Talon
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Post by Talon on Feb 19, 2008 22:09:11 GMT -5
I knew this man was quite angry from the way he spoke and acted. Who wouldn't be? His 'trusted' men had turned on him. "Unlike those men, I have a reputation to protect," I said calmly, walking over to where the male falcon perched on the chair. Stroking his back gently, I continued. "People lie. It is the way of life. No one, not even yourself, tells the truth all of the time. But unlike those men, I do not have anything against you. I do not know you; I do not hold any grudges against you. From what your sister told me, in fact, I would be inclined to side with you on the matter. I also sympathize with you for wanting revenge. Revenge and honor are more my motivators than any monetary sum. I charge money for my services because I am one of the best, and I am worth every cent." I said this last part not haughtily, but just as a matter-of-fact. I was no braggart, but I knew my skills and the extent of them, and I was not afraid to prove my usefulness if I had to. Perhaps some might argue what I just said was too bold to be saying to a king. But this was no pompus king I was dealing with, and somehow I thought he would respond better if I spoke frankly. Hopefully I was right.
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Post by Catriona on Feb 19, 2008 22:14:31 GMT -5
Catriona had been passing in the halls when she heard her brother and the stranger, Talon, as he called himself, talking. When her brother spoke of honor and trust, she could not help but put an ear to the door to listen. What did her brother want with this man? He was the shady type, if Catriona didn't know better, she'd say he was an assassin, but what could her brother want with a man like that? His kind were not the noble folk, or so she believed, and for now things were quiet, was Eadfearth trying to stir things up? These questions only made her want to listen even more she stood silently outside, listening to the conversation on the other side of the walls.
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Post by Eadfearth on Feb 19, 2008 23:04:01 GMT -5
" A reputation to protect?" He asked in an amused voice. " If you have a reputation, you are not very good at your job." He jested, despite the fact he knew what he meant for the most part. There was a difference between lying and betraying somebody. Yes they were related, but there was a thick line separating the two. "Revenge?" He quietly said to himself. Some of him wanted revenge. Some of him wanted to see the heads of his enemies hang from the gallows. It would send a message, to all who doubted him in his own country. It would send a message to outsiders he was not somebody to trifled with. Revenge sounded nice. But there was also satisfaction in exiling them, stripping them of all their possessions and leaving them to face with the wild. But then again, they could live and they could return seeking revenge. "One of the best?" He could use one of the best. He might of been gloating a bit, but that could be seen as a good trait in some cases. Assassins were careful, and even more careful when concerning their choice of words. " I need your services. Find out who is the master mind behind this plot. Kill those who stand in your way, but leave him for me. I have a few clues that may aid you. But if you are one of the best you may not need it." He paused. "Name your price." Eadfearth spoke quietly.
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Talon
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Post by Talon on Feb 20, 2008 21:34:48 GMT -5
I smiled thinly - dangerously - and replied, "My reputations comes from the people who hire me: my marks are hardly fit to testify to anything. Pity that they all seem to die somehow." The female swiveled her head then, and I paused in stroking the male to watch her out of the corner of my eye. Her head lowered a bit, golden eyes fixed firmly on the door. Her feathers were flattened to her sleek frame, her legs slightly crouched, ready to fly. There was someone outside the door. "Very well. I will find who it is, and you shall have your own revenge. Any clues, anything about your life, your allies, your friends and family, would be appreciated. Even the best should not be so haughty as to not accept help. The smallest detail may be crucial." As I spoke, I slowly stepped towards the door, my specially-made boots treading silently on the floor. I motioned for the king to not move, to keep talking as if I were there. As I reached the end of my response, my hand reached towards the door. Within half a second, I whipped it open, the person on the other side falling inwards. In the rest of the second I grabbed them by the back of the neck, closing the door in a smooth motion. The only suggestion of any action outside was the fact that the person was gone. I hauled whoever it was upright, pressing my right index finger against their neck, the sharp edge barely touching their skin. I realized then it was the girl, his sister Catriona. "One never hears good things when one eavedrops," I warned, letting her feet touch the floor and releasing her. I disliked eavesdroppers, but I would not manhandle a woman if it was not necessary.
