"Poisons are for women and cowards," Karuna said. "And I'm aware sometimes I might be requested to kill a man who wouldn't stand a chance against me, but I'm ready for the training."
"You put some meat on your bones." Saif smiled. The boy was becoming a very handsome young man, with an oval face that didn't seem to need shaving and black hair to the shoulder. "You were very skinny two years ago."
"I'm in a street gang now, and our leader doesn't starve us like my father did." Karuna shrugged. "Yes, he wants a share of the profits, but it's fair, since he gives me food and shelter in return."
"And how do you earn your living?" Saif asked.
"Cutting purses, mostly. Some of the customers my father found me still look for me. They tell me I'm cute, buy me food and I get to keep all the coins they give me, but I don't always enjoy getting naked with them. I look forward to cutting all ties with my past."
So alike. Nobody had come to kill Rohit's father, but he had run away with Aditya, cutting purses until handsome Talwar had set foot into town, showing him a better way. He'd been lucky with Lord Arfan, Karuna had gone through a lot more abuse. He deserved to rise from the slums.
"How old are you?" he asked.
"Fifteen."
"Oh. You look younger. I was thinking you should wait another year or two, but if you're already fifteen... Abhaya was almost seventeen – although he proved unworthy."
He frowned. Abhaya was a spoiled brat. Karuna was more like him.
"How old were you when you started training, Acharya Saif?" Karuna asked.
"I was eighteen. But Guisarme was seventeen, and since she's half-blood, it's as if she were thirteen. Still, she learned quickly, as well as other apprentices we had. It's the last one who revealed himself different from what we thought and hoped."
His own failure with Abhaya still burned. It didn't matter that nobody blamed him, he still felt the shame. He quickly glanced at the canteen door, wondering if they were mentioning him. He could hear muffled voices – probably Abhaya was trying to find allies – and Saif was glad to be spared the humiliation.
"How old is Guisarme now?" Karuna's curiosity was endearing, mostly because it allowed him to think about something else.
"She's twenty-three. She's been a professional for five years. We're not allowed to take on apprentices until we have at least ten years of experience."
"And what did the failed apprentice do to disappoint you so much?"
"He played with poisons. He could never master the noose, so he decided to become another kind of assassin – one we don't like here in Godwalkar. Talwar himself told him he can forget joining the Guild."
Karuna nodded, thoughtful. "So what are the basic rules of the guild?"
"A little like your gang. The Guild provides the jobs, and food and shelter in this building, for a share in the earnings. If you earn enough to buy your own house and want to quit, you give back your weapons and your assassin's name, and go back to a commoner's life. None of us is expected to live long, unless one retires from active service."
"How old is the Head of the Guild?"
Considering that he himself was close to forty, but still had no idea of how old Talwar actually was, Saif gave a vague reply. Talwar had aged fast after Khanda's death, as if the loss of his wife had drained him. And now the problem with his son...
Karuna's enthusiasm was contagious. Saif grinned as he accepted the new apprentice. Another street boy. Saif's heart softened at the thought. He was certain Karuna would never be as problematic as Abhaya.
Talwar's son spat his hatred for Saif on his way out of the Guild's building. The whole ordeal with Abhaya left a sour taste in Saif's mouth, but Karuna was so different, so humble, so eager to learn that a month later Saif had forgotten his nightmarish first student.
Karuna spent one day in the armory, studying the shapes and weights of daggers, brass wheels, sabers, axes and pole-arms. He observed the bows, the arrows and the silken noose with silent awe. He put all his will in the exercises to build up muscles, then the physical training turned to blunt blades and wrestling in the courtyard.
Karuna quickly learned to juggle with the brass wheels, slowly mastered the various daggers, swords and other blades and soon was ready to go out in the wild for further training. This time Saif looked forward to being alone with his student. The year had flown by and it was time to test his apprentice's survival skills outside of town.
Francisca was pregnant when they left and he had noticed that Katana now shared her room with her former apprentice, whom she had named Naginata. So maybe – and it was a very strong maybe – eventually he could find someone to share his room with, someone like Karuna the Sorrowful.
