Private Tales Don't get comfortable

[Artemis]

It was well-past midnight. She'd been watching him for several days now. Her target. One Uvogin. The contract on his head was significant. And if her research was right, it made sense. Being the right-hand man of the rising emperor.

Grey-blue eyes narrowed into slits, head tilted. Listening, waiting. A normal person's muscles would've cramped up by now. But Artemis was far from normal, in part from her genetics. The other from her training. Clad in black with her hair tightly bound beneath the cowl of a cloak, she finally ventured to move. Near silent hand-pulls and thrusts brought her quickly up the clay-wall. Soft-clad boots crept for a moment in the open window of his room.

Her eyes were well-adjusted to the dark.

And there was his four-poster bed. His form breathing steadily. There was a glint of moonlight on metal as a dagger slid into her hand like an old friend. And with the grace of a desert cat, she lunged forward for his throat.

 

[Halul]

Once a slave. Once a fearsome contract killer. Once a reputable mercenary. Now one of the most important figures in the young Empire, Uvogin was sure to have accrued enemies in his time. Never has any of those enemies attempted to make an attempt on his life- and in his own personal living quarters in Ragash? Unheard of. Wait until Medja heard of this.

After a lifetime of killing as a career, sensing danger was second nature. In a half-conscious state, the captain's eyes suddenly opened, and only seeing a blur and glint of a blade, he rolled to the side. Under one of the many pillows around him was a dagger; he grabbed it and sprung to his feet. Any drowsiness he would have had waking up was taken over by the rush of adrenaline he felt.

He expertly passed the dagger between his hands a few times before reversing his grip on it. He held his hands up and took a defensive stance.

"Come on, then."

 

[Artemis]

The full moon outside wasn't the only moon she saw tonight, it seemed. Her own dagger buried itself into the feathered pillow his head just vacated. She crouched in the tangle of silken sheets on his bed, keen eyes following the man's speed and fluidity.

And that moon.

He'd miss the ghost of a smirk on her lips behind the cloth that covered most of her face. It seemed he would not be an easy target. And she knew it was only a matter of time before guards came. She had to finish this.

A flurry of feathers spread into the air as she ripped her dagger free and tossed the broken pillow at his face, her own body following closely behind. Knife slashed outward like a viper's fangs. It wasn't manic or frantic. It was an intricate dance from someone very well trained.

 

[Halul]

A slight sway of his shoulders saw the pillow fly past his face. Her deliberate, efficient movements stood out. She was trained, not some rabble picked up off the street to kill him. Somebody with considerable coin wanted Uvogin dead.

He leaned back, and even though he evaded the knife, he could feel how close it came to his skin. The two traded testing blows, each masterfully evading each others' attacks.

Uvogin was never one to seek out a challenging battle. He didn't even particularly enjoy fights or killing. He was just exceptionally good at it. Despite that, his heart was racing. This lithe, black-clad killer in front of him caused a rush of exhilaration to course through his veins.

And he smiled.

 

[Artemis]

Perhaps a more novice assassin would've screamed out in exasperation by now. Artemis was far from novice. But the dry, cool air of the city no longer felt cool. She was breathing hard as her muscles burned. She took two quick steps back. A brief respite.

Cold, grey-blue eyes narrowed on that smile of his but there was no malice in her gaze.

There were slice marks across her light armor. Tears in her robes between the armor but no flesh had been pierced. Still. It had been the closest anyone had gotten since graduating the Academy.

One hand still held her dagger, the other dropped to the whip at her hip. One fluid motion unfurled it and she cracked its wicked end toward the man's knife wielding wrist.

waaa-psshhhh

 

[Halul]

Whips were fast. Unpredictable.

Traumatic.

Uvogin pulled his hand back but could not match the whip's speed; while she aimed it at his wrist, it instead lashed the back of his hand and drew blood. His hand recoiled from the strike and released the dagger. It skittered across over carpet and stone before sliding to a halt somewhere in the dim room.

"Who are you?"

Before she could answer, he dashed forward, wary of the blade in her hand, and looked to shoot at the assassin's legs and take her to the ground.

