Bound by Deception

9.1 A Different Mission

Aria picked at the end of the blanket she was sewing. She was like a statue on the bench, with nothing but her swift fingers moving the needle in and out with such precision that one would think she'd used a needle since she was a newborn. Well, it wasn't far from the truth.

The evening was chilly but occasionally had spurts of warmth. Aria felt no warmth in her though. Everything was black and gray, and with Edward back in her life, she wasn't sure how to handle him. She thought going outside would help, but it didn't seem to be working.

She sat at her aunt's estate - the home she was supposed to be staying at with Noah before he decided to marry Eloise. She wasn't sure if they'd still be living together, but it was a place that brought solace to her regardless. It would be Noah's after his marriage, but she decided she wouldn't mind never coming back.

A few maids worked around the front yard, sometimes looking up at her and nodding or offering a drink or food. Aria rejected them every time, and would only speak when spoken to. The maids knew it wasn't her being rude - that was just the way Aria always was. Quiet, reclusive, and almost invisible.

For the first time, Aria was wearing a more regal outfit - a long dark red dress that dropped below her feet with loose sleeves and gold embroidery. She refused to wear jewelry, though, apart from the silver ring on her finger. It was often said to bring her eye color out, but Aria thought that gold matched her better.

A few days had passed since Edward's return. Aria hadn't gone to report to Madame, and simply sent Sterling with a letter of apology. She was glad her partner didn't ask any questions. He seemed to understand that she was brooding in her own world and wanted the space.

"It doesn't add up, somehow," Aria spoke to herself as she fixed the scarf on her lap. "Edward suddenly returning...wanting to marry me? He never showed any interest in me, and I know I would have caught onto his feelings. As for the church fire...they didn't make it a big deal. People die, but people die all the time. As a militia man, he knew that. Granted, he left his post, but who would know? He could have lied...unless he was caught." She shook her head in frustration. "Gah! This makes no sense! Think, Aria, think! Why the fuck can't you logically sort through this conversation?!"

She tossed the scarf aside and buried her face in her hands, letting out a long groan. The wind passed her like a cold hand sliding down her back and she tensed, rising abruptly.

"Mulling over this will do me no good. I'll lose focus during my missions and that'll mess a lot of things up." She pulled the scarf around her neck and briskly left the estate, walking down the pavement with harsh footsteps. She strode down the empty sidewalks like a businesswoman, strict and confident, without letting anyone be aware of the inner turmoil she was experiencing.

Emotions away, Aria, she warned herself. Emotions. Away. Girl.

Somehow, she found herself at Yohan's ice cream stand, waiting in line behind a group of teenage boys and girls. They seemed to be on a group date, as each one held their significant other and whispered teasingly with each other. Aria smiled at their interactions, her face hidden behind her dark hair. They were so young, so innocent. She remembered when she was like that, back before she joined the killing business. She presumed that she was their age by the time she committed her first murder.

"Alone today?" Yohan smiled sympathetically at her when it was her turn. "Where's your favorite partner?"

"I'm not sure," Aria said, shrugging. "I needed to clear my head. Bloody Mary, please."

"Coming up." Yohan handed her the dessert. "Your aunt sure is being generous with you going out, isn't she?"

"She's busy with Noah's upcoming wedding," Aria said lazily. "So, I have a lot of time to myself."

"I thought you'd help plan?"

"Planning events isn't my thing. I'm happy to just be a spectator."

"I can imagine that." Yohan studied her guarded expression. "Something you wanna talk about?"

"No." Aria bit into her cone. "Nothing in particular. It's been a long week."

"You look worn out. Are you sleeping well?"

"Not as well as I'd like."

"You should sleep more. Take some medicine."

"I'm fine." She took a napkin and wiped her mouth. "Did anyone come to see you recently? Any news?"

"Apart from the Gall incident? Nothing." Yohan tapped his chin. "Well, they were talking about a recent surge of spies in the country, but I think that's older news."

"Spies are common things to look out for." Aria shrugged. "Anything about assassins?"

"Nope. The public is virtually ignorant of the existence of assassins." Yohan grinned. "You're safe."

"Hah, like I could be an assassin," Aria cheekily said. "I'm the young lady of the Kumar family, you should know. I could never risk my reputation."

"You sound like your aunt. How is she, anyway?"

"Excited. There's a wedding after all. She loves planning them. And spending money."

"A lot of women do," Yohan sighed. "My mother was the same way. We had no money but she loved to spend."

"My mother did too, from what I can remember," Aria said, surveying the riverside. "She loved to buy clothes for me, to a problematic extent."

"Problematic? I thought your family was quite wealthy."

"They were, but I found it ridiculous to spend money on unneeded items. I preferred dolls to clothes."

"I believe most young girls did." Yohan looked at the horizon with her, the sky a kaleidoscope of colors. "Hey, isn't that Sterling?"

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So...Aria seems to have found herself in a tiff. This isn't what assassins usually do. What will she decide? 

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