Sorry about not updating very often. I have seven assignments to finish at
the moment so it's a bit hard to keep up with my writing, but I try cuz I
love my fans.
Evil, Tormenting, Annoying, But Still Loved, Older Brother: you never had fans.
GalPhoe: yes I do. out there **points at readers**.
E,T,A,BSL,OB: next time you won't have an excuse **stomps off**.
GalPhoe: strange guy.
On wit da ficcy!
QUEEN OF KNIVES.
Chapter 5: Warning.
Galux Phoenix.
Neal plonked down opposite to Kel, who was in her room after getting a book from one of the libraries. "Why do they make us go to those stupid meetings that have absolutely no relevance to us?"
"It was relevant to me." Kel replied barely glancing up from her book.
"That's because you're the one who has to run things at New Hope. I just do the healing."
Kel's smile was humourless. "You're not the one who has an entire town wanting to complain about every decision you make. Or listen to every man who thinks he can do your job better than you can."
"Yes, but that's just who you are, Kel, someone who listens to every cursed thing people have to say to you. Like that Tirrsmont man, who thought that he should be in charge instead of you. Kel, you listened to his complaints every time he made them. And all of the people who thought that you shouldn't be a knight." Neal pointed out.
Kel opened and closed her mouth to reply, but then stopped. Neal was right. As if he knew what she was thinking he leaned back with a triumphant smile.
"Ha."
The call of a messenger bird rang though the air, disturbing the comfortable silence that passed between the two best friends. Neal jumped up and opened the largest part Kel's window so he could she the outside world properly. A medium sized, freckled brown messenger bird darted in and landed on Neal's shoulder.
"Oh, crap," Neal whispered as he looked the bird over. "This is one of Golden's messengers."
"And that is bad because . . . ?" Kel prodded.
"She only sends a bird out in major emergencies." Neal's eyes were grave and his voice a soft murmur.
"Oh." Some of the colour drained from Kel's face.
He gave a sigh. "Yes, 'Oh'."
Taking off the strip of parchment Neal felt all of his nerves tingling in fear and worry. *What if it's news about any assassination attempts?* Neal wondered to himself. He unrolled it with slightly trembling fingers.
He read it out loud, but only so he a Kel could hear: "I want you and Kel to met me at the stables tomorrow at dawn. You don't understand how important it is for me to talk to you. I warn you to watch your backs at all times. You never know who's out and about. Burn this when you've finished.
-- Golden."
"That was blunt," Kel commented, dry voiced.
"I know." *That was blunter than it normally would be. I wonder why,* the superstitious part of him wondered.
~*~*~*
He sat in a corner. A dark, inconspicuous corner. Carefully he lifted the tankard of ale to his lips and took a sip, his light, golden brown eyes never leaving her. He had been hired. Not to kill her, no, just all the people she cared about: her lover, former teacher, friends, anyone she considered close.
Sending one of his best men to kill her teacher had been stupid. His man was dead and that idiot of her old teacher was still alive and well. Not good from where he was sitting.
"No one to sit with you, David? That's fair sad," a voice said sarcastically. David's employer sat down next to him.
"How goes the hunting?" David asked.
His employer shook his head. Dark brown curls jumping at the momentum. "I wouldn't know. I'm not the one who's supposed to be doing the hunting."
"They're tricky," David blurted.
"Huh?" the brown hair man blinked.
"The people around her are tricky. They seem to know if someone is trying to kill them or not. It's almost like they for- warned," he stopped himself mid- sentence. "That's it! She's so close to the Rogue. Of course they would have spies and informants everywhere. I just have to find out who, destroy them, then she won't be able to get as much information as fast!"
The other man thought about it for a minute. He nodded, a mixture of emotions ran through him: hope that David would pull it off, glee that Alex would be out of the way, and annoyance that David hadn't thought of it earlier. "Go for it."
He stood and left the Dancing Dove, smiling on the inside. She soon would pay for everything she put him through.
~*~*~*
Golden was aware he was in the room. No matter how many disguises or illusion spells he used she always knew if he was there.
When she was just a young girl, he only a year older, he had saved her life. Golden recalled the situation many times and wondered if it just as fate had planned it or if it was a coincidence.
