Assassin Mavi - Chapter 3

A week had passed and Mavi had been busy. She’d presented Laz with one of her gold pieces. He was delighted and amazed. She was worried about Laz. Sometimes you see someone self-destruct and there’s not much you can do about it. She had checked in with Capkin and Zara, and had a little jam session. She had to admit, they made a cute couple.

Mavi had bought herself new gaçi girl clothes and some boots and a second-hand cloak to keep warm during Eden’s rainy season. She was no longer hungry.

She found herself thinking about Richard. She wanted to see him again. She wasn’t sure if it was the gold or the leather or the aura of danger about him, or some combination of all of that.

She walked down the three flights of stairs and out the door of her lodgings. An arm reached out and grabbed her, pulling her into the shadows. Hands caressed her body roughly, urgently. Then she realized it was Richard. She stopped struggling but was astonished. “What are you doing here?” She had to ask.

“Waiting for you. Mavi, I had to have you again. I used Guild resources to track you down.” His voice was thick with desire. Even as he spoke he ran a hand up each smooth, muscled thigh, firmly grasping her hips in his hands. He set her on a narrow ledge jutting from the alley wall. The stone was cold on her buttocks but she barely noticed. She unbuckled his leggings and pulled him in close to her. Despite the chill, they were quite warm.

He entered her, hard, and she gasped as she was driven against the cold stonewall. A few people did pass by the entrance to the alley and Mavi met their gaze boldly. Let them look. She was in the throes of mind-numbing pleasure. Then her eyes couldn’t focus anymore and she could only clutch at Richard as she trembled and sighed and the hot warmth flooded between her thighs. She bit her lip to keep from screaming and she tasted the metallic bitterness of her own hot blood. She thought maybe she was dying. But then the world came back and she and Richard were still there. He was covering her face and neck and shoulders with kisses and murmuring her name under his breath.

Abruptly he pulled away and straightened his clothes. She couldn’t quite see his face in the shadowy alley. She pushed her skirts down and hopped off the ledge. “Richard?”

“I have to go. I think this should be more than adequate for your time, gaçi girl.” He tossed a heavy purse, which landed at her feet. She looked at it and then back at Richard but his tall figure was already disappearing around the corner, the hem of his long leather coat flowing out behind him. He was gone.

Mavi picked up the purse and brushed the dirt off it. She untied the strings and looked inside. It was completely full of gold pieces. She was stunned. A fortune, okay, a small fortune. She tucked the purse away and emerged from the alley. No one seemed to be about. She summoned up her dignity and walked quickly. What had just happened back there? She had gold and Richard again – everything she’d been thinking about for the past week. Why did she feel so unhappy? Why did he leave so abruptly? She didn’t want to think about the reason although she knew the answer – because she was his whore and not his woman and in that moment she knew she could love that man. She hardly knew him but she knew she wanted to be with him. She also realized she did not want to sell herself to anyone else.

Her introspection was abruptly halted by the firm grasp of Tatary. "What have we here?" His huge hands yanked the purse from Mavi's hands.

"That's mine", shrieked Mavi, as she tried to push her way passed his girth to regain her newly
found wealth.

"I believe she's right fat man".
Mavi new that voice. Her heart raced as she saw Richard spin Tatary to face him. Without hesitation, his right hand was a blur of motion, the tips of his fingers crunching into the fat man's throat.

Tatary collapsed gasping to one knee. Mavi scooped up the purse, paused and then let loose with hard kick into the large mans groin. He howled in pain.

Richard chuckled. "I'm impressed!"

"Dancer's training" countered Mavi.

Her knife quickly in her hand, she sliced his throat without hesitation.

They fled hand in hand from the alley, both of them stifling laughter.

Mavi tried to keep up with him. She rounded a corner and her feet slipped from under her. She felt herself elevated before crashing to the hard ground.

"Take me with you." Mavi wasn't sure if it was a statement or question she had uttered.

