"I-I'm not a good dancer,"
"Neither am I. Just a little something, please?"
He looked so tired and he stuck his bottom lip out a bit. It was cute and I did my best to not let it sway me, but in the end who could say no to him?
"Fine," I relented
"Great! I have something I want you to wear," He said jumping from his seat and rushing from the room.
"He wants me to dance. I have the coordination of a bull on ice," I grumbled
He ran back into the room looking overly excited. Unfortunately, he brought seven other people in with him.
"I-I did not know it would be an audience,"
"Nothing we haven't seen sweetheart, "Koren of course.
I glared at him before snatching the sheer fabric from Ari's hands and disappearing into the next room.
"Ari you pig!" I screamed staring at the scandalous clothing.
The "outfit" just consisted of a long silk scarf that was obviously meant to wrap around the more pressing areas.
"You all are so lucky I love you!" I yelled back not thinking about what I was saying.
I wrapped the scarf between my legs and guided the fabric up across my breasts.
I delicately wrapped the scarf starting around my neck. And crossing my chest and slipping to cover my sex.
Once everything was covered the best it could be I finally exited the room. The silence was deafening, but I refused to look up from my feet as I shuffled to the center of the room.
"Allayna," It was just my name, but the way he said it sent shivers down my spine.
I slowly looked up locking eyes with Ari.
"You said you loved us?" He questioned once he had my attention.
"I-I just it- it was," I stuttered
I thought the silence was due to the revealing outfit. Oddly enough they were barely looking at my body, opting instead to attempt to catch my eyes.
"I certainly hope you weren't going to say it was a mistake were you?" Koren interjected
"I-I was not," I squeaked
"Good, come here,"
I slowly made my way toward him. Once I was standing in front of him he motioned me to sit on his lap. It was difficult considering the current clothing I was wearing, but I managed to make myself comfortable.
"Allayna you love us correct?" Ari asked
I hesitated, but I finally nodded my head slowly.
"Good I would have hated to find that you did not feel the same way we did," Ren stated
"Same way?" I questioned
"Allayna, it might be hard to understand at this moment, but you have captured our hearts in so many ways," Ari stated
"You all never really acted as if you loved me,"
"We are fools. We were ignorant of our feelings. Honestly, the thought we might lose you seemed to wake us up a bit. We could not bear to have you leave us," Ren said
"It takes me almost dying for you to realize you actually care for me?" I asked slightly dumbfounded.
"It sounds ridiculous I know, but-"
"It didn't take any of you dying to realize you loved each other,"
"That is not necessarily true...
Tori
Life was abnormal for me from the beginning. I was born somewhere between the border of Galginash and the Morrowlands. My parents could not be bothered to care for me, so they left me with a woman in the Marrowlands. I stayed there until I was three years old. Then my parents showed up without notice killing the woman and taking me with them. From then on I was groomed to be an assassin. My parents worked for the King.
I had other siblings I knew nothing about. I vaguely remember other children a lot of them. We were trained together and tested each week, I was not sure if they were my actual siblings or not. At that point, it did not matter.
Our training was rural and if a child failed they would disappear.
I had no idea what that meant but I started to notice they would be lured out during the night never to be seen again. I took that as motivation never to fail a test. In the end, I was the only one left. When I was 10 years old I was sent on my first mission. It was simple, I was to kill a local lord.
It was night and the rain was pouring down heavily. I was drenched as I lifted the heavy golden knocker and slammed it against the door a few times.
After a few moments, someone answered. He was tall and slim and looked to be in his seventies.
"May I help you young man?" he asked me
"I'm lost I can't find my parents," I said simply schooling my face to appear almost scared.
"Oh, dear poor boy please come in out of the rain," The old man gestured. I knew he was not my target, just a butler doing his job. My real target sat in a sitting room right off the foyer. A pipe in his hand and his head in a book.
"Oscar who was that?" he asked not looking up.
"A small boy, he is lost it would seem," Oscar answered.
The man finally looked up and it was confirmed. Lord Gilrich Elroy, my target, was sitting right in front of me.
"Well, that won't do at all, son. Oscar gets him some dry clothes and put him in one of the guest rooms for the night. We shall find his folks in the morning," Lord Elroy ordered
Oscar nodded and quickly ushered me up the stairs. He made me a bath and left me clean clothing. Once he left me alone I put my plan into action. I warmed up in the tub and quickly dried and dressed. I waited patiently in my room until I knew for a fact everyone was asleep. In the dead of night, I slipped out of the room a sharp object in hand. I tiptoed down the hall to the stairs. My Intel stated his room was on the third floor last room on the left. I quickly made my way making sure not to make any noise.
The hall was slightly illuminated due to the moonlight through the large windows. Once at the door I slowly crept it open. Their snoring sounding in bed was my target. His wife was out of town for while. She made sure to do so, we let her know we do not do cover-ups or alibis. She promised to be gone. I tip-toed to the bed staring at the man. His throat was exposed and he looked so peaceful.
"I'm real sorry mister," I whispered before slashing the knife into his throat. It slipped through like a warm knife through butter.
That was my first time and I would never forget it. As I grew I became more requested
. Soon I was working for many high-profile people in the capital city. After that, I was working for the King exclusively. With that came a permanent residence in the palace and with that came the inevitable meeting between Prince Ari and me.
I was enamored with him the first time I saw him. A man so beautiful he almost brought tears to my eyes. Though that might be an exaggeration, he quickly became a light in my world of darkness. All I knew was death and solitude. Prince Ari was warm and kind and he was so clearly in love with someone already, or multiple someones. The more time I spent with them the deeper I fell for them, but I knew they only saw me as a friend.
Things turned around when I was given a mission by the King to kill an important council member in a foreign country.
I was to go undercover in another kingdom and was gone a long time. Once my mission was complete I was able to return. Upon my return, I was greeted with surprise.
Especially by Prince Ari.
"Tori?" He questioned the second he saw me. Almost immediately he gathered me in his arms. Before I could speak his lips were on mine and I could feel the wetness from his tears.
As it turns out the King was convinced I would get caught in my mission and sentenced to death, so he told everyone I was dead. Ari had a funeral for me and everything. I was surprised because I had not felt love like that since I was still with the woman from the Marrowlands.
After I told Allayna my story I felt good, to be honest with her. But I also knew I was not completely honest....
Once again I found myself in the king's study a grim look on his face.
"I need you to kill two very important this time," He started
"Yes, your majesty," I answered
"My son shall choose a woman to join his harem. Once he does there is a plan in the works. The job is simple Tori my boy. The moment this woman has reunited her two kingdoms and steps into the golden hall of kings, you are to cut her down,"
"Who is this woman?"
"Her name is Allayna, Allayna Steelewater."