Quote Queste

Miss Melody Muffin of The Splendor Falls on Castle Walls has introduced a link-up that looks quite enjoyable:)

You can read more about it on her blog (link above), but it appears that she will post a quote/prompt every month, and we are to write a scene based thereupon.  Sounds fun, no?:)  I'd like to give it a try.

The first prompt is:  "It's too early in the day for killing princes."

Here's my attempt, such as it is (and it's not very good, I warn you in advance) :


"It's too early in the day for killing princes," grumbled Alejandro. 

"Nonsense," Rhiannon replied.  "It's never too early for killing princes.  Besides, who said we're going to kill him?  All I told you was that we've been employed to…delay this prince."

Alejandro snorted from the patch of clover on which he was most comfortably reposing.  "Yeah, but you overlook one tiny little detail when you try to keep secrets from me."

"Which is?"

"I know you, Rhiannon.  You wouldn't in a million years go anywhere near a prince unless you were being paid to take him out."

Rhiannon stiffened.  "Are you insinuating," she asked testily, "that I am a common assassin?"

Alejandro threw up his hands in mock horror.  "Perish the thought!" he cried dramatically.  "A woman whose hobbies include sharpening her daggers every night for two hours, after decimating small trees in her "target practice" - why on earth would I insinuate that such a woman was an assassin?"

"Someday your cocky little attitude will get you into trouble, Alejandro, and when it does, I'll sit back and enjoy the view."  It was a weak comeback, and Rhiannon knew it, but right now she had more important things to do than trouble herself over her companion's utter lack of maturity.

Rhiannon turned her head to survey the plains below.  She and Alejandro were positioned on an outcropping that strategically hid them from the view of any cautious travelers on the small dirt path at the base of the mountain.  No sign of the royal and his convoy, as of yet, but Rhiannon could wait.  Years of practice had at last enabled her to control her impatience, though Alejandro had yet to perfect the fine art of waiting for the prey to stumble into the trap.

"So who's the lucky guy whose funeral we intend to initiate?"  Alejandro asked, in a tone of poorly concealed boredom.

"For the last time, I never said we were going to kill him.  Should circumstances force us to that course of action, it would naturally be regrettable, but - "

Another snort from Alejandro.  "Circumstances meaning a better payment offer, I suppose."

Rhiannon shot a freezing look at the short, rotund man whom some cruel twist of fate had tricked her into employing as a team mate.  "Alejandro, I have rarely asked a favor of you, but I must ask one now."

"What's that?"

"Kindly shut your blathering trap.  If you really want to know the situation, I'll tell you, but I haven't time for your smart-alecky comments."

Alejandro extended his hands in a comical display of feigned supplication.  "Your wish is my command.  Not another word of sarcasm."

Rolling her eyes, Rhiannon decided that it really would be better to inform her assistant of the details.  "The prince's name is Robert or Ronan, or something like that.  It's the old story:  someone wants his crown; said person can't have his crown because this Ronan guy's in the way; therefore we have been called into action.  Our job is to make sure this prince doesn't return to his father's kingdom.  How we do that has been left to our own discretion."

"So, we'll kill him," Alejandro supplied bluntly.  

"That hasn't yet been determined," Rhiannon answered in a piqued tone.  

Alejandro stretched luxuriously and settled his hands behind his head.  He closed his eyes and remarked, in the self-confident tone that was so irritatingly lovable, "We're definitely going to kill him."

Far below on the road, Rhiannon spotted two figures moving slowly toward the foot of the mountain.  Could that possibly be the prince?  No, of course not - she'd been assured by her client that the prince would be moving with a ridiculous entourage of some sort, not one lone companion.

The two assassins crouched behind a rise in the outcropping.  Leaning warily to the side, Rhiannon was able to see past a crack in their cover that the figures had stopped right beneath their hiding place.  

One of the travelers carelessly tossed aside a fold of the cloak he wore, disclosing the bright glint of a well-polished sword.  

To Rhiannon's and Alejandro's surprise, the man tilted his head upwards and called out boldly, "You didn't seriously think I didn't know you were up there, did you?"  

"What in blazes…"  Alejandro's whisper trailed off.  

"Oh, come now."  The man below seemed to be impatient.  "Why don't you come down so we can get this over with?  You and I both know you've been hired to kill me, and I naturally would rather that didn't happen.  So, for the sake of your honor, such as it is, why don't you face me?  'T'is rather cowardly to kill a man while hiding behind a rock, wouldn't you agree?"

Alejandro and Rhiannon glanced at each other, safe in the shadow of the cliff's walls…


Aaaand that's where I'm going to leave it for now, because that's all I've got at the moment, and it's technically supposed to be a short scene.  I hope you find it mildly entertaining, at least;D