Ambush by assassins

"Oh…" Adelia exclaimed softly and turned away, apparently feeling guilty that she had asked.

Edward smiled warmly at her from where he sat, not saying anything as they continued to watch the old man brew tea.

After he was done, the man prepared a wooden tea set and brought it to their table, then he smiled and began to pour the freshly brewed tea into wooden tea cups.

Adelia stared at the tableware in front of her in a fascinated daze. She had never seen cups made of wood before. They weren't as intricately carved as the ceramics she was used to, but they had their charm.

When the man was done, he placed the cups in front of them and smiled again, urging them to have a taste.

Adelia expressed her gratitude with a smile of her own and took up her cup with both hands.

It was rather unusual for her but she wasn't complaining. She blew at the contents for a moment before taking a sip.

Her eyes widened in response as she looked down at the tea, then at Edward, only to find him amused by her reaction, then down at the contents of the cup again.

"It's… it's lovely." She said simply.

"Just 'lovely', my lady?" The Knight teased.

Adelia shook her head and laughed softly. "I don't know what else to say," she explained. "I can't… I can't really put it into words..."

Edward laughed too and took a sip of his own. "Then you should have said that from the beginning, my lady."

Adelia smiled and looked up at the old man who stood by and watched them expectantly. She didn't know how to communicate her impression, so she smiled and nodded once. Firmly.

The old merchant seemed to take that as a good sign and returned her appreciation with a small bow and walked off. Soon, he disappeared into another room in the tea shop.

Adelia watched him go. "Do you know where he went?"

"I haven't the slightest idea." The Knight answered as he continued to sip at his tea. Adelia eyed him; he really was enjoying it.

She sighed and looked down at her own, a small smile curved her lips. The tea had indeed calmed her, Edward wasn't exaggerating it.

It was a warm feeling that settled at the base of her stomach and soothed her. It tingled her spine in a pleasant way.

She loved it.

There wasn't any other tea she had tasted that worked like it. It was almost like…

"Magic…" She voiced aloud, then turned to the Knight who sat with her. "That's it, isn't it? Carinyne… it's… it's magic?"

Edward gave her a teasing smile. "I suppose it is." He said. "If it can change your mood in a matter of seconds."

Adelia's cheeks reddened slightly in embarrassment and she took another sip of her tea to hide her face. "It's not magic then?" She asked.

"I wouldn't know, my lady." He told her. "Witches have yet to find traces of arcana in it."

Adelia nodded understanding. "I see…" She couldn't find traces either but somehow, she felt like it was. The effects of the tea were just too prominent for it to be ordinary.

She heard a door creak and turned her attention to it, only to find the old merchant coming out of the room he had entered earlier. He carried a portable ceramic jar with him.

It was a white, delicate container with intricate floral designs carved into it.

The man steadily approached them and dropped the jar on the table they sat and purposefully pushed it towards her.

Adelia's brows furrowed for a moment before her eyes slowly widened in realization and she looked up at the merchant in surprise.

He gave her a firm curt nod and Edward watched their exchange with a mix of surprise and curiosity.

She couldn't possibly refuse a gift that she was offered, that was one of the most basic things she was taught as a noble.

So instead of shaking her head in response, she stood up and gave the old man a deep curtsy.

"Thank you." She mouthed carefully.

The old merchant only nodded with his usual smile and went about cleaning his shop. Adelia sat back down and watched him with grateful eyes, before her gaze fell on the ceramic jar he had left her.

She took the delicate container in both her hands. "I can't believe he's giving me this…" Then she turned to the Knight. "Do you know why?"

Edward only shrugged and gulped down the last of his tea. "How would I, my lady?" He asked. "He alone knows why he gave it to you."

"I suppose…" She voiced, staring at the jar for a while longer before setting it aside to finish her tea.

When they were both done, they stood up to leave the shop. Adelia made sure she waved the old merchant goodbye before they walked out the dilapidated wooden door.

