Chapter III
Realizations
Follow the White Rose
Over the next few days, Kiara and Aaron were not particularly chatty but conversations came and went. They were normally just idle banter, talking about the weather or anything else to keep them entertained. An odd silence was dragged out after several days of the idle chats becoming too forced. Kiara didn’t seem to want to talk and nor did Aaron. It turned into a week, and then another of total silence between them. The white elephant had returned and neither of them knew how to make it go away, and though they tried to think of something worth while to speak of, they could not. Everything would turn them back to Kiara’s near death two weeks ago. It had been more than a month since this adventure started and so far, Kiara hadn’t asked the question that was strongly bothering her. Why did Aaron really offer to come with her on this journey?
When they stopped in towns on the rare occasion that they found one along the way, Aaron kept up a high vigilance as he looked around. Kiara didn’t understand what made him so paranoid. She was the daughter of the Raven, the Head of the Assassins Guild. The rare rouge assassin had no reason to target her. Besides, despite her near death encounter, she could handle herself better than one might think. She just had to be focused and she had been good about staying alert. She humored him though, when he asked her to stop in an Inn for the night.
They had gotten into the habit of sharing a room and when it was especially chilly, the bed. Aaron would normally sleep on the left and she would take the right. They would normally keep their backs to each other and go to bed again in silence. She hadn’t minded about that because if it was going to start getting cold and there was only one bed in their shared rooms, she did not want to be the one freezing on the cold floor. When it got cold enough to the point that even half a dozen blankets could not keep them warm, Kiara allowed Aaron to cuddle up to her for warmth. Those days were growing in number adequately enough that Kiara was becoming very used to sleeping in his arms.
That’s what made their friendship so odd and strange. They were used to hugging and cuddling at night as if they were lovers which they were indeed not. It made Kiara worry sometimes that someday, Aaron might feel that it was time to move their friendship beyond just a friendship. Kiara could only hope that day didn’t come because when it did, she would be reliving her sixteenth birthday and the worst day of her life.
Kiara kept trying to make sure she didn’t fall in love with Aaron but it was getting increasingly difficult to resist. She found him to be everything she could ask for in a man but something was holding her back; she just didn’t know what it was. She was trying to make sure that she was able to keep a wonderful friend by not getting involved which is why she stopped being so friendly toward him after another half-month. She was still kind to him of course but she did not grab his hand and hug him so easily now. She was trying to put a wedge between Aaron and her heart but no matter what she tried or forced herself to think; she was falling in love with him faster by the day.
It was a light fall day. It wasn’t terribly cold or hot but just along the temperature that Kiara loved to have. She found that she could no longer run about in her summer clothes and started to don the few long sleeved shirts and such that she had. She sold the only dress she had on her to get warmer gear after a little while. Aaron didn’t seem to mind either way. He tended to wear a balance between a long sleeved, short sleeved shirt or even go shirtless. He didn’t do that often anymore which Kiara could not deny she missed it. She would not admit it aloud but would only admit it to herself.
The day was bright and the sun was high. There were no clouds in the sky and the air was crisp and fresh. A light breeze came and went from time to time. Kiara and Aaron were traveling toward a town that was barely a mile from them. She noticed Aaron smiling softly at her from time to time and would smile back but she didn’t understand why he was smiling to begin with. She wondered what he was thinking more than once a day but remembered that she would have to act as if she didn’t notice. She could not let anything come between their growingly fragile friendships. She was not about to lose the most wonderful man she had ever met.
Kiara and Aaron had begun making light conversation again, but again; they mainly spoke of unimportant matters such as the weather. It might not be the normally high level of intelligence in a conversation that Kiara loved but she found it far better than not speaking to Aaron at all and besides; if they must speak of anything, let it be something nonchalant and easy rather than something forced and difficult. The weather actually turned out to be a rather pleasant subject for every now and then, like today, it would cause one of them to speak, usually Aaron, and to speak of old pleasant memories and then their old banter would slowly come back. That would make Kiara realize that she was going to start becoming too friendly once again and then nervousness would return followed by silence.
She hated their conversations being so forced but she loved and cared about him too deeply to lose him because her foolish and unruly ways.
As they went into town, they saw a bar on the very first road bouncing with happiness and excitement. In her own enthusiasm, Kiara grabbed Aaron by the hand and pulled him inside. Realizing that it was so active because of a group of girls who were dancing in the center of the bar, Kiara smiled brightly and went back out, Aaron right behind. He gave her a confused look as she said, rather flighty, “We should go rent a room at an Inn. I want to drop off my bag so I can join in the fun. Oh, please, Aaron!” She said grabbing both his hands and looking hopeful.
He smiled and nodded, “Alright, sure, let’s go then before they decide to cool it down.” They ran off and found an Inn not five minutes down the road. They checked in, settled into the room, and ran back.
When they went in, Kiara found that the girls were dancing to a very upbeat song in unison. She went up to the front of the crowd, Aaron by her side. She waited until she was sure she knew the steps before jumping in, grinning as the crowd cheered at her bold move. She saw Aaron smiling brightly at her as he watched. She gave him a wink and kept dancing, smiling over at the girl next to her who was giggling at Kiara’s boldness as she said as they danced, “You’re pretty good!”
Kiara smiled more. “Thanks! I’m novice at best.”
She laughed more and said, “My name is Mikala. What’s your name?” She said as they did a turn with their hands above their heads before slowly sinking to the floor, placing their palms against the floor boards and shooting back up.
“My name is Kiara! It’s nice to meet you.” She said as they got into a jig where they kicked one leg back and forth twice, alternating every two kicks as their hands rest on the hips.
The song ended just as Mikala reached over and grabbed Kiara’s hand, shaking it gently. “I hope we can become friends while you’re here.” Mikala had long blonde hair that was dyed several different colors. On the right side of her head, the hair was bright red and on the left, it was black while the baby hair underneath was brown while the rest remained blonde. Her hair was a bit past her shoulders and very pretty. Her eyes were a deep greenish blue. She was slim and curved in all the right places. "My hair is horrible."
Kiara smiled at her, “No! I think you look rather cute.” The dancing group was discussing something and Kiara then said, “Shouldn’t you be over with them discussing the next set?”
Mikala laughed. “Heavens, no! Like you, I just jumped in randomly.” She said as they moved out of the way of the dancers. Kiara giggled slightly at that.
Kiara chuckled, “By the way, I wanted to ask. How did you get your hair that way? It’s cute.”
Mikala smiled and giggled. “Berries, I dyed my hair with berries. I was originally a brunette just so you know. It took time to mix the right berries to get a color yellow enough to call blonde.”
Kiara giggled a bit and said, “Well, you look wonderful. Oh! Might I introduce you to a friend of mine?”
Mikala put a hand on her hip and said with a grin, “Only if you let me introduce you to one of mine.”
