The Assassin

This is one of the biggest story i have woven :). So if anyone manages to survive through till the end, then do take the trouble of letting me know what you though about it :). Here goes:



His eyes opened wide in shock and pain as an arrow pierced him in the back. He could still see her beautiful young face lying there in front of him in a pool of blood. Moonlight shone on her face. She looked at peace, as if just asleep and not dead. His breathing got heavier as he realized he was about to join her. He stumbled few more steps as more arrows lodged in his back. He was leaning on a knee now, holding both his swords in either of his hands to support him. As the last arrow pierced his heart, the swords gave way and he fell on her, his eyes still looking into that beautiful face. To the guards who walked in with bows still held ready, it looked as if the two lay there in each other’s arms, in an embrace.


(Few sec before)
He stood there with swords in either hand. The swords dripped blood onto the floor. He himself was covered in blood, but of course not of his own. The guards had not even managed to scratch him. For all their efforts, they were lying dead all around him. He was good; they were no match for his swordsmanship. He walked over the body of the last slain guard, still holding his sword ready. His muscles tense. Hate on his face, contempt for her. She stood with a knife in her hand. She was staring back into his eyes. She refused to run. She had seen him mow down all her guards, without even breaking a sweat. She knew well what he was capable of. But she refused to run. He was impressed that there was no fear in her eyes. But it was a pity he had only contempt and hatred for her. As he moved closer, he raised both his swords for the kill. She yelled a cry and ran towards him knife ready to stab him. He slashed both his swords, she didn’t stand a chance. She took a few steps back and fell still facing him. She was still breathing and looking back at him with hatred. He smiled back at her. Suddenly he heard footsteps behind him. His eyes opened wide in shock and pain as an arrow pierced him in the back. As she breathed her last, she had a peaceful look, knowing that her assassin would join her after all.

(Few Mins before)

He had managed to sneak into the palace, dressed in black, 2 swords held on his back and knife in hand. He had darkness of the night for his cover. He was dodging the guards in a deadly game of hide and seek. Of course none of them knew he was in, until it was too late. He was careful not to make the slightest noise. He would sneak behind the guards, catch them alone, unaware. The last sound they ever heard would be their own muffled gurgling scream, as he covered their mouth and slashed their throat. He had managed to reach the princess’s bedroom without raising an alarm. As he stood in front of the door, he dropped the bloodied knife and removed the 2 swords that were held in his back till now. He pushed the door open and walked in silently. He could see her lying on the bed asleep. As he reached half way to her bed, he heard the guards running into the room behind him. He saw her wake up with shock and surprise. He cursed his luck, probably someone must have stumbled across one of his many victims inside the palace and raised an alarm. Whatever it was, the princess would have to wait. He turned towards the running guards and with both the swords he held in either hand ran towards them, smiling. This he thought is going to be fun.

(Few Hours back)

The princess was being led in a royal procession. People standing on either sides of the road were cheering and throwing flowers at her. She was smiling, waving back at the people. He was dressed in rags. People kept their distance from him and ignored him. Their eyes were all busy taking in her beauty. He stood there with the hunch, looking at her as well. Though he looked old and tired, his eyes had a fire burning in them. They were young and were full of purpose, if anyone had bothered looking into them. But no one did. His eyes moved fast, weighing each one of the guards, the weapon they held. Measuring each one of them, what they were capable of. As the procession passed him by, he smiled to himself. He was confident, no one will pose a problem to him tonight. As life got back to normal people passed him by without giving him a second glance. He wanted it to be that way as well. As he walked into a dark alleyway that covered him in shadows, he straightened his hunch and removed the rags he was wearing. He was as young as the princess. He was dressed in black. He picked the 2 swords from the place where he had hidden them away earlier and put them in his back. He removed a knife from his boot and walked towards the palace, just as it started getting dark.

