Hey guys!
I have some good news:
1) I just finished setting up my beta-reader profile here on the website, so if you guys ever need help with you stories, I am available.
2) The Arno POV story is under construction at the moment and should be published within the next few days.
I am a bit iffy about starting the second story to be honest, but I guess since I already have the story mapped out in this one, it should be easy telling the same tale through Arno's eyes.
Anyway, Enjoy.
Chapter 11: The Council
It has been some time since the council has dared to venture this far from their sanctuary. They always talk about the sacrifices we need to make for the good of the people; however, when it is their turn, it always seems incontinent. Yet, here they stand in front of the corpse of our former mentor as they speak of further actions for the five of us.
My eyes have long since dried, but now the exhaustion of the past few days is taking a beating out of me. Despite Tristan's remarks, Arno continues to stay at my side with his arm around my shoulder as support for my tired physique. I'm grateful for his concern, but I really wish he would let go. The council is already upset by my acceptance into the brotherhood, and now that the man who had taken me in has died a traitor, I fear that my time as an assassin is ending.
All of us tense as soon as the Brotherhood leaders turn to us and begin moving our direction. Arno instantly pulls me up in a straighter stance and moves away so I can stand on my own. I'm glad he realizes that he can not show any signs of weakness in front of these men.
"Why was he killed instead being brought to us?" one of the men questions.
Tristan and Oliver are the first to look at one another before they glance between the rest of us. We all know why they had changed their minds in the midst of it, but to let the council know it was to protect me would just make it easier for them to decide my fate.
"We had made it clear amongst ourselves that we would bring him in, but he chose to fight," Oliver states. "As a Master Assassin, he was much more skilled than us. If we did not eliminate him, I'm sure he would have ended our lives."
"You should of contacted us before confronting him. Now we have nothing but a dead body and no answers to our questions," another member remarks.
"Nicole and I witnessed the exchange, and we have the documents in our possession after seeking and eliminating the Templar associate. You can at least be grateful that you no longer have a rat within your order," Arno responds in a stern tone causing my comrades and I to look at him in shock. No one has ever dared to speak to the council like that before.
Then again, Arno is not like the rest of the assassins.
"We realize our mistake," I say to move the tension away from Dorian. "But I'm sure you can agree that the five of us out weigh the life of one traitor."
The four elders sneer beneath their hoods at the sight of me, decreasing my already low self-esteem. There is no pleasing these men, but thanks to their hatred of my gender, all anger is now directed away from Arno and towards me.
"Stay your tongue, girl!" one of the council men snaps.
Tristan steps up and stands between us. "You have to believe us when we say that we did not want this to happen, but Alphonse gave us no other choice."
The council's gaze goes from Tristan to myself before they glance at the others. "Until this matter is resolved, this bureau is hereby under our direct commands," the man on the far left announces. "The four of you will remain here and will receive orders by messenger. You boys are no longer apprentices. It's about time you did things on your own."
"The four of us?" Zacharie finally speaks.
"Since the girl was never pledged into the Brotherhood by our means, she will return with us and prove that she is capable of the honor of becoming an assassin. For now, she is will be considered a novice."
With all anxiety shedding away, I step forward while anger boils within my blood, but I am stopped when my comrades move in front of me. "Nicole has already proven herself to this order. She doesn't need to have it justified!" Tristan retorts.
"If that is so, then her time with us will be short lived and she will have her former status returned to her," another elder explains.
Before there is anything more to be said, I push past the boys and look each of the council men in the eye. "I do not need to have my skills tested, but if you are so desperate to have me thrown from the Brotherhood in order to protect your traditions, then I will go to prove you wrong."
"Nicole-" Zacharie starts, but his voice mutes as our eyes meet. Both he and the others have the same worried look on their faces, but I give them a reassuring smile.
"I'll be back soon," I say, but they do not seem convinced.
The council men sneer once more. "We leave as soon as you are packed."
X
I've never been to the main headquarters before, but like everything else in this city, there were many rumors. Since the elders are not too fond of me, we do not take the main entrance into the bureau, but instead enter a catacomb that would lead us straight there. I guess they still have too many trust issues to show off the grand castle they like to hide beneath.
As we reach the underground entrance to the headquarters, one of the men steps forwards and presses a stone slab causing a new passage way to open. Without much of a warning, I am shoved forward while the council follows behind me. As much as I would like to turn around and land a good punch on the asshole, I am forced to remain calm until this whole endeavor is over.
A stairwell leads to whatever bâitment(building) that stands above us, and with every step, my stomach leaps with anxiety. Tristan used to say it was bustling with assassins ranging from novices to masters, and to my surprise, he was right. I feel meager compared to the men who roam the floors and of this former fortress.
"Just like every novice, you will sleep in the barracks," one of the elders states as I turn my attention from the stone arches to the council men. "You will train, eat, and hunt with them. There is no special treatment, d'accord?"
"I never asked for it," I retort while tightening my grip on my bag.