Kiara grinned widely, “Sure! I get to go first!” She said grabbing Mikala’s hand and leading her over to Aaron, who was sipping ale. She went up to Aaron and said excitedly, “Aaron! Meet my new friend, Mikala.” Mikala winked and smiled and Aaron nodded at her with a slight smile.
He then said kindly, “Can we go now?”
Kiara kissed his cheek. “You can. I’m staying. I’m having fun and I really think you should stay too.”
He started to talk when Mikala grabbed her hand and pulled her off into the crowd. She turned back to face him, walking backwards before smiling at him. He could only grin and follow her as Mikala led her over to a table in the back with a young man sitting at it. He had dark short brown hair and deep brown eyes. He was rather handsome and lean. He wore simple baggy clothing. She smiled in a friendly manner as Mikala walked over and said, “Jon, this is my new friend Kiara and her friend Aaron.”
Kiara bowed her head in respect as he said, “My, my! She’s beautiful, Mikala!” This made her blush a bit.
Aaron came up behind her and said kindly, “I have to agree with him, Kiara. You are very beautiful.”
She blushed a bit more and shook her head. “Such kind words from the mouth of a man that is far too generous to one such as I, may my manner remain humble sweet. Kind words that I do not deserve, please do not bestow on me, but a Lady of worth.”
Mikala clapped gently. “We have a poet in the room.” She grinned. “My mother loved that. Didn’t Queen Leila write it when she was seventeen?”
Kiara grinned and said, “Aye that she did.” Aaron smiled at her and Jon did as well. He came over from the table and took her hand, bowing over it and kissing the back of it softly.
She looked away for a moment as she thought up a way to deny him. He had begun to kiss up her bare arm. He was at her shoulder as she said, “Love is like a rose that blooms in spring,” She looked him straight in the eye and added, “But the rose that blooms too quickly dies fastest.” Aaron and Mikala both let an “Oo!” or two before starting to ridicule Jon for his loss as he backed away from her.
She smiled sweetly and said, “The fires of Hell burn faster than any flame I hold for a man that would be so forward on first meeting.”
Jon looked confused. “Isn’t Hell supposed to be cold?”
She smiled a bit too sweetly now as she said, “Exactly, my young friend.” She bowed and turned on her heel to grab a drink.
Mikala followed after her. “I never knew you could be such a poet.” She smiled. “I’m a little jealous. I could never remember enough poems to be able to quote them like that.”
Kiara chuckled. “My father said that if I wanted to train with my brother, I had to learn to read and write properly. I had to memorize something to make him happy that I’d learned enough before he’d let me finally train with my brother. I decided to memorize poems that were good for turning off overeager young men.”
Mikala snickered a bit. “Nice call on that.” Mikala then said, “I wish I was so lucky. My father is selling his shop.” She sighed sorrowfully. “I’ll never get to see Nick again.”
“Nick?” Kiara asked in a way of asking and teasing. “Is he your lover?”
She blushed. “Daddy hates him for it but yes. He’s amazing. He’s the sweetest, smartest, funniest, and most incredible man I’ve ever met! I wish I could be like you Aaron, though.”
“Whoa,” Kiara said in a worried shock, “What do you mean like me and Aaron? There is no me and Aaron. He and I are just friends, Mikala.”
Mikala looked confused. “You two seem like so much more…” She smiled softly. “I think in time, you’ll see that I’m right.”
Kiara shook her head with a grin, “I think you will find that Aaron does not feel that way toward me, nor will he ever. I’m just not lady enough.”
It was three days later when Aaron and Kiara finally decided to head out. Mikala and Jon insisted on coming. When Kiara asked about Nick, Mikala informed her that the main reason her father hated him was because Nicolas was an accomplished thief and a little too proud but she loved him all the same. It would pain her to find out that they were not heading toward the Guild, but to the next best thing.
The Guild was infamous for its very large, very extravagant and court’esa loaded mansion. Any thief that knew the code could enter, but the code was one of Hunter’s making. It was so obvious- that not even the cleverest thief would realize it without being told. Though, Kiara had but then she understands the way Hunter workings because she herself thinks very similar to how his mind does. They arrived within a week and found the huge mansion with every window lit with light and people could be seen as silhouettes dancing and partying. That was usually what was going on. Thieves were party animals, no matter what anyone else tells you. Kiara only grinned and walked up to the large door and knocked. The door cracked and she was asked, “What’s the code?”
“The code is open the damned door!” She said with a snappy attitude. He grinned and let her in, “Good day, Miss Lien.”
She smiled sweetly. She’d been using that as her code since she was seven. They knew it was her on sight when she used it. She went in, her band, as they’d be dubbed, behind her. She looked around and wasn’t surprised to see a few people from the main HQ around, flirting with both female and male court’esa. She wasn’t really surprised though. Court’esa habitually ran rabid around this place. She could only grin as she looked around. She grabbed a young maid and muttered in an undertone, “Prepare rooms, three of them. I want four baths ready, one for me and each of my friends. The second the water is hot and ready, find me. My friends and I will probably be on the second floor. Have food in each room as well. Understood?” She nodded and scurried off. Kiara let her and then motioned to her friends to follow her upstairs. Jon had protectively put an arm around Mikala’s shoulders and for the sake of not having men grab at her, she let him. Kiara grinned at Aaron. He was keeping up his ever vigilant watch. She smiled and grabbed his hand, giving it a squeeze. “It’s fine. Let your guard down for tonight. You’ll be safe here, I promise.”
He smiled at her and squeezed her hand in return, letting his shoulders loosen up to show that he would calm down. She smiled a bit more and led them up stairs and started laughing with the boys when Mikala squealed in joy. In the room was a bar that was all along the far wall to the right. Three small steps encircled a large dance floor where a group of five girls were dancing in unison and one was singing. People were all over the place and Kiara just grinned at Mikala and walked into a crowd, still holding Aaron’s hand. She told Mikala and Jon to meet up by the bar every twenty minutes to make sure they didn’t miss their baths and let them go cold.
She pulled Aaron over to a large window after they got drinks and let his hand go, finally. She looked out at the moon. “I miss coming here with my uncle in the summers. Some of the best court’esa I’ve ever had have been here.” She said with a slight red tint going across her cheeks.
He chuckled at that and sipped his champagne before taking on a displeased look and setting it down, not caring if someone stole it. “Remind me to stick to rum.” She smiled and nodded as she looked back out at the moon. He stood beside her. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
She nodded again, “It is. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be able to touch it. I envy the Gods. They can do whatever they want.”
He shrugged. “Yes but the price is watching people you may come to love die while you remain the same. The must live for eternity. They cannot die, no matter how badly the urge may take them. The responsibilities they have are incredible. Don’t envy them. I pity them.”
She grinned. “You worship those you pity?”