They went north and entered the forest, building a cabin in the woods. The training continued as they hunted for food and washed in streams. Karuna put on more muscle, but still didn't need to shave, which seemed to bother him a lot.
"Maybe you have Magical Races' blood," Saif said one day as they sat by the stream. The look on Karuna's face as he stared at his reflection was so comical he couldn't keep quiet. "They don't have hair on their bodies."
"But you do have a beard, and Genn-green eyes!" Karuna protested.
"Mixed blood is not always the same." Saif grinned. "I have dark hair and no pointed ears, but I feel more... Human with the beard. I don't know which of my ancestors was Genn, and I don't care. I'm not a half-blood like Guisarme."
Explaining the real reason why he – and Talwar – had stopped shaving seemed too personal to share with his apprentice. Who still looked at him with an awe bordering on adoration. It both embarrassed and galvanized him. It was a great lesson of self-control for him being alone with the young man.
Karuna sighed. He looked so dejected, poor boy!
"Not all women like bearded men," Saif said.
"What?" The black eyes widened in surprise and stared at him.
"Do you want to grow a beard to be more manly so when we go back to town you can seduce a woman and make her pregnant?" he asked. Fashion had changed in Godwalkar. For some reason the middle-class liked to sport a beard. But Karuna came from the slums, were it still meant being the scum of the earth.
"Oh, no!" Karuna blushed. "I only want to be like you." He averted his eyes.
Just like me. I wanted to be like Talwar – without Khanda.
"Being an assassin is a lone profession," he said with a chuckle. "You don't want to fall in love."
That would destroy you as much as it destroyed me.
"I thought Francisca was having Nimdja's baby," Karuna retorted. "Although they aren't married."
"And their child will probably grow up with her sister." Saif sighed. "It's complicated, Karuna. Are you missing the company of people?"
Karuna backed away from the pond and curled up closer to him.
"No. I'm fine here with you. How do you control your sexual urges?"
"Age helps." Saif smiled. "But I'll show you. You can't let your sex rule you. As an assassin, you need to learn control. You're much more controlled than Abhaya and are relentless, but you still need to teach your dick who's the master."
Karuna's face flushed again. "Teach me, Acharya Saif."
"There won't be just weapons from now on," Saif promised.
Although he'd have to watch out for his own reactions. Karuna had a great body and Saif decided he better keep his clothes on when he touched his apprentice – besides controlling his own arousal.
14.
Two years in the wild flew by and Saif was almost sorry to go back. But considering how fond of Karuna he was becoming, he decided it was better to resume the old routine. He looked forward to seeing Nimdja and Francisca again.
The sight of the Guild's building filled him with joy. He immediately went to Talwar's office, followed by Karuna who looked unnecessarily worried.
"I am proud to say his training was flawlessly concluded," he said. "I present to you Kilig the Sword, who is ready at your command."
&
nbsp; Karuna straightened his back but relaxed, waiting for Talwar's response.
Talwar rose, shook Karuna's hand, then led them both out of his office. He gathered everybody in the canteen, since it was almost meal time, and Saif repeated the introduction. They all sat at the tables, waiting for food, and celebrated both the apprentice and his acharya. Saif noticed there was a new young man at the junior members' table.
"You earned the right to your own room," Talwar said with a grin. "You don't need to share with Saif anymore, sleeping on the floor."
Newly-named Kilig looked panicky for a moment.
"Of course you're free to live somewhere else," Nimdja added, amused.
"Can I share a room with a guild member?" Kilig asked, frowning.
"Of course, dear." Guisarme winked at him, her chin imperceptibly pointing at Nimdja and Francisca who sat side by side. Saif wondered where their daughter was – probably with Deepika. He hadn't heard any toddler in the building. He had some catching up to do with his childhood friends.
"Saif, will you resume active service or find a new apprentice?" Talwar asked.
