Lesson 6: Search and Destroy
*~*~*~*
Her final test. Ryne's palms were sweaty. Tonight she would be watched by a different Master, and Julia would wait at the academy for them to return. Her target was Leonard Beader, son of a wealthy bead-maker who lived in Diamond Province, on the Street of Oak. The student received a nod from Julia, and started. She leapt lightly over rooftops, taking the safest route to Diamond Province.
Ryne fell into a fighter's crouch on the roof opposite House Beader, taking cover behind the chimney and watching through a window. Luck was with her- it was Leonard's room. The candle was lit, and her target was reading papers at his desk. During a solid half hour of watching, she saw him slump further and further over his work, then finally fall asleep over it. Ryne took her chance.
She cast a looped rope over the Beader's chimney, tying it off on the chimney next to her, and rope-walked across. That would also serve as an escape route. The student dropped silently into her objective's room and surveyed him for an instant. Drawing her dagger, she placed one hand lightly on the back of his head, then slipped the blade close to his throat.
In one clean cut, it was all over. Perfect. Ryne wiped her dagger clean on Leonard's shirt and slipped back out the window again.
"Gotcha," she whispered, grinning. The assassin cut her rope free from the Beader's chimney and sailed gracefully to the next house, landing squarely against the wall on both feet, then climbing back to the roof and freeing her rope to wind it around her middle out of the way. Ryne took her time getting back to the academy, sure she had done well.
Julia was waiting with a black-clad man when her student dropped through the window.
"Adept Ryne!" She called. Ryne walked over, trying to read her teacher's face. Impossible; she should have known. The man was the same. Well, they were Masters, what could one expect?
"Congratulations, Adept Ryne Dyer. I have passed you with flying colours," the man smiled at last. Ryne, standing at attention, allowed herself a small grin.
"Stand at ease. The introductory ceremony will take place in one week," Julia told her. Ryne obeyed, and took her leave when dismissed.
She was now an assassin!
*~*~*~*
The next day, she was given time to herself. Ryne went to the funeral of Leonard Beader. Standing around in the street, watching his coffin being brought from the house, she felt terrible sympathy for his crying mother and wife, and his small children standing around their mother in bewildered confusement.
She had brought this apon them. This assassin had killed their father to make her own way in the world. True, Julia had picked him because he cheated his customers many times over, and was having an affair behind his wife's back, but the innocents were the real victims. Ryne watched with guilt as the mother knelt to comfort her children.
"Don't blame yourself," said a voice behind her. She whirled around, and saw the man from last night, her examiner. He nodded and smiled in greeting, and the girl returned it.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"Just because you had a part in it, it wasn't your fault. He was a fraud," the man chose his words carefully, watching the crowd around them.
"I guess you're right," Ryne sighed.
"Of course I'd right. I'm Mischa Arroweye, by the way," he offered his hand, and she shook.
"Arroweye?"
"Assassins get to choose their last name. Didn't Julia tell you?"
"No,"
"Just like her, I guess,"
"Hmm," Ryne thought. What should her name be? She'd be glad to be rid of her old name, 'Dyer', definitely.
"What's Julia's name?" She asked out of curiosity.
"Stonecold," was her answer. Well, it wasn't a surprise!
"Come on," Mischa took her elbow and led her away from the scene after awhile. He bought them hot cider at a nearby inn, and they watched the first flakes off snow fall outside the window.
"I admired your ability walking on that rope last night," he said finally. Ryne blushed.
"Thank you," was all she could say. For once she was very aware of the fact that she was a girl, looking him over discreetly while pretending to stare outside. Mischa was your average tall, dark and handsome guy. Apart from the large scar running from the left corner of his mouth up past his hairline, he was almost perfect.
"What made you decide to become an assassin?" He asked. Ryne thought for a moment.
"I guess it was a snap decision, after my family's fortune was cheated away from them by a single man. I thought, if I could kill him, I would even the score. I still remember his name, and when I get some time off I will be sure to take him down," she told him. Mischa quirked an eyebrow.
"A lifetime's career based on hatred of one man?" he said.
"I guess," she shrugged. Mischa took another sip of his cider.
"Ryne, I want you to take your assignments very seriously. We assassins exist to rid the cities of the villains, not to kill childhood enemies. It could be that your man is a true villain, but it could also be that he was merely doing his job to live and not bleeding your family dry for the sake of it. So be careful," he warned her. Ryne's face burned, and she buried it in her cider. When she resurfaced, Mischa was regarding her carefully.
"I have an early mission for you," he said at last. She looked up eagerly.
"How old are you?" The man asked thoughtfully.
"Nineteen years," Ryne replied.
"Good. Well, could you in your free week before the ceremony, dig up some information about the Head Master?"
"What does that have to do with me being nineteen?" she demanded. He grinned, finishing his cider and standing up.
"Nothing, I just wanted to know. Dig up the dirt on Head Master Larynxa, will you?" Mischa left, looking back at her as he left. Ryne felt his eyes sweep up and down her, and blushed. Her heart was sent into a flutter by this newcomer, and she decided she liked the way it did that.
*~*~*~*
I'm trying to think of a good name for Ryne, when she becomes initiated! Mischa Arroweye, Julia Stonecold, Ryne.........?
Review and give suggestions!
