Cards fluttered, one against the other; 52 in a row. Players began to study their hands. Sounds of a tired tavern--the strum of a lone lute, the soft murmur of debaucherous promises from painted mouths, and the faint clinks of glasses--did not distract the four men. A warm chuckle broke the tension that settled between the four of them. All eyes turned on a young gentleman, who folded his hand and smirked as if he had a terrible secret. 

 

“Your face gives you away, Col.” The dealer’s own mouth split into a drunken grin. Dannis had been a friend to Col longer than anyone else and he was familiar with his games. A long finger tapped the surface of their shared table. “Let’s begin.” 

 

“Explain how you play again.” A soft voice beckoned against Col’s ear. Her breath was warm; her perfume heavy. He turned his gaze upwards and before he could reach the pale blue of her eyes, his own fixated at the flesh nearly bursting from their brocade cage. The smile never faded from sight. 

 

“Well, dove, the objective is to have the least amount of points in your hand. The hearts make the points.” The stack of cards he held fanned out before her. Fingers plucked the two, seven, and ten of hearts away from the rest of his bank. With the cards turned face-down and slid to the player to his left, Col further clarified, “Since this is a game of tricks, one typically passes their worst cards to their opponents.” 

 

The girl leaned in and collected those that had been given to her patron. The eight of diamonds, the queen of spades, and the three of clubs--he added them to his hand. 

 

“The card you don’t want--” A hiccup interrupted the eldest of the four participating men. He waved over the barkeep for another round of whisky and continued, “--is the Black Lady.” 

 

The trollop grew confused. “The Black Lady?” 

 

“She is but a simple girl, my friend. Just watch, dove. It will come to you in time.” Col patted her thigh and motioned for the next round to begin. “The deuce leads.” 

 

Dannis threw the two of clubs. Each player followed with their own clover and the lead changed over to Col. The table grew quiet and the lute player struck his final chord; concentration was key now. Though, there was no threat of interruption. The tavern was no longer overpopulated and most of the frequenters had retired for the evening, save for these silent, scarce few. 

 

He chose the ace of diamonds. A resounding grunt came from the man to his right, who produced the nine of the same suit. 

 

“Must they match?” The girl wondered aloud. 

 

The dealer nodded, sliding his own diamond to meet its family. “Unless you don’t have one to match. You could easily ruin the game by playing a heart at a time like that.” 

 

In that moment, as if predicted, the last card set on top of the other three was a card painted with a large crimson ‘K.’ The king of hearts. Col’s jaw flexed, but his smile did not wane. Instead, he took the point graciously. 

 

“I thought you didn’t want points.” The girl had not caught the knack of the game. 

 

“A small sacrifice, I am afraid.” Col reassured her, selecting a spade to lead the next round. It seemed he had all, but forgotten the point gained from his rival over the next turns. Their hands dwindled and conversation turned to the happenings in the kingdom. 

 

“The minefields continue to produce resources a’plenty. We’ll not lack heat in the coming winter.” One man remarked, collecting his winning set with a swipe of his hand. 

 

Dannis gave a shrug of his shoulders, muttering under his breath, “That is if we can keep the workers from starting another campaign.” 

 

Tension lifted into the air. Col’s eyes locked with his friend’s and a brow raised with a question. “Another campaign, you say?” 

 

“As if you didn’t know.” Both he and the prostitute glanced to the man on their left, the one that had been attempting to lay waste to Col’s lead in the game. The girl’s skirt rustled as she pressed closer to her patron. Foul talk this was, indeed. 

 

“What are you accusing me of exactly?” Col inquired. The ace of hearts, along with matching four, six, and ten landed atop the table. The game halted in that moment. The player set down his hand and sneered. 

 

“You pretend like there is nothing going on. I know you Sables. Secretive, spineless--” 

 

A hiss between teeth sounded between at the table of five. The eyes of the dealer grew wide in shock. He reached over and pushed away the whisky-filled glass the man had been sipping on. 

