Chapter 21: Starter
Ellen's POV
I felt something nibbling on my ear when I woke up.
"Get off Cobalt. I'll get up in a minute." I moaned at her. I opened an eye and it was indeed her. I yawned and got up slowly, carefully moving so I didn't wake up Vea. I rubbed the sleep in my eyes and looked at the sky. We had somehow fallen asleep in the beach, I cursed inwardly, we could have been attacked.
"Thanks Cobalt." I said to her, scratching her head gently. She rubbed her beak on my hand, I rolled my eyes.
"Later. Okay." She hopped onto my shoulder and stayed there. I got onto my feet and carefully picked up Vea. She was pretty light but I don't know whether it was her or my muscles 'saying' that.
I started caring myself, Cobalt and Vea towards the castle, being careful not to wake Vea. When I got back into the castle gardens, Cobalt pushed herself and into the air with a little quiet cry. I would see her later anyway. Vea stirred a little but she just grabbed onto my jacket tightly and then kept sleeping. She was really cute while sleeping, she was also smiling as well. I noticed that quite a few times normally. When she dozed sometimes when we were talking or daydreaming. It was always something pleasant but I knew it was something pleasant. She might be dreaming about last night. Our admittance, our love. Our first kiss. A dreamy and happy sigh escaped my lips as I slowly moved through the castle to get to the medical wing.
Once there I peeked my head around the corner to see if anyone was there. No doubt my parents knew, they knew everything. But her might not, well her Father. Her Mother probably knew. Her Mother was sat at her desk scribbling something. Her husband as usually was out of sight. I put my back against the wall and I resigned on waiting til Kylar got up to go get something in the back room, hopefully, and then place Vea on one of the beds in the room. I heard the scratch of a quill on parchment and a scuffle as a chair was withdrawn.
"I know your there Ellen. Come in before I drag you in." She said impatiently. I carefully dragged my hood further down my face and merely stepped around the corner.
"Where were you both last night?" She asked quietly as she looked at her daughter sleeping peacefully.
"On the river bank. Just sitting and talking." I said truthfully. It was the truth, truthfully. Just not what happened entirely.
"And you both feel asleep there I guess? Hmmm?" She said. I just nodded in response. Kylar strode over and pulled Vea out of my arms and vanished into the back room which were supplies for the medical wing and living quarters for the family. I watched her move with Vea. I thought she was merely a doctor but she moved and had the strength of an Assassin. It made me curious but I could ask questions later.
"Your Mother is such a matchmaker." Kylar said as she closed the door quietly.
"I didn't know she was into romance expect her and Father." I said nonchalantly.
"And you seem to be doing the same thing as well. I don't think I'm going to get an ear full at training." I looked at the only window in the room.
"Which is about now. May I be excused?" I said politely.
"Of course." She said back kindly. I turned and strode out, relishing the very quiet thud of my boots against the stone floor. I was absently flicking my wrist where the hidden blade was.
I realised after a couple of minutes and stopped it and brought it close to my face, while walking.
"Relationship starter. Aren't you?" I said with humorous tone.
Isabella's POV
"Next time." I growled.
"Leave a note?" Ellen finished.
I whistled in his face and Jess jumped on him, pinning him to the ground with a grunt leaving his mouth as his air was taken.
"Don't go without a proper protection." I snarled at him.
"I'm would've been fine." He said plainly. I crouched down near his downed hood and traced his scar, causing him to flinch.
"That's what you said the first time." I said, getting back up and gesturing Jess to get off of him. She licked his face happily and got off, growling playfully. I could see him roll his eyes before pulling his hood up.
"Not now Jess." He huffed. I reached up to undo a piece of leather that kept part of an intricate bow together and I tapped it against my hidden blade bracer, catching Jess's attention and she padded over to me as I got into a crouch and looped it my hand once. Jess grabbed to other end, still growling playfully and tugged on it. A playful smile lit my features as we played tug-of-war together. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ellen watching us with curiosity.
"Its customary for my time." I paused as I tugged a little harder.
"For dogs and there 'owners' to play with them." I finished.
"Maybe you should try it with Cobalt." I said slyly.
"What?" He said, trying to give me the impression he was confused.
"Who's Cobalt?" He said. I pulled down my hood and glanced at him, still smiling with the playfulness of Jess.
"Don't act innocent with me Ellen. I know all." I said sarcastically.
"How did you know? I was all alone in that tower that day." He said.
"You talk in your sleep sometimes." I said, I trailed off.
