Chapter Two

The Assassin's Guild

The Assassin's Guild offered an excellent education to boys and girls (but mostly girls, whom the Guild considered to be more naturally suited to the subtlety of the profession).

It was a common place for orphans to wind up, or for parents, who lacked the financial ability to raise a child, to deposit their offspring. I didn't know which category I fell into, the Guild didn't record such things; once you were there, you were theirs. End of story.

Did I regret that absence of a family? Sometimes.

But my idea of family was only theoretical, something I thought about when I read books with families in them and wondered what it might be like to have been in one. On the whole, though, the Guild wasn't such a bad place to be brought up. The rules were firm, but not overly strict. The masters and mistresses were considerably more pleasant than Mistress Rosana, and the trainee assassins considerably less cruel than the maids I currently bunked alongside.

At some point, you did have to deal with the fact that you'd eventually be expected to kill someone, which was something difficult to train for and impossible to practice (the Guild did not permit indiscriminate killing; it was a professional organization by all accounts) but assassination loomed heavy in the future, even if it was something I hadn't really thought about during my lessons.

And I'd enjoyed those lessons.

I was a good student and I excelled in my studies. Because assassins were predominantly called on to kill the nobility (when poor people kill each other it's termed ‘murder'), it was important that Guild assassins be able to move in polite society and converse intelligently, so we were taught a broad curriculum.

This meant, I could speak multiple languages, I knew which fork to use at dinner and could discern the difference between a good wine and one that was merely indifferent. I had an extensive command of geography, history, politics and philosophy; I was extremely well-read, had seen most of the theatrical classics and could play the harp, the lute and the flute with aplomb.

I excelled in sports as well, being both a good runner and jumper, I learned acrobatics and captained my house's athletics team. Alongside these classes were what might be termed the more ‘vocational' ones, but I was good at those too. I could climb a sheer wall faster than any of my classmates and I currently held the record for hanging upside down without passing out. I was skilled in six forms of unarmed combat, I could handle a sword, a knife, a bow and a short staff (but not an axe, as it was considered a barbarian's weapon). When I graduated at the age of twenty, I did so at the top of my class, and my tutor joked that many of my classmates might well want to assassinate me .

This was one reason why I was chosen for a particular assignment that would prove to be the most important commission the Guild had ever taken on. I was chosen to assassinate Master Nicolo of Woodfall Gath. I didn't know who had taken out the contract on Nicolo's life, nor did the Guild. Once the money was paid, the Assassins Guild took no interest in the identity of a client, they simply completed the commission, no questions asked. It was a matter of professionalism.

The other reason I was selected was that I was (according to others) extremely attractive, something which was deemed to be helpful in this particular assignment. Many others before me had tried to assassinate Master Nicolo (both men and women), some even sent by the Guild. Regardless, they'd all wound up the same way: no longer breathing.

Even so, the Guild and whoever had hired the Guild hadn't given up. And it was decided, based on all available information about Master Nicolo, that a beautiful girl would have the best chance of taking him unawares. Furthermore, it was explained to me that I would have to seduce him.

But such information was all I was given. Usually, the information given me included just what type of victim my target was—a hero? An intellectual? A dandy? A rake?

This would prove to be my first obstacle to overcome because no one seemed to know just what sort of target Master Nicolo was—he appeared to be a bit of all of them. Thus, it was up to me to get close to him, to ascertain just what poison he might pick.

Naturally, the Guild offered classes in seduction, because such was a fairly common way to get close to a male target. Women of the Guild learned to dress and move provocatively, how to flutter eyelashes, lick lips and lean over in such a way as to flaunt backsides, bosoms or both. We learned the right things to say and when to say them. We learned how to flatter in a believable way, how to judge a man with a mere look and how to play the role of the coquette—alternatingly being warm then cold. We learned when and where to use daring and theatricality—how love was a constant game, as challenging as warfare.

We learned to tailor our flirtations to the individual, himself. We learned how to read a man and to decide which types of seductive character would best cause him to fall victim—should we play the part of the siren, the innocent, the coquette? We even visited nearby towns and the outskirts of the Gath itself to try out the techniques we'd learned. And when we had mastered the art of seduction, then the lessons became more serious and Mistress Aurore got out her collection of anatomically accurate models for classes in Arousal.

Again, I came top in Seduction, Arousal, and what was tactfully referred to as Post-Arousal, but there was a rare gap in the Guild curriculum in this last category; there were no ‘practical' lessons. Generally, the Guild of Assassins believed in learning by doing, the two exceptions to this were the actual act of killing and the act of sex.

