Hey! Chapter five is finally finished! I ended up just doing a little bit at time for this chapter.

Thanks for the reviews, it's very much appreciated please keep doing it! :D

As always I don't own anything you recogonise. New characters and plots are mine though.

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Go back? The question bounced around in my head as if some looby had hit it, hard.

"Well?" Dom asked it softly. "I need to know soon, the boat is organized to leave in the morning."

I nodded, or at least I think I did. Those few moments are a bit hazy.

"Leave?" I heard someone echo, all I know is it was a male voice.

I stayed still and didn't say anything until Pounce rubbed himself against my legs.

"It won't be the same as when you were younger Beka." He spoke. "You would be on a different side, fighting against him."

"But it's still…similar." Was the word I finally came up with. I'd be killing, whether my targets deserved it or not.

That would mean using the 'gift' and I really didn't want to.

My cat said mrt as a reply. Very helpful.

"I don't know if I can do it." I told Dom, trying to ignore the six other curious faces.

"I know it's a huge ask Bek, and I of all people have no right to ask it of you." He muttered guiltily. "But we need you."

"Why me?" I sighed all though I knew why. "You're a fantastic fighter, and a leader. Between you and Giles surely you won't need me. You've survived all these years without me."

He shook his head and smiled lightly. "You know why we need you, you're a better fighter than I or any of the men, better then anyone in this room will ever be." He paused here and smirked. "And old Giles might be the best mage but the practical work, well your furball could do better."

Pounce hissed at him and I admit it brought a smile to my face.

Rosto spluttered. "Best fighter?" He's a vain cove that one.

Goodwin and Tunstall and everyone else gaped at Dom like he'd grown another head.

He took all the expressions and frowned. "Oh, you would have kept it a secret. Ah. I've put my foot in my mouth again haven't I?"

I nodded and glared. "Aren't my abilities a dead give away brother?"

He grinned. "That would be a yes, sorry. Well what about it sister, will you help?"

I took a very deep breath. "Yes, I'll do it." I then released that deep breath.

Dom smiled and pulled me into a hug, kissing my forehead. "Tortall will thank you."

"Cooper!" Rosto and Goodwin both growled. "What in Mithros name is going on?"

"You might as well tell them." Pounce yowled, stretching. "They'll only go stuffing their noses where they don't belong other wise."

This was one of the times that he chose to let the others understand him because they nodded in agreement.

Sighing again and with a helpless glance at Dom I tried to find the words to explain to my friends that I was a born killer.

"Have you heard of the Hangman?" I began.

"Of course." Tunstall replied. "Everyone has heard of him."

I looked to Rosto, Aniki and Kora. With not being from Corus they might not have. But they nodded as well.

"He's operates an assassin army or something like that doesn't he?" Ersken stated. "Similar to what Crookshank was, only worse."

Phelan nodded. "Expect no one knows who he really is, only the street name and rumors. He's got his fingers in a hundred different pies apparently, thevin, slaves, black mail, assassinations, black market……Who knows what else."

Dom coughed, I knew what he was feeling, there were other things to add to that list.

But I certainly wasn't going to say them.

Instead I nodded. "That's him."

"What's the Hangman got to do with it?" Aniki grumbled. "No one knows who he is, all those who find out meet his assassins."

"Not all, though he tries." I added softly. "I know who he is, I know him."

"What!" Goodwin bellowed. "You know who one of the most dangerous men in all of Tortall is and you didn't say anything!"

She got like this when she thought she'd missed a rat.

I smiled grimly at her through my bangs. "You haven't missed him yet. Do you know who the Daughter of Fire is?"

The Daughter of Fire was me, through me 'training' and 'jobs' when I was with him, father had created an alias for me as well. Then sent his runners out to tell certain people and so the rumors spread. Apart from my skills their was only one way for people to realise who I was and that was a birth mark just behind my left ear.

It was shaped similar to an eye, not exactly but I feel that's the best way I can describe it. It's not very large, about the size of two of your thumbnails joined together. Roughly.