*As a young, twelve year old girl Alex had always liked to go to the city's markets. They were always busy; packed full of people. While she was haggling with a shopkeeper, someone had thrown a knife, though at the time she thought it was meant for someone in front of her. The person in front bent down and picked up a dropped coin as the knife passed through the space where he was standing. When it was only a few inches away from her face someone reached out and snatched it from the air. Alex just stood there and blinked, she knew someone had just saved her life.
Looking around she saw the boy who had snatched the knife. He was slinking his was through the crowds towards an inn. Making a quick deal with the shopkeeper she followed the boy.
Her movements didn't falter as she pushed open the door to one of the roughest inns of that region. Looking around she saw the boy working his way towards the stairs, she followed him and as he reached the bottom of the stairs she grabbed one of his sleaves.
His hair was a mess of dark brown curls, his skin a light tan. Her regarded her with light blue eyes.
"Give me a look at that knife." It wasn't a question.
"What knife?" he blinked innocently at her.
Alex sighed and rubbed her temples. This boy was infuriating. "The one that was meant to kill me. the one you just put in your pocket."
"Why do you want it?" he asked, blue eyes narrowed.
"To find out who sent it. If I know who sent it my way, then I can eliminate the problem."
He blinked in slight confusion. She knew a lot about knives, that was plain. He knew she was also noble, but a noble lady who walked straight into a really rough inn and asked to look at a knife that was meant to kill her. That was something you didn't see every day.
Alex seemed to be getting impatient. She called out to the bartender, "Jack, can I have some lemonade?"
"Aye, be there in a minute, Alex," he called back.
She was on first name terms with the inn's owner?! That was even stranger.
When the barkeep came over her held a tankard of lemonade and a pitcher. "Can we use one of the private rooms?" she asked.
"Aye, lass. Follow me." he started to led her to a door near the stairs, Alex waited a few moments before letting out an exasperated noise. She placed one hand on the boy's shoulder before steering him in the direction that Jack went.
She looked around the small room Jack led them to. There was a table and a few chairs. "Sit," she ordered the boy.
"Who are you?" he blurted out.
"Alexandria of Kenton. Now, who are you?" she told him with a sigh.
"Daniel Nielsen. Why would a noble come 'ere?"
"Because I fit in better here than at home. Can I have a look at that knife? The one that was meant to kill me?" she asked the slightly older boy in all seriousness. Alex could feel her nerves humming with frustration, slight fear and anger.
Daniel blinked a few time before drawing the knife out of his pocket, Alex took it. She looked it over with a careful eye. Her gold eyes were cold and hard as she noticed the drop of poison at the very tip. Alex gave the knife a professional flip and it landed point first in the tabletop.
"I am going to kill him," she muttered, her voice as cold as her eyes.
"Kill who, miss?" Daniel asked. She had forgotten he was even in the room.
"An assassin, by the name of Louis. That's one of his trademark knives."
Alex stopped halfway out the door. An idea springing into her mind. Turning around she drew out one of her knives, Daniel backed off a bit, his face still level, but his movements slightly nervous.
"I'm not going to kill you," she snapped. "You ever hear of a blood bond?"
Daniel nodded; you didn't spend most of your life working with knives and thieves to not know. Alex drew the knife along the palm of one hand leaving a thin train of red blood. She beckoned him to do the same. He gave her his hand. She did the same on his before she gripped the two bleeding hands together.
"Thanks, for saving my life," she said with a grin. Then is all seriousness added, "A pact. Unbreakable."
And with that she was out the door.
Daniel blinked a few more times. Had a girl. A noble girl just got him to make a pact? An unbreakable pact? It was almost as if she had taken over his mind for a few minutes and wiped very rational thought from his head? For someone so young she sure knew how to work someone's mind. He certainly knew he now had someone worth competing against for the Majesty of Knives title. He would let her live for a while longer, but if he saw that she could hold any possible threat to him she would never draw a knife again.*
Golden blinked a few times, bringing herself back to reality. She looked down at the thin scar that ran along the palm of one hand.
"Unbreakable."
~*~*~*
Did you like it? **author hides behind chair as rotten fruit is thrown.**
Okay so maybe you didn't like it.
Please leave a review! And could you guys give me a few ideas for latter chappies?