They each curl their lips as their eyes narrow. I glare back knowing that nice behavior was not going to get me far. Although I am beyond terrified at what these men are capable of, it is best not to show it.
One of the elders steps forward. "Your group is stationed down hall. Third down from the end. They will be completing their initiation test this week, so be up to par with their skill."
I fake a smile. "Will do."
They don't even spare a 'good luck' as they shove me out of the way with their shoulders and disappear into the mass of assassins who roam the old forteresse. Each man that passes by my smaller form gives a look of disbelief while I am busy studying my new surroundings.
Unlike the rest of the Brotherhood that is spread out across the world, the French assassins still practice the old ways: the traditions of the Levantine. They still hide in their castles and use the elders as a guide to how they live their lives even if they are ordered to sacrifice themselves to send a powerful message. I knew better than to let these men take control, but the assassins only knew the rules that came with their assignments.
With a sigh, I push through the crowd to find my new room while ignoring the stares. I can understand their confusion seeing as how I am the only female here, and it probably does not help that my robes are covered in the blood of my former mentor. I wonder what they questioned more: the stain or my gender.
As I approach the door to which I am assigned, I take a deep breath to calm the tension rising in my shoulders. This is only temporary, but I can feel the overwhelming dread that was beginning to catch up with me. The past few days have been a blur in my head due to the drowsiness that I don't even feel like this is reality. I lost Alphonse and my rank in just a matter of hours, and now I do not know where I am with people whom I've never met. Could this please just be a horrible nightmare.
Finally swallowing back my fear, I open the door to reveal eight straw beds divided evenly on opposite sides of the room with chests placed at the end of each one. Seven pairs of eyes instantly snap my direction making my heart race at the attention. I never really had trouble living with my comrades since they were each significantly older than I, but these boys were my age or may be a few years younger.
"Who the hell are you?" a sandy-haired boy questions as he is the first to approach me. His green eyes are narrow and snake-like with a calculating gaze to match. He is tall and thin, but not short on muscle.
"Je m'appelle Nicole," I reply with a sternness in my voice. "I will be training with you until the initiation test."
Every single one of them laughs before they each begin to draw closer. I tense while my fingers grip the handle of my bag tighter. I can not out power them, but I am positive I will be able to strategize a means of escape.
"Is that so?" a dark-skinned boy asks as they now have me completely trapped between the door and them.
"If you do not mind, I would like to find my bed now," I say as I try to push past the wall they have created, but they do not move.
"There are no women in the Brotherhood," another boy states. "So what are you? A prostitute?"
Without hesitance, I land a right hook on his jaw before slamming my palm against his throat. He instantly falls to his knees while gasping for air causing the rest of the boys to take a step back.
"You see this blood?" I question as I point to my cloak. "This belongs to a man who betrayed our order: my mentor. Now if any of you want to attempt to harass me as long as I am here then you better pray to God that I am less of an assassin than you are."
I receive silence in return allowing me to pick up my bag and push past the novices in order to reach the only made bed in the room. All they do is stare as I place my possessions inside the trunk along with my dirtied cloak. A firm first impression is my only defense and I can only hope that the punch did its magic. My only assumption that it worked is their hesitance to go back to whatever it is they were doing before I arrived.
With a huff, I lie down on the uncomfortable bed and close my eyes. Let the hell begin.
X
Banging on wood awakens me with a start along with the other assassins. Without delay, they each jump from their beds and quickly move to get dressed causing me to follow in step. Even with my back turned against them, I can feel their stares as they slow their movements to wait for me to undress. It is pathetic really.
Sighing, I pull my shirt over my head, grab a fresh one, and slide it over my torso. I smile to myself knowing the disappointment they must be suffering thanks to the bindings I always wear. I am quick to lace my torso, but as soon as I grab my cloak, I realize that there would be no use for it. As a novice with no rank, I officially have no hood to declare my status. I also believe a new one is going to be needed after the trauma that one has been through; it's been in combat for far too long.
Another bang echoes off the door and now the boys are piling out of the room. Although I keep in pace with them, the other assassins are also filling the halls, making it harder to maneuver. I have no idea what is going on, but judging by the alert behavior of the others, this is a daily routine for them. The crowd stops as soon as our lungs hit the fresh morning air of the courtyard before turning to face the Master Assassin that stands above us on a rampart. Like a hawk, he inspects the lot of us with his back straight and his arms resting behind his back. I watch as some of the boys mimic his pose while others merely stand more upright. This feels more like a military than it does an order.
"As you may know, this week will decide if you are ready to begin your journey to becoming a Master Assassin," the man on the ramparts announces as he begins to pace. "It will not be easy, and the majority of you will not pass. Good luck."
Short and to the point. The familiar sinking feeling shudders over me as I watch several men separate the crowd into groups of five before pointing in a random direction. The boys do not wait around and go immediately where they were supposed to without question. I wonder what exactly they have planned for us.
