The Pirate and The Assassin

Chapter One

  Alone in the world, on a small island called Tera, a girl in her 19th year and no home except the one for she shared with a scruffy scrawny cat under the shelter of the old worn out bazaar tents, was sitting down waiting for her next prey. The cat did not belong to her, just shared the space for a few nights before leaving and never coming back. Kenna was use to be alone, no one wanted to share company with a thief. She only had one possession, a small dagger that her mother left her before she died. Kenna kept it on her at all times, it was all she had left of her family. She made her way in life with her talent-pocket picking and quick loots, of course she'd never been caught. It was easy actually, look around to make sure no one was watching, then flip up the latch or cut a small hole, with the depending on the type of bag it was. Then one by one the coins just happened to fall into her pale hands very easily. People would ask her to steal something for them, and pay her for her services,  it not always would she agree to do it. Sometimes the fee was enough to last her for weeks, others it would barely last her a few days. Many times her skilled little fingers would snatch something for herself too, maybe a few coins or a pretty little silver ring that would catch a hefty price, if you knew where to go. And she did. Sundays would be the day that the merchants, and traders and ships came into town and the streets would be the best day to slip into coin purses and sell her stolen little trinkets.

Ever since the miserable rotting orphanage kicked her out for stealing the vain mistresses crappy jewelry and taking the extra food-if it even deserved to be called food-she had been kicked out onto the streets and to fend for herself. Her thieving had been slow for a while, so any a chance to make any money, she would most definitely take. As long as her sneaky little tricks wouldn't catch the eyes of the two bushy eyed guards standing watch over the market, at their station. Guards switched every two hours so Kenna made sure that her thieving was placed around the switch. If she got caught, it was a one way ticket to being a slave for the rest of her sad life at the palace, serving the king and his royal pain-in-the-ass-family. They we the reason she had nowhere to go, after the king fired her unwell mother from the servants kitchen. Her mother had gotten sick and wasn't able to find any other jobs, so when she died, she died leaving Kenna alone, with not a cent to her name. The father had run off with all of their money and never looked back on the child, whom he now left a bastard. She most definitely didn't want to be stuck here, in this stinkhole.Her last customer had asked her to kill someone, and that's where she drew the line. It was a wealthy sum, would have lasted her less than a year, but no matter how badly she needed that money, she knew that it wasn't worth risking her getting caught. And if they were offering THAT much money, then it couldn't be a good thing. So when she politely said some very colorful language at them, of course things didn't exactly work out for her in the end. The man ended up slapping her, leaving a nasty red welt, and taking the last bit of money she had. So since then, she hadn't had much luck with finding jobs.

This Sunday, however, was different from the rest. Grey skies instead of the usual blue, and clouds that brought the promise of rain and strong winds. Three boats made their way through the murky harbor water and docked on the small gangway. One of fine black sail and brown hull stood proudly, named The Widower, another of green with a grey hull called The Shamrock. But the boat that caught her eye, was the one with the scarlet sails and black wood, its name was too far for her to see. A man with a red hat and three feathers stood on deck, the captain, she presumed. Way too fancy to be anyone else, not with a jeweled hilt of his sword. She snuck past the guards stand, through the pathways between the courtesans houses, and behind the first merchants booth. He was selling spices and herbs. Kenna watched as the finely dressed man stepped off and came to the first booth where she hid. Her hands found themselves around a pouch of Lily-of-the-valley powder and she quickly tucked it away before the spice merchant could spot her.

"Three pounds of Cinnamon, A vial of Nightshade, A pint of Hemlock, Maybe a pound of Hazelnut?"

He hid the two poisons in the middle and kept his voice calm and patient. Why would a captain need poison?

"How do you intend to pay for all of that?" The merchant responded lazily, letting his voice show that he did not want to sell for a cheap price, nor did he want to spend time on anyone would could not afford his prices. The hat came off and the man shook it into his hands. Five gold coins fell and suddenly the merchant was ready to sell.

"Would you like me to wrap those for you sir?" He said hastily as he filled the vial with a purple substance and placed it on the table, trying to hurry for those coins, greedy little man.

"Captain, and no, I'll take them like that." Kenna was right, he was the captain and he had money, meaning he probably had more upon that boat. Kenna bumped the table and a vial of red daphne extract fell into her lap. Deadly, and a quick poison. Luckily the merchant was too busy to notice. She peeked up and saw the captain's gaze fall on her. Quickly she ducked back down but it was too late, his boots stood in front of her. Shit. She stood up quickly, making sure the vial was tucked away in a pouch on her belt before she stood up.