Tara

            “Tara,” she hears her boss, Jordan, call from outside her tent. 

            “Yes, boss,” she asks quietly while walking outside.

            “Pack your things. We have been summoned by Michael. We have another mission to go on, already,” Jordan says while smiling lightly. Tara can sense that Jordan isn’t all that happy to be receiving another mission so soon. They only just got back from their previous mission a couple of hours ago.

            Tara nods slightly. She slowly packs her things in her bag.  Tara isn’t happy to be going so soon either. Tara needs to get some rest. She hasn’t slept in a couple of days.  She keeps dreaming of all the lives she’s taken. She’s really starting to hate this job, but she can’t quit. She needs the money.

            Tara is also thinking about her last victim, currently. She felt her heart sink after the last mission. She can still hear the woman’s screams in her head.

~

“I wonder who we are going to have to kill this time,” Tara wonders to herself.

Lately, the requests that Jordan and Tara have been receiving are for people that have money or who are in power. A lot of the people they have killed refused to help those in need. Michael wants to take greedy people out. Michael is adamant that the rich are to blame for the world’s problems. He wants to eradicate all of the rich people and the royals.

Tara doesn’t think that is going to help matters, but she won’t voice her opinion. She doesn’t want to lose this job. She needs the money to help her ailing mother. The medicine her mother needs costs a lot of money. Her old job barely paid enough money to support her or her mother.

She makes a lot of money assassinating people. Only because Michael steals whatever money the person they assassinated owns. Michael pays all of his assassins a handsome amount because of that. He doesn’t try to steal money from the royals. He doesn’t want the trail to lead back to him or any of the people that work for him.

            Another reason Tara won’t voice her opinions is because Michael is a cruel man. She’s seen Michael kill someone for disobeying his orders.

The man had agreed the rich people were to blame for the world’s problems. The only thing the man didn’t agree with was killing them. When the man went on his mission he only stole all of the family’s money. He was also supposed to kill the whole household, but he didn’t. He couldn’t’ bring himself to kill them, especially, the children. They were innocent. They didn’t understand that their parents were greedy.

When Michael found out that the family was still alive, he went ballistic. He wrapped his hands around the man’s neck and choked him to death.

“This is what happens when you defy me, do you all understand,” Michael had said in a chilling voice. The way his voice sounded is what stayed with Tara the most.

“We’re almost to Michael’s location,” Jordan says to Tara, interrupting her thoughts.

“Thank you, Jordan,” she says while shivering a little bit. She really is afraid of Michael. She’s hoping to get over her fear very soon. She doesn’t want to appear weak in front of her boss.

~

“Jordan, Tara, wonderful job on your last mission,” Michael says while flashing his pearly whites. Tara is a little shocked by that expression. Usually he scowls at them.

“Thank you, Michael,” Jordan says in a polite tone.

“Since you both are doing so well, I’m going to assign you solo missions. I think your protégé, Jordan, is spectacular.”

Tara is one of the youngest members that Michael employed. Jordan saw potential in her a couple of years ago. Jordan tried to break into her home at one point. Tara tried to knock him out with a stick. He quickly had disarmed her. He saw something in her that day. So he took her under his wing. He started training her in the art of silent killing. At first, Michael wasn’t pleased about it, but he found out that Tara was pretty useful. So he continued to let Jordan train her.

There are also two other members of Michael’s group that are around her age. They are Michael’s sons. They also don’t agree with their father’s methods.

 She was thoroughly trained before being allowed to go on missions. Jordan has been overseeing her training for the last few years. Her progress is a lot better than the other two.

            “Yes, Tara is proving to be very well suited for this kind of work. I trust your judgment, sir,” Jordan responds with a smile.

            “Yes, she is. I’m really glad that you decided to train this young woman. She’s doing so much better than my own children,” Michael says while smiling sadly. The disappointment is clear in his expression. He really wants his children to follow in his brutal footsteps. “Maybe, I shall have Tara spar with them for a while. See if that kicks them into shape. They could easily be killed by her if they don’t wise up fast.”

            “Sir, I’ll be glad to spar with your sons, if you wish it,” Tara responds. She would love to beat the boys. It would be a lot of fun for her. They have been making fun of her since she started working for Michael.

