Ailith - Chapter 1

My name is Ailith, a twin, an orphan and a fully trained assassin. One of the best of my trade.

My brother and I were found by the Armani when we were barely able to stand. We'd been abandoned by our parents because superstition told them twins were bad luck and should be feared. After years and years of training it turned out that our parents were half right, many now feared The Twins of Death. We worked best together, but were equally strong alone.

My tale takes place in a time when the ruler of our kingdom was having frequent, paralysing sickly bouts and the heir was coming into his own at the strong age of seventeen. Our story starts when the leader of my unit of the Armani told me my task was to kill this boy one year my senior.

"Ailith, we cannot have another ruler like our current. We must kill this boy or our land will never have freedom."

"I understand, good sir, but how am I to even get close to the heir? I've heard he's guarded around the clock with severe intensity. I've even heard, though this is unlikely to be true, that he sleeps in a stone cube which no arrows have a way to enter."

"I've taken the liberty to put you under his employ. The king thought he needed a companion who could also be his tutor. You're a smart and cultured enough girl. I'm sure you can do it. Your horse is ready, if you ride tonight you'll be at the palace gates by early morning. Here are your papers. You'd better complete this task quickly, or I will have to enforce some threats."

I gulped as I knew threats could only involve my brother, my only weakness. I fingered the scar on my arm. The one I'd gotten because I refused to let my brother fight an armed man twice his weight bare-handed. I'd been tortured but I never gave in. I ended up killing my torturer. My brother didn't fight that day but nevertheless, I knew of the Armani's power. "You can count on me sir. He won't even know what hit him. Just give me a few weeks to gain his and his guards' trust, and the deed will be done."

After a quick change into more ladylike garments, I mounted my horse and rode into the darkness.