The halls of the castle were dark and empty. A few torches flickered and sighed, casting strange shadows in the many-pillared hall. It was late in the night; dawn was only a few hours off. Two guards stood at either end of the hall, both leaning on their spears rather than standing at attention. Aside from them, the hall seemed deserted, but in the shadows, someone waited. That he was tall was clear, but no other feature of the waiting person could be distinguished from the shadows. A long black cloak wrapped around him and concealed his features from view.

The shadow that was a man looked up at the window at the end of the hall, carefully gauging the time. There should be enough for him to carry out his plan before the castle began to stir. He spared a swift glance for the guard at the further end of the hall. He would be no problem tonight; by the time he heard anything, it would be too late. No, it was the nearer guard that he must take care of first. There was a faint gleam of teeth as the stranger smiled. He knew the guard. It would not be hard to insure his silence.

Swiftly, the cloaked man darted from the concealing shadows and past the betraying light. The guard had no warning before a strong hand clamped down on his mouth and a low voice whispered, "Be still." All thought of resistance was quelled at the threat in those two words and the guard relaxed, still but wary. A moment later, he felt something being pressed into his hand and smiled. An exchange was made and the stranger disappeared down the hall toward the sleeping quarters. There would be no alarm from that guard tonight.

No one noticed as a door was silently slid open. No one noticed a slight figure slip into the room. No one noticed the figure steal softly up to the bed and stare down at the sleeper. His fair hair was tousled from sleep and one strong arm lay across the covers while hints of a smile played across the corners of his mouth. There was a gleam of teeth as the stranger smiled as well and slid out something long and narrow that caught the light from the dying fire. He paused for a moment and drew back from the bed as the sleeper stirred and shifted, further tangling himself in the covers. When his target was still again, he sighted the perfect spot that would cause the least noise and do the work fastest. The metal gleamed as he brought it up and drove it low so that it imbedded in its target with scarcely a sound. The sleeper jerked and then went still.