No secret

"Your meal my lord." the maid said setting Dariel's dinner in front of him. She bowed her head quickly leaving the dinning room before Dariel would so unemotionally complain about the meal.

"Why are we having fish again?! This is the fourth time this week that we have fish for dinner!" he said looking far from delighted.

"My dear I... I told you yesterday... we only have fish..." Ohara replied scared. Every single time he asked the same question and she gave him the same answer which enraged him even more.

It was no secret that their finances were in a dire state. Every single time Ohara went to market it was only fish that she could afford. She also was sick of it, but when you had no options, who was she to complain.

"Fish everyday, fish everyday! Why do we eat like we are cats!" he shouted.

"My love, you have spoken an awful lot today, maybe you should rest your voice for tomorrow." said Ohara. Dariel narrowed his eyes at her.

"Where is Angelica?" he asked in suspicion. Ohara instinctively froze, her hands shaking as she quickly hid them underneath the table.

"Are you deaf? Where is Angelica?!" he asked even more violently when he observed how silent she was.

"Angelica went to... to collect her dress from Lady Sellie." Ohara replied. It was not like she had not thought of lying to him, but he would know if she was lying, it was best that she told him what Angelica told her to say to him. At least she truly did not know where Angelica went, therefore she was not lying.

"Dress... at this time?!" Dariel replied as Ohara nodded, she tried her best to stop shaking.

"That is preposterous! Why would she go out at night to collect one measly dress, she lied to you woman, and you are too idiotic not to know!" he shouted.

"She said she had to go tonight since Lady Sellie would be leaving tomorrow... and who knows when she might return." said Ohara, she was trying to defend her daughter. She trusted that Angelica would never go out and do something unacceptable.

"You are just as dense as that daughter of yours. The two of you are unintelligent if you think I will believe that nonsense."

"She better return soon, as soon as she does, I will teach her a lesson she will never forget." Dariel said vindictively as Ohara shivered in silence.

...

Angelica continued on her way. She was starting to get cold and the snow falling was becoming heavier.

She had a little while longer to go before she reached her destination where hopefully her main target would be present.

After walking for a little while longer in the empty streets she finally stopped in front of a lively tavern. 

Sweet, spirited music came from inside the tavern. Lights could be seen through the windows.

Angelica braced herself, taking a deep breath she walked straight into the tavern, ready for whatever she may face.

The merry maiden tavern. The only tavern in the town, it was ever frequented by almost everyone, but not because it was the only tavern in their town, but rather because it was often visited by crown Prince Ian.

The beloved favourite son of the king. He was the king's firstborn from his first wife. He often visited this tavern almost nightly to aid the lowly and weak. Those with no food, no home, no clothes.

He was known best for his goodwill, followed by his charming looks. Everyone adored him and he seemingly adored them the same.

Angelica stood rigidly. She had never been in a place like it. It was not like the tavern was not clean, it was the opposite, what scared her was the calibre of people that often came here. It ranged from thieves to several bands and clans.

Angelica's eyes scanned around searching for her target. To her surprise, there he was surrounded by his retinue.

Angelica sighed, she knew that approaching him would not be so easy. He was the crown prince, he rarely saw anyone personally, expect for when he was generously handing out gifts; he did not seem to be doing that tonight.

Angelica sighed she needed a plan to get them all away from him. She just did not know how to.

A server passed beside her holding a tray full of the next round of drinks. It was then that Angelica got an idea, a very bold, dangerous idea.

Another server passed by, Angelica swiftly took a mazer from the tray and walked to where the drinks were being poured. There was one large man in particular that was seated at the counter sipping his drink, enjoying the music and minding his own business.

Angelica did not even batt an eye. With one swift motion from behind, she threw the drink in the mazer at man and promptly stepped aside before he turned around menacingly.

The man shouted in anger, his eyes scouring the room for who did it. His eyes landed on the slender young woman standing by his side. She looked too delicate and fragile to have been the one to throw her drink at him.

Instead of feeling intimidating by the man's hot, scrutinizing gaze she simply pointed ahead to a certain table where the prince and his retinue where.

She pointed to a darkhaired man in particular. The innocent fool was busy laughing, unable to notice the wickedness that was about to befall him.

The large man huffed his face red and tensing from the immense anger he felt. He stood up carried his large mazer walked straight to the laughing darkhaired man and poured his drink on his head.

The darkhaired man squealed being drenched with someone else's drink as the other men on the table simply laughed.

"What in hell is wrong with you?!" the man said getting up to face his oppressor who definitely looked taller, stronger and much more angrier than he was.

"Next time you will know better than to throw your drink on someone." the man replied as the other argued with him displaying his innocence.

This was not enough of a distraction for Angelica, she needed something bigger, better, something that would disturb everyone.

She picked up a large piece of bread and threw it at one of the singers and another one at another patron.

The music stopped abruptly and all hell broke loose. Everyone began to fight one another. It was complete chaos and turmoil as the once peaceful tavern had been disturb by unsuspected innocent, slender woman.

As Angelica predicted one of the prince's guards quickly escorted him away from all the madness.

Angelica fled the tumultuous scene she had created and followed after him closely as they egressed through the third passage.