Guards were swarming over the place, surrounding the corpse of the royal guard. His body was swimming in a pool of blood, his wide open eyes still holding the fear of death. The scene could make anyone sick. His throat was sliced as precisely it could be. The street was dead silent. The coppery rotten smell of blood tinted the air. 'Killing a prime royal guard was surely not a child's game.' Thought captain general goten as he inspected the scene. His hair was untidy black spikes as usual, while royal red robe hung from his shoulder and silver armour. He motioned the guard inspecting the corpse to come with a flick of his hand. There was a hint of compassion in his eyes. The guard came as promptly as the gesture. "What was the time of the murder?"He asked. The guard held a horrified look on his face. He answered "It is expected to be near midnight. But the crime was reported in morning. He was a prime guard my lord. His name was Uram, age 34. He was a part of the territorial armed forces, excellent skilled brutal soldier. No personal enemies as informed, Lived in cadrael. " Goten nodded and asked "any belongings missing? Or any trace or evidence?" "Nothing of his own, except the price of a debt of an elhem slave freed yesterday. It was registered in official documents. The other guards at his rotation informed that the price customer was a mysterious blonde girl in robes. Her face was covered with robes till her eyes. But her hair hung out. She paid the guard triple the amount, three thousand gold coins and rumours had it that she freed her, didn't keep her as a personal slave too. She is expected to be rich my lord, but it is checked that no girl of gold blonde is any noble or royals daughter at exleria, concluding her to be a foreigner. And my lord, there's an evidence at the scene. A robe was lying a little away from the corpse. It's foreign too my lord."
Goten nodded, taking the proofs and evidences into his mind. "If the girl is expected to be foreign, then there must be the registration at roadways or seaways. I want the details of her as soon as possible. Till now all evidence points at her. If spotted, she must be brought for questioning. Position the guards everywhere in exleria, we don't leave intruders unpunished. But she's not yet proven guilty. This type of cruelty is rare to be expected at the hands of a fragile woman. So there will be no first violence from our part. Defence is okay." Goten commanded and went back and boarded his horse. Whoever had done this had openly challenged king Vegeta. This is no part of rebel. Thoughts invaded his mind as he walked off the horrifying scene.
0x0
After the hunt of previous night, Marron seemed to have vent off her anger. So she was trying to get a little more precarious by practising, after-all tracking and targeting to free a dependent race from a treacherous lunatic king wasn't easy work. She had trained years after years in this effort. Tortured her, pushed her off limits and punished her for not being able to protect her people from invaders. She was now very near to her target. Her people will be free and she'll get the revenge. She'll get the price of her parents murder paid. So she took her best allies, her hunting knives and left off to the forest. Birds were singing and sunlight was piercing the cover of leaves to light the place. The rain-washed forest carried the scent of freshness and moisture, moss and lilacs. There, Marron chestnut was remembering as much as she treasured as a child. She was never lucky enough in her life to see her real parents. She lived with her step-mom and step-dad with a brother and Sister Alex and Elisa. But they had never treated her like a step-daughter. She played and studied with Alex and Elisa as they were her own family. She didn't know that her mom were dad were not her real mom and dad till those demons came and plundered their lives. But she still treasured her moments. Her father and Alex were fire attributers while Elisa and her mom were wind attributers. Her attribute wasn't clear. Attributers were like groups in the elhem race. Fire, wind, earth, darkness, light and water were the attributes. Each attributer had expertise in controlling his attribute. But Marron didn't have an attribute. She could control each element with same ease. Attribute didn't have anything to do with heritage or parents attribute. But it was noticed that children normally had same attribute like their parents like habits. Each attribute had a special character. Fire attributers were courageous and quick tempered, while wind attributers were smart and simulating with patience. Earth attributers were unswerving faithful, blunt, strong and instinctual. Darkness was a rare attribute, giving the user enormous power and smart logical mind with strict sense of justice. Light attribute users were kind and forgiving while water attribute users were swift, precise and deadly. All attributes aimed for welfare of people only. Her attribute was never recognized. She had a nice quick temper, and was straight blunt, but kind and caring too. So many memories were flooding her mind. She wasn't concentrating on the numb feeling inside her hands that were aching for rest. She knew guards would be positioned everywhere for protection after she murdered the cruel guard. She they'll take her for questioning as soon as she is spotted. But she wouldn't hide. She swore to herself and put the knives back after the training. She was going to the market. She'll make such a fool of the guards that their leader would never dare keep their view again of a girl as fragile.
