Okay, chapter 6 is finally up. Sorry about the wait I've had a bit of school to catch up on.
Anyway hope you like this one, there will be more action as I get further into the story, we just got a new computer so I'm setting it up as well.
Thank you very very much to those who reviewed and I hope you keep it up as I really enjoy reading what you think.
I don't own anything you know, all new characters, settings, plot etc are mine though.
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The ride through the city didn't seem as long as it should have and before I knew it, we stopped out the front of a very nice four story house in the Palace District. I knew the house but I couldn't quite remember who lived there or when I'd been here last.
Dom and our guards dismounted so I carefully did the same. It had also been one of the quietest rides I've ever been on. The guards didn't say anything at all though they kept glancing in my direction and Dom only muttered occasionally.
"You right Beks?" He asked me, taking the reins out of my hand and giving them to a stable boy who'd come around from the back.
I nodded wordlessly, taking in the house and its gardens. There was a lush lawn all through the front yard and a stone path up to the front door, which had mage signs on it. There were flowers around the edges and some type of bush lined the fence.
The house its self was made of brick with a timber roof, it was defiantly owned by someone with a good deal of money, it was in perfect condition. And I guessed that around the back there would be stables and more gardens.
"I've been here before." I said and all four men turned to look at me.
Two of the guards were in their mid twenties, no older then twenty-six. One had short cropped black hair and brown eyes, he was about five foot eight and had a long scare down his right arm starting at his elbow and ending on the inside of his palm.
The other had sandy blonde hair and was nearing five foot six and seven inches. He had blue eyes and three short scars across his left cheekbone.
The third guard was older, about thirty-four I'd guess. He had an army style hair cut and had light brown hair and matching brown eyes. He had many smaller scares on his face and arms. His nose had also been broken quite a few times.
"She's got a good memory." The oldest guard grinned at me. "It's been a long time since you were here Mistress."
I didn't like the title. "When was that exactly? Who owns this?"
The cove laughed. "You was just a yee lil' lass then, you came here once or twice with your Mama to visit Master Giles and Lady Mary-Ann."
I must have looked shocked because they all chuckled.
"Giles and Mary are you Godparents Bek." Dom explained though he grinned. "Your Ma and Mary grew up together, last time you were here you would have been two, if that."
"Godparents?" I echoed.
They nodded and Pounce leapt up onto my shoulder and purred. They tried to help you when you were young and your father banned you and your Mama from ever seeing them again.
Now that made sense to me and I nodded.
"Shall we go in then?" Dom asked.
All five of us walked up to the door and Dom let us inside.
It opened up to a small hall then a sitting room. It was lightly furnished and looked as though someone was redecorating.
A stocky middle aged maid burst through a door I guessed to lead to a larger sitting room or perhaps a library, armed with a duster. She must have heard the door and thought it was an intruder. She had thick red hair and green eyes and was about four foot nine inches.
When she saw us though she lowered her 'weapon' and settled her hands on her hips.
"Domain, Kurt, one of these days you're going to wear my duster." She narrowed her eyes at Dom. "Commander or no."
They chuckled nervously.
Pounce scoffed. Spineless idiots. Scared of a feather duster.
I hushed him but stroking him. My movement alerted the maid to my presents and her expression changed from mad to surprise.
"And who is this?" She asked, though there was no bitterness in her voice, it was sweet now she wasn't scolding.
"This is our Lady Rebakah of Layston Rosie." The eldest guard, Kurt, replied.
"Oh." She stammered. "I'm sorry Mistress, I didn't know, I thought you were thieves.."
"It's alright." I cut her off. "I would have thought the same."
She calmed down some and nodded. "I'll tell my Lord and Lady your here, would you like me to get you anything?"
"Bit of ale would be great." Dom replied practically falling into a comfortable looking chair. The rest of us did the same, though the two younger men left.
"I wasn't asking you." Rosie snapped and I fort not to giggle. Pounce laughed freely though.
"Is the kitty magic Mistress?" Rosie asked tilting her head to the side, studying Pounce.
"He's a constellation, and an annoying one." I glared at him. Of course he ignored me though.
