Hey!!!

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed, and I promise to work on improving in the areas you pointed out! :D

As for the question I asked you…it's not Dale, I just wanted to see what you guys could come up with…sorry..

I hope your all enjoying it so far and I love your reviews so pretty please keep it up!

I don't own Tammy's work, what's new is mine.

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~My mouth dropped.~

Was I seeing things? Had I finally gone mad, or had the pigeons just gotten to me? I wasn't sure……..

I'm not sure what my face looked like but upon seeing my reaction, his smirk changed to a gentler smile, the last thing I remembered of him before……

Flashback

"Quiet Beks!" Domain hushed my coming retort.

I frowned at him, me being seven and he fifteen made him in charge, even if I was a noble's child, he was still older.

He grabbed my hand and led me towards the stables. It was dark and there was no moon, yet we did not trip, we were trained to be like shadows.

He pulled me along faster, it would only be a matter of time before someone noticed I was missing.

"Are you sure about this?" I hissed quietly. "What if…"

"Never mind the ifs, you are getting out of here if it kills me." Was his shark reply.

I winced, that was a very probable out come to what we were attempting.

I finally had a chance to escape my father and my 'destiny' as he called it, but if we were caught…

Father had set our plan off in truth, he had come to me at lunch with my latest training test.

I was to track a man he believed was suspicious of his more, elaborate business, meaning his having people killed to get him higher positions in our King's court, or simply to get something he wanted.

After the target had entered his lodgings I was to practice the latest technique shown to me, not the entering the home, but the snapping of the targets neck that would kill him without spilling a drop of blood.

I'd told Dom, who was also an assassin of father's, but under different circumstances than the others. And he had decided to move up my escape plans.

Leading to this.

We slipped into the stable and he darted for a saddle and bridle. I stood nervously in front of the stall of a large white stallion.

I loved horses, yet the stallions made me nervous, but this was the fastest horse we owned so I had to take him.

I sighed, Dom just liked to make me squirm.

He returned with the equipment slung over his arm, silently he let himself into the stall and muttered quiet greetings to the HUGE white horse.

When he'd finished tacking him up he led the steed from his stall and headed towards the door.

I followed slowly, avoiding the back end, I'd seen a man kicked and killed by a stallion.

Dom took the small pack of what I'd packed from me and shoved it into the saddlebag.

"Right, now all you have to do is led him around the back of the house and go out through the orchard gate okay?" I couldn't really make out his face but his voice was urgent.

I nodded. "Okay." He handed me the reigns and I pattered the soft nose.

"Rebakah!" The sudden bellow made me jump, Father himself had noticed my absence, and much sooner than we had hoped.

"Hurry!" Domain hissed, picking me up and practically threw me into the saddle. I felt my mount shift underneath me.

"But, I won't get out now!" I whispered.

"Don't you let all my work be for nothin' Rebakah of Layston!" He hissed. "Get out, you can do it!"

"But what about you?"

Another call roared in our ears.

I could see him shake his head. "Never mind me, you just go."

Tears stung my eyes, he was the closest thing I had to a true family, he was like my brother!

"But…"

He cut me off by throwing open the doors of the stable and giving my already jumpy horse a hard smack on the backside.

Men were filing out of the house with lanterns and my father stood in the door way to the kitchen, even in his night clothes he looked frightening to me.

I glanced back at Dom, a gentle caring smile graced his face before he turned and ran.

I kicked the stallion and he bolted forward, as we galloped out the front gate to the estate, tears slipped down my cheeks and father's angry yells filled my ears.

End Flashback

I hadn't seen or heard from Domain since that night.

There were so many men living in secret rooms in that house, I thought for sure that he would have been caught and…..I can't even write it.

"It's me Beks." He said, interrupting my memories. "I'm here."

I bolted forward leapt at him. I threw my arms around his neck and buried my head in his shoulder as tears started to blur my vision.

He stepped backwards with the force of me flying into him, but he recovered quickly and wrapped me in his arms. He spun me around once before setting my feet back on the floor.

He hugged me closer and I heard him sigh. I grinned, he'd missed me to.

He made me look up at him and brushed away my tears with his thumb.

That's when I noticed he looked older, which is normal since he is now twenty-five, but his eyes were the same. The shone bright green and always had a trace of humor in them.

