. And I'm guessing that you're the professor that wants to get to Rivendell?“

 

"Indeed, I am. My students call me Professor Cameron, but you can call me Cam. And I'm guessing that helping people go to Rivendell isn't your main job,“ I answered her, trying my best to not break character.

 

„How did you know?“ she said, seemingly surprised.

 

„Well, you're travelling with a caravan and look like a clown,“ I said jokingly.

 

„Hahahaha, yeah, I guess it’s quite obvious. But get on board now, Cam; we are wasting sunlight, and I'm on a schedule.“ She laughed at the first part of what she spoke but gained a bit of composure towards the end. And she is right; it’s time to get moving.

 

„Already then, let’s get going,“ I said enthusiastically.

 

„Love the enthusiasm,“ Shelby said while helping me board the caravan.

 

After that we were talking a lot on the road; it turns out that Shelby is a solo travelling circus. And by that I mean that she does all of the acts on her own. She travels with said circus around the kingdoms, Rivendell being one she visits regularly due to their tendency to party and the number of festivals they hold.

 

She also asked me about my research and what it was like working at the university. Oh, and I love the name of the fake uni I study at, because it's the University of Cambridge. There is my name in there, Cam-bridge. It's genius and so funny; when she asked me for the first time, I was trying so hard not to laugh, but I'm sure she didn't notice. For the research part, I just made up stuff; thankfully, she didn’t question it.

 

And before I even knew it, the mountain on which Rivendell lay could be spotted on the horizon.

 

—————————

 

We arrived at sundown on the outskirts of the kingdom's capital, which pretty much is the whole kingdom.

 

I was starting to head out for my mission when I heard Shelby behind me: „I wouldn’t head out now; it’s getting dark“.

 

Shit, I’ve been caught. Stupid me being way too careless again. Quick brain, think of an excuse, “Yes, that’s exactly why I’m heading out. The nighttime is perfect to see the night-blooming flowers that grow on this here mountain.“ Please believe what I'm saying.

 

„Ohhh, so one of the species you want to research is the lunar bloom. I’m not sure you know, but you’re a day too early; they start blooming tomorrow.“ she said with a bright smile.

 

She believed it, okay; just gotta keep this going, “What makes you so sure that they’ll start blooming tomorrow? Throughout the entire library of Cambridge, I could only find out that they bloom in summer; never once was a specific day mentioned.“

 

„Wait, really? Your information on the Rivendell plant life must be very scarce then if you didn’t even know that,“ Shelby said in a surprised tone.

 

„Yeah, every piece of info we have was recorded a century ago; all was written by the same person, and let me tell you, their handwriting is illegible. At the university there is barely Any info on the plant life here and that gap in knowledge is why I'm so interested in learning more!“ Towards the end I tried acting super excited and motivated.

 

She laughed a bit and then said, „Well, in that case, let me tell you what I know about that flower tonight at dinner, and you could take a good look at it tomorrow.“

 

Well, I should keep going, but I guess it would be better to keep my cover; one day doesn’t make a big difference anyway. „That sounds amazing,“ I tell her cheerfully.

 

And thank god I did, because I have so much intel now. She told me that the lunar bloom always opens its petals on the night of the summer solstice, which is happening tomorrow, and its petals stay open for about a week or two. During that time Rivendell holds its Sommer festival, for which Shubble the clown brings her one-woman circus to town.

 

But the most interesting part for me is the opening speech of the ceremony. It seems as though the second prince of Rivendell will be holding it this year. If I can find a high place with a good view of the stage, it would be a clear shot when he’s talking. Almost too easy for someone as skilled as me, but I suppose that that’s a good thing. Tomorrow I'll get my job done.

 

—————————

 

It’s the day of the Sommersolstes, and it’s the day I’ll finish my job. After eating breakfast, I said goodbye to Shelby for the day and decided to find the stage where the prince will hold his speech. And this must just be my day, because the library is across from where they are setting up the stage for this evening. It’s also high enough to have a clear view, and nobody would bat an eye at a professor staying in a library to study. Now I just need to find a nice place with a nice view of the stage and pretend to read. I probably should find a book about the flower of the day first so it looks like I'm doing important research. Now we're to start looking for it. When looking all over, I notice that there doesn’t seem to be anyone in the library, not even a librarian, and I can’t find a specific order the books are in either.

 

After searching a bit more of the book-filled aisles, I noticed an elf-boy sitting at a table surrounded by an obscene amount of books and scrolls. He seemed stressed and completely enamoured with a scroll he was writing on. He was switching between reading something from the books surrounding him and writing something on the scroll in front of him. He has beautiful blue hair that is extremely messy and seems super fluffy. He probably didn’t brush it this morning, and it somehow still looks gorgeous. He’s wearing a slightly wrinkled white blouse with a light blue sweater vest. It looks so stylish on him even though it’s so plain.

 

He is absolutely stunning.

 

He suddenly got a bit more frustrated and crumpled the paper he was writing on and threw it against an already overfilled bin. Looking at the sheer amount of crumpled paper in there, he’s probably been throwing papers there for hours.

 

He then looked up and spoke: „I’m not sure what it’s like in the kingdom you’re from, but here in Rivendell staring at people you don’t know for that long is considered either creepy or rude.“ Shit, he noticed me.

 

And he is looking at me now, with those beautiful…… stunning…… blue eyes…. Snap out of it; you need to say something, or it's going to be really awkward. „Sorry, I just wanted to ask if you knew where to find books about the lunar bloom, but then you seemed kind of busy, and I wasn’t sure if I really should be bothering you. Really, I’m sorry.“ Every word I said just came out as a nervous stutter. But why am I even nervous? It’s not like I’ve been caught red-handed or something; he’s just kind….. maybe……. Really pretty.

 

He suddenly started giggling a bit; I was probably acting pathetic enough for it to be funny. But his giggle was just sooooooo cute. My face is starting to feel kind of warm. „The lunar bloom, eh? Well, the good news is that all the books you’ll find in this library on the topic are already compiled around me; the bad news is I kind of need them,“ the elf said with a soft smile, laying back in the chair he was sitting in.

 

"Really every single one? What do you need so many for“. I questioned, slowly regaining the confidence in my voice.

 

“Let’s just say I need to write an important presentation and was hoping it would inspire me,“ he answered, sounding slightly hopeless. A presentation, so he’s probably a local scholar.

 

“Judging by your frustration, I’m guessing that you don’t really have it yet?“ I asked him while walking a bit closer.

 

“Yeah, I really want this to go well, but I just don’t know what to say,“ he answered.

 

“Well, maybe I can help you. What’s the presentation about?“ I offered after going to stand right in front of him.

 

He looks even prettier from this close. He started talking, snapping me out of my thoughts, „Well, I need to talk about the lunar bloom. It symbolises the start of summer; it represents magic and, I guess, the kingdom too somehow. And it's all just too much. I need to get this perfect, and it just won’t sound right.“

 

When talking, he seemed passionate about the things he mentioned, but he also seemed stressed, and if I know anything, it's that stress is the worst enemy of any creative process, which obviously includes writing. If only there was a way he could just speak his mind without being so overwhelmed, it might help. Maybe if…. „That just sounds boring; why would you need to talk about such an unimportant flower?“ I tried my best to sound as condescending as I possibly could; let's just hope he takes the bait.

 

„What, the lunar bloom isn’t unimportant!“ he stated, falling for it hook, line, and sinker. And he drifted off after just a few of the following words. "It always blooms at the start of what we see as summer. It’s a magical plant that glows bright at night to protect our kingdom from harm and darkness. Our ancestors built Rivendell under its protection; it's said that it was given to them as a gift from Aeor to forever protect this mountain and the creatures living within its land. That’s why we celebrate when its beautiful petals open to spread its magical properties and grant us a new year of prosperity and happiness.“ He suddenly turned to me and said, „You still think it’s unimportant?“

 

„I never really did, but I must say that was a grand speech you just held there. I may even say that it could be perfect for a presentation you plan to hold.“ I winked during my last statement.

 

He looked flabbergasted for just a short moment (so pretty) before he said, „Did you just trick me into saying all the things I couldn’t bring to paper?“

 

„Only if it worked,“ I joked.

 

He started smiling, and oh my god, his smile is sooo……. I can feel my face turning warm again. He recomposed himself and ran a hand through his hair before saying, „Thanks for the help, cutie. Sorry, but I need to head off now; I still have a lot to do. See you around,“ and with that he left, taking the blue backpack on the floor with him.

 

While he was walking away I saw the rest of his outfit; the jeans he was wearing looked wide enough to be comfortable but tight enough that they fit his figure perfectly.

 

He was just wow.

 

I wanted to say something when he was leaving, but I just couldn’t. God, I made a fool out of myself, didn’t I? Why couldn’t I just act how I normally do? How did it even come to this?

 

Right, my job. I need to focus. From the outside I saw a window that should be on the second floor of this place, with a perfect view of where the prince will hold his speech. Now just to take one of the books the bluette was reading and stake out the stage till sundown, which I think is when the speech is being held.

 

—————————

 

A lot of people are gathering around the stage; it’s probably about time. I should get into my assassin outfit and get my gear positioned in a practical way. Thankfully there was no such thing as a security check here; I was able to just take my backpack with everything in it with me without any issues whatsoever. They really should tighten their security, such fools.

 

After adorning my assassin’s wear and preparing my bow to be ready for a quick kill, I noticed that it’s already gotten darker outside. Did I really take that long? From what I could tell, the sun was behind the library, so it won't be in my eye when I'll be aiming. This is just too easy now; all I have to wait for is the start of the speech, and that can’t be far off, seeing the amount of people that are gathering all around the stage.

 

While observing the crowd, I saw Shelby juggling a few colourful balls at the side of the stage. It seemed as though a lot of children were around her. My best guess is that she was entertaining them until the start of the opening speech.

 

Then a thought crossed my mind: I wonder where the cute library guy is standing. I mean, the whole kingdom is here, so he should be too. But for the life of me I couldn’t find him anywhere in the crowd.

 

Two guards walked onto the stage and started playing a little opening tune on a wired instrument I have never seen that kind of reminded me of a horn or a trumpet, grabbing the attention of the whole crowd. Shelby even stopped juggling and looked to the stage; this must be it.

 

When they stopped playing, one of them spoke in a booming voice: „Please welcome for the opening speech of tonight’s festivity our second prince, Scott Denholm of Rivendell.“ The crowd started clapping and cheering.

 

An elf boy in expensive and fabulous clothing, probably those that royals wore on special occasions, and a golden crown that resembled stage horns, stepped on the stage. The moment he reached the podium he would be talking at, he raised his head from the floor, allowing me to see his features clearly. He was……. He was the guy at the library!

 

The cute boy that caught me off guard. The guy I thought to be but a scholar worried about his final presentation. Was actually the prince! He wasn’t working on a presentation at all; he was trying to write the opening speech for tonight. He is the second prince. My target, the person I'm supposed to kill. Okay, Cam, you need to compose yourself; this is nothing extraordinary or weird. It’s a job like any other. Just focus on the target, and everything will work out.

 

He is speaking to the people and changed clothes from the last time you saw him. Now wearing those super fancy racks, the kind I don’t even like. And yet he is somehow making them actually look good, like really good. No getting distracted; focus on something else.

 

Like his hair; I saw it before, but this time it looks more well kept. He probably washed and styled it. It’s not messy at all now, but it still looks sooooo fluffy, like I would just want to run my hand through it and …….. no…. I’m still not focusing.

 

His eyes are…… This won't work either; he's just so distracting for some reason.

