Fairy Tale Assassin - Chapters 6 - 10
Chapter 6ate into the night, Ruby and I walked to the wall surrounding Morum. The so-called moot was nothing more than a foul-smelling ditch, which I think they used as a toilet. We already knew only a gate closed at the entrance of the main road at night. As we walked along the side of the fortifications, they did not impress me. After all, I’ve seen plenty of actual castles when I traveled in my past life. Throughout Europe, such defensive walls were massive, redundant, and well thought out. However, this fairy tale capital city didn’t have such a wall. The fairly low barrier, along with the lack of a strong moot, convinced me Morum would not last long in a war. It also got me to wonder about the rumors of encroaching war. Getting through the muck was gut-retching but doable. We found a level place to unwind my coiled rope. After I backed Ruby away, I wound up my grappling hook, which I covered with my cape to deaden the noise. My first attempt only managed to hit the bottom of the battlement, landing back near my feet. Scanning the top of the wall, we could only see lanterns far away. From the lack of movement throughout the night, I rightly guessed the guards were not on high alert. Another windup and I got my hook over the battlement. We barely heard the thud. Pulling back on the rope, I tested the device several times using all my weight. It seemed stable enough, so I started climbing. When I got to the top, I was so winded I swore the guards would hear my gasping. Struggling to get over the ramparts, the burning sensation of my undeveloped arm muscles nearly caused me to slip back. Finally, I slid over the stone and landed on my feet. Amid my pants, I shook the rope several times. It was Ruby’s signal to tie the rope around her waist. She quickly followed me over the top while I pulled on the rope to help. “Tis exciting!” she whispered when she joined me. “It won’t be if we’re caught,” I whispered back. “Hold my shirt as we walk. I’ll find us a place to get down from here.” Escaping the notice of the guards turned harder than I thought. First, the area below the wall inside the city was pitch black in most places. The lanterns near the corner tower remained unmoved, but we couldn’t approach the area for fear of waking the guards. So, I made my way along the top of the wall until I stumbled upon a solution. Actually, I nearly tripped over a wooden case. When I went to my knee with a pained grunt, my hand reached out and found an open area where I thought the low stone wall stood. On my hands and knees, I found the rickety wooden stairs leading down. A few minutes later, I had my cape back on with the hood over my head. The rope coil hung over my shoulder and my grappling hook hanging from my belt. I let Ruby guide us, since I figured she had more sense about where we could find a place to stay out of sight until sunrise. According to my partner, the night watch will ask questions when they don’t know you and see you walking the streets at night. We took several twists and turns through various back alleys which smelled as bad as the ditch outside the wall. Ruby stopped us once when she heard men coming out of a building. Fortunately, they passed by without noticing our position in the shadows. She told me we should find stables soon. As soon as we turned into another alley, I nearly ran her over when she halted. “My, an old soul. It’s been years since I felt such a presence,” a gruff voice spoke up. A flicker of light flashed on a man’s fingertip, revealing a white bearded man with a hawk-like face as he lit his pipe. He casually sat on a crate, puffing on the pipe for a moment, while I gawked at him. “The question is, should I kill you now, or later?” he asked himself as he blew the tobacco smoke into the air. “There’s no reason to kill anyone.” I felt a chill run down my back as I replied. Stepping in front of Ruby, I felt her tugging on my cape to run away. However, I knew such an action would do us now good. The man in front of us never fully looked our way. It was his way of showing how minuscule we were to him. “Listen, I’ve done nothing to you, mister. Hell, we don’t even know who you are! We’ll leave quietly.” “I’ll introduce myself, Covan,” he chuckled, then snapped his finger. My blood froze and I couldn’t move. I mean, I felt like a damn statue. Behind me, I heard Ruby’s sudden intake of breath when the spell struck her. “I’m known as Myrddin Wyllt. They call me by many names in other realms. Here I’m…” “I’ve heard of you!” Surprisingly, my mouth still worked. “You’re also called Merlin, the magician who helped King Aurther. Seriously, you’re the greatest of sorcerers. What the hell are you doing hanging in a back alley at night and messing with us?” He tilted his head at my reaction before he gave a hearty laugh. Still, the man’s laughter was unsettling. “As I thought, an old soul who knows too much. You’ve already taken the young lass on a different destination. It’s not good to meddle in the future.” That’s when I realized he’s talking about the “butterfly effect” so prevalent in science fiction stories. Take a different path in a storyline, and it will unwind the expected result at the end of the story. But I’m not apologizing for that. I don’t know about this world, but I’m going to survive by my standards. Still, I felt an urgent need to plead my case before the executioner. “Ruby doesn’t deserve such a fate. She’s with me now, and there’s no wolf after her. Besides, her grandma is a bitch. This place is so screwed up. There’s nothing here that makes sense.” “That’s probably true, but you’re dangerous.” He calmly blew out a puff of smoke. A laugh escaped me. “Ah, that’s not even a funny joke. I’m not superpowered with weapons and magic. All I want to do is survive. Just think of me as a peddler with a wagon. If I get a little business going, I’m good. I’ll hang out in my corner of the world and keep out of everyone’s way.” For the first time, Myrddin looked over at me. He pulled a staff out of nowhere. The yellow orb at the top of the staff changed colors. “Humm, your words appear true. However, you don’t belong here. Changing situations affect other realms. Still, such changes occur across time and space in this realm. It’s too bad for you. But what’s a guy to do? I’ll make your death painless.” His resigned voice made my fear factor go through the roof. Still, the nonchalant attitude about killing us got me angry. “That’s your bullshit rationalization,” my voice strained as I pushed myself to move against the spell. “This place isn’t close to the stories I know. How the hell is my knowing that the three little pigs lose two of their houses before they kill and eat the wolf affecting anything in this place?” “Phhfff!” he chuckled. “What nonsense are you telling me, Covan?” My story definitely changed his expression. The glow of his pipe showed his dark eyes light up with interest. “The truth! I know these stories from my realm, from Cinderella to The Juniper Tree. Who writes stories about cannibalism, infanticide and revenge for kids?” “Wha—that’s the tale? Totally incorrect, which shows the ignorance that accompanies you. What other strange stories do you know from your world?” “Plenty of them. I haven’t met Cinderella, but I’m guessing her sisters didn’t cut off their toes to fit in the glass slipper to marry the