by Tiya Rayne
There are other magicals at this party too, they were a little harder to win over. There are fairies, which are the size of my hand and have transparent wings that flap like humming birds. They remind me of Tinker Bell from Peter Pan. They seem extremely fascinated with my hair and have woven flowers into my curls. My head probably looks like a flower garden. There are also satyrs with human upper bodies and goat bottoms and nubby horns on their heads. Water Nymphs, or mermaids as I would call them, do not have flippers when they are not in water. They are amazingly beautiful with their wide eyes, silvery skin and colorful hair. And, they are not the least bit modest. The only thing covering their bodies is a transparent swatch of cloth that they wrap around them like togas. It hides nothing, and let me tell you, they are as bald down there as a new born baby. Their nudity doesn’t seem to be bothering anyone else so I’ve decided to ignore it as well. When I saw the hobbits walk in I thought truly I was a character in Lord of the Rings.
At first the other magicals seemed a little skeptical of me. I didn’t fault them. If someone new moved into the trailer park we didn’t go inviting them into our circle all freely. No, they had to earn our trust. This was no different. They seemed content to watch me from their corners of the yard. However, when Augustus’s 8 year old son decided to teach me one of their most well-known dances and I took to it like a drunk monkey playing hop-scotch, the other magicals relaxed and even laughed. I didn’t feel embarrassed or that they were making fun of me. Not that I cared, I was too busy laughing at myself. I felt that their laughter was them accepting me. I was right too, because after that dance the other magicals were just as friendly and intrigued by me as the elves. Now, it seems everyone wants a dance. Thankfully, the people of this realm like to do a lot of line dancing and it’s not too different from the line dancing I grew up with. The dances are mostly a lot of twirling and changing partners. And, since my first attempt with my 8 year old dance partner, I have gotten better.
I’ve been keeping my eye on Assassin, unfortunately he has yet to collect on his dance. He is standing on the perimeter of the yard and everyone seems to move around him putting as much space between them and him as possible. I have noticed that a lot of the women look at him the same way I do. At one time one of the water nymphs sauntered over to him and brushed a hand across his chest. When he gave her that sexy smile of his I had the uncontrollable urge to walk over to her and snatch her away from him. Thankfully, my common sense won out and I turned away from them.
“Why don’t you just ask him to dance?” Miriam says, standing beside me slightly out of breath.
She too has been very popular, especially among the male elves. I turn away from Assassin’s hypnotizing eyes to look over to Miriam.
“Ask who?” I question, tucking my hair back behind my ear.
She laughs. “You have been staring at him all night, and when Fahilda talked to him I thought you were going to strangle her.”
Damn these observant elves.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I straighten my back.
She laughs again. “Don’t feel bad, he’s been watching you all night too.”
I try, but the excitement that swells up in me bubbles out as smile lights my face.
“Really?”
“I thought you had no idea what I was talking about?” Miriam replies jokingly.
I playfully roll my eyes at her. “He’s only watching me because it’s his job.”
No need for me to feed into any fantasies, Assassin is my personal bodyguard. He’s supposed to watch me.
“Everyone knows the assassin doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to. If he is your bodyguard, it’s because he wants to be. Now go.” She gives me a little push towards him. “Go ask him to dance, while I arrange the song.”
I am tempted to turn back around, but if I’m living in this fairy tale that I feel I’m going to wake up from soon, why not do something exciting while I can. I’ve lived most of my life never taking risk; it’s time for me to live on the edge a little. I take a deep breath as I walk towards him. His eyes follow me unwaveringly as I approach him.
“Lilly.” He says in greeting.
This is it, Lilly, your chance to be brave.
I inhale then say, “Have you changed your mind then?”
I try to sound peeved. He only smiles at my attempt.
“About?”
His one word responses are so hot. Although I’m pretty sure he could be a mute and I’d still think he is attractive.
“My dance. I’ve never took you for someone that would be afraid.” I cross my hands over my chest.
He smiles and it’s so freaking sultry that a trickle of wetness runs down my legs. Either I just peed myself or just this man’s smile has the ability to make me wet. I can hear mama’s voice now. “You are in a whole heap of trouble, Lilly Ann.”
I watch as Assassin’s nostrils flare and his eyes dilate as if he just got a waft of something that smelled amazing.
His voice is gruffer than usual when he says, “Lead the way.”
He holds his hand out for me to walk ahead of him. I turn my back to him and head towards the middle of the yard where the dancing is being done. I don’t have to look back and see if he’s following me, I can feel his presence behind me like a space heater. The song Miriam chose for us is a slow melody played mostly by the harp and the flute. I stop in front of him. Suddenly nervous. Assassin wraps one arm around my back and the other grabs my hand out to my side and then he pulls me close to him. Oh goodness that smell of his is making my knees weak. My eyes lock on to his, and I look away afraid he will see how he makes me feel.
“Lilly.” My name coming from his lips feel like a caress. “Look at me.” it is a demand that I could not deny.
