**This chapter contains mature content and themes **
Aleera paced the length of her cabin. She had been alone for hours, and yet she felt an overwhelming presence around her. Her mind was engaged in an ongoing battle of wit and morale. If what her spies had told her was true, then Kyra and Kassandra were planning to lead the rebel army against Poldarkes within the next fortnight. Leaving her no choice but to execute her own plans.
Her light steps came to a full stop in front of the large bookshelves. She parted the sea of boxes and parchment until she uncovered a small, gold knob at the back of the case. With delicate fingers, she opened the small compartment and reached inside. Her touch was faint, each digit walking separately towards the unknown, creeping forward until she finally found what she was looking for.
A cold gust of wind blew around her as retracted from the compartment, a white mask in her hand. Aleera straightened herself and drew a long exhale.
" Have you come to question my impending actions?" she asked the air around her. She turned slowly but found nothing but the unbarred door of the cabin. Her eyes danced around the vacant room, chasing flickers of light from one end of the space to the other.
"You are taking a great risk, daughter of Hekate," remarked a distant female voice, "you must wait, and plan your next move wisely."
Aleera bowed respectfully. Although she could not see them, she was fully aware that she was in the presence of God-like entities. "In the end, we only regret the chances we didn't take," She countered. There was nothing about her plan that she enjoyed, but Aleera understood that such sacrifices were necessary in order to achieve the greater goal.
"The mortal has already left her mark," manifested a strong male voice, "There can be no wrong decision except for those not made in time."
The tone vibrated through the walls of the cabin and shook Aleera to her core. She reached her free hand to her face and lightly soothed the lingering soreness around her eye. Although the bruising had subsided, crimson blood stained the whiteness of her eye and continued to impair her physical sight. She was not angry with Kassandra for attacking her, but she was disappointed in her. Her actions proved what Aleera had feared, that she could not be trusted.
The air lifted, becoming light with positive energy. The glow of the candle warmed the cabin in a brilliant golden haze, the flames dancing around Aleera's shadow with every movement she made. She waded towards her desk, picking up a vessel of wine along the way. She placed the eccentric white mask on the wooden surface in front of her with a soft thud. Her anxious heart pounded against her chest as she began to write. Her eyes wandered towards her cultist mask every time she mentioned Poldarkes's name, the heaviness of her mind reflecting in the invisible tears she cried.
...
My Dearest,
Much has changed since the last time we spoke. I'm doubtful that my presence here has gone unnoticed. It's only a matter of time before I must face the inevitable. I fear that I can no longer trust Kassandra as an ally. She and the rebel leader, Kyra, have grown too familiar with one another, and her actions have made her reckless. My sources tell me they plan a siege on Poldarkes's Fort within the coming weeks. If this is true, we will need to act quickly and create a distraction that will postpone the attack long enough for us to complete our mission.
It is my understanding that the misthios has driven a wedge between the Rebel leader and her Spartan lover. If my suspicions are correct, The commander will no longer be supporting Kyra in her rebellion, leaving her with little defense. We can use this to our advantage.
Speak with Poldarke's on my behalf and inform him of our plans. He is a dangerous man and is just as unhinged as he was the day I first met him. But he fears you, and the power you have over the cult. He will be resistant at first but I have no doubt that he will listen with a little persuasion. It may take some time, but I am willing to remain in his company until then.
Meet me at the Temple of Apollo on Delos just before sunrise. There we can speak freely and discuss this further. I know this is a large request, but I promise you the reward will be worth your while.
...
"I don't like this plan, Aleera." Cicero protested from the doorway. His arms were crossed over his chest, both hands gripped in a tight fist, "it's too risky." His eyes fluttered from the wooden desk to Aleera, and then back again. A cold chill wracked through him at the sight of the cultist mask.
Aleera had her back turned, her attention focused on unlacing the stays of her cloak. She had just returned from delivering her letter to the courier and was not in the mood to argue, " You are the second one to question me tonight, Cicero, and it's beginning to vex me."
She shrugged off the heavy blue fabric and breathed a sigh of relief as it fell to the floor. Her dark leather breastplate hugged her figure with tight lacing that disappeared down her back and beneath the fringes of her skirt. She chose this attire specifically, mimicking a lower-class bounty hunter. Her traditional gold armor would have attracted far too much attention and that was something she desperately needed to avoid.