prince.” The man shook his head and rolled his eyes at my statement. “I don’t see the lover of Empress Boju worrying about such things. After all, she killed them to marry Prince Ravana at the orders of the empress.” “There, that proves it!” I tried to smile with a frozen face. “There’s no butterfly effect. I’ve had villagers trying to kill me for being a zombie. Grimm never wrote about the undead like in a movie. It proves nothing I’ve read fits this place.” I caught my breath as the great sorcerer muttered under his breath. “There’s something else you must know. Ruby knows nothing about Snow White or these stories. Emerald City doesn’t have a yellow brick road. I’ll bet there’s no Dorothy or Toto there since I hear it’s full of brothels.” He laughed at my reply. “It seems your dimension carries far different tales. Tis not unexpected. While I’m a godlike being, I cannot know every variation among dimensions and timelines. You mentioned Grimm. As in the brothers?” I hesitated while digesting his oversized ego before I answered. “Yes, of course. Who else is there?” After a puff of smoke let loose, he took a deep breath. “Many others, I’m afraid. Myths abound throughout time and across many threads of time and space. A second-rate mage learns space bends and warps with time constantly. Still…” the wizard went quiet for a moment. His furrowed brow made me hold my breath. Finally, Merlin nodded to himself. “I need to ponder upon what you’ve told me. The brothers caused me problems in the past. Besides, you’ve made me curious.” The man’s sick grin didn’t make me feel vibes. Then he looked at Ruby. “I give you fair warning, young lady. Miss Riding Hood cannot stop the story once it starts. You will suffer your fate. Not even an old soul can stop that.” Myrddin Wyllt disappeared. A strange sensation filled my body after he released us. I stood there, frozen with trepidation and questions. Lost in my thoughts, I almost didn’t notice the hands on my shoulders. “Covan, what just hath happened? Dost thou knowest yonder terrible wizard?” Her words finally got me to turn around. “I know of him.” I mumbled out with a mouth of cotton while trying to keep my knees from buckling. After a couple of breaths, I brought my arm around her shoulders. “What of those st’ries thee toldeth that gent. And his warning to me?” “He’s a troublemaker, but don’t worry about it right now,” I forced a smile. “Let’s find a place to rest, and we can talk about it more.” Ruby stared at me for a moment, then she led us out of the alley. When we finally found a place to bed down, it was the hayloft over a stinking stable. Fortunately, the rodents didn’t bother us as we lay on the soft bedding of hay. I explained as much as I could while maintaining my origins lie. My previous life was off the table. Who’s going to believe I died and woke up with people trying to kill me? So, I just told her we had myths in America that seemed similar to some things in this land. She told me how much fear overwhelmed her from the spell he cast on us. I agreed with her about the fear. Still, my story appeared to work, since she remains convinced that I’m a noble. I think the encounter with Merlin or Myrddin reinforced the idea. “What shall befall to me? The wizard warned me, but I understand not.” “I’m not sure,” I confessed to her. “But he’s a wicked old man who probably just wanted to frighten you. It’s not something to worry too much about. I’ll do anything I can to protect you.” I said while I gave her a reassuring hug. My actions reassured her, but I didn’t like the warning left by Merlin either. I’ve already confirmed that this world doesn’t fit the same model as those fairy tales I know. Little Red Riding Hood survives in the story back in my world. What did the bastard mean by her fate? During our conversation, I questioned her about her knowledge of magic and those using it. Before meeting the sorcerer, of course, I understood such a thing could not exist in reality. Such things were impossible in my first life. Sure, fairy tales talk a lot about it, but I’m still stuck in a mindset developed over seventy years. Unfortunately, Ruby knew little about magic other than she held great fear of it. Fortunately, wizards and mages are rare. They keep to themselves. She described tales of nobles using mages to punish or help them. Then, Ruby pulled her dagger and pointed out that the curse from her grandmother was magical. Yes, I overlooked that part of it. My twenty-first century thinking disregarded an important part of fairy tales. From Sleeping Beauty to Rapunzel, curses and magic made up a huge chunk of the stories and how they ended. “Well, let’s get sleep and we’ll figure it out in the morning.” I brought her close, and she laid her head on my shoulder. As I tried to rest, my tired mind kept coming back to the important things I needed to accomplish. The need to find something to defend against magic and curses surged to the top of the list. Survival against an unknown danger like Myrddin required knowledge which I lacked. Chapter 7The morning came before sunrise. A stable hand working with the horses below woke Ruby and me. He didn’t notice us as he yanked down some of the hay. After he left, we rushed out of the building and headed out to find food for breakfast. Our edible berry collection was down to nothing. As we wandered the narrow streets, the citizens stirred from their homes. By the time the sun broke through the early clouds on the horizon, we found ourselves among crowded streets, bustling with people, animals and carts. I asked Ruby to look for a place where we could sell off some of the heavy coil of rope I carried. It wasn’t long before I got rid of half of the rope, and we had a few pfendings to get breakfast. Another stall got us food. I’m not a fan of old rye bread, cracked open with a greasy, half-cooked egg inside, but starving people will eat anything. I noticed a few people eyeing my makeshift grappling hook, so I spent a few minutes separating the sickles before sliding them into my belt. We continued in our search for a magic shop. I expected something like a large alley filled with magic shops, like in those wizard books my kid liked to read. However, we failed to find anything close to a place that sold spells inside that part of the city. We discovered a potion shop, but its items evoked memories of shops hawking exotic herbs. It reminded me of the stores in my past world where you could buy pills to lose weight or grow your hair back. “I guesseth yond’s not unexpected,” Ruby said with a frown. “I knoweth commoners seldom receiveth a chance to seeth magical things. Our priest warned thee from such things.” Putting my arm over her shoulder, I told her not to worry. “Look on the bright side,” I replied. “I’m having a great time seeing this new city. Let’s find the adventurer’s guild. We need to earn money.” During our time with the merchants, I overheard them talk about adventurers and the other guilds. Here, the adventurers aren’t like the portal fantasy novels my son used to read as a kid. According to the merchants, adventurers generally work for the businesses. They end up doing odd jobs, from finding material and guarding. There are no monsters or dungeons to worry about in this world, much to the disappointment of my young son when he read manga stories in the past. We found the building housing