Story of a Troll Assassin

By Athilea Majiri

Lacora walked into the dusty, cobweb covered inn. At first glance it looked as though the building was uninhabited, there was, however, a strange sort of people that resided there. Lacora didn't seem to notice them though, or anything else for that matter. She sat down in the first chair she came to, an old, creaking wooden chair that wobbled just a little but she was oblivious to where she sat. A sigh, almost silent, escaped her lips as her mind began to wander with memories risen anew. There were many things to think on, memories that weren't to be shared with anyone at the moment. Her worries were etched as though in stone on her face. Even those that did not know her could see the troubled look in her eyes.
 
 The things on her mind were thoughts that had haunted her for the better part of a year, every since. . .

 Her train of thought was abruptly interrupted as her cat, Khanu, jumped up into her lap. The muscles beneath his silver and black stripped fur twitched slightly from the slight exertion. Khanu, like all animals, knew that something was wrong with his keeper. Lacora stared down at him for a long while as she tapped one of her fingertips against a white tusk. He seemed to be under the impression that if she would just pet him all her problems would melt away.

 He looked back up at her through green eyes and meowed as he tried desperately to get some sort of attention. Finally she reached down and rubbed the top of his head right between his ears and her mind began to wander again. There was so much she wanted to tell Egalaa of her travels. Unfortunately she could not. At least not now, if for no other reason then he would not understand. No one could know. There was no one that she could trust more than her husband, no one she could tell of what her mind lingered on before she told him. Unless. . .

 She stared down at the cat and thought perhaps. . .

Lacora shook her head after a few moments, the small animal skulls in her red braids making a soft hollow sound, like dried, hollowed reeds being hit against each other, "Wha' am Ah t'inkin', Khanu? If Ah tell anyone i's goin' ta be Egalaa. Ah have ta tell him firs', even if ya are jus' a ca'."

 She continued to pet the cat gently, her thoughts strewn all over. It was hard for her to concentrate on any one thing. She had been gone for so long that she should actually be overwhelmed by sheer joy at being back home, but she couldn't help the fear she had of what she knew would come. She knew her husband would not take any of the things she's been doing well, and the rest of the guild would probably scorn her along with him.

 Unconsciously she raised a hand to her lip where a long, ugly scar had appeared. Her fingertips traced the scar on the left side of her mouth that ran from the bottom of her lip, to her chin, and halfway down her neck. It was a scar that was so obvious that no one should miss it. She had hidden it well from Egalaa when they met on her return, however, because she didn't want him to ask any questions about it. Not yet anyhow, not until she was ready to reveal everything.

 Finally she stood up slowly, holding Khanu closely with her bottom lip caught between her teeth. Whatever was there, whatever was on her mind had obviously become a real problem, not just a paranoia that caused her this grief. There was no easy resolution for this, no quick fix that would resolve everything.

 Eventually she would have to tell someone, she had decided that it would be her husband. She feared, though, that this resolve would fail her and that it would end up getting back to Egalaa through someone else. That was simply not acceptable.

 She had it figured that, when her story was finally told, people would begin to give her a wide berth. She had to admit to herself that she might have been over thinking the problem, and perhaps everything would go over smoothly. Her eyes fell to the cat in her arms and she stroked him a few times before setting him at her feet, "T'in's goin' ta be changin'. Ah don' know if dat be a goo' t'in' or no', Khanu, bu' Ah know i' has ta happen."

 She stood up slowly turned to walk out of the old, dusty inn of the undead, her cat faithfully followed her. Still she was oblivious to her surroundings, she thought to herself 'I have to get focused or I'm just going to get myself killed.' She shook her head, the skulls making that hallowed reed sound once again, as she tried to clear her mind. 'It will do no good if I get myself killed shortly after seeing Egalaa again.' With a sigh she turned off the road not to far outside of the undead village, her mind clear and constant, not as confused as it had been just moments before. She didn't know exactly where she was going, but she knew this would be a good distraction.


 A few nights ago she saw her husband again. Her love, the one she so longed to speak with. She watched him as though from afar, thinking that she wanted to tell him, spill her guts right then and there. Yet, it was not the right time. She couldn't bring herself to tell him, as much as she wanted to.

 She was certain that he would be able to see the oddity in her mannerisms. He had to of seen that she was not really paying attention to everything around her. Lacora tried to act normal and even found a bit of humor in Raza's reaction to her re-appearance after so long. Ever present was her thought of Egalaa, so close and wishing only to speak alone with him.

 As much as she wanted to tell him of her time away she would still wait. The time would come. She might be postponing it out of fear for what he would do, but eventually she would tell him. He would know and she would end up not seeing him for a while, if ever, again. She was certain of that it would be the least of what would happen to her.

She tried to hide her thoughts from Egalaa, and thought she was doing a good job. She was able to get her mind off things as they had a bit of fun with Ethon. It had been a long time since she'd laughed like that, so long in fact that she was wondering if she had the ability any longer. Apparently all she needed was to be a bit playful with her husband. Somehow it helped, but still. . .

 Lacora hoped that he hadn't seen anything off in her mannerism, anything that would hint to what was wrong with her, that would show him how much was bothering her. Once again she found herself petting Khanu for comfort; the cat had become a dear friend quickly since the day Egalaa gave him to her. She had to say that if she loved any animal in the world it would be her cat. It came as a surprise to her, "Wha' am Ah goin' ta do, Khanu? Dis be tearin' me apar', Ah have ta tell him, bu' every time Ah try da wor's don' come," she felt weak. Her teeth gritted against themselves, her body trembling a bit with stress.

 "Ah'll tell him nex' time Ah see him," she promised herself. It was one she knew she was most likely not going to keep. She just couldn't bring herself to let the words spill; to just come out, it wouldn't happen. Part of her knew this, but the promise made her feel better none the less. Perhaps she would actually sleep this night.


 Things had become quiet, to quiet in Lacora's mind. Her husband had left the guild and she hadn't been a part of it for long. She understood though, and she didn't know how long she would remain a part of this organization as wonderful as it was. Her odd colored eyes stared out into the forest of Ashen Vail where she had just walked to. It was an odd place for sure, but somehow peaceful in its own way.

  Well, she had decided what she was going to do about one thing at least. She was going to tell Egalaa what had been bothering her so bad as to leave knots in almost all of her back muscles from the long nights she'd stayed awake, staring out over various landscapes and thinking. However she was going to do it for all to hear. Somehow she felt it would be easier that way.

 A tear actually fell from her eyes; so much had happened that the stress was getting to her. It was becoming too much for her to handle, that much was apparent. She showed it only to her husband though, none of the others new just how bad it had become. Just how much it bothered her. Her husband wasn't even allowed to see the pain that filled her eyes with water to the point of spilling over. She hated herself for crying like a child, she just couldn't help herself.


©2006 Pamela "Athilea" Johnson All Rights Reserved