The Forgotten

Chapter 9

"Are they here?" Echoed a commanding voice from the corner of the room.

"Who are you?" Replied a towering man with sculpted muscles under his leather armour.

A cloaked figure with deep red eyes and short brown hair tied back into a neat ponytail emerged from the shadows. He wore a fine suit with black trousers with no patterns on them yet the quality was superb. Around his waist, he wore a sword belt with a jewel-encrusted sword sheathed at his side, with two knives slightly showing their pommels by his lower back.

"Myval Nicoll, to what do I owe this most unexpected visit?'

"You mean my lord, do you not?" Myval replied with some amusement in his voice.

"I am not one of your subjects, you came here for my services. Now, what do you want?"

The lights flickered. There was no other light but the four pedestals with bronze bowls on top with a small fire on each. Myval had come to the assassin when he was bored of waiting to be king, and asked them to kill his father but to make it look as natural as possible. They did an excellent job. The man fell ill after complaining about a cough. Days later, he could no longer move. He had to be fed and watered by his servants before leaving this world.

Myval saw his father before he passed. The man knew he had a hand in his death but couldn't stop it or his rise to power. His parting words to the old fool was that he had won. In the last moments of the king's life, he laughed at the boy before starting to choke on his own blood.

It annoyed Myval that his father laughed. A man that was about to die while losing everything should have been angry, yet was not.

Putting the thoughts of the old king from his mind, he focused again on the man in front of him.

"What do I call you?" Myval said to the man.

"Whatever you like, I am not your friend, nor will you find leverage with me to use as your puppet. We had this conversation the last time you were here. Now speak?"

Clenching his fists in an effort to suppress his anger, Myval replied, "I want you to kill the prince of Locklia. Can you do that?"

Curious, the assassin cocked his head to reveal dark skin and a small grin. behind which were perfectly white teeth.

"Sowing more discord are we Myval? The kingdom borders yours but has always been at peace."

"My plans are not your concern."

"So be it but that won't be cheap. Asking me to kill an old man no matter who he was is child's play. Asking me to kill a warrior prince will take time. What are you offering?"

"How about a partnership? You will receive a castle and the highest title I can bestow." Myval said in a regal voice.

"The Assassins of Saketh do not seek alliances. We are a neutral party that serves one another only. You know this Myval and your lack of knowledge is beginning to become annoying."

With a smile, Myval replied, "Well, I thought I would try."

He put a large sack full of diamonds, emeralds and rubies on the table. Their value worth hundreds of thousands in gold, a king's ransom if there was one.

"I'm sure this would cover any cost, though I have one other request." He placed a small curved knife on the table carved into it a story of an army of horses storming down an army whose origin is unknown. "Kill the prince with this knife and you'll get a bonus."

Gently, he put another bag on the table and unties its strap to reveal a blue diamond eye.

"I believe this holds great power in your order. Being able to follow your suspect before even being in the same country to them could be quite an advantage."