the guild among several on the main road through the city. It surprised me. A line of people overflowed from the small building, which seemed too small to house them. After waiting in line and speaking with some of those around us, we determined it would be tough to become a Guild member. Naturally, those with a proven ability to fight, along with special hunting skills, get priority. After that, it’s the luck of the draw for those who might become trainees. That was the reason for the line. When we finally got to the building, a brutish-looking woman in leather armor stood by a smaller man who appeared to be a scholar. He held a scroll, on which he penciled in the names of those wishing to join the guild. He asked several questions, just about our names and skills, which I had Ruby answer. She already knew my thoughts about what to tell them. I got a glance from the large woman when she overheard Ruby say my name. “Is the lady thy servant?” the scholarly-looking man asked. “Nay, the lady’s mine own partner,” I replied in my best attempt at this strange language. The man hesitated, then lightly shrugged and wrote something down before pointing to the next one in line. As we walked away, they told us to return in a week to see if they had picked our names. “Well, on to a magic shop,” I tried to keep my hopes up with a smile to Ruby. As we went into another section of Morum, the streets became cleaner, and the merchant shops were classier. Passing one shop, we noticed something through the windows that looked like magical items. To my surprise, everything looked focused on children’s toys and gadgets. A type of airplane whizzed around the room, swooping down at a row of toy soldiers that shot at the plane with their rifles using blasts of air. I could feel the small blasts of air from a couple of feet away. Damn, my grandkids would love this stuff! The lady behind the counter frowned at us before putting on a fake smile. I let Ruby take the lead, asking about a place to find more information about the magic appraisal. She told the woman I carried an item from my lands which might have value. After a sigh, she replied. “Obviously, we art not the right lodging. Thee can tryeth speaking with the wizard Mardoh down the street. I warneth thee he is difficult.” “Great! Another wizard,” I thought with a frown. Nodding, Ruby thanked her and turned to leave. That’s when I noticed a wooden blowgun lying on the table next to the toy soldiers having their magical war. The hand-carved, varnished item intrigued me since I had one as a kid. When I picked it up and looked it over, memories came back, including the pain of a dart striking your flesh at close range. “How much for this?” I asked. I purchased it because it was merely a copper coin. Ruby glared at me, but I smirked as I put it in my pocket. “Tis useful. Now, I just need a translator spell so I can quit talking like a Shakespeare character.” The woman who took my money eyed me, then told me about a child’s spell as she pointed to a dusty shelf. I snatched it up for only two pfendings. The glare from Ruby became too intense for me to ignore as we left the shop. “Yeah, I realize it’s the price of a meal. But I’ve already run into people I can’t understand. If this works, I won’t need to always have you speaking for me.” I explained when I opened the scroll. A flash of light struck me, and I felt a wave of indistinct voices filling my head. The growing headache made me stop and place my hand on my head. “Covan, are you alright?” Ruby took my arm. I stared at her while my headache subsided. “Say that again,” I told her. “I asked if you were feeling well.” Her expression betrayed her growing concern. The smile on my face at her words. “This is awesome!” I announced. “Does my talking seem different?” Her eyes widened at the realization, and she looked down at the browning scroll in my hand. Soon, the artifact turned into dust as we stared at the magic item. “I guess it’s one time only. Still, it’s great. No more Shakespeare!” “Who…?” she asked. “Never mind, beautiful. Let’s find this Mardoh guy!” I smiled. With a blushing expression, Ruby slowly nodded. I led us along the street to the next block. A carriage passed us with armed guards on horseback escorting it. I glanced at it but didn’t pay any attention to the man looking at us while we continued along the street. After we reached the building showing a sign with a magical symbol, we tried to enter, but an invisible wall kept us away. I tried to push my arm through to pull the rope hanging with a bell attached, but the barrier was too strong. As I grew frustrated, I stood there trying to understand how to get to the bell. “C—Covan?” I turned around at Ruby’s concerned tone to see several men in uniform with swords attached to their leather belts. One man threw a punch out of nowhere, and I fell back against the invisible barrier. Two men grabbed my arms while the bastard who punched me did it again. Ruby yelled for help as another guard grabbed for her. “Our lord Gilbert now employs this wench as his servant,” the man holding Ruby announced. “Like hell!” I got one of my arms free from a guard’s grasp and I slammed my fist into the guy who hit me. Of course, it did little other than get him angry. I paid for it with a shot into my ribs from him and another guard. Dropping like a wet noodle, I heard Ruby scream. She escaped from the man holding her. Wrapping her arms around me, I felt the dagger slide into my hand. The men pulled Ruby away while I got kicked in the belly and back. The beating finally stopped with me curled up in a fetal position. “When this wench carries the lord’s bastard child, she’ll return.” The noble’s guard smirked as he threw a few pfendings on the ground at my feet. As he walked way with the guard holding Ruby, I got to my knees. For that, I took another kick to the side, and I collapsed. “I’ll kill you bastards!” My growling threat came out as a wheeze since I couldn’t take a breath. The guards walked away with an amused laugh. Somehow, I stumbled to my feet. Staggering after them, I struggled to walk a straight line. The guards forced Ruby into the carriage, ending her desperate struggle. One guard turned back to me as he slammed the carriage door. “No, Covan. Leave me!” I heard her yell as my wild swing just glanced off the guard’s leather breastplate. The guard’s hard counterpunch sent me down. But the thug lifted me and struck me repeatedly. Stars cascaded across my brain with each punch. Finally, the guard dropped me as the carriage rolled away. The mocking laughter of the guards washed over me as they rode away. It took me a while to get my senses back. A small crowd gathered around me, no doubt gawking at my bloody face as I rolled around on the ground in pain. Finally sitting up, I did a quick review of injuries. I’m guessing I had a broken nose, which still bled. But I don’t think I have other bones fractured. The massive headache led me to think I had a concussion. Still, I stumbled over to a building where I leaned against the stone wall. As I assessed the damage to my body, I noticed a young girl who pushed through the muttering crowd. She held out the coins the guards threw at my feet. A woman wearing a brown merchant’s cape behind her spoke to me. “We’re sorry for your loss. The lord takes pretty commoners to his estate.” Nodding, I spit out the