Ash: There is a lot of violence in this chapter FYI!
Yumeì: You're not going to add the ball in here are you?
Ash: I will soon!
Yumeì: Please don't!
Ash: Dear Gods, Yumeì! Everybody in the world knows you like Jesse!
Yumeì*SQUEAK!* YOU SAID IT!
Ash: Congratulations on figuring that out. On with the story. I'm not adding disclaimer cause you get the idea peoples!
Tabitha's View
As the dagger flew toward Arentum, Tabitha was singing spells. It truly wasn't as bad as it sounds. She seemed to have, in fact, have hummed a syllable. If you counted "Nessem" as a syllable.. The dagger paused just millimeters from Arentum's forehead. Then it clattered harmless to the ground. Yumeì, who had hidden behind the crevice in the wall peeked out.
"is he dead yet?"
Arentum who had been staring at the useless dagger at his feet, seen lips pursued, looked up.
"No, my dear, you've only added to the number of assassination attempts on my life. I must give you credit though, nobody ever tried it in public, especially in front of so many eyes." he smiled reassuringly.
Yumeì hissed,
"I'm not your 'dear'!"
Arentum sighed and shook his head. The hood fell off. Tabitha looked away. If she looked at him, she would see he was here, and she didn't need anymore woe to her evening. But she knew what she would see. Messy black-brown hair cut just below the ear, ice-blue eyes, and a teasing smile. The very things she had loved four years ago. Arentum had muttered something sarcastically, and received a sharp retort from his now recovered teacher.
Tabitha knew she couldn't keep looking away. She turned back, her face once again blank and emotionless. Yes, she had learned how to be like a Yamani. There were a lot of immigrants from there. But she, yet again, digressed.
"We didn't come here to speak about lost times or to settle old scores." Tabitha glared pointedly at Yumeì who was acting as though there was a halo above her head. You're no angel, thought Tabitha scornfully you're the devil incarnate, and quite proud of it too.
" Resai of Lecarthy, any reports from your fiefdom?"
A tall, brown haired man of about 28, stood up clumsily.
"The immortal known as Syriths have..." ,he paused.
Tabitha frowned.
"Is there something wrong, Resai?"
Then she heard it as well. The sound of a dozen soldiers running. Then the doors burst open and the sergeant of the group, Ruse, cried out,
"Your Majesty, someone has infiltrated the palace! Three guards have been killed!"
Shun's View
Shun stood over the body of one of his guards. Yes, one of his guards. This one guarded him usually, but he had decided to go on sentry duty that evening. A killer choice. Literally. Shun swallowed down a wave of sadness so he could hear the analysis.
" He was raising the alarm before somebody killed him. An arrow to the throat.", Yumeì was saying. " Whoever killed him was trying to make sure that that he or she was unnoticed."
"You don't say.", muttered Shun. Looking at the other two bodies, he recognized two soldiers.
"What happened to them?"
"Died with simple blows to the head. The way the head was damaged suggests a bow was used.", Yumeì answered simply. Something clicked into place in Shun's head.
"Let me see the arrow."
Yumeì cocked her head to the side.
"Any reason in particular?"
"I might be able to tell whose it is?"
"There are a lot of archers in Verithigo, Shun, including you. Good luck trying to find out who it is."
Shun raised an eyebrow. Yumei muttered, "Here." before giving the arrow to him. The arrow was long, maybe about 13 inches in length. The tip of arrow was steel. Very good steel, at that. The feather at the end was golden-brown and spotted dark brown. Looking closely, Shun could see there were ridges in the feather. He knit his eyebrows, then sliced the feather across a wooden top fell off, neatly sheared. Inspecting the feather again, he saw there was absolutely no damage. Griffin fletched arrows. Interesting. Yumeì was staring at him, momentarily stunned. Then something must have clicked together in her head and she murmured "Griffin feathers." Shun twirled the arrow between his fingers. Feeling the lightness of the arrow he concluded the wood was mahogany. Then he frowned.
"This arrow looks...familiar."
"Well, I bet you've seen it at a fletcher's place something."
"No, like person familiar."
"I'm not getting you."
"Pine, griffin feathers, steel...",he paled.
"What, what, what?" asked Yumeì, bouncing on her toes.
"Iyu." he hissed under his breath.
"Iyu? What's Iyu? A poison? A tree? An arrow?"
"A girl. I'll be back." he growled, and raced off.
Yumeì looked bewildered.
"What sort of a name is Iyu?"
Shun, however, did not bother to answer her question. He had grabbed his quiver of arrows and his bow and was already sprinting out of the palace.
"Tell Tabitha I'm headed to Meron!"
"The country or the town?" Yumeì called after him.
"I'm guess by using my common sense, it's the country." he yelled sarcastically before cloaking himself in his black Gift.
"The town then." Yumeì muttered and went back to inspecting the bodies of the unfortunate sentries.
Shun's View
Shun walked along a misty street. It was already past midnight and verging on dawn, but he had to find his subject. Stopping by a small wooden hut, he knocked. He heard someone ask,
" Who comes by before this dawn?"
It was Iyu's mother, guessing by the voice. He remembered the code way of answering the woman so he would not reveal himself to others.