Richard considered the girl standing before him. He had not trained an apprentice in some years. This girl had the makings of an excellent guild member, if not an assassin, then a thief or perhaps even a fetcher. “Do you have any family? A home?”

Mavi answered quickly enough. “No family, anymore. They died in the war. I was the only one who made it to Eden... at this moment I haven’t any idea what to do.”

“Let me buy you dinner. You’re in no condition to go off on your own right now.” Mavi raised an eyebrow at this, thinking that going off with an assassin could hardly be better. Richard continued. “I don’t normally rescue maidens in distress but for you I seem to be making constant exceptions. Let's go to the tavern - I think it would be best to get away from this place" He glanced meaningfully at the body. Mavi agreed. Warmth, food and Richard's company sounded overwhelmingly wonderful at the moment.

Moments later they were seated at a table near the tavern’s enormous fireplace. A little boy sat inside the fireplace, turning an entire side of beef on a spit. At the other end, a huge pot of stew bubbled merrily. A serving girl took one look at Mavi and hurried off, returning with a towel and a basin of water. While Mavi cleaned off the worst of the dirt and blood, the girl brought mugs of hot cider to the table. Feeling better by the minute, Mavi cradled the heavy earthenware mug in her hands. The sweet, spicy smell of the cider nearly made her dizzy. The first sip of the hot liquid blazed down her throat and made her realize how truly ravenous she was.

Richard spoke to the girl and she returned a moment later with two bowls of stew, thick with meat and summer vegetables. The food and drink and warmth from the fire brought some color back to her face and her hair and clothes were partially dry.

The assassin sat back and watched as Mavi ate her soup, weighing her potential with a trained eye. She was attractive - no question about her ability to move well. He noted her straight back and well-muscled limbs.

She was understandably upset by recent events but had handled herself well with Garra and Tatary. She was a natural with the knife, a fast talker, someone who could think on her feet. And best of all, she was not afraid. Apprehensive, uncertain, curious yes, but he had seen no fear in her eyes. She was vulnerable and he was prepared to take advantage of that vulnerability in a way he hoped would benefit them both.

Mavi finished her soup and sat back. Richard spoke, choosing his words carefully.

“What do you want to do with your life?” His voice was quite serious so she knew this was no idle question. She said nothing. He continued. “Or maybe I should say, do you want to do anything with your life?” He poured more wine into her cup and handed it to her. “Most people don’t.”

She sipped the wine, considering. “I never thought about it. All I know is the dance. I get by,” she added defensively. She knew she was a good dancer.

Richard narrowed his eyes. “Yes, I saw you getting by today. Being assaulted by Tatary, almost murdered or worse, and now, dining in the questionable company of an assassin.” The last was said lightly, a smile played across his lips.

Mavi shrugged. “I didn’t say this was one of my good days.”

“Have you ever considered entering one of the Dark Guilds?”

“You want me to be an assassin?” She arched a brow skeptically.

“That’s not what I had in mind, although you would make an excellent assassin. You showed great presence of mind again today, no panic, and no hesitation. And, as a dancer, well, what better opportunity to get close to your target?”

“No. I don’t think so.” Mavi knew she could not kill people for a living, however lucrative
“So be it. Assassination is only one possibility. There are many options. You can even continue dancing once your initiation period is complete and you receive full guild member status. The Dark Guilds look after their own. You will never go hungry and,” he leaned forward, lowering his voice, “men like Garra and Tatary will fear you.” He gave her a moment to consider his words.
Mavi said nothing but she seemed willing to listen so he continued. “Have you heard of the Fetcher’s Guild?”

“I think so. I’m not quite clear on what they do.”

"The Fetcher’s Guild is one of the three Dark Guilds, the so-called Dark Trinity - you may have heard that phrase.” Mavi nodded silently. Richard continued. “The Assassin’s Guild you already know, the other is the Thieves’ Guild. The three guilds sometimes work together, sometimes against each other. Each has risks. Each requires sacrifice, but the rewards can be great.

”Mavi exhaled slowly. “So tell me about fetchers.”