She only nodded before leaving the room. Kurt chuckled again. "That un' doesn't like you Commander."
Dom huffed. "I know that Kurt, being threatened every time she sees me is a bit of a giveaway."
I couldn't help it. "Is it always the duster?" I managed to ask between giggles, he scowled at me which only made it funnier and I laughed until my sides hurt and people entered the room.
The couple I guessed to be my Godparents smiled at us. The man I remembered, Giles is in his early fifties now, and his age is showing. He has greyish brown hair and still the same bright green eyes. He was dressed in a simple house tunic and leggings.
Lady Mary-Ann I didn't remember, she is in her late forties with dark brown hair that has grey streaks that she had in a bun. She had hazel eyes and a kind face, smile lines show around her mouth and the corners of her eyes.
She wore a simple dull yellow dress with sleeves to her elbows, and embroidery around the neck, sleeves and hem.
Dom, Kurt and I stood and bowed, which made my Lady laugh. "Beka child, you don't need to bow. And you two should know better by now."
We stood with the men smiling. "Tis' the proper thing t' do my Lady." Kurt said.
Giles shook his head. "It is good of you to come Beka." He smiled at me. "And we understand that this is a great ask, but it will be worth it in the end."
"I hope so." I smiled back. "Is everything ready to leave?"
"Yes everything is in order, there will only be a few crates to load into the boat in the morning but that won't take you long."
"Oh Giles, this is the first time we've seen our Godchild in fifteen years and all you can think of is business?" Lady Mary scolded.
"Mary, she asked and it is important that she knows all there is to know before she leaves in the morning, we only have a matter of hours and she will need sleep before hand." Giles grumbled.
Lady Mary still sighed and before I could move she grabbed me in a hug. "You have grown so much!"
She released me and brushed hair out of my face with gentle fingers. "You have your Mama's shape eyes and face, and mouth..." She studied me with sadness in her eyes, I guessed she missed Ma as well.
"Come, I'll have breakfast sent out into the garden and after we have eaten and caught up a bit, may you take her." Lady Mary's sentence was directed at Giles and Dom and it left no room for them to argue.
I was taken through the house out to the back gardens. They were rather large, as I studied it, down the back there was a large set of stables and behind them were small yards, some containing horses. Trees lined the high fences and stone paths were laid between various gardens filled with wonderful bright flowers of many sorts.
Lady Mary lead the way towards a long white table placed under a huge tree that had light pink flowers scattered along the branches.
The chairs were a matching style and colour to the table and food had been placed along it on trays.
We sat and a different maid appeared and placed and assortment of the dishes on our plates and poured tea in the cups.
"Do you like your dog work Beka?" Lady Mary asked me as she stirred her tea.
"Yes, very much." I replied opening a turn over to let out the steam.
"Your Mama would be very proud of you, putting something back into the people. And even more so on doing something you enjoy, though I suspect its hard work." She smiled.
"I don't mind my Lady, I'd much rather it to sewing or the likes."
She laughed. "As would I, once, a long time ago mind you, I wanted to be a dog."
I believe I nearly fell of my chair. "Really?"
"Yes I did, but then I fell in love with a noble and married and that was the end of that." She sent a teasing smile at Giles. "I wonder sometimes whether I made the right decision."
Giles merely grunted in reply. He'd probably heard this before.
"You have siblings now, I'm told." Giles asked.
I felt a pang and nodded. "Yes, sisters and brothers. Though one of my sisters......died."
Sorrow crossed all of their faces and my Lady reached over and covered my hand with hers. "We know darling, we're so sorry. Tell us about the others and eat some more child, you probably won't get a chance to eat again until supper."
I smiled gratefully at her, she was defiantly not my Lady Teodorie. "My youngest sister is Lorine, she is training to be a fine seamstress. My brothers are Will and Nilo, they are both keen on horses and Will is training to be a messenger and Nilo a stableman."
I wrinkled my nose as Dom stuffed and entire mutton pasty into his mouth. Under the table Pounce must have clawed him as he leapt into the air with a yelp and fell over backwards taking his chair with him.
