The Assassin's Crown

•Chapter five•

December 15, 1963.

My eyes dart from left to right looking for signs of the dark haired man.

He's not here.

It could be that he's just late. We started hanging out but we mostly saw each other on Sundays. That was the day when nothing really happened in the palace. Since I'm no longer an assassin I have plenty of free time.

I think back to when Paul and I first met. I thought he was like everybody else: a snob and didn't care about anyone but himself.

It turns out he's much more nicer than I'd initially thought. After having a talk with Jane and the rest of the girls, they decided I should let him in since they know I'm not really big on the friendship thing. I think that was the best decision I ever made.

It's been four weeks since I made that decision and I don't regret it. Not one bit. He taught me new fighting moves. The way to this girl's heart is by teaching her interesting ways to murder people.

The sound of footsteps reaches my ears and I look up. Paul looks at me with a solemn expression on his face. He must've seen the question in my gaze so he cracked a smile.

“La chica,” he says.

“Paul,” I nod.

Surprisingly, after our first encounter I let that name stick. I'm not even sure he remembers my name.

I frown as I recall what happened earlier. It hurts me, honestly, that I'm not an assassin anymore even if it's temporary. Paul doesn't look at me and sighs. “What is it?”

Paul moves closer to the boulder where I'm sitting.

“Speak, querida,” He repeats.

The fact that I'm no longer an assassin hits me. All the training, four years worth of training all for nothing. All my dreams of finally making a name for myself, gone.

I shift closer to Paul and begin to tell him everything that happened. From when I overheard Liam and that other person, to me getting suspiciously stuck in Hemmington's quarters to him accusing me of theft leading to the stripping of all my rights to be an assassin.

Paul remained quiet after I was done. After some time, it became kind of awkward.

“Say something,” I say, trying to hide my frustration.

I've been frustrated and stressed for some time now and his silence wasn't really helping.

I felt like a ticking bomb. Like at any moment, one wrong word would make me explode.

The first tear ran down my cheek slowly. I was not even aware of it.

When Paul looked at me with an alarmed expression is when I realized that my face was wet.

I cried.

Before I realized, Paul had gathered me in his arms in a warm embrace. His hand caressed my hair. “It's okay to cry, cariño.”

I stiffened. What was I doing? Crying into a man's chest. What had I turned into? I refused to show weakness. To show that I needed to depend on a man.

“I know that face. I know you better than you know yourself. I know when you're trying to be tough but inside you're scared. I know the straight face you make when you're angry and I know when you're hurt. I could go on about your mannerisms for days.”

He breathed deeply. “So don't try to hide from me. I thought you were giving this friendship thing a try.”

I started to pull out of his arms and wipe my face when Paul's sturdy arms wrapped around my middle, preventing my movement. “People don't cry because they're weak, but because they've been strong for too long.”

He embraced me again and I closed my eyes allowing myself to succumb to the warmth that his body seemed to radiate.

"Unfortunately for you your trusting heart will be your doom" I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder and in no time black filled my vision and I slumped further into his arms. All the fight leaving me in an instant.

**********
Querida- dear.
Cariño- sweetie.

Hey, dear readers. This is my birthday gift to you all. Enjoy this and let it consume you. Let it be all you think about.  Make sure you vote!
Me:*yells* Is the mutating device ready?

Specific random dude: Yeah!

Me:*smiling creepily* Good. Good.