 

But I need too shoot, before he finishes the speech. I don’t even know how far he is. Maybe I should have listened at least a bit. But all of that doesn't matter; who even needs focus when shooting an arrow? Just aim in the general direction and let go. Now the arrow is flying, and it hit the stage…

 

at least two meters to the right of my target.

 

But that’s okay; I’ll just try again. But when trying to grab another arrow, I remembered a vital little detail: I felt so confident this morning that I decided to only bring one arrow. Why did I have to be so arrogant! There is nothing left I can do now, except for gathering more intel by listening to the speech… Wait… He’s still talking; no one moved.

 

Normally an arrow shot like this should scare people, but here no one is reacting. What is going on! Suddenly the prince, Scott, made a grand gesture and walked over to the arrow. He picked up the arrow and tied something that looked like a closed flower bud around it.

 

He then faced the people again and continued, „We are strong because we learn from that past, but don’t let us be defined by it. We are ourselves because we know our history and think of the future. And with that, it’s time to celebrate the beauty that was given to us that we strengthen every following year. Let the summer finally begin!“ As he spoke his last line, he took the arrow in his hands as if he were holding it on a bow. Then that bow that was but an insinuation made by his pose before became a reality in the form of a bow that seemed to be made out of golden light. He pulled the arrow back to aim before letting go on the word „Begin“.

 

The flower tight around the arrow opened its petals right as it was shot. I immediately recognise its shape. It’s definitely a lunar bloom. Its outside is dark like the night sky without the stars, and I now understand why it's so spacial. The Patel’s that were hidden just moments before were glowing, the light almost feeling celestial. As the arrow flew above the crowd, every lunar bloom it passed opened and started glowing, the light quickly spreading across the city and beyond the horizon.

 

It was breathtaking. Every single moment of what I just witnessed just made me want to smile.

 

Then I felt an unnatural air current on the left side of my head. It was my arrow that the prince had just sent flying. Now being able to see it this closely, I noticed that there was something else under the flower. A piece of paper. What does it say? I suppose my curiosity got the better of me because I decided to read it:

 

Dear assassin who shot this arrow,

Your aim may need work. If you want, there is a public archery court on the west side of the city; you may need the training. ;)

P.S: I know you are the cutie from the library earlier; loved the help with the speech.

Love, Scott

 

He thinks I'm cute………… Wait, no, how does he know who I am? And what is the first line? Is he trying to insult me? Is it some kind of trap? What the heck? I’m starting to think that this job is going to be harder than I originally thought.

 

But I won't lose against some prince, and definitely not a kind of good-looking one.

Chapter Text

Our story continues the morning after the Sommersolstes in the campment of Shubbles circus. Here we find the assassin Cam pacing around the waggon he was staying in. He woke up extra early this day to formulate a plan to kill his current target, Scott, the second prince of Rivendell. After failing quite miserably the night prior, the prince now seemed to know what he looked like and what his intentions were. For that, the assassin decided to act quickly and get the job done that very day. Once he finished formulating what he called „a plan“ he donned his assassin’s robes and headed out towards the castle.

 

Cam's POV:

I arrived at the Castel shortly after sunrise; now all that's left to do is find that prince and take him out. In the murderous way, of course. I don’t even know why my brain thought of the other way. I already thought it through. He may be incredibly, beautifully stunning, but he is still a royal. And royals are selfish, manipulative and cruel people. He may have seemed nice at the library and really good at holding his speech, but it's just for show. I mean, if he wasn’t a corrupt ruler, he wouldn’t be my target. He’s probably just really good at portending, and I’m not going to let myself be fooled.

 

While traversing the castle, I noticed that there weren’t too many guards or staff in general around. By that I don’t mean that they were understaffed; I mean that for the castle’s size, they definitely could’ve had at least double the personnel, but they didn’t. And everything still seemed to work perfectly fine. The halls were organised and clean, and the guards walking around in a seemingly sporadic way made me actually have to be careful not to get spotted. Of course I didn’t have any problems whatsoever because I’m a trained professional. Even so, I’ve been to castles with more than double the total staff that were easier to traverse. Here, if I make just one wrong sound, every single member of the staff notices. They must be extremely well trained, of course – not well enough to catch me, but that’s just because I’m the best. A lesser assassin would be caught immediately.

 

After searching the castle for a bit, I found what I was looking for: the place that I assume to be the prince's room. And why do I assume that? Well, quite frankly, because there is a very fancy golden nameplate next to the door with Scott Denholm written on it, and as far as I remember, that's his name. Though it’s kind of weird to have the name on the outside of your room, especially since none of the other rooms in the castle that I’ve come across have any indication of what’s inside them, it’s only this one room that has a sign. Very peculiar? I hear voices coming from inside the room, but the door is too thick to make out what they're saying or how many there are. Now there is a shift in the sound; they're moving closer, probably leaving the room. Quick, I need to hide!

 

Scott's POV:

"Good morning, Prince Sleepyhead," was the first thing I heard after waking up. Or rather, it's the words that were yelled in my ear to wake me. And I know the voice that’s yelling at them very well even. It’s Aimee; she’s my closest advisor and best friend.

 

"Did you really have to wake me this early? The sun has barely even risen,“ I protested, turning in my bed to not fully wake up.

 

"No, can do I'm afraid. You have a lot on your agenda for today and need to get ready,“ she said while pulling the covers of my bed away, forcing me to get up.

 

"Okay, I'm up!" I say, now climbing out of the bed. But if I'm being honest, my mind was still half asleep.

 

"You don’t really look up, you know. If you need ten more minutes, I could always choose an outfit for you to wear today,” she said matter-of-factly as she started walking towards my wardrobe.

 

No way she is dressing me!

 

"Aimeeeee, you can’t do that to me. I have a reputation to uphold,” I almost yell every word as I sprint to beat her to my wardrobe.

 

"Works every time," she said with an enormous smirk on her face. Then she walked to my desk and sat on the positioned chair before informing me, "Oh, by the way, you should wear something comfortable and not too fancy; we'll be doing a lot today without really leaving the castle grounds."

 

"Got it," I told her confidently. Now to compose my outfit.

 

Let’s see, it needs to be practical and gorgeous but not too gorgeous. Who am I kidding? There is no such thing as too gorgeous. Okay, let’s start by choosing a shirt. I’m feeling like it’s probably a blouse kind of day, maybe with some kind of jacket on top? Let’s see. Yes, definitely the jacket; it fits nicely. Now just to pair it with some trousers and perhaps a belt. Yeah, I like the belt.

 

Looking in the mirror after being fully dressed, I can see my full outfit. And it’s perfect! A white blouse with a teal bolero on top. The bolero has golden patterns stitched throughout it, making it look more interesting and magical. Under that I’m wearing Nugat brown high-waisted leggings that look like they are being held up by a thin gold belt. I dictate to tuck my blouse into the leggings to give it some extra flair.

 

"Are you done checking if every detail is in place, prima donna?" Aimee asked sarcastically with a bored undertone.

 

"Perfection takes time, honey~." I tell her in an exaggerated tone while dramatically gesturing to myself, earning laughter from my friend.

 

"Okay, Scott, now get some shoes and accessories on, and let's go get you some breakfast," she almost ordered me after she finished laughing.

 

I nodded and went to pick out some shoes. I decided to wear my teal stilettos and was putting them on when I heard Amiee speak again: "You heard me say 'practical' and will be doing a lot today, right?"

 

"Yes, I did," I told her with confidence.

 

"Ok, great! So you do listen to me. Then why are you putting on stilettos?! Doing a lot obviously also includes walking, you know?” She spoke louder the longer she spoke, as if she was making a point.

 

"But they look fabulous," I just say with my typical confidence.

 

"What? Just yesterday you barely cared how you looked, and you went out of the castle grounds then..." She suddenly stopped to contemplate something while saying, "Wait a second," before finally concluding, "Are you trying to impress someone?"

 

"What, no! “It’s definitely not that,” I stammer out, probably way too quickly.

 

"OMG, you are? Come on, who is it? Is it someone in the staff, maybe a knight? Or a royal from another kingdom? Please, Scott, you’ve got to tell me.” My friend got super excited as she spoke; towards the end, she was looking at me expectantly, wanting to know more. But I don’t want to impress anyone; I just felt like dressing up. But she definitely won't believe that, probably saying that I'm doing it subconsciously or something. How can I make her stop asking...? I know!

 

"I'll tell you if you finally ask Guqqie out~." I tell her with a smirk, walking towards my vanity to find jewellery that matches what I was wearing. I’m fully confident, knowing that she probably wouldn’t do it for a while, and if my silly challenge would be the push that she needs, that would be even better. I mean, she has been crushing on her for years now. And I can understand why; Guqqie is a super talented baker. She gets called to the palace to cater the big and important events or meetings. She has her own little bakery in town, which is said to be the best in all of Rivendell. She’s also really nice and a good friend, and I know Amiee likes talking to her, like, a lot.

 

"What …ever c-could … you mean … Scott? W-what makes you think… I-I even have feelings for her… in that way, I mean?” Amiee stuttered nervously, as expected. I didn’t even have to say anything to answer; I just passed her a hand-held mirror from my vanity so she could see how red her face had gotten.

 

While Amiee was contemplating all of her feelings, seeing her face in the mirror, I simply put on some basic makeup and chose my jewellery. First were my favourite tiny diamond and gold earrings and, with them, matching necklaces and bracelets. In contrast to most of the jewellery I own, these were quite plain, but I know that they fit perfectly with the rest of the outfit. After I finished putting everything on, I turned to Amiee and snapped her out of her thoughts by announcing, "I'm ready!"

 

"Yes, perfect then. Let’s go, and let’s not talk about our love life for the rest of the day, deal?" she said, putting the mirror in her hand back on my vanity.

 

"Deal," I answer before opening the door to my room, walking out with her right behind me.

 

After walking through the hallways for a bit, talking with Amiee about the festival and if we could fit a stroll around it into my schedule for the next few days, we arrived at the dining room where I was supposed to have breakfast. After opening the door, I saw that the table was filled with delicious food and pastries. The room was filled with personnel, including the main chef. He was on the older side of the staff and true to the old ways and rules of the palace, which means I have to be on my very "best" behaviour, or it’ll be a long talk with my parents. Now that I'm thinking about it, no one is sat at any of the chairs. Where are they?

 

"Will anyone from my family be joining me for breakfast today?" I asked the chef in the most respectful tone I could muster.

 

"Your brother has already eaten. And your parents will also not make it to today’s morning meal.” He answered in a submissive tone with a slight bow.

 

"I see. In that case I’ll just take some food with me and eat in the garden,” I told him, trying to get out of the room. I don’t really like eating alone.

 

„We will prepare a table at once and serve you in the more desired location,“ the chef said while starting to turn to organise the movement.

 

"No need," I say, stopping him with my voice. „Aimsey, my right hand will take the necessary items and handle the preparations herself; I don’t mean to bother your ever-busy kitchen with such a request.“

 

"As you wish," he said, waving Amiee along to get the food from the kitchen while I started heading to the far side of the garden.

 

While walking there, something felt off. I didn’t notice it before because I and Amiee were being loud, but there are very low noises behind me. As if someone was trying to follow me without being noticed. I need to know who, without them knowing I'm on to them. The perfect occasion for my pocket mirror now to make it seem like I'm adjusting my hair. Yes, got you. Wait…… that outfit…… it’s the assassin from yesterday. I’m starting to feel like he may not be very good at his job. I mean, it’s not too hard to catch him when you’re focused. His presence could be fun.

