Know Thy Enemy

By Nova

October 2012

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Catherine sat at her dressing table watching the woman behind her in the mirror.

"So, what are you going to offer me to stay away from your man?" I asked. I reached out and pulled a white rose from the vase on the corner of my table. Raising it to my nose I took a sniff of its delicate fragrance. We both knew they were a gift from her husband.

Dorothy watched me with cold unblinking eyes.

I gave her laughing confident eyes, masking my confusion.

What was wrong with this woman? She should be upset and offering me anything I want to keep me away from her husband. They had all been the same since the beginning.

/

Like so many after the war, I am an orphan. I learned quickly to lie, steal, and swindle what I needed to survive. When I was thirteen I realized I had a gift. Men could not resist me. At first I negotiated carefully, but slowly I noticed that they did not get angry even when I reneged on my end of the deal. Men will give me whatever I want and gladly take the crumbs I throw their way. Finally I had a power of my own.

The first man completely devoted to me was the ring leader of a circus. He gave me a home and took me under his wing. Soon I was a knife throwing star under the big top.

Life was comfortable; moving from town to town, new men to rain gifts on me. Then one evening after a show this woman showed up. She begged me not to take her fiancé. She offered me a large sum of money to leave him alone. I had ten men dangling and had no idea who she was talking about. We were due to leave town the next day, so I took her money and promised to never see him again.

At the next town I found a rich married man and tested out a new plan. Sure enough a wife showed up with a big fat bribe, which I "reluctantly" accepted. And so a new career began.

At first I picked men who sought me out. But soon realized that their wives knew they were wanderers and didn't want to pay much, knowing there would be another girl soon enough. My new targets were wealthy happily married men. They couldn't resist me either and their wives paid quickly and generously.

Dorothy and her husband Quatre came to see my show two weeks ago. There was a lot of media attention surrounding the power couple. Quatre was being given a private tour by the ring master and was introduced to me. He shook my hand and that was all I needed. He came to see me the next day.

There was a hesitant knock on my door. I opened the door to Quatre's blushing face. "Come in Mr. Winner" I invited, stepping back to make room. He entered the room wringing his hands, eyes shifting back and forth, obviously very nervous.

"Thank you, I... I...," he swallowed hard and turned to look at me. "I don't know why I am here. I just couldn't focus and had to come see you." His eyes closed like he was in pain. "Why am I here?"

"I wanted you to come see me, that is why you are here." I replied gently. "Please sit down."

He sank into the chair near the door.

"Do you love your wife Mr. Winner?"

"Yes, very much"

"Does she love you?"

"Dorothy loves me more than anyone else in the world." Quatre's head sank into his hands. "She will kill us, if she suspects I had an affair. Being here is such a bad idea."

I laughed, it amazed me how many men feared their wives. "Don't worry Quatre, she will take you back. I like white roses."

/

Everything had been moving along so smoothly, until this Dorothy Winner. I reached up to the picture of the gentle blonde attached to the mirror. Watching her for her reaction, I slowly traced my finger down the face. "I have the power to take him, if I want." I softly reminded her. Dorothy's face did not change. I buried my frustration and forged ahead, "What will you give me to leave him alone?"

"You're life." came her cold reply.

Anger blossomed in my gut. This rich pampered bitch is threatening me! The blades on the table came easily to my hand. Meeting her eyes in the mirror I replied "I can protect my own life." Faster than a blink, I turned and threw a dagger. I aimed for a few inches to the side of her head. Just close enough to give her a scare.

Unfortunately, the blade didn't come close. There was a sharp sound of metal striking metal and the dagger went flying off into the far corner of the room.

Dorothy had deflected it with a long rapier that seemed to materialize in her hand.

At that moment I knew she meant to kill me.

I let the other knives fly with intent.

Dorothy's sword flashed and I felt it sink into my chest. The mirror shattered. I was pinned to the wall like a butterfly. Dorothy's eyes were only inches away. I stared into those ice cold lilac eyes. Their expression was the same.

My heart attempted to beat around the steel piercing it. I knew she would stand there and watch my life flow away and it would mean nothing to her.

A man in a gray uniform stepped in my door. He bowed and spoke looking at the floor. "Catalonia. Your limo is ready."

She didn't take her eyes from mine. "Quatre?" she asked.

"Inside."

I took a ragged gurgling gasp. Catalonia! the Assassin!

"In your next life, be more careful who's man you seduce."

As the darkness ate me lilac filled my vision.

/

Author's note: This idea has been floating around in mind for years, I finally put it on paper. It isn't great, but I hope you enjoyed it.

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