He chuckled, and said kindly, “I pity them in the sense of the lives they have to live. I still worship them because they do wonderful things for thousands everyday. They’re Gods.” He then said, in a low, teasing, and slight mocking tone, “They can do anything.” His face was right in front of hers with less than an inch of breathing room.
She became acutely aware of how close he was. She cleared her throat and turned her head to face the dance floor. Mikala had joined the group and was singing a rather upbeat song. She grinned a bit and said, pointing the conversation away from the previous topic, “Mikala sure is enjoying herself.” Aaron straightened, so he was no longer bent as he was. He was standing at his full height as he nodded and nabbed rum off a tray a waitress had. Kiara realized that he had either wanted to kiss her or her obvious dodge had offended him because she had acted like that was his intention when it might not have been.
“Is it always this packed and loud?” Aaron asked suddenly.
She grinned a bit. “Nah, come here in the morning. It’s quiet and pretty much deserted until dusk. Thieves are party animals. Pirates stop in here sometimes too. That’s somewhat rare but it’s really fun when they do.”
He laughed a bit and said, “You’re insane, I hope you know that.” He said as he chugged his rum.
She smiled and watched his Adam’s apple bob as he finished it off in that one chug. She giggled and said, “Did you enjoy the rum?” He nodded as she stepped up to him, her face as close as she could get it without going on tiptoe as she said very softly, “My insanity is the reason you stick around.”
He leaned into her, his head bent slightly as he said in that low sexy voice he tended to use, “I stick around because I care.” He pulled out a white rose and gave it to her. “If you ever need me when I’m not here, follow the white rose.”
“Hey, Kiara, look over here!” Kiara’s head whipped to her right, making her crack her neck. She winced and looked around for the source of the voice. She looked a good bit until she spotted Mikala.
A few men were beating the hell out of Jon and one was trying to walk off with Mikala. She and Aaron ran over. She shoved the men apart and knowing on sight, everyone stopped moving. The man with Mikala had the unfortunate chance to feel Aaron’s fist in his face. He helped a teary-eyed Mikala over as Kiara tended to Jon and said, in a furious growl, “Whoever started it is in deep trouble.”
Every man who had been in the huddle backed away except for one. John stood alone. She stood and turned on him with daggers in her eyes. “You, what in the hell are you doing here?” She said ‘you’ with utter contempt and disgust.
“I was just having a good time! I wanted to dance with the lady!”
“I said no!” Mikala said through tears as Aaron drew her into his arms like Jesse used to do to Kiara when she cried.
Kiara turned back on John. “What have I told you before? I don’t rightly give a damn if by technicality, we break the law by doing our jobs, you will not force anything on women while under the roof of my father or uncle.”
He tried to look superior, “You think that just because you have an Uncle that runs the Thieves Guild that you can boss around anyone here?”
She glared hell down on him. “I think that by telling you off, I’m doing the world a favor. After all, they say a man’s d**k is as big as his ego. You’re ego is the size of a mountain but I hear from local court’esa that your d**k has the exact opposite case.” The crowd snickered at that and cracked jokes. It was a guild of whores and thieves. No one would be appalled by her grammar.
He glared and said threateningly, “I should tell Mark you’re here. I’m sure your wonderful fiancé would love to see you after you ran off.”
She smiled a little too sweetly and she knew that look scared Aaron. He had told her so himself a while back. “I dare you to do it, John. See how long you will live.” She helped Jon stand and took a crying Mikala as Aaron lifted Jon up onto his back. Luckily, and just in time, the young maid came and told them that their baths were ready down in the bathhouse. The boys went off with another maid to be led to the men’s bathhouse and the girls followed the young girl.
After a long hot bath, Mikala was in better spirits. Kiara felt much better and accepted her clothes, freshly washed and dried. She was pulling on her boots while a maid braided her hair when Mikala asked, “What did that man mean about telling your fiancé where you were?”
Kiara glanced at her. “I’m technically engaged.”
She looked flabbergasted. “How are you only technically engaged? Who are you going to marry if not Aaron?”
Kiara sighed. “My father hasn’t finalized the marriage. He can’t now because I’m not there.”
Mikala was silent for a very long time before saying softly, “I’m sorry for assuming there was something between you and Aaron. I didn’t know your heart belonged to another.”
Kiara could have puked. “Are you suggesting I love a two faced liar like Mark? Bah! Don’t be foolish. I despise my supposed husband to be.” Mikala looked confused until Kiara calmly explained, “It’s an arranged marriage, Mikala.”
Mikala seemed to have a big newsflash. “Oh! Oh, well, do you like Aaron?” She said with a big grin on her face.
Kiara laughed. “If I tell you, you have to promise you won’t dare tell a single soul alive that you know the truth.”
Mikala did every single childish gesture of a vow of silence. She crossed her heart, pretended to literally zip her lips shut- everything. “I swear on my life! May the Gods torture me for eternity if I break my vow, unless I had a good reason! I mean a really good reason.”
Kiara sighed and said, softly, “I think I love him.”
All Mikala said was, “I knew it! ”
After cleaning up, Kiara went to her room to find that Aaron was in it. She swore. “I forgot that it’s not just us and an expensive hotel room…sorry.” He looked up at her, bare-chested. He grinned and shrugged as he polished his blade.
He chuckled. “It’s fine. Habits die hard.” He stood up and sheathed his sword before setting it on his pack. She still blushed a bit as she shut the door and started to gather her stuff up and make sure it was all there. “I think it was a little foolish of you to dare that man to rat on you.”
She shrugged. “Think what you will. I’m not a child and I know how to avoid being caught. I’m a thief, an assassin, a spy, and a multitude of other things.”
He touched her arm gently, “Still, don’t you think you should have done it differently and asked him not to?”
She scoffed, “He wouldn’t have cared. That would have made him want to do it more.” She said as she started brushing out her hair.
He pulled her to face him and said, “Kiara, do you ever stop to think about your own safety?”
She shrugged off his hand. “Why should to you worry about that? It’s not like…” She sighed, recalling the last time she said that. “It’s not like you have an authentic motivation to fret about my safety or health. You may be my friend, Aaron, but you don’t need to be concerned over me all the time.”
He didn’t respond. She heard a rustling and saw him pulling out his bedroll. He set it up and climbed in, blowing out the lamp saying curtly, “Goodnight.”
The next morning, Kiara woke around dawn, seeing Aaron in his bedroll asleep beside her. She deftly climbed out of bed; her bare feet gingerly touched the ground as she gently slid her bare legs over the edge of the bed and got up. Her shorts went to her mid thigh and her top was a skimpy little lacy black number with very thin straps, again, crossed at the neck. She mainly wore tops like that so men couldn’t slip them off her shoulders.
She let her hair down and set the band on the bedside table as she crouched down and kissed Aaron very gently on his head, whispering as she stood, “May sweet dreams bless you, my friend.”
