Festival of the Dead

Chapter 2: Double Trouble

 Gia approached the woman beside her. "Come with me," she whispered. Mystra looked up. The figure gesturing to her did not appear to be a noble lady, or even a peasant of the mundane city. She followed along anyway, hoping that they were both on the same page. Gia led the other into her carriage, which started to move almost instantly. Both were in silence as their ride pulled up before an elegant mansion.

The look of awe on Mystra's face made Gia swell with pride. Many hard years as an assassin, brought good money--enough to pay for the most luxurious home money could buy. Perhaps persuading Mystra into collaboration would be easier than expected. and if the rumors were true, she would be of great help, and it would be quite possible that they would be successful in finding the culprit.

My God, thought Mystra. It shocked her that this woman in black, constricting attire could afford such a grand home. Although she herself was not of perfect behaviour, at least she wasn't so open about it.

The two young ladies sat in awkward silence in the spacious basement. Suddenly, deciding to break the silence, Gia stood up and offered tea.

"Uh..." stuttered Mystra. "Yes, thank you."

Gia climbed the creaky wooden stairs back up to the main floor. As Gia went to fetch the tea, Mystra couldn't help but scan the room in awe. Knives of different shapes and sizes covered the wide walls, and were as well scattered on the tables. On one particular wall, there was an array of different articles that, for some reason, were about each of the different murders that occurred that week. The moment she heard the creaking of floorboards, she scurried back to her seat, acting as if she had been there the whole time.

Gia, however, was not oblivious to her guest's inspection. But she didn't bother to bring it up, as she wanted to keep the peace and not sound like she was accusing the girl of invading the privacy of another. She set the tea tray on a small table and began to pour them each a cup. After they each received a cup with their prefered amount of sugar, Gia decided to break the ice and bring up what was of importance. "I know that you are just as curious as I am about who this peculiar killer may be," said Gia while putting up her glossy brown russet hair. "And I have a few leads..." as she rambled on Mystra tuned out and was thinking about her own clues. "Are you listening to what I am saying?!" snapped Gia. "Sorry," huffed Mystra under her breath, "I was contemplating back onto the clues I have obtained." That was true. However, Mystra was not at all sure how truthful she should be with this mysterious woman--she didn't know her, she had never seen her before, she had never even heard of her. How on earth could she be sure whether or not she could be trusted?

Gia was way ahead of her. She figured that she may as well spill out the truth while she could, instead of having Mystra find out later on her own. "I'm an assassin," she stated bluntly. Mystra's eyes widened, and Gia continued. "Trust me, I have no intention to harm you--perhaps some time in the future, if I'm offered worthy pay, but now all I want is to discuss this mess," she said, gesturing to the articles to her right. "Besides, from what I've heard, you're not all that innocent yourself." Now Mystra's eyes were practically bulging. Mystra just stared, not knowing whether to feel strange because Gia has actually heard about her before or scared that she was in the presence of an assassin. She didn't think she wanted tea anymore. Praying that whatever she just taken a sip of was not some sort of poison, she set the cup down and stood. "I'm sorry, but I really must excuse myself and go, my father will be waiting for me." That was a lie. Her father wasn't expecting her for another few hours. However, the sooner she got away from there, the better. Luckily, Gia was trained to know when someone was lying, but didn't confront Mystra,

rather she persuaded her to stay. She had her way with words. She knew how to shape them so that their outcome always fell in her favor. Soon, right after Mystra let go of her stress and fright, the two began to converse. First, they discussed the deaths, and after the both of them realized that they were on the same page, they realised something: they were not, in fact, that different. They both finally understood the meaning of the saying "Great minds think alike." The two finally getting comfortable with each other and actually sharing things they haven't shared with anyone before except Gia with Liam. Gia was the one to start.

"The reason for my becoming of an assassin was because of my parents death. I had to further their legacy."

"What legacy was that?" asked Mystra, curious to know.

"That's a secret," she replied, a small, sad smile playing her lips.

"I became a huntress because I wanted to show the world that I wasn't some pathetic weakling who couldn't look out for herself--because I am NOT. I'm independent and free. I don't need a man to care for me, nor to tell me what to do I make. my own choices and pave my own path in life." Just by saying those words, Mystra felt like a mighty goddess. Like she was an eagle, flying high up in the heavens, as close to the sun as possible. "Is that the whole truth?" asked Gia, already knowing that there was something more to the story.

"Well..." Mystra hesitated. Was she really willing to expose herself that easily, and to a woman whom she hardly knew? Finally coming to her senses and realising that she could be trusted, Mystra lay herself bare before her hostess. "A few years ago, I had a lover--well, I say lover, I mean abusive companion. He was wealthy, respected, and very handsome. He came from a noble family, and he won my father over easily. He put on a mask and pretended to be the man any woman would want--a Prince Charming, if you will. Although my father was under his spell, I on the other hand, was not so easily persuaded. Yet somehow, we ended up married. It was not long after the marriage that he began to be abusive...VERY abusive..." It was becoming harder for Mystra to not talk. There was a throbbing ache in the back of her throat that was nearly swallowing up anything she had to say. But she continued. "One evening, he asked me for a favor. He said that he would simply love for me to join him in bed, for some 'quality time with his wife.' I knew what he wanted, and I wasn't willing to give it to him." It was becoming REALLY hard for her to talk now. She looked down at her sweaty palms, took a deep, shaky breath and choked out the rest. " He grew furious and drew the dagger he hid in his drawer. He pinned me to the wall and ran the blade across my torso, going slowly to ensure maximum pain. The moment he pressed me to the floor, and I reached for the fire kindler. He intended to hurt me in the worst way one can harm a woman, especially when that woman is a virgin like myself. But at the last moment I raised the kindler and drove it right through his throat." Tears finally began to fall. Although she was thankful for making it out unharmed (leaving that home before being raped classified as 'unharmed' in her book) it still hurt to think about what could have happened.

Gia sat there thinking about her former loyal lover whom she missed dearly. Everytime he was in town he'd come to visit her and have a little secret rendezvous, but she hadn't heard from him in a long while. "Ahem," coughs Mystra. "Uh sorry, I just realized that a former companion of mine has been gone a lot longer than usual without seeing me," said Gia getting a little teary-eyed. "He must be very--"

Suddenly, the lights went out.

If you would like to follow Mystra, Go to Chapter....

If you would like to follow Gia, Go to Chapter......