This one some of my friends had to think about. But not Goodwin and Tunstall.

"She's the daughter of the Hangman. They say a mage cast a spell on her when she was a babe, she knew how to kill a cove afore she could talk." Tunstall explained. "Why all these questions Cooper?"

I fiddled with the hem of my tunic. "I'm tryin to explain this to you all with out actually sayin it."

"Well forget that tactic puppy, spit it out." Goodwin growled. I cringed.

"I'm, I'm…….I'm..the…" I couldn't do it. I looked to Dom for help.

"She's the Daughter of Fire." He finished and I winced as he said it. "Her father, Lord Soren, he's the Hangman." He rubbed my shoulder in comfort.

I slowly turned my head to the right and pushed up my hair to show them the mark.

Silence followed and when I risked looking at them I winced again.

Goodwin looked mad, but I'd expected as much. Tunstall looked thoughtful and confused and I believe a tiny bit hurt. Kora and Aniki were staring at me shock and sadness written on their faces. Phelan and Ersken looked at though they might faint at any second and Rosto. Well Rosto looked shocked and hurt, but more then the others.

I gulped and mumbled a sorry.

"Sorry!" Rosto exploded. "Sorry? You lied to us! You lied to all of us, even your dogs!"

"I didn't have a choice!" I shot back. "You don't know what it's like!"

"Don't I?" He sneered at me.

"No you don't, none of you do! I didn't want to be what he made me, I had no choice. That spell was cast before I was even born! I killed people, innocent people! Who had never done anything wrong in their lives, and I killed them. For training. I didn't ask for these 'gifts', I don't want them, but I can't get rid of them." I folded my arms across my chest and glared at the floor. More angry with father than Rosto.

"I got out when I was seven, Dom helped me escape, and I haven't been anywhere near that world since Diona was killed."

Tunstall raised an eyebrow at me. "What have you done?"

"Nothing! Well, I didn't go lookin for him, I promised remember?" I defended myself, I didn't try very hard though.

"Did they find you?" Dom asked me, troubled.

I sighed. "Yes, last night. One of his men attacked me."

"That's the fight you got into?" Kora asked and I nodded.

"And where would this cove be now Cooper?" Goodwin asked.

I looked at the floor. "This gift, it um comes with instincts that I sometimes can't ignore." I said it very quietly, in hopes that no one would hear.

"At the bottom of the Olorun I'd say." Dom helped.

I could have killed him.

"Soren puts a spell on all of his men. Once you kill 'em and drop 'em in the water they sink to the bottom. So no one finds the bodies and can't link anything to him."

I felt every gaze on me and I squirmed under it.

"If you're goin' to tell them one thing Beks, you might as well tell them all of it." He said, very quickly, when I glared at him.

I growled at him and he backed away from me. "Now sis, there's no need to look at me like that."

My eyes softened as I turned back to the others. "It was self defense." I told them, well more told Goodwin and Tunstall. "And I reacted, I couldn't help it. But I promise that's the only one since I left, I swear on Mithros name it is."

Tunstall finally nodded. "We believe you Cooper. And even though you should have told us, we understand why you didn't. Right Clary?"

She grumbled and nodded.

I smiled. "I'll make it up to you, I'll bring you the Hangman. Alive." I added as a second thought. "And he can stand trial the proper way."

This made a-mends with Goodwin as she smiled.

"Requesting time off Sarge. Or what ever you think is necessary" I asked, boldly until the last part. I didn't want to leave the dogs, my love for them was real, but I was no better then the rats we chase.

Goodwin raised her eyebrows at me and I looked at the floor. I heard her sigh quietly afore she answered me. "How much time?"

My head shot up and I grinned. I could have kissed her.

"Uh.." I looked to Dom.

"That I don't know." He rubbed his chin. "It takes a day and a half to get to this island, and then it'll depend on exactly how many men he has there and how good they are. We could be fightin' for a month, more, you never know."

"A month?" Ersken gaped.