She snuck out of the room and went down to breakfast, Mikala right behind her. She then whispered since she was aware that there were probably near fifty other tenants here with hangovers, “How did you sleep?”
Kiara grinned and said softly, “I slept decently enough. I see that both the boys are too tired to get up. How is Jon?”
Mikala smiled. “He only has a few bruises. You should see a few of the men who attacked him. There were shiners all around, my friend.” Both girls started to giggle as they went down to the bottom floor, which was where meals could be found.
The girls sat at a small round table in the back together and for the first time in a long time, Kiara enjoyed gossiping a bit with a gal-pal. She and Mikala mainly talked about the latest political news they had heard and discussed their comparable and contradictory views. They, incredibly, talked little of their relationships and such. Most of the conversations revolved on which of the eldest twin princes would have the most claims on the throne.
“I think that Prince Kuok has the most claims,” Mikala was saying as she poked at her eggs. “He’s older for one thing.” She pointed out as she took a bit.
Kiara chuckled as she sipped her tea, “Yes, but he’s also far more ignorant than his younger brother who may I add has excellent connections in every Guild in the country. He’s even befriended the young princess of the Atheists over in Goyt. He should and very well could rule while his perverted brother spends his days on pleasurable times rather than trying to help his people. My father has been waiting for someone to have him assassinated for years and I’ve volunteered more than once.”
Mikala rolled her eyes. “Come off it! Prince Leon has no right to rule. He’s only eighteen while his brother is twenty. Kuok is only four years away from being a man.”
Kiara scoffed. “Who cares? He’s still the most pretentious, preposterous, argumentative, nauseating, idiotic, misrepresented, retarded, conceited, perverted, indecorous, unintelligent, ill-bred, impulsive, boorish, egocentric, malicious, vindictive, trivial son of a b***h ever to walk on the Goddess of Life and Earth, Leilira’s green creations.” She thought for a moment. “Nope, wait, he’s the second. My husband to be beats him by a country mile.”
Mikala grinned, clicking her tongue, “That’s quite the list you have there. Is there any reason for that?”
Kiara sighed and grinned. “I’m unfortunate enough to know the man.” This made Mikala break out in giggles.
“Care to tell me the punch-line ladies?” Jon said coming over to them. Mikala explained, including the list and Jon laughed. “My, my, that’s a lot of hate for one’s own groom. Why do you plan to marry him if you hate him?”
As if tired of explaining, she said in an exaggerated tone, “It’s an arranged marriage, Jon.” Kiara finished off her tea and let Jon have her leftovers. He didn’t look too bad. He had a small bruise on his arm but she could see nothing else.
After a few minutes, Aaron came down, looked their way, and went over to the bar to get food. Kiara excused herself and went over to him. “How mad did I make you?” He didn’t answer or look at her. She sighed heavily, not wanting to stay around him if he planned to be a grump. She spent the rest of her day in her room.
She attempted to talk to him again after dinner but got the same reaction so; she walked away and headed up to the second floor, going up to the bar. She turned around and hopped up so she was sitting on it, brought her legs up, spun around and jumped behind the bar before she started pouring herself some rum. She sat down behind the luckily clean bar on the, again, appreciatively clean floor. She sipped her rum and leaned her head back against the wood bar.
It was about an hour before the tender came in and saw her and said with a grin, “How long have you been in here?”
She thought for a moment. “An hour at most, I swear. Besides, don’t worry about your rum stores. I’ve only had three bottles.” She was a tad tipsy.
“Alright then, well, you best be going before you’re completely stoned.” She got up and grabbed an armful of rum and ran off, ignoring his swearing. She ran up to her room and slammed the door, dumping the corked rums on the bed. She had about thirty. She sat beside the bed on the floor and resumed the position as she chugged the rest of her rum just as Aaron came in.
“What are you doing?” He said as he saw all the rum. She shrugged, deciding not to speak to him as he had refused to speak to her. He sighed and took one but she didn’t stop him. He sat beside her and said softly, “I’m sorry for not speaking to you today.”
She shrugged again. “It doesn’t really matter.” She was of course horrible at staying mad at him.
He chugged his down and so it began. Within an hour, they were both stone cold drunk. They were laughing now, but neither of them really knew why. If Kiara recalled, she had mispronounced something and they both starting laughing hysterically. Mikala and Jon were probably downstairs on the second floor partying by now so they doubted they’d be bothered for the night. Aaron leaned on her as he laughed and she on him, laughing so hard that there was no sound. Luckily, before anything happened, she passed out. He followed suit soon after.
“Wake up, Kiara!” Aaron yelled to her. She groggily and with a large headache, sat up and saw that Aaron was wrestling with a man in all black wearing a mask. She swore and got up to help, her hangover suddenly or at least momentarily gone. Aaron had the man in a pin with a knife to his chest and neck. “Talk or die.” Aaron said simply.
Kiara then said, “Why are you here?”
“Mark sent me to kill you both!” Kiara glanced at Aaron and crouched down next to the man, “How does he know I’m here?”
“He got a letter from someone here. He’s over in the next town so it didn’t take long by horseback to get the message there.” The man replied, obviously about to piss himself in fear.
Kiara sighed heavily. “When do you think he’ll be here?” The realization hit her that for whatever the reason, she was a threat to Mark and he didn’t like it and so he was going to have her killed.
“He’ll be here in the morning at the latest, ma’am.” She swore a very long string of curses and prayed under her breath that every God out there would smite that man.
“Why are you trying to kill me? Do you work for my father?” He shook his head with a loud gulp. “I’m a rouge assassin.”
“Well, you’ll regret that in the afterlife then won’t you? Kill him, now. We can’t have loose ends, especially not that I’ve put three other lives at stake.” Aaron nodded and she turned just as she heard a groan of pain and then silence. They gathered up their belongings and dressed out in all black. Then, they went to find Mikala and Jon. Vacation time was now over.
Aaron found Jon and Kiara found Mikala. Then they all grabbed their things and headed out. They decided to backtrack but take a path around the last town and make camp in the Denny when they got back home. Whatever they did, avoiding Mark just became top priority.
*
This one took about two days but I like it. I'm not really sure why I like it but I do. Ok, now, as any of you who have read my works know, for me, everytime I write ch4, I tend to make it pretty damn long. Last time I was writing, and I got to chapter four, it was 26 pages. Oh yea, I pwn. XDD So I can only hope that the next one is just as long or longer, so expect to have a good bit to read next time. This one, is about...actually exactly ten pages. So thats not half bad.
Alright, enjoy and remember the titles, they tell you what I want you to remember and I always make sure the word or phrase comes up. ^^ Have fun.
Also, I have a nice insult-rant that Kiara does toward the end. Tell me if you think there are enough insults in there.
