Against the Shadows|| A Zodiac Story

Eight

"Aries, Your client came. Here is your payment." The bartender handed the masked man a bag of gold and continued serving in the crowded room of the tavern.

"Thanks, Pavo." Aries tossed the bag in his hand as he walked to his usual table. "98... 99... 100. Nothing more. Nothing less." He counted the gold inside the bag with a cocky smirk.

"E-excuse me. Are you the a-assassin?" His attention was then caught by a frail-looking woman who approached his table.

"Who's askin'?" He frowned at the woman who kept looking over her shoulder.

"Someone wants to talk to you." She whispered before handing a bag of coins. "Thousand gold, initial payment. If you are interested, follow me." The masked man couldn't believe what he was hearing. He studied the woman carefully and she shifted nervously under his gaze.

"Try anything funny and I'm killin' ya instead." Aries stood up instantly towering over the woman. 

"T-T-This way..." She whispered before turning her back to Aries. The masked man, on the other hand, gripped the dagger in his waistband before looking over the bartender and giving him a small nod. 

Aries followed the woman and the two left the tavern. She led him into a less crowded part of the city and they stopped at an unexpected place.

"A boutique?" Aries frowned as the woman entered the shop and was greeted by the staff.

"T-The VIP lounge, p-please..." The woman in front of Aries shifted nervously in her place as the staff went away to check something.

"Sorry for the wait. right this way, Ma'am." The white-haired staff smiled at the two but Aries sensed an odd feeling about her. "Lady, your guests have arrived." He dismissed this feeling as they entered a spacious room decorated with flowers. 

He studied the room and found only one person inside. 

"Come closer, dears. I don't bite." She chuckled as she took a sip of her tea on the balcony, looking over the street below. Aries stepped closer but the woman beside him didn't.

"I-I brought him to y-y-you. Can I g-go now, please?" Aries just noticed how being in the same room as the woman sipping tea completely made the other woman tremble even worse. Her eyes were also teary as she gave a fearful gaze to the mysterious woman before them.

"Ah, yes. The staff will lead you outside." She waved her hand and the white-haired staff lowered her head before gesturing for the woman to come with her outside. The woman's gaze shifted from the woman on the balcony and the staff before hesitantly following the staff outside. 

"Now, let's talk, assassin." The woman gestured to the chair opposite her and Aries slowly seated before examining her. She was wearing a floppy hat that covered half her face and her hair was a short dark brown with a length just past her chin.

"I believe my little messenger already gave you the initial payment?" She asks as the assassin sits down. "Nine thousand more after you finish the job."

"Big pay. Who's the unfortunate man worthy of that much money?" Aries smirks underneath his mask and leans back on the chair.

"Woman, actually." The woman smiled. "Someone who is getting in the way of my plans." Her tone quickly turned to annoyance as she reached for the cup of tea in front of her.

"Drop the name and she's gone before you know it." 

-+++-

"I've heard the news and I came as soon as I heard!" The well-dressed lady exclaimed as soon as she entered the room. 

"Princess Andromeda." The woman inside quickly turned to see her visitor and had a surprised look on her face. Her visitor grinned and stepped inside before sitting on the sofa and placing a bottle of wine and her large hat on the empty space beside her.

"Please, Andromeda is fine. The nuns let me in." Andromeda smiled widely at her reaction. "It would be a pity if none of the family was here for your big day. I mean, Dad is too busy doing his 'kingly duties' and Mom is all over the castle preparing for my birthday so, I thought I'd visit. You... on your special day." She leaned on her chair studying the face of the woman sitting in front of her.

"You didn't have to." The woman gave Andromeda a tight smile and went back to looking at her full-body mirror, fixing her robe.

"Oh, please..." She rolled her eyes and stood up from the sofa and started walking around the room. She noticed the two cups sitting on the bedside table and grinned. She took the bottle of wine with her to the bedside table and poured the drink.

"I know we have our differences— our mothers for one. But you and I are still sisters, Aquarius!" Andromeda continued. "So... after this whole ceremony, you'll go up from being a priestess to a divine saintess?"

"Not exactly. There is this king in the neighboring kingdom, Calaestes. He seems to be ill and the head priest wants me to check on him first." Aquarius started putting her hair up in a half updo while Andromeda placed down the bottle.

"Aw, that's awful." After turning to Aquarius' direction, her sister put on a pouty face and placed her hands on her chest. "So when will the real event be?" Aquarius wanted to scoff at her facade but decided to keep it together. She turned to Andromeda and smiled.

"Don't worry, 'little sister'. After I check on him, I'll come back for the whole divine saintess thing. Don't sweat it." She gave her sweetest smile to her sister before turning back to the mirror while Andromeda was left with a slightly gaped mouth but shook her head after a moment.

"Then the celebration is still in motion." She plastered a fake smile and walked up to Aquarius with the cups of wine in her hands. "Care for a drink?" She offered her older sister a cup with a tight smile. 

"One drink is not a sin, is it?" Aquarius shifted her gaze to her and internally chuckled as she saw Andromeda with a forced smile of defeat.

"I think not." Aquarius smiled sweetly and grabbed a cup from her, watching Andromeda's fuming face while drinking the wine happily.

~xxx~

WC: 1032

And our zodiac is complete! What do you guys think of our last zodiacs,

Aries: The Deadly Assassin Mercenary and,

Aquarius: The Priestess who is a Divine Saintess Candidate

Once again, y'all are a great support. Thank you for all the reads and votes!

Now that the gang is complete, you guys know what's next!!!