THREE
1643 Words
She kept walking and it was still a long way to go. But at least, she could see the end now. The hallway was quiet. Did all of the people from the other chambers already in the dining hall? Mas binilisan niya ang paglalakad. The clothes she's wearing were incredibly light and comfortable. It made her movements easy. She doesn't know if it's the fabric or did the people put magic on their clothes to make them light. Maybe a mixture of both. They're assassins after all and they have to make their movements quietly and as nimbly as possible.
She was about to turn right when big shards of sharp ice were flying in her direction. She barely escaped the first shard as it grazed her face but she did manage to jump a safe distance and with a wave of her arm, turned the ice into embers as it fell to the floor.
Someone whistled. "Not bad."
She whirled to see a woman. Just about her age. She was wearing the same clothing as her. Fire coated her fist as she looked at the woman now clapping her hands slowly as she walked towards her.
"Now, easy. I'm Marceline and I heard there's a newbie so I decided to—"
Before the woman could even finish her sentence, Katharine sent a ball of fire towards the woman's direction. Marceline reacted a little late but she still managed to make a sword made of ice and sliced through Katharine's fireball. But Katharine was quick and in an instant, nasa harapan na siya ng babae and dismantled the woman's weapon from her hand before she wrapped her fingers around Marceline's neck, her other fist is coated with fire, ready to throw it to the woman's face. Katharine is pissed.
"Woah. Easy—"
"What is your deal?" she asked coldly at mas hinigpitan pa ang hawak niya sa leeg nito. Marceline put her arms up.
"I wasn't intending to kill you," Marceline said defensively. Katherine smirked.
"Too bad I do."
"Okay, okay! I was just teasing you. I didn't know a newbie could be this—"
"Next time you pull that on me again, I'm going to fry you," Katherine said at binitiwan ang babae.
"Alright! Jeez, I'm sorry, okay? It's just that I'm glad to see a new face here. Nakakasawa rin kasi ang mga tao dito. They don't know how to have fun! And you look like you've had your fair share of fun since you know, you're a Princess and all. How does it feel being a Princess?"
How talkative. Katharine said in her mind. Hindi niya ito pinansin at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad. She could already see a huge set of doors. The dining is probably behind it.
"Hey! Aren't you going to tell me your name?"
"You knew I am a Princess but you don't know my name?" she gave Marceline a sideward glance.
"Well, iba pa rin kapag sa 'yo galing."
She stopped on her tracks and faced the woman. She extended a hand.
"Katharine."
Ngumisi ng malapad ang babae bago hinawakan ang kamay niya.
"Nice to finally meet you, Katharine. Wait, do I call you Your Highness? Did the Master call you Your Highness?"
"No, he didn't."
She continued walking, She could hear the noise coming from the inside. She could also smell the food and she realized she hadn't really eaten any decent food while hiking. She's starving.
"Why did you decide to train here?"
"Father's orders," tipid niyang sagot. She gave Marceline a sideward glance. "You are not from here, are you?"
Marceline tilted her head slightly.
"Why do you say so?"
"Your skin is different. The scorching sun and your fair complexion don't really match. These assassins have done most of their training under the heat of the sun. It's impossible for you to stay that fair."
She chuckled. "Good deduction skills, detective." Katharine looked at her shoulder where Marceline tapped it. "And you're right. I'm not from here. I just came here two weeks ago. I was homeless and they took me in."
Katharine figured they're not that close para tanungin niya pa ito tungkol sa buhay nito. So she stayed silent.
"Your magic is amazing by the way." Napatingin siya sa babae and then to her hand where she molded different kinds of miniature weapons.
"Do you have to memorize the details of something before you can create an ice version of it?"
Marceline nodded, "And so far, I could make a hundred of them. Does it work the same way with your fire?"
She never really tried it and never trained her power. It just comes when she needs it and it's strong enough to take down a normal person. Now that she thought about it, she isn't really that powerful. Seeing the people here made her realize the big difference in their power both in magic and physical ability.