She came back to her house. She was very rich, after all she was a active assassin whose demand rocketed skies, but it was a small mansion near the outskirts of wood. She rang the bell. An old man came responding to it. She gently bowed to touch his foot. It was elhem tradition to touch the foot of elders to take blessings, even if the elder was lower in post. The elder man put a hand on her head as she rose and said "Marron, my daughter" Marron looked at him with respect and devotion in her eyes. "Elder roghorn, I am planning to visit the market in a normal women suit. Can you take one out? My preference is not needed. It must be a normal looking one which can conceal weapons." She said. Elder roghorn was a dark attributed elhem. He was utterly caring. After magic lost it traces from most places, roghorn was helping Marron take her revenge. The old man went inside and Marron went to the bathroom and completely stripped into the bath tub. It was a heavenly experience as the warm water took the sedated numb feeling away from her arm. She took off after fully cleaning herself with the scented water. Her knives were taken by roghorn to clean. In place was a small dagger. And beside that was a dress. It was a sleeveless high-collared blue velvet dress. The waist-hem of the dress was a sleek metal belt. From there the skirt flowed like a cascading waterfall. It was cut in by a slit in the centre from the start of waistline under the belt. Inside it was a white short pant. It was perfect. Feminine but serene defendable dress. Anyone in that would look like a perfect showy teenage girl in her eighteens. It would cover her weapons and in certain circumstances would allow her fight. She changed into the dress. She will show the king that the rope of the game is in her hands from the beginning and she intends to keep it there till the end.
0x0
The sound of laughter echoed the room. The table was surrounded by four men wrapped in black robes. It was the usual scene of a market. The four were enjoying their wine as they chatted. "It's so boring in the court of my father. If it wasn't you all's company, my hair should have started greying till now" said one of them. "Oh, come on Trunks, you are the future king of the whole kingdom of exleria! And all you do is train, fight and pet girls" one other replied. The third one cut him "oh, now you're sounding like old gramps, Ren. That's the stuff men do. Fight and become stronger and pet cuddly woman." The fourth one cut him "Life's so damn boring. There's not any hot-chick left in the town" Trunks nodded and said "I think Lucas and Dorian are right. The women in the town will never say no to me and moreover there's no one in the town good enough for my look too. Other than that all dad does is force me to marry before the crowning." There Ren cut him off. "The women come to you because of your status Trunks. And there are still many chicks in the town that'll set your arrogant ass on fire. It's nice we have normal clothes on. Take the robe off. No one will guess us. So here's a bet." Trunks, Dorian and Lucas took off their robes after sipping the wine glass empty to listen to Ren eagerly. "So Trunks. Here's the bet. I'll point you the chick. You have to pet her between one week. She must sing your name in her breathe Trunks. Then that'll prove you're the Casanova-king. But if not, then there's compensation. But there's a reward too on winning. We'll give you the sword of Armageddon, the sword which your father will give you during the crowning, before the crowning date, to duel with. Compensation as...you would have to dress up like a girl."
Trunks face lit up like a child getting Christmas gift. He had dreamt of the sword of Armageddon in his dreams. It was a sword which was famous to choose its bearer. This sword, he had to be given during his crowning. This sword belonged to no one. It was the sword of the brave knight Armageddon. He was worth wearing this sword because he won every fight with it. If he could get hold of it before the crowning, he would know if he was worth. He smiled a smile that could get any normal girl on her feet craving for him in seconds. But the girl he was going to confront was no normal girl.
