The Assassins Arrow

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UGH! Morning already. Although I am used to waking up with the sun, I still hate mornings. “ Good morning dear sister! Rise and shine!!” Gen came bursting into my room with Nic trailing behind. I only see Nic when he has an assignment for me, Gen always bursts into my room with a wake up call. I hate it but I don’t think I could live without it.

You may be wondering what happened, after the fire took out the rest of our village, my aunt took the three of us to the city and we lived there since. My aunt is doing well she has her own place in town. We figured we should move out considering we’re all in our twenties now. Nic was twenty-five he’s a year older than me so that obviously means I’m twenty-four, Gen is twenty-two. Back to my aunt though, she took care of us for eleven years, training, educating, and any basic needs we may, well need. I love my aunt without her none of us would be where we are today.

Gen was still more into hand to hand, she liked knowing that she could take anyone down with just her hands. I have to admit, being the person she mainly trained with, she is deadly. Nic was our informant he was the one that gathered intel on our targets, he was also the one that met with potential clients. Myself I’m the best archer around, I’m good with my hands if the time ever calls fo it, but I much prefer to be a silent killer. I would perch myself on top of a building and catch them unsuspectingly.

My name is Arya Grange daughter of the late Markus and Gisele. I miss my parents more than anything, after seventeen years I have yet to find out who was behind the attacks, I may not have figured it out yet, but I will never give up. I will take the son of a b**** down if it’s the last thing I do.

That’s enough about us, back to whatever Nic needs me to take care of. I muster up any type of alertness I may have, “Morning Gen, Must you always be so chipper?” “ I mean on of us has to be the happy sister,” I rolled my eyes at her retort. “ Morning Nic, what do you have for us?” I ask “Well, just you actually,” Nic said hesitantly “ok we’ll what do you have for ME?” I reiterated. “ Three men aged 43,46, and 48. They frequent a tavern here in the city. They’re all about 6’2” dark blond hair, brown eyes, brothers no doubt. They take elven children from their homes at night and sell them off as slaves to the higher class.” “ Scum. I’ll take care of them, just give me the name of the tavern.” I say in return. I hate people that take and think nothing will happen to them, especially when it comes to children. “ You don’t want to know how much we were commissioned to do this?” Nic asked. He’s right I forgot to ask I was slightly blinded by rage at that point, “ sorry Nic it slipped my mind. How much are we getting for this?” “450,000”. I was impressed, not everyone has that kind of money only individuals of the royal court and other wealthy business people. “ Let the client know the job will be completed by the end of the day. Also I require half of the payment prior to the jobs completion.” I responded. Being one of very few assassins left in our realm, money was no issue, see a lot of people want someone out of their lives, permanently or sometimes they just want us to scare them a bit, which is where my sister comes into play, no matter the job we make sure it gets done in a timely manner, no sense in letting these things drag on and have the client hound us for information.

I got out of bed once everyone left my room and took a shower. I let the hot water cascade through my hair and down my body, there’s something so relaxing about a hot shower in the morning. As I got out and dried myself, I looked in the mirror seeing scars across my chest from jobs gone wrong, or when training got a bit too intense. I move on a begin to do my hair in my classic braid, I find it’s the best hairstyle for keeping my long hair out of my way, nothing worse than getting a chunk of hair wrapped around an arrow from the wind, ouch, so now I just make sure it’s always tucked away. Once I finished my hair I brush my teeth and make my way to the closet and change into my stakeout clothes. Today was going to be a day of intel, track their patterns, size each of them up. Once nightfall hits is when I strike, when each of the brothers are alone will probably be my best course of action, I don’t need them to look for me when they see what I’ve done to whichever one I hit first.

After a very boring day of watching, I’ve concluded the elder brother, from whom I assume, is the ringleader of the operation, he does most of the talking to their clients. The middle brother is the one that delivers the “merchandise” to the client. Finally the last brother, I notice seems a little stand-offish, almost as though he doesn’t agree with what’s being done. Nevertheless the client wants all three, so that is what they shall get.

Nightfall comes and I positioned myself on top of the building adjacent to the tavern, watching, waiting. Finally after about an hour and a half I see the middle brother come out, drunk off his rocker, I see him stumbling as he fishes through his jacket for a match to ignite the smoke he had dangling from his lips. Just as he’s about to light it, I let my arrow fly, landing directly into his chest piercing his heart. He falls to the ground without a sound. About fifteen minutes pass and I see the door open again, I ready myself with another arrow, sure enough it was the youngest brother checking on his elder, I see the look of shock on his face from where I’m sat, and just before he can run back inside I let my arrow loose again. Just like the first brother he fell in complete silence. Just then the eldest brother came storming out. All I see is rage plastered on his face, as he lets out a loud, pained scream, I let the final arrow go and it lands in his mouth mid scream as it makes its way through the base of his skull I see him topple on top of his fallen brother.

Well I consider that a job well done.

Do I love being an assassin? No, I want to help people not kill them, I guess in a way I am helping the ones that want these people gone from our world. That’s pretty much the only conciliation I’m going to get. I can’t really change something I was quite literally born to do.

