You know those bad feelings you get when something's bound to happen, well I get those more often that most people. My name is Shay and I'm immortal. I know that Mase will probably kill me if she knew I was writing this but, hey, I love to live on the edge. So, if you're reading this, you can be slightly trusted by me. Which that is a VERY small number of people and it's slowly shrinking by the day. But let's get past that, my true reason for writing this is so I don't forget my past. Unlike Mase and the rest of my adoptive family I live with (for now), I've met other immortals in my time. They've taught me many things and I haven't seen them in centuries. So to Tailo and Sophia, thanks, and I hope your both happy, so I can meet you all over again. Lunghi, felici in tensione e liberano.
I don't know my real birth date but I know it was around the BC era. I was born in Rome, the daughter of a member of the senate. But, they left me behind cause they accused me of treachery and of being a spy for the Greeks, they were wrong. I wandered far from Rome to Egypt. Nine years before Cleopatra was born, I became one of her parent's servants. Two year before she was killed, I was turned into an immortal. The memory is still fuzzy, so I don't have many details about it. Maybe if I meet this person, I will remember. But anyways, I awoke in a house that looked abandoned, but just recently. The fire was still going, but ever so faintly. The embers had a faint glow. The cabinets looked torn apart, but the food wasn't moldy.
I was almost going to ask Cleopatra to join me in my immortality, but I left before I could ask. (And this was before I knew about Haven.) A few weeks later, she was murdered and I was back in Rome. New identity, no family, and a big world to explore. Oh, I forgot to mention, my first name really wasn't Shay. It was Selena, but I changed back and forth when moved from country to country, decade after decade.
I wandered around for a few years, trying to find someone like me, with no success. Until 600 A.D, when I met Tailo. Tailo was different, much different. We found each other in a Jerusalem market. I was taking on the identity of an assassin, a good one, while he was a merchant. My target just went into his shop, so I slowly followed them in. Just as I was pulling out my knife, Tailo comes up from behind whispered to me "are you sure? I mean if you have to, you can." "I have no choice, either kill him, or my boss starves me for 3 years," I say to him (my boss knew some how I was immortal).
"People always have a choice; it's up to you to decide." I consider his words for a few moments, and then put my knife back in its holster. "Fine, for now I will listen to your words. But what would you have done if I did kill him?" "Hmm," he thinks "nothing. I couldn't have stopped you. But that one decision could ruin your life. Even if yours goes on forever." I gasp "How...?" he cuts me off.
"Hehe, looks like we both have problems. Listen, come back a dusk. I'll explain how I know." I turn around to leave, "But wait! Don't go back to your boss. He's dead, killed by enemy assassins. It'll be best if you hang around in the market or out of town." He exclaims. "I can handle myself, thanks. I'll come back," he gives me a look, "I promise." I sprint off into the crowd, with his eyes staring at my back.
Chapter 2
I run up to the roof tops, just to get away from the busy crowds. I learned the guard movements a while ago, I run past before they turn around. All they feel is a gust of wind. While running and jumping across the rooftops, I consider Tailo's offer. "Of course I won't go," I think to myself. "But then again, he did know a lot about me. And I can't leave open ends." I think of my boss, I was going to kill him in four weeks after I have earned enough money, but someone beat me to it. As I get to the "secret" (found it while I was not an assassin, and for a place to hide from the guards) entrance, I get a bad feeling. As if the killer was still inside, waiting for someone.
I jump down without making a noise, closing the hatch behind me. In complete darkness, I stay still for 2 minutes (immortals take shorter time to a just), letting my eyes get use to the darkness. Knowing where all the creaks in the boards are, I creep slowly to my room. As I reach my room, I know someone is deeper in the hideout. I hear someone step on a creak in the floorboards. I rush into my room, closing my door quietly, but quickly. Rushing to the chest on the far side of my room, I open it quickly and grab my set of knives, poisons, and armored chest plate which no knives or swords can penetrate.
I then climb up the wall next to my door, using the doorframe as a footrest. The cracks in the wall for handgrips. A few seconds later, the door opens and a young man steps in just outside the doorframe. I am about to pounce when another voice calls him "Stop checking Yale, no one is left. I made sure that everyone of those so-call assassins was taken care of, even that girl you saw." The young man (the one named Yale, I assume) swears under his breath and walks out, closing the door behind him.