"If Poldarkes finds out you are alive the last two decades of searching will have been for nothing," Cicero pushed himself out of the doorway and into the cabin. He kept his voice low, but there was a bitterness hidden within it. He had never questioned Aleera before, but there was a different aura about her that alerted him.
" Do you honestly think I don't know that?" Aleera whirled around and faced him, her nostrils flared as her blue eyes narrowed onto him.
Cicero reached his arms out and placed his hands on her bare shoulders, taking a moment to enjoy the feeling of her soft skin, "You have never given me cause to doubt your decisions, but this…" he paused, searching for words that wouldn't offend her further, "this isn't like you."
"You're worried, I know," she placed her hand on his cheek and smoothed her thumb over his short stubble, " But I have seen how this play will end. Trust me, this is the lesser of the evils"
Cicero covered her hand with his and led it towards his lips, where he placed a light kiss on her palm. He didn't know what the other outcomes of this mission could have been, but he desperately tried to push the dark thoughts from his mind, " I don't want you alone with him." he said bluntly, referring to Poldarkes.
"I won't be alone." Aleera smiled, " Alexios should have settled in Delos by now, he.."
Cicero's hand tightened around hers, "How is that possible?" he interrupted. His body tensed and his eyes grew dark, she was hiding something from him. "You delivered the letter to the courier only hours ago, even then it would take days for him to receive it."
Aleera's mouth curved into a devious smile, "I sent for Alexios weeks ago. The letter I gave to the courier was not meant for him, it was meant for Poldarkes." She could see the turmoil in his gaze and decided to proceed with her explanation, " The courier I met with was an Athenian Polemarch, I told him I was paid to intercept a letter containing crucial information about the rebellion and that it should be delivered to Poldarkes immediately." Aleera slipped her hand out from Cicero's and allowed him a moment to think, "it's all a diversion to hide my true intentions." she finished.
There were many emotions that ran through Cicero's mind but betrayal was not one of them. Admittedly, he couldn't blame Aleera for not divulging her full plans to him, as he wasn't entirely present to listen. His time had been consumed by Thaletas and his men, helping them rebuild what was left of their forces and offering assistance when needed.
Cicero scratched his chin in thought, " How do you know Poldarkes will go to the Temple of Apollo?" he asked.
Aleera turned her back to him, and focused her attention on the map that was drawn out on the table, "Poldarkes is a desperate man. From what I hear, Kassandra has ransacked his supplies and stolen the majority of his drachmae," her fingers traced the different markers on the parchment, indicating the different supply lines, "he would be a fool not to accept the invitation of a potential ally."
Cicero made an understanding "hmm" and approached Aleera slowly, "and when he goes to meet that ally, he will instead encounter Deimos. Then what?" He stood close to her, peering over her shoulder and studying the layout of the map.
The heat of Cicero's breath raised the hair on Aleera's neck, "Alexios," she emphasized, "will lead Poldarkes and his men here. We will act as his allies for the time being until we have what we came for. " She felt Cicero's hand cover hers, she looked over her shoulder at him and waited for him to continue his questions.
"Interesting. But what about Kassandra? You know very well how she will react when she hears of this alliance." Although he was a skilled fighter, Cicero had no desire to meet Kassandra on the battlefield. He knew the kind of rage she had within her and if provoked, she would be unstoppable.
"That's just the idea." Aleera breathed. She turned her body to face Cicero and leaned against the wooden table, " I'm counting on her anger to push her into further investigation of our betrayal. Kyra's rebellion is nothing without Kassandra, and while Kyra is arrogant, she isn't completely witless and wouldn't dare lead a charge without the Misthios by her side." She bit her lower lip and smiled as she watched Cicero's eyes light up.
"Prolonging the attack and giving you time to gain Poldarkes trust." Cicero rubbed his sharp jawline. Aleera had organized the perfect plan to obtain her stolen artifact. He should be ecstatic, overjoyed. But a strange bite of pain hit him in his core. The pain of guilt, and jealousy. He grew silent, his mouth dry and unable to form words. He should have been with her, planned the attack with her, known what she was thinking, performed as her Second in Command should have... as her soulmate should have.
