Danger || Narry AU ✔

Chapter 8

I frowned, shrugging before turning and making my way down to the market. Again, all I heard was the breeze teasing the leaves and silence. A few cattle calls and a neigh but for the most part the whole journey was scarily quiet. As I approached the market, I found out why everywhere else was quiet: Everyone was here. I made my way through the crowd, mumbling apologies as I went. People were cheering, talking excitedly with each other, and I noticed as soon as they spotted me entering the crowd that the chatting was less excited- they held a tone of fear. Were they scared of me? Or what I was doing back? Either way I didn’t care much. I made my way to the center, and spotted what all the commotion was about- the commotion that had now died down and turned into small worried conversations- Niall was in the center of the market.

I watched him confused as he talked eagerly to Rueben, fuck I was confused as hell. They were all excited because of Niall?

“Ah! Harry there ya are mate! Where’d ya disappear off to ya bugger? Come ‘ere!” Niall called out, and I could feel everyone’s eyes on me, waiting watching to see what I would do. To see if I would kill him- but I could tell they were all confused too. It seemed everyone but Niall was confused as hell, and that was only because he didn’t know of my career. I watched as Rueben’s eyes widened comically and I almost glared at him. Who knew he was a fan of riders? His eyes filled with fear, but I just planted a fake smile on my face and made my way over to them.

“There ya are! There were so many people in the market that I thought I might never find you.” I exclaimed, eying everyone as they stayed around to watch the scene unfold.

“Right everyone! Back to work, the guards ‘ll be back any minute now.” Rueben called and everyone followed orders, curious gazes burning holes in my back.

“New guards then? What happened to the old ones? It seems the king is rotating ‘em every couple a days. Lookin’ for me I presume.” Niall asked Rueben, smirking as Rueben nodded in agreement. My head was spinning, thoughts rolling around a mile a minute. I felt betrayed, I thought I had known Reuben but apparently not if he was so buddy-buddy with the rider that I was sent out to kill.

“So tell me, what about this new slayer out to get me? What did you say his name was- Harry Shyles or somethin’ like that?” He questioned, now one hundred percent serious. Rueben’s eyes shot to me for a minute before going back to Niall, and my face whitened. I could feel the blood running away from my face, the paleness setting in as my heart pumped quickly in my chest. My palms began to sweat and I hoped to god that Rueben wouldn’t out me.

“Styles. Yeah, But remember what I asked earlier.” He answered back, worry and caring in his voice and Niall nodded, waving him off.

“I promised ya. I won’t kill him if I ever come across him- I promise. I’ll go easy on the lad that you’re so fond of. I recognize the name though, if you hadn’t asked I don’t know if I would have kept myself from killing him. Where’d his dad run off to anyways? Bastard just killed his best mate’s wife and runs off. You recon the rider will know?” And I froze, trying to process all the new information that had just hit me square in the face. Best mates? Run off? I thought he was dead?!?

“He doesn’t, none of us do. You know we would have told ya if we knew anythin’ and neither does he. As far as he knew his dad was dead.”

“Least he had some good memories then, he didn’t have to think of his dad as a back-stabbing coward.” Niall muttered thoughtfully, and in that moment I admired him a whole hell of a lot. Because instead of wishing harm on me, he said he was glad that I hadn’t known- that I hadn’t seen my dad for who he was, for how he was. He wanted me to cherish the good.

“Oi! You lot! What the bloody ‘ell are you doing out here instead of working. You pathetic pieces of shit!” A guard yelled, hitting Rueben in the gut- making him grunt and kneel- and I wanted to kick the shit out of this guy. But Niall had other plans.