Kurt burst out laughing obviously he and Dom were good friends otherwise even a veteran wouldn't laugh at a commander. Even if it was hilarious. Or things here were a lot different to my Father's laws. As Giles and Mary both strained to keep straight faces I thought both.
Mary cleared her throat. "They are very respectable occupations. I suspect Teodorie had something to do with that. How old are they, do you believe they enjoy their training?"
"Your Aunt and Lady Teodorie don't see eye to eye on some matters." Giles spoke before chuckling as Dom slipped in his attempt to stand and landed on his backside.
"Pounce." I declared. "You've had your fun, leave my Commander alone please."
My cat appeared next to me and jumped up onto my lap. I did no such thing, he is just a klutz.
Shaking my head I answered Mary. "They enjoy it, Lorine is fourteen, Will is thirteen and Nilo is eleven."
She nodded. "I would like to meet them. Ilony told me for all the children she ever have, she would make us their Godparents."
The day was full of unexpected surprises is the way I think best sums it up.
After breakfast Dom took me on a tour of the house, its grounds and the underground rooms and passageways. There are too many for me to write about them all in much detail so I will just write the basics.
There are three entrances to the tunnels from the back garden, one is in the garden tool shed, one in the stables and one in the largest flower bed (you move a large rock.) They all lead to a weapons room, the walls are lined with every type of weapon known to man. That room has three tunnels off it. One leads to the guard's quarters, one to a large training room that has two smaller rooms off it, then the other to the lockup. Where all the prisoners are kept and questioning is done.
From the guards quarters there are also two tunnels, one connects to the lockup and the other leads up into the house. The training rooms all have a tunnel leading to the house. The lockup does not lead to the house but the third tunnel from there comes up under a shed in the neighbour's yard across the street.
There are fifteen smaller tunnel entrances into and out of the house. Four lead to the tunnel to the guard's quarters, two to the weapons room that I missed before, three to the training rooms, two to the stable and four to the neighbour's shed.
Two of these smaller tunnels are in the kitchen, one from the largest sitting room, three from the largest library, one from Dom's room (the commanders live in the house), one from Tyron Emits room (he is the second commander, there are three) one from Myra Symisn's room (she is the third Commander.)
Two from my room, two from Giles and Mary's, one from the cook's quarters and one from the servant's quarters.
It's like a rabbit warren, though it is not much different from my father's home, the layout is completely different but there are similar amounts of tunnels and entrances.
After the tour Dom took me to meet my other Commanders, Tyron is about thirty-one and is very muscled but is about my height. He has short red hair and dark brown eyes, he has two length ways scars across his right eyebrow. I found out later that he is married to Mary's personal maid, Anna, and they have a three year old daughter, Carissa.
Myra has long black hair she wears in a tight bun at the back of her head. She is taller than me at about five foot ten inches and has nearly black eyes. She has a scar that runs down her nose and the bottom of her right ear has been cut off.
They are both cheerful people similar to Dom and greeted me with a bow. Myra lead me away from the men and back to the training rooms where all our assassins were waiting, leaning against the walls and talking to each other.
When we entered they stopped and bowed, they watched me out of the corners of their eyes and I squirmed under their attention.
Myra, Dom and Tyron did all the talking while I stayed quiet and watched. There were almost 150 men and women listening to them. This was only a small portion of our army, the others were in a warehouse down at the docks awaiting the boat. While others were out on patrol.
Not all of them would be coming with us, Myra was staying here with about 40 people to maintain a check on the men my father had left behind and to put watchers on my siblings and my Lord and Lady Provost. Also to question the prisoners and guard the wounded we sent back.
After the commanders had drafted who would be staying Giles appeared and told me I he wanted me to do a short training session to test my abilities as I hadn't used them in so long. The people in the room backed up against the walls, seemingly they were going to watch. Wonderful.
Dom gestured towards the middle of the room so I walked to its centre and looked to Giles.
"You will fight Adrian while I assess your skills." Giles declared.
Then Adrian wandered out from one of the smaller room and I very nearly run. Adrian was a good head taller than Tunstall and twice as wide across the shoulders at least! Apart from his massive size, he was bald with big soft green eyes. With only small scars on his face and larger ones on his arms he was......quite a sight.
