The Anari

by Adrianna J Tetnowski

  34 –

  Troian

  “We need to go now.” was the very first thing Ariadna said to the others, as soon as she had made it back over the hedge and had removed the scarf covering her face.

  “What’s happened?” Troian asked. He had rushed after the assassin upon seeing her figure leaping down from the tree branch.

  Ariadna helped Preeya onto her horse and then swung herself up behind her, without a moment’s delay. She clicked her tongue twice. As she passed Troian by, she struck him across the back of his head with her palm, making sure there came a good thunk from the impact.

  The mercenary only cursed under his breath as he followed after the others. Atha tossed her head to the side and turned in the direction her master was tugging her in. Even she seemed to understand the importance of keeping quiet and not faltering better than her master’s companions.

  “Are you trying to get us caught? Just shut up and get back on your horse.” Ariadna hissed. If she had been at the manor house alone like she had planned, the assassin would have just gotten onto Atha’s back and ridden off with no further thoughts about what she had just done. Ariadna did not doubt the news of the politician’s death would spread like wildfire and Vinn would find a hefty sack of gold on his desk soon enough. Now, Ariadna felt pressured to answer the questions being thrown at her without rest.

  Dust gathered beneath the hooves of the three horses and they left clouds of dirt hovering behind them as they charged off. A steady rhythm pounded beneath the beasts as they created a good distance between themselves and the manor.

  From where Preeya sat on the saddle, she could hear Ariadna’s ragged breathing and the way she whispered words of encouragement to her horse, over and over again. If there was one thing Preeya knew the assassin treasured, it was the loyal horse on which they both sat atop. With good reason too.

  Atha did not falter. Neither did Thami and Thailo.

  The four riders travelled like that for an hour, now that they knew the road from the manor to the city centre of Forta better, and they would have taken longer had Ariadna not rebuked anyone for wanting to stop. They were going to be covered in saddle sores, no doubt.

  Nothing a good bed in a decent inn won’t be able to sort out, Ariadna thought but, did not say aloud for she knew no one else would agree with her. All the others seemed to do was complain – Preeya about being in pain from all the riding, Troian and Artus asking time and time again why they were not being told where they were going now.

  The familiar partly cobbled streets of the city centre came into sight; the stone glowing against the bright light of lanterns swinging from posts on either side of the main road. The city could be quite beautiful at night. Any other time when all the dirt and vandalism could be seen in the light of day, it did not appeal to Ariadna’s senses. Forta was still a shit hole, the breeding ground of gypsies and tramps alike.

  “You look exhausted, Ari.” Preeya said to her, having spied the light purple patches under the assassin’s eyes; like little bruises.

  Ariadna snorted at that. But really, deep down, she was surprised by the girl’s genuine concern for her. She gave Atha a pat on the neck in appreciation as she tugged the rein of her horse towards a stable outside a cosy looking inn. “A cold glass of ale and a nice bed will do me some good. I’m starving too.” Ariadna replied. She did not go so far as to thank Preeya for her concern; oh no. She could not have the priestess thinking she was developing a soft spot for her! Even though it was true. Ariadna had decided that, despite the additional trouble she had faced of looking after her, he rather liked Preeya’s company. Perhaps it was because despite her constant criticism, Ariadna knew that Preeya understood her from her standing point.

  The smell of smoke and meat roasting wafted through the doors to the inn, as a stupid, drunken man and his whore for the night went stumbling out for some fresh air – and likely to find a place for her to earn her coin.

  Ariadna looked to the others and laughed as she allowed the stable boy at the inn to take control of Atha’s accommodation for the night.

  “Ah,” she began and inhaled the mingling scents around her. “Don’t you just love the noise? I know I do.” For someone who had just murdered an entire household without even having to pick up a weapon against them (save for the guards who had gotten in the way), Ariadna was in a good mood. She had done what she had been sent to do. Business was finished for tonight; now it was time for some fun.

  Preeya fixed up her waistcoat as she approached the assassin.

  “I hope this isn’t another one of those whorehouses, Ari.” she said.

  Ariadna chuckled at that but, when she looked back at the men, her expression grew serious.

  “What?” Artus asked her, having realised her gaze had fallen upon him in particular. He smoothed back some dirty blonde hair and rubbed some dust away from his slightly hooked nose. Right now, he wanted nothing more than a nice hot bath, rather than being stared at as though he had done something wrong. He felt filthy from all this riding.

  “I don’t mean to spoil the mood here but, do you reckon we’re too late?” Ariadna asked.

  Troian shook his head at her. He scratched at the deep dimple in this chin as he spoke. “Too late to do what?”

  “Your mercenary men, is it likely they’ve already reached Vhorgo? Along with those priestesses you said this Kanra Mortier is in desperate need of?” Ariadna spoke carefully, for she knew Preeya was listening and would get upset at any suggestion that the girls were likely already dead. After all, it was amazing how quickly a desperate man worked.

  Troian and Artus shared a glance between each other before looking to the young priestess and biting their bottom lips in worry.