 

After arriving at the garden table, I sat in one of its chairs, crossing my legs. I know that Amiee will probably take a bit before she is here, and why be bored when there is perfectly good company hiding in the bushes behind me?

 

“You can come over if you want, you know. I don’t bite, unless you want me to~.” I say in my best flirtatious tone (you know, just to mess with the guy, not because I like him and think he’s cute or something) while looking directly at where he is hiding.

 

"What?!" he said, falling backwards out of the bush from surprise, his face turning slightly pink, which looked adorable. He immediately composed himself and got onto his feet, trying to look menacing: „How did you know where I was and who I was yesterday?“

 

"That’s for me to know and for you to try and find out," I tell him with a wink. I still remember how I know what he looks like. When exiting the library yesterday, I caught a glimpse of the clothing in his opened backpack. And then I saw the assassin on the roof wearing the same thing. He’s even wearing it right now. Must be some kind of uniform or something. To be honest, it doesn’t even look bad on him; the only thing that’s sad about his outfit is that the lower half of his face is covered by a mask. I’m guessing that he’s wearing it to hide his identity, and he didn’t cover his whole face so he has no visual interferences of any sort. If I’m being honest, it’s a smart move.

 

"Scott!" I heard Amiees excited voice turn around the corner. I turn to face her, and when I glance back at where the assassin just stood, he is gone. Probably hiding somewhere in the general vicinity, but I couldn’t tell where, so I just ignored it and fully focused on my friend.

 

"What is it?" I ask her after seeing the glow in her eyes.

 

"The chef made tiny cakes. I mean, just look at them there like cakes but tiny,” she answered, holding a tray filled with miniature cakes towards me.

 

"Cute!" I say upon seeing them closely.

 

"And that's not all! I got a bit of a mix of things I know you like,“ she told me proudly.

 

"And some that you like too, I presume?" I asked, mostly rhetorically.

 

"Yeah, of course! I know what you were doing when you didn’t want the staff to follow you, and I know you don’t eat alone anyway,” she said as she put the last of the food she had brought on the table.

 

„And that's why you're my closest adviser,“ I tell her with a big smile and sarcastic tone.

 

"Yeah, right. I’m your best friend. Now let’s eat before this turns into brunch,” she said, getting slightly annoyed by my sarcastic joking.

 

"Right, we still have lots to do," I say before taking the first bite out of one of the mini cakes.

 

Cam's POV:

What the heck is wrong with this guy!

 

He isn’t acting like any target I’ve had before; heck, he isn’t acting like any royal I’ve seen before. The people my organisation usually accept to kill are corrupt people in power that hurt others for their own gain. And something is definitely different in him; no, something is off. First, he doesn’t send his guards after me or even increase security, knowing that I’m an assassin that has already made an attempt on his life. And then he talked to me so kindly even though I was literally stalking him.

 

And it's not just me he acts strange around. When talking to the chef, he acted just how you would have expected from a royal, but then he seemed like… like a completely different person when talking to this girl, who’s his right hand, I assume. Hearing them talk reminded me of the way two best friends talked, not a royal and their servant. But that doesn’t make any sense!

 

Wait, but he knows I was there. Maybe this is all some elaborate scheme to trick me. Yes, that must be it, a scheme. Maybe he is even fooling the people around him; he must have some alternative motive. Definitely, that's the only plausible explanation. Now just to follow him and get more information, or a prime opportunity for the kill.

 

After he had found me in the garden and I heard his assistant coming, I hid somewhere a bit more remote to calm down, order my thoughts and get him off his guard. Which I have done now. So I should go back to the task at hand. After I sneaked back to the table they were seated at, I found it almost empty. The only thing on it was one orange and one strawberry tiny cake on the same fancy-looking napkin, with a small note in front of them. Opening the note, I immediately recognised the handwriting from the note that was attached to the arrow yesterday; it was definitely the prince's. The note read:

 

It seemed rude not to leave you some as well, since you probably watched us eat without having something yourself. I didn’t really know what flavours you liked, so I left you two to choose from. Hope you enjoy!

Scott

 

P.S: Once you’re done eating, and if you then want to continue following me, I’ll be at the castle’s ballroom for about half an hour to an hour from me writing this, so you’ll find me there. The map to there is on the back of this paper.

 

He left these cakes for me? For me? ….. I am trying to kill him. Does he not get that? Or the cakes could be poisoned. Only one way to find out!

 

Because I possess a magical stone thingy that can detect poison even if it’s hidden masterfully. To be honest, I don’t really know how it works; I just know that it works. After all, the guild gave it to me. So it's time to use it.

 

That's why I pulled it out from my pocket and put it close to the cakes. Nothing happened, so they're not poised! If they were, the stone would have started glowing, but it didn’t, so they are safe to consume. I do feel quite hungry; the cakes do look delicious, and it would be really rude not to eat them. So I probably should quickly dig in and then get to the ballroom.

 

—————————

 

After sneakily arriving at the ballroom, I noticed that Scott was standing in the middle of the room. He was directing a handful of maids to decorate said room, probably for an upcoming event. And it almost looked as though he was helping. Wait, it doesn’t only look like he’s helping; he’s actually helping. He and his assistant are both helping the four present maids. There Putting up decorations, organising sitting arrangements and even moving the chairs accordingly. I’ve seen royals overseeing festive preparations before, but I’ve never seen them helping even in the slightest. What is this prince doing?

 

On an even more confusing note, he and his advisor are just casually chatting with the maids. About, like, their lives and stuff. And the conversations don’t even seem superficial; they remind me of friends talking to each other and sharing things about their lives and interests. What is happening!!!

 

After about twenty minutes of this weird dynamic in the room, a maid that had been working close to the door the whole time loudly stomped her foot two times. Scott immediately stopped helping and passed the flowerpot he was holding to the maid closet to him without a single word. And from what I could see, his assistant was doing the same thing. He immediately seemed to completely change his attitude. No longer talking with the maids in a friendly manner, just looking, no, supervising their work. What’s with the sudden change? What the heck am I missing here?

 

A few seconds after their shift an older woman walked in through the door. The maid that was currently working there seemed to bow slightly as the woman entered. The woman was wearing a uniform that resembled the maid's one, but it seemed much nicer and was definitely cleaner. If I had to take a guess, she’s probably one of the head maids of the castle.

 

After walking in, she headed over to Scott and bowed slightly as she spoke: „I'm sorry if I'm imposing, your majesty, but I heard that there was a lot of noise coming from the ballroom and opted to make sure everyone was working properly and conscious of their role in our castle.“ Her last words almost appeared like a threat. But that certainly can’t be. I mean, who would be dumb enough to threaten a royal? That’s just like asking to be executed.

 

"I can assure you that everything’s perfectly fine. There was no need for your worry, madam,” Scott answered in a stuck-up tone.

 

"I see. Very well then, since I don’t have any other occupations at this time, allow me to assist you,” she answered.

 

"There truly is no need, as you can see everything is under control." Scott seemed to try to assure her, but his words sounded more like a light threat.

 

„I insist,“ she told him, in a definitely fake sweet voice.

 

It looked as though the prince was about to speak up again when his assistant started speaking: "In that case, would you perhaps be able to take over for the prince?" He is now needed in the kitchen to decide on the menu for the town’s festival.“

 

Scott seemed slightly confused until he turned to face his advisor. Then he suddenly seemed to know exactly what was going on: "Ahh, yes, is it time for that already? Then we should better take our leave; we wouldn’t want to be tardy.” And with that, both he and his advisor left the room.

 

Something is definitely off here. What’s with his behaviour? No, what’s with everyone’s behaviour? What am I missing? This whole place makes literally no sense?

 

—————————

 

I don’t get it! What is wrong with this Scott guy?

 

I followed him around all day and still don’t get it. Sometimes he seems like a nice and chill guy, and then only seconds after, he’s acting like one of the most horrible royals a person will ever meet. Like, I get that some people have some serious mood swings, but his are just ridiculous. It’s like he has two different personalities or something. Or is one of them just an Akt? And if yes, which one?

 

God, I have so many questions, like about him. But why? Why do I care? Why can’t I just do my job? Why am I second-guessing this so much? He is just another noble? But he also seems so different.

 

All of this thinking is making my head hurt. It's good that I'm heading back to Shelby's circus so I can rest up and try my luck again tomorrow. And thank god that I was approaching from the side the camptment was at. Otherwise I would have had to get through a slowly gathering crowd of people here to see Shelby’s first performers in town. Once I wasn’t too far away from the camp, I hid behind some trees in the forest the circus was set up next to. There I had left my professor's clothing earlier today, so as not to cause suspicion. So I quickly changed and headed to the closest thing there was to a kitchen, which was the biggest caravan in the group; it functioned as a kitchen-living room kind of thing. And it had food, which is great as I'm starting to be hungry.

 

That didn’t last, as my attention went to something else immediately after entering.

 

Shelby was sitting at the table, her clown makeup looking runny and terrifying from crying. She was crying, no sobbing even; she looked distraught.

 

Without thinking twice, I sat next to her and gently asked, “Hey, what’s wrong?”

 

"What’s wrong? WHAT'S WRONG?! What’s wrong is that I can’t perform the show tonight, and then everyone is going to be disappointed, and they’re all going to hate me, and I’ll never be allowed to travel here again, and when the word gets out, no one will ever come to my circus again, and…”

 

“What? Don’t be ridiculous. You're Shubble the clown. What makes you think that you can’t even go on at tonight’s show?" I’ve heard enough of her sobs and speak up again.

 

My words seemed to calm her a bit as she spoke up again: „I can do tonight’s show just fine.“

 

"See where is the problem then."

 

"But my co-star cannot," she added, now turning to face me.

 

"Co-star, I thought you were a solo act?" I ask.

 

"Well, yeah, usually … but this is a big show, so I teamed up with an acrobat for this one, and they cancelled.“

 

"What do you mean they cancelled?“

 

“I received a letter about ten minutes ago saying they won’t be performing,” she answered me as she passed me the opened letter. What kind of idiotic acrobat is this?

 

"Well, maybe you could just do the show on your own?"

 

“I don’t have enough acts ready, since I didn’t expect to need more. It would only be like half the show.” Shelby sounded even more devastated than when I entered.

 

„There must be something else we can do.“

 

„Unless you know someone who can do stunts and acrobatics, there is nothing we can do,“ she said definitely, while sinking down in her seat.

 

Someone who can do stunts and acrobatics? I mean, it can’t be too hard to find, right? I mean, I do that kind of stuff on the regular. Acrobatics is a key part of any good assassin training, after all, and stunts are something I personally like to do for fun. Of course the person would not only need these two skills; they would also need to be good under pressure, something that I'm required to be all the time in my job. And they would need to be good with a crowd, which comes naturally to me. If only I knew someone similar to me?

 

…

 

Wait a second, I could do it. I could be an acrobat for Shelby. And the problem would be solved. But it would seem weird if I just happened to know these things; it might even make her suspicious. If only I could think of a good excuse that she won’t question too much. Wait, I got it.

 

"I could totally be your acrobat."

 

“Wah...” she’s started saying before I cut her off.

 

"When I was a kid, I always wanted to be an acrobat, so I started taking classes. My parents didn’t really approve, though; they wanted me to have an academic career instead. So I became a professor. I do still do acrobatics as a hobby, though, and if me doing something, even if it's not that good, can help you, I'd be more than willing. Let's hope she believes my theoretically way-too-conveniently timed sympathy-inducing story. Or my mission will be in danger. Why did I even do that? Did I lose my tactical brain these past few days?

