Snippet #1570069

Crys wasn't sure what time it was, but it was probably past midnight already when she crossed the camp gates. Most people were asleep and the scent of burning wood would let her know the campfire had been lit. The remaining of the ride to the encampment was filled with inner questioning. She didn't know what to think of the things she had been told. About Ella, her mother... Everything was just a mess inside her head. The exhaustion she was feeling didn't help either. It all just added to her state of confusion. As she crossed the guards at the entrance and dismounted, not minding the stares of some people (probably wondering where the hell she got a horse from), she addressed the guard. "Report." She told him rubbing her eyes with one hand while patting Shadow with the other, trying to calm him into letting one of the workers take him for a drink of water.

"Everyone is accounted for, scouts reported no unusual movement in the camp perimeter, and security has been increased after sunset." The man told her.
Crys nodded, giving up on trying to get Shadow to behave and waving the worker away. "I'll take him myself, thank you." She told him. Then she turned to the guard once again. "Do you know where Evin is, by any chance?" She asked him.
The guard chuckled slightly. "Sorry." He said quickly. "I haven't seen him, but if I was to guess... I would say he is sleeping, Or at least resting. He gave notice that he would be in his room and was not to be bothered, he wasn't seen since." He informed.
Crys chuckled slightly. "Oh... I forgot how late it is." She nodded, still smiling. "Thank you." She said moving past him through the center of camp to lead Shadow to a very small stable-like place. It wasn't what one could actually call a stable, but it was protected enough to keep horses healthy. The place was currently empty, the last few horses having been sold, or exchanged for supplies months ago. Even so, she accommodated Shadow as best as she could and instructed the workers to be careful when trying to approach him.
It was unusual for assassins to have horses, for obvious reasons, and Crys was never very fond of riding. It was easier for her to have some notion of where she was going when she had her feet on the ground. Nonetheless... She would care for the horse as well as she could. Truth was, she already grew fond of the animal, despite his temper.

As she left the stable she suddenly heard a familiar voice as Sean approached her. "Nice horse, did you steal it?" He said, playfully.
"No." She answered a bit coldly. Then she sighed. "I'm sorry, Sean. I'm just tired."
"It's alright. We are all entitled to have bad moments, right?" He said, walking beside her towards her cabin. "So, Ali is alright, Jake is keeping her company. Evin seems to have stayed in his room all day, although I can't be sure, and... Oh, yes! Ella seems to be a lot better, in case you are wondering." He informed. "Also, I was in Blackpond today, I thought we should consider reopening the Inn there...." His voice grew quiet when Crys stopped walking suddenly. "You don't approve of that?" He asked, a little reluctantly.
Crys nodded. "No, it's not that. I think it's actually a good idea."
"Oh, right..." Sean seemed to have also remembered the last time Crys was there. "I'm sorry. I can just update Evin on this, I don't need to mention it again."
"No. It's fine." Crys assured him, letting out a small sigh. "It's just... I've had a very strange day today. Why don't you tell me what happened on your visit first thing tomorrow?"
"Sounds good enough for me." Sean agreed, beginning to walk away.
"Oh, Sean... Thank you for your help." She said.
"It's only my duty, right?" He replied, walking away.

