"Barnesh. I need my violin."
The king turned, incredulous, to look at the girl who had spoken to him so bluntly. "What? A violin, what for?" the elderly king barked outraged, completely ignoring the fact that they were in a life threatening situation.
Raven looked at him, amber eyes refracting an inner light. She then held her hands up in the manner of which one would play a shoulder instrument. "I have music magic." Ruby light filled poured out of her curled hands. The king looked at her, questioningly. "You house 'The Roses', most renowned viol musicians for their talent and magic, I happen to be one." There she said it, she then looked at the king who looked at her with anger, as his face grew red.
"You're the first violinist, aren't you?" he strode towards her dropping his sword, obviously upset, "You and your group lied to me and my officials. How-"
At that moment, both fortunately and unfortunately for Raven, the door broke open with the entrance of one of the black clad assassins. The stench of blood rolled into the room as the black clad figure straightened…only to be felled by Barnesh's jewelled dagger. The king stared at Raven, who had hurled said dagger deep in the assassin's throat.
"Pick it up!" Raven cried as she shoved the king's broadsword into his hand. She then pulled a small knife out of her boot to throw it at another approaching attacker; the knife buried itself in his arm.
Barnesh, who had come to his senses, swung his sword at one of the assassin's. His technique showed that he was a skilled swordsman in his youth, but now in his age was not as quick. This fault was his demise.
The assassin who was swung at ducked under the off-balance sword and brought one of his long knives up to impale the king. To Raven, time slowed.
The king choked and sputtered blood, the ornate broadsword slipping to the floor with a clatter. She looked into the hall. Bodies of the Royal Guard were everywhere. She fell to her knees surprised. The king fell, his limp body leaking blood onto the hardwood floor. The assassin who had done the deed pulled the wicked looking dagger out. The feeling of sticky metal in her hand. She looked and was horrified. The dagger, the king's bane was in her hand. His blood all over her dress. And that was how she was found.
~~
"Raven…imprisoned…Barnesh…dead…" the pained Thetar puffed, as Draguen treated a gash along his side.
"Stop twitching," the blue-haired man demanded, "Why was she imprisoned?"
"Death dagger was in her hand." Korosh stated bluntly. He had brought Thetar to Draguen, after finding the second violinist clutching his arm outside the Royal chambers. The blue-haired violist's demeanour changed drastically with Korosh's words.
"What do you mean 'in her hand'. They think she did it? For Mithros' Sake, she's barely more than a child and a petite one at that!"
"She's nearly fifteen, Draguen and quite capable. You know her past; she was once a thief and enforcer in the Underground Court." Thetar supplied quickly once his pain had been alleviated.
"They don't know that though! Maybe they only want her for questioning," the violist stated, silver-grey eyes wide.
"Hopefully, but until they come to a conclusion, they are going to keep her at provost's prison, regardless of what anyone says." Korosh put in, uncharacteristically subdued.
"Draguen, you need to calm down. Raven can take care of herself." Thetar added, hoping to calm the violist.
"Take care of herself, she sure did." The blue-haired man muttered turning his metallic eyes out to the night.
*~~~~~~~~~~~*
A year had passed since that rainy day when Raven had been taken in. She had been questioned, beaten and threatened for information. Information of which she did not have. It had been decided that Raven was not the king's killer, but the true assassin's accomplice. For that, Raven was given her year to help find the assassin, and she was grateful, even if she had only been sparred by the idea that one such as her could not slay one such as Barnesh. The assassin, however, was not found, and the people demanded justice. So Raven was to be executed.
So now she sat in her cell, waiting for the death that would come on the morrow.
'I hate my life,' she thought, looking up as the door to her corridor was opened. Examining the silhouettes by the door, she realized that she knew three of them, the fourth being somewhat unfamiliar. The figures entered the hall, stopping in front of her cell. It was the rest of her quartet, along with whom she guessed was her replacement. She looked at them unsure, never had all of them come to see her, usually one would come every week to inform of the happenings of Maren and the surrounding countries. But never more than one, who usually happened to be Korosh or Draguen, Thetar only came recently for he had been too ashamed earlier to see her after he had, in his perspective, abandoned her.
From these talks she learned of many things, of the many betrothals that had been flying about, of events that 'The Roses' had been invited to and most importantly the aftermath of Barnesh's death. Apparently, when the assassins had broken in, Thetar had helped the guards push them back but was pushed out when injured, however, he had left her violin at the Suite because he could not fight with it on his back. Thetar had also spoken with the investigators and they believed his testimony concerning himself, but would not listen to a word he said to assist Raven. Another thing that she found amusing in it's own light, was that the said violin had been locked up with various weapons as it was thought to be dangerous.
The one thing that burned in her mind was the knowledge that grain was being shipped to Tusaine by the cartload now. Was it not a delegation from Tusaine that was present at the time of Barnesh's death? Could they be the ones who had sent the assassin? These questions were put out of her mind when Korosh spoke.
"Raven," she looked at him. "I wish there was something I could do...."
"We all do," Thetar put in rather quietly, sounding like faraway thunder.