Realizations
Follow the White Rose
Over the next few days, Kiara and Aaron were not particularly chatty but conversations came and went. They were normally just idle banter, talking about the weather or anything else to keep them entertained. An odd silence was dragged out after several days of the idle chats becoming too forced. Kiara didn’t seem to want to talk and nor did Aaron. It turned into a week, and then another of total silence between them. The white elephant had returned and neither of them knew how to make it go away, and though they tried to think of something worth while to speak of, they could not. Everything would turn them back to Kiara’s near death two weeks ago. It had been more than a month since this adventure started and so far, Kiara hadn’t asked the question that was strongly bothering her. Why did Aaron really offer to come with her on this journey?
When they stopped in towns on the rare occasion that they found one along the way, Aaron kept up a high vigilance as he looked around. Kiara didn’t understand what made him so paranoid. She was the daughter of the Raven, the Head of the Assassins Guild. The rare rouge assassin had no reason to target her. Besides, despite her near death encounter, she could handle herself better than one might think. She just had to be focused and she had been good about staying alert. She humored him though, when he asked her to stop in an Inn for the night.
They had gotten into the habit of sharing a room and when it was especially chilly, the bed. Aaron would normally sleep on the left and she would take the right. They would normally keep their backs to each other and go to bed again in silence. She hadn’t minded about that because if it was going to start getting cold and there was only one bed in their shared rooms, she did not want to be the one freezing on the cold floor. When it got cold enough to the point that even half a dozen blankets could not keep them warm, Kiara allowed Aaron to cuddle up to her for warmth. Those days were growing in number adequately enough that Kiara was becoming very used to sleeping in his arms.
That’s what made their friendship so odd and strange. They were used to hugging and cuddling at night as if they were lovers which they were indeed not. It made Kiara worry sometimes that someday, Aaron might feel that it was time to move their friendship beyond just a friendship. Kiara could only hope that day didn’t come because when it did, she would be reliving her sixteenth birthday and the worst day of her life.
Kiara kept trying to make sure she didn’t fall in love with Aaron but it was getting increasingly difficult to resist. She found him to be everything she could ask for in a man but something was holding her back; she just didn’t know what it was. She was trying to make sure that she was able to keep a wonderful friend by not getting involved which is why she stopped being so friendly toward him after another half-month. She was still kind to him of course but she did not grab his hand and hug him so easily now. She was trying to put a wedge between Aaron and her heart but no matter what she tried or forced herself to think; she was falling in love with him faster by the day.
It was a light fall day. It wasn’t terribly cold or hot but just along the temperature that Kiara loved to have. She found that she could no longer run about in her summer clothes and started to don the few long sleeved shirts and such that she had. She sold the only dress she had on her to get warmer gear after a little while. Aaron didn’t seem to mind either way. He tended to wear a balance between a long sleeved, short sleeved shirt or even go shirtless. He didn’t do that often anymore which Kiara could not deny she missed it. She would not admit it aloud but would only admit it to herself.
The day was bright and the sun was high. There were no clouds in the sky and the air was crisp and fresh. A light breeze came and went from time to time. Kiara and Aaron were traveling toward a town that was barely a mile from them. She noticed Aaron smiling softly at her from time to time and would smile back but she didn’t understand why he was smiling to begin with. She wondered what he was thinking more than once a day but remembered that she would have to act as if she didn’t notice. She could not let anything come between their growingly fragile friendships. She was not about to lose the most wonderful man she had ever met.
Kiara and Aaron had begun making light conversation again, but again; they mainly spoke of unimportant matters such as the weather. It might not be the normally high level of intelligence in a conversation that Kiara loved but she found it far better than not speaking to Aaron at all and besides; if they must speak of anything, let it be something nonchalant and easy rather than something forced and difficult. The weather actually turned out to be a rather pleasant subject for every now and then, like today, it would cause one of them to speak, usually Aaron, and to speak of old pleasant memories and then their old banter would slowly come back. That would make Kiara realize that she was going to start becoming too friendly once again and then nervousness would return followed by silence.
She hated their conversations being so forced but she loved and cared about him too deeply to lose him because her foolish and unruly ways.
As they went into town, they saw a bar on the very first road bouncing with happiness and excitement. In her own enthusiasm, Kiara grabbed Aaron by the hand and pulled him inside. Realizing that it was so active because of a group of girls who were dancing in the center of the bar, Kiara smiled brightly and went back out, Aaron right behind. He gave her a confused look as she said, rather flighty, “We should go rent a room at an Inn. I want to drop off my bag so I can join in the fun. Oh, please, Aaron!” She said grabbing both his hands and looking hopeful.
He smiled and nodded, “Alright, sure, let’s go then before they decide to cool it down.” They ran off and found an Inn not five minutes down the road. They checked in, settled into the room, and ran back.
When they went in, Kiara found that the girls were dancing to a very upbeat song in unison. She went up to the front of the crowd, Aaron by her side. She waited until she was sure she knew the steps before jumping in, grinning as the crowd cheered at her bold move. She saw Aaron smiling brightly at her as he watched. She gave him a wink and kept dancing, smiling over at the girl next to her who was giggling at Kiara’s boldness as she said as they danced, “You’re pretty good!”
Kiara smiled more. “Thanks! I’m novice at best.”
She laughed more and said, “My name is Mikala. What’s your name?” She said as they did a turn with their hands above their heads before slowly sinking to the floor, placing their palms against the floor boards and shooting back up.
“My name is Kiara! It’s nice to meet you.” She said as they got into a jig where they kicked one leg back and forth twice, alternating every two kicks as their hands rest on the hips.
The song ended just as Mikala reached over and grabbed Kiara’s hand, shaking it gently. “I hope we can become friends while you’re here.” Mikala had long blonde hair that was dyed several different colors. On the right side of her head, the hair was bright red and on the left, it was black while the baby hair underneath was brown while the rest remained blonde. Her hair was a bit past her shoulders and very pretty. Her eyes were a deep greenish blue. She was slim and curved in all the right places. "My hair is horrible."
Kiara smiled at her, “No! I think you look rather cute.” The dancing group was discussing something and Kiara then said, “Shouldn’t you be over with them discussing the next set?”
Mikala laughed. “Heavens, no! Like you, I just jumped in randomly.” She said as they moved out of the way of the dancers. Kiara giggled slightly at that.
Kiara chuckled, “By the way, I wanted to ask. How did you get your hair that way? It’s cute.”
Mikala smiled and giggled. “Berries, I dyed my hair with berries. I was originally a brunette just so you know. It took time to mix the right berries to get a color yellow enough to call blonde.”
Kiara giggled a bit and said, “Well, you look wonderful. Oh! Might I introduce you to a friend of mine?”
Mikala put a hand on her hip and said with a grin, “Only if you let me introduce you to one of mine.”
