Post by Sir Caedric Moore on Aug 18, 2014 20:10:22 GMT -8
My entry for the A1 challenge of the Assassins' Guild. "Hey... I know who you are. Hail Sithis." lol
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-Awoken at Dawn-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
I awoke to the sound of birds chirping, a shaft of morning sun slanting through the tent flaps. I watched dust motes - and other particles, I suppose - as they hung in suspended animation above me. The morning air coming through the opening was cool, but my pile of sleeping furs was warm and I closed my eyes again... just for a second.
Something was wrong. I hadn't heard it; not a twig snapping or the rustle of a leaf to mark his approach. I hadn't felt a rush of cold air as he slipped inside the tent. To be honest, I smelled it... well, smelled him. Onions... foul breath. I could smell his dinner from the night before and it snapped my eyes open just in time to catch the glint of sun on steel. With no time to find my sword or even a butter knife, I knew I had to act fast. I threw my forearm up and blocked his, stopping the dagger mere inches from my throat. I grabbed his wrist with one hand and wrenched the blade free with my other. Gathering my knees up to my chest, I kicked out at the smell until my feet connected with his chest with an "Oof!".
I sprang up in an instant, whirling about in search of the assassin but he was already up and running, black cloth swishing as he ducked beneath the tent poles. I dove after him, heedless of my personal danger - not knowing what might lay just outside the tent.
But all was as it had been. The aspens and birches sighed as the morning breeze picked up while birds continued to call to one another. My sister, Amura, slept soundly in the next tent, the rest of my men and Baelion's spread out beyond that through the glade. Once more I glimpsed the black of his cloak and I took off after him, this time noticing the deep blood red that accompanied it and adorned his sleeves and jerkin. He was Dark Brotherhood - a member of one of the sects of the fabled Assassins' Guild - and someone had hired him to kill me.
He was too far, now. I hadn't had time to dress properly or to don even the simplest of boots, thinking myself safe within the jumble of nondescript pup tents, and he slipped away between the mossy boulders and ferns that lay beneath the quaking aspen glen, his feet making little more sound than a mouse's would have.
But I saw his face. I had seen it clearly above me as I tore the dagger from his hands - just as clearly as I had seen it the other day in Jahrton. He was a deckhand on the piers and quays of Jahrton Bay and it was there I knew he'd return, to hide amongst the rabble of pirates and thieves that frequented the place now, away from the watching eyes of the Usurper Queen. They held no allegiance to her or to the Jarl of Garheim and were more than happy to help for a bit of coin. I'll find out who this man is. I'll find out and I'll kill him.
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Comments and critique are welcome!
Ronin
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-Awoken at Dawn-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
I awoke to the sound of birds chirping, a shaft of morning sun slanting through the tent flaps. I watched dust motes - and other particles, I suppose - as they hung in suspended animation above me. The morning air coming through the opening was cool, but my pile of sleeping furs was warm and I closed my eyes again... just for a second.
Something was wrong. I hadn't heard it; not a twig snapping or the rustle of a leaf to mark his approach. I hadn't felt a rush of cold air as he slipped inside the tent. To be honest, I smelled it... well, smelled him. Onions... foul breath. I could smell his dinner from the night before and it snapped my eyes open just in time to catch the glint of sun on steel. With no time to find my sword or even a butter knife, I knew I had to act fast. I threw my forearm up and blocked his, stopping the dagger mere inches from my throat. I grabbed his wrist with one hand and wrenched the blade free with my other. Gathering my knees up to my chest, I kicked out at the smell until my feet connected with his chest with an "Oof!".
I sprang up in an instant, whirling about in search of the assassin but he was already up and running, black cloth swishing as he ducked beneath the tent poles. I dove after him, heedless of my personal danger - not knowing what might lay just outside the tent.
But all was as it had been. The aspens and birches sighed as the morning breeze picked up while birds continued to call to one another. My sister, Amura, slept soundly in the next tent, the rest of my men and Baelion's spread out beyond that through the glade. Once more I glimpsed the black of his cloak and I took off after him, this time noticing the deep blood red that accompanied it and adorned his sleeves and jerkin. He was Dark Brotherhood - a member of one of the sects of the fabled Assassins' Guild - and someone had hired him to kill me.
He was too far, now. I hadn't had time to dress properly or to don even the simplest of boots, thinking myself safe within the jumble of nondescript pup tents, and he slipped away between the mossy boulders and ferns that lay beneath the quaking aspen glen, his feet making little more sound than a mouse's would have.
But I saw his face. I had seen it clearly above me as I tore the dagger from his hands - just as clearly as I had seen it the other day in Jahrton. He was a deckhand on the piers and quays of Jahrton Bay and it was there I knew he'd return, to hide amongst the rabble of pirates and thieves that frequented the place now, away from the watching eyes of the Usurper Queen. They held no allegiance to her or to the Jarl of Garheim and were more than happy to help for a bit of coin. I'll find out who this man is. I'll find out and I'll kill him.
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
Comments and critique are welcome!
Ronin
