Was the second powerful house of the shadow people, after the house of Warchild. In comparation, the Assassins were fewer as the ruler house would always take care of the threats first, to secure the throne. As the main threat to the house of Warchild, there were close to disgrace. Their territory was not very vast now that they were outnumbered by the Warchilds, and was consisted of 3 cities left out of 7, whom they lost on different occasions when the King felt challenged in any way.
There were only 3 Assassins Lords left, each ruling his fortress and each having the secret mission of playing his part in regaining the ruler's power, therefor each had 3 wives and enough male heirs to cover the maintaining of the ranks.
The Lord of Beranbur was member of the War Council, the only elder one left, and his son Tianu was the next Lord in line to inherit the title after his father would pass to the other side. Tianu of Beranbur was only 7 years old at this time and now he had a little sister born in the family. Thus was the reason his father was actually left alive. They were living in the fortress of Beran, which was about a week of riding and not wasting much time on the path.
Ruler of Hisa was an old general of the former king, Sheng Zung's father, the Lord of Hisa was not fit to travel as much to be a member of the council anymore and he had lost his first born son along with his wife in the war of the south. As the House of the Shadows's Assassins was placed on the south territory, right at the borders of the kingdom, where they were not much protected by the royal army and were really facing the difficulties mostly alone, yet had to contribute to the wellbeing of the kingdom just the same as the other houses. Lord of Hisa, he was the father of Lady Anaty. He also lost his second son in one of the missions the King has sent him alone far away in the enemy territory, without any military backup, along with the firstborn of the Lord of Beran. His second wife gave him a last child, but that one was a daughter, who was not raised as a warrior so that she would not be lost too. They were hoping to manage a political Union who would restore at least some of the Assassins's house power back, as she was a pureblooded. The words were out at some point after her birth that a union between Hisa and Beran would be performed in secret between the houses, when the King had sent Tianu's brother, first born of the house of Beran, the one betrothed to Anaty at her birth, right in the clows of death along with her brother, starting the war between south and the neighboring kingdom of the light people.
The third one left from the house of the Assassins's Lords, was the Lord of the Lundun. He was badly hurt in battle therefor he could not leave his fortress anymore and somehow the king had spared him to. The Lord of Lundun had his firstborn sun join the Monks Coven, in a strategically move thinking it was the only way to protect him and declared him lost to the world. He had no other heirs as his four wives were all bided assassins at the orders of the king, so he was taking his days one by one in the fortress of Lundun, awaiting for death along with his mistress.
So when the words spread that Lady Anaty was summoned to the palace for the Union, with Kings's blood itself to unite with the house of the Assassins brought everyone in shock. The Lady was a child, at only 14 years old, and not ready to get married yet much less to bear ears right now. As she was not raised as a warrior, she would need her personal assassins guards as she would be easy pray in the Warchild house, which had a different uniform, marks and different customs as the Warchild guards. Also the Old law stated clearly that the ofsprings born from this marriage would bear the name of the assassins's house, which only lead them all to ask themselves, what would the king really allow to happen with this union?
The things were confusing all the houses, not only the assassins. The other houses would want to win the King's trust and now they would stand no chance if the King had chosen the Lady of the assassins. Yes, she was easy pray outside the castle until she would be really becoming the property of the King. After that, she would be untouchable as any other of his belongings. The law of the shadows were clear amongst them, "You do not touch what does not belong to you" and they were all taking it very serious, at the level that even a halfbreed shadow could protect his belongings in front of his elite and would win untouchable. Of course, later on he would probable get executed for some mistake but that would be normal.
So right now the houses were really making strategies in order to decide the best strategically move to gain power. The King would not trust even his old generals, as they all knew, only the Monk could speak back to him and keep his head on his shoulders still, but that was not really guaranteed either. The King would listen to the generals only after and if he was asking for their thoughts and after that he would decide on his own and usually after all the councils gained and all the discussions he would just announce his own mind as normal and no one could ever say different. Even if his decision would have been totally opposed to the advices he got.