"Oh." He said simply. I did a mock growl at Jess and she let go and I pulled the leather back into the bow and I stood up.
"Training time." I said with a smirk that was half hidden as I pulled up my hood.
"Yes Mother." Ellen said happily.
Ellen's POV
I sat in the tower, the door locked and the sun at its mid point. My mother allowed me a break at midday. It was for eating but I didn't eat lunch. I came to see Cobalt or go see Vea for a brief talk. I choose Cobalt today, I would see Vea tonight. I sat in silence, the air in and out of the top of the tower lifeless. Not a sound existed and I relished that moment. I could forget my worries, forget the fatigue my body had. Forget everything. It was very much like my leap of faith into the air after my initiation. There was no rush of air this time. Just the soundless, dead air.
This must be what it is like to be dead, I thought. I guess it would be more painful though. The pain before death. Probably quite excruciating.
A loud eagles cry tore through my murky thoughts. It made me look at the railing and wait patiently. She didn't descend so I moved to the railing and looked up. She was perched just there and made a loud cry in my ear, making me wince. She chirped happily and perched onto my shoulder. I withdrew and went back into the room and sat where we usually sat together. She pulled at my hood and pulled it down. I fingered my scar before she could trace it. My world went grey for a minute expect from Cobalt.
"Our anniversary. I guess." I said solemnly. She chirped sadly. She sank on my shoulder so she was laid down flat.
"It was my fault girl." I said leaning so she had to get up or fall off of me. She hopped down to my forearm and laid down in that position and I gently moved so she was cradled on me.
"You never get distracted in a fight. No matter what." I said. I gently rocked her back and forth soothingly.
"My fault." I said in a trace voice as I remembered the day. I bit my lip as it vividly flashed before my eyes. I couldn't help but let some tears slowly slide down my face as I remembered it, the pain, Vea, Mother, the eagle, the Templar. The scar. The permanent scar. External and internal like. External being the scar on the side of my face. Internal being my secretive nature and shyness. Not wanting to get close but that armour slipped off for four people. My parents, Cobalt and Vea. The carers, the companion and the lover. The only people who were ever going to have the loose chinks of my armour.
I was brought to reality by a sharp nip on my ear. I rubbed it before cursing.
"Sorry Cobalt." I said mournfully.
"Thank You." I said. She flapped and tapped my ear slightly before taking off again. I just watched her go with sad eyes. Wishing someone could be here to comfort me. I wiped away the water from my tears and I just continued to stare into nothingness until a hand was laid gently on my shoulder. It was Isabella. She was smiling with a knowing smile on her face and I put my head in my hands as I resisted the urge to sob. The sorrow of that day leaked into me more with each passing year. Slowly eating away at me. Keeping everything locked up inside. Making me not want to show emotion, no weakness for an enemy to exploit. I felt Mother sit down next to me and try unpry my hands away from my face. I choked a sob and covered it with a cough. Her dull but fiery eyes seemed to read my mind. She pulled me into a hug so my head rested on her shoulder.
"Its okay Ellen. You are allowed to show emotions, weakness when your alone or with a loved one. It'll be fine." She cooed in my ear.
I bit my lip and clamped on it harder to try hold my emotions in. I loosened my jaw slightly so I wouldn't bust my lip with my teeth.
"Let go for once Ellen." She said gently.
"Show some weakness." She said softly.
Her words worked and I completed broke down and sobbed hard into her shoulder. 8 years of pent-up emotion spilling out. Mother held me tight and just cooed comforting words in Arabic into my ear. I know some but not all. It helped slightly but my sobbing wouldn't stop. She was quite tolerant as well. I didn't know how long we were sat there or how much of the liquid came out as tears. It was all unknown and all I could feel was the heat radiating off of my Mother, the comforting words in my ear and the calming and patience radiating off her like an aura. All in all, it slowly helped me calm down. I let go and moved away as my breath started to shake but no tears escaped my eyes. No emotion in my eyes, but the redness of crying was there, the line of my lips betraying no sign of the emotion display that had just happened. I rubbed my sore eyes carefully and sat back into my previous position with Mother sat there next to me. I sighed, internally.
"Cya at Dinner." She said simply as she got up and moved away. I traced my scar carefully and slowly. My emotions now in check so I was just in a peaceful mood. I swayed slowly to imaginary music in my head. I then lowly started singing it.
"A single kiss seals your fate.
All these factors intertwined.
All in all its a good fight.
The second half of your soul you must find.
All these factors are a reason.