He grinned at me, leaning forward to rest his forehead on mine.

"Now now Bek, this ain't nothin' to cry about is it?" I felt his chest rumble with his words, his voice had gotten slightly deeper to. "Are you not pleased to see me?"

I suddenly remembered his lack of communication, and realised I should be angry with him.

I pulled out of his hold and I saw realisation flash in his emeralds but before he could do anything about it, I caught him in the jaw in a right hook.

He stumbled backwards, before coming to rest against the wall where he sat down.

I hadn't hit him hard, it probably wouldn't even bruise, he just bungs it on.

Then remembering my friends I glanced back at them. They all looked stunned. Rosto's face was almost red, but he now looked…..pleased?

I turned back to Domain, who was touching his 'wound.'

"I see you haven't lost your punch." He grumbled. "But was it really necessary to hit me that hard?"

I grinned at him. "Yes. You deserved it." My grin turned to a scowl. "Ten years Dom! I though you were…."

A guilty expression passed over his features. He had well tanned skin, light brown hair that was cut short, green eyes and a scar shaped like a lightning bolt on the bottom of his right cheek. He was reasonably tall, well taller than me but shorter than Rosto at about five feet, nine inches. He was muscular, from all the training his lifestyle needs, and he looked dangerous.

"I'm sorry Beks, I shouldn't have stayed away for so long." His voice was soft, meaning he was truly sorry. "I thought it would be best that way, I didn't leave the game entirely and if I were to see you I'd of brought it with me."

I extended my hand to him, which he took with a grin. I could never stay mad with him for long.

"You still could've sent a note or sommat." I muttered poking him in the chest.

He smiled sheepishly.

Rosto cleared his voice and I turned my attention away from my adopted brother.

He was standing with his arms crossed over his chest and was glaring at us, everyone else was waiting for an explanation.

And judging from the look on Goodwin's face I should hurry up with it.

"Everyone this is Domain, Domain this is everyone." I mumbled, he'd know who they were.

My brother grinned. "So she hasn't gotten any better with her social skills I see."

I elbowed him.

He gave a bow to Rosto and my dogs. "Hello Majesty, Guardsmen Tunstall, Sergeant Goodwin. It's good to finally meet you all. Ersken, Kora, Phelan, Aniki and Pounce!" Dom bent down and scooped up my cat. "You rotten furball you."

Goodwin's scowl gave way to suspicion. "I don't believe we've met Master Domain, how do you know who we are?" Her voice was even but held a severe threat behind it.

"And how do you know Beka?" Rosto added, his voice similar to Goodwin's.

With Pounce tucked under one arm Dom calmly replied to both, as if they weren't thinking of the best ways to cause him the greatest pain.

"We grew up together Majesty, and just cause I haven't seen my little sister in ten years don't mean I haven't been keeping tabs on her."

"Sister?" Rosto echoed.

Dom and I nodded. "Not really but that's how we've always seen each other." I missed the wink he gave Rosto.

"Well then, I'd like to know what your doing here and what this 'game' is." Goodwin continued. She was going to squeeze him for all his worth.

"I figured it's about time I came and saw lil' Beka." He purposely avoided her other question.

Tell the buffoon to put me down! Pounce meowed at me. I have business to attend to!

"Dom, Pounce wants you to put him down." I smirked at my cat. "He's hungry."

"Ah." Dom promptly dropped him. Pounce hissed insults that only I could hear as he made his way back to the food.

I chuckled and Dom grinned at me.

Pecking on the window alerted me to the pigeons waiting there, I'd managed to avoid them since my Lord's visit to the kennel.

Sighing I took the crust from Kora's hand and went to the window. Opening it I crushed up the crust and sprinkled it on the sill.

"So you haven't managed to lose those the feathered rats either sis?" I wasn't looking but I could hear the smirk.

"Nope, now why are you here?" I asked still not looking. "You're not the social visit type."

He laughed. "You know me far too well, even after all this time. I come with a message and a request actually. But I really did want to see you."

I smiled and then frowned. "What's wrong?"

"First of all I'm sorry about Diona Beks, I truly am. We had people watching them several days a week but they caught her when we weren't there."