blood gathered in my mouth. The action made me realize how much my busted lip hurt. I took the money with a shaky hand. Then, I handed one coin back to the girl. Her eyes widened in fear. No doubt she felt the killing rage in me. I guess my battered appearance made me look like the devil. “Just tell me where this damn noble lives!” Chapter 8The capital of Morum continued its daily routine while a king and queen remained safely guarded inside their castle. They remained content while their nobles went about their days with impunity over the commoners. Petty people acting as tyrants over the rabble, who kept the city vibrant and alive. Those who lived and died in the city simply survived these oppressors daily without the power to change the world. Powerful people ruling the weak because of a name or status meant everything. Anything else was a hoax designed to smooth over the masses. While I knew this from the history of my world, the lesson became engrained in my heart when I experienced it firsthand in this realm. Some might think that getting older leads a person to become softer, gentler, and more understanding. That’s not the truth. People don’t forget revenge and payback just because they’re older. Certainly, I could walk away from Ruby’s kidnapping. The realist in me thought that way for a moment. I’m the only person upset with a noble who has guards protecting him. However, the bastard stole a friend, my lover, and planned on raping her. The honest side of me wanted to see Gilbert and his cronies die painfully and slowly. I cared nothing for gods since God fearin’ was never in my nature. Certainly, I held plenty of skepticism about any god’s involvement for my arrival in this strange world. So much for being a kind grandfather. While I waited for the night to fall, I sat on a rooftop across the road from Gilbert the Bastard’s mansion. Many thoughts from the day ran through my mind. Angst about Ruby’s situation and my limited ability rose to the top of the list. After I recovered enough, I walked the streets to discover more about Gilbert, specifically his strengths and weaknesses. The good news was I could understand people now with the conversation spell I carried in my money pouch. He’s from a high-ranking noble house and carries a taste for pretty women who are powerless. A true bastard of the family, he already fathered plenty of children, only to throw them back out on the street. He had deserved death long before I had arrived. Unfortunately, his estate had plenty of guards and servants for me to worry about. I was going into the lion’s den. Obviously, I’m not a superhero. Even if I’m like those manga characters my son used to read about, there’s no system to upgrade me. Plus, I’m not an overpowered ex-military who can hold a .30 Cal in one arm and wipe out a platoon by myself. That is a movie trope, and this world contains no machine guns. At least not yet. So, without an army or a powerful warlord on my side, I can only do something as a single individual. There are not a lot of options when you stop to think about it. The first thing I realized after my beating today is I must throw away the morals I grew up with. My habits come from a land where the law generally protected the innocent, and the police typically fought on the side of the weak. Throwing out such ingrained morals is easier said than done, but I went into a rage when I thought about Ruby’s treatment, along with other people like her. My beliefs from another world made me similar to the weakest commoner, a peasant condemned to bow to lesser people. To protect good people like Ruby, something must change. And that change started with me. According to Myrddin Wyllt, I am an old soul. He’s correct, and I’ve experienced many things over the years. Worse for Gilbert, I know how to improvise. Coldly analyzing the situation as I carefully surveyed the estate while walking around the large manor house. I came up with an idea that tossed any past concepts of good and evil out the window. Supernatural forces must aid one to become a knight in shining armor. Well, I’m in a world without the ability to be a mage. Plus, I don’t have anyone to help me, so I need to get dirty, like the villain. My options became clear when I decided to take the only path available. Sure, the strong risk of capture and death remained for me. But the anger and humiliation of letting Gilbert harm Ruby burned inside of me. I would be nothing more than a servile peasant if I walked away! Either I forget about Ruby, or I take the route that came to me. Naturally, the plan came from fairy tales. One of the many things about nobles in the stories was constant references to various poisons. The reason for that is simple. Such methods worked. No doubt, the fear factor from the possibility runs strong in the nobility. Some tales I recalled from the Grimm brothers have huntsmen asked by their rulers to become assassins for them. Loyalty to a king or queen required some of those people to murder someone. Well, my plan combined both options. The strange part for me was my lack of concern about dying. In fact, I felt eager for my revenge. While watching the estate, I became familiar with all the entrances and windows at Gilbert’s home. One of the first things I noticed was the broad expanse of garden, which held plenty of shadowed areas. It gave me an idea for moving through the estate come nightfall. Realizing I couldn’t hang out in the area for too long, I went back to the commoner side of town. After finding a blacksmith, I used some of the blood money the guards threw at me. My first step was to have a blacksmith forge me half a dozen tiny arrow shapes. My claim to the puzzled smithy was the need for tips to attach to fishing spears. He gave me a price, which I immediately accepted if he finished while I waited. The large man frowned before he started making the arrows. While I waited, we talked about his family and children. I guess he found my presence tolerable since he let me sharpen the arrows on his sharpening stone. With a thankful wave, I left and headed to the nearest alley to assemble the rest of my weapon. Using the small strands of twine from my rope, I attached feathers on the back of the arrows. The same desolate alley gave me a place to test my new weapon when I pulled out my wood blowgun that I purchased on a whim. It took a while to get the hang of how to use a blowgun again. But I had time, and my frustration lifted as I got better with practice. By the time I left my hiding spot, I could accurately strike a target about fifteen feet away. As a last test of my skill, I even shot a rat in the side when it came around me. The creature ran off squealing in pain with one of my arrows embedded in the side. Despite my anger about losing the arrow tip, I felt confident enough for my next step. To test my theory about the lethal nature of my child’s toy, I hurriedly crafted a liquid paste from the three types of poisonous berries I still carried in my pouch. After smearing the blue-black concoction on an arrow tip, I waited in the alley for a while. Finally, another rat came waddling by as it headed to the market down the street. Carefully, I aimed, and my shot nailed the rat in the rump. The creature made it about five feet before falling over and quivering. When I got to it, it was already dead. Perfect! To finish out the day, I