The Blitz (BEING REVISED)

Chapter Two: A Curious Offer

A few hours later after Twanette had left, Sleptaas had finally drowned her sorrows in ale and was having a wonderful time at the Blue Moon tavern when her past finally caught up with her. She drank from the rest of her mug and set it down, her smile disappearing from her lips. Her chair made a loud noise, stopping her male friends’ conversation, on the topic of the size of the barmaid’s breasts, no doubt.

“Sleptaas, what’s the matter?” Ivan, the biggest and drunkest of the group asked, concern showing in his handsome, drink-reddened face. “Her tits are not as wonderful as yours, love! I was only joking around.”

The assassin drew up her hood. “It’s nothing, Ivan. I just need some air,” she reassured her friend. During her worst nights he was always there, and she was always welcome in his bed, as he was welcome in hers.

“Alright, love. I’ll see you later, then,” he grinned, the mischievous glint in his emerald eyes implying where the night could go if she wanted to. Unfortunately for him, Sleptaas was not in the mood at the moment. She smiled to her friends and left the tavern. In her drunken state, she stumbled to the cemetery. Her intoxicated meanderings of the place at night had ingrained the cemetery in her mind; she knew of every gravemarker, old and new.

A half moon bathed the cemetery with a silver glow. It was comforting to Sleptaas. She didn’t need the light, though, as she could find her way through it in the darkest of nights. She stopped at a simple grave, marked with a single stone engraved with a rune. She sank to her knees, the tears that had gathered in her eyes from her walk streaming down her face, shining rivers upon her tanned cheeks.

“I’m so sorry, Merek,” she sobbed. “I’m so sorry.” She cried silently, but didn’t hear the group of people behind her until one lay a hand on her shoulder as if to comfort her. Sleptaas whipped around to face them, unsheathing her daggers. “Who are you?” The one who’d tried to comfort her, who was clearly their leader, smiled a fake smile.

“We are your friends. You don’t hurt friends, right?”

Sleptaas narrowed her eyes. “No, I suppose not.” She sheathed one of her daggers and set her hand on her hip, but kept at attention, wary of the four other men behind him. They appeared to be mages from their cloaks, and the leader held a staff. His hood hid most of his face under a dark shadow, but he removed it, still smiling. The four others made no move to do the same. He was maybe a few years at most older than Sleptaas. The mage had long blonde hair, but it was his eyes that intrigued her. They were such a pale blue they were almost white, and had an icy coldness about them that made him seem much older than he truly was. They were familiar to her, but her muddled brain failed to make a connection.

“Good.” The assassin didn’t like the way he was speaking to her. His tone suggested that he was talking to a child. “Sleptaas, we’re concerned.”

“Why? I’m an adult. I don’t need to be worried about.”

“Well, we are,” another said.

“Yes, we understand you’re still dealing with the loss of a loved one,” said a third.

“Merek’s dead, and nothing can bring him back,” Sleptaas snapped. “Now, if you’ll be so kind as to leave--”

Their leader smiled again. “Merek, was it? You loved him.” Sleptaas drew herself up to her full height and set her jaw stubbornly, clear signs she refused to talk to him. “I’ll take that as a yes,” he walked around her and stood above Merek’s grave, tracing the rune with an outstretched finger. “What if I told you I could bring him back?”

Though drunk, she knew how impossible the idea was. Sleptaas snorted. “How? He’s been dead three years.”

“Ah, yes, but we can still bring him back. The power of magic, my dear.”

Great. Necromancers. “I’ve hired the best conjurers in and around the kingdom, and none could bring him back,” Sleptaas slurred, narrowing her eyes more. “And he’s been cremated. All that remains of him is ash, which I scattered.” Her empty hand went to her necklace, all she had left of her past lover.

The leader’s gaze went to the pendant. “Not all of him, it seems.”

Sleptaas glared at him and tucked the necklace into her tunic, away from prying eyes. “I don’t understand what you truly want from me.”

“We want you to do a job for us,” said the second man.

“Yes, and if you do so, we will bring back your Merek,” the third said.

“I’m listening,” Sleptaas said, mildly intrigued.

“And that’s all there is to it. You do a job, we give you Merek,” a fourth said.

“What is the job?”

“We have a list of six people we want you to--”

“--get rid of,” said the final fifth.

“I’ll think about it,” Sleptaas replied.

The leader smiled. “I understand you’re a bit… under the influence, so we’ll you think it over tonight. Meet us here at midnight in a week’s time with your answer, all right?”

Sleptaas grunted a reply. She was going to snap a witty remark, but they were already gone. “Damn… what are they serving me nowadays?” She sheathed her other knife, which she realized was still in her other hand, and sat on the ground in front of Merek’s stone, fiddling idly with the pendant. The light of the moon above her dimmed as she unknowingly fell asleep on the forgotten grave.

“Sleptaas?” The assassin jerked awake to Ivan’s voice calling for her. “Sleptaas! Are you alright?” She looked up to Ivan, who had concern writ in his green eyes.  “Come here,” Ivan picked her up in his strong embrace. “Let’s get you home.”

Once to Sleptaas’ room in the Blue Moon Inn Ivan kissed her strongly, his large rough hands pulling at her thin clothing. Her drunken attempts to help went unnoticed as he efficiently stripped her of everything but her necklace, then removed his own clothes. He carried her over to the low to the ground bed, pulled back the covers with one hand and laid her down, he gently got on top of her and pulled the thick quilt over them, kissing her roughly. Her moans sounded through the thin wooden walls of the inn and the regulars of the place smiled and rolled their eyes as night unfolded its raven wings around the land and bathed the world in its watery moonlight.

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Oh gosh, sorry these parts are so short, but I just can't seem to write in large quanities... :( Quality over quantity, right? ;) How do y'all like it so far?

*Edited, but feel free to point out any mistakes* XD