There was silence as this information sunk in and they awaited my reaction.

"It's not your fault, or it is just as much mine as it is yours." I said breathing slowly to calm my heart beat. "Congratulations on your promotion as well."

He laughed again. "Now how did you know that?"

I had to smile. "You walk like a Commander." I replied. That and I knew he would eventually.

Assassins have ranking just like the dogs or the army. Runarounds, are like trainees or just watchers with no real skill.

Experienced is the next level and you reach that only if your good enough, and they are just that, experienced.

Commanders are next and there are only a few to each organization, they are second in charge and handle most of the training and reports.

Then at the top is the founder. Which is my father in his group and apparently me in Giles'. We're the equivalent to the Lord Provost, except no one knows who we are.

He continued before anyone could ask questions. "We've got news that your father has gone to an uncharted island and taken all his men there, he plans to invade the mainland and assassinate the King."

There was a series of gasps and mutterings. I grabbed hold of the window sill to stop myself from collapsing.

"We plan to take our men to the island before he can leave and defeat his army. That's the plan anyway. And that brings me to our request, we want you to lead."

I almost choked. "W-what?"

"I know how much you don't want to be apart of that world Beks, and I wouldn't be askin' you if we didn't really think we needed you. You'd be on the good side this time, doin' it for the right reasons. Since you got out ol' Giles and I've put together a real good team and we thought it'd be right if you lead them."

Giles was an old friend of father's, well before he found out about father's activities, and on of the most powerful mages in all of Tortall. He had helped my Ma get away but wasn't able to break the spells on me.

Father had known it was Giles but even he wasn't game enough to anger a mage that powerful.

So Giles hadn't just left father's habits be, but put together an equal if not better army to stop him.

And now they wanted me to lead an army.

Oh great Goddess help me!

At least the pigeons were relatively quiet. Only three carried ghosts, two were little ones cryin' for their Mama's and complainin' that they were hungry. And the other was a young cove that had tripped and fallen down at the docks and drowned.

Nothing suspicious.

Go back? I thought, see father? I didn't know if I could…..

While I had been thinking Dom and Rosto had started arguing.

"QUIET!" Goodwin bellowed.

The pigeons all took off and I nearly jumped out the window in surprise.

Both men had done as she'd ordered so I turned around to view the scene.

In the heat of their argument Rosto and Dom had gotten closer to each other and were probably about to use their blades. That would explain Phelan and Ersken standing and slowly edging towards the pair and Goodwin's interruption.

Or she'd just had enough.

Having tuned out I didn't have a clue what the two had been going on about so I stayed quiet.

"Cooper's a big girl, she can decide on her own!" My training dog snapped.

Ah.

"Are you sure?" I asked Dom. "About the war, will he defiantly launch an attack?"

He nodded stepping away from Rosto with a glare, which was returned.

"You know Giles, what he doesn't get from his crystal balls, he gets from his birdies. And he's always spot on." His voice was calm even though he'd been yelling only moments before. "Old Soren packed up and left with all his guards from the house, leavin' only a few behind. And he's ordered all his men throughout the city to this island."

I winced and sure enough Goodwin pounced onto his slip like a cat onto a mouse.

I glanced at Pounce who was taking cheese from Kora's hand.

Most cats.

"So Cooper, the 'he' is Soren, your father and he lives in Corus. I'm bettin' there ain't too many coves with that name either." She smirked, pleased.

I groaned and thumped Dom, hard.

"I don't know how you ever made it to Commander!" I hissed.

Clutching his arm he smiled sheepishly. "Pot luck?"

I snorted.

Goodwin chuckled.

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Woah, I just realised how long this chapter is and here seemed as good a place as any to stop. :D

What did you think? Did it make any sense? Or was it to long?

That was the first time I've attempted a flashback, but I hope it gave you a bit better idea of her past, I'll try more with her father later on so you've got a better idea of who he is. Thanks Vine for the suggestion. :)

Let me know if it was to muddled or if something's not clear enough etc and I'll work on it.

I am keeping her father a bit of a mystery on propose though, I've gotten ideas to work the flashbacks into the story through out the next few chapters…I think….

Well, I defiantly think I've written enough……please let me know how I'm doing!

xXAngelStormXx