The Way of the Assassins (Raeyne X Lost in my Mind)

“Send her in.” The commanding voice of Haryke, official advisor of the Great Kingdom, rang through the halls of the palace like the warning of an oncoming storm. Vala was sitting on a bench in an open, circular room outlined with pillars that was formed from the same ivory marble the ceiling and floors were chiseled from. She was summoned here not too long ago by the very advisor whose voice echoed around the room now and she was more than a little confused as to why. Vala wasn’t anything special within the walls of the Great Kingdom; in fact she didn’t even hold a reputable status within her profession so his summons could only mean one thing – she had broken some law she didn’t know about.
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The worry grew within her stomach as another elf in long velvet robes silently ushered her towards Haryke’s office, what could she have done this time? Unlike herself and the one who led her here Haryke was no elf, he was a short dumpling shape of a man who belonged to a local dwarven clan and he sported the most beautiful carrot colored beard, if you were into that sort of thing. His hair was his most prominent feature; really it was an art form even for his own kind as it was spun into intricate curls and Q’s that seemed to defy the very nature of even most dwarven hair. His eyes were creased at the corners but not with mirth and joy, no the creases were harsher then that perhaps they were formed with the effort of squinting at the small script written on the dozen or more scrolls neatly stacked on his desk. However, there was something in his gaze that led Vala to believe they were more likely to be from the countless hours of harsh glares he blessed upon those he thought were less than worthy of being in his presence.
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Haryke was bent over his desk scribbling feverishly on a scroll, his brow furrowed in concentration clearly not noticing she had actually entered the room even though he had called for her. Vala rose a small hand up to her mouth and politely feigned a cough into it wishing to alert him of her presence though at the same time she feared this man, this advisor who seemed to have more power than most thought he should within the Kingdom. Her cough seemed to go unnoticed and just when she was about to clear her throat and speak he sealed the scroll with a wax stamp and called out for the very elf who had shown Vala to the office. Haryke did not speak to Vala until he was sure that the other elf was out of ear shot and once he was sure he crossed the room on his pair of short pudgy legs and stole her hand within his. It was everything she could do not to pull her grasp from his own meaty palms and even though she was a good head and a half taller than him she still somehow felt petite in his company.
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“Vala daughter of Gwhen!” His voice was exuberant and shocked her in its welcoming tone as he pulled her towards the balcony so that they could speak while looking over the vast beauty of the marble coated courtyard of the palace that was splattered with voluptuous gardens in a variety of colors. “Vala, my dear how have you been?”
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When the elf had her hands back to herself she fumbled with them nervously before offering him a nervous smile “I’ve been just fine Sir.” She bowed her head with the last word in respect and acknowledgement of his higher social status then her own.
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“Good, good…” He offered though there was a distracted quality to his response as if he was just asking to be polite even though he really wanted to get down to business. “Vala, I’ve known you for how long now? Five? Ten years?” He tilted his head as he attempted to spin the situation to show how close they were even though she had only known him through festivals and his own daughter, Biryth. Vala had been friends with his daughter, not best friends but they had some common interests that had led them to accompany each other outside of the city gates several times. Haryke didn’t continue until she nodded her agreement and when she did a long deep sigh expelled from the inside of his chest “You have heard the bad fortune to fall upon my daughter then? The sorrow that fills my heart and is the reason for my tears at night?” Again Vala nodded, sorrow creasing her forehead now “Her murderer cannot go unpunished!” Suddenly his voice rose into the roar of a lion as his fist pummeled the top of the railing and several birds shot from the trees in the courtyard.
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Vala jumped slightly at his outburst but she nodded solemnly as she spoke in much softer tones then him “Sir, I thought she died from an animal attack when she was outside the city gates …”
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Haryke grabbed for Vala’s hands again pulling her closer, so close that she could almost feel the stray strands of his beard tickling her face. “Vala that was told to the masses so that there was no panic about a possible murderer running loose. Do you understand?” He shook her arms slightly with his question as she looked at him in complete confusion. “Biryth told me you’ve been training to become an assassin for hire … I need you now – I need you to avenge her death because I cannot!”
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Vala pulled back from him then, her eyes narrowing on him in disbelief “I’m not even done with my training Sir, I’ve only just begun. Surely there is someone wh-“
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“There is no one else!” He hissed, his face contorting in rage that she would deny him her services. He seemed to realize the fear he set in her when she took another step back from him with eyes wide, it was in that moment that he forced his voice calm as he approached her. “Biryth adored your friendship with her Vala – she would do the same for you, please … I have faith in you, you’re the only one I can trust …”
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It was several moons after her meeting with Haryke, Vala had finally agreed to his request and now she was on the trail of the murderer she was supposed to murder herself. She was decked out in light leather armor that allowed her to move freely, the leather stained with the colors of the forest to allow her to blend in with her surroundings. Her long pale blonde hair pulled back in a slick, tight pony tail while her slender face was dusted with dirt so her light skin didn’t reflect the moonlight from between the tree branches. A bow graced her back while several daggers sat snug within the belt around her waist, she also was adorned with a blow pipe and several darts dipped in poison should she need them.
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Haryke knew this man would be in a clearing several miles into the forest, he said it was some type of ritual the killer had and if she timed her steps right she should arrive there not long after him. Vala moved through the forest with ease, despite her knowledge of the forest’s layout she would still step on a twig or two snapping it loudly within the darkness. The clearing wasn’t far though and with every step closer she felt her heart pounding harder and harder in her chest, her palms sweating as she lifted herself into a tree and decided to move amongst the higher branches where it would be less likely for her to be noticed. She was small for an elf and her weight barely affected the canopy as she leaped from branch to branch and tree to tree disturbing them in a similar manner to a squirrel preforming the same actions.
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Stopping in a tree shadowed by another on the edge of the clearing she peered down her eyes adjusting to the moonlight that illuminated the entire circle bringing light to the man standing within it, the man who killed Haryke’s daughter and her friend. Her heart was pounding more than ever now as she was staring at the back of his head, a bead of sweat sliding down her hairline as she reached behind herself and slowly grabbed her bow from her back. Knocking an arrow she pulled her bow taut aiming for his heart before she finally let it fly, the whisper of the arrow flying through the air made time feel infinite as she waited to see if she struck her mark.

