The Shadow Assassin

Chapter 2

"Come here, my dear," The King beckoned me towards him.

Rowan crept to him, her head bowed in a respectful manner, though her mind held him in no respect. He was but the man who kept her in chains; forcing the girl to do to his will. He deserved no respect. No human alive did.

"I hear tell that my soon to be Christened Knight was killed by a wily horse," Salln grinned, "Well done, Rowan."

Well done? Taking a life is nothing to be praised for. Of course, she'd never voice this aloud.

"Though, I have been given many letters concerning this horse. You see, Sir Olaf had a wife and strong relatives; all of which are demanding that I put down the animal whom killed their loved one," This sentiment seemed to bring joy to his wicked heart.

Rowan showed no signs of how much the thought of losing Daisy unsettled me. If she did, it would mean that there was weakness in her. In accordance to Enders' teachings , weakness gets you killed. Kill or be killed. Protected or be killed. Listen to your ruler or be killed. There was no grey area, no in between, no loopholes.

"Salln," her voice was cold, her words hard, "I believe that taking anything that belongs to me away is in violation of our contract. Remember? I can kill you. Easliy. No objections or blood. Just like I did with Enders."

~Flashback (Rowan's POV) ~

"The day has come, Rowan," Enders said, his voice dry and emotionless as ever, "The day that you kill me and become the Kings's next Shadow Assassin. For there is no more that I can teach you."

He leaned back against the wall of his small two roomed shanty, his breath dcoming in short bursts.

I raised my head in surprise, "Kill you? After all you've done for me? I can't do that."

He turned his head sharply towards me, "You can and will. I did not teach you to be a coward, Rowan. And I have done nothing to help you. If anything, I have forsaken you to the life like this."

i shook my head, "Wrong," I said, "If it wasn't for you, I'd still be following after Evan, a weak servant to a girly prince."

The next and last thing Enders ever did to surprise me, was laugh. He laughed long and hard. His chuckles filled the night air. I had never even imagined that a man like him could laugh.

He smiled at me, looking slightly mad (crazy), "Thank you for that, now kill me."

"No," I replied, "I will not just kill you in cold-blood. I do have morals.

Enders' eyes gleamed, "Then I challenge you to a duel."

My eyes widened with disbelief, "I accept," I replied, knowing that there was no other option. In my heart I knew that he wouldn't be able to defeat me.

Our duel was makeshift. Enders drew a blotchy circle in the dusty ground and told me to draw my knives. It would be my two knives to his two-handed sword. We circled each other until I lunged forward towards him. He blocked my first knife, but couldn't move fast enough for the second one that was aimed at his gut. I stabbed him there and he went down. It all happened so fast.

He coughed up blood, "Kill me, Rowan. This never ending duel is not over until you cut out my breath."

This was the last thing he said.

"Why must you always confuse me!" I yelled at him, my knives coming down in impact.

~Flashback Ends~

Salln raised a brow, "Seems as though you no longer hold any loyalties towards me," he said, shaking his head.

Rowan gave him a incredulous look, "They vanished six years ago," then using her most patronizing voice, she added, "Your Highness."

He clapped his hands together and threw his head back in laughter, "This is why I love being in your company, Rowan! You are the most enjoyable pessimist to be in the same room as!"

"And I, you, your Grace," Rowan did a bow, hand going to waste and back bending.

"I did not summon you here to praise you, stand up straight and let us get to the point," the King said, "I want you to kill my younger brother."

This was nothing new. Through out history, Kings have killed younger siblings that have raised threat to them. It was common knowledge and gossip that the young Garreth of King's descent was a charming man. If he wanted to take the power from Salln for himself, he could easily recruit several of the commoners to help him. Some even say that he has already. He was undoubtly more popular then his older brother.

If Salln felt at his wits end with his family and wanted to have his brother murder queitly, all he had to do was turn towards me and snap his fingers.

Rowan bowed and started to back out, never turning her back to the king (An act of treason). Time for some planning.

She was stopped when Salln called out, "And try not to be make it messy, will you?"