carefully went back to the noble area. Blending in behind the servants as they walked, I tried to avoid talking to people. Even with my hood over my head, I noticed people looking at my bruised face. To avoid more suspicion, I simply turned down an alley where I waited for a while, only to reappear behind another couple of servants. Finally, I found an isolated spot between buildings near the estate. After climbing up to the rooftop, I hurried across the buildings while keeping out of sight from the street. Finally, I took up a perch directly across from Gilbert’s estate. That’s when my wait became especially difficult. I guessed Ruby already suffered from the bastard who kidnapped her. However, I knew I’d just get myself caught and killed if I tried entering during the day. Still, time seemed to go even slower as I waited. The mounting frustration only lifted when I focused on the guards who walked around the mansion. They acted just like the guards around the city walls, predictable in their patterns. While I waited, I memorized each window and door I saw on the outside of Gilbert’s home. Counting the number of steps a servant took from each door to the main gate, or their way to the back, gave me information on the number of paces I needed to take. During that time, I memorized the routes between buildings across the road which I intended to use. As night finally fell over the city, I slid down from the roof. The street lanterns slowly came on as an old man with a lantern torch worked his way down the street. The nobles occasionally wandered by in their carriages, but I could hear them long before they came into sight. Mimicking the careful, upright walk of a servant, I moved across the street to a nearby alley. After taking twenty-nine steps through the darkness, I turned into a narrow passage between two houses. When I came out of the shadows, I stood in an open area next to the fence that ran around the Gilbert estate. While I waited there, I made sure my hood was over my head. Earlier, I cut some of my cape into a length of cloth. I wrapped the strip around my face to make it difficult to identify myself. As I waited, my nose picked up the smell of cooked food coming from the building behind me. The smaller structure was a kitchen for the main house next to the road. Inside the main house, I listened to the conversation through the open windows above me. Since the voices told me nothing of interest, I focused on the estate while remaining unmoving in the corner’s shadow. Gilbert’s two-story building was a type of timber and frame construction I remembered seeing in old towns in Europe. The upper floor hung out over a foot or so from the lower story and it had a long-thatched roof with a steep pitch. A narrow balcony was on both sides next to the massive chimneys. While I never saw the inside of this place, I figured the chimneys were for the main rooms. From a noble’s perspective, servants didn’t need heating. Climbing over the fence wasn’t difficult since it was mostly decorative. My cover under the shadows of the trees and tall bushes of the garden allowed me to follow a path to the back of the manor. Stopping at each unknown sound, I scanned the area. Occasionally, I noticed shadowed movements coming from inside the windows of the house. As I reached an open area, I crouched down behind the well-manicured bushes. While I was observing the area, I saw servants working at a dining table on the first floor. The sound of approaching footsteps sent a chill down my spine. I quickly spotted the guard following his routine as he strolled down the path. As he passed me, I could see his face lit up from the pale flickers coming through the nearby window. It was the goon who threw the coins at my feet! Instantly, my hand guided the blowgun to my lips as the guard continued his walk. Calmly, I blew a puff of air through the wooden tube. The guard reacted, slapping at the back of his neck. After he looked at his hand, he took another couple of steps, then stopped. As he shook his head, I thought he might call out. Instead, the guard turned back my way before he stumbled. Immediately, the goon’s face paled, and he fell face first into a row of flowering plants. While I waited for him to cry out, my mind went blank for a moment. Shock filled me at the rapid reaction to the poison. The thought of killing someone threatened my heart’s explosion. Taking several deep breaths, I calmed myself while I kept glancing around. Before long, I hurried over to the guard. I wasn’t completely sure if he was dead, since his arms and legs trembled. Fortunately, I couldn’t see his face under the dim light coming from the nearby window. I carefully pulled out another arrow from the makeshift holder. I stuck it in his arm. Soon, his convulsions stopped. Finally, I dragged his body deeper into the bushes until he was out of sight. With trembling hands, I loaded another poison arrow into my blowgun while praying I didn’t accidentally stab myself. Then I slid it into a pocket I made in my cape that afternoon. Stepping closer to the manor but remaining out of sight from the window, I brought out my trusty grappling hook, which I rebuilt. Whipping the hook around several times, I launched it up and over the balcony railing on the second floor. The loud wooden thud above made me drop to my knee. Releasing a long breath, I found myself reassured by the dull murmurs of conversation inside the house, which continued unabated. Slowly, I rose and noticed the dinner looked like it was finishing up. I didn’t see much, not even my target from the angle I had. Realizing I needed to move, I climbed the rope as fast as I could. When I nearly got to the top, my body ached, and I realized how weak my arms were since they burned from the exercise. Still, I pushed through and got over the banister. Carefully, I walked to the door. Each creaking step threatened my exposure. Breathing a sigh of relief after I found the door unlocked, I slowly opened it. There was a dim candle burning from a silver candlestick on a dresser by the bed. The four-poster bed itself had red velvet-looking open curtains around it and a red cover across the top. Another larger dresser stood on the opposite side of the room. Desperately, I looked around for a place to hide, but I forgot they didn’t have closets back in that era. There was a small antechamber next to the room, which showed two chairs and a tall dresser. Disappointed, I went back to the door to the balcony to wait outside. Then, an unsettling thought occurred. What if this isn’t the room? On the other side of the manor, Ruby sat inside a small room without windows. Women servants already forced her into a copper bathtub in the afternoon and scrubbed her using a scented laurel oil soap. One woman with a large hook nose and missing her front teeth told her what to expect that night. “Beest thankful for the lord doest not last longeth in the sleep chamber,” she stated with a smirk. “Still, our lord will wanteth thee everynight for a while. Bareth with it until bred.” “Still, this is wrong. I’m not his servant,” Ruby protested. “I’m a free mistress. Nay, a righteous king wouldst alloweth such things to befall me.” The two women gave her a blank look. “King advisor and gentleman Gilbert gets what he wanteth,” the older woman stated flatly. “It keeps that gent hence from other noble family. Doth