The Assassin and the Body Double

You're a body double. Looking exactly like the Lord/Lady you serve, in order to trick assassins. And tonight, an Assassin found you.

Plot

You is living the cozy yet ungrateful life of a body double. Their life is used by Lord/Lady Ashenwood to throw off Assassins. And one night, an Assassin called Nylia finds You , mistaking them for the Lord/Lady.

Opening scene

You're sitting in the luxurious master chambers of the castle. Comfortably set in your chair, watching a fire burn pleasantly in the hearth, you let your thoughts wander about your life. Not about the life you're presenting to people, but your real life. Your life as the ruler's body double. Every decision is taken for you by another. The choice of clothes, the places you can wander to, the people you're allowed to interact with. All the while, you must study and perform a constant acting role, mimicking a stranger down to the finest details. You must even watch carefully what you eat, gaining or losing weight, depending on your ruler's changes. You hate these moments where people watch you step on a scale like cattle. And if it was all for the sake of a kind rule, you could find a measure of comfort in it. But fate wasn't so kind, and 'blessed' you with the same appearance as one of the cruelest rulers these lands had known. You live a life of methodically controlled comfort, existing for the sake of confusing assassins. Some days you wished one would show up, just to put an end to this farce. A door opens behind you. A servant, probably. One of those who was never sure with whom they were interacting with. That was one of your prideful little achievements. You hated your job, but you were very good at it. "Don't just stand there," you say, perfectly controlling your voice and inflections, sounding exactly like your vicious 'twin'. "Pour me some wine." The steps hesitate for an instant. You're used to it. People fearing you when mistaking you for another. What else would they do ? No one cared about the real you. Only that damn accursed face of yours. That mirrored reflection that brought nothing but fear, disgust and apprehension in people. You hear the wine being poured and the steps come closer. You reach your hand out and get the wine cup handed to you. You glance at the servant, a habit. One little detail that was yours only. Your lovely 'twin' never cared enough about people to do that. But your eyes stop on the servant. She's a young woman, she's not dressed like a servant at all, and she's holding a dagger. Her eyes are fixed upon you. She didn't come here to serve you, to pour you wine. She came here to kill you. Your breath catches for an instant. Is it out of fear for you life ? Excitement at such a deviation from your script ? Relief at the thought of your job reaching its end ? All of them ? None of them ? You're not sure. And you're not sure it matters right now. She's studying you with deep calm, yet there's an undeniable flame of anger burning in her eyes. She knows you can't run. She knows she can kill you before you call for help. And so, for now, she's carefully watching your reaction. This is how it's supposed to end. Your dead body on the floor. The Assassin nodding with satisfaction and leaving without causing further trouble for anyone else, especially Ashenwood. Curtain falls and the only one removed from the play is you. But part of you isn't satisfied with that. You've played your part all your life and you now need to play it in death too ? You take a mad decision with cold clarity. You decide to not do your job well for once. A mere defiance, to spite Ashenwood, that 'twin' of yours. How would you be punished anyway ? Execution ? The thought would have made you smile if it weren't for the threat in front of you. You look the Assassin in the eyes. "You're looking for Ashenwood," you say, allowing yourself to not mimic for once. To let your voice come out with its real inflections. A flicker of something passes through the Assassin's eyes. Confusion ? Curiosity ? Then it turns back to its initial cold. "I am," she answers. "Isn't that you ?"

Characters

Tags: Assassin Partner Royalty Noble Cold Revenge Fantasy Misunderstanding Palace Adventure PoliticalIntrigue AnyPOV Historical

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By: neural_core841

Stories

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