I breathe a sigh of relief, jump down on to the ground, and think of my next course of action. "Tailo was right, the boss was killed or taken. I guess he got what was coming." I think to myself "now how to get out without being seen, option 1 is to kill all the men and run from the city. Option 2 is to run to Tailo, and figure what he knows. Option 3 is just to run away again. Seeing as it's almost impossible to get out without being seen, I combine option 1 and 2."
I open my door and creep into the shadows, and see a man standing next to the window, occasionally looking outside. I decide on a simple route and take him out quietly to avoid being spotted by the other guards. "Sono stato costretto a concluderlo" I mutter as he looks in my eyes. (Italian, my favorite langue) Down the hall, I hear a man scream as he is dying. "It should be my hand, not someone else's." I then sprint down the hall just as a man falls flat on the floor, blood pooling on the floor and on his silk shirt.
I look around the room and see Tailo, cleaning his knife, smiling and looking at my face. "What are you doing here?" I say quietly, thinking more people were about to try to kill us. "Saving your life, you wouldn't see him in time and he would have stabbed you in your 'spot'. You're lucky I saw it just after you left," He says normally. "Fine then Mr. Seer. Is anyone else here trying to kill me?" "No, I got the last two. One on the way in here, and the one that's at our feet."
I look at him closely, he does not have anything that gives away that he is immortal. I just get a feeling he has different from most people here. "I'll explain everything once we get back to my apartment. It's safer there than here, also the noise this guy made," he kicks the body, getting blood on his shoe. "Made a whole lot of noise when I took him down. The neighbors are contacting the guards now." "GO!" I scream, knowing the closest guard in less than 5 minutes away. We both blow out the last candle on the desk, making the room go dark. About to leave, I grab my boss's body and push it up against the wall, making his cold hand hold his knife. "Nice, making it look like self defense, bleeding to death." We both run back up the hallway, stopping at my room for my locket, before running out again through the secret entrance.
Chapter 3
As we run across the rooftops, I begin to think of questions to ask Tailo. I am sure he will answer them. Seeing as he can look into the future and past, he might already know me questions and knows how to answer them. "Sono confuso!" I mutter, "What are you talking about?" Tailo says to me after we stop for him to catch his breath. I can run forever, but Tailo can't. "Nothing, just debating something in my head." "Out loud?" "Just keep running." I tell him, and he starts running again. Faster, and with more of a jump I notice. He appears to be happy, so we must be getting close to the apartment.
Just, when we get there, I notice the salty air and the smell of rotting fish. "The fish market? You live in an apartment in the fish market?" "No, well not an apartment. And not in the fish market. Closer to the docks and it's more of.... Well you'll see." He hesitates at the end, knowing I've been living in dumps for my past hundred years. Realizing where we are, I signal for him to slow down, knowing we're far enough away from the hideout. Also I notice he's breathing is irregular, heavy, and a slight sore throat. "Slow down, you're going to kill yourself if you run too hard!" "It's just ahead, I'll live." He wheezes, "You might be able to see it from here." I look ahead and see a ship. Alongside the shore, a large house painted like the sand and brush to blend in. "Is that yours?" I say in astonishment "Yea, but the ship is better, I travel and trade with people around the world. Best crew I could ask for and a ship that handles the worst the sea throws at it." As we get closer, I count the number of crew. About fifteen people, plus Tailo I would have to dispose of to keep my immortality a secret. Down on the beach, Tailo addresses the crew and they begin getting the ship ready to leave the port. Bowing Tailo says "Ladies first." I shake my head and step aboard.
He then leads me below deck and into the captain's room. Closing the door he speaks. "We are safe to talk. Now, before I answer any of your questions. I have a proposal; you come with me to my next trading deal. You will act as my wife, but your job will be as a bodyguard. I know that this deal will go bad, and I saw how you could help." For a moment I'm caught off guard. "And if I agree to your proposal, what happens after?" "We can go our separate ways, either by death or by living foot." I hold back a gasp. "What about the crew? Or the people at you next trading stop? Won't they be surprised to see a woman there?" he shrugs "People expect a man like me to have a wife by now. And the crew doesn't care; I told them I'd return to the ship with a lady friend."
Considering my options, I sigh. "Fine, I agree. But no funny business or I'll..." "Don't worry! I know what you're capable of. I'm a complete gentleman." He then opens the door and leads me to a room. "Ahem, take all the time you need. I'll just be on the deck." He closes the door behind me, and I fall down. Muttering curse words, I wonder what I got myself into.
