An Assassins Crown

Chapter 18- Katara

I thought Roy was in the mines. But apparently hes not- and now I'm sparring with him. He has to do well, I'll lose on purpose. If he does well maybe he will get taken somewhere better then here. Maybe he'll get out of the mines.

I raise my head to meet his eyes, as I step close enough to share breaths.

"You have to win this match" he says before I can get a word out. I open and close my mouth before I realise there is no changing his mind. It is set and there is nothing I can do about it.

"But..."

"Win this" he says again. I nod in understanding.

"Start the match" one of the soldiers says. Roy nods signalising that he is ready.

I grab his arm twisting it to his back so he is no longer facing me. Seeing his pained face would only hurt me more while doing this. Kicking the back of his legs, he falls to the ground with a grunt. I pull him over to the edge of the ring and drop his arm so it lays outside the ring.

"The match is over. Winner is, Red" I raise my eyebrow at what I was just called. I find it somewhat insulting really. That soldier called me a colour. Expecting him to call me by my name is a foolish noshin but to call me red of all things. Are you really that dull of a person that you must call me a colour?

Helping Roy up we get out of the ring. "Are you injured? Did I hurt you?" I scan his body for injuries.

"I'm alright Katara. Not a scratch."

I nod a few times before saying "Good."

As the matches concluded we were rushed into the single file line I had got accustomed to. Only this time Verian pulled me out of the line. It was daylight but, can't he just leave me alone. I had been doing so well to distance myself.

But here he is trying to wedge himself in my life again. He pulls me under a shady area whilst looking me up and down the same way I looked at Roy.

"Why are you avoiding me, my love?" he asks me.

Veary stares at me intently and all I can do is merely stare into those gorgeous brown eyes. When I finally catch my words I answer "I'm not avoiding you". Well that is the biggest lie I have ever told and the worst one. That wasn't even the slightest bit convincing.

"Kat" he says softly like he's trying to coax the truth out of me.

"I have to get back to my cell" he grabs my hands holding them tightly, I try to pull away but he just keeps holding on. "I haven't been avoiding you" I say again.

"Your a terrible liar" he says. I stay silent as he pulls my hands up and places them over his heart. "Remember what you said? That your heart was always beating for me. But now my heart beats for you too."

"I have to go" I repeat. He tries to say something else but I cut him off. "Verian please." He's taken aback for a moment before dropping my hands slowly.

He nods a few times, "You can't avoid me Katara. Not now, not ever." I stay silent as he raises his hand to stroke my cheek. I turn my head away but that does nothing because he raises his other hand and turns my head back in his direction. He searches my face with his eyes, worry creasing his brow. "What did I do? Can I fix it? Whatever I have done, can I fix it?"

I look at him in the eyes my hurt aching "It is nothing you have done" I say in my native language knowing he can't speak it. "It is my fault" I continue on even though I can see his clear confusion "but knowing I will forever bring you down hurts me more then you could ever know. We cannot be together Verian. Not now, not ever." I blink back tears that threaten to fall.

I turn away letting my head hang low "Back to my cell" I say in English. He nods a few times before taking my elbow like the guards do back to my cell.

I try to swallow the aching throb in my throat as it threatens to suffocate me but nothing works. It only increases the ache as my stomach joins the torture, twisting and turning. Raising my eyes I turn to look at Verian who was already looking at me apparently.

"Verian" I say softly.

"Yes Kitty- Kat?" he answers.

"Is there away to override the royal family?"

"Override?" he says in confusion. So I simplify my question to get straight to the point.

"If I kill the king can I become Queen?" a silly question in deed. But if I killed the king all would be set straight. No more starvation and torture. I would be queen, rule the armies of this place. All would listen to me and only me. And... I could be with Verian. I'd be good enough for him then.

"If someone killed the King then yes, that person would become the Ruler. You aren't seriously thinking-"

"No." I say using my excellent lying skills that I had learned over the years, I stroke his arm softly as I continue "I simply like history and tradition. Another question Verian" I say as we walk down the stares to the cell "What is the name of this place?"

He sighs deeply almost like he was anticipating this "It is, The North Kingdom Zalora." Zalora that has a nice ring to it.

Katara Loro Queen of Zalora.

I like that.