0x0
Marron walked through the town, enjoying the attention of thousands of men staring hole into her skin. Her crimson lips, her tight gown and slit from the waistline through which her white short thigh-length pants were visible were clearly inviting. Her blond curls were flowing to her waist. Still, they all only saw the shining sheath of the blade. From inside, the blade named Marron chestnut was deadlier than blood-bane, a poison which offers instant death. She offered there a cruel torturing painful death. It wasn't that she was most provocative there. There were still women in more tight and showy dresses. But her ornamentation was the sheer confidence and challenging look that was inviting. The envious glare and the appreciative look from men and woman made her feel pity for them. She hoped the guard will question her today. She was walking when a pair of four normally clothed men and a guard came forward. She saw one of the four men pointing at her. The one who had pointed at her had silver hair, pale skin and green eyes, looked at her with trust and confidence, which shocked her. The one he was talking to wore rich silken clothes of a noble. His body was a major distraction, with his face looking like a devouring wolf. His strong jaw line, perfect shaped lips and purple hair was even discrete able through the long distance. But his eyes wore a type of hypnotising cruelty, a challenge bathed with passion. Raw hungry wild demanding passion. Beside him were two bulky men, one tall and one comparatively short, but taller than Marron. They were equipped with weapons, which she could see through their uniform. Very poor hiding work. She thought. Then her gaze shifted to the guard in front of her. She looked at him with most innocent eyes and answered in a husky voice "any problem sire?"But before the guard could answer anything, a deep intoxicating voice commanded "what's happening Don?" Don stopped trembling by the effect of her voice and looked behind and froze "my prince Trunks, everything is just fine. It's just that a murder was reported in town. I have to do the questioning to this mesmerizing lady." He said while on his knees. Then she recognized who they were. He was the motherfucking arrogant price Trunks of exleria and his royal in line Ren. The others were the friends cum sentinel officers. Where was she stuck? She tried to curse herself. She looked at this prince. His oh-so-seductive grin was promising things that were hard to imagine. She could trap a guard in her web. But could she trap an idiotic self-promising charming Casanova prince?
"You are dismissed of the work don. I'll question the lady in honour. Details please." Trunks cut off her thoughts line. She was staring at him. How so stupid of her! She bit her lip to curse herself. Don spoke up "the murder was reported yesterday. A prime level guard was killed by a slit in throat with sword or weapon like that. No signs of struggle."
Trunks shifted his inspecting gaze morphed instantly into a dissatisfying one in seconds to Don. "And can I know what this young fragile lady has to do with this dreadful murder. Don't you have common sense? I doubt if my lady could hold a sword rather than use it!"
Don hesitated and replied "my lord, all the evidence signals towards a foreign person with golden long hair wearing a black robe. The black robe is found near the corpse. It had been spotted that a foreign lady with golden locks had paid the guard three times the price of freeing an elhem slave. It appears that the money is stolen from him that night. So the prime suspects are taken in questioning. Don't worry my lord no harm will be bestowed upon her. The questioning is an order of lord goten."
Trunks sighed "my crazy best friend. How could he think that a girl as fragile as her could commit a murder, ah, as if not by her eyes? They are designed to hypnotised and kill. Anyway, I will question her. I am sorry my lady, could you mind a few minutes? We will question you in a matter of time and set you free to do anything that you wish. If you want to stay, that's a different conceptual situation." He said in his sugar coated words. His two guards chuckled. Blood boiled in her body. She noticed that her hand had instinctually gone to pull the dagger from the back of the hem. She stopped right then and replied him in a mixture of deadly poison and sweetest sin ever made. "I've no intentions of staying my-lord. Please let's get over with this, after which I'll mind my own business such as you'll yours." She said with a grin that would have made men drool. Trunks stared at her, as if intrigued by the venom in her words. So be it. She'll not back up. She stared at him right in his eyes, till he surrendered defeat and turned away. Ren gave him a friendly innocent grin full of honesty. She nodded in acknowledgement and smiled after which they walked away after Don and Trunks, who were still discussing the murder.
0x0
The guards were outside. A small lamp was burning on the table. On the chair Marron was sitting, her legs crossed and chin high. In front of her was sitting Trunks in his chair and staring at her. He got up and started circling her. The dim light was actually horrifying. A part of her seemed to enjoy the horror but the other part of her was saying to run away as far as hell. Either the scum's presence was so gruesome or her heart was scared. He started speaking.
"Is your name Marron chestnut?"
"Yes"
"Are you a foreigner?"
"Yes"
"From where are you?"
"Algen"
She could feel his warm breath tickling her nape. His hands brushed it in a way to intimidate. She drew in hoarse breaths as he brushed his fingers on her bare back, still circling it gently. The wordless gestures promised so many things that would drive a pure heart to sin.
