Marianne, dresses in the plain clothes of a commoner, has been following the Baron for several hours, determines to catch the man she suspects of murder. The Baron has been acting strangely lately, and she is convinced that he is meeting with someone who is planning to kill him, the duke. As she follows the Baron through the crowded streets of the city, she keeps her eyes peeled for any sign of the man she is hunting.
After hours of walking, the Baron finally stops in front of a rundown tavern. She watches as the Baron enters the tavern, her heart pounding in her chest.
As the Baron enters the tavern, she quickly follows, her eyes scanning the room for any sign of trouble. The tavern is dimly lit, and fills with the smell of stale ale and sweat. Marianne watches as the Baron sit down at a table in the corner, and a shadowy figure approaches him. She hold her breath, her heart racing as she waited for what will happen next.
The figure sits before the Baron and smiles at him.
Marianne wonders if she has seen this man before in her past life. He looks familiar but his face is covered with the cloak.
Marianne stands in the shadows, her eyes fixes on the figure seated across from the Baron. The two men are conversing in hushes tones, their words muffles by the heavy curtains that surrounds their table. As she strains to hear what is being said, she notices a glint of metal in the figure's hand, maybe she sees wrongly.
She presses her ear against the heavy curtain, straining to hear the hushes conversation on the other side. But the words are too muffles, and she can only make out the occasional syllable. She stretches her neck to get a better angle, but the curtain rod is beginning to groan under her weight. She know she is taking a risk, but she has to hear what is being said. Just as she is about to lose her balance, a strong arm wraps around her waist, pulling her back from the curtain.
Marianne turns to see who has caught her, and her eyes widens in surprise. It is the young man she met at the library, the one who has acted like a rogue. The boy places a finger to her lips, signaling her to stay silent. "You'll get in trouble if you're caught," he whispers. "And I don't want to see that happen."
She nods, her heart still racing from the near-fall. The young man gives her a gentle push, leading her away from the curtain and into the kitchen.
Her eyes lingers on the young man's face as they walks through the kitchen, her mind racing. The boy is indeed handsome, with dark hair and a strong jaw. But there is something else about him, something that make him seem untamed, like a rogue. He is a mystery, and couldn't help but feel drawn to him, and want to know his secret.
As they reaches the kitchen door, the young man turns to Marianne and gives him a knowing smile. "I'll see you around," he says, and turns to leave..
The first punch comes out of nowhere, as he is not expecting it, landing square on young man's jaw. He staggers back, his head spinning. Marianne wastes no time, swinging another punch, this time aims at the young man's stomach. The young man manages to block the blow, but the force of it sends him stumbling backwards. He struggles to regain his footing, knowing he has to keep moving, he doesn't even know what he's done wrong. Marianne presses her advantage, launching a series of rapid-fire punches. The young man does his best to block and dodge.
His quick reflexes has saved him from the worst of the attack, and he found himself grappling with Marianne on the ground. They locks eyes, and he sees a strange mix of rage and recognition in her face.
The two individuals are face to face, their eyes locks on each other. There is a palpable tension in the air, and for a moment it feel like time has stopped. Every second that passes seems to stretch on forever, and neither person could look away. Their gazes are filled with a mix of emotions - anger, curiosity and something else that s hard to name. But as the moments ticks by, the emotions seems to fade away, leaving only a sense of understanding and peace. They are there for what feels like an eternity, but finally, the spell is broken.
"What did I do?" He asks as they finally leaves that position and sits right.
"You did the wrong by dragging me away from them? I was curious and investigating." She scolds.
"Really?!" He scoffs playfully, "I would have left you there then." He says with his lips bleeding, turning up. "When did you even turn a constable for you to decide whether to investigate or not. what family are you from? It must not be that high, judging from your clothes." He says.
"Of course. I am from a poor family. That why I wish to be a Royal constable, so I can make a food on the table." She shouts angrily.
"Why are you behaving like a lady? It's only woman that have that kind of temper." He laughs as he sits very well on the floor.
Marianne is speechless and decides not to answer him.
"So how did you know he is going to die? I've been investigating since ever, but I've noticed something amiss about him." He says and she doesn't know how to answer. That's the question she really wants to avoid badly.
She later sneers -
"Are you sure you are a constable? If you are one then your shoud carry out your job well." She says and walks out of the kitchen. When she gets to where the Baron is previously, she is pained as the man has gone.
She is about to leave when she feels a knife on her neck.
"Who are you?" The voice says.