Chương 2: Three Years Later

People always dream of being in a fantasy. They dream of love, romance. They hear knights in shining armor and think of safety. But in my world...its hell. In my world, my parents are dead. My twin brother is all I have. As orphans we where sold to an assassins guild so some drug addicted couple could get a fix.

Rape, murder, and abuse was all I knew for the first 15 years of my life. Whipped and beat to become an elite solider I never wanted to be. My innocence stolen so I could be of more 'value' to my fellow assassins. I hated my life. Some days offing myself just felt right, but my brother was there to face this with me. Through him I lived.

It changed when we turned 21. Sebastion, my brother, and I where sitting at the local tavern near the Guild. We both had been through a really tragic event and we needed to clear out heads. At least that was until a man in a black cloak approached us. He wore a cowl over his head to hide his identity. He came with two other men, all dressed the same. They looked like any other assassins at the time, but one of them offered us sanctity if we followed them. We couldn't ask who they where or question him, the leader.

To good to be true right? Well we took him on his offer, wanting freedom from the guild. Of course it goes without saying that we are always hunted, but since we joined him it's been quiet. We did as he asked and in return we have been doing mostly soldier work. Scouting, gathering info, and dealing with Darko's men. Drakos was the Leader of the Assassin's Guild.

We where only too happy to oblige. It's been three years now and he has recruited more people since we first came on board. Use to being lone wolves as it was, it was hard for us to manage. We still mostly keep to ourselves and do as we are told. Every night we gather at an abandoned Manor on a Cliffside. it's basically our head quarters when we weren't out on missions. We could train, eat, and rest there. It was the only home we know. Lost mercenaries, two elite trained assassins, and a highly trained herbalist.

We called him that jokingly to start out, and it just stuck because we didn't know what else to call him. He hasn't complained or corrected us, so I think he secretly likes it. He rescued us so I wasn't going to judge. It's been three years and as long as we kept our heads down and obeyed, we where fine. I can't say the others aren't too keen on listening though.

"Aria!" I sighed with annoyance, my meditation broken by Aspin. He was a younger male. Maybe 18? Brown shaggy hair with a boyish grin. Tried to 'charm' the ladies but mostly got shot down. Always ended in the sad puppy dog eyes and a couple of tears. He tried once with me and let's just say he tries less.

"What is it Aspin?" Our training room a large building with lots of wooden dummies, practice sticks, old and worn rubber mats, and broken shields. Most of the windows where still intact, but the few unfortunate ones had wooden panels over them. Or some where just so dirty it hardly let light in.

"You have been here longer than the rest of us. Have you seen the Master's face?" His green eyes went wide. I rolled my eyes and stood to my feet, knowing I was no longer going to be able to meditate.

"I do not." I replied blandly again. Hoping he would get the picture. He followed closely behind me, almost touching. An irritating bubble grew in me.

"You and your brother, you're assassins right?" I gave a curt nod. I'm not a friendly person, I'm honestly not sure what posses him to talk to me. He continued to pester me about the Assassin life while I walked in the commons area. Chairs and a table where basically all that was left. My twin brother Sebastion, Lola, who is the herbalist, and Merrick, a Mercenary, sat scattered around the table.

"Can you tell me about one of your assassin missions?" He was practically pawing at me, begging to tell him something.

"Listen kid, your lucky you didn't live a life like mine. Why don't you try enjoying yours while you still have it." I growled. Pouting he sat down next to Merrick. Merrick laughed at him, patting him on the back. He was an old mercenary. Normally smelt of stale alcohol and tobacco. White wispy hair that was slicked back. Five o 'clock shadow, pale blue eyes. Always wore his white button down shirt unbuttoned at the top and revealing gash marks down his chest. He suffered a lot in his life, he didn't have a family either, so he was subjected to stay here with us, claiming he wanted to do some good with what ever life he had left.

"He is young Aria, impressionable. Be easy on him." Right, impressionable. Even idiots new when to back off. Before I could make a retort, the doors to Master's meeting room opened. Out came his henchman? Well I suppose a glorified henchman.

"Sebastion, Aria. He wishes to speak with you." Henchman, as we call him, has no sense of humor. When we first started calling Master by his nickname he was moody for months. He was absolutely livid when we started calling him Henchman. He dressed much like Master too, but he clothed in white robes. What where we suppose to do when they wouldn't give us names?

"Hopefully this time its exciting." Sebastion mumbled. Sebastion looked a lot like me. Raven black hair, piercing green eyes, somber moods. The only difference was in our height. He stood a least a foot taller than me. Kept his hair naturally ruffled giving him quite and exotic look. His nose was narrowed and as where his eyes. He may be my brother, but he was quite handsome as well. Practically a giant wall of muscles from all the years we trained together.

I couldn't help nod in agreement. The guild trained us to be blood thirsty tyrants. At least the blood thirsty bit. Our pride and huge hearts prevented us from becoming complete tyrants. But still blood thirsty none the less. Quite often we would make excuses so we could go on hunting trips to try and quench the need for murder, but it just wasn't enough. If it hadn't been for the hunting, I often wondered what we would do with the crazy drive. Would we be forced to rampage through villages?

We followed the Henchman through the doors, quietly shutting it behind us. His meeting space was pretty large to be honest. Had the largest windows. The walls at one point or another had been a creamy tan, but where now a brownish tan with age. A broken chandelier hung from the ceiling. Despite being old and run down, it still smelt like flowers. It was the closest room to the garden, and the window had been recently propped open. The closest place I could get to serenity, to peace, was the outdoors. But I remained composed, not wanting to show my weakness to the smell.

