The King's Assassin

Chapter 3

"Now, men, we have a new recruit who needs to be taught the correct way to fight." Drannor bellowed at his men, they snickered at the thought of fresh meat. Drannor moved aside, itching to see their reaction to a female recruit.

"She's just a girl!" one growled. Their faces were shocked, angry, nervous. They didn't want to have a girl on their mighty force.

"I won't fight a girl!" another hissed. Drannor glanced back at Sena, her expression was hard.

"Someone please," Drannor sighed. A big burly man stepped up from the crowd. "Alright, Farsi, don't push her around too bad." Drannor winked.

Sena snatched the sword Drannor handed to her, her anger was simmering, Drannor didn't think she could fight. She stepped into the white chalk circle with Farsi. His large body seemed menacing but Sena had faced much harder, she shrugged at his size. He glared at her, and she hissed at him in return. He sucked in a deep breath and let out a blood curdling war cry as he lurched forward towards Sena. At the last second, she side stepped his attack, swinging her sword, slicing a thin gash to his back. He howled in pain as he whirled around, facing his opponent. She bared her teeth at her opponent. He swung his sword at her to which she easily deflected.

He swung around again, his brute force overpowering hers, as his sword grew closer to her core, she launched off of her feet and her hands pushed off the dusty ground as she back flipped away. The crowd roared as she spun around, slashing at Farsi. She inflicted small scratches all over his broad body, finally causing him to drop his sword. She pounced on him, her claws digging into his leather tunic, her sword held tight against  his throat. He held up his hands in surrender.

The crowd cheered. She loosened her grip as she dropped to the unsettled dust, she smiled at Farsi as she handed him his sword. He patted her back with forceful sportsman ship, causing Sena to lurch forward. Farsi chuckled at her petite form as he ambled away to the medic tent.

Sena spotted Drannor's surprised face, he seemed impressed by her skill.

"Miss Tulvir, I'd like to have a word with you."

Sena followed the young general outside the tent. All around the grassy hills, there were tents just like his. The four other leaders milled somewhere around this camp, it made Sena's fingers tingle with the need to spill their blood right here. But why were all the camps together? Don't these rebels know a thing?

"Yes, General?" Sena reported, the sense of not being in command still rattled her.

"Where did you learn to fight like that? I have never seen anything quite like it." Drannor beamed. He has been the very first man who hasn't immediately fallen for her beauty, or at least show her that he has.

"I spent years studying the art of weaponry in Halivaara. That is what the tattoos are for." Sena explained. Drannor's eyebrows seemed to raise quite a bit at the sound of Halivaara.

"So, you've trained with the Elves, huh?" he breathed heavily. "And how did you manage to get to Halivaara? I heard they only take in those that they foresee or those who work for the king." he smirked. Sena froze for a second, clearly he wasn't as dimwitted as she thought he was. Of course, she was trained in graces of the king to become a killing machine. 

"I was chosen," she lied. "After the Immortals killed my parents, an Elf by the name of Zaphara found me and took to me to Halivaara after she saw the lightness in me." Sena told him. 

"Really? They train you in elite weaponry because of your lightness?" he scoffed. 

"Have you ever been to Halivaara, Drannor?" Sena shot back at him as they walked up a grassy hill to a large tent that appeared to hold the leaders. She heard a whisper in the wind and glanced to the right, where Granite was staring at her as Drannor led her to the tent.

"Father, this is Kinsley Tulvir." Drannor said as he crossed his arms proudly at his new recruit. Tirades looked up from his map, Drannor's three other brothers surrounding him, annoyed that their baby brother snatched the beauty from under them. Sena stood tall, chin up, attentive. Just like her Master at Halivaara taught her. 

"The girl from the morning?" he mumbled and looked back down at his map. Sena grew hot with anger that he dismissed her that quickly. She is a trained assassin who could kill him with that map. 

"Yes, but Father, she is brilliant. I think we should make her a captain." Drannor suggested sheepishly, his suggestions were dismissed easily around here quite often. Tirades scoffed, which caused Sena to curl her lip in a slight snarl. 

"Kinsley, is it?" Tirades asked, once again glancing up at her. She nodded once, disdained by his disinterest in her skills. "Kinsley, I know what those tattoos mean. I've been around a very long time. Much more than you, young one. I know that you are highly skilled in weaponry and you know how to read a map and be a soldier, but I have only just met you. So, do not be offended if I say I do not trust you or your intentions." Tirades sneered at her, he shot a glare at Drannor for bringing up his foolish request. "You are dismissed. Both of you."

As they left the tent, Sena was cold towards him the whole way back to the recruit tent. 

"I'm sorry," Drannor apologized. "I didn't mean for that to happen, my father-"

"Stop. I don't know why you thought that was a good idea at all, Drannor." Sena growled, humiliated by a rebellion general, the man she is supposed to kill. "I am a trained warrior, but your father is right. I am a nobody in Morcoast and I don't blame him for not trusting me. Your father was right. You are a fool." she hissed as she stomped away, tracking down a creek to cool off. He only followed her. No matter what she did, she couldn't shake him. Would he be a problem when she had to meet with the other Immortals?

"Help me." Drannor finally said as they stopped at the edge of the creek. 

"Help you?" 

"Yes, obviously you know more than I do." he scoffed.

"You don't even know me." 

"I know enough, you wouldn't harm a fly." he said as she raised her eyebrows. She pulled out a dagger from a hidden sheath and pushed him against a tree, blade to his throat.

"What was that?" she whispered in his ear. He had a playful glint in his eyes. Was he not scared of her?

"I'm too charming to kill, Kinsley."

"Whatever," she sneered as she dropped the blade and walked away. 

Drannor laughed, "So will you do it?" 

"I'm too charming to help you, Drannor." she smirked as she looked back at him, leaving him at the edge of the creek. 

Maybe that elf was right, Ebony wondered. If the rebels don't kill me, the king sure as hell would.