Emperor's Reckoning

Inside the carriage, Fenrir's ears suddenly twitched as he immediately stood while glaring at the door. Biane who took note at this also glanced at the door as her eyes were full of focus.

The looming danger they felt was getting nearer and nearer. Fenrir instinctively barred his little fangs and tighten his grip on Clemora's thigh. His breathing was getting rapid as a faint fog getting out of his nostrils.

"Uh?" Clemora was wakened up from her sleep only to notice her sister signaling her to keep her mouth shut. It didn't take long for her to grasp the situation and readied herself.

What worries them was that they were like a shooting mark that could not move. The space in the carriage was clearly too small for a battle and they didn't know how many enemies were out there. Their only chance was none other than...

*Auuuuuu!

The howl that pierced through the heavens stilled the entire forest and all of its being.

The four assassins were only half a step left to reach the carriage but their bodies instinctively froze.

*boom

The carriage's door was blasted open and three shadows came out of it. Biane, Clemora, and Fenrir immediately took a fair distance from the carriage.

(Assassins!) thought both ladies.

Clemora readied her weapon as she said, "What's going on here, this place is still under Luderia's jurisdiction. To defy it means defying the entire Luderia."

The four figures looked at each other before laughing. "Hahaha, who gives a crap about that, we are here because we were paid to kill you two and take the zither to our hirer." said one of them as he revealed himself to be a man from his voice.

Biane furrowed her eyebrows asked, "Did you kill our two guards?". She noticed that their guards were missing from their spot.

The four assassins chuckled hearing her question. "You mean those two that wore a silver armor?" said the same man as he pointed at a spot.

(Tch! Those damn assassins!) thought Olga as he walked out from his hiding behind the tree before Fritz followed suit. They had their heads facing the cold soil below as they didn't dare to face them.

In their minds, the assassins would just avoid conversation and do the deed but reality was not as they expected.

"Olga, Fritz! Thank goodness you guys are still alive! C'mon, we can handle them together! Once we arrived at Luderia let's have a feast for our success!" said Biane with her sincere tone.

Their eyes slowly numbed as their pupil's shrunk when they heard what she just said. The two men gritted their teeth as they still hung themselves down. A warm liquid slowly built up on the corner of their eyes before running down their cheeks. The cold silver armor they wore could not protect them from the heavy sin as their knees shook.

Biane was always fair to them, a rare master in their eyes. Though she was a bit too active, it was no doubt that she was kind and just, to them. She never mistreated them from the day they got the job either.

Even with the bright twin moons above, Biane couldn't see the tears falling down, wetting the soil where the guards stood.

"Hahaha, how rich this is, never thought I would be a witness of something fun tonight. I thought it would be just another boring killing session but no! Hahaha I truly am thank you for this... mister guards," chuckled the assassin as he added a bit of sarcasm at the end.

Olga and Fritz gritted their teeth as they couldn't retort to what the assassin just said.

Biane furrowed her eyebrows once again and asked, "What do you mean?" as she pointed her giant sword toward the assassin.

"Hmm? You still don't get the situation do you?" chuckled the assassin.

"Don't tell me," with a gloomy realization Clemora said.

"Hah! Looks like that girl over there gets it, or should I spill it to you?"

"Sis-" Clemora halted as she saw her sister's back. It was subtle but she noticed that Biane's entire self was shaking. (So you do realize it) thought Clemora.

The assassin chuckled once again, "I love this! I fucking love this! I will give the honors to your 'guards' to explain the situation." (Feel Despair!).

*clank

Fritz's knees gave up as he slammed his head toward the soil and cracked his helmet. Olga could only glance his partner's silver armor reflecting the light of the twin moons above.

"We are sorry! Madame!" shouted Fritz as he clenched the soil.

His voice brought tremble to Biane's figure. "What are you talking about Fritz?!" shouted Biane.

*clank

It was Olga's knees this time. He slammed his head with the same if not more amount of force that cracked his helmet. Though there was blood running from his head, the pain was nothing than what he felt inside.

"IT'S US! WE WERE THE ONE THAT SENT THEM!" shouted Olga with evident grief.

His confession sent a thunderous strike to Biane's heart. She could feel her entire body numbed in an instant. She knew yet she refused to believe that was the case. She was hoping and hoping to a slim chance that it wasn't them.

"Older sister calm down!" said Clemora as she tapped her shoulder. Then she faces the two guards, "Who told you to do this? I doubt you would do this on your own accord, tell us who and we will reduce your punishment."

Her question gave Biane a thin light to her mind. (Maybe everything was not the way it seems).

"Reduce your punishment? HAHA! You can't punish someone if you are dead." The assassin was laughing as if having the time of his life. "But it's fine, just tell them, you useless guards! Let it be your parting gift to them!"

Olga clenched his fist as he said, "We-we don't know, A figure wearing a gray cloak approached us with a letter stamped with Luderia's symbol. The letter threatens us that if we don't do this, they would kill us and our family!"

Both Clemora and Biane opened their eyes wide at their statement. A Luderia's symbol on a letter means that it was from the royal family. That means one of the princes or princesses ordered their death.