The Herald of Death

Chapter 9 part two

I headed south-east for a time before heading full east. I hadn't told anyone that my true destination lay just ouest of the Atlonum mountains which divide Eulion from Estersea. The target lived on the outskirts of a small town of Thosea. Thosea was located in the furthest and remotest corner of Estersea, it was hidden in the woods and sandwiched between the sea and the Atlonum Mountains. I didn't understand how some peasant girl in such a remote area could have angered the Mad King to such an extent.

 The journey was nothing special. I ran into a few bandits but other than that it was perfectly boring.

  When, on the eve of the third day, I found myself at the doorstep of the girl I had come to – shall we say – meet I couldn't help but berate myself. Instead of thinking rationally and making up a foolproof plan I had let my thoughts run away with me. They wandered all the way to Estersea and the people awaiting my return. Stupid ! I should have been concentrated on where I was and what I was doing ! This was how people got themselves killed !

 The damage was done now, and I didn't want to waste my precious time. So I dismounted, walked up to the door and did the most natural thing in the world. I knocked.

 It took a moment or two before a disheveled and scruffy looking girl opened the door with a bright smile. Her dress was patched and frayed and some kind of dirty rag held her blonde hair back Looking carefully I could see that she seemed slightly emaciated. There was a purple discoloration on her cheek and a faint scar along her hairline. Despite her condition and the surprise of finding an obviously richer girl at her front door, she offered me a genuine smile and invited me in. No, I didn't understand why the king wanted to kill her. She was just so...so nice it was sickening.

 I followed her into her small house. There were perhaps two rooms, three at most. The first and only room I got to see served as a kitchen, dining room and drawing room. There was only one other door in the room which presumably led to her chambers.

 “Can I serve you anything ? I could make stew if you like miss ?” She offered generously, seemingly unperturbed by my presence. Usually the victims I was assigned to had an inkling of the truth. They were paranoid and wondered when the Mad King would send someone after them. They were afraid because they knew they had earned his retribution. She just seemed...blissfully ignorant.

 “That's a kind offer but I must decline.” I decided to play nice. I may be a cold-blooded murderer but I wasn't a thief. Okay I stole lives but I wouldn't steal food from a clearly starving woman. Well girl, she was younger than I was.

 “It would be no trouble at all.” she insisted. I wondered suspiciously if she hadn't poisoned the stew which would explain her insistence but I quickly dismissed the suspicion. I have a great survival instinct and I get a sort of sixth sense when it comes to these things, all I could grasp from her was pure kindness. It slightly scared me actually.

 “I already ate. I assure you, I'm not hungry at all.” After my statement I waited for her to respond, to finally ask the question that was surely bothering her ever since I'd arrived unannounced on her doorstep. But the silence stretched on... And on.. “Aren't you curious as to why I am here ?”

 And there was that innocent smile again, it was starting to annoy me. “Of course but I didn't want to bother you or make you feel unwelcome ! I supposed you would tell me if you wanted to.”

 I couldn't help but stare at her, wondering if she was for real. She wasn't at all what expected that was for sure. Yet she faintly reminded me of someone..someone I knew long ago in a past that had been lost to me. “What's your name ?”