I think I cracked my neck trying to look at his face as he stood in front of me.
Placing my hands on my hips I looked around him to Dom who looked very amused. "Who picked my partner?" My voice was sickly sweet.
This was something that Tyron and Myra picked up on and both pointed at Dom.
I glared daggers at him. "You can't be serious? If he hits me I'll snap in half!"
The entire room chuckled including Adrian.
"Are you sayin' you're fragile Beks?" Dom teased. Which wasn't a good idea.
"Would you like to fight him? Tell you what, you fight and I'll assess you, we'll test how fragile you are!" I growled.
This brought on more laughter before Giles told me to just get on with it.
At first I just dodged his blows, cart wheeling, back flipping or sliding out of the way. He was very good. But I caught the look Giles was sending me so with his next blow I stayed and blocked it. A cheer erupted from the on lookers and from there I got into it. He blocked most of my blows until I flipped forward onto my hands and pushed myself through the air, hitting him in the chest with my feet.
It knocked the wind out of him and he bent over forwards, I landed on the ground and swung my legs around hitting him in his lower calves, knocking his legs out from under him. It wasn't an easy task, he was heavy.
We both lay on our backs panting while the room around us was silent.
"Did we pass Giles?" I managed to ask. While staring at the roof.
I heard him and several others chuckle. "Yes, you both passed."
I launched myself up onto my feet and reached a hand down to Adrian. He smiled and took it.
"You're good." I told him as I attempted to help him up."And heavy!" I yelped as I failed to move him. He laughed but didn't say anything, I think he was still trying to catch his breath.
"Domain! Get over here and help!"
Between the two of us we managed to get him up, I suspect towards the end though he made it difficult on purpose.
After that Myra and I meet this year's trainees and she explained to me how they recruit them. Their orphaned children no younger then twelve, and their given the option of becoming an assassin otherwise Giles and Mary will sponsor them in the career their interested in.
All of them are trained in basic fighting but only the ones who have said they will join are taught further.
I am not yet used to being met with a bow, and I can't say I'm all that fond of it either but I don't say anything.
Mary, Giles, Dom, Tyron and his wife Anna, Myra and I had supper in the dining hall at about nine of the clock, after that we talked for mayhap half an hour afore I excused myself to go to my room.
It is a beautiful room, the bed is large and soft with light blue covers and pillows, and there is a bedside table with a lantern on it and a dressing table with a mirror against the wall opposite the bed. The walls are white, with paintings of hills and waterfalls hanging up. There is a large window that starts at the floor and goes nearly to the ceiling. It is shut at the moment and blue curtains hang straight either side of it.
A door leads to a closet filled with clothing my size, Pounce would have something to do with them knowing what my size is.
Mats are on the floors, they are patterned and are both dark and light blue.
One painting made me stop when I entered, hanging on the wall to the right of the door to my closet was a portrait of me and Ma when I was little. We were smiling, Mama wore a green short sleeved gown, with a V cut at the neck and darker green embroidery around the neck of flowers and vines.
I was sitting on her lap, my short wispy blonde hair was is two pigtails off either side of my head tied with yellow ribbon. I was wearing a matching yellow dress with bows sewed onto the short sleeves. Mama had her arms wrapped around my middle and I was leaning into her chest giggling at the painter.
I don't remember that day, I was only a baby but it feels like I should remember it.
I changed into the night dress laid out for me and slid into bed under the covers. I took out this journal and began writing. Pounce had jumped up beside me and curled up on my legs.
Now he is ordering me to sleep, we have to be at the docks before sunrise though the boat will not leave until after. He is threatening to ruin the entire book so I must go afore the dratted cat does.
As I write all this the situation has only just truly clicked in my brain, this is not a dream, it's really happening.
I know something now, I can feel it deep in my bones and I think it was there as soon as I saw Dom this morning.
I am going to die.
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What did you think of that?
Well, I think it's the longest chapter I've written so far so review and tell me what you think please!!
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Until next time......
xXAngelStormXx