Zoro and his Assassin

Kanav

||Please prepare for a long back story, I am trying to edit fit it all in three chapters. But we will see.  

It might feel that Anya is a little different here, not as violent or self assured - please remember she is only 18 years old almost 10 years younger to when we meet her with Zoro, and has left the oppressing clan for the first time.||

Anyas POV:

We arrived at a grimy, nearly empty diner. He secured a table and gestured for me to sit. As we settled, he flashed a confident smile and introduced himself. "Hello, Shika Assassin. I'm Kanav. I have been waiting for you"

I am unsure how to respond to him wondering if I should attack or run. At that moment, my stomach chose to make its presence known, grumbling loudly and betraying my hunger. I felt my face flush crimson with embarrassment.

Kanav simply turned and gestured to the woman at the counter. "We'll have two servings of the best meal you've got," he said.

For some reason, that simple gesture pushes me to keep sitting and see where this encounter goes. 

As we waited, I studied him with a blend of curiosity and suspicion. He was undeniably handsome, but he seemed too young to be the head of security. More concerning was how he knew I was a Shika assassin—a closely guarded secret. My mind churned with questions, but before I can voice them, Kanav looks at me and sighs. "You're too young," he says, his tone tinged with frustration. "Why did they send an amateur like you?"

My mouth falls open, and my eyes narrow at his remark. I consider whether I should jab the fork lying near my left into his eye or his hand—though, in truth, his face is too pretty to disfigure.

He chuckles, his gaze steady on me. "Do not touch that fork, Hybris," he says with a smirk, as if he's read my mind.

"Hybris?" I scoff. "You mean the goddess of war?"

He laughs, "The  goddess of violence, or the goddess of insolence and pride, if you prefer. It suits you."

I was charmed, which clearly indicated my mental health because he was in essence dissing me.

"I may be young, but I am dangerous," I reply, choosing to ignore his comment. "How do you know me?" I demand, trying to keep my voice steady and cold.

Kanav leans back with a smirk. "I orchestrated this," he reveals casually. "I convinced the King that it was in his best interest to stop paying the Celestials. I hoped, rather optimistically, that they would take him out as retaliation. It is well known in certain circles that they prefer the Lava assassins for these jobs"

As far as plans go, his was too simple but quiet effective. 

"Well, now that the introductions are out of the way lets get down to business. Have you found a way to kill the King?" He asks.

I stare at his face, still unable to decide if I should continue this conversation or not. His eyes are the most amazing color. Neither blue nor completely green. They were currently squinting slightly at me, waiting for my answer. 

I sigh,"I have nothing... I was planning to poison the pond where you found me, but its too far fetched. I need a better plan."

Kanav's expression darkens. "Is this a joke to you? Why are you so unprepared? I demand we be assigned a different killer."

I am taken aback by his outburst. "Kanav, I am a professional. I've trained for this. I need to plan and prepare before I take action. I can't just jump in, swords waving, and hope to poke the King."

If everything else fails, I'll simply scale the palace walls in the middle of the night and slice the throats of all the guards and the King. But that's my last resort. I just... I just want to make it look like an accident with the least amount of collateral damage. That means I need a solid plan before I take extreme measures.