A Walk in the Dark Chapter 8 by Maggie Finson

 
Author’s Note:Well things are progressing, Dahlia discovers she has a job, a real one. And she isn't too happy about it.
 

I grabbed Sam by the arm, and most definitely not where my hand wanted to go on its own and smiled sweetly. “Get the cloak, dear. We have things to talk about.”

I was starting to treasure these times, when he and I were just sitting on a balcony watching the weather or the sky, or whatever. Once we were out of our rooms, he solicitiously wrapped the fur lined cloak around me then waited for me to invite him to join me within its embrace.

“I met an — interesting person, today.”

“Did you?” He settled into our familiar cuddle — no, it wasn’t that, not at all, just sharing warmth in the cold — and waited for me to tell him.

“Read this.” I handed him the note then wrinkled my nose. “Ignore the smell, I had to hide it.”

He smelled it anyway, and got this faraway, happy, longing expression on his face that wasn’t going away.

“Read it, Sam.” I nudged him.

He did, then put the note in his mouth, moved it around a little then chewed and swallowed it with a grin that wasn’t even apologetic. “Hey. Now no one else will find it.”

“Where I was hiding it, no one would have.” I grumbled. “Without getting hurt.”

“I know.” He winked. He actually winked at me. I let it go, mainly because I just didn’t want to go there at all, especially not just then.

“Back to the subject?” I hinted then added. “The original one?”

“Well, just who is this Alis?” He questioned.

“I don’t really know other than she’s a magic user who could eat Kae’song for a between meals snack and she scared the shit out of me even if she did seem friendly.”

“Got the feeling that we’re going to need to take our friends where we can get them, love.” He answered carefully. I did my best to ignore the little endearment. “Everyone in this place is afraid of us, and most of those hate us, too, other than your maids. I get the feeling that the race we’ve become part of isn’t one that donates to charities or helps anyone if there’s nothing in it for them.”

“Yeah.” I nodded and he didn’t see it, but felt my head move against his chest. Okay, why was my head resting so comfortably on his chest? Later, later. Much later if I had any say in things. “There are other elves here, bound like we are, and they hate me with a force that almost has the power of a punch to the gut from a heavy weight champion boxer.”

“I noticed that.” He agreed. “But they can’t do anything to us, and I don’t think they could if they were free to try. They’re more afraid of us than anything else. The hate seems to be something they learned a long time ago.”

“It does at that.” I admitted then chuckled. “I know I could just slap any of them here down without breaking a sweat and that amuses me. Gods Sam, what have I turned into here?”

“A Dhro’aaa.” He answered then shrugged and I felt that motion on my cheek and against my chest — okay, breasts. “People will talk to me at least, which most seem afraid to even try with you, by the way. Evidently the real Dhro’aaa aren’t nice people at all. They delight in giving pain, making people miserable, and think things like dead puppies and kittens are funny.”

“Oh.” I nodded, again into his chest. Why didn’t I just sit up? “That makes sense, I suppose and kind of explains the really glaring gap in the constraints Kae’song has put on us regarding moving around.”

“He hasn’t put any constraints on us.” Sam answered.

“Exactly.” I grinned and that time actually looked up so he could see it. “Has he ever specifically told you that you can’t leave the citadel?”

“Well, no.” I saw things beginning to light up in his eyes. “He hasn’t.”

“Consequently, he hasn’t seen the need to command us to come back if we just happen to wander out one of the gates.” I said and felt the evil little grin growing on my face. “Sam, he’s gone to a lot of trouble to tell us just how hated we are, and left it at that.”

“Damn.” He breathed and gave me a hug that got other things I didn’t want to think about started there. “We could have just left any time we liked.”

“Give that man a cigar, light it, and hand him a brandy to go with it.” My smile almost split my face. “The arrogant bastard thinks we’re too afraid of reactions to us outside if we do walk out to dare do it.”

“Well, it could be a problem, you know.” He pointed out.

“Oh, it will be, but we’ll deal with it when we have to.” I admitted with another grin. “But until we’re ready let’s not give him any hint we’ve figured that one out, okay?”

“It’s so damned simple and straight forward.” He frowned. “I’m an engineer, why didn’t we see it before?”

I tapped his head, then mine. “Sam, we were smart people back home. I know we’re both a lot smarter than we were. So tell me, what were the first things we were taught in our careers?”

“Don’t over think things.” He grinned back. “Don’t look for a complicated answer or fix when there’s a simple, basic one, right in front of you.”

