Content Warning: Mild Violence

Sitting at a tavern bar, Aaliyah brings a glass of water to her lips. She observes the gathering of people over the rim of her glass. A chorus of loud laughter, music, and stories whispered like stolen secrets, entwined together to create a pleasant hum in the dimly lit space. But she was not there for merriment.

Her searching gaze finally landed on a particular man. Her lips twisted in disgust as she watched Benard wrap his hands around a drunk woman's waist. The woman smiled up at him and whispered something in his ear to which he grinned back. She either didn’t see the gold band around his ring finger or didn’t care. They both began to make their way to a separate hall and disappeared from her sight. 

“That scum” she whispered under her breath but Elias heard her. 

“He has it coming for him,” his angry voice added back. 

“Let’s hurry. I’d rather not bleach my eyeballs if I get there too late," Aaliyah grimaces and he lets out a soft chuckle.

They both got to their feet and began weaving through the dancing bodies. After turning into a hall, she caught the sight of Benard and the young women entering a room before it closed with a faint click. They quietly made their way to the room and stopped by the door.

“You got this?” Elias' rich voice softly asked. 

Aaliyah glanced up into his dark eyes that were shadowed by the hood of his cloak. She gave him a small nod before she pulled out a pin from her hair and expertly picked the lock to the room. It gave way and she grinned. She was just too good.

He gave a low whistle, “I’m impressed. I think that was quicker than last time,” Elias said, looking at Aaliyah in awe.

“Well, I am pretty motivated right now." She shuddered at the thought of Benard and the woman before she quickly reached for the door handle. 

Right before turning it, she glanced up at Elias. “Don’t slack off and keep watch,” she gave him a slow smile, “You can do that right?”

He gave her a deep bow. “Yes Princess, this lowly peasant won’t let you down.” 

She rolled her eyes. Right before she slipped through the door, she heard him softly say “Be careful.” Her heart warmed at hearing the care in his voice as she entered the room.

“Hey, we're busy!” a gruff voice said. It came from a bed across the room from her. Her eyes reluctantly went to the bed and she sent up a silent thanks they didn’t get far. The brunette-haired woman let out a small squeak as she hid behind Mr. Wickens.

“You there!” Aaliyah shouted at the woman who flinched on the bed. “That's my husband you're with.” 

She gasped, her face going red “I-I didn’t know—” 

“What do you mean you didn’t know?” she yelled at the brunette. “Are you blind? Did you not see the ring on his finger?” The woman would not meet her eyes as she got up from the bed. She pulled down her dress as she ran across the room.

That’s right. You better run shamefully away.

“Hey wait!” Benard called out to fleeing young women “I have no idea who this woman is!” But the brunette did not stop and after muttering a small apology to Aaliyah, she dashed out the door.

At least she apologized. 

Before he could get out another word, her quick feet made it across the room. She went to grab him but Benard was quick to twist away. He whipped out a dagger from his waist as his face twisted into a sneer. “Not so fast you lying wretch”.

Aaliyah’s heart started to quicken its pace. Her vision grew sharper as her mind cleared; she was unbothered by the sight of the curved knife.

She threw Benard a grin of her own as she waited for him to make the first move. “Be careful or you will hurt yourself with that little toy,” she tossed out at him, hoping to irritate him. With the way his nostrils flared, she knew she hit a nerve. Her grin spread wider.

“You won’t be smiling for a long, stupid girl. I will make sure you regret interrupting me” he spat out, as he watched her like a hawk.

“The only thing I will regret is having to look at your ghastly face.” She gasped in horror, “Please spare me such cruelty.” 

He snarled as he blindly lunged at her, his anger made him careless and easy to read. Aaliyah was prepared, her body twisted out of the way. She stuck out her foot causing him to stumble. 

Before he could recover, she grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. She twisted his thumb before she heard a satisfying crunch. Benard let out a sharp gasp and dropped his knife. It clattered to the wooden floor. 

She twisted his arm more until he let out a shout of pain. Aaliyah proceeded to kick the back of his knees, causing him to fall on them. She brought her dagger to his throat. 

“You disappoint me, I thought you would put up a better fight.” She dug her nails into his arm, “Now, you will tell me what I want to know." She put pressure on her dagger, "That is if you don't want a slow painful death."

Benard spat at the ground. “I don’t know what you are talking about," he growled.

She let out a long sigh. "No one will hear your screams in this loud tavern." She shook her head at him, even though he couldn't see her. “I tried to be nice,” she said before breaking his arm.

He screamed, his voice filling the room before he slammed his mouth shut. Groaning in pain, he she sent a flurry of curses at her, one more vile than the next. She couldn't blame him.

“This will only get more painful, so I advise you to comply.” She paused before asking her first question, “Four years ago, the Tesfayes and Prime Minister Steel got poisoned. The Vicarios were charged with the murder. However, they were framed.” Her voice got colder, “You will tell me your part in all this” 

The man stilled. The pulse on his wrist jumped at her words before Benard relaxed. He let out a small laugh. “Do you really believe I had anything to do with that?” he shook his head, “The case was closed a while ago. And as you said, the investigators found the…poisoned wine belonging to the Vicarios. They…alone worked to assassinate Mr Steel and the Tesfayes.”

Aaliyah knew this already. But she had felt the almost imperceptible stillness that had taken over his body. She noticed the way his voice slightly got higher and the odd pauses in his speech. 

He was hiding something.

“Do not take me for a fool,” she tightened her grip on his broken arm causing him to tense up. “I wouldn't have asked you that question if I believed such things.”

“Try girl, I won’t tell you anything.”

So there was something to tell. 

She didn’t know whether to be happy or furious at what he was implying. Though the latter won out. She had to convince him to speak by whatever means necessary.

She had to make him believe he was going to die. “Fine. If you want to be sent to an early grave, be my guest,” she said and pressed her blade against his throat, eliciting a slight hiss from his lips.

“You’re bluffing,” said Benard. 

“Are you truly going to gamble your life on that?”

“I’m a gambler, I know when to call someone's bluff.”

That was news to Aaliyah. Benard never gambled when he had worked for her family. Or at least she never thought he did.

“I’m not bluffing,” she said curtly, her words backed up by her knife breaking his skin. A bead of blood dribbled down his neck. Benard clenched his jaw but still, he didn't speak. Not even to beg for his life.

Maybe I'm wrong? But why won’t he protest?

She put more pressure on her knife and sweat began forming on his face. His neck began to be coated with blood.  

Oh, come on! Please just spit it out before I really do kill you.

Her knife kept going. Aaliyah willed her hands to not shake, she willed herself not to blanch at the sticky warm of his blood on her gloved hands. Willed herself not to puke on the scent of the coppery blood that filled her senses.

She didn’t think she could go any further. But...she had to. She couldn't stop until he broke and told her what she wanted to know.

Come on, come on, come on, come—

“Stop!” Benard gasped out. “I-I will tell you, just don't kill me."

Aaliayh had to stop herself from sagging to the floor.

Thank God I didn’t have to kill someone again.