 

“I think you have had enough.” 

 

“I’ll know when I’ve damn well had enough, Dannis.” The drunk stole the flagon once more, sloshing his drink on the front of his tunic. A loud gulp from his gullet announced the need for the next round and the barkeep returned with the bottle. “Let’s finish this game so I no longer have to sit at a table with another Sable deceiver.” 

 

Those around Col expected him to show signs of offense, but he remained as cool and collected as he had the entire night. The dimples that accompanied his boyish grin deepened. He had one card left in his hand and he had been waiting what seemed an eternity to play it. 

 

First came the set-up. The remaining six of diamonds was thrown onto the table. 

 

The girl cast her heavy-lidded gaze over her shoulder towards Col. She shifted in his lap and a lazy, enticing simper twisted her mouth upwards.  It was a promise of a night he would never forget. He barely paid attention as the two of spades entered the game; instead, his only focus was on the man who made the accusation that he and his family were nothing but liars. 

 

The glare exchanged from the inebriated player to Col was one that affirmed his hatred for the young man. His expression changed, however, when his last card was played. It was the king of diamonds. 

 

“Your game, your majesty.” He slurred, words tipped with enough hatred to make a courageous man recoil. Col was not that man. He beamed at his title being used and lifted his final card to the girl on his lap. 

 

“Do me the honor, my sweet?” 

 

She took it in hand and lowered it, face up, until its back met the trio that awaited the card’s descent. Depicted on the card was the face of Col’s queen mother: a beauty accentuated by the black swords at each side of her. The same twin spades illustrated beside the queen matched the stitching on his tunic, above his heart. The man to Col’s right gasped; Dannis hooted his laughter and his fist beat against the tabletop. 

 

“Is that--” The girl scanned the players. She twisted around, searching Col’s face. 

 

The man who had questioned the son of Sable growled, answering her before she could finish. “The Black Lady. You sonofabitch--” 

 

“Now,” Col lifted the girl from her seat. “You really shouldn’t speak like that in front of a lady. Have some decency.” 

 

“She’s a whore!” he countered. The grip on the thin whisky glass tightened and the remainder of the contents dumped onto his shirt, the cards, the floor. “It is so like you Sables to preach about decency when you cheat even at card games!” 

 

“Cheat?” Col balked, feigning insult with dramatic placement of his palm against his chest. “Cheat? Says the man who held that diamond all game when he should have played it in the second run. And you call me a liar. Tsk, tsk…” 

 

The legs of a chair skidded back against the tavern floor. The dealer, the prostitute, and other player jumped from their seats, falling back away from the clamor. Cards and glasses were thrown into the air as the table was flipped in the drunk’s fury, and a blade was produced from his hip.  

 

“You call me a liar? I’ll have your blood, spade!” 

 

He charged forward towards Col, who refused to move from his chair. The girl screamed and clapped her hands over her eyes. Col’s friends roared, darting from their place away from the commotion towards him. It was entirely too late. The knife sped down to meet Col’s chest. 

 

“Your majesty!” He didn’t know who called out to him and he didn’t much care. His jeering mouth taunted his assailant as the deathblow dropped. Instead, eyes shut as if he were accepting of this sudden death, his vision shrouded in darkness. 

 

As if conjured by his very mind, a reaper did appear. A cloak of ebon black whipped between Col’s two friends and booted feet bound over the broken table. Heels launched from the splintered remains of wood and the song of steel wailed, screaming through the air. Another blade produced into the fray and its swing rang true. It fell with divine precision; it pierced flesh, bit muscle, shaved bone in one fatal hack. 

 

A harrowing shriek of agony was the man’s only response. He fell to his knees before Col, but not before the knife intended to end the prince’s life clattered onto the ground along with the hand that had been holding it. Blood spurted from the stump that remained. The prostitute screamed, collapsing in a heap onto the floor. 

