14 The Noble Assassin

Amidst the darkness of the cold night where the moon glows an iridescent light that shone only the gaps that have no cover can be illuminated by its reflective light. It was a misty night as it was the clouds were gathering in clumps of warm air. Wrapping the sky with a shade of blue tinged as it tries to cover the moons light.

There in the Cromwell mansion in which Richard was strolling around the halls and corridors of his abode and touching the walls while sliding the palms of his hand towards the smooth wallpaper.

He was just curious and thought he could scrutinize the residence he was living in. In which made him shook his head and proceed to walk to his office where he needs to finish the documents he was supposed to do.

After that encounter with Isabella this afternoon, He hasn't been acting himself and is now busy strolling around his mansion for a good hour or so. Time flies very quickly since he had been so occupied by the city's interest, well being of its citizens and in his private life that he forgets the reason why was here in the first place.

Was it a manipulation trick so she could transport people from earth to change this worlds history? Or was it so that he could stop a major catastrophe from happening?

Again he had so many questions and so little time to answer them. Once his situation on Isstvan is cleared, maybe he could go off on an adventure in search for that wretched Estir that brought him here. This angered him further as he was so completely hard at work keeping the city a float and didn't even bothered to ask to himself why was he fighting for people that were alien to him.

Coupled with some mixed emotions, Richard was grumpily marching from one corridor to another. Until it was already so dark that he had to light up a candle so that he can continue to stroll around at his mansion. He didn't know what was he doing, perhaps it's a habit of calming him down after a revelation or some other reason that he was not quite sure off.

Nevertheless, Richard continues to walk around the empty halls of this majestic mansion. He walked so much that a lot of his servants were worried what has gotten into their lord. Daniel even went ahead and ask if there was something that he was searching for but Richard politely replied that he wants to walk around his mansion until bedtime.

Which as a result made Richard skip supper and also made his (adopted) sisters worried and he even avoided them as much as possible. He doesn't want to see them yet after what he realized that he was into. It all made his stomach churn in disgust not by them but to himself since it was getting weirder by the time he was self aware.

He wished he was back at earth, play some COD and forget all the stress that happened. His guards however, the big men that barely wore armor didn't mind since one of them commented "It's good exercise for our master since he has been HARD on work~"

While Richard was lost in thought; he found a door that was only slightly open. He opens it and to his astonishment, found a large grand piano at the center of the room. He didn't even know that there was a music room at his mansion, not even Daniel or his (adopted) sisters told him. Curious, Richard went ahead and dash towards the majestic grand piano in front of him.

Letting the candle holders light to flicker in the rooms moist cold air flow through it. But when he entered the room there were even more instruments that he didn't anticipated. Other than the grand piano, there were several violins, cellos and other instruments that were around the late 17th century.

For a world that is only based around from the ancient greeks to the medieval europeans. This world doesn't cease to amaze him, not the least bit of dullness was around his mind.

But wait, since there these wonderful instruments around and there is a grand piano around him. Why play around with it just a for once. Excited, Richard hurriedly puts down the candle holder beside the music rack.

He stretched his arms and almost played the keys of the piano. Richard forgot to test it if its finely tune to his taste. So he starts with C D E F G A B all in one swing like the characters in a cartoon. Satisfied that the tune was to his liking, he was given flashbacks of when he was still a kid. Fiddling with the piano keys when his biological mother was still around.

This sadden Richard to a degree that he was still not himself. The piano was his only source of comfort after he lost them.

Richard slowly stroke the fall board of the piano, sliding his fingers as if he was back on earth. With everyone he loved and cared for was around him when he had his first music recital. In which his real biological brothers were impressed and a bit annoyed that they had to go through his entire recital.

'Hmph, serves them right for stealing my churros' he thought and then a slight chuckle was made.

"I miss home." Richard whispered and then he found the perfect song for him. So he'll play that one.

*****

Throughout the dark and cold corridors of the Cromwell household, Agnes and Isabella were searching everywhere for Richard. Its as if they are in a cat and mouse chase. This made Agnes furious and all she wanted was to beat Richard to a pulp and force him to tie her the same horse-like hair as Isabella.