(Few Days back)
They were being chased around the city. It was sheer luck that the guards hadn’t found them yet. He knew for certain that if they had to survive this night, they had to get out of the city at once. They were dodging the guards, hiding in the shadows in the darkest of alleyways the city had. His companion was already in a trance, pale faced, having lost lot of blood. He supported his companion by his arm as they hid behind a corner, they could hear footsteps of guards pass them by. “We are nearly there, just few more steps”, he told his companion. He got only a groan and a nod as an answer. As the footsteps faded, they started moving again. His companion leaning heavily on him for support. They walked silently through the alleyway getting closer to the river. The thoughts of the past few months were running through his mind. The king’s daughter had taken it upon herself to catch them. They had managed to stay a step ahead of her for the past several months, till today. She had pursued them from city to city. She had indeed proved herself to be a worthy adversary. He had heard about her being an expert marksman with the bow. Today he had got to see it for himself. it was her arrow that had crippled his companion. It was indeed a close shave, they had barely managed to escape, but looking back at his companion, he wondered at what cost. He pushed these thoughts out of his head, as they reached the river. There was an empty boat waiting for them as planned. He barely managed to help his companion into the boat. This wasn’t over yet. He had to get them out of here in the cover of darkness. He was rowing the boat steadily, noiselessly as possible. He had been trained for all these hardship right from his childhood and it didn’t trouble him the least right now. After several hours of rowing, they had left the guards and the city far behind. They had reached the beginning of the forest now. He slowly guided the boat to the banks. Once after safely securing the boat, he turned his attention towards his companion, who seemed to be asleep now. As he moved the blanket away, he was clearly worried. His companion was sweating despite it being cold outside. His breathing was labored and each one seemed to be his last. His companion held his hand tight and pulled him closer. Struggling with his breath,he whispered “The princess…she is…”. That’s all he could manage with his last breath and fell back limp, lifeless. A tear rolled down his eyes, looking down at his companion. It was clear to him, what his companion wanted him to do. He whispered, “Yes father”, as he promised to keeps his dads last wish. The princess would have to pay the price.

(Few Months back)
He didn’t remember having seen his father this happy ever. He knew his father had failed at this, years before, when he himself was just an infant. He always thought of his father as a perfectionist. His father was the best there was in the business. But when his father had told him about the failed attempt, he simply couldn’t believe it. But now that was in the past. They both together had managed what his father alone couldn’t complete before. The promised riches lay await for them, if only they could somehow now sneak out of the kingdom. It wont be easy of course. It would take them months to accomplish that, with all the guards and soldiers looking for them now. But that didn’t worry either one of them. It would be as easy as cake walk compared to what they had already accomplished. They had camped in the forest for the night. His adrenaline still seemed to be pumping. He couldn’t still believe it was just this morning, as dawn broke, they had achieved their goal. Now as the day was ending they were far away from that place. It was only looking at his father’s smile, that he could tell himself the job was finally done. They hadn’t spoken to each other the whole day. Now by the meager fire they had dared light, camped in the forest, away from curious eyes, his father finally spoke. “We finally did it son, we finally have killed the king…”

(Few Years back)
He held the baby closer. They had set sail in a ship. They would have sailed far away, before the news would have broken out in the city. The baby lay asleep in his arms. Looking back, he was furious. He had failed in his bid to kill the king. Just before he was to walk into the trap set by the king, he had sensed something wrong. It had been too easy to reach till that place. He had decided to call it off immediately. It was sheer luck too, that as he made his way back he had ended up entering this particular room to dodge few guards. As he had entered, with swift movement he had drawn 3 knives from his back and dispatched them in an instant. The 3 knives had found their mark and two guards and a maid lie dead even before they could react. The only sound was of the 2 cradles that the maid seemed to be rocking. He had heard of how the queen had died giving birth to the twins, now they lay helpless and unaware of the danger they faced. The baby girl seemed asleep in one of the cradles. In the other, the baby boy lay awake and smiling at the assassin, as if it had seen someone it liked. That’s when the thought had come to him.
Dressed as a maid carrying her infant who was crying in her arms, he had walked away from the palace, with the king and his guards still waiting for him unaware back in the palace. He had failed in his mission to kill the king, but he had left him a parting gift that would break the king down nonetheless. By the time they discovered the dead guards and the missing prince, the assassin had already boarded the ship and set sail outside the city.
His thought was broken when the baby woke up, it still wasn’t crying. It gave a lazy yawn. He cradled it on his arms with the words “ I will raise you like my son…”