"You know what Marron; I have a teeny tiny secret. Would you like to know?"
Marron shook her head in a simplest no. Her voice was husky and she didn't want to inform the bastard that what he was doing was a pure success. Trunks laughed a slow painful laughter.
"You know Marron, you are very strange. And intriguing. I'll tell you anyway."
He came at the front of the table and started moving his hands on the top of the fire candle. The candle blew away. The room was secluded with darkness. She didn't knew where the table went out of the way of Trunks and her at a sudden. But she could hear her warm breath tickle her ears and his hands on her thighs as he spoke "I am a gifted person, Marron. And my gift is, I can break the boundaries of minds and can read and manipulate them. I cannot completely control them, but I can make them at such desperate that they'll do anything."
A gasp escaped her lips and his finger came on it. Till that she hadn't noticed, one of his hands was at her shoulder, sweetly circling the area near the strap of her dress. "Shhh" he spoke. The fingers slowly caressed her cheeks.
"Tell me Marron. Did you free the slave?"
Her senses came back to her. He was invading her.
"Yes" she said as boldly as she could. The words slapped his confidence. She couldn't see but she could swear he had the grin of amusement plastered on his face. Her body curled as he rubbed his warm hand over her hand in slow motions. "Did you pay the guard three times the money for it?" this time his voice was husky, hollow, less than a whisper.
"Yes"
"Why? Who was the slave?" pure curiosity rocked his voice.
"I don't know" she snapped as the memories came back to her. "And you're asking me why?" she laughed. "What should have I done? Sit there and have watched the show while he beat her? Yes, I should've enjoyed the show of power, over a helpless starved and whipped old woman? Sorry my lord, but I'm not a heartless bastard to do that." His caress stopped at her venom spitting words.
"Did you kill him?" he asked a little shocked.
"no." She answered in her husky tempting voice. What a lie. She wanted to say yes. To claim the glory. But she was desperate to say no. But it was the time to display the sheer power in her. She got up and flinged him on the chair. Then she circled him, her finger brushing at his neck and nape. She couldn't see him, but wanted to desperately. She desperately wanted to see his face now that he lost the game. She bowed, till her lips reached his ears. "My lord Trunks, You're playing with a dangerous blade. Don't play with it, you'll wound yourself." She traced his lips with her hands. He quivered, as her soft warm hands caressed her. "Your teeny tiny mind games will not work with me" Marron said as she rubbed her lips at his neck. His whole body trembled and melted like snow. Spring snow. He was panting heavily. "Sweet dreams, my lord." She said. Then in a second, many things happened. Winds opened the shut window. A storm was coming. Trunks sat up, still trembling by the sensation he felt. She was gone. Marron chestnut, the blazing thunderstorm in Trunks life was gone. He sat in the darkness. What had just happened? All his senses were screaming at him to stay away from her. In other side, his whole body was aching for her? Who was she? He wondered, the question drifting his mind. She could hear the girl laughing at him. She was saying the truth, she was a blade. And he was going to wound himself much by playing with it. But it was worth the result. The lady whom she saw now was an untamed storm possessing such a luscious body that shouldn't be allowed on mortals. No mortal should have that much curves in her body. The hypnotic blue eyes which dared him to jump in its depth. The perfectly shaped crimson polished lips. Damn her. She was haunting him now. If Marron Chestnut would like to play, he would play too. He jumped off the chair and went outside. Don was standing there dumbfounded and Ren was smirking. Dorian and Lucas were chuckling under their breath. Don said "sire, my lady said questioning is over. I tried to stop her but I couldn't." Ren burst out laughing "poor boy. She's the hottest chick I have ever seen. She just spoke something in his ear and he stared trembling." Trunks knew that. This chick was not like others. She was a blade. The appearance was nothing. She, what they all saw now was just the sheath of the blade. The real blade's glimpse was something that could drag men to begging. He put up a mask frown but failed "Don, I want a royal parchment ready, I'll tell the letter to write on it. I also want this Marron chestnut's address. I will personally go to deliver her the letter." He said and took off. Ren gave a chuckle. "This is gonna come out really heated. I love this challenge. Dorian, Lucas take Trunks measurement for a gown. He'll soon need it."
