My Assassin Ing

The environment around us is changing as Davahn and I reach day four of our travels, signaling that we are getting closer to Aht Duhn. Formally known as the capital city of the Federation of Bahn Duhn, which is informally known as the nation of dark elves. Truthfully, the nation of Bahn Duhn is informally known for a great number of things, but the word 'nation' might be a strong one. It is more so a collection of semi-allied cities, each typically run by whoever has the most menacing reputation. Most of their leaders are assassins or particularly successful merchants, but I've heard of two cities run by madams. I say semi-allied because— despite their central governing council made up of each city's leader— most of them seem to hate each other. One city is always bickering with another at any given time. When any of them are attacked or threatened, however; they instantly become a united force to be reckoned with.

They're kind of like siblings in that way.

Bahn Duhn did not become a haven for commerce and debauchery by accident. Its very placement at the center of the continent seemed to decide its fate from the very start. The three other main nations— Marakai, Lothis, and Thyrica— surround the Federation on all sides. While its position makes it ideal for commerce, it also arguably leaves them vulnerable. It could be their reputation, or perhaps their own sneaky doing, but I have yet to hear of any serious attempts by any of the nations to try and conquer the Federation.

I'd put my money on the truth being a mixture of both.

I was born and raised in Thyrica, the nation of wood elves and humans alike, though '

raised

' might be yet another strong word on my part. My father was purely human, but my mother always swore up and down that she had wood elf blood in her to some degree. I'm inclined to believe her. She certainly had the beauty and grace of an elf, but it seems like humans are always trying to brag about being part this or part that. I'd estimate that about a quarter of the Thyrian population is a half-breed of varying degrees. No one knows exactly why or how long the alliance between wood elves and humans has gone on. Many believe that the human god Zahova and the wood elf goddess Phyra are lovers, symbolizing the union between our peoples. The less religious just figure that both of us are fond of nature, so we've got a lot in common. Humans and wood elves were also the main targets for the slave trade once upon a time, and oppression has an uncanny way of making folks band together.

Once we break through the tree line we'll officially be out of Thyrica and in Aht Duhn, the city that old Dahvie boy rules over, his title of '

king

' holding a lot more merit than he cares to admit. Ruling over the capital city essentially makes him the leader of the council, certainly making him a king in his own right.

And I made him beg last night.

I smile to myself at that thought, not letting myself focus too long on the bubbling feeling in my chest before I hear Davahn break the silence, his horse now directly next to mine.

"I do hope that you're thinking about me." The dark elf winks at me with that cocky grin of his as I roll my eyes.

"And what if I'm thinking of another dark elf?"

Davahn shrugs before casually stating, "Then the poor sap will, unfortunately, have to die."

I can't stop myself from laughing, ducking my head to avoid a low-hanging vine. The woods have slowly morphed into more of a rainforest, our surroundings feeling much more tropical, accompanied by a putrid humidity that has my clothes clinging to me as obscenely as possible.

Don't even get me started on the bugs.

As we fall back into one of our comfortable silences, I'm caught off guard when Davahn speaks again.

"

Do

you have a sweetheart back home?" Davahn's voice is only slightly more casual sounding than usual, but I can pick up on that marginal difference and the forced nature of it.

"Hardly," I sigh as I go to duck beneath another low-hanging vine, but Davahn lifts it for me as we pass, "I've never been with a man for more than a night or two."

"Ahh, so you're a heartbreaker then?" He clicks his tongue disapprovingly at me before continuing, "I should've known, the way you've got me wrapped around your finger so quickly."

I give him a pointed look before speaking again, "No, not really. Most of the men where I'm from are too terrified of Ryder to even come near me. He practically raised me, but most people assume that he has some sort of romantic claim on me." I scrunch my nose at the thought, fighting off the nausea it evokes in my stomach, "So men who knew me didn't bother with me, and men who got to know me after the fact suddenly became unavailable."

Davahn considers what I said for a moment before simply stating, "Sounds quite lonely."

