Acclayne Book 1: The Game Begins
Chapter 12

Itwas a clear night and the stars were easily visible; not like beingin the city at all. He lay back quietly on the roof; appreciating,for the moment, the still silence of a country village in the earlyhours of the morning. Crickets chirruped, the birds were beginning tostir in their nests, and he had a perfect view of the stars: he justwished the circumstances were better. In his peripheral vision hecould still see Alox impatiently pacing outside his small cabin.Waiting had become his forte, along with a few other skills he hadpicked up these last few years. Clearly Alox was not a fan ofwaiting; he allowed himself to become agitated, while on top of aroof across the street the young man was sitting perfectly still,allowing time to drift lazily by. As long as the thrumming in hispocket remained constant he had nothing immediate to worry about.

Onthe ground Alox could feel himself losing his temper. Waiting; what awaste of time. He looked up and down the road again. Nothing. Therewere very few houses around, and very little light so he could see nofurther than a few yards around his own cabin. He hated thecountryside. He hated the sound of the poxy birds singing in the daytime and he hated the crickets chirruping at night. He was under theimpression that people came out to the country for peace and quiet.Quiet my arse.He could hear Princess Stella snoring even from outside. Princesseswere supposed to be delicate, quiet, polite. He was starting towonder whether they'd nicked the right girl. Stella had shown nosigns of being delicate, or polite. She was just plain rude, and asfor quiet? You're having a laugh. If he had to listen to one morestory about her bloody pony, or her dresses, or the tutor she has acrush on, he might kill her there and then and damn the consequences.He'd be doing everyone a favour. Parades would be held in his honour.It was as he was imagining receiving an award for his greatachievement that a loud snort came from inside the cabin. The imagewas gone; and Alox found himself more agitated than ever. Bloodywoman. Hehad refused to engage her in conversation ever since she'd made thatfirst insult about his bread. He was no cook, but his food had alwaysbeen good enough for him so who was she to complain about it. He hadbeen instructed not to talk to her, but if he was honest, he wasdoing it out of stubbornness now more than anything else. He wouldn'thave minded a bit of conversation. It wasn't very often that he gotto talk to people in his line of work; unless it was about killingand stuff, and it was very rarely that he got to talk to an actuallady. He picked at the dirt under his nails. He supposed that maybehe'd let himself go. He hadn't washed in months- he just didn't havethe time. He blamed the job, and though he loved it he had to admitthat it did hinder his chances with women.

Had it not been for theprincess' snoring Alox might have heard his master approachingsooner. As it happened he was only alerted to his presence when hewas a few feet away; both men could hear his expensive shoes tappingon the roughly cobbled road. Alox was immediately on guard, but fromhis vantage point the young man could see, even in the dim light,that it was his employer: Prince Fofana of Cortharen. He hadn't beensure at first, but he had suspected that the royal family had hadsomething to do with Princess Stella's capture.

“My Lord,” Alox letout a deep breath as Fofana emerged from the shadows, “you startledme.”

“You are supposed tobe on guard Alox, I do not pay you to be startled.” Fofana's armswere folded across his lean chest. He was not amused.

“No M'lord...sorry.”Alox bowed his head to reiterate his apology. Fofana fanned it away.

“Never mind, juststay alert for The Mother's sake, the situation is delicate at themoment.”

Alox didn't quitefollow, but that was perhaps because he didn't understand the'situation' as his master put it. “Is she aware of what's goingon?”

Alox snorted; “Haven'tsaid a word M'lord.” he tapped the side of his bulbous nose with adirt encrusted finger. “Not that the bleedin' woman would give mehalf a chance...”

“...Good.Well let's keep it that way shall we?”

“...stupidgirl's 'ell of a mouth on her. Never stops. Talk about rude. Ain'tPrincesses supposed to be all airs and graces? Nothin' bleedin'graceful about 'er...”

Fofana let out a shortsharp sigh of annoyance but permitted Alox to continue.

“Ain'tthere anythin' else I could be doin' for you? I've no patience forbabysitting see; no kids meself... not no more anyhow.” Alox wassilent for a moment before picking himself up again; “just as well,probably woulda killed the little buggers myself by now. Aye there'sa thought; anybody needed killin'?” Alox actually sounded hopefulat the prospect. Fofana knew there was a reason he had hired him.

“Yes, actually. Thereis; however, an army preparing to do that as we speak. Sorry todisappoint you.” A small smile lingered on Fofana's lips. Aloxdidn't think he was sorry at all. On the roof opposite the young manlistened keenly; an army? That was a new development.

“An army M'lord?Whatcha need one of em for? I thought this was about money.” Hewaved his arm towards the cabin. Stella snorted.

“Was it about moneywhen I had your brother kill the Prince of Corthus five years ago?Whatever did become of him, such a ruthless thug.”

“Yeah,” Aloxsniffed, “Did the family proud he did. Died last year, got drunkand died banging a prostitute. They say she suffocated 'im with herknockers.”

“I see...”

“What a way to goaye?! Lucky bastard. That wasn't about money?”

The young man on theroof was livid. He could feel the blood boiling in his veins; he hadnever hated anyone as he hated Fofana in that moment.

“Of course not, thenthey killed the boy for it! Well that was just the icing on thecake.”

“Prince Alistair? Butthey say he's locked up somewhere.”

“That is what they'dhave you believe.” Fofana could no longer help it; he was rubbinghis hands in glee. Eight years he had been planning and it wasfinally coming together before his very eyes. “Now there is onlyone remaining heir to the throne of Corthus and she is snoring notten feet away from us!”

Fofana was becomingdelirious with it all, Alox was visibly confused; “But I don't seehow-”

“If there is noremaining heir and I kill the King then Corthus will be mine youbumbling idiot!” Fofana's whisper had quickly escalated to acontrolled roar; his hand was raised as if to strike but he thoughtbetter of it. Alox was an idiot but he needed him on side. Hesighed.

“So... what will wedo with the girl?”

“Nothing, for now.”Fofana rubbed his temples. His delirium now over he was back to hiscalm collected self.

The man on the roof wasenraged, but relieved. The princess was safe for the time being; thatwas something at least. It bought him a bit of time if nothing else.

“Be patient Alox; youmay yet see your share of bloodshed.” Alox rubbed his handstogether; after the hell she'd put him through tonight he would lovenothing better. Wrapping his hands around her chubby little neckwould soon shut her up. Fofana handed him a small bag of coins andwas gone before Alox could even blink. No matter how many times hemet up with him this always took him by surprise. Surely it wasunnatural for someone to move so quickly and quietly; maybe he shouldhave been doing the killing himself. With stealth like that there wasno way anyone would catch him. With a final glance around Alox wentback to the warmth of his hut. He didn't see his friend sitting onthe roof opposite.

The young man remainedperfectly still, waiting for a noise; a woman's scream, butthankfully none came. An army, that was a lot to take in. He reasonedthat they could not yet have left Cortharen as none had passed thisway yet; he had time. He fingered the stone in his pocket; thethrumming remained constant as the first light of the day began totrickle lazily over the distant mountain tops. They hadn't startedmoving yet, if he left now he could catch up with them. He stood andswiftly jumped off the roof. His landing on the stone floor was assilent as if he had been a cat. Reassuringly he could still hearStella's snoring from inside the hut. He hated to leave her but hewould just have to trust that his cousin could take care of herself-for now at least.