ROUND 3 SNIPPET
"You! You're the one!" Joel grabbed Phillip by the collar pointing a sharp dagger on his neck. Phillip couldn't even move an inch. He wondered when did Joel come so close, he didn't even hear him being behind him.
"What did you do to the boy?" Joel demanded to know.
"Nothing he didn't want himself." Philip replied grinning in spite of the fact that Joel could take away his life within seconds.
"I have no problem with killing you." Joel whispered. "I can just tell the king I found the one who caused all this mess and I'll get rid both of you and unnecessary work." Philip flinched.
"You wouldn't dare." he stated looking at the dark-eyed assassin.
"He wouldn't. He only kills on command." prince Henry replied stepping out of the shadows.
"But I could command him." he added.
"Now tell me, who is that boy we're talking about and what did you do to him?" Henry sat on the sofa in his lounge as Phillip followed him, letting Joel close the door.
"You should take what is yours." Ulliel followed Sinbad after the dinner.
"I will, when time comes." he replied placing the dirty dishes into a basket.
"And when is that?" Ulliel asked curiously. Keeping secrets was his specialty and this one was not an exception, but this one was far bigger than the other ones.
"When the walls open." Sinbad replied trying to get rid of the man.
"Why then?" Ulliel sat down looking at him. His patience was admirable.
"Because, then I'll finally be able to see if it's a boy or a girl." Sinbad slammed his fist on the kitchen table.
"Please go." he added and finally Ulliel left him alone.
Daniel didn't. He was busy listening to the conversation from the shadows. His mouth was wide open waiting for the realization to overcome him completely. He let Sinbad go back to his boring everyday jobs. He knew where to head next.
Daniel knocked on the doors of Henry's bedroom. He entered seeing Philip, Joel, Zain and Henry inside. He looked curiously around. Joel was standing by Zain who was shivering in the assassin's arms. Phillip was kneeling in front of him.
"Daniel. Just the man I need." Henry commented with a tired face. "Open the gates." he added sighing.
"The secret is out." he added dryly wondering how long he had before some of the other rulers declared a war.
"As you wish, master." Daniel bit his lip, deciding not to mention anything. For the first time he couldn't decide where his loyalty lied.
"Wait. First lock protector Phillip behind bars." Henry added as Daniel turned facing the door. Daniel nodded surprised and took Philip with himself. The two didn't speak the entire way there.
ROUND 2 SNIPPET
"You! You're the one!" Joel grabbed Phillip by the collar pointing a sharp dagger on his neck. Phillip couldn't even move an inch. He wondered when did Joel come so close, he didn't even hear him being behind him.
"What did you do to the boy?" Joel demanded to know.
"Nothing he didn't want himself." Philip replied grinning in spite of the fact that Joel could take away his life within seconds.
"I have no problem with killing you." Joel whispered. "I can just tell the king I found the one who caused all this mess and I'll get rid both of you and unnecessary work." Philip flinched.
"You wouldn't dare." he stated looking at the dark-eyed assassin.
"He wouldn't. He only kills on command." prince Henry replied stepping out of the shadows.
"But I could command him." he added.
"Now tell me, who is that boy we're talking about and what did you do to him?" Henry sat on the sofa in his lounge as Phillip followed him, letting Joel close the door.
"You should take what is yours." Ulliel followed Sinbad after the dinner.
"I will, when time comes." he replied placing the dirty dishes into a basket.
"And when is that?" Ulliel asked curiously. Keeping secrets was his specialty and this one was not an exception, but this one was far bigger than the other ones.
"When the walls open." Sinbad replied trying to get rid of the man.
"Why then?" Ulliel sat down looking at him. His patience was admirable.
"Because, then I'll finally be able to see if it's a boy or a girl." Sinbad slammed his fist on the kitchen table.
"Please go." he added and finally Ulliel left him alone.
Daniel didn't. He was busy listening to the conversation from the shadows. His mouth was wide open waiting for the realization to overcome him completely. He let Sinbad go back to his boring everyday jobs. He knew where to head next.