"I haven't really tried doing it."
Marceline stopped and faced her. "You should try it!"
She shrugged before she opened the double doors. The ceiling was too high and the chandeliers hanging are gigantic. Long tables are filled with people—Assassins wearing the same clothes as her and enjoying their dinner. Some looked in their direction and some continued eating. She looked at the dais at the end of the room and seated atop the comfortable cushions was the Master with his own small table filled with food. Bahagya itong tumango sa gawi niya and she bowed slightly in return. Marceline grabbed her wrist and pulled her to sit on one of the tables.
There were about ten people at the table and one of them caught her attention. Not because he's strikingly handsome, he also looked similar to the Master.
"Katharine, this is the Master's son. He is--" Marceline's sentence was cut off by the man.
"Jude. My name is Jude. I heard someone new is coming over but they didn't tell me it's someone so...attractive." Jude gave her a smile. She smiled back.
"Katharine. I never heard about the Master having a son," tipid niyang sagot, her eyes still fixed on his.
That earned her a chuckle. "A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness."
Napataas ang kilay niya. Sa lahat ng nakasalamuha niya ngayong araw, he's the only one who called her by her title. She's not saying she's enjoying this particular attention. She only gave him a smile.
He's a charmer. She thought.
She looked at the food. She never felt so hungry before so she dug in and enjoyed the meal. It was when she got slightly full that she noticed how others would steal glances at her. And then there's the Master's son. Others would discreetly look at her while he—he would stare at her for a long time until she stares back and he would only grin. Kumunot ang noo niya at pinunasan ang bibig gamit ang table napkin. The rest of the dinner, she spent trying to avoid Jude's stares and just talking to Marceline.
Napag-alaman niyang may pagsasanay na magaganap bukas. It's like a weekly thing. They have to run in the desert, find an oasis, fetch water, and go back. It doesn't sound easy at all.
"Have you ever done something that tedious?" Marceline grunted and she cleared her throat. The only tedious thing she's done was probably her sneaking out every night and beating the s**t out of every opponent she has in that underground arena. She can't say she's proud of that knowing how hard the training is here. She can't help but wonder why her father would send her to train here. Thinking her father might be rooting for her to win more in that arena is stupid. But she just can't seem to think of any reason why.
"I haven't really got the chance to talk to you."
Both she and Marceline turned to see who it was. And it was the Master's son. Katharine looked behind her to make sure who he was talking to ngunit sila lang ang naroon.
"Err...are we supposed to?" she asked.
Marceline nudged her arm. "I should go ahead. Don't stay out too late, Katharine. We're supposed to be early tomorrow. We're teammates, okay?" Marceline said before she dashed to the hallway.
"Guess Marceline's already beat me to it," he murmured.
"Pardon?"
"I was about to ask you to be my teammate for tomorrow."
"Oh." Thank god for Marceline.
"That's fine. I think three people in a group is fine, too."
Oh. f**k me.
"Yeah. Anyway, I should get to bed early. See you tomorrow."
She was about to walk away when the guy caught up to her. She stopped in her tracks.
"Alright, I don't know what your deal is, but can't you read signs?" Hindi niya napigilang itanong. She doesn't know but for some reason, ayaw niyang malapit sa lalake. He looked so persistent and would stop at nothing just to get what he wanted. Just like what he's doing now.
Instead of getting offended, she saw him smirked. "There it is," Jude said, inserting his hands into his pockets.
Her brows furrowed.
"You were acting so nice and innocent earlier I almost believed that was your true colors."
"I was just trying to be polite. Don't get me wrong."
He shrugged. "Sure, but you don't really strike me as someone polite." He smirked.
"Not my problem, anymore. Good night, Jude." She waved a lazy hand and walked to her chambers. She's too exhausted from all the walking she did earlier today and she isn't in the mood to fight another person tonight. And besides, she doesn't think she could win against him. She knows that Assassins are all Shadow users but something about him is different.
Something much, much more dangerous.
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- Writer