 

"You really can do acrobatics?" Shelby enquired.

 

Instead of answering with words, I simply went into a goofy one-handed handstand and smiled at her.

 

Stupidly, I forgot I was wearing my actual glasses instead of my contacts to look more professorial, and they fell off to the floor, making me lose balance and fall. All to Shelby's concern.

 

"I would go get my contacts first," I say, laughing.

 

Shelby is now also laughing because of my antics. "Okay, let's try this then. We have about 45 minutes before the show starts. There are a few spare attires in the closet; there is sure to be one that's going to fit you. Get it, go change and put on your contacts, then come over to my caravan, and I'll do your makeup while explaining the routine, and the rest we can improvise. Sounds like a plan?”

 

"Got it, but you better redo some of your makeup," I say while starting to head to the closet.

 

"I'm going to do that right now," is all I could hear her say while exerting.

 

I quickly found an attire I liked. In my size. It was mostly red with a pop of orange, probably supposed to be fire-themed, but I really like the colours, so it will do. Now heading to "my room" to change and put on my contacts. Something I only noticed when putting on the attire was that it was probably made for women, just judging by how it is cut. It fit me perfectly fine regardless, so I just ignored that fact and moved on. The costume was kind of like a bodysuit, only that my right leg and left arm were not covered by it; instead, I had some ribbons that I tied around those limbs. One last look in the mirror confirmed that the entire outfit was very glittery and easy to move in. A real show starter! And with that, off to Shelby for my makeup I go.

 

Shelby was incredibly quick and good at doing makeup. She remade hers in less time than it took me to change. And then she applied mine while explaining every act in the show. A few of them were not something I felt that I could do, so we changed a few things around and were practically ready to go. Ignoring the fact that I hadn’t practised any of the acts, but I’m absolutely positive that that’s not going to be an issue. Once Shelby finished my makeup, she passed me a mirror, and it looked absolutely amazing, fitting my costume perfectly. The most impressive part was that she just winged the whole thing.

 

And now I'm waiting behind the curtains as the show is about to begin and the last people are taking their seats. It may not go how Shelby had planned it, but I'm going to do my best not to let her down.

 

Scott's POV:

What a day!

 

Why was everyone on my case so much today? The older staff usually just ignores me and lets me be, but today they were like everywhere. Checking in on how "properly" I was behaving. Thank Aeor that Amiee was there to de-escalate whenever I lost my cool; otherwise, I would have had to take extra etiquette classes again. What a bore! At least it’s over for today, and I can just relax.

 

Though perhaps I had that sentiment a bit too early, as my door quickly opened and shut again. After turning around, I saw Amiee standing against the door, seemingly listening to whether someone was outside. But that wasn’t what was off about the whole thing. The weird part was that she wasn’t wearing her uniform. Instead she was wearing normal clothing that looked like a very well put-together outfit. Too well put together to just stay inside. Was she going somewhere? Of course the festival!

 

"So you heading to the festival today, Amiee?" I ask, putting a hand on my hip.

 

"No! We are going to the circus today.” She answered with a genuine smile while walking away from the door. "It’s the opening night show, and it seems as though Shubble is cooperating with an acrobat this year. So you better get dressed to impress, preferably in anything that not everyone recognises you in.”

 

"Okay, wait, that's a lot of information at once. So we’re going to the circus. That’s not usually your thing, which means someone invited you. And judging by how excited you are, it’s probably Guqqie. Wait, did she ask you on a date?” I tried processing all of the given information out loud.

 

She got as red as a tomato before answering, „Yeah, she asked, but it's not a date. When I saw her earlier, she asked if both of us were watching the show tonight, and I panicked and said yes, so now we're going.“

 

"I see. But don’t you worry, fair lady, for I will help you get with the damsel of your dreams,” I tell her in a dramatic manner while starting to walk over to my closet.

 

"Scott!" Amiee practically yelled at me.

 

Okay, now to get dressed. What did she just say my outfit should be? That’s right, unrecognisable! Wait, why...?

 

"Why did you say that I shouldn’t be recognisable if possible?" I ask.

 

"Well, you're not really supposed to go?" she said, slightly looking away.

 

"Wha…."

 

“I asked the right hand of your dad if you could go, and he refused, which is really weird; he usually doesn’t care where you go.” she said, looking at me with slight worry written on her face.

 

"Maybe you asked too last minute, and we could go tomorrow," I proposed, not wanting to get her in trouble.

 

"I thought that too, but when I asked, he refused to let you leave for an undisclosed amount of time. And when I asked for how long, his answer was, “However long it takes them.”

 

"That truly is weird." I agree with her sentiment. Thinking back, I don’t care too much about the rules anyway, so, "Then no one’s gonna know it’s me," I say definitely, getting something out of my closet to wear.

 

At the end I put on some dark grey dress pants, one of my slightly older white button-up shirts and the jacket I had sewn together on a long carriage ride between empires. It's nothing special, just some fabric scraps I had at the time in magenta, purple, orange and teal sewn together in the form of a jacket. It didn’t have any buttons but could be tied together at the waist by a ribbon of the magenta fabric. To finish the whole thing off, I put on some brown thigh-high boots and Xornoth's old fedora. He used to wear it all the time when he was a teen and then gave it to me when he started getting busy as the first prince so I would always remember him. The fedora itself had already suffered through multiple repairs, which led to it having a few multicoloured patches that match the jacket perfectly. Looking in the mirror, I could still see myself, but in a very different way. If you didn’t know what I looked like all too well, you probably wouldn’t recognise me.

 

And so I turned to face my friend and asked, "So, what do you think?"

 

"You're nearly unrecognisable and stunning; who knew you could do both? Now let’s go before we miss the show.” she said with a lot of confidence.

 

When exiting the castle, we barely heard or saw any guards. Which is better for us but also really weird. Usually they're around every corner. But that is not of importance tonight.

 

—————————

 

"So where are you meeting Guqqie~?" I tease Amiee.

 

"WE'RE meeting her by the concession stand," she said, trying to hide her slight blush.

 

"Ok, let's go then! We could also get some candy floss while we’re there,” I add while walking towards the concessions.

 

"Popcorn, you mean, right?" Amiee challenged.

 

"No, I meant what I said."

 

Guqqie wasn’t already there when we arrived at the concession stand. So we decided to get our snacks and wait for her.

 

"Hey, Amiee," said a sweet voice from behind us only a few minutes later. "Sorry I'm late."

 

"Guqqie!" Amiee spoke up super excitedly as we both turned around.

 

"Wait, Scott, is that you?" Guqqie asked. She seemed very unsure whether or not it was actually me.

 

"Yeah, but don’t tell anybody; I’m not supposed to be here." I tell her in a hushed tone.

 

„Got it,“ she said in a promising tone.

 

We were suddenly interrupted by somebody yelling, „Ladies and gentlemen, the performance is about to commence.“

 

"We should probably go find a seat for the show," I said, and both of my friends nodded at the plan.

 

„Such a shame I was too late to get some popcorn,“ I heard Guqqie sigh.

 

"We could just maybe share mine, if you don’t mind, that is," Amiee offered her, while only slightly stuttering out the words.

 

"Are you sure it’s okay?" Guqqie enquired.

 

"Yes! “Definitely,” Amiee answered.

 

We found some pretty good seats still open in the Mittel, right in front of the ring that the performance will be happening in. Amiee and Guqqie seem extremely excited for the performance; perhaps it’s because they both enjoy the circus a lot, or it’s just because they’re sitting next to each other. I personally find that circuses tend to get repetitive and boring after a bit, but I’m with my friends, so it’ll be a nice time even if the show sucks.

 

The lights are starting to dim, and the show is about to commence. "Hello, Rivendell! Welcome to tonight’s performance made by a clown and an acrobat.” A girl who was quite obviously the clown spoke: „My name is Shubble, and up on the flying trapeze you’ll see my friend Cam!“

 

I looked up at the Trapez and saw… no way. It can’t really be, can it? No, it’s definitely him. The acrobat is that cute assassin. What did she just say his name was? Right, Cam. He’s now starting his routine, gracefully swinging through the air. He is absolutely breathtaking. The outfit fits him perfectly. And is he wearing makeup? Why does this all suit him so well? And he’s really athletic; the way he moves on the trapeze, it’s just… ugh, Aeor, give me strength.

 

"Hey Scott, are you ok? Your face has gotten really red," I heard Amy whisper, leaning towards me. I just gave her a thumbs up, never really looking away from the Trapez. That seemed to calm her for now as she returned to enjoying the show by Guqqie's side.

 

The whole performance was separated into little segments where either one or both artists were performing. And Cam was incredibly good; at every act he was doing, he probably practised a lot to get it this perfect. Whether he was on an aerial hoop, on the high wire or on the Cyr wheel, he was an incredibly talented acrobat, and I'm not just saying that because he is hot.

 

When the lights came back on after the final act, I felt almost sad; I couldn’t really look at him anymore.

 

"The show was great!" Guqqie cheered while we started erecting the tent. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

 

"It sure was," I said, still a bit in my head.

 

"Really? I thought you just found the acrobat pretty~.” Amiee teased me.

 

"What? Where did you get that idea?“ I try to play it off.

 

"You were practically drooling." Amiee continued, „and blondes are totally your type.“

 

„You should go and talk to him,“ Guqqie suggested.

 

"Ok, slow down. “First of all, just because he is conventionally attractive doesn’t mean I like him,” I started speaking.

 

"Sure," Amiee interrupted sarcastically.

 

"And secondly, I can’t just march up to the non-public parts of the circus and talk to him even if I hypothetically wanted to."

 

"That's not actually a problem; we're heading there now anyway. Shelby is an old friend of mine, and I wanted to introduce you guys.” Guqqie smiled innocently.

 

How did this happen? Okay, I just need to play my feelings off and be my normal self. I wasn't mentally ready when entering the circus, but this time around I'm prepared.

 

Cam's POV:

"We did it. I can’t believe we actually did it. You were absolutely amazing,“ were the first words Shelby said after the show was over.

 

"Yeah, your show was a huge success," I told her immediately.

 

"No, our show was a huge success. Your parents are idiots for not believing in you; you’re probably the best acrobat I’ve seen, and that was your first run of the routine,” she praised my ability, but what was that about my parents? Ohh, right, my sub-story. I hate lying to her; she’s just so nice.

 

"Thanks, that means a lot to me." For once, at least, it's the truth.

 

"Shelby!!" I heard an overexcited voice yell from behind me.

 

„Guqqie, you made it,“ Shelby said, while walking to stand next to me.

 

I turn around and…. You’ve got to be kidding me. Shelby seems to be hugging an old friend of hers, but that friend seems to have brought along the stupid prince and his assistant, who are dressed in honestly quite normal-looking clothes. It could almost pass as a disguise to the untrained eye.

 

"Yeah, me and my friends watched your whole show. Incredible, really.” Shelby's friend, called Guqqie, apparently said.

 

"Thanks," Shelby answered.

 

"Ohh, and these are my friends Amiee and Scott." Guqqie introduced.

 

„And this is my new friend Cam.“ Shelby introduced me. Okay, Cam, you've got to stay in character, completely forget your mission for the moment and just act normal. Maybe the prince doesn’t even recognise me with the makeup.

 

„It’s a pleasure to meet you,“ I greet them.

 

"So you're the acrobat that Shelby's partnering with?" The assistant, Amiee, I think, asked.

 

"Not originally," I confessed, trying to look slightly embarrassed.

