Back to ze past

Yuki kissed her hand gently. "Custom yes, but I prefer to go against customs." He smirked, the lady would never know how true that statment was.

---

Elizabeth sighed. "yeah I guess but Shade, its horrid to watch. She gently touched his arm, watching as he crushed whatever he crushed.

"Powerful poison. Deadroot and hemlock crushed in equal amounts. Quick but painful death almost instantly after intake. No taste." He said and shook his head.
"You know I have no influence with the King or his guards. I can do nothing for him." He frowned deeply. "Neither can you."

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"But my lord! Surely there is a line between avoiding customs and causing a scandal!" She objected, horrified. "Does no one here catch your eye?" How subtle. She could have scowled.

"I hate not being able to do anything. Couldn't we just stab him in the neck as he slept?" Elizabeth asked.

---

"No-one here." Yuki said honestly. "Only good compony and simple pleasures."

"My dear, he's the king. I will hear no words of trason in these chambers" He scolded lightly. "He owns the fool, paid with money from his own pocket. We are not to interfere in any case unless ordered so by the king," He rose an eyebrow at her. "And I'm not sure we'll get the order for this one,"

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Celerity's nostrils flared. "Is that so?" She asked icily, mood having taken a violent swing. "Is reputation nothing to you? Or is your home so rude to ladies?" She asked, spun around and stalked away.

Elizabthe jumped to her feet. "I can't stand here and listen to you say that. The fools a person like everyone else!"

----

Yuki laughed loudly.

"So he is, so he is. Sit down before you break something" He said and stood up to pack away the newly made poison in his well sorted box. "But to go against the King would be to become even more useless to any cause we may work towards. No profit in that for an old Assasin and his apprentice," He sat back down. "And I will not see you hung for being overly friendly"

"You wont see me hung at all." Elizabeth said. "I'm planning on asking the foriner if he'd be willing to take me back with him."

There was a long pause between them as the asassin contemplated that. "You would so easily forsake your loyalty to both me and your kingdom?" He asked finally, looking her straight in the eyes.

Elizabeth glanced away, unable to hold his gaze. "I am just an apprentice after all and just step-daughter to the king. I forsake no-one."


He didn't reply, rebuking her with silence. After another rather heavy pause, he pushed a note at her. "Until that day, you are still my apprentice, and still under my instruction. I want the herbs restocking in the correct order." His eyes twinkled. he'd forgiven her. "I must say, it will be a shame for you to leave. You've shown such an aptitude for this line of work. I'll hate to replace you with a lesser though." he grumbled.

Elizabeth smiled softly and took the note. "I'm sure you'll be able to handle, after all, I was the biggest handful you've ever had."

He grinned. "Nothing like a challenge to keep an old man young" He said with a mock sigh. "Do be careful, I know nothing of this foreigner. I'm sure you can handle any trouble by yourself but I'm not entirely comfortable with it" He admitted. "Be on your guard and don't get your hopes up"

Elizabeth gave him a look. "And stop calling yourself old, your not old." She touched his face tenderly before walking over to begin her sorting of the herbs. "Just scarred and seen more than any man should."

He frowned and rubbed his cheek, vaguely remembering he needed to shave. "You know, you would have been tied to the same life I'm leading. maybe it's best for you to find something more... credible to your social aspects"

Elizabeth sighed, keeping her eyes down. "I would have loved to live the life you lead but I can't be under the ruling of this king. His eyes always watching me. His hands itching to touch and besides, I'm nothing but a lady, no good for anything but birthing and entering the bed chamber."

"I disagree. ave you seen the tapestry on the fifth floor? What an artwork!" He said cheerfully, chuckling at her expression. "Maybe the life of a 'lady' isn't for everyone." He conceded.

She cast him a glare. "your as bad as he is." She said acidly, though her voice was soft. "I can't stay here any longer, but I feel myself regretful to leave you."

"What happens, happens" He said. "Doesn't make me like it either though. You know how hard it is for someone with my social abilities to approach people?" He laughed. "Oh well" He guestured to the cabinet behind him. "If you're leaving, I have a small amount of coins you may need. Keep you going in any case. I want you to take your poison satchel too. And at the very least, a knife." He said and crossed his arms over his chest.