 

[Artemis]

Wrist snapped back but as the whip arched its wicked tail upward, he rushed forward. His charging speed took her slightly by surprise. Weight tipped back on her heels and knife lowered. It was hard to say if it made impact against his flesh and muscle as he got a grip on her legs.

Hitting the ground with her back rattled up her armor. Teeth clenched. She lost track of her dagger but she still held the whip. Thighs would squeeze against the sides of his head as she tried to keep that part of him between her legs. Perhaps she could choke him.

She grunted in effort.

And graced him with an answer.

"A professional."

 

[Halul]

He felt a shallow, sharp pain tear into his chest. A superficial cut from the knife as he took her legs and forced her to the ground. Before he could mount her, strong, muscular thighs squeezed his neck. And her voice; so it was a woman.

A loud, labored grunt sounded from the captain as he brought his knees up and lifted his body. Using his considerable strength, he raised the woman's back off the ground, onto to roughly slam it down. If her grip did not loosen, he would attempt to slam her again and again until it did.

 

[Artemis]

Oh this wasn't good.

She squeezed harder even as he lifted her up. A grunt left her mouth as her back hit the ground. She could feel some of the armor on her back shatter, knowing there would be deep bruises spreading their black, blue, and purple across her skin beneath those robes. With the second slam, pieces of her armor did skitter across the floor. Thighs loosened around his neck and head but her quick hands went to tangle in his hair, trying to pull that head of his back.

Trying to wrap the whip around him and ensnare his limbs. Only, she was also trying to not let him pin her to the floor, so there was rolling and tussling going on. She hoped she wouldn't tangle them both together. His body radiated an intense warmth against her armor and robes.

 

[Halul]

He groaned and grunted as his thick, wavy locks were pulled back. After a brief struggle of rolling and wrestling on the ground, he finally managed to pin her to her back, though he found himself tied to her and unable to do anything further. He used that moment to regain his breath. The two wriggled against each other, the soft fabrics and rough leather of her attire rubbing against bare skin.

"Professional," he scoffed, "and I am Gerra, God-Emperor of Amol-Kalit."

He tried to posture up, but the whip that bound them together prevented that. He stared deep into enticing blue-grey eyes, the shade of her eyes much lighter and vivid than his dark blue ones. It was like the deep, dark peering into overcast skies.

"Today is not your day."

 

[Artemis]

Chest heaved. One hand remained pressed into his hair, though her arm was bound and pressed against the side of his face. Her other arm was pinned somewhere along her side and his. A wisp of silver-white hair like the moon beams outside had broken free from its binding and escaped beneath the hood over her head.

"Really? For a god-emperor you're not as hot as I thought you would be."

Hips heaved. She wasn't that much shorter than he. And she used that to her advantage. Feet pressed against the floor and with another rock and heave of her hips he'd find himself on his backside with her on top.

That sliver of silver hair dripping down to tickle his cheek as she hovered over him, nose nearly touching his.

"And I'd say tonight is not your night. Just relax." That hand down at her side inched toward her belt. Fingers gaining centimetres. But centimetres were miles. She just had to reach one of the small knives tucked into her belt. Just had to cut one section of that whip.

"Let me end this nightmare for you."

 

[Halul]

"You are very fun-" he grunted as she suddenly reversed their positions. His back hit the tile floor with a soft smack.

As the assassin fidgeted to get her knife, Uvogin jerked his face away from the strand of hair that hung over his face. He looked down, trying to see what exactly she was doing.

"I was relaxing well before you interrupted my sleep," he grimaced and felt a slender arm wiggle between their bodies as she tried to reach her belt. It was moving painfully slow.

"Oh, take your time."

 

[Artemis]

Pale eyes snapped back to her quarry's as she looked down upon him. Every shift of his muscles against her own - his nudity, she was very aware of. Beyond the veneer of cockiness in those blues of his, the darker colors reminded her of the desert skies around the moon, just as the sun set.

There was a BANG-BANG-BANG on Uvogin's bedchamber door.

They had been making some racket. Artemis was expecting this but perhaps not this soon.

"Captain. Is everything okay in there?"

Fingers clasped around the small knife and there was a sudden csshhhhh-nap as she cut through the whip. Pressing tightly down against the captain to leverage the small space she'd just gained she'd launch herself back, breaking the rest of the hold from the whip, hands able to push against the floor to launch herself backwards.