Saif snapped back to reality. "I've been teaching for almost six years, Talwar, give me a break!"
Talwar nodded and chuckled. "Don't worry, Nimdja has already started training the latest young man who knocked at our door six months ago!"
Saif grinned at Nimdja who smiled back. He hoped to have a word with him in private, but as he got up from the table, Kilig asked him with a worried expression if they could talk. Saif guided him outside so he could smoke his pipe while they talked.
He had started using the pipe during Abhaya's training. It helped him relax, and dealing with Talwar's son had been very stressful. He still did it from time to time, less often than before, when he wanted to calm his thoughts.
The homecoming was giving him a lot to deal with that he wasn't expecting, including his feelings for Karuna. He was certain Kilig would be a great and just sword, but he'd miss the company and closeness with the handsome young man now seated by his side, frowning again as he gathered his thoughts.
"What is it, Kilig? Your dream is fulfilled, you're an assassin now. What bothers you?"
"I wanted to become an assassin to be with you," Kilig answered. "I was wondering if you'd mind sharing your room with me."
Saif took a pipeful before answering. Oh dear. Just what he'd been trying to avoid. He couldn't afford to get more intimate with the adoring young man.
"This is a lonely profession, Kilig. You will have to learn to work alone."
"And I will work alone if necessary," Kilig replied. "But like Nimdja and Francisca share the bed, I would like to sleep with you."
Saif looked at the pale oval face. He saw Kilig gulp, but the young man didn't avert his eyes.
Saif sighed and looked away. "You're eighteen, Kilig..." Much like he'd been when he was desperately in love with Talwar.
"So? I know what I want. I've known all along, but I realized it only when we came back. I want you. Will you let me sleep in your bed?"
Saif tried to hide a smile. "Maybe."
Kilig leaned towards him. "And what should I do to earn the honor?" he whispered, flashing an impish smile. "Do you want me on my knees, Acharya Saif?"
"You've got your assassin's name, stop calling me acharya!" Saif snapped.
Kilig chuckled and pulled away. "Well, don't act surprised when I come knocking on your door tonight."
***
"So, where is Sanjana?" Saif asked both Nimdja and Francisca as they ate dinner in the canteen.
"She lives with my sister," Francisca answered. "We don't want her to turn into another Abhaya."
"She knows her parents travel a lot, hence she lives with her aunt," Nimdja added. "We see her as much as we can, but soon I'll be off into the wild to train my apprentice... Will you keep an eye on her for me, Rohit?" He stared worried at his childhood friend.
Francisca elbowed him. "Hey, you didn't have her with a common woman who can't be told what your job description is!" she chided.
"You're right." Nimdja briefly kissed her lips, since he didn't express his love in public any more than Saif did. "But you know you can consider him like me, don't you?"
Francisca chuckled. "Except for the sex part, yes, you're as good as him." She looked at Saif. "Although apparently you've known women too."
Startled, Saif looked back at her. "What do you mean?" She knew as much as him where his preferences lay. Kilig's offer was very tempting, but he didn't feel comfortable with such a younger man. He felt he'd seduced an innocent who could be his son.
"I mean you had a son, Saif," Francisca said with a grin. "He definitely has your eyes!"
"It's impossible." Saif shrugged it off. "I never touched a woman in my life."
"And you should know, Lalima!" Nimdja teased. "Who knows who this woman slept with!"
Francisca glared at her partner and was about to object when Saif said, "I don't care about anyone's claims. I have more urgent worries right now."
"You're lucky you don't have to deal with fatherhood." Nimdja winked.
"I don't want to know!" Saif held his palms up to stop Francisca. "I have another problem to deal with right now. He isn't my son, but he's young enough to be so. He's twenty-three years younger than me, but I definitely don't have parental urges when it comes to him, and that's not what he wants either."
Nimdja raised his eyebrows. "Would that be Kilig the Sword?"
"Yes! He wants to share my bed! What am I supposed to do?" Saif glanced at the table where the younger members sat. Kilig was bickering with Guisarme, but it looked like a game for them.