“A fetcher steals things that have been stolen from their rightful owners and returns them.”

“That’s it?” Mavi was skeptical.

“Basically. Of course it’s not always clear-cut. Ownership is often in dispute. Sometimes more than one party has a legitimate claim to an item. And, let’s see. Fetching has its dangers - as do all the Dark Guild trades. Bloodshed is sometimes necessary. You’ll need to become good with some weapons but I’ve already seen you in action so that shouldn’t be a problem. Beyond that I can’t say exactly. I’m an assassin, not a fetcher. However, I know more than enough to train you for the entrance examination.”

“Entrance exam?” Mavi blanched. “I’ve had little schooling, and nothing since the wars began.”

“If you’ve had any schooling at all, you are ahead of most applicants since guild members are primarily drawn from the, uh, disenfranchised members of society.”

“Like me.” Mavi said.

“Like you. And like me - once. I’ll teach you what you need to know. The exam is physical as well as mental.”

“I see.” Mavi considered. It did sound like an opportunity. So what exactly do you propose for the immediate future? I have no clothes, nowhere to stay, no way to pay you for any of this.”

“Stay with me for the next six months, until the guild entrance examination. I will feed and clothe you and teach you what you need to know. If you pass the entrance exam, the guild will determine where you go next.”

“You can afford to be so generous?” Mavi was suspicious.

Richard smiled. “Yes, actually, I can. But the Guild will reimburse me for my expenses should you become accepted as an apprentice in one of the Dark Guilds. You see it is in both our interests that you work hard and do well.”

Mavi sighed. “I don’t see that I have any other option.” She readily admitted the idea of having enough to eat and belonging to something was appealing. He knew she was vulnerable, damn him. But it was a tempting offer. “So, you want me to go home with you tonight?”

He smiled. “Unless you have somewhere else to go?”

“You know I don’t.”

“Then it’s settled.” He reached out his hand and clasped hers. “We are in agreement.”

“I have only one condition. Jamal, my drummer.
See that he is provided for. He’s very talented. See that he gets a job somewhere. He has a family to feed.” Mavi added.

“I will see to him first thing in the morning. I believe I have a favor or two to call in.”

“Thank you. It means a lot to me.” Mavi nodded. She hoped the sincerity in his voice was genuine. It was much too exhausting to not trust him.

Richard lived only a few streets from the tavern. The lights of Smuggler’s Hill dotted the skyline behind his home in a row of ancient buildings much like the others in this section of town. He ushered her in and proceeded to secure an astonishing array of locks and dead bolts. “Bad neighborhood.” He explained with a slight smile.

That was true enough. At any rate, she wouldn’t be leaving in a hurry. Richard pulled off his muddy boots and coat and left them in the entryway.

She removed her shoes as well and followed Richard into the house proper where he quickly stirred up the fire and lit several lamps.

Mavi looked around at her new home. It amounted to a large room with stairs leading to a loft and a door at the back leading to a kitchen and perhaps other areas. It was far nicer than any place Mavi had ever seen, aside from brief glimpses inside the palace and some of the great houses on feast days. Books lined the walls on either side of the fireplace. A large table was covered with still more books, scrolls and empty wine cups. There were a few chests and cupboards against the walls. Chairs and cushions were scattered about the room. A pile of furs lay invitingly in front of the fireplace. Mavi stared at them longingly but, not wanting to get anything dirty, stayed where she was.

“I think a bath is in order”, Richard stated.

Her clothes had mostly dried by now but that only seemed to make things worse. She pulled at a fold of her skirt and it parted from her leg with a crackling sound. Flakes of dried mud whirled to the floor.

She glanced at Richard and was relieved to see a smile playing over his lips. “As long as it’s just a bath.”

“Of course.” Mavi stepped carefully, trying to dislodge as little mud as possible as she followed Richard. The door led to a kitchen, and from there, another door led to the bathing area. She walked to the edge of a large sunken area filled with steaming water and a faint sulfur smell.

