"My father has made me attend a few…meetings…" I say curiously, i mean hating me is one thing, but not noticing me?

Caitlin had successfully removed herself from the situation in the garden, she quickly made her way back to the designated meeting place. She cursed herself because she was now 43.5 seconds late as she entered the room ready to accept her task. Looking around the room she realized it was empty so she decided to stand at the ready for whoever was hoping to hire her.

Morana blushed. She'd never been to one of those meetings. The few times she'd been in their presence was to be told what she was supposed to do and how she would go about it. She was little more than an errand girl, delivering messages, distracting the Templar's enemies and occasionally murdering some hapless soul. A dirty gypsy girl had nothing to do with those that wrestled with plots that encompassed entire nations. In truth, when she died, probably very few people would even realize that she was gone.

"When I'm brought before the others... I rarely even look up," she admitted, staring down at her teal blue painted toenails for a brief moment, "and I'm there for such a short time, just to be given my instructions. You'll forgive me if I didn't notice you there. I'm not supposed to know the faces or names of most high..."

One of the many people in the crowd came close by and Morana didn't wish to use the word "Templars" where it could be overheard. The swarthy portly man seemingly was looking with interest at the pair, probably wondering what two young women were doing unsupervised by men. When he noticed Morana's eyes on him, however fleetingly, he shirked away. Some sort of spy or just some creepy man with sick appetites?

"...of the more important members of the guild if you understand my meaning my lady."

"It doesn't matter, I don't pay much attention to the meetings unless they talk directly to me…Its kind of pointless"

By all that was holy, the girl wanted nothing more than to be a trophy wife. It made Morana sick.

"That's the stuff of kings, the fate of the world being decided," Morana replied in a harsh whisper, "If you pay attention you might at least have a say in which husband you'll have."

That was something she'd probably never know. Her virginity was long gone and she'd likely never be married. With luck, she'd live out her final days as a spinster in some Templar noble's household washing floors until her back gave out. With ill luck she'd be lying in a ditch inside of a year with a dagger in her spine.

I smile and walk behind you "Husband? Have you met my dad? The only way he would want me to get married is if he was dead…and I don't get to decide, everything is decided for me…"

"He'll trade you for power," Morana argued, turning from her sidelong stance to face Ashley directly, "which is why you need to be smart. If he trusts your judgement, your input, if he thinks you're ruthless then you might be able to sway his opinion."

Morana winced as she realized how dangerous this was getting. If Ashley repeated any of this to her father then Morana would likely be whipped.

"Madre de dios," she added, "batting your eyelashes at your father will only work for a few more years."

"You are right…but maybe you shouldn't be so loud around other people…don't want them telling my father what you say…" I say looking around, Realizing if i don't tell, i may have a slight ally if they try killing her.

Alice strummed away on her lute as she walked through the market, she had a pseudo-jovial smile on her face as she greeted passersby with a bow of her head. She wasn't exactly the least noticeable, standing at a staggering 6' even with raven black hair that fell to the small of her back. The lute was also abit of a giveaway, but as a bard she felt obliged to carry it everywhere she went to entertain anyone who needed it. (Props to whoever catches the Portal 2 reference here.)

'Exile...it takes your mind...again
Exile...it takes your mind...again
You got sucker's luck...
Have you given up'

She sang out in the middle of the crowded market place, strumming her lute as she sang. She was fairly popular, mostly in the taverns, so to have a crowd, even a small crowd, gather around her in the marketplace was something that made her smile. She continued her song, smiling brightly as a small crowd gathered around her to hear her singing.

(Intro post is shit, but eh. Did the best I could do under a lack of sleep.)

Morana blushed. Stupid girl. It would serve her right to get married to some bloated pustule ridden piece of filth. The girl had no idea how good she had it.

"Uh yeah," Morana agreed, reminding herself that she really needed to keep her gypsy temper in check, "You're absolutely right."

Oh goodness. Could she screw this up anymore. Why couldn't she keep her own mouth shut?

"I... uh... really need to get back to work..."

I smile and walk away, towards the castle, on the way i buy some bread and some apples and walk into an alleyway, giving a small group of young children the food, and continue on my way. I walk towards the castle...

Caitlin grew worried as she continued to wait for her possible employer, she figured that even if they didn't show up she would stick around Hemparin. The city made her feel nostalgic and for someone with very few memories nostalgia was a rare feeling.

A young woman had begun strumming a lute, a tall woman, by far taller than Morana was by at least a head. Morana floated closer, moving lightly on her bare feet. She hummed softly, picking up the girl's tune. Morana took a look at the girl's visage, compared it to several drawings she'd been looking through earlier. She didn't recognize the girl as one of the known operatives of the Assassin Order and thus dismissed her and could then concentrate on enjoying the music.

Moving closer Morana swayed gracefully, her legs moving to the rhythm. Her hips began to sway and her arms fluttered through the air.. Since the song was rather slow paced she kept her movements slow, matching the pacing.

"How about stepping it up?" she whispered askance, "Coins fall more readily to happier songs."

A servant entered the room, "My master apologizes for no being here, here is information on the job you were hired for." He handed her a thick envelope, "My master trusts that this will be kept secret, personally I hope you are as good as they say, no one has found this particular item yet or survived as far as I can tell." Caitlin grinned "Tell your master no to worry, if there is anyone who can find what you are looking for its me, as long as it exists... it does exist, right?" The servant chuckled "For your sake, I hope so." Caitlin opened her mouth to respond but the servant had vanished. She sighed, this was not her first mysterious mission but it was still annoying.

I walk into the castle and notice one the servants leaving a room, i peek through the key hole wondering whats going on.

Caitlin examined the envelope's outside but she was hesitant to open it, she decided to wait until she made it back to her inn room, the last thing she wanted was to expose this important and possibly secret information. Caitlin gripped the envelope tightly and went to leave the room, only to find someone who had obviously been spying. "Um...hello?"

Alice smiled softly and slowly increased her tempo and pitch, keeping silent as she just strummed away, a jovial rhythm ringing out. She didn't sing, nor hum. She just kept strumming as she watched the beautiful gypsy woman dance infront of her. She smiled and replied gleefully, "Because I don't need coin to do what I do here. It's satisfying to just see people listening all at once to something other than a royal speech." She clearly didn't care about gold, nor popularity for that matter, so she played whatever was on her mind, and watching the gypsy woman dance made her start playing a relaxing, yet mysterious rhythm, working her fingers expertly along the neck of her lute.

Morana began to accelerate her movements, feeling the rhythm in the music inside her bones. Swaying and moving her legs she moved sinuously. While her bare feet slapped the cobblestone she used the time to think. A minstrel unconcerned with money? That nearly boggled Morana's mind. As a gypsy she had travelled in exactly such a fashion, from town to town, with her people. They were greatly concerned with coin. Boots needed mending, clothes needed darning, and a thousand other small details. Even taking a bath cost coin. Certainly a wandering troubadour received free food and lodging at inns but those small details were expensive. What happened when her lute needed to be stringed or replaced? No, she'd never heard of a minstrel that turned down coin. This made Morana wary. Maybe the girl had a wealthy patron, maybe she was another spoiled daughter of a noble house with too much time on her hands?

"Oh, um…hi, was just wondering why one of the servants would leave a room scared to death…" I say, not slowing down or speeding up, so it seems as i am not lying.

"Oh, I didn't realize I was that scary." Caitlin joked and held out a hand. "My name is Caitlin, it's nice to meet to meet you."