Lots a luv,
GalPhoe.
Please Review! V.
Evil, Tormenting, Annoying, But Still Loved, Older Brother: you never had fans.
GalPhoe: yes I do. out there **points at readers**.
E,T,A,BSL,OB: next time you won't have an excuse **stomps off**.
GalPhoe: strange guy.
On wit da ficcy!
QUEEN OF KNIVES.
Chapter 5: Warning.
Galux Phoenix.
Neal plonked down opposite to Kel, who was in her room after getting a book from one of the libraries. "Why do they make us go to those stupid meetings that have absolutely no relevance to us?"
"It was relevant to me." Kel replied barely glancing up from her book.
"That's because you're the one who has to run things at New Hope. I just do the healing."
Kel's smile was humourless. "You're not the one who has an entire town wanting to complain about every decision you make. Or listen to every man who thinks he can do your job better than you can."
"Yes, but that's just who you are, Kel, someone who listens to every cursed thing people have to say to you. Like that Tirrsmont man, who thought that he should be in charge instead of you. Kel, you listened to his complaints every time he made them. And all of the people who thought that you shouldn't be a knight." Neal pointed out.
Kel opened and closed her mouth to reply, but then stopped. Neal was right. As if he knew what she was thinking he leaned back with a triumphant smile.
"Ha."
The call of a messenger bird rang though the air, disturbing the comfortable silence that passed between the two best friends. Neal jumped up and opened the largest part Kel's window so he could she the outside world properly. A medium sized, freckled brown messenger bird darted in and landed on Neal's shoulder.
"Oh, crap," Neal whispered as he looked the bird over. "This is one of Golden's messengers."
"And that is bad because . . . ?" Kel prodded.
"She only sends a bird out in major emergencies." Neal's eyes were grave and his voice a soft murmur.
"Oh." Some of the colour drained from Kel's face.
He gave a sigh. "Yes, 'Oh'."
Taking off the strip of parchment Neal felt all of his nerves tingling in fear and worry. *What if it's news about any assassination attempts?* Neal wondered to himself. He unrolled it with slightly trembling fingers.
He read it out loud, but only so he a Kel could hear: "I want you and Kel to met me at the stables tomorrow at dawn. You don't understand how important it is for me to talk to you. I warn you to watch your backs at all times. You never know who's out and about. Burn this when you've finished.
-- Golden."
"That was blunt," Kel commented, dry voiced.
"I know." *That was blunter than it normally would be. I wonder why,* the superstitious part of him wondered.
~*~*~*
He sat in a corner. A dark, inconspicuous corner. Carefully he lifted the tankard of ale to his lips and took a sip, his light, golden brown eyes never leaving her. He had been hired. Not to kill her, no, just all the people she cared about: her lover, former teacher, friends, anyone she considered close.
Sending one of his best men to kill her teacher had been stupid. His man was dead and that idiot of her old teacher was still alive and well. Not good from where he was sitting.
"No one to sit with you, David? That's fair sad," a voice said sarcastically. David's employer sat down next to him.
"How goes the hunting?" David asked.
His employer shook his head. Dark brown curls jumping at the momentum. "I wouldn't know. I'm not the one who's supposed to be doing the hunting."
"They're tricky," David blurted.
"Huh?" the brown hair man blinked.
"The people around her are tricky. They seem to know if someone is trying to kill them or not. It's almost like they for- warned," he stopped himself mid- sentence. "That's it! She's so close to the Rogue. Of course they would have spies and informants everywhere. I just have to find out who, destroy them, then she won't be able to get as much information as fast!"
The other man thought about it for a minute. He nodded, a mixture of emotions ran through him: hope that David would pull it off, glee that Alex would be out of the way, and annoyance that David hadn't thought of it earlier. "Go for it."
He stood and left the Dancing Dove, smiling on the inside. She soon would pay for everything she put him through.
~*~*~*
Golden was aware he was in the room. No matter how many disguises or illusion spells he used she always knew if he was there.
When she was just a young girl, he only a year older, he had saved her life. Golden recalled the situation many times and wondered if it just as fate had planned it or if it was a coincidence.