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Ali and Jake had played chess most of the afternoon. He wasn't sure if the girl had actually gotten that much better of if he was a little drunk already, it was possible that it was both, he just didn't seem to be able to win a game.
"Check mate!" Ali exclaimed, for about the 20th time that day.
"Oh, that's it. I'm done playing with you." Jake mumbled, sitting back in his chair and tilting his head back facing the ceiling.
Ali chuckled. "I'm sorry... You haven't been playing your best today, really. Your mind is elsewhere, I can just tell. What the hell happened?"
Jake sighed. "Ali, would you promise me something?" He asked.
"What?" She asked in a curious tone.
"Promise me that, no matter what she says or does to you, you won't let Crys push you away, like she did when Dani died. You are the closest person she will have left once I'm gone."
"W-where are you going?" She asked, almost in a whisper.
Jake was sure that she was thinking back to his expulsion. Yes, Dani had told him all about how Crys was in a mess after he left. That was nothing though, what she was feeling then was guilt, she got over it quickly. This wouldn't be so easy. Finally Jake responded. "I don't know yet." He sighed. "Promise."
"Alright, I promise." She said.
"It's late. Why don't you try to sleep?" He said. You might be able to get out of this bed by tomorrow if you do."
Ali sighed. "Maybe. If it was just that easy." She yawned. "You know, you remind me of him a little." She mumbled, beginning to close her eyes.
Jake got up to put away the chess game that was set on the bedside table. "Who?"
"My brother." She said. "He would have liked you." She stated, drifting off to sleep.
Jake nodded, a little shocked by the comment, he didn't remember ever hearing Ali mention her family before. When he turned to face her, though, she was already sound asleep. "Night, Ali." He mumbled, waking out of the house.

The moment he stepped foot outside, Sean came to see him. "Hey, Jake!"
"Yes, Sean." Jake said. "What is it?"
"Crys just got home. One of the guards asked me to inform you."
"Oh." Jake mumbled. "Alright, thank you." He looked towards the leader's cabin to see Crys already walking inside. He followed her and reached her just in time to stop her from closing and locking the door. "We need to talk." He said.
"Can't it wait, Jake? I'm so tired." She answered.
"I know. I'm really sorry, but this really can't wait." He was already walking past her, into the house.
Crys sighed. "Fine, what is so urgent?" She asked, sitting be the wooden table in the office.
Jake sat across from her and sighed. "Remember when I said I was hiding something I couldn't tell you just yet?" He asked.
"Yes..." Crys answered, suddenly not minding her exhaustion so much anymore and staring at him with an intrigued expression.
"I'm going to tell you everything now, however, this won't be easy to say. I beg that you don't interrupt me." He started.
"Alright..." Crys agreed. She seemed to have finally noticed how serious this was. Her expression gave away her concern.

Jake sighed, and finally started to say what he had been wanting to confess for so long. "Very well. I will go back to the day that the Black Knights raided the camp. The day Dani died. That day..." Jake nodded, trying to stop his voice from breaking. "I reported days before. I told Dani about the attack, you probably remember she took measures at least a day before. Anyway... The day I reported she asked me if I was having trouble gaining the Knights' trust. I said I wasn't sure of how much of the information I had was secure. Dani said she would fix that. She reminded me that I would probably have to commit treason against the Pack to make it convincing. That is when She gave me the least of people I was allowed to eliminate. Proven traitors."

"You already told me that." Crys stated, obviously forgetting that she shouldn't interrupt.
Jake nodded. "I didn't tell you everything." He ran a hand through his hair, knowing he just had to go through with it. "The last name on her list was her own."
"What?!"
"That's what I asked. She told me, all I had to do was dose the poison so it would seem like an honest attempt. She would recover after a few days and I would have proven my loyalty to Newhaven. I followed through with the plan, every step of it. I don't know how it went wrong. I..."

Jake's mumbling was cut short by the touch of a blade to his throat. "You..." Crys, was standing from her seat and walking around the table , gripping the hilt of the Katana with a shivering hand as the tip of the blade threatened to brake through his skin. "What the hell did you do?"

"She wasn't supposed to die." Jake stated. "I never meant for it to happen."

She put more pressure on the blade. "WHAT did you do? Tell me!"

"Crys..." He was begging now, he didn't want to do this.

"Say it!" She pushed. "Say it, or I swear to all the Gods I will kill you now! SAY IT JAKE!

"I shot that dart. It wasn't meant to be enough to kill, but I shot it. I killed your mother." He got on his feet and let the words explode in a volume, he was sure, everyone would be able to hear. "I KILLED DANI RIVERS!"