I shrug, "Sometimes. I kept myself busy with work most of the time. I couldn't really risk getting distracted from my job anyway. So it was likely for the best." I continue without missing a beat, not leaving any room for probing questions, "What about you, then? How many girlfriends are going to be giving me dirty looks when we finally reach Aht Duhn?"

The dark elf chuckles slightly before letting out an exhausted-sounding sigh, "No girlfriends, per se, but a few lady friends might be a bit perturbed."

I snort, "Is there a difference between the two?"

"I'd say so, yes." Davahn wipes at the humidity at his brow with his sleeve before continuing, "I'm not officially tied down to anyone, but I have women that I'm fond of... visiting." He says the last word with feigned innocence.

"Ah, so

you're

the heartbreaker, then?"

He echoes my '

hardly

' before letting out a long sigh, "Work keeps me busy, and I'm in a dangerous line of business. I don't fuck my employees—" Davahn chuckles before interjecting, "Typically, that is. So none of my love interests are assassins. I don't have enough time to give any of them for something serious, and I assume most of them wouldn't be jazzed about having a partner who's constantly away and putting his life in danger." Before I can interject with a jealousy-filled jab, he finishes with, "All of the money and power in the world can't make someone need you."

There's a dull tone to his voice as we slip back into mutual silence, and not knowing what to say, I welcome it greedily, my thoughts buzzing around the word '

need

' like a colony of honey bees.

...

"Here we are."

Davahn's voice makes me jump in my saddle, pulling me out of my thoughts as I look around and realize that we're quickly approaching the tree line. I can just make out the warm beige of the desert through the gaps in the greenery.

Swallowing, I mutter under my breath, "Here we are."

"Nervous?" Davahn reaches over and grasps the reins of my horse, pulling us both to a stop.

I let out a long breath as I wring my hands, clearing my throat before answering, "No, what would ever make you think that?"

He eyes me for a moment before casually saying, "Well, I imagine that if I were in your shoes, this would be the point when it would all start to feel a bit more real."

I sigh, "Something like that, yeah."

"Hey," I look to my left to find the dark elf looking at me with a reasonably serious-for-him expression on his face, "One day at a time, alright?"

"Alright," I let the word out with a loud breath as he pulls both of our horses back into motion. I'm grateful for the fact that he chose then to try and talk to me because as we break through the tree line, I find myself speechless.

Aht Duhn is like nothing I've seen before.

The entire world in front of me is a warm, almost orange-beige color that is only interrupted by the blueness of the sky. It feels like everything is brighter here, as if the colors have more color to them. There are little spots of brown and green littering the ground in the form of shrubs and what I'm guessing are cacti. About half of a mile in front of us I can just barely make out what I assume to be the walls surrounding the city, and the mixture of my nerves and the high-noon sun beating down on me already has me sweating in my saddle.

"The center of the Federation is all sand. Nearly unlivable. But I think you'll find Aht Duhn comfortable," I hear Davahn talking to me from my left, but he sounds farther away than he is as I simply nod my head in response, "You really are the most anxious creature I've ever met."

I scoff as I whirl to face him, "I'm sorry, but you'd be anxious too if—" The mischievous grin on his face halts me mid-sentence as he gives me one of his irritating little winks, "I really despise you sometimes."

"I can live with that," There's nothing but amusement in his voice as he speaks, "I'd rather you yell at me than sit there and piss yourself."

"'

I'd rather you yell at me than sit there and piss yourself

.'" I childishly mock him, but all the effort earns me is a deep belly laugh.

Once he's collected himself, he says, "If at any point you need some company to ease some of the emotional turmoil, I'll gladly volunteer."

I snort as we approach the gates to the city, muttering under my breath, "So that I can become another member of your little harem? I'll pass."

"That's not—" Davahn's statement is cut off by a strange series of whistles from somewhere above us, and when he responds with a different set of equally bizarre whistle-like noises, the gates in front of us open. The dark elf leans over to whisper in my ear as we enter the city, "Welcome to Aht Duhn, princess."

If the outside left me speechless, the inside might be making me brain-dead.