Kiara grinned widely, “Sure! I get to go first!” She said grabbing Mikala’s hand and leading her over to Aaron, who was sipping ale. She went up to Aaron and said excitedly, “Aaron! Meet my new friend, Mikala.” Mikala winked and smiled and Aaron nodded at her with a slight smile.
He then said kindly, “Can we go now?”
Kiara kissed his cheek. “You can. I’m staying. I’m having fun and I really think you should stay too.”
He started to talk when Mikala grabbed her hand and pulled her off into the crowd. She turned back to face him, walking backwards before smiling at him. He could only grin and follow her as Mikala led her over to a table in the back with a young man sitting at it. He had dark short brown hair and deep brown eyes. He was rather handsome and lean. He wore simple baggy clothing. She smiled in a friendly manner as Mikala walked over and said, “Jon, this is my new friend Kiara and her friend Aaron.”
Kiara bowed her head in respect as he said, “My, my! She’s beautiful, Mikala!” This made her blush a bit.
Aaron came up behind her and said kindly, “I have to agree with him, Kiara. You are very beautiful.”
She blushed a bit more and shook her head. “Such kind words from the mouth of a man that is far too generous to one such as I, may my manner remain humble sweet. Kind words that I do not deserve, please do not bestow on me, but a Lady of worth.”
Mikala clapped gently. “We have a poet in the room.” She grinned. “My mother loved that. Didn’t Queen Leila write it when she was seventeen?”
Kiara grinned and said, “Aye that she did.” Aaron smiled at her and Jon did as well. He came over from the table and took her hand, bowing over it and kissing the back of it softly.
She looked away for a moment as she thought up a way to deny him. He had begun to kiss up her bare arm. He was at her shoulder as she said, “Love is like a rose that blooms in spring,” She looked him straight in the eye and added, “But the rose that blooms too quickly dies fastest.” Aaron and Mikala both let an “Oo!” or two before starting to ridicule Jon for his loss as he backed away from her.
She smiled sweetly and said, “The fires of Hell burn faster than any flame I hold for a man that would be so forward on first meeting.”
Jon looked confused. “Isn’t Hell supposed to be cold?”
She smiled a bit too sweetly now as she said, “Exactly, my young friend.” She bowed and turned on her heel to grab a drink.
Mikala followed after her. “I never knew you could be such a poet.” She smiled. “I’m a little jealous. I could never remember enough poems to be able to quote them like that.”
Kiara chuckled. “My father said that if I wanted to train with my brother, I had to learn to read and write properly. I had to memorize something to make him happy that I’d learned enough before he’d let me finally train with my brother. I decided to memorize poems that were good for turning off overeager young men.”
Mikala snickered a bit. “Nice call on that.” Mikala then said, “I wish I was so lucky. My father is selling his shop.” She sighed sorrowfully. “I’ll never get to see Nick again.”
“Nick?” Kiara asked in a way of asking and teasing. “Is he your lover?”
She blushed. “Daddy hates him for it but yes. He’s amazing. He’s the sweetest, smartest, funniest, and most incredible man I’ve ever met! I wish I could be like you Aaron, though.”
“Whoa,” Kiara said in a worried shock, “What do you mean like me and Aaron? There is no me and Aaron. He and I are just friends, Mikala.”
Mikala looked confused. “You two seem like so much more…” She smiled softly. “I think in time, you’ll see that I’m right.”
Kiara shook her head with a grin, “I think you will find that Aaron does not feel that way toward me, nor will he ever. I’m just not lady enough.”
It was three days later when Aaron and Kiara finally decided to head out. Mikala and Jon insisted on coming. When Kiara asked about Nick, Mikala informed her that the main reason her father hated him was because Nicolas was an accomplished thief and a little too proud but she loved him all the same. It would pain her to find out that they were not heading toward the Guild, but to the next best thing.
The Guild was infamous for its very large, very extravagant and court’esa loaded mansion. Any thief that knew the code could enter, but the code was one of Hunter’s making. It was so obvious- that not even the cleverest thief would realize it without being told. Though, Kiara had but then she understands the way Hunter workings because she herself thinks very similar to how his mind does. They arrived within a week and found the huge mansion with every window lit with light and people could be seen as silhouettes dancing and partying. That was usually what was going on. Thieves were party animals, no matter what anyone else tells you. Kiara only grinned and walked up to the large door and knocked. The door cracked and she was asked, “What’s the code?”
“The code is open the damned door!” She said with a snappy attitude. He grinned and let her in, “Good day, Miss Lien.”
She smiled sweetly. She’d been using that as her code since she was seven. They knew it was her on sight when she used it. She went in, her band, as they’d be dubbed, behind her. She looked around and wasn’t surprised to see a few people from the main HQ around, flirting with both female and male court’esa. She wasn’t really surprised though. Court’esa habitually ran rabid around this place. She could only grin as she looked around. She grabbed a young maid and muttered in an undertone, “Prepare rooms, three of them. I want four baths ready, one for me and each of my friends. The second the water is hot and ready, find me. My friends and I will probably be on the second floor. Have food in each room as well. Understood?” She nodded and scurried off. Kiara let her and then motioned to her friends to follow her upstairs. Jon had protectively put an arm around Mikala’s shoulders and for the sake of not having men grab at her, she let him. Kiara grinned at Aaron. He was keeping up his ever vigilant watch. She smiled and grabbed his hand, giving it a squeeze. “It’s fine. Let your guard down for tonight. You’ll be safe here, I promise.”
He smiled at her and squeezed her hand in return, letting his shoulders loosen up to show that he would calm down. She smiled a bit more and led them up stairs and started laughing with the boys when Mikala squealed in joy. In the room was a bar that was all along the far wall to the right. Three small steps encircled a large dance floor where a group of five girls were dancing in unison and one was singing. People were all over the place and Kiara just grinned at Mikala and walked into a crowd, still holding Aaron’s hand. She told Mikala and Jon to meet up by the bar every twenty minutes to make sure they didn’t miss their baths and let them go cold.
She pulled Aaron over to a large window after they got drinks and let his hand go, finally. She looked out at the moon. “I miss coming here with my uncle in the summers. Some of the best court’esa I’ve ever had have been here.” She said with a slight red tint going across her cheeks.
He chuckled at that and sipped his champagne before taking on a displeased look and setting it down, not caring if someone stole it. “Remind me to stick to rum.” She smiled and nodded as she looked back out at the moon. He stood beside her. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
She nodded again, “It is. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be able to touch it. I envy the Gods. They can do whatever they want.”
He shrugged. “Yes but the price is watching people you may come to love die while you remain the same. The must live for eternity. They cannot die, no matter how badly the urge may take them. The responsibilities they have are incredible. Don’t envy them. I pity them.”
She grinned. “You worship those you pity?”