My eyes look back to his and immediately the outside world disappears. My body is flush against his, and his hands apply the perfect amount of pressure to my lower back. His body feels amazing against mine. It was hard in all the places mine was soft. One might mistake him for a statue if not from the enticing heat radiating off of him.
“You smell good.” I say without thinking and then wish I could sink into the ground.
He laughs and I tighten my thighs together.
“Thank you, and so do you.”
“I probably smell like sweat.”
I’ve been dancing all night and this skin tight thick fabric don’t really breathe that well.
“You smell like vanilla.” He responds so quickly it’s as if he’s memorized my scent by heart.
Being in Assassin’s arms felt like home to me. The world could fall to pieces around me and I would be happy where I am. I lay my head against his chest and he places his chin on the top of my head. I want to know this man that holds me so close to his heart. What is it about him that gives me so much comfort? I feel drawn to him. I can’t explain the comfort and safety I feel with him. This isn’t just the safety you feel with someone you know that is hired to protect you with his life, this is a deeper level. This is the kind you find in your mother’s arms after a bad dream or in the safety of your bedroom after another relentless day of teasing at school. The moment I laid eyes on him back in Paulie’s diner I got the feeling of being protected. I knew the moment I saw him that this man was there for me. I am attracted to Rykan with his model beauty, even Nevy with his Greek-god body, but with Assassin it’s more than attraction. I don’t believe in love at first sight, I believe falling in love with someone is something that comes along gradually, after you have gotten to know someone and have worked at the relationship. There is no easy route to love. That’s why this feeling with Assassin is so strange to me.
“Is your name really Assassin?” I ask, not lifting my head from his chest.
“No,” his deep voice vibrates his chest.
“What is it?”
He laughs and it sends those butterflies in my stomach off in flight.
“I cannot tell you. No one alive knows my real name.”
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I stop to consider that, and then lift my head from his chest to look at his eyes.
“You’ve never told anyone your real name? Not even Avalia?”
He shakes his head and his dark shoulder length waves bounce around his face.
“The only ones that knew my name were my people. It was our tradition that when you finished training you became unknown. We were taught we only live to serve the people. So we lost our identity and were called only assassins.”
“Well that has to be confusing at dinner time,” I say, laying my head back against his chest. “‘Assassin, pass the peas’ and everyone reaches for them.”
He laughs again and I join him.
“It is not as confusing as you think, especially now that there are no other assassins but me.” I freeze and it causes him to come to a halt.
“What do you mean there is no others?” My eyes find his grey scintillating eyes in the dark.
“My people were the first to die in this brutal war. The Dark King knew if he wanted to take over the Locke he needed to get his greatest obstacles out of the way first. He brought in an army of 5,000 during the night and in two days wiped out my entire race.”
I feel the burning in my throat that signals my need to cry. I shake my head to fight away the tears. Although that was the most horrible story I have ever heard, my need to cry is not for the genocide of countless people. It is because I realize he is alone, and possibly because I’m pregnant and my hormones were all over the place, but mostly for the brief window of hurt I saw in his eyes when he spoke of his family.
Assassin uses his knuckle to stroke my cheek.
“I do not wish for you to be upset.” He says, and his warm breath brushes across my lips.
He starts to dance again, swaying me with the music.
“I’m so sorry to hear about your family.”
I can’t imagine losing my family. We didn’t have much, but we had each other and I would be lost if not for their love.
“Thank you, but that was a very long time ago. I have had many years to come to terms with their lost.”
I am aware that the music has stopped, but I didn’t want to end this dance. Assassin notices the music the same time I do, however he didn’t let go of me. I am relieved when the musicians starts to play another slow melody. I place my head back on his chest and listen to the soft thud of his heart. We dance in silence for a while, ignoring everyone around us.
“Can I guess your name?”
His chest vibrates again with his laughter. “You could try.”
“If I guess it right, will you tell me?”
He seems to think about this for a moment.
“Is it that important to you to know my name?”
I thought about that question. If no one seems to care to know his name, why should I care? Obviously he is fine being called Assassin. However, I don’t want to be like everyone else to him.
“Yes!”
“Then, little human, if you guess my name I will tell you if it’s right.”
I look up at him and smile a big goofy smile.
“Adam,” I say and he laughs.
“No,”
I place my head back on his chest loving the way it is at perfect level for him to rest his chin on.
“Albert.”
He laughs again. “Are you going to start with the A’s and work your way to the Z’s?”
“That’s the plan.”
He doesn’t respond to that, but instead holds me close as he continues to dance.
I could have stayed in his arms and danced all night, but eventually the music picked back up and I was tugged away by a hobbit named Tuson. Assassin let go of me with no reservations, but the quick look he gave me let me know he too would have rather continued our dance.
Tuson was quite the dancer. He glided me across the floor with such ease for him to only come to my knees. We were having a wonderful time twirling and kicking. Tuson had just spun me around as the fiddle was going up in a crescendo and then I heard Assassin shout my name right before the party goes into a melee.