"You wish to speak to us Master?" I bowed. Henchman's hood pointed in our direction. The Henchman was one of the men that came to see us that night in the tavern. He was docile then, but now he spent most of the time chastising us or sputtering with rage. I wasn't exactly sure why he hated us so since he was there when we where 'recruited'. Unfazed though, Master waved a hand at the Henchman and he went quiet.

"I heard you two came back last night. Where do you run off to?" His voice was deep and rich as he spoke. His voice dripping with amusement. His elbows leaned against the table, holding his head against his closed fist. I went to speak, but Sebastion over stepped me.

"Out." Sebastion replied blandly. I hissed under my breath and glared up at him. We don't discuss personal things normally, but I told Sebastion before that he was our leader and we needed to respect that. It wasn't unusual for us to slip away, but out of lack of trust, we never gave away our location.

"A small hunting trip is all Master." Sebastion and I looked at each other indifferently. It really wasn't a small hunting trip though. Sebastion grew arrogant and single handily tried to fight a bear. He was lucky I am quick and stealthy otherwise he would have been lunch

"I understand. Next time let me know when you go out though. I know I haven't needed you recently but things can change." Sebastion and I bowed in unison. I felt a little guilty not telling them where we disappear to, but it's the only way we can prevent ourselves from going on killing sprees. It was a necessity.

"We understand. It won't happen again." A bob of his hood an he straightened in his seat. His arms crossing over each other on the table. Although he seemed relaxed, you could tell he was tense. It's not very often he gets this way, so I was sensitive to reading the mood. Of course we where the only two that could read it, giving the close proximity our relation was.

"I have a task for the two of you. You are my most stealthy of the group so I have no doubts you can handle this. But the North Eastern Kingdom has been quiet as of late. There have been rumors they where planning a war and I want to know against who. Scout it out and report anything you find back. Do you understand?" Sebastion and I nodded once. Finally, maybe we can get out hands dirty. The itch has been almost unbearable as of late. "Aria, I can see it on your face. No you can't kill any one. Do I make myself clear." I hid my pout with firm lips and nodded. I can wait. I can do it. Besides he can't control everything that happens, even if that means someone accidently pulls out their sword and...

"We'll leave immediately." He had no idea what he was asking of me. Killing takes the edge off and right now he was asking to much resolve. Sooner or later we would have to step out and kill someone. Even if it was a small troupe of bandits.

"Take Merrick and Aspin with you. I feel they will be of some use." I could feel the smirk on his face. I knew what he was playing at. This was to ensure that we wouldn't go on a rampage. Oh how mean!

"With all due respect sir-" Sebastion started to say and I punched him. We glared at each other, two set of piercing green eyes trying to fight each other. I mouthed the word 'obey' and he closed his eyes with frustration. I knew how he felt, and even though our leader was more civil than Drako's, it didn't mean we could cross the line. I feared to know what these mysterious men are capable of if we where to get too comfortable. Sebastion and I always kept it low and obeyed. We still knew nothing about them after three years of serving them. I wasn't about to piss them off.

"Consider it done." With a wave of his hand he dismissed us. I could feel his eyes bore into my back as we walked out. Hmm, he seemed more tense as of late. I wonder what that was all about? Could it have to do something with this mission? This mission. It was going to be a very long trip. North West Kingdom was maybe half a days trip. If they couldn't keep up, it would be detrimental. I watched Sebastion stalk towards the rooms angrily. The others watch him, their heads travelling with him. Sebastion, keep your moods in better check would you? I stopped at the table and stared at Merrick and Aspin who had stopped chatted and looked up, wearily watching.

"It has been requested that you two are to come with us. I want to know how much field work you have. Your experience may be of use, but that is for me to say." I sat at the table with them, folding my hands.

"Sweet heart I have more years than you." He grinned. I hid my dissatisfaction. If there was one thing I hated the most, it was arrogance. You can say you spend years out on the field, and you can still be useless. I have had to deal with many people like that, listen to their arrogance and then put them in their place. battered and bruised. It was unfortunately how I made most my friends in the guild. If they show you their teeth and you beat them, you form strong alliances. Let's be honest, Drakos was a monster, but no one felt completely attached to him. People like strong willed warriors who show potential to over throwing evil. At least I hoped that was what I could do one day.

So I listened to him, casually leaning back in my chair while I unsheathed my blade. I kept my face neutral as I listened to him babble, gripping my dagger gingerly between my fingers. When I had enough, I gave a sly smile and lodged the blade at his head. He went silent as it just skimmed past his head, thudding in the wooden pillar behind him. His eyes went wide in surprise as I glared at him, seething with irritation.

"Let me be very clear with you Merrick. You can claim to be the best, you can claim you have experience, but gloating doesn't pay the bills. For your sake, you better hope you can keep up." I stood from the table. I walked around them and grabbed my knife from the pillar. The wood crunched and groaned underneath my pressure as I dislodged the blade. "Just for the record, I've been through shit most of you wouldn't even dream of. I've killed more men and women in my life time, than you could possibly fathom. Yet you don't see me gloat. You are no modest man Merrick. That is one thing, I will not tolerate." I stalked out of the room, hopefully leaving the impression that we were not joking around.

The last thing I want under my watch, was two still self centered, vain men who couldn't be reliable in a fight. It was the only thing I appreciated about the guild, was that we all knew our skill and where fairly reliable in a fight. Outside of a fight though, they where not to be trusted.

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