 

[Halul]

After the assassin bounced away, Uvogin remained on his back, his arms and legs not-so-modestly spread as he watched her.

“Everything is fine!” He called out and flashed the assassin an uncharacteristic smirk.

She was dangerous, but so was he. Uvogin stood, his skin glistening from sweat under the candlelight. He circled the woman, eyeing his prey with fierce blue eyes.

“You should leave.”

There it was. He crouched down to pick up his dagger that had slid across the floor.

 

[Artemis]

A single click of her tongue as his answer to his men surprised her.

Bold and foolish move.

With a tug of her fingers, she pulled back a flap on her robes. Glints of small throwing knives caught that candle light. One fell into each of her hands.

"You should run." Wrists flicked, sharp ends flew silently through the air toward his skin like the killer hornets of the northern dunes. The instant a knife left her palm, another was replaced as she pulled them from her belt.

whoosh-whoosh-whoosh

 

[Halul]

The captain's bemused expression faded in an instant. He dodged the first. As he tried to avoid the second, it grazed his arm. The third just missed. In the frantic scramble, Uvogin grabbed a thick blanket and used it as an impromptu shield from the knives, hiding his body from the assassin's sight. Knives ripped through the expensive fabric. He tossed the blanket up and darted past it, closing the distance on the assassin, dagger in hand.

For his size, the captain didn't make any wasteful movements nor did he expend any unnecessary energy. As he came in range, he feinted a low thrust with his knife before throwing a tightly balled fist as the woman's masked face.

 

[Artemis]

Her movements were quick with no resistance, like moving fingers along a silken fabric. One foot slid back and her body shifted so her left shoulder was to his oncoming charge, giving him less of a target to attack. The knife had no where to go. Head jerked back but his fist collided with the side of her jaw.

In training, they'd learned to take pain. Punches. Stabs. Burns. All to help desensitize the body to the shock.

Booted feet would suddenly lash out. A stomp at the tops of his bare feet. A duck under the hand that just caused bruises to spread across her jaw. Once one foot connected back to the ground her other would swing out in a roundhouse kick to the side of his ribs.

 

[Halul]

Even though his fist didn't completely connect, his strength would still be felt. His foot slid back and avoided what would have been a painful stomp, though there was no avoiding the kick. Uvogin moved into the kick and connected with it mid-swing, reducing what would have been a bone-breaking kick to one that just sent a considerable jolt of pain through his side. He wrapped an arm around her leg, holding it to his side, and with his free arm attempted to bring his elbow down on her knee to break her leg.

 

[Artemis]

There was a hint of respect that echoed in her gaze.

He was fast and strong. A formidable foe. She hadn't had this much of a challenge in a very long time. Most of her targets she granted a peaceful death. A quick knife to the heart in their sleep. They never had a chance to fight.

Uvogin was very different. And she was getting a better understanding of why the contract had been for so much. Those who wanted him dead recognized him as the danger he was. And they wanted him dead very much.

His arm hooked around her ankle. Back arched and she let herself fall backward, palms hitting the ground. Using that leverage and with a kick of a hand-stand, she slipped free. He got one of her boots for his troubles, even as her feet went to kick at his face. Spinning on her hands in a desert-cat-like move she'd land on her feet, facing him once again.

A light breeze from the window blew at her back as her fingers tripped the high back of a chair before launching it at his torso or whatever part of him might be coming after her.

 

[Halul]

Uvogin leaned back as the woman, sly as a fox, escaped his grip and kicked at his face. The tall boot remained in his grasp, which he forcefully threw to the floor with a frustrated grunt. He stomped forward, only to be met by a flying chair. He brought his arms up, and although the chair hit his arms and caused some pain, the damage was insignificant.

The chair clattered against the floor, but Uvogin quickly took it into his own hands and wildly threw it at the assassin. It missed by a considerable margin, and instead hit the wall somewhere behind the woman and making a racket in the process.

A racket that saw the guards return.

"Captain!" one called, "What was that noise?"

Candlelight danced over Uvogin's skin, slick from sweat, and his chest rhythmically rose and fell as he eyed up the assassin, then the door.