"Agnes... Do think that I upset Richy?" Isabella said, holding onto the hand of her sister with drowsy and troubled eyes.

"What did you even do to upset him?" She softly asked her in curiosity whilst analysing the corridors around them.

"Well... I-" before she could say anything relevant, they heard piano noises that sounded smooth and serene. So they inspect it so that they could know who's playing at a time like this.

It was surprisingly close to them as one of the doors that was slightly closed was the source of the music. They saw fading light in one of the rooms they passed and found the one playing music. They couldn't see through what the silhouetted figure looked like but when the candle got a bit brighter.

They could see the man's silver hair and the noble black coat with purple outlines could be seen. That man was certainly their brother. He was playing in smooth rhythmic motion while seeing a song with an unknown language that they have never heard of.

"I think it's time for him to eat and go to sleep-" Right when Agnes cracked her knuckles, Isabella stopped her and let him play his song.

Bewildered she lets go of the handles and reluctantly agrees — letting go of the door knob. The two sit there and listened to his hymns and were somehow relaxed as if his voice made the two of them a calm and collected mind. They closed their eyes and lets him play along, Agnes will let it sly — just for once and she slightly smiles.

He played the piano so well that it made the two sisters fall asleep and lean their bodies behind the wall next to the double door. They didn't understand what he was saying but the melody was enough to make a placid atmosphere.

*****

Richard immediately stops and takes in heavy breaths of air. 'Phew, its been awhile since I last played an instrument' he thought and stretches his fingers before he closes the fall board to cover the piano keys.

Suddenly, he hears an eeri giggle in the room as someone was there watching him play the whole time. It sounded like a women, her voice was more refined and elegant than his (adopted) sisters as it was echoing the entirety of the space between them.

Paranoid and scared that his life might be in danger; he quickly decided to talked to it and probably negotiate why she was here. It would most certainly be an assassination attempt but the first rule of killing your enemy in the shadows is to not get caught. If she isn't here to kill me then what is it?

"Show yourself, I know your around here." Richard Calmly said as he sits down on the bench behind the piano.

"You are quite attentive to your surroundings, lord of Isstvan? Call me impress." The unknown women said and reveals her form when a horizontal green crystalized glass started manifesting a figure of a woman.

She manifested next to Richard, sitting by to the left of the music rack — legs crossed, staring at Richard with a seductive look. Her green emerald eyes were glowing behind the hood she wore as she puts her hands down at her thick thigh. The get-up she was wearing strikingly resembles a peculiar appearance from one of the assassins creed games and has a small skirt of leathery bounds.

I just hope there isn't a hidden blade in one of her slender wrist. And she has a shiny blond hair that can encapsulate any normal man but not for him. He knows this women was after something; he just hasn't puts his finger into it.

"What is your name? It is rude for some to come into my mansion without addressing themselves before I serve you a cuppa tea." Richard said as he wants to know who this person might be. The women mockingly sneers as her white teeth reflected like shining diamonds.

"If you cooperate, then I'll might consider giving you mine." She said bogusly, swaying her right leg.

"You have my word." He said without hesitating. This made the women into disbelief for if one gives them their word or promise then he/she shall not break them because that is how most nobles operate. Suspicious she decided to give in and said her name with a grin.

"Jeunesse le Garnier." She said nonchalantly but for Richard, it surprises him that she was a noble of the Bareleaux Royaume. A country east to Isstvan. What is someone like her in my domain?

"Do you have anything that I can give you or is it my life your after? If so, then you aren't doing a good job at killing your target stealthily." Richard sarcastically said as he faces the women next to him.

The candle light died out its last remaining spark of flames. Only leaving the moonlight to illuminate the entire music room with large french windows of fancy. As the intensity grew even more — the women had finally replied to Richard after swinging her legs seductively.