  “We do move quickly. The Khaishee Mercenaries don’t waste time and we’re renowned for our efficiency with contracts. In other words – yes. Maybe. I – I don’t want to say anything to upset,” Troian broke off his sentence for fear of really saying something wrong.

  Artus tried to flash Preeya a reassuring smile. “For all we know, there might have been a holdup. Kholo and the others might not have reached the girls yet.” he added in, for Preeya’s sake. Yet, he knew Ariadna had picked up his meaning well. The mercenaries most certainly would have reached the convent already and were more than likely on their way back now. The group was small, so they travelled fast. It was one reason they charged so much money for their services; they were excellent at what they did.

  “Well, it doesn’t matter, anyway. Kanra’s not going to get the twelve priestesses he’d asked for so,” Ariadna did not need to finish her sentence. She had said all there was to be said about that and now she wanted her food and drink.

  “What do you mean?” Troian asked her.

  Ariadna looked to Preeya and waved a hand in her direction.

  “Preeya? She’s from the convent you’d been sent to attack. Had she not followed me, she would have found herself taken by your mercenary brothers too.” the assassin explained.

  Neither men could believe it.

  “Damn.” Troian replied. “Preeya, I – sorry, we didn’t know.”

  Ariadna pressed a finger over her lips in thought. She did not look at the others for a moment and instead stood in silence, stubbing the toe of her boot against the soft ground beneath her.

  “We could always mess the ritual up.” she suggested.

  The others looked her way, and it was Preeya who asked, "Mess the sacrifice up? How?”

  Ariadna ran her silver ponytail through her fingers and said to the mercenaries, “You said Kanra needed twelve priestesses for this fucked up ritual of his. He only has eleven but, should any of the other girls break and mention Preeya’s existence, we can always make sure our dear Preeya isn’t fit for sacrifice.”

  One look at Preeya’s confused expression had Ariadna placing her hands over her face and sighing. She pointed a finger at the priestess.

  “Kanra needs twelve virgin priestesses. Look, I’ve seen how wel
l you and Artus have been getting along these past few days and I know that neither of you have known each other long but, I think if you both took one for the team,”

  Artus let out an embarrassed cough.

  “I think that’s brilliant.” Troian added in before his friend even had a chance to speak. He sent his elbow playfully into Artus’ ribs. “What do you say, Art? Show lovely Preeya how it’s done.”

  Ariadna and Troian shared a laugh, and they stood watching the other two with their arms crossed over their chests; beaming at the idea.

  “Preeya and I crawling into bed with each other is as ridiculous as you two doing the same!” Artus gaped.

  Ariadna and Troian let out a tremendous laugh each.

  “No,” Troian began.

  “That’s out of the question, it would never happen.” Ari added in.

  “Absolutely not.” they both said in unison.

  Artus and Preeya opened their mouths to protest but, their companions were not hearing it.

  “You said you wanted a drink?” Troian asked Ari. He was hiding his smile well.

  “Yes, I believe I did.” the assassin replied with a face as straight as a blade. Deep down, she was fighting hard to keep her serious facade from breaking.

  “Ah, I’ll join you. You two have fun and remember, it’s for the priestesses.” Troian winked and together, he and Ariadna turned for the inn and spoke amongst each other as they entered; leaving their companions to decide whether they would indulge in the suggestion.

  35 –

  Preeya

  It appeared there was some intense tension in need of easing between Artus and Preeya. Preeya had never even kissed a man let alone went any further, she blushed just at the thought. But if it stopped her from becoming another of Kanra’s victims, it confused Ariadna greatly as to why she would refuse.

  “You haven’t technically said no to the thought.” Troian said to Preeya as they sat in the far corner of the inn with a series of drinks in front of them. This was going to be a fun night – drinks and sex all around. For Preeya and Artus at least.

  Preeya felt the heat rise in her cheeks. “Well, I,” she began.

  Ariadna nudged the girl beneath the table with her foot. A mug of ale was already in her hand and the drink swayed along with her body as she shuffled around in her padded chair. Ariadna had gone all out as usual. Using the money she had taken from Vinn’s office, the assassin had paid for the best but most isolated table in the inn and fresh ale and red wine alike to satisfy her needs, as well as that of her companions.

  “Oh, don’t be so shy all the time. Artus is a good-looking man, he’ll take care of you; I’m sure.” Ariadna replied.

  Preeya smiled at that. She ran her finger over the rim of her glass as she replied, “I don’t doubt that. Despite our interesting start. That was my fault, I pulled a knife on him whilst you were gone.”

  Ariadna choked on her drink as she was sent into a fit of laughter. She was all ready to get giddy on some good alcohol, a good story to make her laugh would not be turned down either.

  “You pulled a knife on him? How did he react?” she asked with wide eyes.

  This was a side of the assassin which the others had not seen before, nor had expected to. After all their doubts, they were pleased to see that they really had been too harsh on Ariadna. The young woman had life teeming within her, she just chose not to show it most of the time. A requirement of her profession, no doubt.

  Around them all, the other customers within the inn shared Ariadna’s fine mood. Sell swords sat scattered on similar padded chairs, their arms slung across the shoulders of women far younger than them, and they toasted to whoever they had pledged themselves to this week – the highest bidder.

