Faust

In the kitchen of the royal palace helping prepare for the banquet later in the day I was cursing my luck while peeling garlic. I was supposed to be done for the day after leaving my report for the devil in its usual spot but then I noticed something that made my heart drop. A handkerchief on top of a desk in an abandoned house. If the devil had no job for me there would be no handkerchief and I would simply place my report in a hidden drawer if there was a handkerchief then I had another job to do. I remembered opening the hidden drawer and seeing the letter that simply said.

“Pretend to assassinate the second prince Sylvain and make it look real. You cannot refuse.”

I threw the garlic in a bowl thinking that I would prefer to kill the beast rather than pretend to do so and prepared to peel potatoes when someone came up to him and ruffled my hair.

“I know you only come here when you need money Russ so I will not badger you but think about becoming a chef's apprentice you have more skills in the kitchen than any other scullion.” A rosy-cheeked mustachioed man said from behind.

I grabbed a potato and began peeling with a knife. “I-I don’t think I’m ready for that Chef Rocko.”

Mustache sighed and ruffled my hair again. “I told you I won’t badger so I won’t say anything more, but if you ever change your mind just let me know I can find you someone reliable for you to apprentice under Russ.”

“T-Thank you Chef I will remember your words.”

Mustache smiled and got back to his work stuffing a turkey I watched him and lamented in my heart.

You are too kind mustache. If anything goes wrong today I will make sure that you are not caught up in my mess.

Mustache is the man who gives me scullion work whenever I ask for it. I feared what would happen to mustache if I were discovered to be the assassin but now that I have come this far I cannot stop.

I need to finish his work quickly to explore the castle and find the room where the beast would visit. The former room of a girl named Brigette. I recalled that it was the same name as the girl that was with the dutiful princess and figured that they may be the same.

I found out where the beast would be from palace gossip as, if there was one thing that all the palace servants had in common it was their love of gossip and rumors. I did not have to try so hard to find the information as all the staff that was with the steward Wes in the main hall heard the beast tell him that he would go to Brigette’s old room. The gossip spread fast and eventually found its way into my ears when a fellow scullion told me about all the gossip he heard throughout the day. I heard a particularly pleasing rumor that the monstrous geezer was beaten by a woman though I did not quite believe the rumor I figured there was a grain of truth in it like all rumors so surely something must have happened for people to say that the monstrous geezer was beaten.

Finished peeling potatoes I noticed that the food carts were being sent out of the kitchen which meant the banquet was starting and I was running out of time to pretend to assassinate the beast.

The beast is arrogant he will not show up early but late to show that he does not care about the banquet and to draw attention to himself. This is also why I know he will be in Brigette’s room around this time. He will follow through with his provocation to the old steward but do so when he cannot be caught which is during the banquet where everyone will be gathered. If I cannot catch him in Brigette’s room I will have to be bolder and face him and his two knights head on which could still work as long as the beast knows he is the target though I will not get the satisfaction of hurting him and it will be more difficult to escape especially if the royal knights are nearby.

I stood up to look for something to do and decided to wash utensils when I saw the old steward enter the kitchen. He gave instructions and tasted food for about an hour then he clapped his hand bringing everyone together.

I need to leave soon whatever it is that the old steward has to say hopefully it will be over quickly.

“Good work today everybody! I know how difficult and hectic this day has been and I appreciate your hard work and perseverance in dealing with some of our more troublesome guests. So, to show my appreciation I will make sure that all wages are doubled for the day!” If I were a real scullion I would have been overjoyed by the old steward’s announcement but looking at the lack of enthusiasm around me perhaps not.

The old steward must have noticed the lack of enthusiasm so he made another announcement “If you do not want double wages then I will allow those that wish to leave and finish for the day to do so.”

Yes! The old steward has given me the perfect excuse to leave, and it looks like I won't be the only one choosing to leave so I can just mingle with them and if my luck has changed for the better then someone will know where Brigette’s old room is.

Before I left I waved goodbye to mustache to which he gave a half-smile and a shake of his head. Leaving through the back door of the kitchen with the scullions and waiters he figured it was time to ask if they knew where Brigette’s old room was.

“Steward Wes is so nice letting us leave early,” I said aloud.

“Yes, it's exhausting dealing with so many people especially nobles.” Said a waiter.

“Fortunately, I stayed in the kitchen and didn’t have to deal with any of them. Especially the second prince I hear a lot of bad rumors about him.” I responded.

“It’s true I was with steward Wes in the main hall receiving guests. When the second prince entered I thought there was going to be a fight, but steward Wes was able to stop it from happening,”

“Wow! I hear that steward Wes and the second prince don’t like each other does anyone know why?”

I was about to speak but something I heard next made me pause.

“People don’t like to talk about it, but the rumor is that he did something to steward Wes’s daughter Brigette.” A girl who looked to be a maid whispered.

Brigette is the old steward’s daughter! How did I not know about this? That must be why the beast told him he would be going to her old room. Now I am sure that is where he will be. His simple cruelty is even easier to predict than his arrogance.

“Is that why the second prince told steward Wes that he was going to Brigette’s old room? I asked no one in particular.

“Yes! He was trying to anger steward Wes!”

“Does anyone know where Brigette’s old room is?” I finally asked.

An older woman seemed to be thinking about it. “If I recall it is on the second floor right next to Princess Alexandria’s room since they were born around the same time they grew up as sisters!

That is all I needed to know! All the royal sibling’s rooms have their names engraved on a plaque on their door.

“Fascinating! As sisters? can you tell us more?” Someone asked the older woman.

