The Assassins

She noted the tighter grip on the hilt of his blade which indicated he was about to take action of some sort. She did not have long to wait to find out what. She followed after him as he charged round the corner at the guards.

The battle was over swiftly she was impressed with his speed and efficacy, but then that was the difference in there skill levels why he was a master and she still a novice. She was no less dangerous or skill full, just not as much practice.

As he dispatched them she drew her own weapons and watched for any signs that the clashing of weapons had drawn the guards. when no alarm was sounded she kept her weapons in hand. she walked up behind Emerald making sure he would hear her foot falls and not attack.

She smiled at his comment as he cleaned the blood from his blade. She thought about his suggestion of going through the kitchen and looked at him oddly for a moment trying to assess him for a second. He was being Vastly different then when she had first met him.

She briefly wondered if he had injured his head but not time to look over his injury's he was fit enough to escape the rest would come once they were safely away. " I think the kitchens would be a bad idea. To many of them saw you working with them and would recognize you... if i may suggest why do we not exit as i entered ? There is a hidden alcove which looks as if its apart of he wall an optical illusion.. it leads to a trap door in the stables "

"Agreed." Emerald said straightening up. "Lead the way." he stepped aside.
She didn't move but just stare at him, with a look that the senior assassin discern.
Emerald followed behind her as they made for the exit. Fortunately for the two there were no opposition on the way.
Again, he couldn't help but gaze at her backside, at the way they swayed in rhythm to her movements.
He sighed heavily and slapped his forehead, stopping such thoughts from graduating.
"You're going to go out first. Wait for me at the pass where you once left me, there's something i must do. Something the creed requires i do alone." he told her before running off into the shadows.
All he wanted to do was escort her safely to the exit before returning to finish the job. Gladiner had mentioned jewels, his primary mission was those jewels, and since the creed lived by a code, what you are not told is a secret. Gladiner didn't tell Ashwyn, so Emerald believed it to be a secret.

I didn't save your hide in order for you to throw it away again " she said turning but he was already gone and without knowing where he had gone she could not go after him. She cursed and exited through the hidden passage into the stables keeping low and moving silently.

" Here now what are you about? " she turned to smile at the stable master.. " he saw her and recognized her from the acrobatics act.. before she could answer he did so for her. " Here ta meet a lover are ye.. " He looked around. It wasn't the first time guards had met women in the stables for a tumble, or himself for that matter.

A few horses shifted restlessly, snorted or stamped there feet in the stalls..Ashwyn let her cloak conceal her weapons so it appeared she was cold and simply adjusting it for warmth in the dimness of the lantern light. When he didn't see anyone else the stable master said " Seems who er ye were supposed ta meet isna gonna make it lass.. i could keep ye warm. "

At that time the guards began shouting and sounding the alarm from the dungeons they had discovered Emerald was no longer with in the cell. When he turned to the sound she used the opportunity of his distraction to step closer and slip her dagger between his ribs.

one of her hands cradled his head.. he looked at her eyes wide with surprise, before dulling as she lowered him to the ground. she swiftly pulled the blade and slit his throat to be sure he was dead. Cleaning the blade swiftly on the body she escaped with out further issue and waited for Emerald where he had indicated.

As Emerald trodded down the path, he couldn't help but smile at the turn off things. She was now waiting for him at the same place she abandoned him.
Ofcourse when he reasoned it, he was glad she did, they both will be in prison now at the very least if she had sticked with him.
"Shall we?" he asked walking up to her, making sure not to lighten his footfalls, to avoid an subconscious hit.
As they trodded down the path he complimented, "you did great..." not wanting it to get into her head or to seem soft he added, "..as a clown. It was good distraction and a wonderful show."
He said then quickened his pace to avoid gazing at her again. The truth was that the experienced assassin was scared, scared of what will happen if he allowed his eyes wander on her again. Afraid and curious about what was happening to him. Why his heart race when she gazes at him, why his blood boils and the air become warm when she was around.
The guild master has a lot of explaining to do, for surely this partner thing was a mistake.

She fell into step with him keeping pace her step only slightly faltering at his almost complement, she bristled at the insult added with it but at least he was seeming somewhat as he had when she had first met him.

Ashwyn watched him closely for a time to be sure his injuries were not hampering and tried not to admire too much how well he moved for a human, or anything else for that matter. When her mind started admiring his form for other reasons she quickly started paying more attention to there surroundings.

She moved swiftly and quietly through the trees a mist rising from the warmth of the earth to the cool air it was not yet thick enough nor high enough off of the ground to be come fog or hinder there sight.

A light mist began to fall the only light that of the moon above and that only in brief interludes through the thickening storm clouds above. An Owl hooted in the distance, the sounds of other night animals crickets and the like filled the silence.