“What is this place? I’ve never seen anything like it.” Mavi was delighted. It was marvelously warm and oil lamps burned in niches along the walls.

“These row houses sit over a hot spring and were built to take advantage of that fact.” Richard explained. Hundreds of years ago this was the nice part of town. The lords and ladies have moved elsewhere but the springs remain.”

“Must cost a fortune to live here, even now.” Mavi blurted without thinking.

“A small fortune.” He admitted. But we can discuss that later. “There’s soap and a scrub brush here - and,” he opened a chest against the wall. “Here’s something to put on when you’re done.” He tossed her a robe. With that he turned and left.

Relieved to be alone, Mavi dipped a toe into the bath. It was blissfully hot. Without further hesitation she peeled off her rags and slipped into the steaming water. It was deep. The water buoyed her up and she floated blissfully for a few moments. She admitted that this wondrous bath was more than enough reason to stay with Richard as long as he wanted her.

She used the soap and brush liberally, scrubbing until her skin glowed. Then she worked the soap into her hair until that felt clean too. Mavi couldn’t recall feeling so clean since, well, since before the war, a very long time indeed. She floated around a bit longer and at last, with reluctance, pulled herself out of the water. She found a towel and then put on the robe Richard had left. It was made of dark red silk. Her fingers caught on the fine threads as she pulled it on and tied the belt.

She felt her hair and looked around for a comb. There was one on a shelf protruding from the stonewall. She worked it through her locks until they obtained some semblance of smoothness. Further emboldened she looked through the trunk from which Richard had produced the robe. She took out a basket of oils and lotions. She found a lotion that did not seem overly fragrant. This she worked into the hard skin on her callused feet and then spread more over her arms and legs.

Time to find out more about her mysterious benefactor. She emerged from the bathing area into the kitchen. Richard looked up. “Ah ha, there was a girl under all that mud after all.”
“The bath was wonderful.” Mavi admitted. Richard had not been idle. On the table in front of the kitchen fireplace was a platter with the better part of a cold, roasted chicken, some yellow cheese, bread only a day old and some fruit. There was also a pitcher of some liquid and two goblets.

Richard indicated the food. “I thought you might want something besides the bowl of soup at the tavern.” Mavi’ stomach rumbled embarrassingly, answering for her. She smiled sheepishly at the assassin and sat down at the table to eat for the second time in as many hours. She took up a ripe peach and bit into it. The juices dribbled down her chin. She wiped her chin with her fingers and licked them clean. She closed her eyes and sighed contentedly. Richard sat down across from her and filled the goblets, handing one to Mavi. She hesitated a moment and then drank deeply. Her eyes widened. It was a very good wine. “More please.” Richard laughed and refilled her glass. Together they ate and drank in silence, making short work of the meal.

Mavi sprawled comfortably on the pile of furs near the fire in the main room. She was clean and warm and dry and neither hungry nor thirsty. The firelight played on the reddish tints of her dark hair and on the curves of her body beneath the silk robe.

Richard sat cross-legged in front of the fire, cleaning the mud from his boots. Mavi closed her eyes. What a strange day, full of horror and wonder. She had no idea what tomorrow would bring but for some reason this did not disturb her. Richard finished with his boots and set them aside.

“There’s one more thing I would like to do tonight, with your permission of course.”

Mavi sat up. “Depends on what you want to do.” She said, pulling the robe snugly about her.

“Where’s your knife?” Mavi picked it up from the pile of her old clothes on the floor and handed it to him. He reached over and held it in the flames for a moment and then wiped away the soot with a clean cloth. Mavi watched him silently. He held up the dagger and spoke again. “You drew blood today. It is customary for assassins to honor this life passage. I would so honor you if you let me.”

Mavi sighed. “I suppose so.” She looked doubtfully at the knife. “Does it hurt?”