            “Glad to hear it, Tara. Well anyway, it’s time to hear what your assignments will be,” Michael says while getting down to business. “Tara, you will be going to the kingdom of Grandielier. The King and Queen of that country are very greedy. I have been speaking with a few of the townsfolk. They do not like their rule. I want you to take the lives of King Alfred and Queen Jennifer. You also must rid of any of their heirs as well. I trust you, to get this done. As for you, Jordan, you will be going to the Kingdom of Aria, to also rid of their king and queen. Now that you have received your assignments, you may go now.”

            “Yes, sir,” they both say and depart. Tara starts making her way to Grandielier. She will be there by nightfall. She knows what she must do, but will she be able to do it on her own? She has some doubts, but she knows she will succeed.

~

            As night descends on the land, Tara is getting closer to the castle. She is going to have to infiltrate the castle soon. Her heart is beating in her chest. She doesn’t know if it’s from fear or excitement. She doesn’t want to fail her first solo mission. She needs to prove she is worth something to Michael.

            Tara scopes out the guards. She needs to know where their positions are. She’s decided to knock them all out with the butt of her sword. Tara knows how to stay silent as she approaches as enemy.

            She spots the first set of guards near the entrance of the castle. She slowly walks up behind the first guard, hits him in the head with the butt of her sword, and he goes down. She decides to use his body as a shield when approaches his partner. He is a little heavy for Tara, but nothing she can’t handle. Michael’s son, Timothy, has helped her build her muscles.

            “Hey, Charlie, are you alright,” his partner asks. Tara uses the man’s hair to make him nod. Seeming to be happy with his partner’s response, the man turns around.

            Tara makes her next move. She lets his partner’s body drop the ground. She quickly grabs her sword and hits the second man in the head. She sneaks into the castle. She hides behind the first pillar she sees. She looks from behind it. She’s in the throne room currently. She needs to figure out where the King and Queen’s bedrooms are. She will kill them while they sleep.

            She slowly moves from pillar to pillar. She doesn’t want to attract anyone’s attention. Once she’s in a new hallway, she sees a maid. She smiles a little. She needs to change her appearance. It will make it easier to find the King and Queens’s room. She also can pretend she’s a new maid. So she can ask someone where the bedrooms are. She sneaks out from behind the pillar. She pulls the knife, she concealed earlier, from her hiding spot.

            She silently walks up behind the maid, wraps her arm around her neck, and holds the knife up to her throat. With her other hand, she puts her hand over the girl’s mouth. She sees the girl wants to scream, but she sees the knife. Tara feels the girl’s body shaking. She forces the girl to walk behind the pillar. She whispers to her. “Make a sound and I will slit your throat. Give me your clothes now and I will let you live.”

            The girl nods, tears running down her cheeks, and starts to strip. The girl doesn’t want to die. Tara can see it in her eyes. Tara takes her clothes off as well and takes the girl’s clothes. She is still crying.  Tara conceals her knife back into its hiding spot. She’s happy she doesn’t need to use it.. Tara leaves her crying behind the pillar.

            Tara walks down the hallway now in a new maid’s outfit. She asks a guard where the maid’s quarters are. She explains to him that she is a new maid. She also tells him that she’s still used to getting adjusted to this way of life. She doesn’t remember where everything is. He shows her the way. “I hope you are enjoying the job here.”

            “Yes, it is a far better job than what I used to have,” Tara tells the guard.

            “What did you use to do,” he asks.

            “I used to work on a farm with my mother,” Tara responds. That is the only thing that Tara is not lying about. Before her mother got sick, she and Tara, would tend to the chickens, cows, and whatever animal they had. Once her mother got sick, it was hard for them to manage. They had to sell their farm.

            “Oh, wow, that must have been a chore,” the guard laughs.

            “Yes, it definitely was a chore. My least favorite thing was cleaning up the poop,” Tara says.           

            “Well, I’m glad this job is better for you. The King pays us only enough to make ends meet. I really wish they would pay us more,” he sighs.

