The King and His Lover

ed behind her, blending seamlessly with the inky shadows. As she approached the gathering, the hairs on the

hem, scanning the assembly with sharp, observant eyes. She noted the nervous twitches, the subtle shifts of weight, the hands

landestine setting, was their leader, The Shadow King. Even from a distance, his presence commanded at

ade. "Tonight, we gather to address the failure of one among us." The w

. Orin was a seasoned assassin, his reputation for skill and ruthlessness well-earned. She had worked alongside him on numerous

adow King continued, his tone dripping with

I miscalculated the guards' shifts. The target escaped." He swallowed

cruel smile, his eyes glinting with m

in a blur, drawing a sword that seemed to materialize from thin air. The blade gle

by the dull thud of Orin's body hitting the ground. Blood spread across the cobb

splay. Orin's lifeless eyes stared up at the night sky, a stark reminder of the price of failure in their

the blood from his sword with a cloth. "Failure will not be tolerated. We have a mission of ut

he Crown Prince is to ascend the throne. Our task is to ensure he never gets the chance. His death is paramount

's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but she kept her face impa

narrowing dangerously. "An unknown enemy struck before we could. But

ing on Xena. She felt a chill run down her spine, fight

step fo

steady. She could feel the eyes of her fellow assassins boring into her back, a mixture of rel

ntrusting you with the lead role in this assassination. You will infiltrate the palace, gain the Crown Prince's trust if necess

amily member she had left, was the sole reason she endured the hor

w steady her voice sounded despite the terror

a twisted version of approval crossing h

cal force. The meeting began to disperse, assassins melting back into the shadows from whence they

ows danced at the edge of her vision, whispering secrets and threats. Orin's lifeless bo

e made her way out of the courtyard, her footsteps echoed hollowly against the stone walls. Each step was a remin

t down greedily, desperate to clear the stench of death and fear from her nostrils. The scent of pine and damp

her mind. Orin's death, The Shadow King's cold commands, the weight of her n

m blissfully unaware of the deadly plots being hatched in their midst. Xena e

its narrow bed and single window, felt more like a cell than a home. But it was her

young, innocent, untouched by the darkness that had consumed Xena's life. She was the reason Xena endured, the one pure t

of her task to find peace. When she did drift off, her dreams were plagued by visions of b

rim determination had settled within her, hardening her resolve like steel in a forge. She would

l of power and opulence, but to Xena, it represented something far more immediate – her target.

ty, one that would grant her access to the palace without raising suspicion. Perhaps a servant, or a minor noble from a

weapon, honed to a razor's edge by years of brutal training and even more brutal

n was set, the stakes were higher than they'd ever been, and failure was simply not an opt

ould become whatever she needed to be. A servant, a noble, a friend – whatever role would get her

st thought of her sister. Then, like mist before the morning sun, she let that softer part of herself

nd Xena intended to w