 

"Yeah, he is actually a university professor that came here with me to do some research on local plant life. He just did acrobatics as a hobby and offered to help me when the actual acrobatics decided to be a no-show one hour before the scheduled start.” Shelby told them exactly what happened.

 

"Wow, what a gentleman~," Scott said with a slightly flirtatious undertone, while giving me a perfect smile.

 

“Why don’t you guys stay a bit longer? We’re going to have dinner now, since we haven’t eaten yet, and you’re more than welcome to join.” Shelby offered them.

 

But why? Please let them say no…

 

„Do you think we could spare the time?“ Scott asked Amiee.

 

Please say no…

 

„Most definitely,“ Amiee answered him.

 

Come on, can nothing go my way…..

 

„It’s decided then,“ Guqqie declared.

 

Damn it, now I have to spend time with this royal. And I don’t care that he doesn’t look like a royal right now. And it doesn’t matter that he is absolutely stunning and that his outfit looks so good on him.

 

Just stop thinking these dumb thoughts, brain.

Chapter Text

Cam's POV:

After we arrived in front of the caravan that constituted our kitchen, I volunteered to cook the ingredients and start the fire, as we had decided on grilled food for dinner. My hope was that by volunteering the prince would stay far, FAR away from me. I mean, no royal would hang out with someone who cooks.

 

So why, in the name of everything that is holy, was he sitting next to me at the fire instead of with the others at the table? What could I possibly have done to deserve this? Sure, I've killed people, but it was for a good cause.

 

Maybe if I just ignore him, he’ll go away all on his own. I mean, it's not as if he knows that I'm supposed to kill him. He couldn’t possibly figure me out a second time.

 

"So your name is Cam~." The prince's voice broke the silence that surrounded us while pulling me out of my thoughts.

 

Just act normal; he doesn’t know. „Yup, that's me!“

 

„Great, I was wondering what the name of the cutie that’s been following me around for the past day was.“ Scott retorted. I didn’t need to face him to know he was smirking. Of course this guy knows that it’s me; why wouldn’t he?

 

Scott's POV:

As we were walking towards one of the backstage areas of the Zirkus, I listened to the girls discussing what they wanted to do for dinner.

 

“I’ll get on that right away, so why don’t you all go ahead to the table?” Cam immediately offered, once the girls had decided that we were going to grill whatever Shelby still had left in the kitchen cabinets.

 

"Are you sure you don’t want any help? Because I'm more than happy to assist. I'm the host after all.” Shelby counter-offered.

 

"Yeah, I'm also totally down to get my hands dirty," Aimee said while pulling up one of their sleeves. Probably as a symbolic gesture or to show off the muscles she’s recently been working on to impress Guqqie. The second idea somehow seems more likely to me.

 

„You’d better wash them then before you contaminate our food.“ I told her in a sarcastic tone before adding, "I, on the other hand, would be more than willing to help, with my perfectly clean hands, that is."

 

"Well, okay, Scott…" Amy started getting fake mad at me before being interrupted by Cam saying, “There’s really no need for all of you to help; working the grill is more of a one-man job anyway.”

 

„If you insist. Then how about we just set up the table instead?“ Guqqie suggested.

 

"Sounds like a plan,“ Shelby agreed.

 

"Okay, I'll go get the fire started then," Cam said before setting off towards what appeared to be an open fireplace.

 

"Come on, I’ll show you to the kitchen,“ Shelby added excitedly as she started leading us towards one of the caravans. After we got there, she stepped in and started handing out basic utensils and enough plates for everyone. "You guys can already head to the table; I’ll quickly bring some ingredients over to Cam," she said once she was done.

 

"You don’t have to do such a thing, Shelby. Scott here was wanting to join in with the grilling anyway, so I'm sure he won’t mind just bringing the ingredients over as well," Amiee stated. Wait, what! I never said I wanted to join him.

 

"Ohh, really? You don’t seem like the type that would like to be close to an open fire. You know, with your great fashion sense and the fact you seem to like clean stuff.” Shelby seemed almost confused, and rightfully so; an open fire and grilling does not sound like a particularly thrilling evening plan.

 

"Yeah, I don’t think he does either.“ Guqqie agreed.

 

"What? No, Scott loves grilling and stuff. And I'm sure those two guys would get along. Get some bonding done.“ So that was what Amiee was planning. They were trying to organise me some alone time with a guy she thinks I like. Usually I'd be upset, but I did want to talk to him, and he is at least slightly pretty. Still in his show outfit. That is skin tight.

 

"Totally, I don’t often get time to do this more outdoorsy stuff," I finally stated.

 

"If you say so,“ Shelby agreed before handing me all of the ingredients that she had just put into a bowl.

 

After that, I headed over towards the now lit fireplace, where Cam was currently adjusting the height of the above-hanging steel grates before tying them down securely.

 

"I brought you over the ingredients and am here to help.“ I informed him as I placed the bowl on a small table that was close to the fireplace.

 

“Thanks, but you really don’t need to help,” he said, fully focused on the grill.

 

It’s okay if he doesn’t want me to help. Then I'll just sit down and relax. And I did just that, sitting down next to him on the bench. We sat there in complete silence for a few minutes without him even facing me. And even if I always enjoy looking at a handsome guy, it was getting kind of boring. I mean, why just look at a pretty guy when I could talk to a pretty guy?

 

"So your name is Cam~,“ I started off the conversation.

 

„Yup, that's me!“ He gave the minimal answer, without even an inch of movement. It almost seems like he is avoiding me in an emotional way. Maybe I just need to shake him out of his shell. Get him to open up.

 

„Great, I was wondering what the name of the cutie that’s been following me around for the past day was.“ That should get the ball rolling.

 

He seemed to clench his teeth together before muttering out, "How?" probably more to himself than to me.

 

"Did you already forget? I saw your full face yesterday at the library. And even though your costume and makeup make you look hot, it doesn’t mean it’s not clearly you.“ I stated, watching as he turned around and faced me right after I called him hot. His face was slightly red and definitely flustered, but that just made him more adorable. What a view.

 

“So just to be on the same page here, you know that I’m the professor you met at the library?” he questioned after regaining most of his composure.

 

“The professor that helped me with my speech, the assassin that’s been after me, it's really the same, isn’t it“ I confidently continue. It’s not like he could kill me here, even if he wanted; there are way too many witnesses.

 

"Just for the record, Shelby doesn’t know, and you won’t tell her anything…" He started defending the clown girl while starting to threaten me. And I'm having none of it (if you're going to threaten me, you should be extra hot while doing so), so I interrupted him, "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. If you could keep me behind, you know who, on the low."

 

He thought for a moment before asking, "Why?"

 

"Hm," I faked not knowing what it is he wanted to know.

 

"Why would you not want people to know that your..." His words trailed off as I started giving him a bit of a glare before he picked back up, changing the words he was using, "you know".

 

Guess I’ll need some sort of an explanation. “It’s way more fun this way, you know! Just letting loose, dropping expectations and having fun with your friends. So if you address me tonight, I'll have you know that I'm just Scott, got it?" The fact that I'm not supposed to be here is really unimportant.

 

"Whatever," he said, turning his face back to the fire. „The food's ready now, and since you're just normal Scott, I'm sure you won't mind helping me serve this, would you?" He used his hands to sign quotation marks in the air as he said the word "normal". Urgh, how rude!

 

"I was planning on doing that anyway," I stated as I took most of the plates and bowls, only leaving two that Cam still had to fill for him to carry over. Before walking to the table where the girlies were sitting.

 

"Wow, are you trying to join our circus too? Because that’s one amazing balancing act,“ Shelby exclaimed as I approached the table. But what does she mean by balancing act?

 

"Yup, that’s our Scott; he’s really good at balancing things. It must be his good posture, and he just loves to show off." Amiee answered for me. Right, normal people don’t learn how to walk perfectly while balancing immense amounts of weird stuff. But as always, Amiees got my back, covering for me perfectly. What a friend.

 

“Of course, it’s tonnes of fun,” I say confidently, while setting down the food in the middle of the table so everyone could take what they wanted. Before taking the free seat across from Amiee. They were obviously set next to Guqqie, while our host was seated at the head of the table, making it so that the only other free seat was the one next to me.

 

That realisation only hit me once Cam came over with the last two bowls and sat down next to me. And if my dear assistant's smirk was anything to go off of (which it is), then Amiee totally planned for this to happen. But who am I to complain about sitting next to a handsome guy, even if he could stand to be a bit nicer!

 

Cam's POV:

The gods must really be testing me today!

 

First he decides to bother me at the fireplace instead of just relaxing with the rest of them. Then in some twisted game of fate, I have to sit next to him for the entirety of dinner as well. Why is this happening? Is the universe trying to spite me? Have I not suffered enough for a lifetime? And worst of all, why does this small and stupid part of my brain not mind half as much as I should? Why does he actually seem so…. Don’t even start like that, Cam! He is a royal! He's probably just playing some sick and twisted game with you. Do not fall for it, Cam!

 

"Hey Cam, are you feeling alright? You’ve been awfully quiet and have been staring at your plate for a while now.“ Shelby's concerned voice snapped me out of my thoughts. And as I turned to face her, I noticed that everyone at the table was now looking at me.

 

"I’m fine, just tired is all," I tell them, as I force a smile on my face.

 

"That makes sense," Shelby agreed before steering the conversation back, as it seemed they were rapid-firing questions to get to know each other better: "So what do you two do for work anyway?"

 

"I work as an organiser, for like parties or big events," the assistant lied perfectly.

 

"And I work in fashion,“ the prince added as he put a hand to his cast in a big motion, dramatic much.

 

"Really! What exactly is it that you do in fashion?“ I challenge him, knowing full well that he didn’t work in the field. As if royals worked! To the rest of the table it probably just sounded like genuine curiosity; I’m an amazing actor, after all.

 

"I'm a model, can't you tell?“ He turned to face me as he answered, flashing a confident smile. He knows that he’s pretty, and he’s totally playing into it, and why in heaven’s name does a small part of my brain think it’s working?

 

"That's so cool!" Shelby's excited voice exclaimed.

 

"It really is," Guqqie agreed.

 

"What about you, professor? What are you studying?” Scott turned the tables, drawing attention to me, asking his question with a smirk on his face. This is his revenge, isn’t it.

 

„I’m currently working towards my master’s in botany, and I already have a doctorate in zoology. My hope is that in a few years I’ll have a doctorate in both so I can start on an overall biological doctorate; at least that’s the dream.“ I spin a story that seems to convince everyone at the table (I'm just that good), well, except for Scott, who continued with fake interest as he clapped his hands together. "That's really quite impressive. Already having a doctorate, I mean, you seem quite young for that.”

 

So that's how he wants to play this: "You're right, I'm only 23, but I also started to study at university at 16." What am I even babbling about at this point?

 

"You must be, like, super smart then," Amiee commented.

 

"No, my parents were just very good teachers.“ I tried to subtly change my story. I mean, who would believe that I'm some kind of genius?

 

"So you were home schooled?“ Guqqie asked.

 

"Yeah, it’s quite common where I’m from." God, what am I even saying? I need to turn it back to Scott. “How did you guys actually become friends?” I asked while gesturing to the prince and his assistant.

 

"We met as kids," Amiee started.

 

"Our parents were friends,“ Scott continued.

 

"And we've just been besties ever since," Amiee concluded.

 

"How sweet! So you’re like super close friends.“ Shelby seemed to light up at that; she must really like people that are long-time friends.

 

"We sure are!“ Scott confirmed.

