A grand room with a marble floor. The ballroom can fit over 5,000 people. Its ceilings are high, vaulted, and adorned with many exquisite murals. Stained glass windows surround the entire room.
palace ballroom, Inside Palace
the king
assassin
Killing for a living puts things in perspective. It makes me appreciate life more. I would gladly annihilate all living beings for an appropriate fee.
Oh, I apologize for the misunderstanding sir.  I was referred to you by the Queen on the understanding you had some work for me.  I can understand how my current garb may be a bit off putting to one enduring frequent assassination attempts such as yourself. Ah, yes, yes. The assassin friend of my wife. Yes. Alright, well you see there is a wily and mistrustful man out for my head whom I wish you to slaughter... he is my son of course. The fool wants to become King! As if he us up to the task, I tell you. Can't even get an assassination attempt right. Please kill him for me, if you would. Certainly sir!  Would you care for the five star package, the three star package, or the discount package? I don't have time for your pageantry, wretch. Tell me about your various deals or I will be forced to higher a more concise assassin to kill the boy AND you. Well, the 5 star deal is 10 gold pieces, and allows you to fully specify the manner of death, or if you would rather him brought in alive for you to deal with as you please.   Hmm... interesting... But the murder budget is tight this season, so on with the other star packages. Three star allows me to choose the manner of death, though it may result in undue suffering, as well as collateral civilian casualties.  A finger, toe, or eye will be delivered complementary as proof of the deed, your choice. His eye strikes me as quite poetic. He has lovely blue eyes like his mothers... Alas, I cannot waste coin on his murder, so perhaps explain the final package. The final package is only a single coin, but you will need to agree that the contract will be considered fulfilled even if it only results in a maiming or amputation.  You can take this package as many times as you like, though after four or five failures there is, to be honest, very little of the target remaining intact. How about two coin, you perhaps maim him instead of full-on murder him of course, but perhaps leave a note by his side that reads, "Don't cross Papa, boy." I can provide such parchment, of course. Agreed? Certainly sir!  Which limb/organ would you like him to lose?  It can be gift wrapped and delivered to you for only twelve copper more. Blast! Stop it with your infantile add-ons. I will not pay a piece more! Just maim whatever bit you like, and leave the blasted note! I am only agreeing to such a deal because of its cheapness, and because his dear mother would probably be less cross with me if he was only made lame rather than made... well... dead, of course.