Chapter 4
In the morning, I wake up to a pounding headache and some sea sickness. Not the best combo when you're on a ship with men. So splashing some water on my face, I walk up deck. Taking a deep breath of salty air, I look around for Tailo. A crew member notices me and says "He's still below deck. Breakfast might not be good, but it's in the kitchen." "Thanks," I say "I'll go find him." Going back below deck, I knock on Tailo's door. A sound of shuffling papers and a scraping of a chair come from inside. He then opens the door and motions for me to come inside. After the door is closed and I'm seated does he talk. "Now, the men in the meeting may look nice," I interrupt "but looks can be deceiving." He gives me a look and I wait for him to continue. "Yes, so you mustn't trust them. But act like you do. So you do what you have to, because the men think you're obedient."
"Get to the point, or I'll swim to shore." I mutter becoming impatient "And I can follow orders. Just when I feel like it." He gives me another look and continues "so now that you get that, ask away. I'll answer your questions." Thinking carefully, I ask "how did you come across the ability of seeing into the future. You're not immortal, humans shouldn't have abilities." "Good first question. I was born with it. Some fortune tellers are real. But a vast majority is fake." Thinking again, I realize I have no more questions. "Can I ask you again later?" "Of course, for now let's head up stairs." Taking my hand he leads me back up on deck. Hearing murmurs on how lucky Tailo is from the crew, I give the gossipers as major headache. (I keep forgetting to tell you people things. I got my mind reading powers when I turned immortal.) Tailo glares at me and I sigh, then take away the pain from the crew. Before I start laughing at how the crew becomes confused , I head toward the rail.
Surprising me, Tailo wraps his arms around my waist. I'm about to say something when he murmurs "might as well live up to the part." Sighing, I leave his arms around my waist and stare out to sea. I also listen to the crew's thoughts about this picture of Tailo and I. Smiling, I murmur to Tailo "the crew seems to approve of this. What did you do?" He smiles and says "nothing, they were all married once. They respect young love." He winks at me and puts his head on my shoulder while still holding me.
Chapter 5
After dinner, the crew cleans up the kitchen while Tailo takes me out side. "Best part about being in warm areas is being outside at night and not be cold." He then looks up at the stars and points to a star. "That star is mine. Everyone on earth has one. " I look up and pick a dull star far from his. "That one is mine." He looks at me with a weird look and shakes his head. "No, yours is this one," he points to a brighter one that's even closer to his. "Why are we fighting over stars? We see them every night they never change!" Before Tailo can comment, the crew comes up from below with three members carrying musical instruments. I give him a questioning look and he addresses the crew. "Men! Tonight we have a guest aboard! Let us show her our hospitality!"
They nod and the three crew members begin playing a tune. Tailo takes my hand and begins to dance with me. I, having yet to dance a day in my immortal life, give Tailo a worried look. But he assures me quietly how the men won't care. For a while, Tailo and I dance with the crew clapping to the beat. When the song is over, one of the crew taps on Tailo's shoulder and notions to me. Being a 'gentleman' he place my hand on the crew member's hand and steps back, joining the crew in clapping to the beat. Laughing, he (literally) swings me around the deck with the crew laughing along. While I'm scared I'm about to fly off, Tailo steps back in and laughs at me. "That's just George's way of welcoming you. He's actually very careful around women."
A little while later, after the men have been down below deck for some time. I walk back up and stare at the moon. "La bella notte fuori nella luce stellar." I open my locket and the children's lullaby begins to play. I begin to feel homesick, when Tailo (once again) wraps his arms around my waist. I hold in my tears as he sways back and forth, murmuring words I don't pay attention to. But there is one I do, "I lost everyone too, so you're not alone in this." And that's when I turn around and look at his face. He had a serious face on, with sad eyes. With my head on his chest, he continues on how he lost his family when he was young.
Before I know it, I'm talking about my story. On how I was betrayed by my own childhood friend, and how the council believed him. Also how my mother helped to the best of her ability, and how my father didn't do a single thing. How my brother got me on a ship then was killed for treason for helping me escape. While telling Tailo this, he stays quiet. Until the end, when he closes my locket and kisses me. And not just the simple peck on the lips.
Tears streaming, I let him carry me below deck into his room. Lit by only two candles, he places me on one side of the bed and tucks me in. Then blows out the candles and climbs in the other side. Snuggling up close to him I close my eyes, and dream about nothing.