The guild hall of the Genin assassins was dark, the shadows reflecting the men and women gathered there. This place wasn’t accessible from the streets of the city, and the route was protected by many deadly traps. Only those who were of their unique number could safely find this place, hidden from the eyes and ears of the people of the city above them. The leader of the Genin sat at the head of the square table, his eyes cool pools of shadow like the dark clothes he wore. "And what of the Duchess?" he asked, the pale skinned man’s voice flowing like poisoned honey. "With Lord Darthan’s death," his lieutenant spoke up, the brown haired young man looking oddly like some secretary, "the contract has not been renewed. We also took a final attempt on her last evening..." "How many men?" the leader asked curiously. "A dozen of us," a younger man reported, "a mix of younger recruits and more experienced assassins." There was a longer pause and he continued, "I must reluctantly report that they were all defeated." There was a ripple of surprise amid the men and women sitting around the table as they reacted to that surprising news. A young man spoke up, his voice mostly amused as he said dryly, "I’m really not surprised." "Oh?" their leader looked at the foreigner curiously. A younger man he came from Edo and their home Guild hall, and he had originally feared the boy was here to replace him. Yet the smooth featured young man had always been respectful, knowing his place in their ranks and never seeming to strive for more. "When I crossed blades with Midori I could tell she had faced our kind before," he smiled a bit grimly, "she comes from Edo, like our guild itself." "And she carries a royal blade?" a dusky skinned woman from the south asked. "By the watermark and the swordcrafter’s mark," he replied, "the sword was one of the ones crafted for the old rulers of Edo, gone nearly a decade now." "So, is she their lost princess Midoroshi?" their leader wondered, "Or just one of the several pretenders that have appeared over the years." "It’s interesting that she’s here," the lieutenant noted thoughtfully, "all of the pretenders rose up in Edo, seeking to use the name for their own power. Whoever this woman is, she seems uninterested in power or nobility." "Do we still have a contact with Edo’s Shogun?" their leader mused aloud. "I think Lord Musashi is still in favor with the court," a young woman noted, her brown eyes amused, "and we’ve done business with him in the past." "Then let’s send him a message," their leader nearly purred, "I think the Shogun would be very interested in hearing where their lost princess is." Meanwhile, in the audience chamber of the palace Commander Hudson warily kept an eye out as the Queen completed her announcement. "And in closing," Queen Gewn said, "I will urge the guild council to recognize the Guild of Gentlewomen." The rumblings of discontent from the lords were obvious, though clearly no one was going to say anything publically. Then there was a loud thump, and all eyes fell to the hiresword Midori, who swept the crowd with her eyes. "The queen has spoken," she said dangerously, "and if anyone has a problem with that, they are welcome to take it up with me." The room became much quieter after that, everyone having heard of Midori’s deadly reputation. ‘Days like this,’ Hudson mused, ‘I’m very glad I hired her.’ "Thank you," Queen Gwen smiled with glee shining in her eyes. Getting her amusement under control she addressed the crowd, "Are there any petitions today?" ‘Somehow, I doubt anyone’s going to risk it today,’ Hudson silently mused. After a few moments the audience ended, and the Queen and a few others gathered for a meeting in the Queen’s private chambers. "So," Queen Gwen said, the slim blonde relaxing in a chair in her tower sitting room, "you think that was the last of the Genin?" The Duchess Jantha and her cousin sat on the couch, her own blonde hair glittering. "That’s what I’m wondering," she conceded. "Midori?" Hudson asked, the older man deferring to the foreign woman’s superior knowledge of their foes. Midori gave him a flat look, her eyes narrowed just a bit in irritation. "If that wasn’t their last gasp it was close," she conceded, "they wouldn’t send such numbers out normally." "That had better have been the end of it," Laur’ien noted, the tawny haired woman cleaning her nails with one of her many fearsome knives, "I almost thought they were going to break through that time." "It wasn’t that close, was it?" Queen Gwen looked a bit alarmed. "Six to one odds, even though I helped stop one or two," Jantha said wryly, "it was very, very close that time." "Hmm," Midori nodded, "but we got a bit lucky that they weren’t trained in fighting as a group. They might have broken through otherwise." "Remind me to tell your bard friend Nathaniel about it," Richard said, the white haired viceroy looking amused, "it’ll make a terrific few verses for his Ballad of Magnificent Midori." "Do it and die, m’lord," Midori warned jokingly. "I think you’re stuck being famous, my friend," Laur’ien snickered softly. "Hmph," Midori sat back with a scowl. "However, I think I’d like you to continue to guard Jantha," Hudson said after a moment. "Oh?" Jantha didn’t quite manage to hide her relief. Hudson drank a bit from a tankard one of the maids had delivered. "Someone of Jantha’s importance needs a bodyguard," he shrugged as he addressed Midori, "and I find I like having you on the payroll." "Especially after you quieted the grumbling today," Gwen noted, merriment dancing in her eyes, "thank you." Midori looked away, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "In my land, you’d have had a champion to do the same," she explained, "I just did what I thought was fitting." "Queen’s Champion," Gwen tilted her head to the side, "I like the sound of that." "It does sound like a good idea," Richard confessed, taking a sip of his wine. Gwen looked over at Jantha, "I don’t suppose I could borrow Midori for the job?" Jantha frowned slightly, "I don’t think so." "Too bad," Gwen pouted. Midori rolled her eyes, "You can have Laur’ien if you like." "Hey!" Laur’ien protested. "Sorry, I’m leaving her with Jantha too," Hudson cut in, "if only because they keep her out of trouble." "I get no respect," Laur’ien sighed. "If you like," Hudson politely offered to his queen, "I can have a few candidates name’s sent over for you to review." "It’s something to consider," Gwen agreed. Hudson took another drink, careful not to let his sympathy show. ‘What she really wants,’ he mused a bit sadly, ‘is a connection like the one that seems to have formed between Jantha and Midori. Too bad such a thing is so rare and precious...’ "Speaking of a champion," Richard said, "do you really think it was wise to make that announcement now, Gwen?" "It may not have been wise," Gwen conceded, "but there’s likely to be no better time than now, especially with the rumblings in the nobility." "True enough," Richard sighed. "Besides," Jantha offered with a slight smile, "I suspect the noblewomen may well help solve that little problem." "Oh?" Gwen asked. "How many lords are going to continue to oppose you," Jantha looked amused, "once their wives tell them they won’t get their bed privileges back till they stop?" Richard looked at her in surprise then he broke into laughter. "Now that’s just fighting dirty," he chortled softly.
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