George Cooper frowned as he read over his latest report. His old friend LightFingers was keeping him informed of the going ons of the major cities. He left a message saying that a very young and very talented thief had now switched over to spy work. Now George knew that he couldn't control all the spy's everywhere, and he didn't even try. But this young slip of a girl had managed to find out all the information about all of George's spy's, including himself, the Whisper Man, Tortal's highest, and most noteworthy spy,whom no one except his family and closest friends knew his true identity. And the strange thing was, with all her informational findings, they couldn't catch a whiff of her. He contemplated this for a second and smile. He always loved a good thief and he always loved a good chase.
When he told his wife of his plan she frowned at him. "Do you really think that it is this important. You know how many people would do anything to be able to say that they were the ones that killed you. And it's just a little girl, how much trouble could she cause?" He knew Alanna hated for him to do the spy work himself. "I'll be fine," he told her as he caressed her cheek. "I'll be back in a month or so. I have to check on my recruits anyways." He put his arm around her waist and pulled her down to the bed. He felt comfortably safe and warm with her weight resting on top of him. He kissed her gently and soon they were whispering little nothings as George took her mind off of his trip.
The household was bustling with activity as they waited to send George off. He wouldn't be needing any packs because he had clothes and everything he would need stored at wayhouses. Wayhouses were little groups of organized thieves and spy's that were under George's command. They always kept his rooms ready for his unexpected arrivals.
George swung into the saddle of his lively black mare and rode out into the courtyard. Alanna stood there a frown creased into her face. Their lovemaking session last night had taken her mind off his trip for a little while but he knew he couldn't expect her to still be happy in the morning. He slid low to the right and caught her around the waist. He kissed her passionately before he rode out of the gates.
He went over what her knew of this girl in his mind.
She was lightning fast, everyone agreed on that. She didn't kill when she didn't have to, Most of his men had gotten a rap on the temple rendering them into unconsciousness. Magic didn't affect her. They were unable to scry for her. His men with the gift reported that it just sunk into her skin but otherwise had no effect. He grinned wolfishly, Let's see how well she handles me.
By noon the scattered villages gave way to rocky fields and forests. The path was well worn and the dirt was packed from it's use by horses, men, and heavier creatures. The sun beat high overhead. The calls of native birds could be heard. George sharpened his sight feeling that something was not right. Spread out through the thick forest men crouched trying to hide behind the cover of dense foliage. He tried to find an insignia on their clothes but to no avail. They wore earthy toned tunics over their dull chain mail. They had burnooses fashioned over their head and covering their face revealing only their eyes in the style of the Bazhir.
He wheeled his mount about and felt for the perfectly positioned knife at his hip. The figures flew from their covering of brush, wild yells and war cries penetrated the silent air. One of the men attempted to drag him from his horse, only to be trampled my his powerful mount's hooves. He slashed at an attacker on his other side. The man jumped back but George's blade cut along his face and chest. He swung gracefully from the saddle, removing his weight from his mare's back. He was promptly greeted by a fist coming up to meet his face. He moved to the side and let his attacker's momentum carry him past. George took his dagger by the blade and slammed the hilt into the attacker's temple, killing him instantly. The other man looked at his comrade's crumpled form for a moment before charging at George with a cry of fury. He feinted a punch at George's midsection which George blocked before he kicked and connected solidly to George's knee. George let out a curse as he stumbled, landing on the ground. He waited on the ground for a moment as he waited for the man to come closer. He could feel sweat running down his back and the sweat that threatened to run into his eyes. When the man stood about a foot away from him George saw his chance. He swung out his dagger and swiftly cut his attacker's legs out from under him, spraying himself with blood in the process. He watched in satisfaction as the other men ran back to their cover and rode away on their stallions.
George limed forward to the man and pressed the tip of his dagger to the mans exposed throat.
"Tell me who sent you," he practically growled. He looked the man, no, boy was more correct, in the eyes. He could feel the boy's terror.
"No one!" The boy cried. He felt the blade extract a drop of blood from his throat. "We don't know! Some high lord from Scanra. He said 'kill the Lioness's husband, then maybe she'll slip up and we can rid the countries of her evil'" George pondered this for a moment before reaching out and dragging the blade across the boy's throat.
George rode on until the sun began setting past the horizon. His knee was still throbbing terribly and he cursed himself for that slip up. He was getting rusty sitting at his desk for hours on end and translating code. He needed to get out more often.
He was riding in hopes of reaching his cousin Rispha and his wifes old protector Coram's house by nightfall. He only had a few miles left to go. He hoped that she had the drug to take away his continually growing headache. He had been mulling over what the boy had said. Some one wanted him dead so that would mean that he would have to be double careful.
He smiled, visibly relived at seeing his cousin's familiar house. They lived a simple life in a cottage outlying a nameless village. They had had five children together. He could tell that his cousin was happy even when she pretended to complain about her kids and Coram. He knew she loved them. She was out side the moment she heard him call her name. Coram gave a small wave as he wrestled with the kids. George fell asleep sometime in the deep of night. He joked and told stories to the kids until they hurried off to bed. He then gave Coram all the details of his old mistress. He grunted softly as he heard about her reaction to George's trip.
"She never did like people going off and having adventures. She wants to be the one to have them. She wouldn't have minded so much if you had brung the lass along..." He raised his eyebrows at George.
"She never did like the crooked way of life Coram, you know that. She'd be givin' everyone the evil eye and i would never be able to pass unnoticed because everyone knows what the fames Lioness looks like." His voice suddenly changed to that of the story teller he used while telling the kids stories. "She's a vicious brute. Purple eyes and hair the color of fire. Best swordsman there is this side of the Copper Isles. She kills giants with a rap from the back of her hand, And she travels to the Roof Of The World to bring legendary jewels back to her king." He sunk back into his chair a look of scorn on his face. "These people live for nothing more then to spread wild tales and rumors."
When the last lamp had been turned off, he fell onto his makeshift bed and and before his head even touched his pillow he was asleep.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It will get better I promise. Please review my little ducklings.