"We'll have a boat coming backwards and forwards with the worst wounded and to get supplies." Dom muttered, thinking. "We'll be able to send a runner to you and give you and update on the progress we're havin'."

"We'll be taking mages and healers though right?" I questioned.

He nodded. "But the worst injured we'll just get them to do a patch up job and then send them back to Giles."

I nodded, that made sense. They wouldn't have the time or strength to completely heal everyone.

I turned back to Goodwin. "A month to start with, it may not take that long but then again."

She nodded. "Alright Cooper you've got your time off, but I expect a fat rat when you return."

I grinned and hugged her. Much to her and everyone else's shock."I'll try Clary, if he doesn't kill me first." I whispered.

Releasing her I headed for the door. "Give me five minutes." I told Dom as I opened the door.

I jogged out of the Dove and across the street to my lodgings then up to my room.

I pushed my bed across the room and then studied the floor boards for a moment afore striking one with my heal. The board lifted up and underneath laid my collection of blades wrapped in cloth.

The ones I had on me when I'd escaped that night. I'd never been able to get rid of them, and now I was glad I hadn't.

Lifting them out I unwrapped them. I quickly undressed and pulled on a tighter pair of breeches and selected a lighter and tighter tunic then the one I had on.

I strapped a dagger to each of my thighs, and to my caves on the inside of the breeches. I fastened the strap on my kidney knives and a knife at the back of my neck.

I slid two daggers inside each of my boots and pulled them on. I undid my braid and twisted it up into a bun and slid two small daggers that looked like hair pins into it.

Finally I grabbed the sword belt off my bed and headed towards the door. Tying it on as I went, two long swords, one on either side, accompanied by two daggers.

Then back out of the boarding house and back to the Dove. This time I walked, and took in my surroundings. It might be the last time I saw it. This was also when I noticed the watchers.

Upon opening the door I realised that everyone had come down to the main room. They looked me over and still seemed surprised.

I glanced quickly at the floor before muttering. "Are we walking or did you bring horses?"

"Horses." Dom answered. "Their waiting around the side."

"Are the watchers outside ours or theirs?" I looked up.

Dom grinned widely at me. "Ours, well unless there's more then three."

I shook my head, three was how many I'd noticed, well hidden in the shadows.

"Shall we go then?"

He nodded at me and started towards the door.

"Wait!" Kora cried.

Just as I turned to look at her she grabbed me in a hug, followed by Aniki. I hugged them back

We released each other and I smiled slightly.

"Promise you'll be safe?" Kora asked. "Well as safe as is possible?"

"And kick some enemy backside?" Aniki grinned.

I chuckled and said I would.

I hugged the others as well and made a dogs promise to Tunstall, (to do my best to return alive) while Goodwin threatened Dom.

My second in command was as white as a sheet by the time we walked out of the Dove.

They followed us out to the horses and watched me as I mounted the bay mare.

Pounce leapt up onto the front of the saddle after me.

I refuse to stay with the dog. He informed me. Besides that idiot will need all the help he can get. My cat added glaring at Dom.

I laughed. "Why don't you like him? You've never met him."

How else do you think he knows so much about your life since you parted? Ponce scoffed.

I gaped at him. "You traitorous hairball! What did you tell him?"

He only let out a series of mrts that was his laugh.

Dom chuckled and handed me a brown cloak that I wrapped around my shoulders and fastened the sting at my neck.

I waved as we rode out to the road and pulled the hood over my head, hiding my face.

As we turned the horses towards the docks Dom made a small gesture with his hand and the three watchers appeared on horse back at our side. Two took positions beside me and one behind while Dom took the lead.

Pounce rubbed his head against my hand and I scratched him behind his ears as I took one last glance at my friends.

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Okay wow, the chapters seem to be getting longer and longer! Hope you don't mind…

Did that fill in most/some of the gaps in Beka's past? Is the story any clearer?

Hope you all enjoyed it, please please please review and tell me!!!!! Press the button! Please!! :D

xXAngelStormXx