He chuckled, and said kindly, “I pity them in the sense of the lives they have to live. I still worship them because they do wonderful things for thousands everyday. They’re Gods.” He then said, in a low, teasing, and slight mocking tone, “They can do anything.” His face was right in front of hers with less than an inch of breathing room.
She became acutely aware of how close he was. She cleared her throat and turned her head to face the dance floor. Mikala had joined the group and was singing a rather upbeat song. She grinned a bit and said, pointing the conversation away from the previous topic, “Mikala sure is enjoying herself.” Aaron straightened, so he was no longer bent as he was. He was standing at his full height as he nodded and nabbed rum off a tray a waitress had. Kiara realized that he had either wanted to kiss her or her obvious dodge had offended him because she had acted like that was his intention when it might not have been.
“Is it always this packed and loud?” Aaron asked suddenly.
She grinned a bit. “Nah, come here in the morning. It’s quiet and pretty much deserted until dusk. Thieves are party animals. Pirates stop in here sometimes too. That’s somewhat rare but it’s really fun when they do.”
He laughed a bit and said, “You’re insane, I hope you know that.” He said as he chugged his rum.
She smiled and watched his Adam’s apple bob as he finished it off in that one chug. She giggled and said, “Did you enjoy the rum?” He nodded as she stepped up to him, her face as close as she could get it without going on tiptoe as she said very softly, “My insanity is the reason you stick around.”
He leaned into her, his head bent slightly as he said in that low sexy voice he tended to use, “I stick around because I care.” He pulled out a white rose and gave it to her. “If you ever need me when I’m not here, follow the white rose.”
“Hey, Kiara, look over here!” Kiara’s head whipped to her right, making her crack her neck. She winced and looked around for the source of the voice. She looked a good bit until she spotted Mikala.
A few men were beating the hell out of Jon and one was trying to walk off with Mikala. She and Aaron ran over. She shoved the men apart and knowing on sight, everyone stopped moving. The man with Mikala had the unfortunate chance to feel Aaron’s fist in his face. He helped a teary-eyed Mikala over as Kiara tended to Jon and said, in a furious growl, “Whoever started it is in deep trouble.”
Every man who had been in the huddle backed away except for one. John stood alone. She stood and turned on him with daggers in her eyes. “You, what in the hell are you doing here?” She said ‘you’ with utter contempt and disgust.
“I was just having a good time! I wanted to dance with the lady!”
“I said no!” Mikala said through tears as Aaron drew her into his arms like Jesse used to do to Kiara when she cried.
Kiara turned back on John. “What have I told you before? I don’t rightly give a damn if by technicality, we break the law by doing our jobs, you will not force anything on women while under the roof of my father or uncle.”
He tried to look superior, “You think that just because you have an Uncle that runs the Thieves Guild that you can boss around anyone here?”
She glared hell down on him. “I think that by telling you off, I’m doing the world a favor. After all, they say a man’s d**k is as big as his ego. You’re ego is the size of a mountain but I hear from local court’esa that your d**k has the exact opposite case.” The crowd snickered at that and cracked jokes. It was a guild of whores and thieves. No one would be appalled by her grammar.
He glared and said threateningly, “I should tell Mark you’re here. I’m sure your wonderful fiancé would love to see you after you ran off.”
She smiled a little too sweetly and she knew that look scared Aaron. He had told her so himself a while back. “I dare you to do it, John. See how long you will live.” She helped Jon stand and took a crying Mikala as Aaron lifted Jon up onto his back. Luckily, and just in time, the young maid came and told them that their baths were ready down in the bathhouse. The boys went off with another maid to be led to the men’s bathhouse and the girls followed the young girl.
After a long hot bath, Mikala was in better spirits. Kiara felt much better and accepted her clothes, freshly washed and dried. She was pulling on her boots while a maid braided her hair when Mikala asked, “What did that man mean about telling your fiancé where you were?”
Kiara glanced at her. “I’m technically engaged.”
She looked flabbergasted. “How are you only technically engaged? Who are you going to marry if not Aaron?”
Kiara sighed. “My father hasn’t finalized the marriage. He can’t now because I’m not there.”
Mikala was silent for a very long time before saying softly, “I’m sorry for assuming there was something between you and Aaron. I didn’t know your heart belonged to another.”
Kiara could have puked. “Are you suggesting I love a two faced liar like Mark? Bah! Don’t be foolish. I despise my supposed husband to be.” Mikala looked confused until Kiara calmly explained, “It’s an arranged marriage, Mikala.”
Mikala seemed to have a big newsflash. “Oh! Oh, well, do you like Aaron?” She said with a big grin on her face.
Kiara laughed. “If I tell you, you have to promise you won’t dare tell a single soul alive that you know the truth.”
Mikala did every single childish gesture of a vow of silence. She crossed her heart, pretended to literally zip her lips shut- everything. “I swear on my life! May the Gods torture me for eternity if I break my vow, unless I had a good reason! I mean a really good reason.”
Kiara sighed and said, softly, “I think I love him.”
All Mikala said was, “I knew it! ”
After cleaning up, Kiara went to her room to find that Aaron was in it. She swore. “I forgot that it’s not just us and an expensive hotel room…sorry.” He looked up at her, bare-chested. He grinned and shrugged as he polished his blade.
He chuckled. “It’s fine. Habits die hard.” He stood up and sheathed his sword before setting it on his pack. She still blushed a bit as she shut the door and started to gather her stuff up and make sure it was all there. “I think it was a little foolish of you to dare that man to rat on you.”
She shrugged. “Think what you will. I’m not a child and I know how to avoid being caught. I’m a thief, an assassin, a spy, and a multitude of other things.”
He touched her arm gently, “Still, don’t you think you should have done it differently and asked him not to?”
She scoffed, “He wouldn’t have cared. That would have made him want to do it more.” She said as she started brushing out her hair.
He pulled her to face him and said, “Kiara, do you ever stop to think about your own safety?”
She shrugged off his hand. “Why should to you worry about that? It’s not like…” She sighed, recalling the last time she said that. “It’s not like you have an authentic motivation to fret about my safety or health. You may be my friend, Aaron, but you don’t need to be concerned over me all the time.”
He didn’t respond. She heard a rustling and saw him pulling out his bedroll. He set it up and climbed in, blowing out the lamp saying curtly, “Goodnight.”
The next morning, Kiara woke around dawn, seeing Aaron in his bedroll asleep beside her. She deftly climbed out of bed; her bare feet gingerly touched the ground as she gently slid her bare legs over the edge of the bed and got up. Her shorts went to her mid thigh and her top was a skimpy little lacy black number with very thin straps, again, crossed at the neck. She mainly wore tops like that so men couldn’t slip them off her shoulders.
She let her hair down and set the band on the bedside table as she crouched down and kissed Aaron very gently on his head, whispering as she stood, “May sweet dreams bless you, my friend.”
