The sounds of birds chirping filled the skies as the sun had begun to rise over the town of Haven, and inside the local inn, a certain girl was beginning to wake up. Her eyes opened slowly, followed by a quick wince in pain. She didn't recognize where she was; the last thing she remembered was failing her mission and being killed—or nearly killed, to be more accurate.
She sat up despite the pain spreading through her body; even her breathing caused her to wince, but despite that, she had to get up. She looked at herself in the mirror in the room. She had bandages around her body, arms, and legs.
"Who did this?" she asked herself.
She quickly put on her clothes, which were neatly folded on the desk chair. When she put them on, they also smelt clean, as if they had just been washed. Pretty much everything was confusing her, but that didn't matter. She had to get out.
Claire limped over to the door and opened it, revealing a small town inn.
"Oh, hello!" a waitress said to her. "You must be the mercs guest."
"Guest?" she would ask.
"Yes. Mr. Merc had asked us to make sure you weren't bothered as you recovered. He even gave you the room he was renting." the waitress said.
"Mr. Merc?" she asked.
"Yeah, the guy that carried you into town. He came into the mercenary guild, asking around for a healer." The waitress explained, "Afterwards, he asked us to wash your clothes and clean your bandages as needed."
"Where is he?" she would ask.
"Oh, he went on a mission early in the morning. He said he'd be back around lunch time." The waitress replied
And almost on queue, the doors to the inn opened, and Alex walked inside immediately, spotting the girl he had fought.
"Good morning. Heal up, alright?" Alex asked the girl.
"What's your goal here?" the girl asked coldly.
"My goal. Don't know what you mean." Alex said simply as he asked the waitress for food. He even ordered an extra plate for the girl. "Come sit with me."
The girl looked hesitant before hearing her own stomach rumble. Afterwards, with a slight blush on her face, she sat down across from Alex.
"So, what's your name?" Alex asked.
"...Claire." she responded.
"Well, nice to meet you, Claire. Name's Alex."
"Why?" Claire asked.
"Why what?" Alex asked. "Oh, you wanna know why I saved you?"
Claire nodded in response.
"Well, two reasons really." As Alex was talking, his food was handed to him. "Thanks, but back to the topic at hand. I need information, like who sent you to kill me, for instance."
"I can't reveal that." Claire said bluntly.
"Oh, but you will." Alex said with a smile. "After all, you owe me for saving your life."
"Is that the only reason you saved me? Because you wanted information?" Claire asked.
"It was the main reason, yes. But I also just didn't want to kill you." Alex said.
"Why?" Claire once again asked, confused by Alex's motives.
"I hate wasted potential, and you have a lot." Alex said.
"Potential?" Claire asked.
"You're magic is very powerful, which usually means you come from nobility, at least in some way, but considering your now an assassin out in the wild, I assume you're either an orphan or a bastard. And I right?"
"Yes..." Claire said, sighing.
"Well, now that you owe me your life. Firstly, I want to cash in that favor. Who tried to kill me?"
Claire signed once again. "I never met the person who ordered it; all I know is that it comes from the Tarren family; we were sent to kill you for a large bounty."
"Tarren Family? Hmm...well, I did kill a few of them. Do you know who specifically?"
"No." Claire answered.
"Damn, wait...did you say we?" Alex said, realizing what she had said.
"Yes. I am one of three assassins sent to kill you." Claire explained.
"Shit...well, thanks for the warning." Alex said as he scratched the back of his head.
"So, what now?" Claire asked.
"Well, since you paid back that life debt with the information you gave me, I'd say we're even there. However, I have another offer for you." Alex said as he took a bite of his food.
"A offer?" Claire asked.
"Yes. You see, you just broke a major rule of being an assassin by giving me the name of your employer; now I doubt your boss would be pleased with that, so my offer. Come with me." Alex said with a smile on his face.
"What?" Claire asked.
"Join me in my travels. I would feel better having a badass Assassin by my side." Alex said.
"I'm not sure I-" Claire said, confusing before being interrupted.
"You'll be safe from your employer with me. That's a promise." Alex said. "Unless you want to take a chance on your own."
"You..." Claire realized that Alex had been manipulating her. If her boss found out she told Alex about the employer she would be made a symbol out of by the assassin clan. She couldn't stop Alex because he was stronger than her in nearly every way. This was possibly her best chance now." "Fine."
"Nice doing business with you, Claire."
-------------------------------------------------------
If you guys want to to support me check out my patreon, it's as cheap as a dollar!
Patreon:
https://patreon.com/Alex_Blackwood628
Discord:
https://discord.gg/97ejzvAGKb