I move with precision under the cold, silver glow of the half moon. The air is thick with tension around me. My people move through the forest like silent jaguars, blending with the darkness. A group of rowdy, intoxicated figures huddles together in the clearing. Their little bonfire illuminates their shadows, stretching like vile creatures that they are. We move so as not to be noticed by them. We want to catch them by surprise. They are clad in tattered armour that glints faintly. My team is centred in position awaiting my command. The first shadow warrior grips his long sword and takes out the night watch guy. Without warning, we surround them. 

I did my research extensively to know who their team leader is. No one is living here alive, not them at least. Within seconds, they are subdued, each caught in the trap they didn't know was laid out for them.

My right-hand man drags their group leader forward. He is thrashing against him, too afraid to stare death in its eyes. This is what they signed up for when they took that job. They shouldn't have. The moment they did, they had signed their own death warrants. 

I don't let him speak his final peace, anything that comes out of his mouth will only enrage me further. I might go after their next of kin if that were to happen, but it's a lot of work that I don't want to involve myself in.

My sword, already covered in blood, glints under the glow of the half moon. Without warning, I lunge, swift and silent, driving the sword forward with lethal precision. The blade plunges and pierces the figure's chest, a sickening crunch of metal through bone and flesh echoing in the stillness. He gasps, shock evident in his eyes. He wasn't expecting the person in front of him to plunge the sword. His body arches as blood blooms dark and wet across the clearing, gleaming black in the moonlight.

He stuggers back, clutching the blade, instinctively, fingers slipping on the blade, before collapsing on his knees. The moon watches from a distance, unyielding, casting long shadows as his life fades into the night, my sword still buried deep, its hilt stark against the pale glow.

"Your highness, we have located the request that was given to them as well as the gold they were given in payment."

MarryAnn, my third in command, brings the letter as well as a chest full of gold. The sheer fact that he had to try to execute this infuriates me to no end.

"It seems my brother, the crowned prince, has been having too much time on his hands to orchestrate this."

"MarryAnn, you and Douglas handle the clean up, I trust you won't get sidetracked."

Honestly, I wouldn't put it past them to actually forget to do the clean up and end up doing God knows what with each other. I like them, but they are stupidly madly in love with each other. Anyway, they are my most trusted, loyal people.

"Your highness, please tell me you are not going to meet him dressed like that?"

"What? What's wrong with the way that I'm dressed?"

Douglas and MaryAnn both give me the 'are you serious look.' So do the other warriors.

"I don't mean to overstep my boundaries, but you look like a murderer. You're gonna give the kid a heart attack for crying out loud."

"Dougie, too much."

They look at each other in their lovey-dovey way. Is that how everyone behaves when they are with their person? 

"Fine, I'll change."

If it were anyone else, I wouldn't have considered changing, but since I'm going to see him, I'll have to look my best.  

I remember it like it was just yesterday. It was the day my nickname stuck with me. I didn't even know what he looked like. I had heard rumors about him from people, but I knew people always exaggerate. What I didn't get from the rumors was his looks, his smile, and the way his eyes shone. When he gets angry, it drives me insane, it's like a little cat, cute. I never got too close to him, I was afraid he'd be repulsed by me, given my public image, but no. The first time we shook hands, I knew right then and there, I was going to make him my wifey. The first people I told this to were Douglas and MaryAnn, who supported me, and of course, my soldiers knew it since those two couldn't keep quiet.