Assassins

Do I need remind you what you are to do with this letter?

Good luck!"

Sarah read it over one last time memorising her orders then she held it over the candle and burned the note. The fire raced up the parchment to her delicate fingers, at the last moment she let go of the parchment letting it slowly float to the ground on its own heat. She emptied the contents of the pouch quickly counting the gold even though she knew it would all be there, as it was. She blew out the candle and undressed in the dark. Quietly she slipped into bed and into a light sleep. Another trait she inherited from her line of work.

~

The morning was cold and bleak, Sarah was up bright and early and had her horse saddled quickly. There was a light fog clinging to the ground but was help not a hindrance to her. The city gates loomed up in front Sarah. Sleepy guardsmen waved her through the gates. It was too early in the morning for them to be searching or questioning people on their business plus it wasn’t like they had specific orders to be questioning law-abiding citizens. Letting some of her pent up energies out she kicked hard into her mounts flank sending the horse into a gallop. She let out a wild whoop of joy as the wind carelessly tossed her flailing hair around her face.

She slowed her mount to a trot. She had plenty of time to get to Oracle and she was in no rush.

She heard the bandits coming before she saw them and was ready to meet them. Three young men sought to take advantage of a maiden taking her noon respite. She stood ready sword in hand. The men laughed when they saw her standing their tall and proud. The first bandit was a black haired youth of average height. The other two were wearing shawls around their face masking their identity but were of a similar build to the first one.

"Come along now missy. All we want is a bit of fun. Look we can all have some fun, us four could have a right good time." Seeing no reaction he continued, "Look now missy it’ll go easier on you if you come willingly." Still no response came from Sarah and the bandit started to get angry. "Right! Now come here missy." He lunged for her.

With lightning quick reflexes she lashed out with her rapier cutting him down his left side of his chest. He fell down with a cry. The other two drew their swords and slowly advanced on her. Without hesitation she pulled a throwing knife from underneath her tunic and threw it with alarming speed and accuracy taking one of the bandits in the shoulder.

"Why you little…"

The next bandit slashed down with a mighty blow aimed to split Sarah’s head open. But the blade didn’t find the expected resistance and whistled away into the darkness of the undergrowth. Sarah had leapt back out of the way. Totally off balance the man was easily despatched. The man with the shoulder wound turned tail and ran, after seeing what she had done to his two mates he didn’t want a similar fate. She went to the first bandit who was struggling to rise and expertly slit his throat with her knife. The fight had lasted seconds and she hadn’t even broken into a sweat.

She finished her meal, cleaned her weapons, looted the corpses and saddled up and took to the trail again.

To the casual observer she seemed a cold heartless women and dangerous as well.