"Raven, no matter what happens tomorrow, know this: we will make sure that the ones responsible will be brought to justice before any of us pass from this world." That was the new violinist, Cairn; a twenty-something who believed chivalry was key in survival.
Raven felt like she would begin to cry, someone who she had met only once or twice before, pledged to give her justice; she felt unworthy of such loyalty. She had failed at stopping the assault on Barnesh, failed, and yet they did not despise her. Why? Everyone else did. Every else did not know you, The voice of Demetrus, her mentor, resounded in her head.
"And they don't know me now," she muttered, receiving looks of worry from the four young men on the other side of the bars, "I'm sorry I let you down."
"But you did not," that was Draguen, her guardian and friend of the late Demetrus. He took her hand, "Raven look at me!" she did "I swore to keep you safe, it is I who have failed, not you. Do not pass from this world angry with yourself; the Black God does not take kindly to souls of resentment and shame. Instead think of your successes and know that there will be time for you yet." He withdrew his hand, leaving a small metallic object in her fist. She opened her fist to reveal a key.
"How...?" she started.
"Thank, Korosh," the violist said as he stood pushing the blond cellist forward as he did so. Then Draguen backed off with Thetar and Cairn, giving the two of them some privacy.
"Korosh, how did you get the key?" Raven asked looking carefully at the cellist. His face, especially his nose, seemed a bit flushed. His breath had the scent of ale.
"Ah, yes, about that...well...uh, me-and-the-warden-had-one-too-many-but-unfortunately-I-nearly-did-myself-in, in the process of doing so." He explained rather quickly.
"You got him drunk." She stated bluntly, he nodded, "and then you took his keys."
"Only yours." The mildly hung-over Korosh responded. "I should go now, don't worry, the warden's at home and the guard outside is asleep, thanks to another concoction by Draguen." He turned to leave but stopped. "I'm going to miss you, Raven. You won't be able to stay in Maren after word gets out that you escaped."
He came close to bars and cupped her cheek. She looked at him confused, he seemed so...sad. He brought his head down low and gave her a soft, tentative kiss. "Don't forget me." And with that he was gone.
Raven brought a hand to her lips and grinned, her first kiss and in what a place and from what a guy.
After a few moments, she quietly managed to open her cell. Quickly she found her way past the drugged guards and into a storage room; one full of things for discharged prisoners. Finding a spare pack, she set about preparing herself some provisions for her inevitable journey. She then snatched some spare tunics that were roughly her size and coupled that with some breeches and skirts. She changed out of her prison garb and then wrapped a cloak that she found about herself. Slinging the pack onto her back, she then went down the hallway and peeked into another room. She had a bad feeling that she would need some sort of weapon before she would be able to find a place she could live in peace.
Slinking into the room, she looked about herself. She was in the warden's office. The walls were lined with locked cabinets. Approaching one, she put her hand over the lock and concentrated. Suddenly a long forgotten tune came to her. It was from her thieving days, a lock picking song that was sung by members of the Underground Court. Remembering the song, she hummed a quick phrase from the chorus and her palm glowed a faint ruby colour. Tugging on the lock, she realized that she had picked it with song.
"Now that was odd." She remarked quietly to herself.
Opening the cabinet, she looked in pleased. She had picked the right one. Various forms of daggers lined the cabinet's shelves, doors and sides. Selecting a few that were in relatively good condition she shoved a few in her pack and hung two on her belt (courtesy of the storage room). Closing and relocking that cabinet she moved to the next and repeated the actions that had opened the first. The one held projectiles and long range weapons. From here she picked up a collection of darts that were are curiously labelled with things like 'paralysis' and 'frost'.
Closing and locking that cabinet she stepped back. Thetar had told her that they had confiscated her violin, could it be here? Opening her mind, she concentrated on her violin. How she felt when she practised and when she performed. There. To her left. She placed her hand on the cabinet that the feeling emanated from. Putting her hand on the lock, she hummed the snippet of song.
Nothing happened.
"Open up, you bloody thing." She hissed at the lock. Thinking of another song from the Underground Court, she hummed a few bars from one about a demon-thief who and could get what ever they wished. To her delight, the locked popped open and she reached inside to find her instrument.
'That's better,' she thought, closing the cabinet and settling her violin case on her back. Exiting the room, she placed the key of her cell of the sleeping guard's table and walked into the night.
'Now what shall I do? I can't stay in Maren, obviously.' Going over her options in her head she decided. Tortall. It seemed the most logical choice. No blood feuds, crazy monarchs, or inter-clan wars. Also it was in riding distance, had decent weather and from what she heard, they had a Rogue much like the Underground Court.
That decided, she slipped into the stable attached to the small detention centre where she had been kept. Looking over the few horses that were there, she saddled a grey gelding who seemed able to withstand the journey. She also thought that no one would miss him, the poor beast had a notice pinned to his gate stating that he was to be 'taken home or exterminated'. Leading, the gelding back out into the night, she mounted silently thanking Thetar for teaching her how to ride. Gathering her bearings, she turned the horse west, to Tortall.
ΔΩΔ