FOREVER KNIGHTS: #7 King of Assassins

Road to MidGale City, Nightway Border

SAVAGE JAXSON

Charles Danbury was riding home to MidGale City. His city. They’d reached the broad bend which bordered the Eastern most peak of the Warwood. Expansive carriage filled to brimming with his attendants. Some of which were forced to hang off the side due to the capacity inside. Behind were two more carriages stuffed with Nightway goods.

Despite the great trove of spoils he’d collected during his stay this time, Danbury was gravely irked with Riaura. “Little heathen.”

“What, Sir?” The head of his attendants, Barker, asked.

“That girl.”

“The princess, My Lord?”

“Yes, the princess!” Danbury spat in annoyance.

“What has she done now, My Lord?”

“She defies me at every turn. Running off to act a fool with this interloper in the woods.”

“In the Warwood Sir?” The man asked skeptically. Having clearly heard of the rumors of Dreads and Warlocks who lurked in that forest.

“My Lord!” The driver jerked the wide carriage to a hault. So heavy with bags and attendants that it skid a long way before jostling.

“What is it, Timothy!” Danbury called impatiently.

“A man sir!”

Charles Danbury poked his head from the window in the door to look out. Stunned to see a man crouched in the trees above the road. Staring down on the vehicles intently. One hand leisurely resting on the branch above him. He appeared perched as though ready to leap down any moment.

“Go under him.” Danbury commented. “He wouldn’t dare. Not upon seeing my crest.”

“I’m not driving under him, Sir. I believe he would dare.”

Danbury looked up at the man who hadn’t blinked during the interchange, though clearly close enough to hear.

He was young. Blonde hair twisted into braids near his face with wood beads strung in them.

Kill beads. Each engraved with a kill he was proud of.

He wore a sleeveless black leather tunic with gold embroidering down the center and black hide pants tucked into dusty boots. As Danbury looked at him, he leaned his head back, making the beads click together, as he peered haughtily down at Danbury.

“What do you want?” Danbury called.

Seeing they’d drive no further, he dropped from the tree and landed smoothly in the road. Step half feral as he strode to the carriage with a smirk.

“Are you trying to get killed, Boy?”

“Oh, I’m no Boy.” He stepped before Danbury with a grin.

And I don’t appreciate being called one.

Barker, his primary attendant, sucked in a whoosh of air behind Danbury and lunged to the far side of the carriage.

Good. He knows me.

“What?” Danbury tossed him a skeptical look.

“That’s the King of Assassins!”

“Who?”

“The King of the Assassins.”

“Oh?” Danbury ran a hand through black hair, tousling it. “Have you come to kill me, Boy?”

Why would I do that when you can proceed to bundle up and hand over goods as often as you traverse this country. That’d be foolish.

“Not right yet.” Savage slapped the window ledge of the carriage door. When he did there was a flood from the trees. Men in light armor, carrying weapons and shouting like wild beasts rampaged toward Danbury’s carriages. Dirtied, scarred men. Men who looked unstable.

“Who are they?” Danbury snarled, eying the mass surging from the trees.

My men.

“They’re my assassins. They’ve come to help you on your travel.”

“Help me?” Danbury looked at him. “Are you escorting us into MidGale?” He asked in confusion. “Did King Ocnomad send you?”

Far from.

“No.” Savage flashed that vibrant grin again. “Quite the opposite actually. But we are going to lighten your load.”

Already the assassins yanked bags from the tops of the vehicles. Tossing laden burlap sacks down lines of men to vanish into the trees. A well-coordinated operation.

“Stop your seditious men!”

“Seditious?” Savage laughed coldly. “From what I hear, he leaned in the window. Invading Danbury’s personal space. “You’re the one that’s seditious.” He clucked in his cheek. “Betraying a queen and her daughter to steal these goods.”

Danbury looked at him askance. “If such a thing were true, how would you know?”

“I know everything that happens in these lands.” Savage leaned over to give three solid smacks to Danbury’s cheek. Reddening it.

Danbury blinked at him in shock. Mouth agape. “Who are you?”

“Savage Jack.” He stepped back to dip in a mocking bow. “At your disservice, My Lord.” He gave a cheeky grin. Blue eyes flashing in the afternoon light. “It’s nice to collaborate, isn’t it? Appreciate you rounding up all this to feed my men.” He nodded.

“You’re going to pay!”

It’s never happened yet.

“If you should go crying to anyone about this here little ‘lightening’ we did to your carriages…I’d be obliged to assist you further in future…On…Every…one…of your trips home.”

I’m going to anyway. Tell who you wish.

But I will kill you.

Danbury huffed in his carriage helpless to do anything. Trembling so hard his chair shook. Hands fisting.

Swing at me.

Savage quirked a brow but when the man had nothing further to say, Savage lifted his chin and puckered in a mocking kiss. “Safe travels.”