I got home that night to see Nic waiting up. “ Is it done?” He asked, “ Why do you doubt me Nic, have I ever let you down?” I say to him as I turn towards the bathroom, I don’t get many chances to go when I’m on a stakeout. But as I turn I feel Nic’s arms wrap around my waist, “You have always amazed me with your skills. How about I show you some of mine?”. You see it gets pretty lonely in our profession, I have never entertained the thought of a male companion, I don’t see a reason, I’m busy majority of the time, as well as the fact if anyone ever found out who I am then no one would be safe and I don’t want to put anyone at an unnecessary risk. So Nic and I fool around sometimes. Nothing serious, we both agreed to our arrangement purely for pleasure. “ Nic I’m tired, I just want to shower and go to bed. Tomorrow?” I replied. “Sure. I’ll catch you tomorrow. I made sure you don’t have anything going on so you are a free woman Ari.” “Oh before I forget. The clients sent your funds. They were so impressed they threw in a little something extra…” he said with a twinkle in his eye. I’ve known Nic for a long time and I know this look, he only gets it when there’s something really intriguing on the line and I doesn’t want to tell me. “What is it Nic? I’m not really in the mood for surprises.” “ maybe detour into the kitchen before your shower and find out.” Smug b******. I roll my eyes and turn around in a huff. I get to the kitchen and see two envelopes, one obviously the money, but what is the second?

I pick up the envelope in my hands and open it. They notice read:

“ In regards to a job well done, you have been invited by his and her majesty to attend this years formal ball. The palace seamstress has been instructed to custom make four dresses that are to be sent to your place of residence the day of the ball. You will have one week from today to prepare yourself to be seen by the royal court.”

“What is it?” Both Nic and Gen, whom I just realized was here, asked. “ I-I I’ve been invited to the ball this Saturday,” I say in utter disbelief. “Omg!! I get to make you all pretty!!!” Of course Gen would say this, that girl has been begging to give me a makeover for too long. So I just rolled my eyes at her. Nic chimed in “ but then people will know who you are.” “ ah, see that is where you are wrong sir.” I say as I turn to my room. “What just happened?” I hear Gen say. I make my way to the closet, I have something that Gen is going to either cry or be absolutely p*she’s at me. We’ll see. It’s the only thing that can help me right now, so I don’t really care what my sister says, I’ll deal with it later. “Ari what are you doing?” I hear Nic call to me, “did you want us to follow you? I’m confused. What just happened?” Gen yells out, “I’m coming give me a sec, jeez.”. I grab a medium size box from the back of one of the shelves. As I come out I see the two sitting at the table looking exhausted. I assume it’s because they didn’t like how long I took… oh well. “ they haven’t noticed me yet, so I get as close as I can to their ears and say, “ HI” in a pretty chipper type voice. They both jump, my eyes immediately go to Gen who looks like she’s going to punch me, fist up and everything. Nic on the other hand, I couldn’t help but chuckle, clutching his chest looking like he’s seen a ghost. “Hahaha you should see you faces!” “ Gen you look like you want to kill me, and Nic you look like you need a hug.”

After I teased them a little, I placed the box gently on the table in front of me. I hear a gasp come from Gen’s direction, I look over and see a few tears escaping her eyes. I was right on the crying, now is she going to be p*ssed or not. A few more moments of crying and we shall find out. 3, 2, 1…” OMG! ARYA!!” There’s it is. Let’s have it, “ I haven’t seen this in so long. I thought it was lost it the fire.” She said with tears in her eyes. Nic looks confused as all h*ll, “anyone want to tell me what’s going on?” I look at him and smile as I open the box, to reveal the most beautiful black lace mask. As I lift it out my sister just bursts into tears. Nic still a bit confused “ why is Gen crying” “It was my mother’s mask.” I paused, “ she used to where this when she went to such events.”.

Gen finally calmed down after asking to hold it. She looked at me and gasped, “ I wish we still had the jewelry to match.”. I then gently pulled out a stunning necklace with a thin, delicate silver chain with an onyx stone, shaped as a raindrop lay in the middle. I placed it gently in front of my sister and grabbed the corresponding earrings and bracelet. The earrings were a pair of silver dangle with the same onyx stone at the ends, the bracelet however was again a delicate silver chain connecting at the base of the beautiful stone, at the point another chain connected with a loop to place on your middle finger. I always thought it was the most beautiful and unique piece of jewelry I had ever seen. I was so excited to wear all of this. I always wished my mother would properly pass it down to me, help me put it all on for my first time. I felt a tear fall out of the corner of my eye recalling my mother. As much as I missed my parents I had to get down to business. Count the money sort it between the three of us and then get to bed.

After counting the money I got myself ready for bed. Everyone was already long asleep. I curled into bed and decided tomorrow I am sleeping in, it’s my day off, I’m taking advantage of it. As I closed my eyes sleep came fast, I dreamed about how the ball could be with dancing and the drinks, all the beautiful people around.

I wake to my sisters usual morning wake up call. I cover my ears with my pillows and try to shoo her away. But to no avail so I throw a pillow at her and tell her I was sleeping and to leave. I curl back up and close my eyes.