Nimdja and Francisca also looked at the other table, then back at him.
"He's become a handsome young man," Francisca said, serious. "I understand you're tempted. Maybe it's time you retire and start a family."
Saif snorted. "I'm not a family man, Lalima! You might have felt a need for maternity and asked your best friend to impregnate you before it was too late, but I'm not like you – never was."
"I know, Rohit." She smiled fondly at him. "I had a crush on you when I joined the guild. It took me years to realize you weren't interested in me only because I didn't have a dick."
"And you couldn't corrupt me like you did with Aditya." Saif glared at Nimdja who smiled at him.
"How does he make you feel?" Nimdja asked.
Saif sighed, glancing at Kilig's smile again.
"He makes me feel alive," he whispered, lowering his eyes.
"Uh-oh." Nimdja looked at Francisca. "He's in love."
Saif stared at them, outraged. "I'm not..."
Of course he was. His rage deflated and his shoulders sagged. His best friends were right. Karuna's adoration had wrapped him in a charming net. He knew that when Kilig made his move, he wouldn't be able to resist.
Thus, to avoid any temptation, he decided to spend the night in the city. He badly needed some mindless sex to work Kilig out of his system.
He went back to the Guild's building when the sun was already up and he stopped to grab a pastry at his favorite bakery. He found Kilig brooding in the canteen and was glad he had spent the night out.
Refraining from caressing the handsome young man, he sat in front of him with a bright smile.
"Good morning, Kilig! Did you sleep well?"
"No," Kilig snapped, glaring at him.
"You'll have to get used to sleeping alone," Saif chided. "Anyway, I hope you're ready for your final exam."
"Of course I am," Kilig said proudly. "But don't think you'll get rid of me that easily afterward."
Saif chuckled and winked. "We'll see. Are you done?"
"Won't you have breakfast?"
"I had it before coming back here. Let's go, Kilig. Today you'll have to prove to me you're an accomplished assassin."
Kilig rose and followed him out of the canteen. He showed Saif his wrist where his noose was wrapped and a couple of hilts of daggers hidden in his clothes. He wa
s dressed like a commoner heading for his daily chores, and Saif nodded his approval.
Both wore turbans when they left the guild's building, with a brass wheel over the fabric that looked like a decoration. Smaller brass wheels that could pass as bracelets were on their wrists. Dressing like an assassin wasn't something Saif enjoyed, but he had to test Kilig.
He chose the slums. There were no jobs at the moment, but the lower class could always use a free noose job on some bully who made their lives even more miserable than they already were. Saif guided Kilig to the place they had first met, and the young man didn't look happy at the choice.
"Why are we here?" he blurted out.
Saif turned to look at him. "Maybe your first assignment is to kill Karuna the Sorrowful."
"Karuna is already dead," he snapped. "I'm Kilig now!"
Saif smiled. "In that case, allow Kilig to tell his birth family what happened to Karuna. You were fifth of ten children. How many survived into adulthood?"
Kilig lowered his eyes. "Three," he whispered.
"That's only two people to visit and then we can move on," Saif said pleasantly. "Come."
Kilig reluctantly followed again. "I thought I'm not supposed to tell them I'm an assassin," he said before they reached the first mud-house they were heading for.
"And you shouldn't. Francisca's sister doesn't know what she does, but she knows Francisca isn't married, and that's why she's keeping Sanjana with her children. It's always good not to sever the bonds with your family, you never know when you might need them."
Deepika did know Lalima's profession, but she pretended not to. To her husband and friends she said her sister ran a risky business – which was true – hence Sanjana stayed with her. Saif's family had no idea of his new profession, but then he'd been estranged from them for years.
Kilig scoffed. "Or they might need me," he grumbled before knocking on his brother's door.
The two siblings immediately locked horns and Kilig seemed ready to punch his elder brother, so Saif dragged him away. The sister was much more affectionate and didn't question him. She seemed genuinely happy to see him and Kilig relaxed.
Saif's Story Page 9