well, and the gentlemen will pay thee before thee goes back to the street. Heed my warning or perish.” When they finished, the women took Ruby to the room with no windows and made her put on an elegant linen undergarment about the length of a dress. It fit tightly around her breasts, and they stated Gilbert enjoyed such sights. Afterward, they made her put on two stockings that came up over her knees, held up with a garter. “Yond’s all thee needeth tonight,” stated the woman with missing teeth. She paused, giving Ruby a final warning. “Maketh sure a manservant doesn’t help breed thee, for Gilbert shall killeth thee for the slight.” They left Ruby to her bitter thoughts. As she sat on the narrow, hard bed, the woman thought about her time as a prostitute. She had lost her virginity months ago, so she knew what to expect. Her grandmother taught her the ways of men and their lust, and she experienced it daily before being sold. Still, a yearning for freedom welled inside her. The few days with Covan brought the idea to a head. She saw his caring attitude, even while trying to hide his strange ways. Ruby recognized Covan had his faults, but he hated injustice. She wanted a world where he would flourish. A hope that she could walk with Covan as one of his servants, even as a concubine. The woman knew better than to believe she could equal him, for that was an impossibility. He would marry a noblewoman one day. During their trip, Ruby dreamed she could guide him to a good match and help him build a truly noble house. ‘Tis an impossible dream! Ruby sniffed as she lay there. Emotions she believed long buried surfaced when she thought of Covan. She felt terrible about the beating he took trying to stop her capture. While the scene broke her heart, the woman felt an underlying warmth at his impossible gesture. The fact that Covan tried to help her still meant more than she could tell him. However, even a noble from another kingdom held no authority over houses under this land’s king. Her only hope was for him to remember her with the dagger she slipped to him that morning. Hopefully, he will be able to escape the city. As her life turned bleak again, Ruby wished the best for her savior. Then she sighed. I guess I can’t expect such a valorous fortune in this world! Chapter 9Footsteps coming up the stairs told me I had no time to worry about my questions while I waited on the balcony. I pulled out my dagger and crouched down with my ear next to the door. The voices I heard appeared to be servants. Another door opened, and the light coming through the cracks of the door frame next to me grew brighter. “Our master has another common wench tonight. It’s a shame we’ll need to teach her how to be a proper servant,” a male voice said. “Well, only until the lord grows tired of her. I swear, how many ladies does the master need?” A female servant sighed. “He should find a good noblewoman and rid himself of such lowly women.” The man chuckled. “Yes, on that we can agree. Tis not his nature.” My anger grew as I listened to them. Finally, they left the room and before long, I heard more footsteps, this time heavier. A voice bellowed out. “Damn king keeping me away. I’ve waited all day for my bite into that tasty wench I saw this morning. Bring me the woman along with more wine. Your lord shall enjoy another virgin this night.” At this point, it took every ounce of control to keep me from rushing into the room. But my rational mind kept reminding me to get Ruby out of the manor quietly. Once the servants left her alone with the bastard, I intended to make my presence known. Damn right, this son of a bitch will remember me! After a while, the footsteps slowly grew stronger. A door opened, and I listened expectantly. I could make out the man talking to his servant before sending him away. “Come, fair maiden, show me what I’ve paid for,” the male voice said. I couldn’t make out the whispering . Since I doubted it was Ruby's voice, I hesitated. Then, I heard a slap and the tearing of clothing. “Bitch, let me see what I’ll despoil tonight!” After a moment, I heard his voice again. My hand squeezed the latch until I recognized I had only one shot. If it’s not Ruby in there and I kill him, I might not get another chance. Nevertheless, I readied my blowgun. “That’s better. You’re a true red hair!” the man chuckled. You’re a dead man! I slipped through the door and saw the fat bastard with his pants partially dropped. Rage filled me, but I forced myself to creep along while watching the bastard forcibly kissing her. As he groped her breast, my free hand pulled the dagger out from under my cape. The thought of the poison covering the blade almost caused me to let out a triumphant chuckle when I aimed and sent an arrow into his exposed, hairy butt. He flinched, slapping his hand behind him. “Ah, damn bugs!” As I silently stepped next to the bed, I caught Ruby’s vacant eyes staring at the ceiling as she refused to acknowledge the worthless creep on top of her. “What?” Gilbert mumbled while swatting at his butt. The floorboard creaked under my foot, and Gilbert glanced back. His eyes grew wide when I leaped at him, pushing the dagger into his back. His gargled yell immediately muffled by my hand wrapped over his mouth. He bit down, crushing my finger into the blowgun I still held. I grunted in pain as I stabbed him again with the dagger. Frantically, he elbowed me with his elbow while he tried to roll away. Amid the fighting, Ruby slid down to the floor during the attack. She stared at the men in confusion, unsure of Gilbert’s attacker. The assassin’s face remained hidden behind a scarf and a hooded cape. Gilbert’s frantic fighting pushed away the hood to show Ruby her benefactor. Covan! A sudden surge of hope filled her, and she grabbed the edge of the bedsheet. Landing next to Covan, the woman stuffed the cloth into the shocked nobleman’s face. Covan tried to wrench his injured hand away, but Gilbert bit down through the bloody bedsheet. When he tried to yell for help, only a strange muffled gasping noise came out. When Ruby joined my fight by pummeling the nobleman in the head with her fists, her strikes allowed me to get my injured hand away. I tried to ignore the pain as I used my other hand to punch Gilbert’s covered mouth several times. Then, I held on to him while I struggled to get another arrow point with my free hand. The noble’s eyes widened when my scarf fell away and he recognized my battered-up face just as I retrieved the arrow. “Payback is a motherfucker, isn’t it?” I pushed the poison tip into Gilbert’s neck several times to ensure his death while Ruby watched the noble convulse. He struggled with an expression of disbelief and terror. Finally, white foam emerged next to the cloth jammed in his mouth. His vacant stare into the abyss finally told us he was dead. Still breathing hard, I slid down to the floor, and Ruby rushed over to hug me. As I regained my strength, I laid out the next steps of my plan. The fat bastard required Ruby’s help to get him into the bed and covered. She stared at me until I noticed her torn clothing. Scratches marred her breasts, and I wanted to kill Gilbert again. But I focused on a way to leave. “Find anything you can use as clothes in those drawers!” My ragged whisper sent Ruby toward the nearby chest. Glancing over the face-down body, I realized my stabs