Scandal

"Hey, sis." A voice called from behind Lila.

"Blake," Lila acknowledged. Her brother ran up next to her, causing a nearby noblewoman who was walking past to stare at him. Her brother was blessed with dreamy agua blue eyes and blonde hair and despite them being siblings, he looked nothing like her. Much to Lila's annoyance, women often swoon at the mere sight of him.

She was finished with the women who pester her to get to him. Lila was almost certain that half of the court ladies were only polite to her because of her brothers. Zack, who was the oldest was just as popular among women, but compared to Blake, he didn't bother to even glance at the women who tried to talk to him. Blake and Zack were identical twins, but Zack claimed the title of being born first, much to Blake's dismay.

"Father told me about your engagement," Blake said, casually draping his arm over her shoulders.

"Yes," Lila answered.

"Father is not himself anymore." Blake looked at her with a serious expression, which was very unlike him.

"We'll find a way to convince him to cancel it." Zack faded out of a nearby shadow with his arms crossed and examined Lila very closely.

"Thanks, you two." Even though I know there's no changing his mind, it helps that these two support me. Lila sighed as she pushed away her depressing thoughts.

Blake smirked and ruffled Lila's hair, messing it up. If the maids saw their hard work being ruined like that they would freak out.

Lila swatted Blake's arm away and let her mask slip for a second to give him a dirty look.

"What are you planning to do if Father doesn't relent?" Zack asked Lila curiously. If there was going to be one person in her family who knew the most about her, it would be Zack. It was only on accident that his sneaks stumbled upon one of her shipping operations to bring in weapons. He turned a blind eye, but he knew that I wasn't the delicate princess I pretended to be. Everyone has their secrets, but to him, I will always be his little sister and he will always be my brother. No matter what.

"I don't know," Lila curtsied, excusing herself before gliding away, weaving through the crowd. On the outside, she wore a mask of simplicity. She was only supposed to be a mindless doll after all. A plan for how to get out of all of this? Lila thought, chagrined, I still don't have an idea.

"Oh look who it is," A nasty voice said. "If it isn't Ms. Scandal herself." A petite blond-haired girl stepped in front of Lila. Lila almost rolled her eyes but managed to politely greet the girl.

"Oh hello, Lady Aria. Have you been enjoying the party?"

"Not since you've arrived." Lady Aria scoffed, turning her nose up at Lila. "Even though you might be royalty, doesn't mean I have to bow down to you. What a disappointment you are to your family. You don't deserve that title." The people surrounding them whispered among themselves as they watched the drama unfold, but none of them seemed to want to meet Lila's eyes. Lila felt herself stiffen at that, but relaxed. A dangerous curled at the edges of her lips, but her eyes were cold.

"Lady Aria, I remember your father seemed well last time I saw him?"

"Yes, but-."

"My father hasn't checked on him awhile now, I hope he's not doing anything, you know, like last time." Scattered chuckles swept through the crowd that gathered around them. Making Lady Aria shrink.

"How dare yo-." She began.

"Keep your mouth shut unless you want to end up like your failure of a father. I understand that with him raising you that you'll be more inclined to step out of line, but this will be the last time, understood?" In a low murmur, Lila spoke next to Lady Aria's ear. A neutral expression rested on Lila's face as she spoke, it was as if the two of them were just discussing the weather, nothing more.

As soon as Lila finished, Lady Aria started trembling violently and her skin went pale. Like a frightened rabbit, Lady Aria quickly escaped into the crowd as fast as she could, but not before throwing a hate-filled glare over her shoulder at Lila. The crowd dispersed, seeing the drama was over and Lila continued to smile as if there was nothing wrong, excusing herself from the party. Threatening Lady Aria was necessary, she assured herself. She couldn't let the dogs of her enemies run around messing things up on her territory, could she?

Lila headed outside into the beautiful, brightly lit castle gardens. As she strode down the trails through the trees and flowers. Her mind wandered off as she lost herself in her dreary thoughts. If I do get married, I could always find a way to stage my own death and escape. Lila sighed and carefully sat down, minding her composure. Even though there was nobody in sight, royalty had to act like royalty. Plus, she suspected there would be spies keeping a close eye on her from both her enemies and her family. Blake and Zack were in charge of the army, and they took her security to the next level.

Suddenly, Lila heard a rustle in the bushes behind her. She instinctively jumped to her feet and spun around bracing for an attack, but it was the gardener's three-year-old son, Greg, who tumbled out of it. Lila relaxed when she realized who it was, but was curious why he was in the bushes during the party. Usually, the staff like to stay in their rooms until the guests leave or settle down for the night.

"Hello, Greg," Lila greeted, giving him a soft smile. Greg shyly stared at his shoes like they were the most interesting thing in the world.

"Hi, Ms. pwetty lady," Greg mumbled quietly, his shyness getting to him. "You won't tell my Ma and Da I was here, will you?" He finally looked up, his innocent eyes widening in hope as he stared at Lila.