  Serving wenches weaved through the tables like a dance routine. They filled near empty mugs with ale and chalices with wine, garnishing the tables with thick crusty bread, with butter or chunks of pork in thick fat to accompany it.

  Even Preeya, the timid young priestess, was beginning to relax and when Ariadna offered her some rum to try, instead of that bitter wine she hated so much, to the assassin’s delight Preeya loved it.

  “What did you actually like about the convent you grew up in? There must have been one thing you enjoyed?” Preeya asked Ariadna, as soon as the alcohol had started making her bold. She leaned back in her chair and ran a pale hand through her dark hair; now that she was free, Preeya was delighted to assume that she could start getting some colour into her skin from the sun.

  Ariadna leaned her elbows against the table; a glass of rum dangling in between her fingers where a mug of ale used to be. The first of many drinks. If she was not expected to return too quickly, to carry out another contract, Ariadna allowed herself the luxury of getting drunk. It had nothing to do with her feeling bad about the things she did; she did not care, the money was good, and she was respected by most men because of the things she did.

  “When I was ten,” Ariadna began, she paused to press an index finger against her mouth in thought, the small glass of rum still in the same hand. “Sister Gana gifted me with my very own patch in the convent garden. I was allowed to grow whatever I wanted. Anyway, I was so pleased with my work, all the time I’d spent tending that little part of the garden; my part of the garden.” she let out a laugh, and she leaned back against her seat. After a moment, she threw her hands up in the air in mock defeat. “Well, you all know my secret hobby – that’s right, this cold-blooded bitch liked to garden. There are times I wish I could go back to it. It was nice feeding people instead of killing them.”

  Preeya smiled. Here in the corner of the inn, hidden away from everyone else, they were allowed to speak freely about who they used to be. She looked down at where the marking on her wrist was and she pushed her sleeve up, before stretching her arm out towards Ariadna, for her to see.

  The corner of Ariadna’s mouth twitched; the slightest of smiles. She placed her glass down and did the same, rolling her sleeve up to show Preeya her own marking and they held their places like that a moment. Staring in silence.

  “Maybe we can forget the convents and start our own sisterhood? One which doesn’t include those ridiculous robes.” Preeya suggested. Her voice was so tender and genuine, it made something within Ariadna snap and she did not fail to notice silver lining the assassin’s eyes.

  But Ariadna shed no tears. Instead, she laughed and clasped hands with Preeya, as she replied, “I’m older than you, Sister, so that gives me every right to tease you like any elder sibling would.”

  Preeya laughed aloud at that. She waited for Ariadna to refill their small glasses with rum and together, they clinked their glass with a smile and downed their drinks in one go. Preeya pressed a hand against her forehead and let out a breath.

  “I need some air. This alcohol is getting to my head.” she announced. Rising from her seat, she excused herself and stumbled out of the inn. All whilst the others watched her go, keeping their eyes out for any drunken fools who may have followed the girl. Preeya stomped her feet a little once she was outside, hoping that would do something – what exactly, she did not know – to ease the feeling of all that wine and rum taking effect.

  From a distance, a group of men could be heard heading towards the inn. They were already drunk and did not even notice the young girl standing outside as they went to go and get drunk some more.

  Preeya rolled her eyes at the sight of them but, she failed to keep herself from smiling. A night in the city, it was not what Preeya had expected. Then again, she had never really been too sure what to expect in the first place. The world was so different outside the convent. A pair of heavy boots against the cobbled pavements had Preeya turning, arms swaying as she moved, and she found a man standing behind her.

  The man was a beast – in both size and appearance. He blended into the night so well, he could have been darkness itself. His black tunic, tucked into black breeches and leather boots, with a leather jacket thrown over seemed to hide him w
ell enough amongst the shadows. It was his eyes which frightened Preeya the most. Dark red – or perhaps brown, in some lights – raked over her body, so painfully slow that Preeya physically felt pain at the touch of his gaze upon her. The man gave her a crooked smile.

  “Lost, little one?” he asked her. There was no kindness in his voice. It was flat; giving the young girl no reason to trust him and no reason to stay, either.

  Preeya did not answer as she went to turn away from him and back to the safety of Ariadna’s presence. A hand clamping around her wrist had her stopping, and she felt her body lose all balance as the man hauled her closer towards him.

  With his other hand, the man pulled down one of Preeya’s sleeves and then the other, until it appeared he had found what he was looking for. The man lifted his eyes to Preeya and gave her a crooked smile.

  “Ah, a priestess. Well isn’t this a pleasant surprise?”

  Preeya went cold, and she screamed. She screamed loud enough for Ariadna to hear but, for no one else to care. The city streets of Forta were full of enough crime, day and night, for no one to care about what happened to anyone other than themselves. Preeya would have looked like nothing more than a common whore being difficult and not wanting to go with a customer; it happened more often than people realised. But Preeya was no harlot and this brute of a man was no customer.

  “Let go!” she continued to scream.

  The man did not have to put up much of a fight and he teased the girl, picking her up off the floor high enough to sway her from side to side, like she were nothing more than a rag doll. He even laughed at her!