 

"Well, this evening has been a lot of fun, but it’s getting late, and I personally have to open up the bakery early tomorrow morning and would still like to sleep before that," Guqqie said as she started getting up.

 

"We probably should be leaving too," Amiee added.

 

"Of course, we wouldn’t want to keep you longer than is good," I awkwardly add. Yes, he’s finally leaving. So why am I not happier? I should be jumping for joy, Brain, got that?

 

"But come back anytime!" Shelby shouted after them as the group started to leave. But honestly I really hope that they don’t.

 

"I’m spent and am probably heading off to bed now." I inform Shelby after their group has fully left and we've finished cleaning up the table.

 

"Me too! Good night then.” She enthusiastically waved me off for the day.

 

"Good night,“ I reply while already heading towards the caravan I am currently calling my home.

 

And once again I'm going off to sleep without having completed my mission. Am I falling off? I'm usually better than this. I should’ve been able to kill this stupid blue-haired prince like five times over by now. So why haven’t I? What's wrong with me?!

Chapter Text

It had now been two days since the Sommersolstes that led to the fateful meeting of the second prince of Rivendell and the assassin that's been trying to kill him. The prince, oddly enough, seemed to enjoy the other’s presence more despite the threat it posed. After sneaking out to see the circus last night, the prince and his assistant had made their way back to the castle, luckily without bumping into a single guard. They were trying to still get some sleep in before their duties called for them again. And now as the sun was rising on the horizon, that moment had come.

 

Scott's POV:

As always, I was woken up by Aimee barging into my room and practically dragging me out of bed. "Okay, okay, I’m up,“ I tell them while yawning.

 

"You’d better be; we’ve got a lot to do today," she informed me.

 

"How much?" I ask through my tiredness.

 

"Like a lot," Amiee answered as she passed me a piece of paper that showed a time-stamped list of today's activities. It was completely full, not a break or free minute inside, well, except for when I'm supposed to be eating, but that's like a chore in itself.

 

"Why is it sooooo much?“ I complained to Amiee, even though I knew that they had no control over it.

 

"don't know, but I feel like something's been off the last few days,“ they simply stated as they started walking over to my closet.

 

"Probably it’s the amount of work I have to do," I added as I sprinted to get to my closet first. "What kind of outfit should I do for today?"

 

"Something you can move in well since you have sword and archery training later but also classy enough to meet with the coordinator of next month's banquet," she told me as she sat down on the edge of my bed.

 

Okay, now to find the perfect outfit. At the end I decided to go with a white frilly blouse that was slightly too big so as to be able to move properly. Covered by a cyan leather corset that Amiee kindly closed for me. Along with that, I was wearing well-fitting black dress pants that I'm quite sure I stole off of Xornoth at some point. This was definitely perfect for training but not formal enough for the meeting. So I added one of my fancy teal and white capes along with a black and golden belt. To finish it all off, I added some gold and diamond jewellery to match. Before finishing it off with a little bit of glittery makeup that draws attention to my eyes.

 

"Perfect, are you ready to get going? “Amiee asked after she noticed I was done.

 

"Just one more thing," I said as a small thought crossed my mind. "Do you still need today's plan, or could I have it? “I ask as I pick up the piece of paper.

 

"No, I got my own copy. Why?” They answered.

 

"You know!“ I answered before folding the paper while I sat down at my writing desk. Using my ink to write, "In case you want to see me today – love, Scott" on the top of the folded piece of paper before leaving it on my windowsill and unlocking the window. "Okay, now I'm ready to go."

 

"I'm not even going to ask," Amiee dismissed as they opened my door and started leading the way.

 

—————————

 

Finally the meeting with the coordinator was over! That was the most boring thing I’ve done in a while. And I usually like party and event planning, but this coordinator guy was so insistent on making everything so traditional, there wasn’t even anything to discuss. What a waste of time!

 

At least I get to do something now: sword training. And as we arrived at the training grounds, Amiee suggested, "Do you already want to get rid of the extra clothing while I find whoever will be sparring with you today?“

 

„Sounds great!“ I tell her as she starts walking off. Before I take off my cape, belt and some of my bigger and more impractical jewellery and put them all on a pile on a small ledge behind me. While doing so I notice some rustling in the bushes that are at the edge of the training ground. Looks like some good company has just joined me. What a perfect opportunity to show off and impress. I mean, I would have done that anyway; it just got a tiny bit more interesting with his presence.

 

"Aimsey told me you're looking for a sparring partner. Well, let me tell you that your search is over, for I will challenge you," I heard a voice that came up from behind me. After turning, I immediately recognised who it belonged to.

 

"Avid, that's so kind of you, but I thought I asked Amiee to find me a challenge,“ I teased the man as he passed me a training sword.

 

"What’s that supposed to mean?" He asked in frustration.

 

"Avid, honey, I'm just messing with you." I reassured him, while slightly giggling at his reaction.

 

"No, no, I get it. You think you're better than me, so go ahead and prove it," he challenged again as he got into position to start a duel.

 

"Trust me, I will," I reassured him as I stepped into position as well.

 

"Amazing, I'll count you in,“ Amiee had said from the sidelines.

 

"Wha… “How long have you been standing there?” Avid exclaimed, being startled by their sudden presence.

 

“You hadn’t noticed? As a royal guard, I mean, I clocked that ages ago.” Along with the man watching me from the bushes, that assassin is so lucky that Avid isn’t the most perceptive person in the world. Otherwise he'd probably be toast by now.

 

"Okay, everybody ready? 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, duel." Amiee counted us in.

 

Avid immediately charged forward, trying to win using his speed. But I easily blocked him. He attempted a few more strikes, which I blocked with little to no problem, before I used an opening to strike back, hitting the sword out of his hand and making him land on the ground. Way too easy.

 

"Scott wins!“ Amiee declared. As I walked forward to help Avid up.

 

"How did you do that? It was as if you knew what I was doing before I even did it,“ Avid asked as he took my hand.

 

"That’s because I did; you always move in the same way when you attack. I’ve got it memorised by now,“ I teased him at the end of it.

 

"You're not going to stop your training now, are you? That was a way too easy fight," I heard a voice commenting from the side.

 

"I thought it was impressive,“ another added.

 

As I turned, I saw my brother standing behind Amiee, walking closer to us. Next to him stood a man that looked mostly underdressed for the Rivendell weather if it wasn’t for the fact that he was wearing Xornoth’s black and purple jacket over his shoulders. The man had colourful wings, which was the last detail I needed to deduce that he was not from Rivendell and probably just visiting our empire.

 

“Mom and Dad didn’t mention that we’d have a visitor from another empire today,” I commented.

 

"If Mom and Dad ask, we don’t,“ he told me, making this whole situation even better.

 

"Promise, I won't tell them that you had your boyfriend over." I tease him.

 

"Funny, mind if I borrow your sword, Avid? I'd like to show my brother how it’s properly done,“ Xornoth said while taking off the parts of his outfit that made it hard for him to move and placing them in a pile next to mine.

 

"Sure thing," Avid answered as he passed Xornoth his sword before going to stand next to Amiee.

 

This is really interesting; my brother doesn’t usually like to show off. Seems as though I wasn't too wrong with the boyfriend idea. If so, then he definitely won’t be holding back; this is going to be sooo much fun.

 

"Everyone ready?“ Amiee asked, to which both of us nodded and took our stance. "5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Duel“

 

Xornoth lunged towards me, but I swiftly evaded his blade by side-stepping it. He continued to charge at me, while I continued evading and blocking his attacks. I was trying to find an opening to strike, but Xornoth didn’t leave any room to do so. As always, his technique was perfect; I'd need to switch it up if I wanted to get a hit in. So I did. I used the short break after his swing to jump on the ledge that I had walked over to while evading and used the added height to strike the sword out of my brother's hand. He quickly caught it in his other hand and moved back. I saw a smile flashing on his lips as he moved to jump onto the other end of the ledge.

 

This time I was the one to strike first, trying to catch him off balance. Sadly, he blocked my attack and quickly countered it. Even though Xornoth had the advantage while we were fighting on even ground, it seemed like he wasn’t as adept on the ledge, periodically losing his footing. He probably noticed that too, as he used the time after my last attack to jump down the ledge while charging forward, pulling me down as well.

 

The fight continued, and even though I tried to gain the advantage, Xornoth bested me. Using one precise swing to knock my sword out of my hand.

 

"Not bad," he told me as he raised his sword to my chest.

 

"Ohhh, no, my own brother has defeated me; this must be my end,“ I exclaimed, while dramatically falling to the floor behind me. Which earned a chuckle out of Xornoth and Amiee.

 

"Come on now, you drama queen," Xornoth said as he stretched out his hand to help me up.

 

"That was insane. Like, I know you said you were good with a sword, but just wow." My brother's, definitely boyfriend (if not now, then future boyfriend), gushed as he came over to him.

 

"Thanks," Xornoth simply answered as he turned his head away from the guy. Who would’ve thought my brother would be flustered by this guy? I need to know more about him.

 

"Sorry, where are my manners? I totally forgot to introduce myself. I'm Scott, Xornoth's younger brother,” I said, hoping that his boyfriend would do the same.

 

“I’m Joey, from the Lost Empire, and I’m your broth…” Joey started.

 

"Friend, he’s my friend,“ Xornoth interrupted him.

 

"Sure," I remarked.

 

"Even though I love that all of you are currently meeting, we have to go over to practice archery," Amiee informed me.

 

"I know, it’s like I don’t get a single unplanned minute around here,“ I complain to Xornoth.

 

"Wired I didn’t even get anything to do today; I was just told not to interfere with your schedule for the foreseeable future,” he told me. “Must suck to have no free time; I could not imagine what that’s like.”

 

"I hate you," I tell him, with no actual malice behind my words.

 

"You're about to hate me even more, because I'm about to go steal some of your sweets from the kitchen." He informed me before turning to Joey, "Come on, this will be fun," and then the two of them left.

 

"Don't worry, we can steal his sweets later, if you want any," Amiee whispered to me as we started walking over to the archery arena.

 

Cam's POV:

Why is he like this? I mean, I was just trying to get more intel. Why am I feeling so…

 

I mean, first he leaves me a note on his windowsill so that I can find him at any time of the day. And why was I smiling when I read it? Then I find him in that super boring meeting, and he’s arguing with whoever that guy was to tone down on the traditions? At least I think I might have zoned out at one point and just stared at him…. To study him, of course. I need to know what I'm dealing with if I am to kill him.

 

And then his whole sword fighting – he’s like insanely incredibly skilled, but that wasn’t even the worst part; the way he joked with that guard and his brother was actually funny. They all seemed super chill. And his smile just seemed so cute and genuine. Why does my brain want to see it again? What is wrong with me?

 

And now he’s moving again; according to his plan, he seems to have archery practice next. Okay, Cam, you just need to calm down, follow him and focus. You can’t go all mushy over your target. But why must he act so perfect? Because there’s no way he is just that…. You need to focus, Cam; you’ve got a job to do, and this guy is just a filthy royal. Don’t fall for it!

 

He just arrived at the… the….. the place with the arrow targets. Luckily there is a perfect place to watch him from: this tree that I inconspicuously climbed. Now I just get to admire… no, observe, his training. Amiee has just brought him his bow and arrows. And why does he look hot when he’s lining up his shot? That shouldn’t be hot, right?

 

His first few arrows hit perfectly, but at some point while he seems to be doing something with his bow, it looks like he accidentally shot one of his arrows to the side….. into the bottom of the tree I am hiding in. Ok, stay calm; it’s just a coincidence. He won’t even come over here. His assistant will probably be the one to come fetch the arrow. No, why is he walking over here? Can something once go my way? Just stay calm; surely he won't know I'm here if I'm just really quiet.