"I promise I won't," Lila said, hooking pinkies with him. Greg beamed, tucking his hands cutely behind his back.

"Are you searching for those naughty cats of yours again?" Lila asked him, bending down so they were at eye level. Greg nodded softly and smiled adorably when Lila offered her hand for him to hold. He grabbed her gloved hand with his tiny one and together they strolled through the garden.

"Yin! Yang!" Greg called, looking around hopefully for his white and black cats. Lila also glanced around the garden and spotted something black poking out of a nearby bush.

"Oh! I found-" Lila suddenly cut off as she got a closer look at the black object, it seemed to be a black piece of cloth that was similar to the material Lila wears when she sneaks out at night. Assassins, Lila grimly thought. How did they get past security?

"Did you see something?" Greg asked, peeking into the bushes.

"Watch out!" Lila yelled in warning, pulling Greg away and tucking the small boy behind her. A man clothed in all black jumped out of the bush, pointing a knife threateningly at Lila. Three others also slinked out of the shadows, each carrying an unsheathed weapon.

"Greg run and get help!" Lila felt the boy leave her side as he took off in the direction of the ballroom. Cursing, the man leaped toward her, bringing the knife down. Lila easily dodged to the side, internally grateful was wearing one of the dresses she could more easily move in. The man growled, swinging his arm toward her. She grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back, quickly hitting the hilt of his blade and disarming him. She then used the hilt of the blade to knock the man out. I hope help comes soon, Lila thought. It would be bad if I had to blow my cover. Turning back to the other assassins, Lila confidently smirked and casually tossed the knife into the air.

"Afraid?" Lila asked, standing in a relaxed stance as if she was unbothered. "Oh wait, I'm just a fragile, pretty doll used as decoration. I'm the easiest target out there." The other assassins shifted uneasily, glancing at each other, then back at her.

"Well?" Lila spread her arms open, dropping the knife she was holding. "Come at me then." They looked incredulously at Lila for a few moments before darting forward, circling her. The one holding a sword swiped at her and she easily dodged, looking calm and unbothered. These three seem like junior assassins, Lila observed their actions as she spun and jumped around, dodging each of their attacks. Good thing the person who sent them underestimated me. If they sent their seniors I might actually be in trouble, Lila thought with a smile.

"I thought you said she was an easy target," One of them hissed at the other.

"That's what they said when they assigned me." The other one replied.

Suddenly, the pounding of the boots of the castle guards sounded down the trail. Greg probably made it to the guards, Lila thought. It would be strange if they found me unwounded.

Grabbing a knife one of them dropped, she drew it across her waist, leaving the shallowest wound she could. Despite that, she felt the cold sting of the metal slice the skin, sending a shot of pain through her. The assassins were frightened out of their minds because the only wound that was inflicted upon her was caused by not them, but herself. She had not a scratch on her from the real battle.

Desperately, the assassins swung at her again, but she ignored the pain as she dodged the next swing. The wound wasn't deep enough to leave a scar, but it still stung as Lila fought them off.

"We have to leave, NOW!" One of them yelled, dropping their weapon and fleeing. The others soon followed, heading in the direction of the castle walls. Too bad that they'll never make it. Lila smirked after them before slipping into her helpless princess act. Before the guards rounded the bend, she clutched her wound, her face the picture of pain.

"Your Highness!" They exclaimed, encircling her.

"Make way!" Lila heard Blake shout before the guards parted to reveal him and Zack. "Sis! Are you alright?" His eyes narrowed in anger as he noticed her pressing against the wound in her side.

"I'm fine," Lila answered as she started heading back through the garden. "Where's Greg?"

"Greg, that clever boy, came right to me and Zack," Blake said, with Zack nodding in agreement. "Father said to come to the royal sitting room after we save you."

"Save me?" Lila laughed. "A little bit late for that."

In a lower tone, she added, "You guys are lucky I've had training, or else I'd be long gone by now."

"But we know you can handle yourself." Blake ruffled Lila's hair affectionately.

"Sure you do," Lila rolled her eyes. "If you trusted me to keep myself safe, why do you send guards to follow me around." She raised an eyebrow. "And where were they when I was attacked?"

"It doesn't hurt to have more protection." Blake protested before his voice darkened. "Those guards seemed to have been paid off by the ones who sent those assassins." Lila opened her mouth to respond, but they had reached the sitting-room already.

"Did you catch them?" The king folded his hands on his desk and leaned forward as we entered.

"No, they were too fast," Blake reported.

"Pity. We could've interrogated them."

"Uhh, Father?" Blake drew the old King's attention.

"Hm?"

"Lila's injured."

"Oh. Find a healer. We can have her injured when we hand her to the groom, can we? We would be giving them damaged goods." The king barely glanced at me, waving a hand to dismiss them. Lila's heart clenched as the three of them bowed out of the room, their tangled emotions hidden behind the mask they wore.