A Different Landing

Chapter-20

Lexa came to awareness suddenly. Keeping her eyes shut and her body loose, she listened carefully for what had woken her. The soft creak of her window being closed announced someone had come in through the window. Her hand clasped around the dagger hidden under her pillow as she waited for the assassin to approach for the kill. She scoffed internally, deciding this was a very poor assassin as they reached out letting their center of balance to shift.

Grasping the outstretched arm, she yanked hard, pulling the startled and badly balanced assassin down. Apparently, they weren't as incompetent as she'd thought, because the dagger aimed for her attacker's throat was blocked by an elbow driving into her forearm holding it off. Twisting hard, she flung them both to the ground intent on using the drop to stun her attacker. She could have called for her guards but she could handle a single assassin on her own.

Only, apparently not, as the assassin didn't even pause after hitting the ground back first, just twisting powerfully, forcing her off, and rolling into a crouch across the floor. She didn't waste time throwing the dagger still in her hand straight for the assassin before diving for where her sword lay, drawing the weapon in a smooth motion while spinning on the balls of her feet to deflect a follow up attack. It didn't come and she thanked her good fortune while moving in a sharp slashing swing to take the head off her opponent that she could barely make out in the dark room.

She heard the dagger hit the floor as the assassin lunged inside her guard so the sword didn't take her head and instead her arm was stopped by hitting the shoulder of her opponent. Dropping her sword, she twisted sending the assassin tumbling towards the floor. She knew she didn't have time to go for a weapon and followed the falling form that was trying to right itself midair, which under other circumstances she would have thought was impressive. Falling down, she placed her weight so that it was on her knee and would crush the chest of her enemy. They clearly realized the death coming for them, hitting the inside of her thigh hard diverting her fall so that she landed straddling their stomach instead of crushing their sternum.

Her fist was already moving automatically. Again it was deflected to the side and her movement was brought to an abrupt halt at the choked sounding gasp of her name from the clearly winded form below her. "Lexa!"

Pulling back, she froze, a stupid and dangerous thing to do but she knew that voice.

"It's me!" The raspy voice coughed out from underneath her.

"Klark?!" She asked in horror, stumbling off the general. "What are you doing?!"

Lexa watched the dark shape of the general roll onto her side, coughing heavily. "Well, I was going to wake you up but I can see that was a mistake." There was a sarcastic bite to her voice that Lexa really didn't pay attention to in her surprise.

"I thought you were an assassin!" Her eyes widened in horror, "I tried to kill you! Did I harm you?" She moved forward, dropping down hovering her hand hovering awkwardly over Klark's shoulder, not knowing if her touch would be welcomed after she had attacked Klark so viciously.

"Fine, you just knocked the breath out of me." Klark said, sitting up.

"Why did you come in through the window?" She asked in confusion but glad to feel Klark accepting her arm as she helped her up.

While helping the general to her feet, Lexa looked at the shadowed face of the woman, waiting for an answer.

Klark made an amused sound in the back of her throat. "If we don't want to be the hot topic of gossip inside the blockade by dawn, I thought not being seen going into your house at this god awful hour at night was a good idea."