 

Col peered up towards his cloaked protector. There was no witty exchange; in fact, the guard remained silent as gloved fingers snagged in the tangle of the drunk’s hair. With his face upturned, he was forced to look upon Col. A murmur fell on the ears of the parties that witnessed the impromptu execution. 

 

“What crimes have been committed this eve will be forgotten in the passage of time. No one will recall your threat, your assault, or your treachery. No one will remember your name, as it will not mark an honorable grave. You have willingly chosen this path of disgrace and must fall by the sword in the name of the King. This is your punishment; this is your penance.” 

 

His eyes bulged from his head. A blubbering mouth opened, preparing to beg for mercy, but the plea never escaped. A silent slash opened his throat, followed by the choked gurgle of split veins and blood flooding the gaping hole at his neck. He dropped to the floor in a heavy thump and booted feet took to scooting backwards. Silence filled the tavern, save for the heavy breath of the trollop who gawked at the motionless body of the drunk. A strangled mewl came from her corner of the room, along with a thump. She’d fainted. 

 

“A fine time for you to come around. I thought my undoing was assured this time.” Col remained chipper, standing from his seat. He stepped over the corpse without a care. “Would you like a drink?” 

 

He rounded the bar and the eyes of his fellow card players followed him before facing the assassin once more. They were stunned when the soft timbre of a female voice found their ears. 

 

“You know I do not imbibe.” 

 

Col scoffed, lifting a small barrel from beneath the counter. He propped it on one hip and waved a flippant hand, dismissing her. “One night only? Come now.” 

 

She busied herself by dragging the flat side of her sword across her thigh, blood soaking into a trouser-clad leg. Sheathed once more, the hooded figure gave a shake of her head. 

 

“It is the code.” 

 

“Damn the code.” Col spat, rolling his eyes heavenward. “Can’t you simply dismiss the code for one solitary evening of fun?” 

 

Her back was already turned. Booted feet carried her back towards her place outside the tavern. She called over one shoulder, “The code is what kept that man from burying a blade in your heart, your majesty. One night of fun cannot replace the next king.” 

 

Col sighed as the door shut. Both Dannis and the other player couldn’t find the words to explain their wonder. It was a rarity--the sighting of the prince’s personal guard. They swiveled towards Col, who had already pried open the keg and began pouring large mugs of ale. 

 

“That... that was the Ace.” one man breathed, completely awestruck. 

 

“Indeed.” 

 

“And she is your sister?” Dannis inquired. Col grunted his reply. His backside found the bartop and he took a long swig of his beer. 

 

“That she is.” His dark eyes found their faces, agog and confounded. Col chuckled. “As if you hadn’t guessed that detail already with the death of our fine friend over there.” 

 

Dannis scanned the room once more, overturned by the confrontation. The woman had appeared like an unholy wraith, swift and quiet. It was undeniable that she was a trained enforcer of loyalty to the crown; the fact she had killed before was apparent. He swallowed and warily asked,  

“Should you not return to castle with Livv?” 

 

“And miss all the fun I have paid for?” Col finished off his last drink for the evening. A thumb jutted towards the whore that remained still on the floor. “I think not. Come on.” 

 

The three assembled around the girl by his order. Col gave a soft slap against her cheek, crooning towards the sleeping beauty as the others lifted her to her feet. She groaned and lashes fluttered open. Before she could utter a word, Col placed his forefinger to her painted mouth and he assured her all was well. “Let us retire, dove. Show the way?” 

 

With the prince in tow, the trollop stood and began to lead him towards the staircase to his preferred room. She ignored the body on the floor; she had royalty to please. 

 

The two men that remained knew they would need to clean up the mayhem caused by the altercation, but before Col disappeared from sight, Dannis called out, “What of the Ace, your majesty?” 

 

“Worry not.” He replied, slipping a hand up the girl’s skirt to give her rump a playful pinch. “She’s used to waiting. It’s the code, you know.”