Killers of the Shadows; Claudia Returns

Owlan
Owlan sat sipping his sake in the small room that Dara had set aside for his secret meeting with Claudia and a few other Assassin's. It was a simple room--Owlan had begun to scan it--lit by two candelabra with near stubs for candles, and it was made of cold, grey stone. The stone had several glyphs and pictures carved into each of it's walls, it's floor and it's ceiling. Some parts of the walls were adorned with ancient tapestries--all of which, along with the glyphs and runes--Owlan had inspected before and added to his Codex. Owlan sipped his sake again; the room was cold, and the seat was hard and cold as well. It was a very uninviting place to have a meeting. Owlan was supposed to be meeting with his cousin, Claudia. He hadn't seen her in 4 years. Last he heard of her she had been elected into some secret society to help fight the evil in the world and remove the oppressors. Owlan approved of the job of course, for she served the greater good of the people of the world, but he still couldn't help but worry about her. She was still his little cousin after all, and Owlan had always taken care of her since, she was 15. Since Owlan had put her in charge of the finances of the Fire Nation. Owlan was always so proud of her and what she'd done for the Fire Nation, and proud of himself for thinking of it. Owlan smiled to himself and finished off his sake in one final gulp. He couldn't wait to see his beloved cousin one more time.


Claudia
Claudia walked through the stone corridors of Dara's library. It was kind of the spirit to allow her and Owlan to meet in his library. Claudia couldn't help but smile, "Leave it to Owlan to set a secret meeting in the library," said Claudia. Three hooded figures followed closely in her footsteps in the shadows. Her fellow Assassins. The taller of the two were dressed in white tunics, black pants and white robes. Each of them were hooded, and have their faces covered by the brim of their hoods. They were heavily armed, and made not a noise as their capes flicked throughout the halls with each movement. The third assassin was shorter than the other two, and even shorter than Claudia. He reached only just above her waist, but he was one of their own none the less. Her apprentice, Darin. "Are you keeping up okay, Darin?" asked Claudia; she and the others were alone, and in the confines of safety and sanctuary. They could use their real names for now. "Or do you want to stop and rest for a second? I know we've been walking since we hit shore." "The boy must learn endurance, Claudia," said one of the taller Assassins, the one on Claudia's left. "He is a child, Malik," said Claudia with a slight tone of strictness in her voice, "Even the Grand Master acknowledges such." Malik sighed impatiently, "Of course, forgive me, Master Claudia," he said as politely as possible, "I meant no offence." Claudia couldn't blame Malik for his irritation, he was a stickler for the rules, and he had been wearied by the long journey to their destination.

"None has been taken," answered Claudia calmly. Malik grunted, "If I may also speak my mind, Master," started Malik, "I do not like the idea of meeting with this, this, outsider. He is not one of us, not one of the Assassiyun. He is not of the Order. You know the rules, the creed that which we must abide. Surely you have not forgotten? Stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent; Hide in plain sight; and never-" "Never compromise the Order." finished Claudia impatiently, "I know Malik. You needn't throw the rules at me for every decision that I make. I am fully aware of the Creed, and I have nit her killed innocents, and have always hidden in the plainest sight possible. As for meeting with this, outsider, as you so kindly put it, this outsider is no normal king or ruler. He is Fire Lord Owlan." "You mean-?!" Gasped the second of the assassins, the one who had remained silent up until now. "Yes," said Claudia, "Owlan the Lionheart. I'm sure you are well aware of this story?" Malik nodded beneath his hood, and begrudgingly gave up his arguing silently.

"Good," said Claudia, "Thank you. And so that you can trust me, I shall trust you. Owlan the Lionheart, is not just an old friend. He's my cousin." With that Claudia doubled her walking pace and remained silent until she reached the door to the room where Owlan was. She paused before opening the door; she was about to see her cousin, the one who had cared for her and watched out for her, after 7 years of disappearance and only three or four letters between the two. She had rudely abandoned his ship and his company after returning from the Light Kingdom, and hadn't seen him since. She wondered what Owlan's reactions would be when he saw that she was grown up now, and that she was an Assassin. Had he changed at all? Was he still the same? Claudia burned to find out. And in a rush of adrenaline and nerves, she pushed open the door, and went to face her cousin.