Daniel knocked on the doors of Henry's bedroom. He entered seeing Philip, Joel, Zain and Henry inside. He looked curiously around. Joel was standing by Zain who was shivering in the assassin's arms. Phillip was kneeling in front of him.
"Daniel. Just the man I need." Henry commented with a tired face. "Open the gates." he added sighing.
"The secret is out." he added dryly wondering how long he had before some of the other rulers declared a war.
"As you wish, master." Daniel bit his lip, deciding not to mention anything. For the first time he couldn't decide where his loyalty lied.
"Wait. First lock protector Phillip behind bars." Henry added as Daniel turned facing the door. Daniel nodded surprised and took Philip with himself. The two didn't speak the entire way there.
ROUND 2 SNIPPET
Two weeks after...
"No." Phillip said irritated in the dark corner of the hallway. His voice was sharp and low and meant he was serious. "They have blocked the way out. Nobody can go in or out." he added as he saw Zain trying to speak again.
"I can't hang in much longer..." Zain hissed looking at the man who was a head taller than him. He really did need it, he was jumpy and sweat was seen on his usually clean white shirt. Who'd ever say he'd end up like this. The thought played in Phillip's head as he studied the guy carefully.
"I need help." Zain took his face in his hands which were shivering.
"Joel." Phillip added unwillingly feeling pity over the weak boy. "He's the only one who can exit the walls."
Joel entered the prince's chamber after a knock. Henry looked at Joel uneasy, letting Sinbad pull him on his robe. Joel rarely brought good news.
"I have bad news, my sire." he looked at the prince's worried eyes. "They've found out."
Sinbad hurried the hallways with a sparkle in his eyes once he was done helping the prince put on clothes as if he wasn't capable of pulling them on himself. They've found out. Finally. A smirk appeared on his boyish face. A smirk Ulliel caught.
"Sinbad." Ulliel stopped him catching his hand. Sinbad managed to look humble.
"Sire?" he waited for an order his head looking down as a servant should keep his head.
"Don't 'sire' me." Ulliel made him look him in the eyes. "I know."
The words were clear enough to make him flinch.
He knew.
Daniel focused on the arguing pair watching closely since they spoke too silently for him to hear. Servants were not supposed to make eye-contact. Not with a guardian like Ulliel. He left as they parted.
The only words he heard were: I know.
What did he know?
He knew more than Daniel.
That means he knew too much.
_______________________________________
ROUND 1 SNIPPET
The whole palace gathered for dinner at the prince's table.His men sitting by his side.Laughter was heard after every bad joke the prince made. The laughter of maidens was pitched and fake but that bothered no one.As the fair maidens found a topic of the following festival they planned to attend,the men spoke of food and things men usually speak about.
The question that the prince asked his first-hand protector Daniel was spoken almost voicelessly.
"Is it settled?" the prince's eyes were on his plate as Daniel brought his cup back to the table.
"Yes." his reply was short and the face of pretending that everything was normal was back on. Only Ulliel spotted the weird behaviour of the two of them.
Ulliel scanned the table remaining quiet as always. He slowly took a fake sip of his wine keeping an eye on Sinbad who was standing in the dark corner of the room waiting for someone's cup to be empty again. As Phillip's cup emptied Sinbad approached and poured in more wine.He exchanged meaningful glances with Ulliel.
Phillip leaned over to Zain as his cup was full again using that moment to quickly hand him over something that he easily hide with his hands. The two men made a toast in the name of the prince and grinned. Phillip's grin was confident as always as Zain glanced around nervously.
Zain tapped his finger on the table scolding himself for being impatient. He endured a few more minutes and soon excused himself from the table.
As he hurried out he bumped into Joel almost falling down.
"Carefully." Joel's voice was gentle yet sent shivers through Zain's body. They both kept their glances on each other until Zain finally passed by.
Joel walked in carelessly leaning to the prince's ear. The prince's eyes widened and he abruptly nodded. Joel sat down waiting for Sinbad to fill his cup.