“The assassination went without any problems, just as I promised.” Taulmaril keeps his voice low, head angled downwards as he speaks to the cloaked woman at his side. Flicking his eyes around the alleyway, he lowers his own cowl, stark white hair tumbling down to his shoulder blades. “I did it just as you asked, I made it appear to be a simple murder. I also resisted the urge to use any of my signature weapons, that was quite the inconvenience. The shop I stole the hatchet from was completely deserted, as was the roof of the building next to it, I could not have been seen by anyone.”

“Excellent work Taulmaril. However we both know that the job is not yet complete. This was just the first step, the assassination of Haryke's daughter. Now have you thought about how you will proceed with acquiring an apprentice?” The woman turns towards Taulmaril, keeping her head slightly bowed so that the shadow provided by her hood keeps her face hidden, the only sign of life is her luminescent eyes staring into his own silver irises.

“Yes I have, and I have already laid out the trail so that they will be able to find me. Prior to the death of Biryth I had spent time in the local taverns, spinning a tale of a murderer that was supposedly staying several days out of the city. I went into detailed accounts of his other murders, all involving a hatchet, and young dwarven women. The locals began spreading the story around themselves, and it would appear they kept true to most of the details.” Lifting his hand swiftly in front of the woman, he cuts her off before she begins to speak. “Do not fret, not a single patron would be able to identify me as the man that spread the tales. I wore a wig, handcrafted by an old friend of mine, and I even had the points of my ears hidden the entire time. They would not even be able to know for sure that I am an elf. The only conclusion that they could draw themselves would be that I am not from around here, and that I am not one of the shorter races.”

Nodding her head slightly, the woman speaks her tone completely void of any emotion. “Once more you have proven that you are worthy of the fame that got you a job working for my master. The only problems I foresee is that you have no guarantee that these rumors will reach the ears of Haryke.” This time she is the one to raise her hand, cutting off Taulmaril before he can even part his pale lips. “Furthermore in the event that they do reach him, there is a chance he will send an experienced assassin after you, who may not be fooled by the story you spun.”

For a fraction of a moment a smug smirk tugs at the corners of his lips, before vanishing into a flat line once more. “You should know by now how much it pains me to correct you, but it hurts even more that you would insult me by thinking I would allow for there to be any mistakes in my work. Haryke knows everything that occurs in this city, and he would press for even more information on any potential lead when it involves who killed his daughter. Along with that I made sure that people who serve under him were in the taverns at least a couple of nights.” Turning away from the woman, as she remains stationary, he resumes walking, his voice dropping to a hushed whisper. “Not only do I know he won't send an experienced assassin, I know who he will send. I have done more than enough background, and now I have to confirm what I already know.” The familiar rush of cold air washes over him, telling him that the woman is no longer there, without having to look back.