“Only a little.” He grasped her arm and drew it to him. “Believe me, if I’d meant to harm you, I would have done so by now.” He tilted her palm toward the firelight and, quite expertly, made a single slice across the width. It stung but nothing more. He made a similar slice in his own palm and set the knife aside. Still holding her hand, he spoke. “As the blood is the life, some give life - some take life away.” Richard dabbed some of her blood on his finger and made a mark on her forehead and then over her heart. “Today you gain in knowledge what you lose in innocence. “Now you say, ‘Today I give up my innocence and share your knowledge’ and do the same to me.”

“Today I give up my innocence and share your knowledge.” Mavi repeated the words as she caught some of his blood on her finger and marked his brow and chest. His skin was warm and smooth to the touch.

Then he brought her palm to his mouth and kissed it, tasting her blood. Silently she did the same. The salty, metallic taste filled her mouth and she wrinkled her nose. She swallowed and looked at Richard. He took her hand in his and clasped it tightly so their blood mingled.

“As we stand between the darkness and the light, we celebrate your first blood on this night.”

He continued to clasp her hand in silence until Mavi cleared her throat. “Is that it?” She asked quietly.

Richard smiled and released her hand. “That’s it.”

Mavi stared at her palm in silence. “It didn’t hurt much.” Then, she looked up at Richard as he sat across from her, their knees nearly touching. The firelight flickered over his features. Impulsively she reached out and traced the line of his jaw. Then, she leaned forward slightly and brushed her lips across his.

In response, Richard slid his hands slowly up her thighs to her waist and pulled her to a kneeling position. He continued up her ribs, caressed her neck, and then cupped her face in his hands. He regarded her intently, and then, to Mavi’s disappointment, he reluctantly pushed her away and stood up.

“I think you’ve been through enough for one day.” He disappeared through the door and returned a moment later with a bowl of hot water and bandages. He picked up her hand and washed off the small amount of blood, dabbed ointment on the wound and bound it with a bandage. Silently, Mavi did the same for him.

She was about to ask more questions when an enormous yawn stifled her words. She blinked and rubbed her eyes. “I guess it has been awhile since I’ve slept. Where …” She looked around.

Richard pointed to the stairs. “The loft has two sleeping areas. You can take the far one.” Mavi nodded.

“Well, goodnight then.” She smiled and made her way up the stairs, holding the robe, sized for Richard, to avoid tripping on its folds. At the top of the stairs she found candles and matches. She lit one and by its light made her way to the back loft area. Richard’s area was a large bed covered in furs and blankets. At the foot of the bed was a wooden board with a stylized sketch of a human figure. The figure was studded with various knives and round multi-pointed stars no bigger than a gold piece. Target practice, Mavi noted grimly. There was a trunk and a mirror. Clothing was strewn around. The back wall of this area consisted of a curtain. Mavi stepped through this to her sleeping area.

It was small but more than adequate. The bed was in one corner, under a small window. It looked comfortable enough, with extra blankets and two pillows. There was a nightstand next to it. She set the candle there. At the foot of the bed was a trunk and in the other corner were a mirror and a washstand with a pitcher and basin. There was a wooden chair against the wall between the trunk and the washstand. She opened the window and looked out over the roofs and chimneys of Eden. It must be very late, or very early. The moon was down and only starlight bathed the scenery. Light shown in a window. A dog barked somewhere. Most of the city was fast asleep and she hoped she would soon join them.

She slipped out of the robe, draping it over the chair and then, blowing out the candle, she slid naked beneath the covers. She rubbed the bandage on her palm, exhaustion battling her churning thoughts. Well, time enough to think about everything in the morning. Mavi slept.

Sometime later, the assassin pulled aside the curtain to gaze at the sleeping form of his new charge, illuminated only by starlight. Her bandaged hand lay outside the coverlet. Unconsciously, he touched his own bandage. Then he let the curtain fall back into place. He turned and pulled all the throwing knives and stars from target. He sat down on his pallet and began throwing them. The steady rhythm of the weapons hitting the wood calmed him. When he had no more projectiles to throw, he pinched out his candle and slept, fully clothed, too exhausted to undress.