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Post by Catriona on Feb 20, 2008 22:42:49 GMT -5
Catriona was listening, when she heard silence, she knew something was going to happen and she made to move from the door but in the blink of an eye, the stranger had grabbed her by the neck and pinned her to the wall. He hands held on to his wrist, if nothing else, her nails could dig into his pressure point at least releasing her so she could move from any immediate danger. She glared at him and stepped away looking at him. "In fact, one can learn alot. It wasn't hard for me to figure out your line of work, but atleast I would know if in immediate danger I could leave." She told him firmly.
Her back talk, and sly tongue and "unlady-like ways" were probably part of the reason she was not married. There aren't many suitors who trust a woman with spirit. At this point, she could careless what her brother thought, she just knew that this man could be a threat to her own life. Sure he may fulfill his contract, but who is to say he might kill a few extras along the way? And more likely, she acted like this because she knew he would be an enemy she could not beat and this did worry her, but she refused to show it.
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Post by Eadfearth on Feb 20, 2008 23:07:12 GMT -5
Eadfearth nodded his head. He would play along, by watching the falcons he figured somebody was behind the door. He knew a think about two about birds of prey, he had one when he was fourteen. It was his hunting partner, he was most likely not as well trained as Talon's birds but then again they were most likely trained for two different task. Eadfearth's bird had met a untimely death. " Yes, I mentioned I had some information. I picked up a letter from one of their bodies." He paused for a second as Talon moved closer to the door. "It is in one of our dialects, But I belive I can translate it into Latin for you." Eadfearth continued to think. There was not much information he could get from it. It was simply commands. " Hmm perhaps you can speak to my brother Theron.... I am leaving Germania for a while you can use that time to-" Eadfearth stopped talking as Talon yanked Catriona into the room.
Eadfearth's face flustered. It was obvious his sister was not behind the conspiracy. But it angered him she was eavesdropping. "You can not find danger unless you look for it." Eadfearth said, his town was irritated. Assasins were not serial killers, they would not kill unless necessary. " I am King I believe I know what I am doing, and if I do wrong it is on my shoulders. " That did not bother him much. He had the right to have a conversation without being syped apon. First his father had, leaving spies to bring him information on his son's doings. He flushed out the spies, and had a talk with his father. Was Catriona possibly spying for him as well? Most likely not. But Never the less it angered him. "Please leave now." He said, in the kindest possible tone he could muster at the moment.
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Post by Catriona on Feb 20, 2008 23:14:31 GMT -5
"I don't believe I said any about you Eadfearth," she glared at her own brother. "You do what you see fit, I simply am looking out for myself, it's not like anyone else is," she told him and walked back to the door. She opened it and then looked back at him, "For your information, I was only passing and stopped for a moment, I am not a spy, and last I recall, you have done the same to me. Learn to bit your tongue once in a while," she said simply and left. She wasn't really mad at him, just worried. She always got like that if she was scared or worried, she'd put up a wall around her. She had done that ever since he mother had died.
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Talon
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Post by Talon on Feb 21, 2008 23:40:45 GMT -5
I watched impassively at the exchange between sister and brother. I found it amusing that though Eadfearth was king, he and Catriona still spoke as sister and brother. She was an unusual woman, to be sure. Rather headstrong. My dark eyes followed her as she left. I would have to talk to her later, maybe, and assure her I would not kill her. That was the trouble with my job. People, upon hearing the word 'assassin', automatically assumed I was a bloodthirsty, vicious man who was out to kill them all. But that was simply not true. I was courteous and considerate of those who were not my marks, and I would not harm anyone unless it was necessary. I turned back to Eadfearth. "Your sister is a bold one," I commented, "a rare thing in a woman of her age. But as for price, I will let you decide what it is worth to you. How much do you value your position, and maybe your life? How much would you pay for this information?" I raised a single dark eyebrow at him, walking over to where the female perched. She fluffed her dark feathers, knowing she had done a good job. I stroked her black head with one finger, watching the king. I was eager to start in the morning. I enjoyed this part of the game, this part of cunning and skill. It was what made it worthwhile.
