A Matter of Assassins

"Probably," said Mendo. "This poison is a fairly common kind, and we have the resources to put together the antidote. We must do it quickly, however." He spoke to one of the other men beside him, whose name Fred and Astra learned was Eliezar, and he ran off. "He is going to fetch a healer who specializes in poisons, as well as the police," said Mendo.

"This... seems... odd," said Astra hesitantly. The poison was already getting to her, and she was filled with sharp and all-consuming pain. "From what I remember of her, she seemed frightened, uncertain. Weilding a poisoned crossbow would suggest that there was more forethought in what she did than there seemed to be. Unless that is the custom in this land?''

"It is not," said Mendo. "In fact, if this place has not changed too much since the last time I was here, it is a sure sign that we have stumbled onto Assassin's Guild business, which never has a good outcome."

"Do you think the other man who attacked us was an assassin then?" said Fred.

"What other man?" said Mendo. Fred then told him the whole story of the strange being who he'd fought just after the woman had shot Astra, and who'd run away when Mendo arrived. Mendo nodded inscurtably. "No, I do not think he is, or at least not one of the Guild. That doesn't sound quite like their kind of magic--the assassins of this area prefer to be more subtle."

"That is magic from the east," said the third man from Mendo's party, who had a deep, vibrant voice. He was normally very reticent--Fred and Astra still did not know his name. "I have never heard tell of such magic being used here before."

"What brings you here, anyway?" said Astra, her voice still full of fire even as it was full of pain. "I did not know before that any of you are wizards."

"Nothing that affects you," said Mendo curtly. "We are all wizards, and are here on wizard business."

"This answer does not exactly fill me with confidence," said Astra. "Both of us were sent here as a result of some rather unpleasant... 'wizard business'... that we experienced back home."

"Don't try to speak," said Mendo. "You shouldn't waste energy in your state."

Fred scowled at him. "She deserves to know something of what is going on, as do I."

"Not yet you don't," said Mendo. "Not unless you have to." Further discussion between them was cut off by the arrival of a man dressed in a dark robe with many pockets and a phylactery worn on his forehead, presumably the healer. Beside him were several burly men armed with swords, presumably the guards. They both discussed what had happened with Mendo in their native tongue--Fred had no way of knowing whether Mendo had mentioned the second man who'd attacked him or not. Mendo then turned to Fred--"The healer says he is optimistic about Astra," he said. "It should not take too long to prepare the antidote. But she should not try to walk for several days. The policemen say that they know nothing of whatever happened--I do not know if all of them are being truthful, of course. They claim to have never seen the woman before. I suspect the Assassin's Guild will pay them off and take care of this business in their own manner, but that is none of our business."

Fred felt that it was their business if an innocent woman's life was at risk--although he didn't know for sure if she was innocent, of course--but he would not protest to Mendo just yet. He looked at the woman, roughly taken out by the police. Such institutions as the Assassin's Guild had existed in ancient Allaria and in some places still did--everyone had heard of the Sicarii who dwelt in the Fens of Canmoor. Had she been a victim of this Assassin's Guild who escaped and stolen one of their weapons, or a prospective member? She seemed very frail, and yet the Assassin's Guild would naturally take on members whose appearances were deceptive. There was something very arresting about her face, strikingly beautiful yet seeming troubled even in unconsciousness.

1. Fred followed Mendo to the healer's dwelling.
2. Fred noticed that there seemed to be someone waiting in the shadows in the street eyeing the woman.

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