The Assassin and the Murderer

Chapter 5

For the next few nights, Sam wouldn't speak to anyone, except for a few words to Denzel. Everyone was giving him a little space to grieve, because they all knew what it was like to lose someone.

"How is he?" Laurel asked when Denzel sat down next to the fire and sighed.

"Not good. He was going to propose to her." Denzel said. "And he's regretting this whole trip, of course. He doesn't want to find our father at all. He probably never did in the first place."

"Why do you say that?" Laurel asked.

"I shouldn't have said anything at all." Denzel sighed. "But our father was just... Well, he was a terrible father at best. He was so consumed in finding our mother's murderer that he was never around, and when he was, he had me trained to be his little soldier. I pretty much raised Sammy on my own, to be honest."
 Laurel raised her eyebrows in surprise, but let him continue.

"Anyway, he could not be considered a father. That's all I'm saying." Denzel said.

"I'm sorry." Laurel said. "If it helps, the only father figure I ever had was the King of Assassins, who wants me dead, and I recently learned that my actual father was the King, who, guess what, wanted me dead."

"Geez. We could start a club for people with Daddy Issues." Denzel smirked, and Laurel laughed.

"Sure could." She said. "We sure could."

~

It had been another week and a half in the forest when the group made it to a port city called Tyrell. Sam was still not speaking much, but he wasn't as sulky as before, which was an improvement.

They planned to rent out another tavern for that night, thankful to not have to sleep on the cold, hard ground anymore.

"You guys?" Denzel said, coming to a halt in front of the group.

"What's wrong?" Oletha asked.

"You're fugitives. There's a war because of you." Denzel said, stepping aside to reveal a wanted poster posted on a tree trunk.

"Great. Just what we need. Our faces plastered everywhere." Spencer said sarcastically.

"Listen, Sam and I will go in and rent three rooms. You guys wait here, and we'll figure out a way to smuggle you in, okay?" Denzel said, and he and Sam left to go to the tavern.

"Uh, guys?" Oletha said.

"What now?" Laurel asked, looking like it couldn't get any worse.

"Letha, honey, maybe this isn't the best time, I mean–" Gabriel said.

"I know this isn't the best time, but I really need to tell Laurel and Spencer something." She said.

"What is it?" Spencer asked.

"Well..." Oletha said, looking nervous. "I think I'm pregnant."

"What!?" Laurel and Spencer asked at the same time.

Gabriel nodded, and then smiled.

"Yeah, we think so." He said.

"Well, congratulations!" Spencer said, hugging Oletha and then shaking Gabriel's hand.

That's when everyone noticed that Laurel was just standing there without saying anything.

"Laurel?" Oletha asked, looking nervous.

"A... A baby?" Laurel asked, as if trying to comprehend what was going on.

"Yes, what else?" Oletha asked.

"Oletha... This is a baby we're talking about. We're being hunted! We've started a war! I... I just can't believe that you would ever want to bring a child into a world this cruel." Laurel said in disbelief.

"Well... I..." Oletha said, looking hurt. She had clearly expected a different reaction from her friend.

"Alright! Tavern's all ready! Let's smuggle some fugitives in!" Denzel said, coming back into the forest.

"It's alright, you guys." Spencer told Gabriel and Oletha. "Laurel, we'll talk about this later."

~

"What the hell was that?" Spencer asked once they were in the tavern room.

"You can't possibly think this is a good idea, Spence! We're in the middle of a war right now, and they want to bring an innocent child into this!? For what!? To be slaughtered like the rest of us?"

"Laurel, don't talk like that! Why can't you just forget about it and be happy for them!?"

"Because they're making a huge mistake by doing this!" Laurel exclaimed.

"I don't think it's a mistake. I think that we need something like this in our lives right now. Something good for once." Spencer said.

Laurel shook her head.

"And what if it were us? Would you seriously want kids? Would you actually want to bring them into this... This life!?" Laurel asked. "Because I don't think I could forgive you if you did."

"Yeah, maybe I do think that, Laurel. Have you ever thought that maybe I just want to find a place to, I dunno, maybe settle down and have a life once this is all over?" Spencer said.

"It will never be over, Spencer. And if you're too stupid to realize that, maybe we should just leave each other." Laurel said, her voice thick with silent anger.

Spencer nodded.

"Alright. You're right. We can't keep doing this anymore." He said. "Don't you dare hurt them anymore than you already have. Goodbye, Laurel."

And with that, he stepped out the door, slammed it behind him, and was gone.