Soon the group was so engrossed in gossiping amongst themselves that they did not notice me slipping away when I spotted a flight of stairs.

The majority of the knights and guards will be downstairs so I should not have too much trouble finding Brigette’s old room.

I pulled out a folded piece of long dark cloth from my trousers and started wrapping it around my head leaving only my eyes visible. I encountered a pair of guards patrolling but I was easily able to avoid their notice as they were jokingly speaking to each other not paying attention to their surroundings. After avoiding them I found a room with the name “Bertrand” engraved on a plaque. I continued searching and eventually found a room at the end of a hall with the name “Alexandria” engraved on a plaque. I went to the room next to it and slowly opened the door and saw no one inside. I stepped in and took a look around.

It was in good condition most likely cleaned regularly. I saw that the bed was undisturbed, so it was likely no one had been inside today. I walked up to a desk and took a look inside some drawers and found paints, charcoal, paper, and brushes. Brigette is an artist or at least she was when she was younger. Closing the drawer, I looked out the single window and saw jagged edges alongside the palace wall. My curiosity indulged I decided to find a hiding spot I saw a closet to hide in but decided it was too small so instead I pulled my dagger from my boot and hid underneath the bed waiting.

I can just cut him up a bit but perhaps that is too easy. I can give him a matching scar on the left side of his face, but the symmetry may improve his features. I will settle for a stab to the abdomen if he gets it treated in time then it will not be fatal. Now how will I escape? I can break the window and climb down but that would take too long and would make escape difficult. The beast will have two knights with him, but I am confident I can escape from them if they focus on saving the beast.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity he heard footsteps and then voices coming from behind the door.

“You two stay here. I will not take long then we’ll head to the banquet.”

I held my breath in anticipation and watched what little I could from underneath the bed.

Creak! The beast stepped inside closed the door and his boots stood still for a moment. The beast took a deep breath and then walked to the closest opened it and pulled what I assumed to be a dress out. Sniff! The beast sniffed and then exhaled in pleasure.

He walked up to the bed and sat down. “Brigette one day I will take you back.” He said and sniffed the dress he retrieved out of the closet.

Now while he is distracted doing whatever it is he is doing.

I crawled backward as silently as I could dagger in hand. When I got out I slowly rose and saw that the beasts’ eyes closed a white dress to his face sniffing. I waited until the beast moved the dress away from his face away a bit.

Before I pretend to kill him I should get some information out of him first.

Now crouching I saw the beast remove the dress from his face, so I quickly stood up snaked out my left hand to cover the beast’s mouth, and dragged him closer to me then with the dagger in my right hand I flicked the dress away and placed the dagger on his throat.

“Your knights are going to be curious about the commotion. Tell them it's fine, or I slice your throat. Blink if you understand.” I lowered the pitch of my voice and whispered.

The Beast blinked.

“Prince Sylvain is everything alright?” Came a voice from outside the room.

I moved my left hand from the beast’s mouth to his shoulder but pushed the edge of my dagger to his throat drawing a thin line of blood.

“I’m fine I just had the urge to hop on the bed I will be out in 5 minutes!

He gave me a time limit. clever.

“If I’m not out in 5 minutes they will come in. You do not want me dead or else you would have killed me. Tell me what do want.” He said in a hurried whisper.

“You have been raising an army. Why?”

“How did you know that? who ar- “

Russ pushed his dagger to his throat drawing a bit more blood.

“In case I need to defend myself from my sister Alexandria!”

“You plan on fighting your sister for the throne?”

“No! I will be defending my position! Bertrand refused the throne so I’m next in line, but I know Alexandria will want to take it from me. She takes everything from me!” He whispered angrily.”

He is not wrong he is next in line since the fool is a fool, so the dutiful princess is the usurper, but the beast is not fit to be a king.

“What if your father chooses Alexandria as his heir will you still fight her?”

“Why would he do that? I am next in line. There is no reason for him to do so. But even if she were chosen as his heir I would fight her to take back what is mine!”

“Last question. Who is currently supporting you?

“I-I will not say!”

So, there is a spine in him Afterall.

I drew a thin line of blood from the beast’s throat to his chest holding the dagger over his heart.

“The majority of the nobles from the Vesterwood earldom and my Sagittarii duchy!

Two of the biggest territories in the Kingdom that is enough.

“So, what now?” The beast asked.

“Now you die!” I said lowering the dagger to the beast’s abdomen and stabbing him.

‘GAHHHHH!” The beast screamed and attempted to stand up as I held him and the dagger in place.

The two knights threw the door open and when they saw the situation drew their swords stepping inside.

“Don’t move and listen,” I said standing, still holding the beast in place twisting the dagger a little for effect making the beast scream again.

‘GAHHHHH!”

The knights stopped unsure of what to do.

“Here’s what we’re going to do, you two will step outside and I will follow I will give you your prince and you will not pursue me when I leave because if you do, your prince will bleed out and die. Now step outside if you understand.”

The knights glared at me and stepped outside reluctantly. I followed the beast in tow. I got a respectable distance away from the knights then pulled the dagger off and kicked the prince sending him hurling to a knight. I quickly turned around and ran the other knight followed in pursuit of me.

I knew they would not listen, but he is wearing plated armor can easily lose him.

“Assassin! Assassin! Assassin!” The knight in pursuit bellowed.

I weaved through frightened palace servants and evaded knights and guards that heard my pursuer’s bellow. I made it downstairs grabbed a vase and ran until I spotted a window and threw the vase breaking the window. I jumped out and ran not looking back at my pursuers.

The devil gave me a difficult job today! I have done enough for him he must let me go now! But then I thought that after every job.