Hassan

No one knows where the King's assassin's resided other than the King himself and his physician. It had taken me years to pry the information, but finally I had my chance when the King's Physician had been drunk at a feast in the palace. Finally she was within my grasp. Rundra, the assassin's leader. My need for revenge had all, but engulfed my thoughts over the years ever since she had stolen my eye for the King. He had taken much for me and I it was time for him to feel the same. I wasn't delusional enough to try to assassinate him, but she would make a close second. None of the assassins lived within the walls of the city and from the information I had gathered from the intoxicated physician, she lived on a bluff over looking the city in a sandstone house with high walls to provide privacy and help blend in better to the landscape.

I arrived around noon- the sun still high on the horizon. Most would have waited until dark so that they could blur into the shadows, but with my site, I couldn't. Dark was when I was weakest.

I scaled the wall with east and snuck into a corner with flowers cascading down a woven wooden fence. All was quiet within the compound putting my nerves on edge. Had someone alerted her I was here? Surely as a prized assassin she had some personal protection. The physician hadn't been much help other than her location and it angered me at how I was stumbling around blind.

"Steady," I heard her say.

Her voice echoed through the courtyard as I heard the soft pluck of a bowstring followed by a thwack into a straw target.

"Well done, my darling," she praised. "A little more practice and you'll be hitting your target perfectly."

I would never be able to forget her voice, but something was different in her tone today. It seemed to be filled with more caring than I remembered. As far as I knew, she lived here alone except for possibly a handful of personal guards so who was she talking to in such a gentle tone? Surely not one of her paid protectors?

I drew my sword slowly so it made no sound as it slipped from its sheath before tiptoeing around the corner in the shadows. My curiosity was peaked. As I slunk around the corner, I saw her standing behind a small wisp of a girl probably around the age of six. A loose piece of cobblestone kicked out in front of my boot and I cursed under my breath as I saw Runda's eyes snap directly to me in the shadows. My breath caught in my throat. Without hesitation she pushed herself in front of the girl with her right arm stretch out to her side.

"Go inside, sweety," she said gently to the girl.

As protective as she was, I had to assume this girl was some blood relation to her.

"Do you enjoy flirting with death, soldier?" she asked, her left hand already brushing the hilt of a throwing knife.

When I didn't answer, in a blink of an eye she drew two small throwing blades taking a combative stance.

"Leave before I cut you down," she snarled. "I'd hate to make you completely blind.��

I sneered. "I've been waiting for this day."

This was the only moment that had kept me going since Sari had been taken from me.

"What an agonizing death?" she mocked. "I did you a favor in sparing you last time- the king left your fate to me and I decided to let you live and this is how you repay me?"

"I lost everything when I lost my wife. I've been dead since her spirit was sent to the other side. How does the king repay my service? He lays with my wife who bares his child and then orders you to assassinate me to keep his dirty secret of his Raksheesh son a secret."

I was starting to realize she didn't want to kill me. She could have several times during my rant and for whatever her reasons, made no physical attempt on my life.

"So why spare me? What made you only take my sight partially?" I said in anguish.

"You have done nothing wrong, yet you still suffered. I had no reason to kill you when you were innocent."

We began circling each other, but she never loosened a knife.

"Leave," she said in almost a pleading tone. " I do not wish to kill you."

"You bested me only from surprise last time. Now I am alert to who my true enemy is."

"You give yourself too much credit, soldier."

As we circled, I saw her blind spot when the sun was in her eyes. It would only give me a moments advantage, but I would take it without hesitation. I lunged forward when the time came and my sword slashed against her shoulder as she brought her dagger into my thigh. She made no noise as she pushed me back leaving her dagger sheathed in my leg. Dark black blood stained her white shirt. Her eyes flared in anger with luminous lavender flecks.

"You drew blood. Beginners luck," she spat.

I stood on guard watching her right hand that still held a throwing dagger at the ready. I hoped to dodge her throw, but I lacked a shield and rolling was not an option with her dagger lodged in my leg. I saw her aim and release the dagger as I, on impulse, jumped to my left, but not far enough as her blade buried itself into my bicep. I let out a groan dropping my sword. As I was lost in the pain, she round house kicked me knocking the wind out of my lungs as I fell back into the hot sand.

"Remember this day, soldier, and remember it well," she whispered into my ear. "Remember the day I spared your life again."

With that she took the blade out of my bicep and the shock made me fall into the welcoming void of ringing darkness.