**

Sighing softly, he gazes at his reflection in the pool of water. Slipping one of his many daggers out of his waistband, he begins to saw at his hair. Chunk by chunk his shoulder blade length hair begins to disappear, inching further and further up along his neck. Upon reaching the base of his skull he begins to shorten it more so, this time using a very small set of shears. Glancing down into the water, a shiver rolls through his body at the sight of his once magnificent locks reduced to an inch of spiky white upon his head, the sides of his head shaved down to the skin. Turning around he gazes at the body of the elf he had killed a couple hours ago, a single slash to his jugular. Bending down he carefully examines the exact tone of the other elf's hair. Searching the shelves of the abandoned shack he had adapted as his base within the city, he finds a dye matching the color exactly, a vibrant crimson. Setting himself before the water once again he carefully applies the dye, before proceeding to strip off the velvet robes from the corpse, and slipping them over his lithe frame.

**

Standing rigidly beside the wall, the spot that the elf he had murdered had stood for a large portion of his life, Taulmaril does not allow any to meet his gaze, not uncommon amongst servants, which allowed him to conceal the fact that his eyes were not the same color as the elf he had replaced. Hearing Haryke call for the young elf maiden that had been standing in the hall for quite sometime, he moves forward, ushering her towards the doors to Haryke's office without a word spilling from his lips.

Upon entering the room he becomes a statue, his chest not even moving with the shallow breathes he is taking, waiting for the moment that he knew would come. His eyes study the scrolls upon which the rotund dwarf furiously scrawled upon. Striding forward as he is beckoned, he takes the scroll, bowing very low, before gliding out of the room. With practiced movements, he slips the scroll into the cloak he wears beneath the robes. Angling himself towards the window, he glances about rapidly, making sure none could see him. Removing the encumbering velvet robe, he bounds out of the window, twisting in the air to grab the ledge of the window. Tightening the muscles in his arms he launches himself high enough to grab onto the rim of the roof. For a couple of moments he shimmies his way around the building, before releasing his grip. For a second he is falling, exhilaration pumping through his veins. This quickly ends however, as his fingers curl around the railing of the balcony of Haryke's office. His breathe catches as he hears the elf woman and Haryke walk out onto the balcony. Staying as still as he can, he begins listening, a smile appearing on his lips as his suspicious are confirmed. Vala would indeed be the assassin sent after him. Without glancing down, he lets go of his grip, body turning in a half circle, head angled straight down, arms outstretched above it. In seconds he is consumed by darkness, as his body passes through the well, that is fed directly by the nearby river.

**

Taulmaril dances in and out of the trees, at times scaling them for a time, before returning to the soft earth. For the past couple of days he had been waiting just outside of the city walls, after having already gone to the clearing to set everything up. For the last several hours though his time has been spent trailing Vala, which despite her natural talent was quite an easy thing to do for an experienced assassin such as Taulmaril. The leather armor she wore, although giving her additional protection, also made her bulkier, her steps falling louder than they should. His own attire one the other hand, a dark brown traveling cloak and cowl, offered little to no protection, but allowed him to move in near silence, this furthered by the lack of shoes.

Pausing his movement, he slowly closes his eyes, breathing coming to a halt as he listens for any sign of whether or not she remains on the ground, or has taken to the trees for a bow assassination. After a full three minutes of silence, he finally hears the rustle of a bow being drawn, high up in the trees. Smiling ever so slightly, his eyes flash open. Grabbing a hold of a branch just above his head, he swings up onto it, before leaping from branch to branch, occasionally scaling higher into the trees, so that by the time he reached the tree Vala herself resides in, he is a branch above her, silently watching as she releases the arrow, striking into the place his heart would be, if the wood carving in the clearing had indeed been him.

“You are an excellent shot I must say. Quite impressive. Despite having natural skill with bows, I have never really liked them. I prefer getting up close and personal with my kills. They still never see it coming, and it is a beautiful sight watching the surprise in the eyes before they fade away.” Staring down at her, he eagerly awaits her actions in his appearance, just above her, dagger already twirling in between his fingers.

