The King's Assassin

Chapter 2

Sena awoke at five thirty in the morning, the sun just started to peek over the evergreen trees. The pastel colors cast a soft glow on the castle grounds, it was an odd change from the ever rainy kingdom. Sena spotted her pack leaning against a stone wall and she slipped on her boots and slung her pack over her shoulder.

Her horse, which the king had imported from the Elven city of Halivaara, was a beautiful sleek black horse with silver markings. The Elven breeder had called her Azariah, or Enchanting One. So, that's what Sena called the mare. Azariah trotted in place, stomping one hoof on the hay covered ground, as Sena came up. Her gleaming smile grew as Azariah snorted, happy to see her rider. Sena patted the horse's neck as she opened the gate. She heaved the leather saddle onto the mare's back and strapped on the stirrups and the bridle.

As Sena led her horse outside, she noticed the sun had given away to the grey clouds that moved their way from the sea.

"When will we leave?" a shrill voice complained. Sena glanced over to see Asina, Granite, Radus, and Rain all on their horses ready to leave.

"We leave now." Sena growled. She led the Immortals out the back Southern gate and they lifted their hoods as the rain started to fall. They rode through the woods to get to the main road without causing a scene.

"Arlen is about twenty miles from here." a toothless man pointed to the north.

"Thank you, kind sir." Sena smiled kindly. The old man blushed at her as he bowed slightly.

As they continued down the rode, Asina flirted with every man she saw. Sena, full of disgust, concentrated on more important things like who looked like they knew anything about the rebel group.

They stopped in a small town and Sena went in a shop to ask where a water well was. An elderly woman sat in a wooden rocking chair behind a merchant counter. A purple sash was tied around her graying strands of hair. Her wrinkled skin was the fairest color Sena had ever seen. As pale as Sena was, this woman looked like she had never seen the daylight.

"May I help you, dear?" the woman asked, she had a trace of an accent, Sena could tell, but she didn't know where she had heard that accent from.

"Yes, my companions and I need some more water for us and our horses. Do you know where we can find some?" Sena asked the woman politely. The woman eyed her doubtfully.

"You work for the king." The woman said. Sena's heart skipped a beat. How could she have known? No one in the entire kingdom knows who the Immortals true identities were "Don't fret, child. Everyone has their secrets. I have mine and you have yours, Immortal." The woman sighed.

"How do you know?" Sena breathed.

"My name is Zaphara, young Immortal. I have been in this world far longer than you. All I can say is that your mission, your life, will begin to unravel at the ends, you may think it's falling apart, but it's the start of a new beginning." She whispered to the stunned captain.

"What are you saying?" Sena rattled, her voice wavering.

"You will fall for the enemy and your decision will affect the outcome of this kingdom, so choose wisely Sena." Zaphara told her sharply.

"You're an elf, aren't you? You're from Halivaara." Sena told her, her words slurred from excitement. The woman shook her head and pointed out the door.

"You will find water beyond the market." She said as she stood and hobbled away. Sena stood in place, trying to process what this woman, Zaphara, had told her.

"Sena, come on, we found the well." Radus came in the store and grabbed her shoulder, knocking Sena out of her trance.

Five miles to Arlen. Sena couldn't stop thinking about what Zaphara had told her. She would fall for the enemy? Fail her mission? Never. Sena was faithful to her king. He had taken her in, given her food and a warm place to live in this harsh rainy kingdom. What Zaphara said didn't make any sense. Maybe she was just a crazy old woman who told fake fortunes. But she knew Sena worked for the king, she knew her name.

"Sena?" Granite nudged.

"What?" she hissed sharply. Granite held up his hands in defense.

"I was just going to say that we are here." He smirked, for once he had been more aware than his captain.

Sena looked around the town, it had a strip of shops and taverns with a cobblestone road, peasants fumbled around.

"Asina, come in the tavern with me, we have to sweet talk the bartender into spilling some information." Sena hissed diligently as she swung one leg off of her saddle. Asina followed her into the tavern, messing with her blonde curls. They both looked like Rangers with their leather and fur leggings and dark leather vests. Sena lifted off her hood to reveal her tattooed face. The men in the bar stared at the beautiful women, unknowing that they could kill each and every one of them in under a minute.

"Ladies, how are you this fine afternoon?" the tender smiled warmly, leaning against the wooden bar. Sena twisted a mass of dark auburn hair between her fingers.

"Can we have a drink, sir?" she toyed. "We are awfully tired from our journey."

"I'm guessing you're looking for something?" the tender asked, gathering the alcohol and two glasses. "People don't come to Arlen without a purpose."

"Sure are, we just don't know where to find it." Sena sighed. The tender's eyebrows rose.

"May I ask what it is you're searching for? I may be of assistance." The man whispered. Asina's eyes lit up.

"The Arlen rebellion." Sena said in the man's ear. His eyes widened.

"You have to go see Dellor for that, I don't know nothing about that. Dellor has to weed out the king 's Immortals. Tirades may be suicidal for starting this rebellion, but he sure ain't stupid for just letting in anyone." The man told them. Sena rose from her wooden stool and strolled straight out the door without looking back.

She mounted her horse and took off into a gallop, the others having a hard time keeping up.

When she rounded the corner of a shop, she came to a full stop.

"What the hell was that?" Rain barked, her black hair every which way around her face.

"We have to split now. The man said that Tirades searches everyone, he's not stupid. He knows what he's doing. Make sure you do not use your real name, make up a story in your head about where you were born, who your parents are. Stick to your story." Sena growled at them. Her mind flew with images of ideas, her story included an Immortal murdering her parents when she was sixteen, she was left to die alone, she wants revenge.

"Now leave, we meet every night at this spot unless I tell you otherwise." Sena snarled at them. Her Immortals nodded and she turned her horse and galloped away.

"Kinsley Tulvir?" Dellor bellowed, his broad shoulders were twice the size of Sena. He was a strong man of thirty years old. He had soft brown eyes but a hard face. Sena stood in front of him like a soldier in the army. This was uncanny to Sena, considering she was always the one to weed out her men. Now she was the weed.

"Yes, sir." She affirmed. Dellor studied her face deliberately.

"Where did your red tattoos come from, Miss Tulvir?" Dellor demanded.

"I trained some in Halivaara, my Elder advised I get them." She told him. That was not a lie, she studied weaponry in Halivaara. Her Elder taught her how to kill a man two hundred yards away with a single arrow. After she had reached the highest rank, her Elder tattooed her right half of her body with the red nomadic markings of the warrior.

Behind Dellor stood Kyras, Lias, and Drannor. They all studied her every move. But Drannor, he watched her intently. His heart was racing. He had never seen someone this enchanting before. Dellor interrogated the woman and as he turned to let his brothers choose her, Drannor stood immediately.

"I want Kinsley" He breathed. Lias and Kyras snickered at him.

"Dellor, I want Tulvir." Lias growled. Lias turned his attention back to the beautiful stranger.

"What if I want her?" Kyras snarled. Dellor rolled his eyes as he watched his brothers fight for the girl.

"Enough." Dellor roared. "I guess it's your pick, Tulvir." Dellor turned back to Sena.

"Drannor."