"It is only the nightingale who wishes to see you."
He heard a small 'Oh, my!" before the wooden door was creaked open. A small, thin woman in her early forties opened the door. Her wispy blond hair, strange considering the generic black and brown hair in Verithigo, fluttered in the wind."
"You are much taller than I remember you last time, my Prince. Do come in it is cold out tonight."
"Not tonight, Mrs. Azaya. I just need to know if Iyumana is here."
Mrs. Azaya's face turned to one of worry.
"I thought maybe...she was with you."
Shun flushed.
"What? So you mean she isn't here?"
"Yes, she...she left without a trace two days ago, but if she's not with you where-"
There was a rustle in the bushes and a small black cat emerged from the bushes.
"Yumeì!" Shun snapped, "It hasn't even been three hours!"
"Yumeì? That's my cat, Dahlia." said a confused Mrs. Azaya.
Shun went an even darker color of red. He had almost given himself away to any person out at dawn!
"Well,er, thank you, Mrs. Azaya. I...guess I must find her."
"And if you find her, please tell her to come back home. It's getting rather lonesome since Azaid isn't here.", added pleadingly.
"Yeah, sure." he said, trying to keep a straight face. If Iyu had killed the guards...There might not be a coming back.
Shun couldn't think of a reason why Iyu would kill the sentry guards. Or why she would infiltrate the castle. He was so lost in his thoughts he did not hear the soft foot steps behind him. He suddenly clocked fast movements behind him. He jerked sideways to run, but it was too late. He saw a flash of silver and felt a sudden searing pain slice across his throat. Darn. Then, saw the scarlet drops fall down, bright and vivid against the dull gray stone.
He opened his mouth to yell, but instead gasped for air. He felt as though someone had placed an iron weight on his chest. Then he felt himself fall through empty air. His head hit a jagged stone, cutting into his scalp. He heard the resounding thud and the soft laughter of his assailant. He felt his blood drip down his neck, hot and foreboding. Through his pain he knew he would have to fake death, or they would actually kill him. And make sure of it.
He moaned softly, and then shuddered. Then he lay perfectly still as if he were truly dead. He had played a prank on Yumeì once like this, and she had actually been convinced. He had needed to force down laughter when she began screaming for a healer and Tabitha.
"You think he's dead?" he heard a different voice cry.
"Don't know." answered his assailant.
"Well he's not moving!" yelled another different voice.
"Why don't you check then!" hissed an angry voice.
"Because if he's not dead he'll launch a surprise attack! Idiot!" growled an impatient voice. Shun internally gulped. He was up against five or more people if he was found out. His chances were not looking good right now.
"I'll do it!" announced his attacker.
He felt soft feet and then warm breath down his neck. He felt a cool hand touch his blood-soaked neck. He knew the assassin felt his traitorous heart pounding hard against his ribs.
"Thought you could fool me, did you?" he heard him whisper. Then his hand clamped around his throat and pressed. Shun couldn't play this game anymore. His eyes flew open and he screamed as loud as he could. Suddenly a fist collided with his throat, and blood bubbled up in his mouth. His screams were reduced to wet choking.
Shun felt faint. Of course he did! Idiot, not every black cat was Yumeì! That's how he got into this mess in the first place. The thought was killing him. Well, actually, his injuries were killing him.
He heard the shocked murmuring of the five men.
"How did he survive the neck shot?" one cried out.
The assassin snarled in frustration.
"Idiot jerked his head in the last second! The dagger only cut through the skin. Didn't hit the artery."
Shun heard another dagger being drawn. He wouldn't be able to outrun this guy no matter what. He would only have to hope a miracle would happen. He heard the blade singing through the air. So much for a miracle. he thought, when suddenly the dagger stopped a few millimeters from his neck. He heard crackling as if something, or someone, had turned to stone. The assassin whirled around and raised his dagger again, only to turn into a granite statue. An angry granite statue, at that.
"Sorry for turning you into granite. If you were slower, I would have turned you into marble instead. Or Malachite. Granite comes a bit more naturally though. Pity."
Shun dared to crack open his eyelids.
"Yumeì?"
The black-haired, green-eyed beauty walked up.
"Yes, you big idiot!" she yelled, "You're three hours late! You really got beaten up didn't you?"
The moment Yumeì helped him to his feet, he felt dizzy and leaned heavily on Yumeì.
"Loss of blood." Yumeì announced casually. "You'll survive."
"You say that so indifferently."
"I don't feel sorry for you in the least."
"Is that so?"
"Yep, pretty much."
She helped him down. Shun saw her fingers itching toward his neck wound.
"Is it bleeding again?
She hesitated before nodding. Then suddenly she poked his wound.
He yelped.
"What the heck was that for?"
She pointed at his neck. Her hand was jade green outlined. Her Gift.
"Healing."
Shun hated healing. It made him sleepy. He already felt himself fading away, the world falling to black.
Yumeì: That was violent!
Ash: *Whimper* The intensity scared me. I made it seem more violent than it was in my head!
Yumeì: *Blink* *Blink* Just...review people. Oh! Don't forget to check out Ash's poll! The next chapter will come only after u vote!
