Volume 4 - Chapter 6 - Putting the Impatient in Their Place ...

| Morning of January 8– 1249 - The provisional throne room of Acre Castle - Attila |

I was rewriting the tests that candidates will have to answer.

But, given that Mansour and Aaliya also did only 80% of the test, I'll have to make it slightly easier.

Maybe a few more open questions and a few fewer math problems.

I'll put a trick question: "Do you consider your religion of such importance that it can interfere in the affairs of the state?"

So at least those who put it, or in any case are in favour, will not be able to enter the court regardless.

I just miss that one I take and mess with his ideology.

While I was thinking about all these things, someone started knocking on the door.

It was, as always, Bruno.

Once the door was opened he stood in front of me and told me: << Your Majesty. There is a person who, seeing your recruitment announcement, came to a woman asking to speak with you.

Would a woman want to talk to me?

<< Tell her that she will be back on February 20 and that she will take the test on that occasion >>

<< I told him too, but he insisted anyway >>

Not a good sign, this person doesn't seem to have a lot of patience.

<< Okay, let her in >>

After a few seconds, the guards accompanied a cloaked woman into the throne room.

I don't like people who cover themselves for no reason: << Take off your cloak >>

She took off her cloak.

She was a woman of about 25, with red hair and brown eyes (wait, how come she has red hair?). She was slim and was slightly shorter than me. I can clearly say she was beautiful.

But his charm won't work with me.

<< In the announcement I had written that the rehearsals would take place on February 20, but you still wanted to talk to me now. So tell me, what do you want from me? >>

She replied: << Your Majesty. I am aware that I shouldn't be here, and that my desire to speak in person is arrogant, but I have a proposal for you >>

<< A proposal huh? Well, I'm all ears >>

<< Your Majesty. What I would like to offer you are my services as an expert assassin >>

I knew it, classic cliché. A beautiful assassin who gets in touch with you and then kills you.

Couldn't the game have come up with a better event?

<< Do you want to offer me your services as a murderess? And tell me what would be the advantages? >>

<< Your Majesty. First of all, they are among the best Arab assassins, despite being a woman. We do any kind of work, as long as we are paid, and I can assure you unrivalled personal protection >>

I understood where he was headed.

Changing my tone immediately I said: << Can you tell me your name? >>

<< He calls me Rasha, Your Majesty >>

<< Rasha, I do not do anything about your words. As far as I'm concerned, you are the self-proclaimed one of the best assassins. But there is nothing to officially testify to this. So, how can I understand that you are among the best? >>

Rasha was silent for a minute, then replied: << I understand your doubt, Your Majesty. If he wants, he can perfectly control my qualities by making me fight with one of your guards or your best warrior >>

<< Oh yes? Are you sure? >>

<<Secure>>

I rose from the throne, took off my king cloak and took a sword.

I stood in front of her and said: << Well, then I will judge you myself >>

Rasha was a bit dumbfounded: << Your Majesty, are you sure you want to be the one to judge for yourself? >>

<< Of course, so I make you understand that to be a murderer you need patience >>

Rasha took off her cloak and pulled out her daggers.

<< Rasha, just to be clear, this is not a simple test. I'm not going to treat myself and lately, since I'm angry about my own business, I might as well kill you because of my anger. So pretend this is a clash between life and death >>

Bruno said: << Ehm Your Majesty, I hope you are joking >>

<< It's not stuff that concerns you Bruno, what you have to do is simply look >>

<< Can we begin Your Majesty? >>

<< Go ahead >>

Rasha grabbed her daggers and launched herself at me with incredible speed.

Incredible, but not good enough for me.

I dodged his left dagger for a breath, realizing that I had ended up in the trajectory of the other.

I grabbed his hand, stopped the dagger right in front of my nose and turned it towards his face.

Once she noticed this, she turned her head just in time to dodge her dagger.

Then he freed himself from my grip and moved about 5 meters away from me.

| Morning January 8–1249 - Acre Castle Provisional Throne Room - Rasha |

How does a man around 18 years old get such a strong grip?

He even managed to turn the dagger at me.

I used to think he was a classic man who wanted to show me his superiority.

But now I understand that he knows his stuff.

I said: << I am incredibly surprised at your abilities Your Majesty >>

He didn't answer, then started walking slowly towards me.

I have to seriously commit myself, otherwise, I risk being killed.

I took one of my daggers and threw them straight at his torso so he couldn't dodge.

He took his sword and with a very quick swipe, he struck the dagger in flight and deflected it.

But our little man did not know that, as the dagger flew towards him, I was already in front of him ready to stab him in the heart.

Unexpectedly, he managed to dodge the other dagger as well and began to lower the sword.

It was right over my hand and was about to cut it clean.

I immediately withdrew my hand and tried to walk away again.

But when I was about to step back he grabbed my ankle and with one arm he grabbed me and threw me towards the wall.

I couldn't help it, I took the wall with my whole body.

At least I managed to cover the back of my head with my hands.

From my back to my feet, everything hurt me because of the impact of the wall.

How does he get all that strength in one arm?

He walked slowly towards me.

Once next to him he said: << Actually you are fast and you move well. Obviously, you have no hope against me, but on the other hand, the skills of a murderer are not just melee >>

He bent down and continued talking: << Listen to me, if you want to be part of my bodyguard, okay. But you have to tell me who the ones who hired you to kill me are and you have to promise me eternal fidelity. If you don't, I will be forced to kill you. And don't tell me that nobody hired you, I'm not that stupid >>

It seems that for the first time in my life I have no choice.

| Morning of January 12– 1249 - The provisional throne room of Acre Castle - Attila |

It's been 4 days since Rasha agreed to become my bodyguard and tell me who wanted to kill me.

Nice move Pope, I'll give you the blood eagle in front of all of St. Peter's Square.

But apart from that, it still takes more than a month to choose the other ministers.

My ministers are working diligently and have already managed to implement some measures, although their effects will be seen in the future.

While I was working Bruno came up to me and said: << Your Majesty. A lot of people are coming from the north from the kingdom. They are all refugees from neighbouring kingdoms and are fleeing an invasion >>

An invasion huh?

No, it's not possible…