To fight for your life.
The life of your soul is your goal.
To find the one and only."
"And this reason is a good one.
I'm standing right here." A silky beautiful voice sang behind me. I knew who it was easy.
"I will hop and cheer." I sang.
"For your right here.
Clearly in front." They sang back. They moved in front of me and sat down next to me and we swayed as we sang more.
"Hush this is a lullaby." I sang softly.
"The only one in our life time." They sang.
"My one and only is you." We sang in unison. Me and Vea linked hangs and swayed.
"What can I do for you?" We trailed off softly.
We kept our hands and kept swaying lightly as we imagined the beat. The one I heard Angelo sing to Isabella when they cuddled together in bed, on a restless night.
"What are you doing here?" I asked as we kept swaying.
"Looking for you and I seem to find you in your little tower. Where's your eagle?" She replied. I bit the inside my lip in thought, pondering whether to tell her.
"No idea. She off a little while ago." I leaned closer to her and she did as well and our lips touched briefly.
"I think you found me." I said gently, carefully not to breath to hard on her face. She chuckled lightly.
"I think I did." She said with a smile. I heard an eagle cry outside the tower. I wiggled my hands out of her gentle grip and went to the railing and looked for Cobalt. She was flying low instead of high this time. Circling the bale of hay that made me a full assassin. I eyed her curiously with my Eagle Vision so I could see her better. She landed on the blinding white cart and looked up at me with a cry. I tilted my head at her, she answered by flapping in the air and doing a vertically downwards barrel roll into the hay and back out. I smiled understanding the message. Bizarre message it was. But I understood it. I turned and faced Vea and beckoned her forward towards me, the part without the rail.
"Do you trust me?" I asked.
"Of course." She said hesitantly. Looking back and forth between me and where I was standing. She was came up to me slowly, still wary of where I was standing and the height.
"You don't suffer from vertigo right?" I joked. She laughed at me lightly.
"No. I just don't know why you want me to stand here with you." She answered back.
"I'll tell you then." I said, pulling her closer to me with my arm and kept it wrapped around her waist.
"You are my one and only, besides the big starry sky. The one and only in my life. For all the stars above, I only choose you. So jump with me my love and let fate choose." I said in a poetic way.
"You sound way to deep today." She commented sarcastically. She put her head on my shoulder and tilted it so she could face me.
"I guess I am having a good day I guess." I said with a shrug. She looked thoughtful for a moment.
"I guess you deserve a reward then, you never have a good day on this day." She said softly.
"And you and going to help me claim it then." I said in a loving way. I leant down and kissed her and she moved her head from my shoulder and faced me properly as I moved my other arm to hook it around her waist tightly and she moved her arms so they were tightly locked onto my shoulders and linked together. I leaned back slowly, so slowly I didn't even realise we were flying through the air. Not until we hit the hay stack.
Vea's POV
Me and Ellen whipped through the air and still kept our kiss. I had seen my Mother do this once with Father, it ended well despite the fact my Father was shaking like a fish in air when he jumped out of the haystack. I shivered slightly at the cold temperature, it was short lived as we neared the haystack and landed in with a thump. Ellen broke from the kiss and I could see him bit his lips as he arched his back, pain really clear in his eyes. I jumped out quickly and helped him get out. He then let out the groan that had wanted to escape his lips and I soothingly rubbed his back. His muscles relaxed slightly but he reached his hand where my hands were and pushed them away.
"It's fine. The impact always hurt." He spun around and grabbed both of my hands anyway.
"I guess fate says my choice is for the best them. Hmm?" He said. I hummed in response.
"I guess so Ellen. But fate always wanted us together. Why else would we become friends when we were young?" I said back.
"I can think of plenty reasons we became friends actually." He said in a monotone. I grabbed his hood and flicked it back so I could see whether his face was just as bad as his voice. They were just the same, his beautiful blue eye's as emotionless and piercing as ever, his lovely strong jaw and mouth the same as it always was. Tempting, his mouth looked so tempting to kiss.
Hello Everybody! I'm back. I've completed the story already. Got them all edited and ready to post. So if I get a little bit of nagging in the recent 4 hours, then maybe I will post the last 2 chapters. Sadly, I've finished this story loved and got another juicy one planned. Let's just say, it M-rated and involves a lovely, unhealthy dose of Templar hating :-)
So. Please nag me, as I thought, posting all the chapters at once was a bad idea. I think my mind can be changed though. So nag meh!
Have a good day/night,
Dessoestma