The Hidden Heir's Love

3: House of Druscilla

Sierra exhaled heavily, warming herself up as she overlooks the residence of Druscilla—one of the great families in Sinag. This family has been with Kings for so long as advisors and included in royal councils—which makes them stake a claim on the throne since they have a hold to the throne. But it was not only them who boldly do so, different Lords of the Great Houses of Sinag stake their claim as well but it was the Druscilla’s who hold the greater one.

They actually have an ace they have been hiding for so long—revealing it only now when the chaos is already happening. Their timing is perfect since the Lords of the different Houses were shaken by the news. They are damaged horribly from the civil war happening for years and the revelation from the Druscilla is a great blow that makes their efforts futile.

Not for the Aldaine though.

Even if defeat is apparent, Sergio would not accept it. Druscilla may have an ace in the ongoing war but Sergio is a man who does not back out when he still has moves to play. There is no stopping him from getting what he wants while he is still capable of fighting.

"You're idling again," Kierran—her twin—said as he stood beside her.

She glanced at him, pressing her lips tight. Just like her, he is wearing all-black clothes with his face covered with a mask. It is only their eyes that were seen—dark as the night. This is what they are now, this is what fate has brought them. She should be bitter, she should hate this kind of life but there was nothing she could feel. They were bound by duty, driven by it as well. They move in accordance with their Master's will, following him until he is satisfied.

Unfortunately, Sergio was never satisfied.

He is an insatiable man, always craving power.

"Keep on the lookout, brother. Focus yourself on the mission and not on me," she hissed before putting her eyes back to the residence below them.

She was on high alert but so were the guards in that place. From the past few days that she is checking the house, she saw how tight they are maintaining their security, on the lookout day and night. It is understandable. The civil war is still ongoing and the Lords are getting more and more aggressive day by day, frustrated that the Druscilla has more advantages.

Her eyes scanned the whole place, making certain that everything has all been in its usual scenario. The mansion covers such a wide span of land with numerous rooms and empty hallways but after doing all her research and her own inspection inside, she knew exactly where to go now.

"Are you ready?" Kierran asked.

"You don't have to ask me that," she said then let herself fall from the tree, the wind on her face felt like freedom and the gravity pulling her down gives her such an incredible feeling.

When she dropped to the ground, she landed perfectly but silently. Her movements were measured and quiet as she could ever be. Years of training had her mastering moving stealthily. But despite her cautious movements and planned out actions, there will always be someone who will notice her eventually and she immediately acted out by flinging a dagger at him, the blade went straight on his head and before the man could fall and cause a stir on the other guards just close to them, Kierran caught him and retrieved her dagger. Swiftly, she went next to him and grabbed the weapon.

They looked at each other and they nodded before walking towards where their mission currently lies.

And that is when hell breaks loose.

She fought like a mad woman and she has to since she needs to exert all her effort in every mission. Failing is not an option, they always strive for the accomplishment of every task Sergio has given them.

There are many approaching, the number increasing by the second, coming from different posts of the house, gathering to where they are since they are the only ones who are attacking. Their backup was still on hold since that is the plan. Lord Sergio will not dare lose most of his men. He has to check first if it is worth it and what better way to do it than sending his best men and see if they could survive.

Her eyes roamed the people waiting for their next move. Kierran was on her back and measuring what they will do next. She can hear her brother's heavy breathing, see the blood on his blade and his feet shifting every now and then when someone tries to advance.

"Winter is lost, now comes the spring," she started.

"War will be over but greed still lives," Kierran continued.

"For all the innocents," She flinched when someone came running towards her and she maneuvered her sword, severing his arm in one go. "All the great men."

"Their fate is locked with what the King speaks"

Her brother laughed upon finishing the stanza, flinging his weapon one person after the other—careful not to get hit by their weapons because that would cause them a serious problem. The Druscilla is famous for having their weapons lethal, not only because of their sharp blades but also because of the poison in them.

"That is a good one, Sierra," her brother said when he got near her again. "We must write it in our books."

"Fancy another one?" she asked.

"That would be nice. Just to distract me from," He stabbed a man who is about to pound on him. "—all of this."

She shook her head and think of something to start. "Oh gods, we pray, that this war shall end."

She saw Kierran smirk before he dodged a group of attackers then fought back before yelling his reply, "Let your wills be done and cause no more pain."

Someone was about to strike an arrow at her but she moved aside, making it pass by her ear. She gritted her teeth from how close that attack was but then immediately ran to another corner and killed those who were on that side.

"For we are all vulnerable, make us comprehend," she yelled back at Kierran.

"That despite everything, love shall conquer and remain," he said and she shook her head at how awful his reply is.