The city is an explosion of color, some shades that I'm not sure I've ever even seen before. When the initial shock subsides, I take in the crowd first. First impressions tell me that the city is somewhere around half dark elf, but the rest of the population is completely random. Orcs, dwarves, humans, and elves of all kinds break up the sea of black clothes and charcoal skin. The smell of smoked meat fills the air of the busy streets, accompanied by an aromatic orchestra of what I imagine to be every spice known to man. My mouth waters as Davahn and I make our way through the market, the insanely wide street still somehow feeling crowded as folks of all shapes, sizes, and colors part for us to get by. The chatter of enthusiastic haggling hangs heavy in the air, broken up only by the occasional shouting of a merchant announcing their best deals or the giggling of children likely up to no good.

I can barely hear Davahn over it all as he shouts to me from my left, "They mostly just sell food at the front of the city for all the hungry travelers, but we're coming up on one of my favorite streets of the city."

I nod absentmindedly as I crane my neck to try and get a peak at the street he's speaking of. I can make out a lot of color fluttering in the air above the crowd, and as we get closer I realize that they're kites of every color and kind. As we enter the tunnel of color we're greeted by royal blue sharks, rainbow birds, and golden snakes first. I can feel the amazement painted over my face as I look up at them all, and when I look around I see that the sunlight filtering through the kites has set the entire street and everyone in it ablaze with the same vivid colors.

"It's amazing," I look over to Davahn as I shout over the sounds of music that are steadily getting louder the deeper we travel into the city.

His dark face is as warm with colors as it is in its expression as he leans over to shout in my ear, "I thought you'd like it."

We exit the street of kites too soon, and Davahn immediately steers us left, taking us in the opposite direction of the music that was to our right.

"Get's a bit loud there. Down that way is where most of the street performers congregate."

I'm back to semi-rude nodding as I take in the new street, which is surrounded by stalls selling a variety of goods. I'm nearly dizzy from the assault on my senses when I notice what must be a mirage running a jewelry store up ahead.

"What the fuck is a merfolk doing in the desert?" I whisper it mostly to myself, but Davahn answers me anyway.

"Probably feeling like a fish out of water." When I turn to give him a death glare for the corny joke, the incredibly proud smile on his face makes me look away, releasing an irritated breath through a smile of my own before he continues speaking, "I assume he's selling pearls. We get a lot of merfolk coming and going to sell goods here, but they never stay that long. Obvious reasons."

We fall into silence as Davahn leads us through a maze of streets, and after what must be a half hour of wandering, I'm about to ask if he's sure he knows where he's going when we come up on a wall of sandstone that's about twice our height. No whistles interrogate us this time, the slightly less grand gates simply open of their own accord as we approach. When I look over to the dark elf beside me, he tilts his head toward the opening and gives me a wink, "Welcome home."

I give him a half-hearted smile before we ride through, and I'm immediately greeted by the most lushly green gardens that I've ever seen. There's an abnormally large water fountain surrounded by sandstone benches to our right, the water just as vibrantly blue as the sky above it. I vaguely notice two dark elf males coming up to us as Davahn stops us once more, but I don't hear the conversation they're having as I take in all of the flowers, sculptures, and shrubbery that leads up to what I can only call a literal palace of sandstone. When I feel a flick at my thigh I jump slightly in my saddle, finding Davahn looking up at me with that shit-eating grin of his, "Would you like some help, m'lady?"

I roll my eyes as I ignore his offer, easing myself off of my horse and grabbing my bag before the strange men take both of our horses in the direction that I assume leads to the stables.

"So, what do you think?" Davahns tone and stride are casual as he starts to lead us toward his home.

I snort, "'Not a real king', my ass."

He lets out a long sigh, "Royalty and wealth aren't one in the same, Lovely."

"Says you, maybe," I mutter under my breath.

"Says me, indeed. And since I'm king, what I say goes."

I'm about to ask him if my punching him in the face will get me killed on sight, but the idea is cut off when we reach the front archway.

The entry room to the palace is quite open. There's a fountain at the center surrounded by more benches and greenery with nothing but open sky above it. The sandstone walls around us are painted with various murals, and I do my best to take them in as much as possible as we make our way toward the large and intricately carved archway that leads to the rest of the building. As we walk through it, a young female dark elf comes up to us and bows at the waist. She's much shorter than any elf I've ever seen, but I can already tell that her energy far surpasses the tiny vessel intended to carry it.