Once they had traveled over a few leagues Ashwyn spoke up. " I think we should find a place to rest the night twill rain soon and if you will allow i would like to look over your wounds "

"I know a place in the forest we can hideout." he told her as they turned east. Guided by snatched glimpses of starlight through the canopy of branches above their heads they continued east in silence, him all the way trying to assuage his now bleeding head. He was feeling dizzy and weak, he knew ofcourse that it was because the wound from the hit he received earlier was still open and unattended to.
They eventually reached a dark hollow in a glade where moonlight pooled like a magical lake. He led her into the moonlight and to a well-hidden cave entrance.
"This used to be a bolthole for a guild of assassins," he explained. "They took great care to keep it a secret. But they moved west years ago. We should be safe here for a while."
The abandoned assassins cavern was vast and dark, an echoing network of tunnels; the perfect place for a pair of fugitives to hunker down. They made camp and a fire deep within its walls, to be sure their light and sound couldn't reach the surface and give them away.

As they sat together by the fire, together as in opposite each other, Emerald constantly glanced back and forth, between Ashwyn and a pool near the stagalites, probably formed from the opening directly above the pool.
He wondered if she was serious about checking his wound, water from the pool will really help in cleaning it. But could he ask without seeming weak before her.
"Um, Ash, i can really do with that help you wanted to give me. My head hurts."

Ashwyn moved closer to him when he asked her to look at his wounds, gently she looked each one over none looked infected as of yet, but lest he took fever they needed cleaned and bound.

She looked thoughtfully around the area deciding which herbs were in this region which could be used to make an ointment for.

" relax stay by the fire i will return shortly try not to move around overly much." She left temporarily to gather what she needed, and returned with a few different types of herbs and 2 rabbits.

one to help with inflammation another to stop blood flow and one to help stave off fever should he begin to show signs. " She said little save to answer any questions he might have about what she was doing.

Once she returned she checked his wounds again and tore several strips of cloth from her cloak one to use for cleaning the wounds the other strips for binding once the ointment was maid. " Rest i will stand guard."

Over the coarse of the night after he was treated she stayed awake keeping guard and watching over him to be sure he was alright. Tho they were it seemed safe enough for the time being, she cooked up the rabbits as well after skinning and cleaning them so that when he awakened there would be something for him to eat, one for herself one for him.

Emerald awoke to the sweet smell of meat on fire. He blinked to adjust to the dimly lit surrounding. instinctively his hand flew to the back of his head, to check his wound. She had done a good job for he no longer felt the achings that had troubled him earlier.
"You really didn't have to watch over me like an amature. I only asked for aid in my wounds and not to be cradled like a helpless kid." he chastised.
he sat up, wincing a little from the pain at his side. She didn't respond, only continued with her task.
"I'm sorry." he heard himself say. She had been nice to him, caring and helpful. He knew the mission would've been difficult if not impossible without her.
He wondered if the strike to his head had done something to his brain. Must be the reason why he can't remove gaze from her. Why he had been going soft around her. Ofcourse the reason why his recent dreams had been centered on her.
"Thank you." he said at last.

She ignored his barb nodding in response. There wasn't one person male or female she knew of who wasnt testy after being injured. His side would take longer to heal as it was the worst of the wounds but it had been mended as well. " Fortunately your head is quite hard, and will be fine.. your side is the one which troubles me most. i have done what i can for now. "

She said little tho her eyes widened a bit in surprise as he thanked her. She handed him one of the sticks with a fully cooked rabbit. " be careful i might start to think you like me.." she said only half teasing before pausing a moment and saying " your welcome.."

Her hood was down and the firelight dancing in her long white hair caused it to take on the wavering orange yellow glow from it. They were warm enough and safe enough for the night. Tho she felt it would be best if they left at the first chance they got.

They needed to return to the guild and move on to his or her next assignment.

He noticed her eyes dilated when he thanked her. She must be as surprise as he was.
" be careful i might start to think you like me.." he heard her say. Though he knew it was only a harmless tease, it sounded more real, like a doctor prescription to a patient.
'Yes, careful is good.' He said inaudibly to himself. Extending his hand to collect the steak from her stretched hand, he saw for the first time how beautiful she truly was. The dancing flame had created a radiance of a soft orange yellow glow on her white hair. Though in his eyes they looked more like golden hairs behind a shiny star background.

She brought her face up and their eyes met. Emerald felt his heart skip, then took up a pounding pace. It was a weird feeling, one he had never encountered in his life time. Nervousness.

To Emerald time had no more meaning, nothing else mattered but her. Strangely enough he could hear the rapid rise and fall of her heart. which meant she was also feeling what ever as she was making him feel.
She tore gaze from him and pretended to be preserving the fire. Emerald sighed appreciatively, "Is that a bad thing? " he asked, "With your beauty you're quite likeable. " he said then smiled softly.

"i think they addled your brain, and the sooner we get you back to the guild the better. " She pulled her hood up over her head to help hide her features from the light of the small fire they had going and pulled her cloak in closer around her as she settled in to rest.

Morning would come soon enough and they would needs be on there way. in truth tho his comments surprised her it was also nice to hear something positive about oneself for a change. Why this change to her tho.. was it because she had not left him behind?

she had tended his wounds as well as she might at present ?.. she was a bit puzzled. Perhaps when he was not injured did he still show interest ... no what was she thinking.. such as they could not allow themselves to become attached to another.

Master assassin Kul Gu'uy instantly killed Emerald with a thrown knife. The hunter has become the hunted, he thought...