Europe, A Messy Place

The Start of a war

Paris, France, Europe - 31st of September, 1437

I rise and don a simple white uniform, and make my way to the dining hall. Only Vinr and Nótt are present, so I walk over to sit next to Vinr.

"What has our esteemed cook prepared today," I ask Vinr in a bouncy voice.

"Don't mess with her like that Myrkr," remarks Nótt from across the table.

"Leave it Nótt, besides, I like the compliments, its currently eggs and mutton," cuts across Vinr, noting my hand on my sword, Blákkr, "so if I were you I would eat up, before it gets cold."

After eating I rise and unpack my belongings to my room, and bring my pot down to wash, before returning to our office. As I walk in Vinr starts to walk out, stopping her I ask, "has my target been killed."

"Yes," she states with a sly little wink as she walks out.

That was weird I think, but I forget it as I notice the letter. I slowly open it and start to read...

To Myrkr

Our group has received words of your skills and have proposed a contract, you and a partner of choice will both receive an up front payment of 500 crowns and a final payment of 19,500 crowns upon completion. Meet at the bell tower six hours after the going down of the sun.

A potential friend

I pocket the letter and run after Vinr, asking "did you read this."

"Yes, I did, and I don't think you should go alone like last time."

"Vinr, I never planned on it, I was going to ask you." She stops in her tracks.

"Me," she says in quiet disbelief.

"Yes you, you've been like a sister to me since I was brought here after my parents death," I confirm, "plus I couldn't put up with another day of my own cooking."

She turns and hugs me, "that was for the first statement," and punches me," and that was for the second."

"I am going to pack my gear," I state walking off, rubbing my arm.

We walk to the base of the tower, hands on our swords, sheathed still, and the bell chimes the six hours past. The contractor steps out of the shadows, clapping, spooking myself and Vinr into pulling our swords, but we quickly realise that he is unarmed. We sheath our swords and approach.

"Who is the target," Vinr asks.

"A particular Earl, by the name of Dróttinn. There has been reports of him killing his own serfs for sport and drinking their blood," replies the contractor, in a english accent, "the problem my group have with him is our own concern."

"Any idea of his location," I ask

"At his castle or lands presumably."

Main Road, France - Italy, Europe - 2nd of October, 1437

A loud crack wakes me from my sleep, I look around and see several thugs creeping towards the camp, I spring up and rise my sword. A scream erupts from Vinr's tent and a thug in armour pulls her out, her sheath empty, before I can interfere he mounts his horse and rides of with his gang and Vinr. I drop to my knees, she is gone. Taken by thugs, rage fills my mind.

Myrkr's POV

I douse the fire pack our things and saddle the horses, and gallop at high speeds in the directions the thugs had taken her. As I ride, I pull my sword, and keep my eyes out for the fire that would surely lead me to their camp. By the ending of the hour, I spot it, and before long I am concealed near the camp. I sneak up the rise and look over the camp, see a large red tent.

I move up the branches of the tree, run silently along limbs and jump from one tree to the next, my sword covered in its sheath to keep its glint hidden. I run off the end of the last branch, land softly on the ground behind the tent. I silently pull my sword and cut a hole into his tent, the fabric parting under the razor sharp edge of my blade. I burst in to find the bandit leader, his eyes red and foam flying from his mouth, a dagger protruding from the fork of his legs.

I run forward and behead him, my sword shimmering at the contact with blood, and turn find Vinr, gagged and bound in the corner. I drop my sword and cut her bounds with my dagger, a man pushes into the tent, I flick my dagger killing him instantly. I give Vinr her sword and we both leave through the back of tent. The other bandits come after us and we turn to face them, our swords shining back the fire light. I turn my blade to reflect the light directly at their eyes whilst pulling my other sword.

They charge at us and we both jump at the last minuet and land on the shoulders of the lead men, our swords smashing through their skulls and into the chest of the people behind them. We jump down and both spin, cut and kick the next two back, guts flying every where. A big brutish man stands before us, his giant hammer swaying slightly. Before he can move Vinr jumps and removes the head of the hammer with on swift blow from her sword. I run to the side and pull my sword across his hamstring, he howls in pain as he collapses onto one knee. Vinr, pulling a mace off of one of the fallen bandits smashes his skull, brains and blood come out. The others seeing him fall run of into the night.

"Thank you for saving me," she states pulling me into a hug.

"Anything for you Vinr," I respond with a sly wink. We move back to the horses, mount up and head of towards our target.

Forest, Camille -Spain, Europe - 9th of October, 1437

We climb the cliff, approaching the castle, the soldiers on the wall are trained to see armies, not lone figures, silently approaching. As we get closer to the gate our unease rises, I rise my hand signalling for us to take climb over the wall. We scale quickly, perfectly balanced, and go over the edge without the guards noticing our passage. We climb down and jump the last twenty metres to the roof of a house. We run along, our leather clad feet making no noise.

We find the castle on top of a sea top cliff, the soldiers here are more attentive then the one at the outer wall, but still we sneak by undetected. We look, quickly finding our quarry on the wall at the back castle. We move that way avoiding people were possible, we ascend the wall.

"Aha, another assassin, no doubt here to kill me, prevent the war," says Dróttinn without so much as looking in out direction, "I have been expecting you."

"What war."

"The war that is to begin, the war that will bring Normandy, Spain, France and England to their knees," our talking ends there as I slash my sword at his gut. He parries and launches a counter attack. His sword moving swiftly but still two slow and I easily side step. I jump on the balustrades and use my elevated position to jump and slash down on him. He tries to block but moves to far and his hand comes of, along with his sword. He punches me in the gut, as I double over, I see Vinr's hand appering over the edge, I slash with my sword. He dodges and pushes me up onto the balustrades, Vinr makes it up.

Just as I'm pushed over...