The breath that it took for the bow to release and the arrow to fly she felt her heart suspended in her chest, she had never killed before despite this being the profession she wished to be a part of and the thought of being the reason someone’s heart beat for the last time excited and terrified her. She didn’t take her eyes off the arrow as it spun through the air and when the arrow struck it was the sound of wood that echoed around the forest and then the decoy fell flat on the ground with her arrow sticking out from it. “What the hell…” she whispered beneath her breath in complete confusion.
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It was then that she heard the male voice above her and her torso contorted as she whipped her gaze upwards letting her own crystalline eyes settle upon his in the briefest of moments before she felt her foot slip and her balance tilt backwards. For a brief moment the world seemed to suspend and her arms automatically reached to try and catch a branch, her eyes wide in shock and her lips parting in a gasp and then it was as if someone hit fast forward and she was bouncing off branch after branch all the way to the forest floor. Behind her fell the bow that she had previously in her hands as well as her quiver of arrows scattered beneath the tree she was just perched in.
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Groans escaped her throat as she instinctively curled into the fetal position; pain radiated on every one of her limbs and a swollen bruise already began to form on her cheekbone from where her face smacked against a thinner branch. The thoughts of the male that had spooked her from her assassination target, though fleetingly forgotten in lieu of the throbbing she felt, flooded back and she forced herself to unfurl and crawl towards her bow grabbing an arrow as well. Rolling onto her back she aimed up into the tree she fell from but there was no male in sight, no one to plunge her arrow into and that only made her heart pound faster because that meant now she was in the open clearing and the one with the weakness of exposure. It had been clear she meant to kill, he had even commented on her shot – it was clear she meant to kill him and if she was in his position she’d be hunting herself like a wolf stalks a deer.
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Vala rolled, albeit gingerly, as fast as she could to her feet and pulled herself towards the shadows of the trees; pressing her body against a trunk she listened for sounds of movement that didn’t quite belong. “You knew I was coming for you.” She spoke up from her hiding space before she moved to another spot all the time listening. She knew he was expecting her, no one carried a decoy for the sake of some random chance you were going to be hunted one day someplace at some time. No one.
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The female elf’s eyes were constantly scanning as she listened to the surrounding forest, her arrow was knocked and she was ready to shoot but she only had one arrow in her hands and after that it was simply her daggers so she was biding her time. Each movement she made created fire in her bruised muscles and bones and her chest rose and fell deeply with each breath she used to try to calm herself even as she continued moving to a different spot in the shadows after she spoke again. “Why don’t you show yourself and we’ll finish this the way it was supposed to be finished.”

Cocking his head to the side, Taulmaril's lips pull down at the corners, watching Vala as she first begins losing her balance, and then completely topples off of the branch. “I guess she is an amateur after all, at least I will have a fresh pupil.” With a couple of quick precise movements, he returns his dagger into its holster, before flicking his wrists, releasing the inch long silver nails from the fingers of his gloves. Turning away from the novice assassin, he bounds out of the tree, quickly putting distance between himself and Vala by leaping from branch to branch.

By the time she has regained her footing and began moving once more, he has ceased his own, crouching at the highest point he could reach. Tilting his head back he gazes up at the moon, its silver light just barely filtered by the few leaves above him. Taking a deep breath, he slowly rises to a standing position, flicking his cowl up to cover his hair, the shadows around him swirling up his body, hiding him from view. His smile grows as his silver eyes follow her every movement, quite impressed, for a rookie assassin her movements were quite stealthy, if he had been anyone else he probably would have lost sight of her long ago.

With her voice shattering the silence of the night, he begins moving again, covering the sound of the creaking branches with her words. Dropping down several feet, he begins running parallel to her voice, jumping from tree to tree fluidly, never pausing for more than a second, even as he begins to speak. “I do have to give you credit, you are quite intelligent, and your movements are highly advanced for an assassin who has just started on this path.” During his small speech, he had slowly been making his way towards the ground, however at the very end he leaped up again, to throw her off his location.

Parting his lips once more, his voice is now being thrown by the surrounding trees. “Now now, don't be hasty. I have no reason to kill you, which by the way is how this would end if you wanted to finish it like it started. But it seems like you need some convincing.” Sheathing the claws on his right hand he quickly draws one of his daggers, before releasing it as he steps from one branch to another. Stopping for just a moment, he watches with satisfaction as the thrown knife cleanly severs the string of her bow.

Within a few more movements, he stands in the tree that she resides under. Stabbing his claws into the bark, he begins to slide down the trunk slowly, hoping that she would be too preoccupied with both the sudden destruction of her bow, as well as trying to locate him, that she wouldn't detect the near non-existent sound of his feet on the bark. Reaching the base, he steps forward, one clawed hand resting an inch away from her stomach, the other an inch from her throat. “Vala darling, I don't want to kill you, if I did I wouldn't have spoken when you shot your arrow. I want to make you my apprentice, typically you would have a choice, but given that I expect you will try to fight me otherwise, yes really is your only option.”