 

"Hey, Cam. Hope you’re enjoying the show~,“ he said as he picked up the arrow from the tree. He’s even smirking right at me. And why does my mind think it's endearing? How does he even know I'm here? Does he, like, have a sixth sense for finding me, or something? Quick, I need to probably react.

 

"Ohh, go to hell, Scott." That was good, right?

 

"Only if you’re coming with me~“ that smug… And now he’s just leaving and going to his assistant as if nothing happened. What is wrong with that man? I ought to tell him what I think of his stupid behaviour. Yeah, that’s exactly what I’ll do! The first moment when I find him on his own, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!

 

—————————

 

Dose This guy never take solo breaks. Or like breaks at all. He’s just been doing stuff all day, and he hasn’t been alone for any of it. How am I supposed to confront him, let alone kill him, if I can’t get him on his own?

 

At least he’s finally done; this was the last thing on his ridiculously long plan. And he’s going to sleep; perfect moment – no one would be vigilant before sleeping. So it’s the perfect time to confront him.

 

Scott's POV:

That was exhausting! I never want to talk to another advisor again. I really could have needed a break today, well, other than sparring, though that wasn’t really a break. It was just enjoyable. And teasing Cam – that was fun. Perhaps if I have more time tomorrow, I could go to the circus again; that was even more fun after all.

 

I took my cape off and had just undone the top buttons on my blouse, as they were uncomfortable after so many hours, when I felt a breeze come through my window. Wait, my window was closed just a moment ago.

 

"You know, you're a hard man to find on his own," I heard a familiar voice say from the window. I turn my head and see Cam sitting on my windowsill, with one leg dangling down it, while he rests his weight on the other that he has pulled to his chest. That’s somehow kind of attractive. Wait, is he trying to be menacing? That's so cute.

 

"What can I help you with, handsome? I mean, I usually don’t do stuff for people this late in the day, but I’d gladly make an exception for someone as cute as you.” I say as I fully turn to face him. I also notice how he stopped for a moment, his eyes going wide before he seemed to force himself back into focus.

 

"What is your deal?“ he asked.

 

"What do you mean?" I asked while tilting my head.

 

"Why are you acting so… weird?" He trailed off at the end of the question.

 

"That’s really rude! I’m just being myself.“ I comment, letting my displeasure at his question look obvious. Like, I’m weird; he’s the one hiding in trees.

 

"Yeah, right," he said in a dismissive tone. "I’m not sure what your game is, but I’m not playing it."

 

"Really? Then why are you here?" I tease. There isn’t actually a game; it’s just fun to rile him up.

 

"Because I... I’m going to kill you." He paused in the middle of his sentence as if he wasn’t actually sure what to say.

 

"Do it then," I challenge, starting to get annoyed by his charade.

 

"What?" He slightly stumbled.

 

"I said that you should do it then."

 

“I will,” he said but made no effort to move. This isn’t going anywhere.

 

"Look, if you're not going to do it, you could at least help me get out of this corset, since you're already here, and doing it on my own is a pain,“ I told him, as a joke, and to see his flustered reaction.

 

"I…I…" He stuttered a bit, but then actually got up from the windowsill and came to me and helped loosen the corset just as I was about to do it myself. I meant it as a joke. Why is my heart racing? I wanted to mess with him, not the other way around.

 

Once he was done, he looked up at my face, meeting my eyes. His eyes are pretty. But he quickly moved away, his face turning a dark shade of red. Before he ran for the window and left. Wait, don’t… I run to the window to look after him, but he’s nowhere in sight.

 

What just happened!

 

Cam's POV:

What is wrong with me! Why am I acting so strange? Why did I just do that? I undid his corset. Why? Why? Why? And why was he so hot? Retrospectively, going into his room while he was going to bed was a really stupid idea. Of course he'd be changing. I should have just killed him. Why didn’t I just kill him?

 

Okay, I don’t have time for this right now. I need to get back to the circus before my performance with Shelby. I'll just think of a new plan in the morning. God, why do I have to be so stupid? And why is it so hard for me to just kill him?

Chapter Text

Scott's POV:

"Wake up, Scott, we need to talk," I heard Xornoth say as he was sitting next to me on my bed, physically shaking me awake.

 

"I'm awake," I stated as I opened my eyes and tried to stop him from shaking me up completely. "Can't whatever it is wait until morning?"

 

"I'm leaving,“ he simply stated.

 

"Wha…“ I try to question his statement before getting interrupted.

 

"Our parents just sent me on an errand out of Rivendell and want me to leave immediately, ergo now. Something feels off about them, but I can’t describe it. I wanted you to know what was going on before I leave.” He quickly rattled down everything that had been on his mind. And as my brain was starting to process the information…

 

"But we never go out of Rivendell without the other by their side," I protest, even though I know my brother has no say in the matter.

 

"That's why I wanted to talk to you first. I have to leave, but you better stay safe while I'm gone. And try not to talk to Mom and Dad; they seem mad at you for some reason," he said as he got up and headed towards the door.

 

"You stay safe as well," I whisper to him before the door shuts and I am left alone again.

 

What is actually going on, Xornoth's right? Something's been off for the past few months now, but it's getting more obvious by the minute. First my schedules get overfilled, then the castle guards decrease by the day, and now my brother is leaving. Are my parents upset? Did I do something wrong?

 

Cam's POV:

Gods, Why is there so much light in my caravan? How long did I sleep? I mean it makes sense; I was really tired because I didn’t manage to sleep as well as usual. I mean, I slept perfectly fine, and the bed is super comfortable; I just had problems falling asleep. I kept on thinking about Scott. Ways to kill him, of course. Ohh, who am I fooling? I haven’t thought about that once while trying to fall asleep last evening.

 

Get your shit together, Cam! He’s your target. He’s a royal. Stay on track.

 

As I exited my caravan to go get myself something to eat, I heard a cheery voice next to me say, "Good late morning, sleepyhead!"

 

"Morning, Shelby," I said, still hearing the sleepiness in my own voice.

 

"Wow, you look spent. Did you not get any sleep?" Shelby asked, sounding slightly concerned.

 

“Don’t worry, I just haven’t had my breakfast yet,” I reassured her. After all, it’s not like I can just tell her that I thought about Scott for way too long and couldn’t fall asleep because of that. I mean, that would just be embarrassing!

 

"Okay, then. You still got some studying to do today, or do you think you’d have a bit of time for a little break?” she asked as we started walking towards the kitchen caravan.

 

"I theoretically should, but maybe a break from studying would do me some good.“ I tell them, which wasn’t fully untrue; I mean, I theoretically should be trying to kill that prince. But perhaps what I need to succeed is to take a break. And not think about Scott and his stupid confident smirk.

 

“Well, I was thinking of going around town today, and sightseeing is always more fun with a friend,” she explained her plan.

 

"I'd love to," I declared. This is going to be great, a Scott-free day. I'm going to treat today just like a day off. A one-day holiday of sorts. I don’t have to think about my job. I’m just going to relax with a friend. Take a mental break. And tomorrow I will find a way to kill him for good. But first, breakfast!

 

—————————

 

Rivendell is truly beautiful. One of the prettiest empires I’ve ever seen. And I've seen quite a lot because of my job. And the elves that live here are so happy and nice. This whole day has been loads of fun.

 

Shelby and I passed by this absolutely impressive stone statue of a stag; it was so imposing and cool. After which she took me to this big church on the mountain. I'm not usually one for all of this religious nonsense and talk about gods, because the only godlike thing I believe in is myself. But even I have to admit it was impressive. A beautiful building; in comparison, it seemed way more impressive than the castle. But that might just be my personal distaste for royalty and anything associated with it.

 

I and Shelby started playing around a bit and pretending to each other that we were the mighty gods that this church was built for. Probably not the most respectful thing to do in a church, but it was fun regardless.

 

After exiting the church, I suggested that we should get something to eat, and Shelby dictated that we should go to Guqqies Bakery. It’s quite sweet of her to want to see her friend again while she’s in town, and I have zero issues with it, as there won’t be the annoying baggage that she brought along last time. The baggage that has been bothering me for days now. The baggage that’s been consuming way too many of my recent thoughts. Stop it right there, Cam; it's your day off. No need to think about Scott. Or his stupidly pretty face.

 

"Shelby, Cam, it's sooo nice to see you again. What brings you around here?" Guqqie immediately said as we entered her bakery.

 

It was quite empty, with only like two other small groups of people sitting at some of the tables around the place. Which makes sense; most people would be working at this time of day, as it was after the lunch rush. The place would probably fill up in an hour or two for tee time before closing for the day.

 

"We're going around to see the best Rivendell has to offer while we're here, and as far as I know your bakery is on that list," Shelby explained enthusiastically as we walked over to the counter.

 

"That sounds lovely! What did you guys see already?“ Guqqie asked.

 

"We saw that big stone statue of a stag and that fancy church on the hill,“ I told her.

 

"You saw the church of Aeor! Did you like it?“ Guqqie asked, sounding excited.

 

"It was so pretty,“ Shelby said.

 

"Yes, it was truly impressive,“ I added.

 

"That's great to hear! You see, we in Rivendell are quite proud of that church; it’s a part of our legacy and has stood there for centuries, protecting our city.” Guqqie told us. Elves must be really religious judging by her reaction. "If you still have time later, you should totally go to the owl sanctuary; it's really beautiful, and the owls are so cute, and they're easier to spot this time of year," she continued.

 

"That actually sounds lovely," I thought aloud.

 

"We should totally go there after eating,“ Shelby told me enthusiastically.

 

"Definitely," I agreed to their idea.

 

"I'm sorry; I totally forgot to ask what you wanted." Guqqie sounded slightly embarrassed as she spoke up again.

 

"No worries," I reassured her as I looked over the menu. "I'll have a piece of the chocolate cake and a cup of hot cocoa."

 

Guqqie started to slightly giggle after I finished my order, and when I gave her a questioning look, she started apologising. "Sorry, sorry, it’s just that that’s literally Scott’s favourite and his most common order. He really loves chocolate-flavoured sweets and pastries.”

 

What! What do you mean Scott has the same taste as me? And why does my brain think thats some how insisting?

 

"That's so cute; you two should totally go on a pastry date together." Shelby said.

 

"Yeah, you could even share a piece of cake," Guqqie added.

 

"Why would I ever go on a date with Scott? It's not like I like him," I suddenly exclaimed, my voice coming out a bit louder than I intended, and my face started feeling hot at their insinuations.

 

"You sure? You seem kind of flustered now that we mentioned him," Guqqie argued.

 

"And I saw you watching him when you guys first met,“ Shelby continued.

 

"Plus, he definitely likes you," Guqqie mentioned.

 

“I really don’t think he does.” I mean, how messed up in the head would you have to be to like the person that’s literally trying to kill you? His whole attitude is most definitely just an act. It has to be.

 

"And I think that you should definitely shoot your shot,“ Guqqie said. And trust me, I’m trying; he’s just hard to kill, okay.

 

"Yeah, what are you afraid of?“ Shelby asked. How am I even supposed to start answering that?

 

"Well even if so, it doesn’t matter; our carriers wouldn’t be compatible anyway." Try to deflect everything, Cam. This cannot be a thing.

 

"Why? I think a model and a professor would work just fine.“ Shelby asked. But an assassin and a prince wouldn’t, let alone if one of them is the other’s target.