"Do you think I can come here again?" She asked the Knight as they moved through the fairly empty street. "Maybe tomorrow?"

Edward chuckled. "So soon?" He inquired light-heartedly. " I suppose you can but only with the Duke's permission of course." He answered and Adelia pursed her lips.

They continued to walk in comfortable silence for a while, Adelia fiddling with the jar in her hands happily.

Her face fell into confusion when Edward stopped dead in his tracks.

She studied him warily. "Edward…?" She called uncertainly. "Is something—"

The Knight placed his index finger to his lips to indicate she stayed quiet. Then he scanned their surroundings and frowned.

"Edward…?"

He was silent for a while longer.

"We're being followed, my lady." He said finally.

For a moment, Adelia thought she hadn't heard right. "followed?" She echoed. "By whom?"

"Aggressors." Edward said plainly. "They don't feel friendly."

She gulped, uneasiness creeping towards her mind slowly. "It's… it's not just one person…?"

The Knight looked down at her with warmth in his beetle-like eyes. "Everything will be fine, my lady." He assured her. "We just need to keep walking as fast as we can to get into a crowded street. I would like to avoid fighting if I can help it. Come."

Adelia nodded and began to follow him, tightly gripping the ceramic jar in her grasp.

They had only gone a few paces before the first of their pursuers emerged.

Every part of his face, except his dark eyes, was covered with a mask and a hood.

He wore an ink black cloak and in his hand was a short blade that seemed to glisten under the afternoon light. Adelia's heart crawled to her throat at the sight.

She could clearly see it, smell it, in fact.

'Poison?'

Her grip on the ceramic container grew even tighter.

Edward carefully urged her behind him and drew his sword; a meter long sharpened blade of deadly steel.

At his rather aggressive gesture, more of them began to appear from adjacent shadows, each with black cloaks, their face covered by masks and short swords or daggers in their possession.

They began to form a loose semi circle to surround them both, creeping closer steadily.

Adelia counted six of them. Would Edward really be able to deal with all these people? They were too many.

She had to help.

"Edward—"

"No, my lady." The Knight cut her off sharply. "I know what you want to ask and I refuse."

"But—" She tried to protest.

"At my signal, you run like your life depends on it." He continued, not minding her. "Because it does. Run till you get to a crowded street, I will keep them at bay for as long as I can."

Adelia bit her lip in frustration… and horror. Their ambushers were terrifying but she wasn't a coward, she wasn't weak. She would not run.

She supposed they were bandits from the way they cornered them and bandits weren't trained in the art of combat.

If an attack like this was executed on a noble, it was obvious what they wanted.

"We are only passing." She voiced aloud, nearly making Edward jump out of his skin. He signaled to shush her but she ignored him. "If our valuables is what you want then we will gladly give them up but only in exchange for our freedom."

Silence…

It was like her appeal had gone into deaf ears. They continued to advance, taking slow, steady, menacing steps forward, surrounding them like a pack of wolves.

The courage Adelia had garnered earlier began to waver, why weren't any of them answering?

She gulped and took a stumbling step back, Edward didn't say another word and only stood in to protect her, readying his sword to meet them.

Adelia's eyes frantically searched the group with the hope of spotting their leader. If she could at least make him out then she could appeal to him directly.

But no one stood out, not a single person.

The entire group moved like one. Adelia now noticed and she hated to admit it but their coordination was impeccable.

"Edward," she called in a slightly quivering voice. "Can you… have you spotted their leader?" She asked uncertainly.

"They wouldn't make it known, my lady." The Knight responded tightly, taking his stance, his brows furrowing. "Assassins are always like that."

Adelia's mouth lost its moisture at the revelation, the jar she held almost slipped out of her grasp. "...Assassins?"

Edward gave her a sidelong glance but before he could answer, one of the assassin's leapt forward with astonishing speed, his short, poisoned blade aimed towards the Knight's heart.