Innocent Enemy

Part 1

Author's note: I had to write a short story for a graded assignment and well, this is what I made. Okay, enjoy! (and vote pls) :D

One evening, as Indrasena Misty sat in her 'home' (alleyway), shivering in the cool evening air, a well dressed man approached her.

   "Come with me and you will receive a meal and a chance of earning enough money for three months worth of meals," he declared.

Indrasena's stomach growled. Her stomach felt like it was empty to the point where it was trying to eat itself. She followed him.

They arrived at a small building and entered. It was modestly furnished and reeked of blood. Indrasena shivered. The man disappeared into another room and returned with a steaming bowl of soup in one hand and a pouch in the other. He then handed the bowl to Indrasena, grimacing when their hands touched, and tossed the pouch onto the table, making the contents clink against each other. The man sat. When Indrasena didn't move he scowled.

   "Hurry up and sit down!" he ordered.

When the man saw her flinch he gave a sorry excuse for a smile, showing his golden tooth. Indrasena cautiously sat down, placing her soup on the table. He cleared his throat.

   "Well then," he started, his voice sickeningly sweet. "As you know, our kingdom is at war with the Kindgom of Oneralia. We are currently doing well in this war, but we need a little... push to gain a useful advantage." Indrasena took a gulp of her soup, which had cooled down a little, and watched the man. "A hostage would be ideal, but they are too closely protected for us to kidnap anyone of worth. So, we found an orphaned Galalissian girl who looks like she is Onerali, that can act as an Onerali hostage of noble status." The man stared intensely at her.

Indrasena's hand shot up to touch her dark brown hair that was set apart from the fair hair that almost all Galissians possessed, including the one sitting across from her. She didn't know how she would pass for nobility when she was so dirty and her clothes were in rags, but maybe that was on purpose. Perhaps it was all part of his plan, and he wanted her to look as if she had been held captive for a long time.

The man continued,"Sure, King Merec wont sacrifice his whole kingdom for one girl, but it will certainly cause an uproar if an 'Onerali noble' is killed. All she has to do is act in front of an Onerali messenger who strayed too far from his kingdom, and she will receive eight silvers."

Indrasena nearly choked as she drank the rest of her soup. Eight silver coins! That was worth two goldens! She had never even seen that much money in her life. Noticing her reaction, the man gave another one of his 'smiles'.

   "Do we have a deal?"

Indrasena knew that the deal was very likely dangerous, but she desperately yearned for a better life so much that she couldn't bring herself to instantly decline the deal.

   "If I-" she started, her voice hoarse. "If I act as a hostage in front of him, I will get the money and then I can go away?"

The man scowled.

   "Isn't that what I just told you?" he asked.

He gave a sinister smile.

   "Although, should you break character in front the messenger, I will be forced to kill him and find another Onerali messenger that works for the palace. That, my dear, is not an easy feat and for the trouble I think you would have to... disappear. Understand?"

 Indrasena audibly gulped and gave a jerky nod.

"Then I'll repeat," the man continued. "Do we have a deal?" he asked again, extending his hand.