She snuck out of the room and went down to breakfast, Mikala right behind her. She then whispered since she was aware that there were probably near fifty other tenants here with hangovers, “How did you sleep?”
Kiara grinned and said softly, “I slept decently enough. I see that both the boys are too tired to get up. How is Jon?”
Mikala smiled. “He only has a few bruises. You should see a few of the men who attacked him. There were shiners all around, my friend.” Both girls started to giggle as they went down to the bottom floor, which was where meals could be found.
The girls sat at a small round table in the back together and for the first time in a long time, Kiara enjoyed gossiping a bit with a gal-pal. She and Mikala mainly talked about the latest political news they had heard and discussed their comparable and contradictory views. They, incredibly, talked little of their relationships and such. Most of the conversations revolved on which of the eldest twin princes would have the most claims on the throne.
“I think that Prince Kuok has the most claims,” Mikala was saying as she poked at her eggs. “He’s older for one thing.” She pointed out as she took a bit.
Kiara chuckled as she sipped her tea, “Yes, but he’s also far more ignorant than his younger brother who may I add has excellent connections in every Guild in the country. He’s even befriended the young princess of the Atheists over in Goyt. He should and very well could rule while his perverted brother spends his days on pleasurable times rather than trying to help his people. My father has been waiting for someone to have him assassinated for years and I’ve volunteered more than once.”
Mikala rolled her eyes. “Come off it! Prince Leon has no right to rule. He’s only eighteen while his brother is twenty. Kuok is only four years away from being a man.”
Kiara scoffed. “Who cares? He’s still the most pretentious, preposterous, argumentative, nauseating, idiotic, misrepresented, retarded, conceited, perverted, indecorous, unintelligent, ill-bred, impulsive, boorish, egocentric, malicious, vindictive, trivial son of a b***h ever to walk on the Goddess of Life and Earth, Leilira’s green creations.” She thought for a moment. “Nope, wait, he’s the second. My husband to be beats him by a country mile.”
Mikala grinned, clicking her tongue, “That’s quite the list you have there. Is there any reason for that?”
Kiara sighed and grinned. “I’m unfortunate enough to know the man.” This made Mikala break out in giggles.
“Care to tell me the punch-line ladies?” Jon said coming over to them. Mikala explained, including the list and Jon laughed. “My, my, that’s a lot of hate for one’s own groom. Why do you plan to marry him if you hate him?”
As if tired of explaining, she said in an exaggerated tone, “It’s an arranged marriage, Jon.” Kiara finished off her tea and let Jon have her leftovers. He didn’t look too bad. He had a small bruise on his arm but she could see nothing else.
After a few minutes, Aaron came down, looked their way, and went over to the bar to get food. Kiara excused herself and went over to him. “How mad did I make you?” He didn’t answer or look at her. She sighed heavily, not wanting to stay around him if he planned to be a grump. She spent the rest of her day in her room.
She attempted to talk to him again after dinner but got the same reaction so; she walked away and headed up to the second floor, going up to the bar. She turned around and hopped up so she was sitting on it, brought her legs up, spun around and jumped behind the bar before she started pouring herself some rum. She sat down behind the luckily clean bar on the, again, appreciatively clean floor. She sipped her rum and leaned her head back against the wood bar.
It was about an hour before the tender came in and saw her and said with a grin, “How long have you been in here?”
She thought for a moment. “An hour at most, I swear. Besides, don’t worry about your rum stores. I’ve only had three bottles.” She was a tad tipsy.
“Alright then, well, you best be going before you’re completely stoned.” She got up and grabbed an armful of rum and ran off, ignoring his swearing. She ran up to her room and slammed the door, dumping the corked rums on the bed. She had about thirty. She sat beside the bed on the floor and resumed the position as she chugged the rest of her rum just as Aaron came in.
“What are you doing?” He said as he saw all the rum. She shrugged, deciding not to speak to him as he had refused to speak to her. He sighed and took one but she didn’t stop him. He sat beside her and said softly, “I’m sorry for not speaking to you today.”
She shrugged again. “It doesn’t really matter.” She was of course horrible at staying mad at him.
He chugged his down and so it began. Within an hour, they were both stone cold drunk. They were laughing now, but neither of them really knew why. If Kiara recalled, she had mispronounced something and they both starting laughing hysterically. Mikala and Jon were probably downstairs on the second floor partying by now so they doubted they’d be bothered for the night. Aaron leaned on her as he laughed and she on him, laughing so hard that there was no sound. Luckily, before anything happened, she passed out. He followed suit soon after.
“Wake up, Kiara!” Aaron yelled to her. She groggily and with a large headache, sat up and saw that Aaron was wrestling with a man in all black wearing a mask. She swore and got up to help, her hangover suddenly or at least momentarily gone. Aaron had the man in a pin with a knife to his chest and neck. “Talk or die.” Aaron said simply.
Kiara then said, “Why are you here?”
“Mark sent me to kill you both!” Kiara glanced at Aaron and crouched down next to the man, “How does he know I’m here?”
“He got a letter from someone here. He’s over in the next town so it didn’t take long by horseback to get the message there.” The man replied, obviously about to piss himself in fear.
Kiara sighed heavily. “When do you think he’ll be here?” The realization hit her that for whatever the reason, she was a threat to Mark and he didn’t like it and so he was going to have her killed.
“He’ll be here in the morning at the latest, ma’am.” She swore a very long string of curses and prayed under her breath that every God out there would smite that man.
“Why are you trying to kill me? Do you work for my father?” He shook his head with a loud gulp. “I’m a rouge assassin.”
“Well, you’ll regret that in the afterlife then won’t you? Kill him, now. We can’t have loose ends, especially not that I’ve put three other lives at stake.” Aaron nodded and she turned just as she heard a groan of pain and then silence. They gathered up their belongings and dressed out in all black. Then, they went to find Mikala and Jon. Vacation time was now over.
Aaron found Jon and Kiara found Mikala. Then they all grabbed their things and headed out. They decided to backtrack but take a path around the last town and make camp in the Denny when they got back home. Whatever they did, avoiding Mark just became top priority.
*
This one took about two days but I like it. I'm not really sure why I like it but I do. Ok, now, as any of you who have read my works know, for me, everytime I write ch4, I tend to make it pretty damn long. Last time I was writing, and I got to chapter four, it was 26 pages. Oh yea, I pwn. XDD So I can only hope that the next one is just as long or longer, so expect to have a good bit to read next time. This one, is about...actually exactly ten pages. So thats not half bad.
Alright, enjoy and remember the titles, they tell you what I want you to remember and I always make sure the word or phrase comes up. ^^ Have fun.
Also, I have a nice insult-rant that Kiara does toward the end. Tell me if you think there are enough insults in there.