"I've got some work and catching up that needs doing, but Savah here will lead you to your rooms," the girl called Savah practically beams up at me as Davahn speaks, and when I look up at him he looks stiffer than I'm used to him being, "Get some rest, Love. I'll see you at dinner."

...

Savah must be the brightest dark elf I've ever met, though that's not saying much considering my lack of previous experience. She manages to somehow maintain a conversation of one the entire way to my room, enthusiastically giving me the life history of every shrub or broom we pass by. I do my best to pay attention and absorb it all, but the girl talks so quickly that I'd be shocked if even

she

can keep up with what she's saying. She eventually parks me in front of a closed door and tells me that Davahn had some clothes sent for me and that dinner is at five. Before I can ask any questions, she's gone, almost as though her copious energy became too much for our dimension to bear, and she slipped through the cracks of time and space.

"Well alrighty then," I mutter to myself as I slowly open the door before me, finding a room that's just as lavish as I expected it to be.

The walls, floor, and ceiling are all made from the same familiar sandstone, but numerous rugs of various sizes and colors litter the floor. There's a seating area in front of an insanely large floor-to-ceiling window on the wall opposite of me, with what seems to be a thin mattress of some sort placed directly on the ground, covered with a ridiculous amount of pillows. The curtains are a rich emerald color despite their sheerness, and the same sheer curtains form a canopy around the bed. There's a vanity, an empty closet that's door has been left open for me, and another door that I'm praying leads to a private bathroom. To my right, I find a mustard yellow upholstered couch with a large trunk perched on it, and when I open it I find a plethora of Bahn Duhn-styled clothes. They're not exactly my style, but they'll do just fine. They're certainly the nicest clothing that I've ever been able to wear.

I fidget with one of the dusty rose-colored sashes as I perch myself on the couch beside the trunk, taking in my room with wide eyes and a shaky breath.

"Welcome home."

"This is really happening," My throat feels tight as I speak quietly to myself, and the room seems to tilt slightly as I swallow repeatedly, "Thyrica really isn't my home anymore." I shouldn't miss it. I shouldn't miss the man who tried to get me killed or the '

family

' of assassins that were so willing to throw me away. I certainly shouldn't miss the poverty that I lived in despite all my hard work. Maybe I don't— but I do think that I'll miss the tree limbs I used to frolic through, the mountains that always seemed to remain in the distant horizon no matter where you were, the lakes my father once taught me to swim in. The two graves that I might never visit again.

For the first time since my world became turned upside down, I allow myself to cry.

...

It's amazing what a hot bath in a beautiful bathroom will do for a girl. Copious oils and perfumes were left for me, and I nearly squealed from joy when I found the vanilla options. The import is too expensive to get in Thyrica, at least it was with my salary, but the scent has always been my favorite. I practically take a second bath in them before getting dressed in an emerald green set that was from my little trunk of goodies. The wrap-around skirt is similar enough to my old ones that I wonder absently if Davahn gave more instruction to his employees than I originally thought while I was distracted. It comes with a matching high-neck belly shirt, both pieces accented with hints of gold detailing. Looking at myself in the floor-length mirror, with my curly brown hair done just the same as it always is, the new clothes really just look like if a fairy godmother waved her wand and made my old threads a little (far) more luxurious.

"I could get used to these," I whisper thoughtfully to myself as I turn slightly and look over my shoulder to admire the back, "And I'm apparently a very wealthy woman now living in a city overflowing with merchants, so I can certainly always go shopping." The thought plants a slightly childish, giddy feeling in my chest. I've never really had spending money, certainly not enough to buy the wares of a city like this. For someone who sort of literally just got fired, you could say I'm doing pretty well for myself.

The dark elf might actually be turning me into an optimist.

I snort at the thought before checking the time on the comically large sundial in the garden outside of my window, and it being five minutes past, I make my way out of the room and start the journey of attempting to find the dining room. Which I'm also just realizing might be a bit difficult because I'm in what is likely a gigantic mansion-palace-thing.