Flash Fiction Friday: Assassin

            "It's too early in the day for killing princes," Havar grumbled as he fitted a bolt into his crossbow.

            "I know," the crossbow said in its soothing, matronly voice.

            Staring up at the tree that would be his perch, Havar heaved a long sigh before hauling his old bones up into its branches. "I should never get up for anything less than a king."

            "Times are tough," the crossbow said. "We have to take what we can get."

            Still grumbling, Havar stretched out on his stomach high above the ground and aimed the crossbow at the path, trying to stay alert. This was getting harder of late. His mind wandered over previous days he'd spent in similar positions, sometimes waiting hours for his target. He'd never missed a shot, though he was sure the crossbow had more to do with that than his own talent.

            "You remember that king we killed back in Uldava?" he murmured. "Took us six weeks of scouting. I never thought we'd get him away from his guards."

            "That's the job that put you on the map," the crossbow said fondly.

            "It was a long time ago." Havar sighed again and shifted uncomfortably on his perch. "Wish this blasted boy would show up. I should be in bed."
            "Are you waiting for me?"

            Startled out of his wits, Havar barely managed to cling to the tree branch. He twisted his neck to see a boy of about twelve standing behind him, on the ground. The boy's bright blue eyes were friendly, his freckled face tipped back to stare up at Havar.

            "You're not a very good assassin," the boy said, swinging himself up onto the lowest branch of the tree. "I could hear you talking. 'Course, if I'd ridden down the path like you expected, I'd probably be dead now, wouldn't I?"

            "Why didn't you?" Havar demanded, having managed to slow his racing heart. "My intelligence told me you ride it every morning."

            "Oh, I've got a good luck thing," the prince said with a shrug. "Fairies blessed me at my birth, you know. It's a real nuisance for everybody who's trying to kill me."

            "It's not going to protect him from being shot point-blank," the crossbow said, seeming to wriggle in Havar's hand. It was eager for blood.

            "I'll get to that," Havar told it. "You don't seem very concerned about people trying to kill you," he said to the boy.

            "Well, they're not doing a very good job. Where'd you get a talking crossbow?"

            Sitting up and rubbing his aching back, Havar smiled. "I got it from a goblin who didn't know how to handle it."

            "Nasty, rough fingers he had," the crossbow remembered.

            "He had me pinned down, but none of his shots would fly straight. I managed to pick up one of the bolts that missed me and jam it down his throat."

            "Cool!" said the boy, leaning back against the trunk of the tree.

            "We've had lots more exciting adventures since then." Havar ran an age-worn hand across the smooth wood of the crossbow. "And lots more exciting than shooting a young boy."

            "You're not backing out now," the crossbow said sternly.

            Looking down, Havar studied the pale, round face of the child he'd been sent to assassinate. "Who's trying to kill you, boy?"

            "Oh, a lot of people. My sister, mainly. But there's a king in Perrin who's tried a few times, too. Don't you know who hired you?"
            "My clients prefer anonymity." Squinting down at the boy, Havar thought for a long moment. "You're blessed with luck, you say?"

            "Yup. That's why I'm still alive."
            Havar nodded. "Good. We'll need that."

            "What for?"

            "I'm not going to kill you."

            "What?" cried the crossbow.

            "I'm going to help you stop the attempts. Now, move. I'm coming down."

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This isn't really a "flash" fiction, since it's rather long and obviously just the beginning of a story... It's been a long time since I've written anything, so I'm just happy I got this out. Thanks to Kira for getting me to do it! You can read her response to this prompt here. 

♥/Kat!e