"Un. Deux. Trois. Quatre. Cinq," an older man counts as he points towards myself and the novices surrounding me. "You five to the weapon arena."
Without a clue to what is happening, I follow my fellow companions out of the courtyard, down a breezeway and out into the fields of Paris' surrounding countryside. Several circular, fenced in areas are lined along the property with training weapons organized neatly next to them. So my first test was battle readiness.
The five of us approach the arena where another Master Assassin awaits our arrival. He snarls his upper lip as soon as his eyes land of us before spitting on the ground. "Just my luck to get four scrawny rats and a succubus," he mutters.
At least I wasn't refereed to as dirt.
"You, girl and the tall boy. You two in the arena first," the assassin calls as he tosses both of us a dull blade.
We do not say anything and obey the orders. I twirl the blade in my hand to get a feel for the balance before turning to my opponent. The same snake-eyed novice from my barracks stands before me in a ready position with his grip weak on his sword. What were the odds?
"The rules are simple, keep the fight clean, and no cheating. Fighting dirty is fair as long as there is no outside resources," the man states while glaring at the other boys. "Start when you are ready."
The novice holds nothing back as he charges forward and swings heavily from his right side. With a calm mind and steady breath, I sway to the left before dancing around his flying sword. As soon as I am behind him, I knock my blade into the back of his knee causing him to fall before resting the dull steel on the back of his neck.
"Looks like the succubus wins," the Master Assassin smirks. "Who wants to be the next to face her?"
The boys glance at one another while shaking their heads. It really is amusing to watch, but if none of them want to fight, then how was I going to prove my skill?
"How about we make it fair then? Two versus one since clearly the only person around here who has the balls to do anything is the girl," the man remarks.
The novice kneeling at the end of my blade stands and shoves my sword from his neck before pointing at me. "I want a rematch!" he declares. "Who wants to join?"
The rest hesitate before a dark-haired boy grabs a training spear and joins at my opponent's side. Unlike the snake-eyed assassin, the newcomer is not as confident in his stance, but the grip on his weapon is strong.
Snake eyes moves in first, followed shortly by his ally. I quickly parry the swordsman's attack before dodging a thrust from the spear. The dark-haired one is quick, but he is stiff which is opposite of what you want to be with a long ranged weapon. I am easily able to out maneuver him before downing him with a kick to the stomach. Snake eyes gives one final charge causing our steel to meet, but as soon as the blades slip against one another, I give him a nice right hook and send him to the ground after hitting him in the back with my elbow.
Our supervisor laughs aloud before pointing at the novices next to him. "You two boys, get in the arena. If you can beat her in a four versus one match, I will let you call it a day with good marks."
X
The resonating pop of bone echoes through my ears as I pop my nose back into place. Although I had easily beaten my group of boys, the assassin watching over us ended up calling over others to see who had the skill to beat me in a challenge. At first the fights were simple, but after growing tired of endless sparring while each new opponent brought something new to face, I began to falter. Now I am left with a broken nose, a swollen cheek, a displaced shoulder, and I'm positive it is only a bruised rib.
I groan in pain before finally sitting down next to a tree that shaded several of the weapon arenas. As soon as noon struck, we were halted from our training and told to go to the dining halls for lunch. I; however, did not dare to show my face to the rest of the assassins with the way I look.
The crunch of grass snaps me from my thoughts as I look around the field for the source. The place is empty of other novices, but before I could turn around, a leather-gloved hand covers my mouth, muffling my screams. The intruder shushes into my ear as his other arm holds me in place.
"It's me," a familiar husky voice whispers into my ear causing me to stop my thrashing. His hand slowly leaves my mouth but he still refuses to let me go.
"Arno? What the hell are you doing here?" I question as I try to turn towards him, but his arms locks me in place.
"Pretend you are just sitting alone," he continues to speak into my ear, giving me a chill. "Although you can not see them, they are watching."
"That still does not explain why you are here," I retort.
"You and I both know the council will not accept you no matter how well you do in their tests," he replies. "We can leave now and you can continue to stay at the bureau. None of us care about the rank these men think they can give you."
"Then you four will be labeled as traitors."
He huffs. "It honestly would not astound me if they never put the effort in for an investigation."
I smile lightly before placing my hand gently over the one he has on my waist. "As much as I appreciate the concern, this is my battle. Do what you need to at the bureau and I will be home soon. Whether the council likes it or not."
"Are you sure about this?" he asks as his grip tightens.
"Why are you so worried about me?"
He chuckles causing puffs of air to tickle my neck. "It's difficult getting anything done with the others sulking around all the time."
I lie back against him with a smile on my face after hearing him huff. "You are going to have to try harder because I'm not buying the lie," I say.
I hear his breath hitch which means I caught him. "Just come home safe," he whispers with his lips brushing the skin of my ear.
His warmth is gone in an instant and although I search for him afterwards, I can not find the route he would have taken to have disappeared so fast. What the hell was that all about?