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Post by Eadfearth on Feb 23, 2008 2:00:07 GMT -5
Eadfearth held his tongue, he would not play in the immature game of sharing insults between siblings. He had actually thought of a number of quite witty responses. "Yes a very rare trait in women, but not necessarily a good one. If she was not my sister it would get her into danger." He replied, it was most likely true. Even as the King's sister he would be surprised if she angered a noble or even one of their other siblings. His brothers, how he missed the more simple days of hunting together. Every now and then all five of them would throw aside their duties, and take a long hunting trip. But those already uncommon occasions got more rare by the months. "How much I value my position?" He asked himself. It was actually quite a bit, but life would be much simpler without it. Oh it was a shock, once he learned he was to be King. He had expected one of his older brothers to become king. "Life would be much more simpler without it." He responded with a grin. "But I value my position with my life, But I cannot put a value on my life." He hoped he understood. His Latin was not the best. He placed his head in the back of his hands as he began to think. The money he would pay Talon with, would be his not Germania's. Eadfearth actually had quite a bit of money, and trading with the Romans had assured him more. A grin crossed his face all of the sudden. He reached for his side to grab something. A second later a large pouch of gold coins was tossed at Talon. "One now, and another when you complete your task." Eadfearth had not counted the amount of gold, nor weighed it but it was a rather large amount. The king did not know how much Talon's other employees had paid him but he could make a safe assumption his was one of the most.
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Talon
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Posts: 30
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Post by Talon on Feb 23, 2008 12:03:38 GMT -5
Although most assassins would just name a price, then add more money on later based on complications, I preferred to make the people think about what they were paying me for. It made it easier. Deftly I caught the bag of coins. I put the pouch into my pack, not counting them or checking what currency it was. I would not dishonor Eadfearth in such a way. I knew from the weight that the amount was enough. My employers payed me well. I nodded once. "You shall have your answer in a week as of tomorrow morning," I assured. My head started to fill with thoughts, with strategies for how to get what I wanted. I doubted that I would have to kill anyone, but a few might get roughed up along the way. I had found that people would tell you all sorts of things if their own life was at stake. Tomorrow morning it would be as if I was never here. And then I would begin the hunt.
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Post by Eadfearth on Feb 24, 2008 23:01:29 GMT -5
Eadfearth quickly frowned. "In a week.... I will not be here. Germania marches to war, I must lead them." He paused and then grinned. "I'm sure you can hold the information to yourself for a while. Just try not to die, it can't be to difficult. My brother will watch over the country for me...." Before Talon could possibly mark him as a suspect he spoke. "He is to be trusted, I do not wished him to be harmed. He was a supporter of mine, despite being the one who was expected to be King.." He explained. Eadfearth then turned around. " I should show you the tunnels, and pathways through out the castle. They all lead to a safe room, with a bed. If all goes wrong." He stopped talking. Needless to say Talon would know what to do. Eadfearth pushed against the wall lightly. It opened up to reveal the passage. "For this entrance, you must push lightly. I do not know why. For others you must push with more strength, others have switches and what not." He explained. " I will let you explore on your own." Eadfearth did not fear allowing Talon through the passages. It did not lead to his room. "With that I must say good bye." He explained. The king slipped away into the dark passage.
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Talon
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Post by Talon on Feb 25, 2008 21:27:28 GMT -5
I nodded once. I would make sure the brother was not harmed. The secret passages were a great asset to me. They would be my ways in and out of the rooms without suspicion. No one would know I was here unless I wanted them to. And the ones I wanted to know would not be able to tell anyone once I was done with them. I watched as the king slipped into the passage. So this small matter had turned into a job for me. It was a good thing. My falcons, now that everyone was gone, were relaxed and content. I absentmindedly stroked the flat head of the male. Tomorrow I would begin work. Before dawn, probably. But for now, after I made sure the passage was closed, I would rest. And so I lay down on the bed, my features still and quiet, and fell into a light sleep.
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