Chapter 1, part one The cloudless sky and the treeless meadow gave us no protection from the heat. I look down at the stiff grass that broke beneath the weight of our bodies and our horses we so readily relied on. The ivory horse beside me whinnied quietly, trying to get my attention. Instinctively, I raise my gloved hand to pat her neck. She knew my secret. None of the other knights did. None of the assassins I worked with knew either. My group were half ready to move on, so I hop up onto my ivory mare, pulling on her reins gently. I watch with my pine green eyes as my group assemble themselves. The higher ranks, like me, get on their horse, while the others stand in their formation. I keep to myself, but I progressed quickly through the ranks, becoming one of the king's main assassins. Or more formally known as the Daggers. The lower rank assassins keep trying to get close to me to know how I got to the top. I push them away like they're a measly fly on my tunic. They hinder me more than help me. Although I need to keep them away, it was one of the conditions the king made and I won't be the first assassin to go against his conditions. He had to adapt with my conditions, he oversees all of our training, picking out small groups for more advanced training. I was always in those groups. All my orders I got given, I followed to the letter. For some reason the king kept a more keen eye on my orders than the rest. Always giving me slightly more difficult tasks because I could handle it. I'm not being vain, but I always got the job done better than the other assassins. The regiment start moving out so I kick my ivory mare into a gentle trot. She was calm compared to the other 12 horses in the group. I was on nearly every mission the Daggers were on, meaning I rested when the others were at the tavern. Sweat started running down the side of my face and I cringe as I wipe it off with the back of a leather glove encasing my hand. Glancing across, I notice the chestnut who had suddenly appeared by my ivory. The owner of this chestnut was Edmundus. A delightful chap if you ask him. But he is far from that. A prosperous protector he is meant to be, but to me and any rank lower than me, he's a prosperous pain. "You're in your thoughts again Devon." Edmundus comments, his voice high and mighty. I glare at him in reply, wordless. That's how I stay. Never a word, unless I'm in a meeting with the king. Edmundus chuckles to himself "I should of known you still wouldn't speak." He turns his horse slightly to turn like the rest of our 50 men group. "But that gives me time to talk about the last feast I attended. The king was adamant that there was two of his Daggers there, but everyone could only see one. He must of been going crazy..." Edmundus continues. I resist the urge to grin as the other one was me, but I wasn't in my uniform. The king had specified for me to be out of uniform. That fiasco he created was fun to watch. All the knights were pointing out people who they thought could be the other Dagger. The other Dagger didn't even know I was there. It was for the king's protection to have one of us hidden within the crowd. But the fact it was always me, made it even better. He made me promise that I won't tell my secret, I couldn't say no. I have to keep it hidden because otherwise he would have no option but to kill me. Personally, I feel that he wouldn't be able to do it, but he never lies. The only reason I am here is because of a bet my father made with one of his friends when I was born. He reckoned I could get into the Daggers before his friend's son who was a year older than me, and he was right. I miss my father so much, but he died honorably in battle. The king confirmed that for me, because he was there at that battle. My father died protecting the king. Now, either I will die protecting the king, or the king will die protecting me...