Chapter 11: A Pawn

"What exactly was the idea of that?" Commander Fen asked. "You just tried to kill a child."

Shackled before him, Talon looked up, his brown eyes locking with Fen's.

"No. I tried to kill a King." He replied, with a smirk. "And I will, don't you worry about that."

The door to the dungeon creaked open.

A figure stepped in, joining Commander Fen, and the two katolian guards. Slightly shorter, a pair of horns sprouting from her head. A very angry look on her face.

"Leave him with me." Rayla snarled, eyes narrowed as she glared at the assassin.

Fen exchanged a look with the guards, then sighed.

"I can't get anything out of him anyway. Just try not to kill him if at all possible." He said, gesturing for the guards to follow him out.

Rayla stepped forward. She looked truly ready to explode.

"Start talkin."

"What about?" Talon asked, cocking his head to the side. "The weather? It's lovely out here. You wouldn't think it was winter everywhere else."

"You just tried to kill my friend." Rayla hissed. "I should've cut your throat before you ever threw that blade."

Talon nodded.

"Indeed you should have. So why didn't you?" He asked.

Rayla gritted her teeth, then whipped out one of her swords, and held it against his neck.

"Don't tempt me. I could do it right now."

Talon chuckled, his eyes examining her carefully.

"Nice armor." He noted. "A moonshadow elf? Working for the King of Katolis, how precious. Kings and their assassins..."

"I'm his bodyguard. Which means what just happened was my fault. I don't like when things are my fault. Now I want to know right now, why did you try to kill Ezran?!"

Talon let out a long sigh.

"You haven't heard of me then?" He asked. "Azrael, king of the Chain Islands. Ruler of ashes. The one surviving member of my clan. You elves killed the rest."

Rayla felt a twinge of guilt at that, but quickly pushed it down, the anger overwhelming it.

"That doesn't explain why you just tried to murder a kid." She replied harshly. "Ezran has never done anythin to you."

Talon let out a chuckle.

"I don't care what King Ezran has done. Not in the least. But King Harrow did not live long enough to see my vengeance." He said, glaring up at Rayla. "The sins of the father must be punished."

Callum patted Ezran's head, as they sat on a bench, on one of the castle balconys.

The sun was beginning to go down, as Callum tried to coax a response from his little brother.

He reached into his brother's bag, and pulled out a grumpy looking Bait, depositing the glow toad in Ezran's lap.

"Here." He said, looking at Ezran's face. "Pet Bait. That always works."

Ezran didn't respond. So Callum took his hand, and began manually making him pet the bewildered looking toad.

"He's in shock."

Callum looked up, to see Queen Aanya.

"It's normal. I still remember the first time someone tried to assassinate me. I didn't feel safe in my own bed for weeks. This is normal. He'll be okay."

Callum nodded.

"How soon?" He asked worriedly, turning back to Ezran.

Queen Aanya stepped forward, then sat down across from Ezran.

"Look at me." She commanded.

Ezran slowly looked up at her.

"It gets easier." Aanya assured, her eyes sympathetic. "Being a ruler and a child at the same time is fundamentally unfair. Neither of us asked for this. I would trade this to have my mothers back in a heartbeat, just as surely as you would trade to bring back your father. But destiny called for you long before your time. And thats okay." She put a hand on his shoulder. "You will make a fine king."

Ezran slowly began to shake his head.

"I can't even think about that right now. I can't...someone just tried to kill me! Why would they do that? What did I do?"

He looked from Aanya to his older brother.

"Callum, what did I do?" He asked, a tear rolling down his cheek.

"You didn't do anything Ez." Callum assured. "It's okay, just breathe..."

Aanya nodded, taking his hand.

"The world makes less sense the older you get, Ezran. Everything about being a child...being safe. Insulated. It all ends when you put on that crown. And it is terrifying. But it gets easier. I promise."

"You can't punish a child for...whatever their father did. That isn't justice!" Rayla argued.

"Justice?" Talon asked. "My goodness, you're young but you sound like a child yourself. Justice is an illusion. It always has been. There was no justice for my people. But there will be vengeance for them."

"How old are you?" Rayla asked, narrowing her eyes. "You don't look much older than me."

"21." The assassin replied. "What does it matter?"

Rayla shook his head.

"You're not Azrael." She said, turning toward the door. "You're a distraction. Azrael is not that young."

"You're good." Talon said with a light chuckle. "No, I'm not him. But don't worry. You'll meet him soon."

"We'll be ready for him." Rayla replied, as she reached for the door handle.

"Not if you can't warn them." Talon hissed.

She heard a whizzing sound, then looked up in time to see a blade fly by.

It hit a torch sconce, and flames exploded outward, sending her flying back.

The sconce tilted, then came crashing down in front of the door, several others crashing down with it.

Flames spread across the doorframe.

Rayla let out a groan as she stood up.

She turned to see the assassin fully free of his shackles.

"No chains can hold me." Talon sneered. "And now you're trapped."

Rayla pulled out her blades.

"Maybe. But so are you." She said firmly, looking back at the gathering flames behind her.

"Am I?" Talon asked, grabbing a blade from the table, and using it to lift open a hole in the floor.

A trap door.

Rayla's eyes widened as she watched the situation unfold. The confidence he had in every move he made.

"You planned this!" She shouted.

"Me?" Talon asked, gesturing to his chest. "No, my dear. I'm but a pawn. Just like you. And I'm sorry...but the game's already over."

He turned, and jumped down the hole.

Rayla's eyes widened, and she leaped forward, jumping down the hole after him, swords drawn.

Only to find herself falling.

Straight down, into total darkness.