Goddess Bless
~SultanaChicky
*~*~*~*
Her final test. Ryne's palms were sweaty. Tonight she would be watched by a different Master, and Julia would wait at the academy for them to return. Her target was Leonard Beader, son of a wealthy bead-maker who lived in Diamond Province, on the Street of Oak. The student received a nod from Julia, and started. She leapt lightly over rooftops, taking the safest route to Diamond Province.
Ryne fell into a fighter's crouch on the roof opposite House Beader, taking cover behind the chimney and watching through a window. Luck was with her- it was Leonard's room. The candle was lit, and her target was reading papers at his desk. During a solid half hour of watching, she saw him slump further and further over his work, then finally fall asleep over it. Ryne took her chance.
She cast a looped rope over the Beader's chimney, tying it off on the chimney next to her, and rope-walked across. That would also serve as an escape route. The student dropped silently into her objective's room and surveyed him for an instant. Drawing her dagger, she placed one hand lightly on the back of his head, then slipped the blade close to his throat.
In one clean cut, it was all over. Perfect. Ryne wiped her dagger clean on Leonard's shirt and slipped back out the window again.
"Gotcha," she whispered, grinning. The assassin cut her rope free from the Beader's chimney and sailed gracefully to the next house, landing squarely against the wall on both feet, then climbing back to the roof and freeing her rope to wind it around her middle out of the way. Ryne took her time getting back to the academy, sure she had done well.
Julia was waiting with a black-clad man when her student dropped through the window.
"Adept Ryne!" She called. Ryne walked over, trying to read her teacher's face. Impossible; she should have known. The man was the same. Well, they were Masters, what could one expect?
"Congratulations, Adept Ryne Dyer. I have passed you with flying colours," the man smiled at last. Ryne, standing at attention, allowed herself a small grin.
"Stand at ease. The introductory ceremony will take place in one week," Julia told her. Ryne obeyed, and took her leave when dismissed.
She was now an assassin!
*~*~*~*
The next day, she was given time to herself. Ryne went to the funeral of Leonard Beader. Standing around in the street, watching his coffin being brought from the house, she felt terrible sympathy for his crying mother and wife, and his small children standing around their mother in bewildered confusement.
She had brought this apon them. This assassin had killed their father to make her own way in the world. True, Julia had picked him because he cheated his customers many times over, and was having an affair behind his wife's back, but the innocents were the real victims. Ryne watched with guilt as the mother knelt to comfort her children.
"Don't blame yourself," said a voice behind her. She whirled around, and saw the man from last night, her examiner. He nodded and smiled in greeting, and the girl returned it.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"Just because you had a part in it, it wasn't your fault. He was a fraud," the man chose his words carefully, watching the crowd around them.
"I guess you're right," Ryne sighed.
"Of course I'd right. I'm Mischa Arroweye, by the way," he offered his hand, and she shook.
"Arroweye?"
"Assassins get to choose their last name. Didn't Julia tell you?"
"No,"
"Just like her, I guess,"
"Hmm," Ryne thought. What should her name be? She'd be glad to be rid of her old name, 'Dyer', definitely.
"What's Julia's name?" She asked out of curiosity.
"Stonecold," was her answer. Well, it wasn't a surprise!
"Come on," Mischa took her elbow and led her away from the scene after awhile. He bought them hot cider at a nearby inn, and they watched the first flakes off snow fall outside the window.
"I admired your ability walking on that rope last night," he said finally. Ryne blushed.
"Thank you," was all she could say. For once she was very aware of the fact that she was a girl, looking him over discreetly while pretending to stare outside. Mischa was your average tall, dark and handsome guy. Apart from the large scar running from the left corner of his mouth up past his hairline, he was almost perfect.
"What made you decide to become an assassin?" He asked. Ryne thought for a moment.
"I guess it was a snap decision, after my family's fortune was cheated away from them by a single man. I thought, if I could kill him, I would even the score. I still remember his name, and when I get some time off I will be sure to take him down," she told him. Mischa quirked an eyebrow.
"A lifetime's career based on hatred of one man?" he said.
"I guess," she shrugged. Mischa took another sip of his cider.
"Ryne, I want you to take your assignments very seriously. We assassins exist to rid the cities of the villains, not to kill childhood enemies. It could be that your man is a true villain, but it could also be that he was merely doing his job to live and not bleeding your family dry for the sake of it. So be careful," he warned her. Ryne's face burned, and she buried it in her cider. When she resurfaced, Mischa was regarding her carefully.
"I have an early mission for you," he said at last. She looked up eagerly.
"How old are you?" The man asked thoughtfully.
"Nineteen years," Ryne replied.
"Good. Well, could you in your free week before the ceremony, dig up some information about the Head Master?"
"What does that have to do with me being nineteen?" she demanded. He grinned, finishing his cider and standing up.
"Nothing, I just wanted to know. Dig up the dirt on Head Master Larynxa, will you?" Mischa left, looking back at her as he left. Ryne felt his eyes sweep up and down her, and blushed. Her heart was sent into a flutter by this newcomer, and she decided she liked the way it did that.
*~*~*~*
I'm trying to think of a good name for Ryne, when she becomes initiated! Mischa Arroweye, Julia Stonecold, Ryne.........?
Review and give suggestions!
Goddess Bless
~SultanaChicky