Chapter 7 Lilian

Lilian walked across the bridge. Her mind wandered to the last battle she had. She had learned a lot for facing off that giant. She know knew that speed was better than strength, since that guy is now buried six feet underground.

She remembered how he tried to cut off her head in one full swipe. She remembered how it felt to bury her knife into his chest, then how she pulled it out, and stabbed again, making the experience worse for the Arden soldier.

She reached the front door of the castle. She walked in with a purpose that could very much help her country.

She walked up the main stairs and reached the door. She knocked once, then twice when she didn't hear anything happen behind the door.

Finally, the door swung open, the maid's eyes grew wide, and she opened the door father, allowing her to walk in. She was granted to see the king.

She walked down the long hall to the King that was waiting for her.

"What brings you here today, Lilian?" The King asked.

She was suddenly nervous as she looked up at the King. There he was. Standing before her was Prince Zorren. He made her nervous just to look at his beautiful face. She was so focused on Zorren that she almost forgot to answer the King.

"I come with news, my king," Lilian said with a bow of her head to show her respect.

"Oh? What news?" The king booming voice echoed along the empty walls of the hall.

"I have made contact with rebels from Arden. They wish to make an alliance. I think it would be a good thing. We could use them to our advantage."

"Hmm. That does sound like a good idea, but what are the risks?"

"If it's just a lie, it could leave us vulnerable to Arden."

"True," the King seemed to be thinking. "Go there. Meet with them. Report back, and, most importantly, come back home safe." The King's tone soften as he said the last part.

He always gets like this when he sends her off for an assassination of a dangerous man. Lilian turned around and walked out of the room. She needed to plan how she would get to the location in two weeks.

~~~

Two weeks later, Lilian put her plan into action. She asked her king if she could join the next trade wagon. They still traded with Arden, as if no one knew that Arden was going to attack Skyland.

She planned to sneak into Arden's capital to meet with the rebels disguised as one of the transporters of the goods being transported. Lilian dressed as a poor person, and hopped on the wagon full of goods.

When she reached the capital, she noticed how poor the city looked. The city looked bare against the giant castle in the middle of the city.

Lilian hopped of the wagon as they passed a familiar named bar. The directions she was given told her to go to this bar, and wait in the far corner of the room for David, the leader of the RA, who would take her to the meeting place.

She walked inside the bar as if she belonged there. She scanned the room till she found the empty booth in the back of the room. She headed over to the corner and took a seat in the corner.

She watched the crowd drunkenly move. She kept her eyes out for anyone who looked suspicious.

A man started walking towards her, his eyes set on her as he walked. She watched him as he grew closer, her hand on the knife hidden away. Then he reached the table and quickly pulled out a piece of paper.

Lilian exhaled a sigh of release, it was David. He wrote to her, informing her of the name of the bar, the instructions on how to meet, and information that he would hold out her response to prove it was him.

David looked much younger than she imagined, but she could never have known what he looked like. David stuck his hand out and introduced himself. Lilian grabbed his hand, but ripped it out of his grip when he said, "Hello, Lilian, right? I'm Lex, and I was instructed to lead you to the meeting place."

David, no, Lex stared down at his suddenly empty hand, his mouth hanging wide open in surprise. Why would David send someone other than himself? Did he not trust her?

"Let's get going," Lex started. "It's kinda long walk to the house."

Lex led the way out of the bar, weaving around the crowd of people and the furniture. Once outside, Lex and Lilian walked side by side in the night, their path being lit with hanging lights.

"So," Lex started speaking. "What's it like in Skyland?"

"Better than here," Lilian replied, looking around at the bare, dark houses.

Lilian could hear that Lex was anxious. He obviously didn't know what to do let alone what to say. He would probably start saying random things.

"I honestly don't know why he chose me for this job. I literally just joined the RA!"

There he goes, Lilian thought.

"So I hear an assassin, how do you do it?"

She could have some fun with this. She was bored anyways. She stopped walking and soon afterwards so did Lex.

"Like this." Lilian walked to Lex, and stood in front of him. She placed her hand on his chest. she looked him in the eyes, rose on her tiptoes. She half closed her eyes while starring at his lips as she reached into her pocket and pulled out the small knife she hid away.

She pressed her lips against Lex's and wrapped he arms around his neck. She half opened her eyes to check to see if his were closed. They were. She readied her knife along his throat.

Now!

She slid the knife across his throat. She pulled back to study her work with a prideful smile on her face. Then she realized there wasn't any blood. There wasn't even a cut on his throat.

Lex was staring down on her, anger in his eyes. Why did she suddenly feel scared? Why did she feel small? This was the first time her assassination attempt didn't work.

Her mind replayed the scene over in her head. She realized that as soon as she felt skin under her knife that it was slightly pushed away, a breeze blew against her hand.

he somehow manipulated the wind to push her knife away? How? What are these powers he held?

"How?" She asked surprised.

"Like this," He replied. Soon her hair was blown away from her face. She watched, her eyes wide in wonder as the man smiled triumphantly at her. He started to walk again as she stood there, her mind racing. She remembered where she was and rushed to meet up with Lex.

Soon they reached the house and was walking into the front door of a house just like all the others. This was it. This was going to make or break the Skyland kingdom.