Golden Storms | #Wattys2020

11. W O U N D

Ustad had trained them well.

"Ozer! Take the far right!" Taimur boomed, and it was the loudest Ali had ever heard the snake like man ever speak, "Marwan- accompany him!"

Ozer and Marwan rose off, leaving Ali and Zain and the other Hashshashin soldiers to engage. The opposition were already beginning to try to flee, and it hadn't even been half an hour yet.

Please be over soon Ali prayed. He could not help but imagine Taghridi men fighting so ferociously had they stayed behind, only to be murdered by those trained only to kill.

He was glad there had been no Battle of Taghrid. It would never have been a real battle.

Hudayfa watched the fighting from the cave like crevice he and his curse were sitting in. It was a good distraction from that thing he had to protect, that being he wished had never made it out of the God foresaken town a few suns ago.

He observed their new additions, pleased at their skill. At least he would not have to train the boys, at least they would be able to carry the mantle much more easily then he, Taimur, Ozer and Yunus had. They had learnt everything in battle the hard way. For these boys, battle was only a validation of their learning.

Pretty boy Yunus knocked a soldier over a ledge, Zain swiftly slit his throat on his descent as though he'd been waiting for it. Ehsan and Ibrahim were untouchable, and Hudayfa would be surprised if they'd received so much as a cut.

Raza, as largely built as Marwan, sought out his opponents rather than them running to him.

That old man Hussein had trained them well.

His fiancé was so silent he suddenly remembered she was still there. He subtly glanced in her direction, just to make sure.

She was sitting down some way away, also gazing down at the scene below. He had yet to see her face, but she seemed not to be upset- a strange dimension of behaviour for a spoilt princess of Tridari.

The light of the fires in contrast to the darkness around them cast her usually blinding golden eyes to a more toned down, less piercing gaze. Her lashes cast shadows on her burgundy veil, and her brows seemed darker and more defined. The firelight suited her golden skin, it suited her temper, it suited what he felt when he laid eyes on her.

A contempt so strong it would burn her resolve until she was nothing but a shell, and then his revenge would be satisfied, and he would be free.

She noticed his gaze before he could hastily look away. She raised an eyebrow, her calm expression shattering into one of insolence.

"Cast your gaze away from me" she demanded, and he felt his knuckles whiten as fury bubbled inside him, "we are not yet married, and I wish to enjoy my last days of freedom"

He crossed the distance between them with lightening speed, hand tightening around her shoulders and pushing her back into the rocky cave wall. Her eyes widened in shock before narrowing in anger, but he'd had enough. His fist slammed down on the hard rock beside her head, and he had the satisfaction of finally seeing a glimmer of fear cross her eyes.

"Enjoy these days while you can, princess" he hissed, face so close he could make out the pure gold of her eyes even more clearly then before, "because once you are mine your life is going to be hell. You will wish you died in your excuse of a village. You will see this pride, dignity and innocence of yours burn at my hands one by one. That is my promise to you ya daughter of Khalifa, and I never fall short of my word."

His voice had dropped so low and yet it was the loudest sound between them. His eyes were so close to hers that he could see as they gradually filled with tears. He felt nothing at the sight but a dull satisfaction that she finally understood what was in store for her. What she deserved for ever underestimating Hudayfa, the Hashshashin of Hashshashin.