*As a young, twelve year old girl Alex had always liked to go to the city's markets. They were always busy; packed full of people. While she was haggling with a shopkeeper, someone had thrown a knife, though at the time she thought it was meant for someone in front of her. The person in front bent down and picked up a dropped coin as the knife passed through the space where he was standing. When it was only a few inches away from her face someone reached out and snatched it from the air. Alex just stood there and blinked, she knew someone had just saved her life.
Looking around she saw the boy who had snatched the knife. He was slinking his was through the crowds towards an inn. Making a quick deal with the shopkeeper she followed the boy.
Her movements didn't falter as she pushed open the door to one of the roughest inns of that region. Looking around she saw the boy working his way towards the stairs, she followed him and as he reached the bottom of the stairs she grabbed one of his sleaves.
His hair was a mess of dark brown curls, his skin a light tan. Her regarded her with light blue eyes.
"Give me a look at that knife." It wasn't a question.
"What knife?" he blinked innocently at her.
Alex sighed and rubbed her temples. This boy was infuriating. "The one that was meant to kill me. the one you just put in your pocket."
"Why do you want it?" he asked, blue eyes narrowed.
"To find out who sent it. If I know who sent it my way, then I can eliminate the problem."
He blinked in slight confusion. She knew a lot about knives, that was plain. He knew she was also noble, but a noble lady who walked straight into a really rough inn and asked to look at a knife that was meant to kill her. That was something you didn't see every day.
Alex seemed to be getting impatient. She called out to the bartender, "Jack, can I have some lemonade?"
"Aye, be there in a minute, Alex," he called back.
She was on first name terms with the inn's owner?! That was even stranger.
When the barkeep came over her held a tankard of lemonade and a pitcher. "Can we use one of the private rooms?" she asked.
"Aye, lass. Follow me." he started to led her to a door near the stairs, Alex waited a few moments before letting out an exasperated noise. She placed one hand on the boy's shoulder before steering him in the direction that Jack went.
She looked around the small room Jack led them to. There was a table and a few chairs. "Sit," she ordered the boy.
"Who are you?" he blurted out.
"Alexandria of Kenton. Now, who are you?" she told him with a sigh.
"Daniel Nielsen. Why would a noble come 'ere?"
"Because I fit in better here than at home. Can I have a look at that knife? The one that was meant to kill me?" she asked the slightly older boy in all seriousness. Alex could feel her nerves humming with frustration, slight fear and anger.
Daniel blinked a few time before drawing the knife out of his pocket, Alex took it. She looked it over with a careful eye. Her gold eyes were cold and hard as she noticed the drop of poison at the very tip. Alex gave the knife a professional flip and it landed point first in the tabletop.
"I am going to kill him," she muttered, her voice as cold as her eyes.
"Kill who, miss?" Daniel asked. She had forgotten he was even in the room.
"An assassin, by the name of Louis. That's one of his trademark knives."
Alex stopped halfway out the door. An idea springing into her mind. Turning around she drew out one of her knives, Daniel backed off a bit, his face still level, but his movements slightly nervous.
"I'm not going to kill you," she snapped. "You ever hear of a blood bond?"
Daniel nodded; you didn't spend most of your life working with knives and thieves to not know. Alex drew the knife along the palm of one hand leaving a thin train of red blood. She beckoned him to do the same. He gave her his hand. She did the same on his before she gripped the two bleeding hands together.
"Thanks, for saving my life," she said with a grin. Then is all seriousness added, "A pact. Unbreakable."
And with that she was out the door.
Daniel blinked a few more times. Had a girl. A noble girl just got him to make a pact? An unbreakable pact? It was almost as if she had taken over his mind for a few minutes and wiped very rational thought from his head? For someone so young she sure knew how to work someone's mind. He certainly knew he now had someone worth competing against for the Majesty of Knives title. He would let her live for a while longer, but if he saw that she could hold any possible threat to him she would never draw a knife again.*
Golden blinked a few times, bringing herself back to reality. She looked down at the thin scar that ran along the palm of one hand.
"Unbreakable."
~*~*~*
Did you like it? **author hides behind chair as rotten fruit is thrown.**
Okay so maybe you didn't like it.
Please leave a review! And could you guys give me a few ideas for latter chappies?
Lots a luv,
GalPhoe.
Please Review! V.