We were taught how to kill, but you would never know if you were truly capable of killing until you were actually put to the task. In response, some girls snuck out after dark, breaking Guild rules in order to visit the most dangerous areas of Crammer (the town in which the Guild was situated), waiting for someone to attack them, just so they could get that first kill out of the way. The masters and mistresses understood this sort of thing happened and turned a blind eye to it, no doubt figuring these indiscriminate killings would no doubt aid their pupils.

But the rules on sex were stricter, because pregnancy was a huge risk no one wanted to take. We were taught the biology and physics of the process, what happened and how it worked. We were taught technique—I'd studied and memorized every page of the Codex of Congress , which detailed every conceivable sexual position (and several in which conception was impossible), including the variations, substitutions and inversions.

We were taught the seven philosophies of love-making; intimate, casual, rough, dominant (fore and aft), recreational, hasty, and reproductive. We were taught about pleasure, how to give it and receive it, how to make the experience fun, special, tender, dirty, exhausting; how to make it last and how to bring it to a sudden stop. We learned why pain was not all bad if you knew what you were doing. And here, again, it was imperative to target one's seduction to the type of victim one was dealing with. Were it a soldier or a highly masculine man, the siren was the go-to with her overly feminine ways, her sexual presence and her goddess like enchantments. Or was the target a rake, himself? Then it was best to don the face of the coquette to beat him at his own game.

They were interesting lessons, but in the end, what was inevitably left over was many overheated girls with nowhere to go and no way to vent their desire. The Guild insisted its girls remained ‘maidens', because the men we would be seducing often preferred women in such condition. You could only lose your virginity once so the Guild employed as many maidens as possible. And I was among them.

Because the Guild was all I'd ever known, I never thought of my upbringing and schooling as unusual, but looking back, I suppose it was a bit odd.

***

Listening to the other girls, it sounded as if seducing Prince Balduin would not have been difficult (staying out of his bed was harder than getting into it). But Master Nicolo was another story.

Nicolo was more cautious.

It wasn't that he never indulged, but when he did, it was often in the company of Balduin; two young men out on the prowl together. And that was decidedly no good to me.

The master appeared to take his pleasure elsewhere than within the walls of the castle; perhaps he preferred a better class of bed-mate (there were ladies in the court who had joined him for a night or two). Perhaps he didn't trust the maids, who came and went from the castle all the time. Someone who was constantly under threat of attack learns to be cautious. Yet there were still drawings of Nicolo in various forms of undress on the walls of the dormitory and statements that made it seem as if he'd bedded at least a maid or two. Of course, those could simply have been the desires on behalf of the women employed here and not the truth.

I didn't have a lot of time to figure it out. Assassins were only given a limited amount of time to fulfill a contract. In deference to the difficulty of the assignment, I had a generous two months in which to kill Nicolo, but, by the end of my first two weeks in the castle, it had become clear that it would take years of flirting to make any sort of headway with the obtuse and frustrating man. I needed a more direct approach and I was worried the Guild sending me in under the guise of a maid might have been a mistake—it seemed Nicolo's tastes might have been for those in a more esteemed role.

***

The river Pike flowed through Woodhall Gath, sometimes at ground level, sometimes across specially constructed aqueducts over people's homes, sometimes beneath the ground in vaulted culverts. The river was divided and sub-divided into various tributaries which served different parts of the complex but the main body of the river flowed directly through the Great Castle. At the walls it split into two branches, one of which went through the cellars of servants' quarters where it was used for laundry, washing dishes and so on. It was to this branch that the maids scurried every morning to wash.

The other branch flowed with picturesque undulations through the Court Gardens which were laid out over three acres in the heart of the Great Castle, overlooked by the King's Tower. The gardens were off-limits to all but the court and a handful of gardeners, a fact that was definitely on my mind as I scaled the wall and dropped in behind a stand of sweet-smelling pines.

I'd learned there was a secluded spot by the river which was a favorite of Master Nicolo, somewhere he liked to spend a few quiet hours in his own company. It seemed a good spot to run into him without Balduin by his side. And I definitely needed to get Nicolo alone.

Very aware of my own breathing and the thump of my heart, I stole through the elaborate gardens to the spot in question. The river whispered quietly to itself as it snaked past and hanging willow trees grew along the banks, dipping their twigs to the water. Bushes of white flowers flourished between the trees, providing shelter from prying eyes. It was wonderfully peaceful here, and I could well understand why Nicolo loved it as he did. I couldn't help wondering at the contrast between this place and Master Nicolo, himself, who was feared throughout Woodfall Gath and beyond.