            “I understand completely. My mother is very ill. I need the money for her medicine. We can’t even afford food. After, my father’s death it has been really hard on us. It’s harder now that Mom cannot work,” Tara says. Tears start to build up in eyes. She hates thinking about her family situation. She is really worried about her mother. She hasn’t seen her in a couple of weeks. Her job does keep her busy. She goes home when she can.

            “I’m sorry to hear that. I wish your mother a complete recovery,” the guard says. Tara smiles a little bit.

            “I have yet to meet the King and Queen. I know I’m just a maid, but I really admire them,” Tara says as pleasantly as she can. She almost flinches within herself. She’s trying to make what she’s saying believable.

            “I’m usually not supposed to do this, but I will show you where their bedrooms are. They are still awake right now. They should be going to bed soon though. They have an infant son. He’s only one month old. They sleep when he does,” he says.

            “Thank you very much. By the way, what is your name,” Tara asks.

            “My name is Matt. How about you,” he asks.

            “My name is Lorraine,” Tara responds. She follows him to their bedroom. She is surprised that he is willingly bringing her to their bedrooms. This guard seems to be pretty clueless. Once, they arrive at the bedrooms, she counts how many guards there are. There are only two guards watching the bedroom. Matt nods to the other guards. They nod back. Tara and Matt slowly start to walk down a different hallway.

            “Well, that’s where their bedrooms are. I’ll show you where the maid’s...” Matt says before he gets cut off. Tara hits him in the back of the head as hard as she can. Once, she’s sure he’s knocked out, she takes his sword. She walks back towards the other guards and knocks them out as quickly as she can. She goes into the King and Queen’s bedroom.

            She notices that the Queen is still awake. The King is nowhere in the room. The Queen staring at her with wide eyes. Tara takes out her concealed knife. The Queen screams when she sees the knife. Tara quickly lunges towards her. At first, she puts her hand on the Queen’s mouth. The Queen tries to pry her hands off. They start wrestling on the bed until Tara pins her down. The Queen tries to scream again, but Tara slugs her. She tells the Queen quietly. “Shut up right now or I’ll make your death as painful as possible.  If you obey me, I will just suffocate you with a pillow. I really don’t want to make you suffer, but I will if you force me too. Do you have any last words?”

            The Queen starts crying, but she nods. Tara takes her hand away from her mouth. “Please, please, promise me, you will spare my son. He’s only a month old.”

            Tara nods. She doesn’t think she can bring herself to kill a one month old anyway. Tara grabs a pillow off of the Queen’s bed and places it over her face. The Queen starts to struggle a little bit. Tara still has her pinned. Tara punches the Queen hard enough in the face to knock her out. It takes a while for Tara to suffocate the Queen. She’s glad the King hasn’t come back yet. Once Tara sees the Queen’s chest stop moving, she gets off the Queen. It looks like the Queen is in a deep sleep. Nothing will seem off to the King. She closes the room to their chambers. She notices the guards are still knocked out.

            Tara decides to hide under the bed until the King comes back. The guards she knocked out came to a few minutes ago as well. They are pretty groggy. They don’t even realize there is someone in the room. The King comes back a couple of hours later. He looks really dead tired.

            “Oh, honey, that meeting took forever,” he whispers to the Queen. He doesn’t realize that she has hardly moved. “I know you’re tired as well. Little man is taking up a lot of our time. I’m glad we decided to raise him ourselves honey. I hope you get a great sleep,” Alfred says, unaware that his beloved is dead. He lies down on the bed. He falls asleep almost immediately. Tara comes out of hiding once he’s asleep. She presses down hard enough to slit his throat. The King starts to choke on his own blood.

            Tara now notices the crib in the room. A little one month old baby is wide awake inside. He’s now wailing. Tara picks him up and rocks him until he falls asleep. Tara doesn’t know what to do with him yet.

            Tara looks around the room. She sees a basket full of knitting supplies. She dumps out the supplies, puts the baby in the basket. She wraps the baby in a blanket. She also puts a binky in his mouth. She’s hoping that will keep him quiet for a while. She hides the baby in the closet.

She now flees the scene. She knows she disobeyed Michael. She just couldn’t bring herself to kill an innocent baby. She now heads back home. Hopefully Michael doesn’t find out about the baby.