Claudia smiled and took the boys hand, "Good, I'm glad," she said, then added in a whispered undertone, "Don't be afraid of Malik, if you ever need to rest or need anything else you don't be afraid to ask me okay?" Claudia pushed open the door then and walked into the room. Mali and his companion waited outside, while Claudia sat on the opposite side of the table from Owlan, with Darin in her lap. "Owlan," said Claudia as she lowered her hood. Owlan smiled at Claudia as he saw her face, "You've grown up, and you're wearing quite a bit of leather and red," he said in his joking tone, "Did you join the Little Red Riding Hood LARPing Society or something?" Claudia smiled and pushed her hair behind her ear, "Well cousin," she said, "I've joined a secret order. The Order of Assassins. I've spent the last few years working for them, under our Grand Master. I've flown through the ranks, and I even have a few students I'm training. Basil here is one of mine as well. His mother and I were training together at the same time, and when she died a few years back and I took him under my wing as my apprentice."

Owlan raised and eyebrow in interest, "An Assassin?" he asked, "Who do you guys assassinate exactly? You see, what I'm asking is, should I be sleeping with a night guard?" Claudia laughed again, "No," she said, "We only kill evil and oppressors. Those who seek to enslave mankind or remove their free will. You're on the safe list, all the royalty are actually." Owlan nodded, "Good," he said, "I'm glad. And I'm proud of you Claudia, you seem like you've done well for yourself. And you've decided to do something good with your life, and you're dedicated yourself to a good cause." Owlan then turned his attention to Basil, "How are you Basil?" he asked, "Has the big bad Claudia been scarring you?"

Owlan laughed, "I mean psychologically," he smiled, "But she hasn't been pushing you too hard as she? I know as a child she's always had the tendency to be a little...violent." Owlan laughed, "She was so violent her daddy had to raise her dowry by 10 000 gold before anyone would consider marrying her because she scared off all her other suitors." Owlan laughed again but promptly shut up as a throwing knife shot past his ear and hit the wall. He saw Claudia glarring daggers at him, and he knew then that the glare was more dangerous than the knives. Owlan cleared his throat and regained his composure. "But yes, she's been treating you well I assume Basil?" he asked, "Not treating you unfairly or pushing you too hard?"

Owlan smiled, "Yes, I am. I'm a Fire, Light and Dark Bender it's a....talent of mine." he said smiling. Claudia rolled her eyes, "We know, we know, you don't need to keep reminding us," she said. Owlan chuckled, "Says the one who keeps throwing knives to prove her point," retorted Owlan sharply but still jokingly. "May I ask what kind of bender you are Basil? You're not like any bender I've seen before. You're not of the main 6 elements are you?" Owlan knew this boy was much smarter than he looked, and he was proud of Claudia for taking such good care of him. He knew that the boy would be a good assassin one day, and one who will serve the world much good.

Owlan saw Claudia hug the boy as he buried himself in her chest. Owlan smiled, "Is that so?" asked Owlan, "Well it just so happens I could use a new apple tree in my garden. When you learn how, would you mind growing me one? I'd love a hand grown apple tree." Owlan glanced up at Claudia with his piercing grey eyes and she could see the happiness in him. Claudia knew Owlan was always good with kids, having raised her, Erolass and Naina had helped him with that. But the look in Owlan's eye also pervaded something else, a sense of longing. It was then that Claudia could see Owlan wanted children of his own. The only problem was, he was already married to his work, and he never really had a girlfriend to begin with. Owlan's life had never permitted him to do so. Claudia felt sorry for Owlan, for he might never find the one that was right for him, and his lineage might not carry on. It was then that Claudia understood why Owlan was always so happy to be around children; it filled that part of him that was missing the love and happiness a child and a wife could bring, and Claudia began to feel--if only somewhat--sorry for Owlan.