hadn’t gone deep into the man’s back. Sure, I struck his ribs both times, but it reminded me of how weak I was. But a grin came to my face when I noticed a bulging money bag still attached to his belt. My hurt fingers made me gasp in pain, but I used the dagger to cut off the bag. After I pocketed the coins in my cape, I rearranged Gilbert’s body, then covered it with the bedcovering. Arranging another lump in the bed using a pillow, I told myself our charade looked good enough to fool a servant taking a quick peek inside the door. It would fool them into believing their lord remained with Ruby in the bed. My hope required that we had enough time to escape from the city before daylight. Going over to Ruby, I could tell she wanted to say something. However, I shook my head and whispered for her to dress. The linen dressing ground was too large, but it would have to do. She pulled a brown woolen cape from the dresser, which carried the nobleman’s house emblem. If the guards caught her with it, the seal meant death. Since we were already at that point anyway, I just turned the cape inside out. When she finished changing into a linen shirt, I put the cape over her shoulders. Ruby still trembled from her treatment. A sudden urge to burn the house, along with the servants who allowed her to suffer, came to mind. But caution snapped back into my brain, and I kissed her on the cheek. “Let’s get out of this place!” I whispered. After helping her down from the balcony using the rope to slide down, I removed the improvised grappling hook and dropped it to the ground. Then, I went over the banister and let myself fall from the lowest part of the balcony. My fingers still ached from the crushing bite, but I didn’t harm my body. I snatched up the rope and led Ruby into the garden. We exited the estate using the same alley that I had come in by, which led us to an empty street. Quickly, we crossed over to the other side. As we followed the road, I felt like eyes were watching us. Ruby sensed it as well. She whispered about her concerns, and we slunk into a dark corner by a building. “Something is wrong,” I mumbled. After a long moment of watching over the darkened street, I saw no movement. However, I heard the marching sound of boots coming down the street toward us. Damn! Taking Ruby’s hand, I led us into another alley. While we watched and waited for the guards to pass, instead, they came to a stop a few buildings away. Each of them had lanterns, and the officer of the watch told them to split up and make their rounds. One guard came toward us, and we bolted deeper into the alley. Without light, Ruby and I groped along the wall, trying to keep quiet. I ran into a water barrel, but it only caused rats to squeal as they hurried away. The pain in my aching knee almost made me let out a groan. The man with the lantern inched toward us, stopping occasionally to check the doors. His light only lit up a few feet in front of him, so hoped we could find a spot to hide. After pushing deeper into the blackness, my heart stopped when we came against a wooden structure in the way. I groped around in the area and discovered a tall fence. But I couldn’t see how far up it went. Worse, the guard continued to come our way. “Over here!” Ruby whispered. She discovered a door on one side that seemed to enter the building next to us. We struggled to find a handle, but it appeared to be latched from the inside. In growing desperation, I pushed one of my sickle blades through the edge of the door and tried to use it as a lever. A loud click snapped from behind. We looked back at the shadowed area, and a figure dressed in black held a lantern under his cape. The sliver of light coming out showed us a gate in the fence. It stood open. The figure waved us toward the gate. Sliding out the sickle blade, I sighed. “I guess we don’t have an option.” We inched toward the figure as it backed into the darkness behind the open gate. A quick glance down the other end of the alley showed the guard approaching. With a sigh, I went through the gate with Ruby following. A voice whispered to close the gate. After Ruby did, we heard the click of a latch locking. “Follow me!” the male voice ordered. As we followed, we struggled to make out the path. The light from under the person’s cape in front of us only showed the moss-covered stones and our guide’s pair of boots occasionally. We came to a building with an open entryway and followed a flight of stairs down. We continued on for a while until we came out into a dark, open space. A moment later, I found us walking between rows of headstones. After going into the cemetery, we came to a small stone building. Inside, we found several benches near a type of altar. Our guide told us to wait and left through a dark passage by the altar. The temperature of the room felt cooler, and the blackness played with my mind as I heard noises all around us. Sliding out the dagger, I kept it hidden under my cloak. “I don’t like this place,” Ruby breathed with a shiver. A smile came to my face at her words. She no longer sounded like a Shakespearean actress. But I agreed with her caution. A light burst behind us. I turned in time to see a long rapier blade pointed at my throat. At the other end of the sword, a handsome young man stared at me with cold blue eyes. A pretty woman with an old-fashioned handgun pointed at us stood next to him. Her eyes glittered with amusement while she held up a lantern. “You stole our contract!” Chapter 10“How in the hell did you sneak up on us like that?” The words came out of my shock at the couple’s silent ability to get behind us. The man’s expression turned puzzled as Ruby grabbed my arm and pulled me back. “Listen, we don’t want to fight,” I said. “So just relax the weapons. I just got Ruby away from that bastard Gilbert. I appreciate your helping us get away from the guard.” “Did you really kill Lord Gilbert?” the pretty girl asked as she kept her matchlock pistol pointed at me. My attention focused on the ancient gun. Since it was so slow to fire, I could probably move out of the way. However, the rapier blade pointed at my throat made me snap out of my thoughts. I frowned, since I’m not sure if the wrong answer gets me killed or not. Instead, I tried to fudge it. “Not sure,” I lied. “We got out of there as fast as possible. I got him in the back with my dagger.” The man glanced over at the woman with the gun. “He’s lying. I watched him grinding up poisonous berries this afternoon. It’s a fresh poison he uses with small arrows, which he shoots from a blowgun. It’s a clever weapon we’ve not seen. He also killed a guard who patrolled the grounds.” The woman’s expression changed at the news. I pulled my dagger since I figured we’d have a fight, which I wouldn’t win. My hope was that Ruby could escape. The woman holding the gun nodded at the dagger I held in my injured hand as she questioned the man with the rapier. “It looks like we have a hidden noble with the looks of that dagger. Hansel, can we use him?” The man’s face scrunched up at the idea. I glanced at Ruby, who’s watching the conversation with wide eyes. I expect my expression showed the same look since the name sounded familiar. Yoo, I’m here listening to you! “What about the contract?” the swordman asked with a growl. “We’re out of gold if Gilbert died by their hands. We should remove them since they work