Sighing she walked over to him and grabbed his arms. "I don't need anything. I can learn to live on my own." She glanced up at him. "Come with me."

"no. No. I cannot simply leave this position, you should understand that. There has to be another after me and I'm not about to commit my secrets to paper." he said, moving away from her. "No, I have to stay here. It may be grisley work but someone has to do it."

"Can't I make you reconicer?" Elizabeth asked, her voice soft.

He smiled but shook his head. "I am sworn to serve the windser line, no matter what. Oaths are heavy things." he said lowly. "even that sounds like treason," he added with a chuckle.

Elizabeth looked away and bit her lip.

Shade looked unimpressed but didn't break the silence, instead tidying his table and removing all traces of the poison from the surface.

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Staggering upright, taro moved as quickly as this fresh beating allowed, using the shadows to conceal himself as he slipped from the castle Into the relatively deserted gardens, holding a hand to his face, where he knew an artwork of bruises were appearing. He smiled wistfully and thanked the night foe it's cover of darkness.

(is using iPod to write )

((Poor you man. Hey, so is Sadi gay or what?))

"Please Shade." Elizabeth begged, grabbing onto his arm. "Come with me. Leave Henry"

---

Yuki looked up, his face one of curiousity. A fellow man out this late? "Good Morrow... Or night rather." Yuki said, frowning

Taro smiled vaguely, striking a pose. He managed to cover how much that cost him by bowing suddenly, hiding his face.

"And a night to you, lord," he said and rose his face, smirking lightly. He then leapt towards yuki and pranced around him.

"If the shoe does not fit, one should not wear it!" he proclaimed, stopping suddenly in his tracks.

"True words that." Yuki said, clearing his throat. "My, your not a fool at all, but rather a poet in desguise correct?"

---

"I'm currently next in line." Elizabeth pressed on. "So you'll continue serving the line by coming with me and escaping this place."

"I'm not so sure. It is to the king that I am sworn." he said but didn't disguise that he was considering it.

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"tis no poem!" he said, shaking his head as if scandalized. "no, the plain truth. One I think you should heed, oh lord." he said and tapped his nose. "but maybe I am but a fool, nothing to note from this nonsense"

"Come." Elizabeth said, letting her hands run down his arm to hold the older mans hands, she tried to lead him out. "We could be gone before the sun raises and no-one would know the better."

---

Yuki frowned. "You know more than you let on, those eyes do tell and those words to hint. Tell me Fool, your brusies, who was it that gave them to you?"

The fool's smile widened. "Ah, a noble should fuss only of their own behinds, not the slaves." He said, wagging a finger at Yuki before turning to his scepter and addressing the stuffed animal head on the top. "Asks too many questions for a pomous noble. Ah, how unfitting! A fool partakes in foolishness, therin lie the intrices!" He said and managed to dance around Yuki and tap his shoulder.
"Rat-a-tat-tat, the cat smells a rat!" He sang and turned to leave.

Yuki reached out and grabbed the fools arm. "Your different."

Taro winced heavily before masking his face in another wide grin. "Ah, ah." He said, poking Yuki's nose with his free hand. "Nobles, always excluding others. Oh, cruel fate, save this thick skulled one!" He proclaimed, raising his arm to the sky. "Now, release me, oh stinking rodent" He said and poked out his tongue.

"I'll let you in on a secret." Yuki said, glancing around and leaning in closer to the fool. "But you must promise to tell me what I want to know in return."

The fool shot Yuki a sideways glance, eyes narrowed. "Asking questions of a fool may reap no rewards" He warned, waggling his finger before Yuki's eyes.

"Why a rat?" Yuki asked

"Why a fool?" He asked, beaming. "Hurting my arm is getting you nowhere" He pointed out cooly, smile still present.

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Shade planted his feet firmly on the floor. "Do you truly understand what you're asking of me?" He asked, glancing around the room. "I am indisposable, there is no other to take my place. I do not think this idea wise. For centuried there has always been one in my position, it is vital to the kingdom."