Taris watched her go appreciating the grace of movement, if not the gaudy dress. Still if the dress had one good point it made it easy to imagine her in something better, or nothing at all. Upon leaving the Palace doors, he quickly slipped out of sight of the guards and into the nearest shadow. It was very bright by now, and the shadow wasn't very dark, so it took a little more effort to shift into the Shadow Realm. When he emerged, he was on the second floor of the castle, down the hall from the library. Only one of Aera's handmaidens remained, the one with the brooch. Perfect.

He made his way to her, raising his fist, and the symbol on it. She straightened a bit and nodded, surreptitiously glancing to make sure they were alone. “Greetings, guild-sister,” Taris said casually when he reached her. “You must be the agent our master told me about. What’s your name?” He coolly gazed over her, she was young, but not too young. She realized she was staring at his body, and quickly raised her eyes to his with a blush.

“Paytin,” she answered, “and you have to be Taris… Master warned me about you, but I still didn’t think…” She trailed off, and to make matters worse the elf moved right up against her, pinning her against the door. Her hand came up, but less to push back than to explore the contours of his body. Taris laughed a bit and stepped back, leaving Paytin breathless and flushed. “You are cruel,” she said.

Taris chuckled, “You’re right, I’m sorry. I assume this is your test, haven’t yet had a contract?” She nodded. “I need an excuse to be inside the castle for a couple months. And I heard a rumor that the Princess isn’t happy in her marriage, think I could take advantage of that?”

Paytin’s face darkened, “That’s putting it lightly. Kentaro doesn’t even touch her lately. I mean, she seems to love him, but now he barely gives her any attention. He just wanted the exotic, but now that the dazzle is over, I don’t know. He… he needs to be in control, needs a woman to fear him to get any pleasure... and she willingly goes to him, and he can’t stand it. So he goes, elsewhere.” She quieted at the last sentences.

Taris scowled, “Did you, and he…” She nodded and replied, “I had to, or risk losing my cover. I...” Paytin faltered again and the elf continued for her, “A lowly maid can’t deny a prince, right? Was he, was it your first?” A bit personal, perhaps, and unusually concerned for him, but he always had a soft spot for pretty girls.

As it was, she shook her head and her voice became fierce, “No, no he didn’t get the satisfaction of taking that from me!” The girl took a breath, “But that was months ago, now he goes to a brothel in town every few days, one that caters to his unique tastes. But you wanted to know if you could use Aera. I’m not sure honestly. People call her ‘Elven Whore’ behind her back, but she’s always stayed faithful to Kentaro, gods only know why. But I can tell this at least, she’s lonely. At the very least she could use a friend.”

Taris smiled, “Thank you Paytin, I’ll be sure to tell our Master that you helped me.” He kissed her cheek and stepped back into a shadow behind a suit of decorative armor, amazing the girl as he melted away into the darkness.

He came out in a corner of the library gasping, the castle was warded against Shadow Walking, and Taris had to spend far more energy to travel such a short space. He could handle it, but it explained why he had a hard time entering the shadow outside. He’d thought it was just the amount of light at the time. The assassin stared into the shadow again, using it as a window to other areas of the library, at least the ward didn’t protect against scrying the shadows. Aera was in another corner of the library, just reading, and the rest of the giant room was empty. Taris scaled a bookshelf, and made his way on the tops of the shelves until he could see her. For a long time, he just watched her, wondering how he was going to make his next move.

Finally he hopped down behind the bookcase, slowly walking around it into her view. Aera smiled slightly as he saw him and rose from her seat. “Your Highness,” he said quietly, bowing over to kiss her hand. If he let it linger a moment or so longer than was proper, well…