[center [size12 Storm clouds rolled off the sea, covering the soft blue sky with dark grey clouds. The soft rumbles of thunder could be heard off in the distance from the port as rain began to pour over the sea merchants unloading their wares. Several men were hollering about the incoming storm and for people to move off the docks. The swelling storm had been brewing across the horizon for weeks now and finally, it was starting to hit the mainland.]]
[center [size12 Nymeria stood at her window, watching people scatter to secure their belongings and tie their ships off before the heaviest part hit the coast line. Her window overlooked the entire port, a wonderful view at any time of the day since the sun set in one corner of her room and rose on the other side of the window. Considering where the Changeling came from, this was far from what she could have imagined herself being.]]
[center [size12 The rumbling thunder and the lightening strikes were getting louder and closer as Nymeria continued to stare out the window at the gloomy, rainy day before her. Her face emotionless and blank before she turned her attention to the man, who laid in her bed. She stared at him for a moment before she watched him move slightly to beckon her to get back under the blankets. The excuse of it being cold in the room left his mouth.]]
[center [size12 Nymeria acted like she did not hear him as she began putting her clothes back on. The man shifted once more in the bed to drift back off to sleep. As Nymeria tightened her belt around her hips, she pulled the dagger from her belt as she sauntered over to the man. She pushed him over onto his back, meeting her eyes with his before she quickly slashed him in the throat. Blood splattered across her face before he slumped back onto the bed.]]
[center [size12 Nymeria pulled the bounty letter from her pouch pocket. Every bounty required some kind of proof that the target was killed. This one required the man’s eyes. Pushing the letter back into the pouch, clipping it closed before she took the dagger in a steady grip. She pulled the man up by his hair to begin to pry out his eyes one by one before she ripped a piece of fabric from the bedsheets and wrapped them up carefully. She placed them into the same pouch with the letter.]]
[center [size12 Once done with the room, Nymeria left quietly through the storm to head back to the bounty office. It was cleverly hidden in the back of a brothel that she had originally worked for before she proved a better hire for kill than a whore.]]
[center [size12 Soaking wet, Nymeria was now making her way through the whore house to a small door in the back. She knocked on it with a specific pattern before the door opened. She ducked in and the door shut quickly behind her.]]
[center [size12 Approaching a table in a dark room, Nymeria tossed the nicely bagged pair of eyes and the letter onto the table. Her cat like grin shined through the dark at the man before her, who received her with an impressive chuckle.]]
[center [size12 A sack of gold was tossed back at her in the same manner, Nymeria snatched it before counting it carefully. She mulled the math over in her head before deeming everything was in order. [i [#ebbfe2 “You know, Francis,”]] Nymeria bluntly spoke, [i [#ebbfe2 “I prefer more of a challenge.”]] Nymeria pulled the chair opposite of the man out, sitting in it as if she was getting comfortable for a long conversation.]]
[center [size12 [i [#FF0000 “What did you have in mind, Changeling?”]] Francis asked, leaning in to hear the woman’s request. [i [#ebbfe2 “Well, I know you have larger bounties than monsters hidden among the citizens and I would definitely like to not waste my time anymore? I could work solo and make just as much gold as you are paying me, as a freelance hire for kill,”]] Nymeria explained with a smirk on her face. She was one of Francis’ quickest killers for hire that he had to call upon since she was a Changeling, but the girl was a beast by nature and needed something more challenging.]]
[center [size12 [i [#FF0000 “How about this,”]] Francis agreed with the girl’s logic, [i [#FF0000 “it is not particular a bounty, but more of a disruption in the politics between kingdoms.”]] Nymeria did not really like the idea that was being thrown in her lap right now. It sounded dangerous for her to get involved, not only being a hire for kill, but a Changeling, a kind of beast that was rare and honestly, still hunted as if it was some unholy figure existing in real life.]]

[center [size12 Nymeria swallowed hard before she nodded in agreement. Her brain was advising her not to go through with it, but her body wanted the rush of doing something more than her mundane, boring life. [i [#ebbfe2 “So, who am I killing?”]] Nymeria asked in a hesitant voice.]]
[center [size12 [i [#FF0000 “Our Kingdom of Aspra has been in a feud with the next kingdom over, Glasqur for decades and marriage pacts have been what has been keeping both kingdoms at bay from starting all out war with one another, but now, we have to either shit or get off the pot, as some people like to say,”]] Francis chuckled before continuing, [i [#FF0000 “I need you to kill our King’s first born son, Rheylin.”]] Nymeria swallowed even harder. If she got caught in the middle of all of it, she would be executed on the spot, no questions asked.]]
[center [size12 But yet, the girl agreed once more before holding out her hand to the man. [i [#ebbfe2 “But, first. I want at least 30% up from for costs and repairs to my armor before I take this on and I want double of what the remaining balance when I get back because this has so many layers to it that it is not just a simple kill,”]] Nymeria stated before the man nodded in agreement. Another sack of gold was presented to her before she left the dark room.]]
[center [size12 Nymeria exited the dark lit room through the small door, swiftly moving through the crowd of people to leave the whore house. She moved through alleys and down narrow, cobblestone streets before finding her way to the Blacksmith. A kind, large gentleman, who knew Nymeria well enough to not cause attention when she comes in.]]
[center [size12 [i “Ah, my favorite customer,”] the large, Irish man chuckled, motioning the girl to come in further to the loud, scolding shop. The furnaces spit flames at the man, as he worked the metal in and out of the fire.]]
[center [size12 Nymeria had already begun to pull off her armor pieces, placing it onto the work table in silence. She placed various pieces and her weapons onto the table before turning to the man, who looked at her in concern, tilting his head.]]
[center [size12 [i “I fear you are about to embark on something bigger than a simple bounty,”] the man was observant, but Nymeria did not hide her expression as she pulled a sack of gold out, handing it off to the man.]]
[center [size12 [i [#ebbfe2 “I’ve been task to stir the political pot,”]] Nymeria huffed, folding her arms out in front of her with a pout. [i [#ebbfe2 “Money is good, but I fear I might not make it out of this one if I am not careful,”]] Nymeria explained, [i [#ebbfe2 “but, if I think on it too much then I will mess up. Being a dying breed, I already have to be so careful.”]] Nymeria’s species had been wiped out years ago, what was left had been scattered to the wind as myths and legends of large beasts that could change shape.]]