In The Shadows We Lurk

[Drankathar]

The night sky stretched out before him, its thousands of starts littered the sky. The moon was full creating a dim glow to see by. He moved calmly to his target, a large house that was on the beach. In the distance he could see the glow of candles in the windows, he could just smell the log fire burning inside the house. "Strange" he thought as he looked at the house, "How out of place it is". He glanced around. Shanties littered the beach, most of their inhabitants long asleep. He looked at the two story house again, his blood pumping in his veins. He could almost smell the metallic smell of blood, almost taste the blood on his lips. His blood lust was quickly overtaking his body, he needed a distraction. He glanced to his left and there it was.

Like a great black hunting cat she was stretched out in the shadow of a nearby tree. Her Armour the colour of the night sky, a dark hood pulled up to hide her soft and delicate face. A few strands of her pure white hair spilled out of her hood and across her left shoulder. Her slender frame was outlined by the glow of the mood. She looked out over the beach occasionally glancing at a rabbit or a moth moving in the night. In her hands she held her bow ready for anything that might make a move against them. She looked slowly to him, her dark eyes looking into his. It was strange being with her again, but since returning to Selgaunt their relationship had begun to make progress. It was starting to feel like old times to him, and as beautiful as she was he felt none of the lust he once had for her, only respect and dedication. "Perhaps we do have a future Dark Heart" he thought as he flashed her a hand signal. She smiled slightly and begun to move towards the house. He watched her for a while, she her natural ability to move in the shadows was amazing. At another time he would gladly train her, but he knew now she would never accept the offer. He moved up beside her as they began to move towards the house.

As one they reached the house, "one door no escape" he thought. He looked to her and lent in close whispering in her ear. "As Death". She nodded and placed a finger to her lips then to his. The lock was easily over come and he opened the door slowly and quietly, they slipped in. The inside of the house smelt musty an damp, the soft glow of a log fire could be seen around the corner. The sound of someone pacing could be heard, as well as the rhythmic sound of clinking armor. She signaled to him to start moving around the corner, he nodded and started to advance slowly, drawing his axe from its belt loop. A short man with dark hair and dark eyes came into view. He was dressed in a fine suit of full plate, lacquered black like all guards amour. His tower shield and sword lay close to where he was pacing, within easy reach should he need it. The dark haired man turned his back to them, and as one they made their move. He slashed at his back with his axe, Dark Heart aiming her rapier for his knee joint. The guard stumbled towards the wall falling a bit but grabbing his shield and sword as he fell. The guard deftly started to defend himself easily blocking their next few attacks and scoring one in return on his male attacker. He growled low and rushed forward, swinging his axe high then low easily drawing the guard's attention away from Dark heart. She flashed a grin at him and worked her way to the guards exposed flank and dug her rapier deeply into a fold of the guard's amour. He pressed the on scoring a minor hit to the guard's head and chest. The guard suddenly screamed "MARA GET THE KIDS!" as the guard made a move for the staircase. The guard ran up the stairs, drinking a potion as he reached the top. The guard turned to face them again, the wound on his face slowly beginning to heal. He charged the guard and scored a heavy hit to the guard's chest again, Dark Heart moving to the guard's sword arm side and stabbed the guard deeply in the neck. The guard stumbled back holding his throat, blood gushing out from between his fingers. He stepped forward and grinned at the guard, kneeling beside him as the guard slumped to his knees. He lent in close to the guard "Fear not, your family will be joining you soon enough" he whispered in his ear. A look of horror crossed the guards face as the last light of life faded from his eyes. He motioned to Dark heart then pointed to a door, she nodded a smile on her lips. He moved to the other door. He leaned on the door listening for a sound, the soft whimpering of a child could be just heard. He entered and saw a young boy with dark hair huddling with a young girl with similar coloured hair. He watched them for a time. The young girl with her eyes shut was quietly saying a prayer to Tyr, the young boy crying in her lap, his cries muffled by her dress. "No mercy" he thought as a cry was heard behind him. It was over quick, he glanced around the room, the soft glow of the candle framed their two bodies as they lay together.

Dark Heart was waiting for him in the room. "You did well," he said to her, slight smile on his lips. She grinned and said, "As did you, lets finish this". He nodded an started to go through the draws looking for things of value. Once done he set the rooms alight with the candle and a torch, the house quickly going up in flames. The made their way back to the shadows and slipped of into the night. Their contract at an end, it was time to collect the pay.