 

"Plus, true love is strong enough to withstand all of that.“ Guqqie said, completely avoiding the job debate… Does she know? Does she know that he is the prince? She probably would if they really were friends. I just don’t get what this guy’s plan is. What’s he playing at?

 

"That just sounds so romantic," Shelby agreed, sounding as though the idea of us being a couple was the most beautiful thing to them.

 

"How about we drop this topic, preferably forever?“ I suggested.

 

"Of course if you feel uncomfortable, but you should definitely at least think about it," Guqqie said.

 

"I will," I lied. I don’t need to think about it. I already know what I think about Scott, and that’s that he needs to die! I’m going to take him out alright, just not in the way the two of them want me to. I definitely will.

 

After whatever this conversation was – I mean, me and Scott, that’s just ridiculous – Shelby ordered. They got a strawberry cupcake and warm coffee with some kind of steamed milk; at least I think that’s what it is. Then I insisted on paying; Shelby already did sooo much for me – it’s the least I can do – before we sat down at a table for two next to the window. The chocolate cake was amazing! One of the best pastries I’ve ever had. And I made sure to tell Guqqie that before we left to go see the owls.

 

—————————

 

"Today has been great,“ Shelby happily chirped as we arrived back at the circus.

 

"Yeah, and the owls were so cute," I added.

 

"Right, it’s almost a shame that we have a show tonight and had to leave them," she frowned.

 

"But the show is going to be amazing too," I encouraged her, as we turned around to face the caravans where we were going to change into our show outfits…… What is he doing here? It’s supposed to be my day off.

 

"Scott! What brings you around?“ Shelby enthusiastically yelled at him.

 

"I was just wondering where you guys were. I had the night off and decided to stop by; I hope that’s ok,“ he said as he turned towards us. God, his outfit. Why does he look so, so much better in normal clothing? Not the fancy royal kind. Just this colourful mess he’s wearing right now. God, what is wrong with me?

 

"Absolutely, the more the merrier.“ Shelby happily responded before asking, "Are you just here for the show, or do you want to give us a hand backstage?“ What? Don’t ask him for help; he’ll only be around even more.

 

"You don’t have to, if you don’t want to. We wouldn’t want to bother you,” I try to give him a way out. I mean, royals usually don’t like working.

 

"Ohh, but I'd love to! How can I help?” Of course he does. Why can’t he just act royal for once? It would make me feel so much less conflicted. But his facade has to slip at some point, right? It has to?

 

"Since you work as a model, I'm sure you're good with makeup, so maybe you could help Cam with his so that I have some more time to do my own and prepare the equipment.“ Shelby suggested.

 

Wait, what? Shit, Shelby is trying to throw only us together in a room for a prolonged period of time. Is she trying to be a matchmaker or something? Come on! This was supposed to be my day off; why is Scott even here?

 

He didn’t even bring his assistant. He’s on his own; it would be sooo easy to just kill him. But I can’t do it. Not without Shelby getting in trouble for it having been on their property. Can’t something once go my way? Really just once?

 

Scott's POV:

Finally it’s over. Today was so boring; if it wasn’t for Amiee, it would’ve been horrible. So many boring meetings, and one of them even with an old-school noble where I had to behave like the perfect prince; it’s just so draining. But at last I'm back in my room and can relax. Just me. All on my lonesome.

 

But as I went to close my window, my eyes landed on the schedule. Today’s schedule that I had left on the windowsill for Cam this morning so that he knew where to find me. It’s still here. He didn’t take it. No, it wasn’t even moved. And I didn’t see him the whole day. I thought he had started hiding better or that I was too stressed to pay enough attention, but maybe he simply wasn’t around. He never stopped by. He never came to the castle.

 

Did he get hurt? Was he caught up somewhere? Was he just caught? Or is it my fault? Is he no longer sticking around because of yesterday? I’m so stupid. I always manage to destroy everything. I need to fix this. What to do? What to do?

 

I got it. I'm just going to go see him and apologise. I’m sure he’s going to be at the circus again, as there will be a show tonight. Yeah, that’s exactly what I’ll do. Now where did I put the clothes that I wore to the circus last time?

 

After getting ready, I left. Just like the last time around, the halls seemed nearly empty. They even seemed emptier than two nights ago. Which may seem off, but I'm not going to complain, as I'm trying to sneak out unnoticed. And once I did so without any issues, I headed to the caravans behind the circus, where I suspected Cam to be.

 

—————————

 

After arriving, I had a quick look around, but there was no Shelby or Cam anywhere. They weren’t here. But why? Where are they? Did Cam disappear after yesterday? Is Shelby looking for him? Or what if they got hurt? Maybe someone tried to rob them, and the situation escalated? Maybe Cam was assassinated by an enemy of his? Maybe he got caught and landed in prison? Or maybe he just hates me so much he decided to quit and disappear? Or perhaps….

 

"Scott! What brings you around?“ I hear a female voice behind me, snapping me out of my train of thought.

 

As I spin around, I see Shelby and Cam approaching me. I quickly shove my doubts away and answer them with practised ease, a charming smile and the hint of a lie: "I was just wondering where you guys were. I had the night off and decided to stop by; I hope that’s ok.” I mean, I can’t just straight up say that I missed Cam; for some reason, that would be ridiculous.

 

"Absolutely, the more the merrier. Are you just here for the show, or do you want to give us a hand backstage?“ Shelby asked me enthusiastically. And I must say that the idea of helping sounds really appealing.

 

"You don’t have to, if you don’t want to. we wouldn’t want to bother you,” Cam added. And if he was trying to discourage me by doing so, then he probably achieved the opposite, because now I was sure I wanted to help.

 

"Ohh, but I'd love to! How can I help?” I finally agree. At the end it just means more time with him, and that thought sounds incredibly appealing.

 

"Since you work as a model, I'm sure you're good with makeup, so maybe you could help Cam with his so that I have some more time to do my own and prepare the equipment." Shelby suggested. And what a great idea it was. Just me and Cam, very close together.

 

"Absolutely, makeup just so happens to be one of my areas of expertise," I proudly declare.

 

"Great, I'll leave you two to it then," Shelby said as she turned around and headed off, probably to do some important setup work.

 

Once she was out of earshot, Cam leaned over towards me and sarcastically asked, "Is behind a giant pain in my butt another one of those expertise because you're exhaling at it?"

 

"I’d personally say that it is, but only if we go by the other meaning~“ I tease him. I mean, how couldn’t I? Which caused him to turn bright red in the face before stuttering out a quick "Wait here till I change“ before leaving for his caravan and closing the door. Aeor, why was his reaction so cute?

 

I waited in front of his caravan door for a few minutes, all the while hearing a lot of stumbling around on the inside. I wonder what’s happening inside? Suddenly the door opened, and Cam stood there in the same outfit he had worn for the performance two days ago, so why do I think it looks better on him this time? Nothing about him changed, right?

 

"So you really want to help me?“ he asked.

 

"Well, someone needs to," I sarcastically reply as I enter the caravan.

 

"Okay then.“ Cam seemed to surrender to his situation and just sit down on a chair next to the table where he had placed the makeup supplies. It’s obvious that Shelby gave him only the supplies that he himself needed, as they all followed the colour scheme of red, orange and a bit of yellow. Though I feel like gold would work so much better as an accent colour.

 

I started off by putting a bit of soap and water on a piece of cloth to gently clean off his face. The damp fabric must have been cold, as Cam moved his head slightly when it first touched him. Once I decided his face to be sufficiently clean, I started applying the foundation I found on the table.

 

As I was blending it down his neck, I found the silence to be unpleasant. Especially since I had something to say: "I'm sorry."

 

Cam opened his eyes again to look at me in shock, and as I moved away from his face to grab the colour used for contour, he asked, "What for?"

 

"Yesterday, the corset thing. It seemed to upset you, and that wasn’t my intention.” I confess truthfully, my voice coming out way quieter and more broken than I intended it to. Then I started applying the contour.

 

"I...i...what makes you think that that upset me?" He seemed to struggle to get his words out.

 

“You weren’t at the castle today, so I guess I assumed,” I said as I started applying some highlights to his skin.

 

"First off, I just took a day off today and saw the city with Shelby. Secondly, it would take a lot more than that for you to get rid of me.” He factually stated.

 

"Really?" I asked, my voice not sounding half as confident as I wanted it to.

 

"Yeah, I’m not going anywhere until I've finished my job," he proudly declared as I moved to pick up the blush. Before using it to slightly smooth out his cheeks, without them ending up too pink.

 

As I did so, I felt my confidence return before saying, "So you’ll be around for the rest of my life. What a treat!~" I could almost feel his face heating up at the comment, but he stayed silent.

 

I was about to start on his eyeshadow when I noticed that he was watching me, quite intensely. “I know I’m pretty, but you’ll have to close your eyes now if you want me to continue,” which he immediately did, probably out of embarrassment at being caught. Poor guy, maybe I should give him a small break. "So what parts of our city did you see?“

 

"The stone statue in the square, the church on the mountain and the owl sanctuary," he simply stated.

 

"I love going to visit the owls, and they're extra cute at this time of year," I cooed.

 

"They were pretty adorable," he agreed before saying, "We also stopped by Guqqies bakery for a late lunch."

 

"You should definitely try her chocolate cake; it's my favourite. If you want, we could go together some time so you could try it.” I offered. It could be a lot of fun to go eat some cake together. Just like a date.

 

"That’s actually what I had today," he confessed to me. So we have a similar taste in sweets! This guy just keeps on getting better.

 

Our conversation started dying down as I finished his makeup. I decided to add some small golden highlights to his eyes with the eyeliner I had in my pocket. And this time when the silence returned, it didn’t feel as tense. It actually felt really nice and comfortable. And I don’t often like to just stay silent among others, my ever-thinking thoughts always taking me somewhere I didn’t want to go. But with Cam my mind felt at ease. The silence the two of us shared felt nice.

 

Cam's POV:

God, why is Scott just so… Scott? And why do people have to be so close when applying makeup to another’s face? And why did he apologise? And why did it make me just feel? And why is it so hard for me to just hate him?

 

First he just showed up. Then he was there doing my makeup. And then he even stayed for the whole show. And why did I feel like he was looking at me the whole time? And why did I keep on staring at him when I wasn’t currently doing an act? I practically even did it while I had an act. Something needs to change! And it needs to change quickly!

 

Shelby and I had just finished the show and went back out of the tent when I spotted Scott waiting outside.

 

"What'd you think of the show? I noticed you following it quite intensively.“ I playfully called him out, trying to animate him to stop doing that, without it being suspicious to Shelby.

 

"You guys are really talented, and I really enjoyed the view~“ he responded. What view? HE WAS JUST STARING AT ME THE WHOLE TIME!

 

"Glad to hear you liked it," I responded.

 

"iiiiiiiiiiii, you guys are just so cute.“ Shelby suddenly said in a high-pitched voice. Both of us turned to face her, my face feeling quite hot as I did so, which seemed to make her realise something. "I said that out loud, didn’t I?"

 

"Well, anyway, I'd better take my leave now, though I have a feeling that I'll see you soon. Very soon,” and with those words Scott turned around and left, facing the ground. Was he embarrassed? No way, that guy definitely isn’t embarrassed. I mean, look at him. Actually, don’t look at him, Cam; it makes you act like an idiot.

 

And now he was finally leaving. That was a good thing; no more of the prince for the rest of the evening. So why did it not feel nice? Why was I feeling happier when he was around? What has this man done to me? I’m a fierce assassin, so why do I keep acting like some kind of buffoon around him?

 

I need to get rid of him, so why do I keep hesitating?