"An assassin!" in the few remaining seconds before the guards would flood into his private quarters, he looked back at Artemis. "Your name?"

 

[Artemis]

In the moment the Captain eyed the door she was already perched in the open windowsill. Form was back-lit by the stars and moon outside.

Her name?

Intense eyes locked onto his for a moment and she winked before disappearing into the shadows of the night.

No doubt the Captain would have more security measures in place when he slept after this experience. And Artemis wouldn't try the same place twice. It wouldn't be until nearly a fortnight later that they'd meet again. The wanted posters made it a little more difficult. But they weren't as difficult in a new city. And since her target traveled quite a bit, it was to her advantage.

She found herself inside the towering walls of Annuakat. The city of the 30 princes no more as Gerra took over. The streets were busy and thick with people as the Captain and his envoy made their way to whatever their destination may be. Probably to quell some rebel uprising or perhaps to bring back another wife for the god-emperor the captain served.

Artemis wove through the throngs of bodies, a brown cloak over her light armor. Her face wasn't covered this time but the cowl of the cloak was over her silver hair. Her normal garb would be too attention-drawing. For this she just needed to get in and out. Within range to shoot the poisonous darts.

 

[Halul]

He thought of that wink for days. Days. Her eyes were the only feature that he could remember - everything else was covered by her abyssal black armor. Thoughts of the assassin lingered in the back of his mind for the better part of the week, though as days passed, thoughts of her became infrequent.

Pedestrians avoided and made way for the captain and two Immortals that flanked him, making it both easy to navigate the densely packed streets and for the assassin to keep track of them.

Of course, the captain took no small amount of precautions after the first attempt on his life. His wariness had been exhausting for the days following, and despite his caution, a week had passed and his guard had considerably dropped since then.

He and the two men by his side were returning to the palace after an unimportant, tedious task, and they only wished to return as soon as possible. None thought of a potential killer stalking them like a predator.

 

[Artemis]

Their armor set them apart. It was clear most citizens deferred a certain amount of respect and fear. And right now Artemis wished she had the face covering she wore the night she’d first encountered the Captain. At least she still had her light armor. Bamboo reed was gripped in one hand. Poisonous dart was already loaded.

Swift feet took her from behind to alongside to ahead of the traveling party. Grey eyes guessed by stature and position that Uvogin was the one in the middle. Strange how she could picture every curve and contour of his body beneath that plating.

Stepping slightly out of the throng, she took her shot. A figure facing them head on in the street. Bamboo reed had two darts loaded, poison tipped. Long sharp ends could easily pierce thick Leather and clothing. She aimed for a break in the armor. Perhaps where elbow had to bend. Or in the armpit.

With a sharp exhale, they were released as she was briefly exposed.

 

[Halul]

The dart certainly did penetrate the cloth between the gaps in his armor. It certainly would have been fatal. It was thanks to the mail shirt that Uvogin lived. The dart did not have the force to break through the mail and only served to alert the captain.

In a flash, his sword (top) was drawn. Unlike the curved blades used by the rest of the Immortals, Uvogin's was long and straight. It was what he spent his whole life wielding and mastering.

His head whipped around and soon fell onto Artemis, who was still exposed. He pointed the tip of his blade at the ashen-haired woman.

"Seize her!" he barked. The two men by his side pounced on her while Uvogin plucked the dart from his clothes and tossed it to the ground before following himself.

 

[Artemis]

Artemis frowned. Eyes like a hazy summer sky darted at the two armored Immortals charging toward her. People screamed and tried to move out of the way. Bodies jostled her. The bamboo reed dropped to the ground and two daggers slid into her fingers, one in each hand. Weight tipped low and she moved with that fluidity and speed that only spoke of prior training.

The swords of the immortals would slice through air as Artemis weaved and dodged. She’d crouch and sweep her legs, bringing one to the ground on his back. As she twisted to a stand, the other got a grip on the back of her shoulder.One of her daggers flicked down to his boot, not waiting to see if she made contact, her free hand gripped his wrist as she flipped him over her shoulder.

It was clear she was not trying to kill them. Just get them off her back. Where would be the honor in killing those not assigned as targets?

She felt a sudden and sure grip on her ankle as one of the men grabbed at her.