Finding a spot where a notch in the bank created a natural pool, I knelt down. I had no idea when, or even if, the master might show up, but he needed to find me doing something, not just waiting for him. I let out my long golden hair then unlaced my bodice enough that I could shuffle it down my shoulders to stop it from getting wet. Then I leaned forward and dipped my hair into the water.

Even if Nicolo didn't show up, this was the cleanest water with which I'd been able to wash since I'd arrived and I was sorely looking forward to it. For a few minutes, I soaked my hair slowly in the river water, which rose and fell alongside me. And then, as I stood up, I saw him.

Nicolo stood on the same bank as me but some twenty feet away, leaning against the trunk of a willow as if he'd always been there. I hadn't heard him approach—it was almost as if he'd just popped right out of the ether.

He'd seen me.

And now he was watching me.

His expression was hard to read, but there was an unblinking intensity in his eyes that I took as approval. Pretending not to notice him, I dipped my hair into the water again, and while I was down, shuffled the hem of my neckline a little further down so it just barely covered my nipples and the water pooled around my breasts. Luckily, I'd been born with a very curvy figure, further sculpted by exercise and sport. As I came up and out of the water, there was no mistaking Nicolo's reaction; though it was small but definite. His lips parted, his eyes widened. I finally had his full attention.

He still made no move, not to make greeting nor to berate me for being where I shouldn't be. Instead, he just continued to watch me, clearly enjoying the brazen voyeurism.

Well, I had come this far.

I raised my eyes to his, to let him know I knew he knew I was here.

His expression didn't change—perhaps he'd always known I was aware of his presence? My eyes lowered again as I began to further unlace my bodice. The maid's uniforms weren't as complicated as the elaborate dresses worn by the nobility, because maids needed to do everything at speed, so it was the work of moments for me to tug the blouse over my head and slip out of my skirts. I dropped down to cover my nudity with the water and then walked my clothing to the bank of the river. Depositing them there, I stood up.

The air felt cool on my naked body, but I was warmed by the heat of Nicolo's gaze. I'd never undressed in front of a man before, and doing so now, I rather liked the sense of power it gave me.

Nicolo's expression didn't change except for a slight tightening of those chiseled features, but his eyes seemed to burn with fires that spoke of his inner desire. He never once blinked, whether I was in the water up to my neck or standing to reveal my whole body, his eyes seemed to consume my flesh.

Mistress Aurore had said that men sometimes touched themselves when they watched a woman in her most private of moments, but Nicolo didn't appear to be doing that. He didn't move from his position, but he didn't look away either. Again, I relished the feeling of control I had over this incredibly powerful man. Truly, he was captivated by my every move.

As gracefully as I could manage it, I stepped out of the water (even someone with my training struggles to be elegant barefoot on a riverbank). I had no towel—I hadn't planned to get wet in the first place—so I just put my clothes back on, the material clinging to my wet curves.

"Servants are not allowed here."

I started.

He hadn't made a sound as he moved towards me and was now standing right behind me. It was almost as if he'd simply blinked and arrived here. I turned to face him, eyes lowered, submissive and contrite, even as my mind raced with the mystery of how he'd moved so quickly.

"Apologies, Master Nicolo."

"No apologies," he answered in a tight voice. "Why are you here?"

"The water the maids wash in is… very dirty."

I looked up at him when he didn't respond. His eyes smoldered as he looked down at me, and I recalled Mistress Aurore's words ‘ Sometimes to control a man you must know when to let him be in control. There is no more powerful dominant than the one who knows when to be submissive. '

"That is no excuse." His deep voice was thick with arousal.

"I apologize, Master." I dropped my eyes and pretended to fidget with the hemline of my blouse. I wanted to appear… nervous, scared, intimidated. I had a feeling the role of the innocent might work well since he appeared so ultimately masculine, so dominant and fierce. Hopefully it was a risk that would pay off.

"You," he started and then studied me as if I were a rare insect in a collection. "Where have I seen you before?"

"The castle, sir," I answered.

"Yes," he nodded. "You served me the other night."

"Yes," I responded and gave him a quick and shy smile before dropping my gaze back to my hands.

"Regardless," he continued, inhaling deeply. "You must be aware that you aren't allowed here. I could have you beaten for trespassing."

I dared to look up at him then and when I looked into his eyes, I could see the submissive routine wasn't working. There was nothing in his harsh violet eyes that suggested otherwise. Time to change tactics. Perhaps he wanted a different side of the innocent—childlike, yes, but instead of playing the innocent child, perhaps I needed to play the naughty one. "Or you could beat me… yourself."