for someone else.” “Listen, I don’t work for anyone, so how about a deal?” I interrupted. “We don’t know about this contract you’re talking about. Hell, if you want credit, you've got it. Since Gilbert is dead, we have to leave since people might come looking for us. You can leave us out of your problems.” They looked at me as if I suddenly had grown a horn through my forehead. Finally, the blond woman’s expression broke into a smirk. “So simple and dishonorable,” she giggled. “Eva will want us to make use of a noble with such wickedness! You say your life is in jeopardy, then explain.” Nodding, I described my encounter with Gilbert’s men early that day. The two strangers glanced at each other as I recounted my story. “You got angry and came up with a way to assassinate a lord in a day,” the girl mused. “Tell me about those sickles you have wrapped around your shoulders.” After I explained the modification to the two sickles, her eyes lit up. “I’ve seen grappling hooks used for ships, but the noise of hitting the stone or wood would give one’s position away.” “I wrapped cloth around it so it doesn’t make a not a lot of noise. Besides, the guards are lazy around here. They are looking for a place to sleep at night.” The woman agreed with a laugh as she turned to the young man with the sword. “He could be useful. What say you, brother?” The young man gave out a loud sigh while he drew back his sword. His easy movements convinced me of his highly trained skill with such a weapon. I certainly wouldn’t last long in a fight with him. “Gretel, you know I hate nobles. He’s too smooth with lies, if you ask me.” He paused, then gave me another glance. “Alright, I’ll go along. But I swear you’re going to be the death of me with your mercenary heart!” The woman patted him on the shoulder while she gave me an uncanny grin. As I watched her, I felt something off about her personality. She carried a kind of innocent cuteness. However, those icy irises of hers told me she’d kill in a heartbeat, probably with a grin on her face. The woman’s attention turned to Ruby. “This is strange. A gentleman saving a common wench. Do you follow him, red hair?” “To the end of this world and into the next,” Ruby firmly stated. “Well, learn to fight, so a man does not need to rescue you.” Gretel’s voice said evenly. “Join our guild and you can learn such things.” “I’ll do so if Covan does,” Ruby quickly agreed. Of course, her loyalty made me feel good, but I remained quiet. My silence came from trying to handle the fact I met two more fairy tale characters. Freaking Hansel and Gretel stand in front of me! In my world, the story told of a witch who kidnapped Hansel and Gretel. Gretel saved them by pushing the witch into an oven. Another morbid story for the children that twisted into something else in this world. “Fine, then what about you? Where are you from?” Gretel’s questions brought me out of my thoughts. “Ah, I’m from America and hiding from our king.” The woman paused at my words. “It’s a kingdom far beyond the seas, as you can tell from my words,” I continued my lie. “The ship grounded, and I barely survived.” “Then you’ll come with us,” Gretel finally announced. “Where are we going?” I asked while remaining cautious. “You’ll see. But if you swear we took care of the contract on Gilbert, my brother and I will ensure you can become part of our guild and receive protection,” she explained. “You already knew the king would seek to hunt down the person who killed the bastard noble. Tis a favor for a favor.” “As long as Ruby is part of this, I guess that’ll work.” I started to give the dagger to Ruby, then remembered she had no belt and barely anything under the robe she wore. “She needs clothing as well,” I said. “Can you help with that? I think I can pay a few coins.” I’m playing dumb about the money in my cape. No reason to give them knowledge that I robbed Gilbert. Hansel was staring at Ruby, and I frowned at his obvious gaze. He noticed, then looked away. “Both of you will need clothing,” he said. “The guild master will have some ideas. Come on!” Ruby and I followed the brother and sister. Hansel stood a few inches taller than me, and he had a wiry frame and a squared-off face. His long blond hair dropped over his shoulder after he pushed back his hood. He shared similar facial features with his sister, enough for me to think they were twins, despite the difference in height. Both moved with grace and ease amid the dark shadows along the twisting route through alleys. Gretel pulled out the lantern she held occasionally to light our way. By the time we reached a two-story building in the middle of a quiet street, I found myself lost. A series of specific knocks allowed us entry into the building, where an elderly lady with a white headscarf stood underneath the stairs. As we walked into the hallway of what appeared to be a family townhome, the women pushed open a panel beneath a stair and stood back. Ruby and I followed Gretel through the entrance and followed the stairs down to a cellar. Hansel locked the panel behind us, and his sister pulled open a door hidden under debris covering the dirt floor. Another staircase, this time built of stone, brought us to a long passage with stale water trickling through. Lights of some type of crystal lit the way. “This is one route to the entrance of our guild,” Gretel said as we walked along with the rats that moved out of our way. “You cannot enter the guild building directly.” “Then you have multiple passageways under the city from various points to reach your guild? That’s a lot of work. I guess it keeps the wrong people from finding your guild. That means your guild has a lot of money, which means power.” My observation caused Gretel to glance back at me. “You don’t sound surprised by what I’ve told you,” she replied. “Well, you mentioned the contract,” I shrugged. “A noble’s killing can’t be cheap, so someone must put up the gold. In my experience, gold equals power. The fact we’re taking such a long winding road means it’s difficult for new people to trace back to your secret guild.” Then I grinned at her. “Plus, you never gave us a name to this guild.” Certainly, I thought that was strange since I had never heard of such a guild without a public face in the mangas my kids read. It led me to believe that what was coming would be dangerous. My glance at Ruby showed me the concern and the excitement in her eyes as she held on to my sleeve. We finally came to another cellar and took the stairs up to another building. As we entered the huge open area, we saw tables nestled around the massive fireplace in the center of the room. Sitting at a few tables were people, mostly dressed in black, who drank from mugs or were playing cards. On one side of the room, we found a few rows of cots with people sleeping. Gretel turned to me with a Cheshire grin on her face. “Those who make it this far can finally discover the guild called The Six Servants,” she said. “Now, you’ll need to pass the test to stay here.” As I looked around, uneasiness enveloped me from the expressions on the brother’s and sister’s faces. “And if we don’t pass the test?” I was pretty sure I knew the answer, but I asked anyway. “Nobody will discover your bodies!” NEXT CHAPTERSEnjoying this story? Become a sponsor but subscribing at the link below.
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