18 months later:
"What has he done this time?" Helena shuffles towards me with the same bandages and disinfectant.
"He did what he does every time." I chuckle.
Helena shakes her head, "He shouldn't be doing this to a thirteen-year-old. And may the way, happy birthday."
"You know he doesn't care about how old you are."
Helena shakes her head again, "But still..."
"Thank you, Helena." I smile warmly at her, "At least I'm a teenager now." She rubs a cotton piece on my cuts as usual and as usual I don't feel anything. I drift off as she continues to tend to my cuts. The infirmary door opens, and the same brown-haired girl appears.
"Sire is calling you." I nod as I jump of the gurney. I smile one last time to Helena and as usual I put my hood up and follow Clair. If anything has changed in the last eighteen months, is the fact that they don't try to confuse me anymore. I probably know the whole mansion by heart, not including the council room, the basement and the very top floor.
We arrive at the same room where they whipped me, which I now know is at the top of tower, where nobody can find me. Sire stands beside a recliner that I know very well. Sire nods towards the recliner and I sit on it without argument. A machine is placed beside my recliner which controls the currents that is injected into me.
Who might be asking yourself what currents? The truth is this recliner is chair that injects electric currents to the person sitting on it. So, I am going to be electrocuted. Honestly, it won't be the first time.
Sire turns a red knob and currents invade my body. I don't scream like the first time. In fact, I don't feel anything at all. After being whipped, drowned, cut, tortured and now electrocuted, I don't feel any type of pain. It's like my pain receptors have all been destroyed.
"Finally," Sire shouts happily, "Phase one has been completed. Now, it's time for phase two."
"Phase two? What's phase two?"
He ignores me as he turns to Clair, "I found your fighting partner." Clair smiles evilly at me.
"Fighting partner?" Again, everybody ignores me.
"Thank you, Sire." Clair bows down.
"Take her away." Akatsuki points at me. Automatically, two hands grab me and drags me down to my room. This is the best birthday ever! Not!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"WAKE UP!" I jump awake and am greeted by darkness. Suddenly, light erupts in my room, forcing me to close my eyes again. Slowly I open them and come face-to-face with Clair. I scream in surprise and jump off my bed. I land on my rump and glower at a snickering brunette. "Not funny, Clair." I complain.
"It kind of is." She offers me her hand.
I glare at her while whacking her hand away, "I'm going to fall for that trick again."
Clair slumps on my bed, "Why are you complaining? You can't even feel pain anymore."
"Why are you here anyway?"
"Sire is waiting of us to start your training."
"Now?"
"Yes, now." She hands me some clothes, "Here, wear this. Now, go or we're going to be late."
I chuckle lightly and enter the bathroom. Me and Clair have become fast friends in the last 18 months. I even found out that she is only three months older than me and she has been here since she was five. No wonder everybody knows her.
I quickly change my clothes and put my boots and my hood on. I follow Clair through the castle and, to my surprise, out of the castle. We go into the forest surrounding the castle and emerge into a clearing. Sire stands there talking to a boy with blonde hair. "That's Adam. He's Sire's eldest son and a spoiled brat. He is also the next Assassin king."
"How old is he?"
"He just twenty."
"He's twenty!" I scream. Clair shushes me and looks at Sire. When they don't acknowledge us, she motions me to continue. "But he looks so young." I continue.
Clair sighs, "Power of immortality, I guess." Adam looks our way with a smirk, and I gasp. His eyes are a forest green. So, green that you could get lost in them. Clair elbows me and stop my staring. He struts towards us. "Ladies, how do you do?"
Clair stands in front of me with her arms crossed in front of her, "What do you want Adam?"
"I just want to see our new assassin that's all." His eyes scan over me and I blush. Stupid teenage hormones. I step in front of Clair and clear my throat, "Hi, I'm Rayla. Nice to meet you." I put out my hand.
Adam takes it, "Adam Hassildor, at your service."
I scrunch up my nose, "Hassildor? It sounds like you're a hermit."
He chuckles, "That's what I told my father the exact same thing, but he refuses to change it. I guess I'm stuck with it." He gives me a bright smile, slowing his pearly whites. Something flutters in my chest and I turn bright red.
"Adam!" comes Sire's voice, "Stop flirting with her. We have work to do."