A/N; Okay it was a little hard to get inspiration to do this chapter because all the exciting things are yet to come.
Disclaimer: Don't you have something better to do than try and intimidate and sure a teenager?
Abel woke up the next morning with a resounding headache. Groaning, he got up and dressed into his priests' habit. Pulling his hair into a ponytail, he attempted to open the door with his foot, for which he was punished with nearly cracking his already banging head on the wood floor.
He made his way down to the dining hall, where most of the nuns and priests were already seated. Father Leon and Stella hailed him from a long table.
"Good morning Father Nightroad." Stella said brightly. She had been extremely cheery since Abel had refused to condemn her the night before.
"Morning Father." Leon muttered.
"Hm?" Abel looked at him confusedly. "Is something wrong?"
Before he had a chance to answer, Stella said loudly, "He's just mad that he got beaten by a girl in a foot race! And in a dress no less!"
Abel raised an eyebrow and, chuckling to himself, sat down. "So, what's for breakfast?" He said, rubbing his hands together.
"Uh…. Probably everything for you." Stella smiled at him.
"How cruel." Abel said looking down in rejection. As his head moved down, he could have sworn he saw a fang in Stella's mouth, but when he looked up, she was already nibbling on a piece of toast.
Her eyes wandered to the clock, and, as if realizing what time it was, stood, brushing her hands and skirt off. "Well boys, I'll see you later. I've got to go see Cardinal Kate." Stella didn't seem happy to go, but she still smiled quickly and ran out of the room.
"Sit down." Cardinal Kate said in a more commanding tone than Stella had ever heard anyone use.
It was a simple command, one that Stella did readily, but she still bristled at the thought. I'm getting too used to these bonds. Even when I was a fugitive, I had more freedom than this. Mentally shaking herself, she smiled, but did not open her mouth. She knew that Abel had seen her fangs. Quickening heart beat and breathing, slightly dilated pupils, trying to be more at ease than he actually is, yep, he saw. He had all the symptoms of someone who saw what they did not wish to see. Funny, it wasn't as bad last night, I really underestimated this Terran.
"So, we are thinking of going to war." Cardinal Kate said in a less formal voice.
Stella snapped out of her musings immediately. "War is poison." She said bitterly.
Kate considered her before answering. "Perhaps so, but we must stop what those troops are doing." Kate's holographic eyes softened. "Do you not remember what they did to you?"
"You will not win." Stella said, ignoring the question. The bitterness had not entirely left her voice.
Kate looked up sharply. "What?"
Stella closed her eyes, imagining the city. "The city you will first want to attack, the capital where I am from, is an impenetrable fortress. No aerial attacks can happen because Methuselah shield balls cover the entire city. Only a being of… immense power can break through that and even then, the power will have to be concentrated on a single spot. Troops are as numerous in the city as ants are in an anthill. There are alarms every fifty feet and each citizen is fiercely loyal to the capital because the capital holds their hearts in their hands. There are no underground sewers, they run through back alleys. The tower at the center of the city is attached to the castle and from the top can send huge controlled attacks. The city was made to withstand any attack. And even if you do not attack the city, the rest of the country is basically houses and tiny towns built along roads in the wilderness. Your troops will fall to guerilla warfare." Stella opened her eyes again, to find a very troubled Cardinal.
"What do you suppose we do?" Kate asked quietly. She bowed her head, completely subdued.
"Send me in."
"What?" Kate's head shot up. "You are just a little girl."
Stella waved an imperial hand, silencing her. She put a finger up. "One: you have no clue to my actual age. Two: no doubt Father Nightroad has told you about my…" Stella swallowed, "abilities." Even though Stella refused to elaborate, especially when Kate had the what-do-you-mean look on her face, the Cardinal nodded. "This situation does not call for an all out war, it calls for a quiet assassination."
Cardinal Kate's eyebrows rose. "All right, you have my full attention. How does an assassination help the situation?"
Stella swallowed, mentally yelling at herself for doing this. "There is the Emperor, he came in one day and blackmailed and threatened his way to the top. He controls a powerful ring of people, who control the nobles, who control the lower rings and so on and so forth. No on likes him, but no one has the power to bring him down physically or otherwise. When he goes down, the rest of the city will go up so to speak. Things will return to the way they were when the first fugitives left the Empire and went to the new land."
"And why should we send you?" Cardinal Kate asked, suddenly coming up with at least a dozen people better suited to the job."
Stella rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Oh God, here we go again. One: I have powers that no one living has seen, besides Father Nightroad, Father Leon, and Father Tres. Two: I know the city better than anyone, spending most of my life getting to know how to hide, attack, and move through the shadows."
Cardinal Kate closed her eyes and thought for a moment. "Fine. You got the job."
"One more thing, though." Stella hesitated, but knew with war not far from the Cardinal's mind, hesitation was not an option. "I will need one other to come with me, in case I should fall or I need help. Know this, he or she needs to be of sound mind and body. Preferably the strongest you have to offer."
Cardinal let the words soak in for a moment before nodding. "Right then. You and Father Nightroad shall depart tomorrow."
"What!" Stella stood up, forgetting her manners completely. "Father Nightroad! No! There has to be someone else. Father Tres, perhaps? I mean, the man can barely tie his shoes without tripping over himself and he looks so weak that I think one good blow could cripple him!"
The girl's rant done, Kate spoke again. "Looks can be deceiving. Let me assure you, Father Nightroad has… abilities as well."
So that's your game. I won't tell you my abilities, so you won't tell me his. Fine then, I'll just have to protect both of us. "Fine."
"Will you please tell Father Nightroad of your new position?"
Stella nodded grudgingly and left the room.
The first place she chose to look for Abel was in the gardens; Father Leon had told her Abel spent a great deal of time there. She was rewarded when she saw his signature silver mane. Father Leon was with him, sitting under awning. Stella came upon the two and found them laughing.
Feeling bad about ruining the good mood, but knowing she would have to do it anyway, she cleared her throat. "Um…. Father Leon? Can I talk to Father Nightroad alone?"
Leon looked at her face and Stella knew he knew something was about to happen by the flicker in his eye. Yawning, he stretched and stood, crossing his arms behind his head, a habit Stella knew he took when he wanted to appear unattached.
"Yeah…. Whatever. I'm going to go bug people." He started walking away.
Stella waited until she was sure he had actually gone where he said he was going to go before turning back to Abel. To her surprise, he had gotten up and was now standing in front of her.
"Something's happened, hasn't it?" He asked almost sadly.
Stella nodded. "You and I are to depart to assassinate the Emperor of the country I am from." Stella looked down. "You know, father Nightroad, had you not seen my powers already I would do everything within my power to make sure you stayed behind. It's just not safe for you. So I would suggest you go beg Cardinal Kate to let me go alone." She raised her deep blue eyes to meet Abel's.
He was actually smiling! "When do we leave?"
A/N: Okay so exciting stuff coming up! Also, the end of the of the story, don't worry, though there is a sequel for those who are interested.