Cicero shifted his gaze to the floor, "You've planned all of this in my absence?" he asked in a low voice.
Aleera narrowed her brows, unenthused with his defensive tone, "Yes," she answered quickly. She lifted his chin and forced him to look at her, "Does that bother you?"
Cicero bit his lip, holding back how he truly felt. It did bother him that he wasn't able to assist with such a large undertaking, but he couldn't blame Aleera for that. The time he spent with Thaletas was necessary in order to deepen the wound Kyra left behind, and while he enjoyed the moments alone with him, their affair was never emotional and it was best kept that way.
He softened his expression and caressed Aleera's cheek, "No," he lied, inching his lips closer to hers. He tasted her smile with his tongue, gently biting her lower lip. He longed for the passion they shared, and the ecstasy she could offer him upon his release. But he did not pursue it, and instead pulled away, leaving her filled with tension and desire. He smoothed his thumb over the curve of her mouth and began to speak once more, "You will be pleased to know that your suspicions were correct" He whispered.
Aleera opened her eyes slowly, still entranced by Cicero's lips. She searched for his hand and began unlacing the slick ties of his gauntlets, "oh?" she responded, not looking away from her task.
"Mhmm, the Spartan troops will no longer be supporting Kyra in her fight against Poldarkes." He breathed a sigh of relief as Aleera pulled the heavy armor off of him. He gave her his other hand without question and watched as her delicate fingers loosened each lace.
Aleera smiled, " You never cease to amaze me, Cicero." she said, removing the second gauntlet. Her hands crept over his breastplate, dancing around the intricate, silver detailing. Her heart began to race faster as she effortlessly unfastened his caplet, sending it plummeting to the floor. All she had left to do was free him from the heavy metal plating and she could finally have him for herself.
Cicero knew what Aleera hungered for, but he was determined to torment her for as long as he could. She might have been the commander of the ship and its crew, but no matter how hard Aleera tried, she could never match Cicero in terms of strength or raw power, an advantage he often exploited in the privacy of their cabin. The fact remained, that Aleera was at his mercy when it came to finding her release, and Cicero enjoyed making her wait for it almost as much as he enjoyed delivering it.
"You know, it wasn't an easy decision for Thaletas to make," he continued, sliding out from under the heavy breastplate. He caught Aleera's frustrated stare and couldn't help but laugh, "but after some...convincing... he saw Kyra for what she really was."
Aleera rolled her eyes, wishing that he would stop his teasing. However, instead of fighting him, she decided to indulge in his provocation "convincing?" she said seductively, turning her back to him. She made her way towards the bed of soft cushions, exaggerating the sway in her hips as she slowly removed her leather skirt, " and how exactly does one convince a Spartan general to abandon his mission?" She asked, looking over her shoulder.
Cicero took a moment to watch Aleera carefully unlace her armor, the rawhide slowly moving in and out of each eyelet. Her delicate movements sent a flood of heat through his body until he could watch no longer. A pleasurable groan vibrated in his chest as he approached, his hands rapidly tearing off his grey tunic, "the same way I do to you, my love," he groaned. He wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her against him with a hard tug. His firm hands slithered up her arms and over her shoulders and his fingers curled over the straps of her armor, " Only with less passion and significance." he whispered, before tearing the leather garment in two.
Aleera melted against the heat of Cicero's bare skin and engulfed her in a wave of desire. She closed her eyes and sank into her mind. Her hands wandered above her, wrapping themselves with his dark hair. She wanted everything from him, his touch, his scent, his body, everything. His hands were like velvet, carving out the shapes of her body like an artist. She tilted her head back as he trailed his fingers over the length of her chest, her skin prickled at his touch. She could smell the day on him, the heat of the sun, the salt from his sweat, but there was something else.
She opened her eyes, her mind wandering back to her plans, "we should tell him." She whispered, alluding to Thaletas.
Cicero sucked in a breath and exhaled with a long hum. He lowered his lips to her neck, brushing her skin with his heated breath, "yes..." he purred, moving closer to her ear, "but not tonight..."
Like What you read? Leave a review! Don't forget to Follow/Favorite!
*Disclaimer* I do not own any of the characters or themes from the Assassin's Creed franchise. Photo Credit: MediAsylum