The Assassin Queen

I will be your weapon

Chapter 4

After being scrubbed and polished, her dead ends cut off her hair and a positively hideous dress thrown own her with riding boots, Dravena is led to a group of men, the prince with his back to her. She suddenly felt nervous, as if everyone of these men could see through her clothes, at her ribs that are protruding through her skin, her completion pale instead of the sun-kissed golden it used to be. At least her hair is clean now, but even that is limp and no longer has the glow it used to have.

“This is the assassin that was betrayed by her master?” One of the guards asks, and her body locks up. She had suspected it, had hoped against all odds that he was not the one behind the trap that was set for her. After all, it was his son that was tortured on that table. But then again, Dravena knew there was no love between them. His son was just another soldier, one he tried to make into the ruthless killer he was, but where he had not succeeded with his son, he had with her, and he praised her for it. She is the only one he had loved in his own sick and twisted way, and she had thrived on it, before she fell in love with his greatest disappointment.

“You do not speak in her presence. You do not look at her. You might be my private guard, but you are beneath her. Do you understand me? When she wins this competition, she will be more valuable that you will ever be in your miserable life. Now get her some f*****g water and ready her horse.” The prince is angry, and standing up for her, and she hates it. She has been fighting her own battles all her life. She has survived growing up with assassins, has proven herself worthy of the title heir to the throne of assassins. She doesn’t need a prince riding on a white horse in shinning armor to fight her battles.

The guard doesn’t say another word, just lowers his head and does exactly what the prince said. “You do not fight my battles for me. I am not weak, nor am I mute. I can defend myself just fine.” She snaps at the prince, and to her utter frustration, the prince only smiles at her and then climbs on his horse.

“I don’t think I need to give you the speech, because I think you have already figured it out, but I am going to give it to you anyway. You try to run, you are dead. You try to kill me, and you are dead. This is your chance at freedom. A chance to live your life without running. I will not pretend to say I trust you, so you will not be given any weapons. You will eat and drink when I permit it, and you will sleep only when I have you chained and sure that you won’t do anything stupid. Your horse stays right in front of mine and one step out of place, and you will be shot before you can make it two feet. I do not plan on losing this competition, and I am not wasting more time trying to find another assassin that will probably end up dying in the first week of the competition.” He says, laying down the law, and Dravena has to force herself to not roll her eyes at the whole speech.

“I will be your weapon, your champion, but if I find out you lied, I will kill you before you even know what is coming. I will become your worst nightmare, because if you lied about my freedom, it will be you that spend eternity running.” She warns him and for a moment they stare each other down. After five minutes of silently staring, and everyone else waiting to see who will snap first, the prince nods and then turns his head away, ordering his steed to start the journey home.

This is going to be one very long trip and an even longer five years to come if she were to live up to her word.