So what to do now? They all expected him at some point to marry, they all have asked him for years to chose a wife and now he just chose the rival house to get in a sacred Union with?? What was he thinking? punishing the mighty houses of course, that it was all about. Him mocking the rest of the houses, as none of them, not even the assassins liked the situation they were put into right now! But what could they do? They just asked for it and the King, as always, had done it right! Now what was to be done? Either kill the Lady before the Union, or let the King handle the killing after the Union.... The future of the Lady was clear either way...There was short. But what about the offspring? What if the Lady would actually bear him an heir? They were all thinking the entire process was for the King's amusement, but what if, in all that process, the kingdom would win a crown prince? It would belong to the house of Assassins, living in the house of Warchild? The king of Warchild could not have an heir belonging to the name of Assassins... therefor everybody was thinking, what would the King's move would be?
Everybody was waiting to see. The bride would be brought by the King's guards, with all the respect and the caution that the announcement was got out to the people, so that no one would get any idea to touch the Lady right before the Union with the King. She was brought to the castle and well locked in the golden cage that would serve as her dungeon from now on to live her life into. The Lords of the Assassins would met the long Union council meeting, so they would state their terms upon this Union and the King would state his demands. His first demand was of course that the Lady would keep her name but also add his name, therefor he was trying to insure that if any heir would come out of the Union, would belong to his house too. The Assassins did appreciate and did agree with his terms as they would only have to gain from this Union, but much more there was to be agreed on. The south province of the kingdom was in need of military assistance so much that they would rather have cage the golden bird and gain the King's support themselves. It was the one and only lifetime occasion that they could really restore some of their house's power and rank in the order of the 5 houses.
They agreed on the name of the Lady and the titles, they agreed on the bride's dowry, also payment for every each heir that she would bear him, including land and then got stuck in the process when it came to the military support for the southern fortresses from the border. They were out of sons and they really could not leave without that military help. So that was their weakness... the King thought.
He then met the Lady. God, she was young! He licked her standing in front of him, taking by surprise by his visit, as he just entered unannounced and closed the door of the room with no witness to assist their conversation as they were not yet married. She was confused and well raised in the low of the shadows, so he was pleased to see he frightened in his presence, shaking like a leaf. Words of his behavior were out there and she had heard what kind of the man her King was. Ruthless. Killing woman and children alike with no mercy. He would better be called an assassin as her house would be more apropiate for him. He would kill her for sure and the question was not if but when.
-My King, she said bowing her head, the witness...
-Am i? he asked coldly and she looked at him confused. Your king, as you say? he continued as she understood where he was going and nodded putting her look in the ground.
-I don't hear that, he said.
-Yes, My King, she said bowing her body even more, like a delicate leaf in the wind of the Fate.
-So you are in my Castle, my land and you say I am your king, he said and she nodded again. So why do you need a witness for? he asked her loud and clear, fixing her with his eyes.
She looked at him in terror, as if the sky would fall if that would happen, and she managed to answer softly that the witness is needed when the young people speak before marriage, as the low required.
-But I am the King so i am above the lows, he said smiling. He was really enjoying the hardness of the situations she felt in. Of course, only because that low would also give him, in this case, the right to annul the marriage on the reason that she was not pure, as she dared to speak with a man alone in the room, without any witness. And judging by her words against the words of the King about it, he would have won and she would have fallen into disfavor and no one would have married her, but only would have taken her as a mistress or she would end up in a brothel.
-My King, please, she begged for understanding. There was none. This King would never hold back from any advantage he could get from any situation.
-So what were you told about me? he continued to speak without even thinking about getting a witness for the Lady.
-That you would chose me for the Union, My Lord?
-King, he corrected showing his beautiful teeth.
-My King, she repeated still uncomfortable that they were alone. But if you want this Union, should we not speak in front of the witness, please?