It’s like something from a nightmare. Giant wolves come rushing from the woods followed by men as tall as a two story building and as big as Mack-trucks. Everyone is running away from the creatures, all except Assassin. He is fighting at least three of the tall monsters and two werewolves. No one is helping him. Not that he seems to need any help; the guy is wielding that sword like it is an extra appendage. If I wasn’t so scared I would be marveling in the beauty and the gracefulness in how he fights. When one of the werewolves grabs at Assassin’s arm I panic. I search for the nearest weapon I can find, which happens to be a broken leg off a wooden chair, and charge for him. The beast has pushed Assassin to the ground by the time I get to him, I lift my wooden leg and swing it at the beast’s head with so much force it splinters. The werewolf howls and backs away. Immediately all the raucous stops, it’s like time freezes and everyone stops and looks at me. Assassin is on his feet with me tucked securely behind his back and his sword out in front of him.
“Come with us, human Lilly.” The tall man says.
“Fuck you, Balak. She’s not going anywhere.” Assassin replies from in front of me.
“Hold your tongue, Assassin.” One of the werewolves say and it’s the creepiest thing I’ve ever heard. It sounds like tires going over gravel mixed with a smokers cough.
“The Dark King requires your presence, come with us and no one will be hurt.” Again the giant Assassin called Balak states.
I look around me at all the terrified faces at this party. The people I just danced with were being trampled and beaten and will probably die if I stay. Most importantly the man that is so bravely standing in front of me with blood pouring from wounds on his body, who I know would die in order to protect me, could be killed tonight. And I cannot live with that. I know my next actions may well mean my death, but I’m hoping the Dark King won’t kill me right away and I’ll have time to escape him.
“You will not harm them if I go with you, I have your word?”
Assassin, completely forgetting we are surrounded by our enemies, turns to me.
“You are not leaving with them.” It is a demand not a suggestion.
“Look around, Assassin. These are not warriors, they cannot help you and I will not allow you to die.” I push pass him.
“I will go.”
I hear gasp behind me from the magicals at the party.
“Lilly, No!” I hear Miriam shout from somewhere behind me.
I don’t turn to look at her. “Do I have your word that you will leave my friends alone?” I ask Balak.
Balak looks at Assassin with the smuggest smile curling his pock marked face.
“That goes for him too.” I demand, sounding braver than I feel.
“The human protects the assassin.” One of the wolves says in that nail-scratching-across-chalk-board-voice of his. The others laugh as if this is funny.
Surprisingly Assassin is standing rigidly silent behind me. His hand has still not left my wrist, but I’m sure that once the deal is made he will let me go. Balak raises his hand to silence the others.
“You have my word, human.”
I step away from Assassin and he tightens his grip on me snatching me back behind him. I squeak as the movement startles me and it is like a caucus of growls goes up.
“Do not put your hands on our future Queen.” Balak shouts.
The silence that follows his words is eerie. It feels as if the wind in the trees, the distant sound of rushing water, even the few critters in the woods have quieted. Everyone is shocked at those words.
“Um, I think you have the wrong person. I am not your future Queen.”
Nobody said anything about me being a queen.
“You are the sole property of the Dark King, future mother of his heirs. Come, you must meet your king.”
Ok, screw this! I’m not giving nobody else babies. What do these people think I am, a baby fact
ory?
Balak steps forward and before Assassin can respond a man’s voice comes from behind us.
“Lilly will not go anywhere with you.”
It was Augustus. He has arrows strapped to his back and one notched in his bow aimed at Balak.
“What will you do, servant?” Another giant asks. “Will you and the assassin stand against all of us?” The group of werewolves and giants laugh again.
And just as if I’m watching one of my epic battle movies, one by one more of the magicals step forward carrying weapons. Hobbits carry small knives, elves have everything from arrows to clubs to kitchen utensils, the nymphs are holding balls of water in their hands and even the fairies seem to be joining the fight. They were all standing up to these creatures for me, that burning in my throat returns.
“Enough of this.” Balak shouts. “Our queen comes with us.”
“You will have to take her from my cold, dead, hands.” Assassin commands.
Again the world turns upside down and instead of people running from the fight, this time, they run towards it. Assassin has one arm around my waist as he fights with his sword in hand with the other.
When one of the giants reaches for me and Assassin has to push me behind him, he realizes that I am hindering his fight. He looks around me and finds what he is looking for.
“Sorry about this,” is the only warning I get before the world spins and I feel as if my stomach has dropped down to my feet.
As soon as I feel my feet hit solid ground again I collapse to it.
“Miriam!” Assassin shouts. “Find Augustus, get Lilly back to the castle.”
Miriam leans down towards me and touches a cool hand to my clammy face.
“Did you trace with her? She looks ill.”
“I had no choice. I cannot trace far with her, or else I would have taken her to the castle myself. Take her, hurry.”
He lifts me to my feet at the same time he rams his sword into the belly of a werewolf.
My world is still spinning as I fight to say, “No, I don’t want to leave you.”