I knew from the other girls that Prince Balduin enjoyed putting them over his knee for some light recreational spanking, perhaps it was a predilection the master shared with him?

Hmm, but no, he didn't seem to take the bait, but looked at me a little suspiciously, and I wondered if I'd overplayed my hand.

Blast.

"Aren't you afraid of me?" he asked but the words came out as more of a demand.

I cleared my throat as I held his gaze and wondered whether I would get farther playing submissive or rebellious? As I gazed into those violet depths, they seemed to shadow with his anger. Yes, it was time to shelve the submissive act and try dominant instead. "Do you want me to be?"

"Most people are."

"Yes," I agreed.

"And you…"

Hmm, it didn't seem that either act was fooling him. Perhaps he was the more direct sort? The type of man who appreciated a woman making the first move? I supposed that made a certain sort of sense because he was unaccustomed to anyone being dominant with him. Everyone cowered before him, afraid to upset him and release his legendary temper.

He took a step closer to me. "You came here purposely knowing you could be beaten for it."

"Yes," I answered.

"You didn't care."

I swallowed hard but held his gaze. "No."

"Then you are either foolhardy or foolish."

"Perhaps both, sir."

He chuckled then and took another step nearer me, glancing down and holding my gaze. "You are aware that Balduin fancies you."

I cleared my throat. "Yessir."

"Were you hoping to find him here?"

I shook my head. "No, sir."

"You were hoping to find me then?"

At that moment, it occurred to me I could play this one of two ways—either dominantly claim the gold or beat around the bush a bit longer. I still hadn't sorted out just what type of man Nicolo was so I opted to play it a bit safer.

"I just… wanted a bath, sir."

"And what would you think if you ended up getting more than you bargained for?" As he said the words, he lowered his face and brought it closer to mine. I could feel my eyes going wide of their own accord as my heart began to race, something I found odd because I thought I'd schooled myself against such silly responses. Apparently not.

"More than I bargained for, sir?"

"You are lucky I found you and not a less… noble man."

"Why is that, sir?"

He moved even closer. "I'm quite sure you know why, maid."

"I… I don't."

"Sir."

I swallowed hard. "Sir."

He moved so close that only a few inches of air separated us. I could smell the oil of his skin, the scent of his body. It was cross between the pines of the forest, the soil of the earth and something spicy, something I couldn't put a finger on.

"You are the prettiest of the maids," he continued. "Dare I say… you might even be the prettiest of all the court."

"Thank you, sir."

"I don't mean it as a compliment."

"Then I take my gratitude back, sir," I answered with as polite an expression as I could manage, but with my heart pounding and my body shivering, I wasn't sure I managed it.

Nicolo was quiet for a moment before a laugh cleared his lips and the sound was beyond enticing. "My point is this… you must be careful to protect yourself because you will be the desire of any and all men of Woodfall Gath and you don't want to be put into a position where something happens to you against your will."

"Yessir."

He glanced down at my white shift which was now soaked through and my alert nipples stood at attention beneath it. Then he breathed in deeply as he looked at my face again.

Before he could finish, I stepped forward, pressing my body against his while standing on tip-toes as I arched my back and closed my eyes, giving him my best ‘kiss me' face. I was still trembling from the cold of the water but the feel of his hard, strong body against mine stilled my shaking. A split second later, I felt his mouth on mine. Seconds after that, he opened his mouth and slipped his tongue inside the cavern of mine. I could taste his desire for me on his lips, sharp and urgent.

But in the next instant, he pushed me roughly away, and in the same movement pulled his sword, scabbard and all, from his belt. For a moment, I feared I was about to receive the same fate as all the other assassins who had come before me, but he didn't draw the blade, he simple brought the flat of the scabbard down on my ass with a smack, making me squeak in an irritatingly girlish way.

"Get out of here," he instructed, thrusting the sword back into his belt. "And think yourself lucky I don't tell Mistress Rosana to stripe that pretty little rump of yours black and blue."

I nodded quickly, my heart pounding through my ears. Then, taking a deep breath, I started to scurry away, with my proverbial tail between my legs.

That had not gone at all the way I'd hoped it would and now I was left feeling much less sure about my tactics and approach. For a while it had seemed as if I had him, but now…

"Wait."

I turned slowly around, half afraid he might have changed his mind regarding running me through with his sword.

Nicolo stood there, eyeing me with suspicious and narrow eyes. "What's your name?"

"Charlotte," I replied.

He nodded. "On your way, maid."

I didn't miss his chuckle or the words that hung in the air when I reached the wall.

"They are the color of the roses."

I headed for the wall, a secret grin on my face.

I had him.