"I have come for your sisters, lord Cromwell. For you see, they have finally showed their true colors." Jeunesse said grimly and disappears — only leaving the horizontal green lights as Richard meticulously examines it to be made out of crystals. Then she reappears in front of him, grabbing him by the ruffles.

"What is it that interest you to bring in my family into this?" Richard said in a cold tone yet feels deep down a swirl of spite. Jeunesse on the other hand, pulls him further to her. Until she was above his earlobe, breathing in her moist hot air. This somewhat aroused the duke but it didn't distracted him on seeing the bigger picture.

"I asked again, What do you want from my sisters?" Richard reiterated his statement and proceeds to act as expressionless as possible.

"It is as you would think. I would like for them to come with me and keep them safe from any harm." Said the mysterious Jeunesse women.

"And that is..." Richard said, skeptical as to why would she bring them in order for them to be safe?

Right when Jeunesse was about to say her explanation to him, I heard the double doors banged open. Bewildered and surprise, Jeunesse disappeared while I sat there in confusion. The two silhouettes were wearing loose nightgowns that wave in the air as they dashed towards me in unrelenting speed of ferocity.

From the left I see a teary Isabella with her arms wide open while on the right I see Agnes waving her fist as she gritted her teeth.

Soon Isabella crashed into me at the abdomen, causing Richard to fall behind the grand piano while Agnes scan their surroundings to see if the mysterious women would try and kiss their brother again. Isabella weeped as droplets of tears fill her red eyes. Agnes however was pissed, no I really mean it.

She is so angry that she would throw an 8 ft tall man out of a 4 story building. Her fist were the most frightening of them as they would smash someone's skull like a watermelon. [I think I created a tsundere - Author]

"Girls, what are you doing here so late?" Richard said in concern but the response was not what he anticipated.

"We... *hick* We... thought you were about to be stolen by a beautiful strange woman!!! *WEEH!*" Isabella said as she holds Richard very tightly while crying none stop..

"And you got us worried for you the entire night!" Agnes roared in fury, blowing all that anger into Richard as she pulls his coat upward.

He was relieved to know that, that was their only concern and at least they didn't hear what the discussion with me and Jeunesse. If they ever heard of what we have been talking then it would certainly put pressure onto me. I have to figure out a way what's going on between them and surely it would hinder my plans if I don't take action. So I calmed them down after Agnes confusingly thought I was Jeunesse and punched me in the stomach so hard that it made me vomit a bit of blood.

It made Isabella cried even more and hugged me even tighter, making the situation even worse. After they saw me coughing off blood in the cold floor, Agnes started apologizing and forgets about the women touching me immediately. Then I tucked the two back to their room.

I said my goodnights and Isabella ask if she could have a goodnight kiss. Richard nicely said no and closed the door between them, further distancing himself from the original Richard who would casually do indecent things to his adoptive sisters. This made him loathe the body he had been transported in even more.

I stood at the door to one of his sisters rooms, then stares down at the carpet floor in deceit. While he was hanging his head in the cold corridors of his residence. He sees again the horizontal green light that sparkled like diamonds as it materialized the body of his unexpected guest. Richards expression grew sour yet dull as he patiently waits for her to walk beside him by the door.

"You have good, sisters. I'd give you that, despite your uncanny nature." Jeunesse said out of spite to Richard since she thought he was like any other noble.

A debaucherous scumbag who only knows lust to satisfy one's desire to alleviate the stress when it comes to such a title. Richard ignored her remark and proceeds to walk towards the kitchen and signals Jeunesse to follow him.

"Where are we going?" she asked, as Jeunesse doesn't know what the dukes intentions were so she stayed cautious.

"You said something that my sisters has shown what they have been hiding? Please I wish for you to elaborate further once I've made my mind." Richard said cooly, like a professional spy to match her theme.

Jeunesse in return made a slight sneer on her face and holds Richard by the arm like a dame. Richard didn't stop her and instead was quite aroused by her skin to skin contact with him. It could either be a way to distract me so that she could slit my throat if I ever did something to break my word. It seems like it will be difficult to negotiate if the other party has the intent on eliminating me. I have to play it safe.

To be continued...