When things get rough, her brother would always be there to mitigate the situation for her and to be honest, she does not know what she will do without him. Despite how terrible their life has been on throughout the years, with each other, they could surpass anything.

Blood was everywhere—on the walls, floor, her face, her swords. She was heaving but she was not stopping. She flung her weapon, hitting one man after the other, still driven even after fighting for a long time already.

Because that is what she is.

She could not stop even if she wants to. She couldn’t rest nor would she let her exhaustion rule over her because this is what she has been trained for, what she has been living up to do. She is known for being the most feared assassin in Sinag and she continues to haunt the minds of every citizen of the country until this very day.

Right when she first started out, Sergio Aldaine—one of the great Lords of Sinag—made certain that she is going to be a nightmare for the entire kingdom. She was not able to fight in the first battle of the civil war but Lord Sergio gave her a first task worth remembering and being told in stories for a long time.

Her first kill was on the House of Barttley where it had turned out to be a m******e. She could still remember every event that took place on that mission—the screams and the blood on her hands, the way they all burned down to bits. It was only her and her twin brother who did most of the work and it was no different from what it is now—only that these enemies are more prepared for their attack and that this mission had an added task—take the bastard Princess.

No one would have actually thought that Tobias Morganov had another woman in his life other than his deceased wife. He has spent his life creating the best kingdom in the known world. Occupied and always alone that people never thought he would sire another child other than the Crown Prince Mirra.

But he did.

Though he never acknowledged the child as his own, the similarities were uncanny. She has seen the drawn likeness of the bastard Princess and she cannot deny that there is a resemblance. She even confirmed it when she has seen the woman personally while she was having her rounds on the area of the Druscilla’s house. Moreover, upon testimonies and Ascended looking at the case—using their powers to check if it is the truth—it is, later on, affirmed that Aliyah is truly a bastard of the King. They discovered that her mother once attended King Tobias when he was ill since she was a healer and that is where it all began.

It is apparent that the Druscilla holds the best claim on the throne since they have someone related to the King. Therefore, they are clearly a great threat to the other Lords which means they needed to be eliminated—and that is what her mission is, that is what she is going to do.

Halting, she glanced at her brother who was on the other side of the hallway, fighting back the men of Druscilla with great earnestness. Reinforcements finally entered the premises after Kierran had managed to open the gates but they were still few compared to the guards in this place. Lord Sergio always divides his men and does not just go on one attack and left his house unprotected.

She entered a room and squinted, looking around on high alert. The place was where the family gathers to eat and talk—she has seen them here oftentimes while she is on the lookout. Here, she also saw the bastard Princess numerous times and the woman is unbelievably always abiding her elders without uttering a single word.

Aliyah Druscilla is the name they have given her and she was locked up in this place even before the civil war started. It is obvious they have every intention of keeping her for themselves. She must have possessed something of great power but they have seen a greater advantage on the throne, the reason why they revealed her hidden identity.

Sierra gritted her teeth. She knows the room she is looking for is in here somewhere but she does not understand why there are no guards obstructing the way, no kind of security in this spot when it should have been protected. She inhaled sharply before turning her head when she heard something approaching in such haste. Moving to her right, she dodged the arrow that was going directly at her and she was taken aback when there were more of it.

"Bloody hell," she muttered before running to the other side of the room, taking cover on a fallen table and waiting patiently until there is no more left of the arrows.

They were coming from the other side of the building and since the room has its windows open, the arrows can freely move in her direction. She has managed to get to this point unscathed because that is what the mission needs to be accomplished—not getting any wounds from the lethal weapons of Druscilla.

Unfortunately, it was the end of her luck.

She felt something stabbed on her right arm, piercing deep into her flesh. She cursed when she looked down, seeing an arrow that managed to get through the table she has been hiding on. She cut it short before shutting her eyes and did not hesitate on running for the door that was across her, avoiding more of what is coming.

She acted quickly and managed to get inside a room without acquiring more wounds. Hissing, she inspected her arm, already feeling the drowsiness kicking in. All she can do now is to move fast and get this mission done and over with before she passes out. Heaving, she removed what was left of the arrow and covered her fresh wound with a piece of cloth she tore from her attire.

Breathing deep, she braced herself and moved on with finding where the damn bastard is.

She did not have to look for long though.

Because a few meters away from her, she saw Aliyah with the other women, praying on the altar. They are clothed in all white, their veils hanging low on their hair while they are kneeling and silently saying their prayers. They were not crying nor do they look alarmed at the chaos that is happening in their home.

When she got closer, they did not even look at her. Their eyes remained shut, their hands clasped together tightly. She feels wrong to disturb them, to kill them when they are in such peacefulness.

But she is not meant to feel things.

She is meant to kill.

And killing is what she did.