“Yeah.” I hugged him, tight, and that felt right in a way my brain didn’t want to admit. But my body did. Oh, did it ever.

“Kae’song knows we’re highly intelligent.” I went on. “Hell, we’re probably smarter than he is and he knows that. But he has the training, and experience to use what he knows. Which at present we don’t.

“So we stay here, keep learning things, practicing, and get to the point where we’re at least comfortable with what we know and can do.”

Sam looked at me, thought about it, looked at me again, then looked out at the snowstorm (another one) then looked back at me and grinned in appreciation. “You know, that’s all so obvious it’s devious?”

“I know.”

“No wonder people are afraid of you.” He chuckled and pulled me back to his side. “You can be devious in plain sight while just doing what’s normal.”

“It’s a girl thing.” I answered, not even thinking about getting out of that embrace. “Now let’s just watch the snow for awhile, okay?”

We did. Okay, I let him kiss me. Just a little one, no tongue or anything. Honest!

Sitting in front of a fireplace? Fah! A cold bench, with a blizzard blowing in… Promotes cuddling

Ohhh, I didn’t just say that did I?

I was sweating, and looking at the different targets (moving, by the way) that I’d hit with my throwing knives.

“Your’re getting better, Dahlia.” Ronce, the armsmaster told me with approval.

“Thanks.” I answered while checking to make sure I didn’t have a knife in a spot that could be both embarrassing and painful without showing I did that. “I enjoy these workouts.”

“It shows.” Ronce nodded. “You are gifted, Dahlia, and now you’re actually learning how to use that gift effectively.”

“Thanks to you.” I returned with a little smile. Ronce was one of the few people in the Citadel who didn’t outright fear and/or hate me.

“Talent comes forth.” The man, three times my size and with muscles that would have made Schwarzenegger feel inadequate, chuckled. “And you, Lady, are very talented with throwing blades.”

“Thanks.” I told him then grimaced as I saw what he had next in line. “I am so NOT talented with those things, Ronce.”

Looking at the sword in his hand he shook his head. “Dahlia, just think of this as a longer, heavier dagger. That you can swing in addition to pushing.”

“That’s what Sam is for.” I grumbled.

“True enough, but you need to know how to use one of these effectively anyway.” Ronce shrugged. “Sam won’t be with you all the time.”

Well, if Sam had his way… But I could see the point. I just didn’t like using swords. A dirk, a nice needle pointed dagger, throwing knives and darts… Those I liked.

But a sword, no matter how beautifully crafted it was, by definition tended to be a lot more direct and in front of you than I preferred. Okay, okay. I was turning into a sneaky little bitch who didn’t want to confront someone face on. I could do it if I had to, but things tended to work much better for me if I didn’t.

Sam, on the other hand loved his. Both of them. Oh, yeah, did I mention that one of our racial characteristics is that we’re ambidextrous? I think the long, slightly curved blades he loves so much would be classed as something like the Japanese Katana, but I don’t know swords.

But Sam pays more attention to those swords than most guys pay to their women.

And no, I’m not jealous. Really!

Daggers? I could kill someone with one before they knew anyone was close to them.

Throwing Knives? I could hit the bulls eye on a moving target at fifty yards.

Bows? I loved those things. Range depended on the type of bow but otherwise, I had no problems with them. I hit what I aimed at, took wind and elevation into automatic consideration, and could use any of them I ran across. Though my personal favorite was that recurved, horn short bow…

Poison? Don’t ask. Safer that way, and yes, I was good with those, too.

Magic? Still the simple stuff, but I could use what I have to help with the other skills.

Disguise? Who needs that when you’re an elf who can hide in and use shadows without thinking about it?

Oh. I was more agile than a practiced gymnast back home. Some of the moves I’d Just used while training were astonishing .

My breasts didn’t like some of the upside down stuff, or sudden leaps to the side. But otherwise…

I wasn’t a bad ass. But I was capable of taking care of myself.

Sam, on the other hand. Now he was a bad ass.

The guy could cut a block of ice into perfectly even cubes.

In less than ten seconds.

I was actually in awe the first time I saw him do that.

His skills with a bow weren’t as good as mine, but so what. He could hit what he aimed at most of the time.

Unarmed, my guy was simply awe inspiring. Bruce lee, Jackie Chan, and others, all in one person. Sam was deadly without weapons.

My guy?

Okay, it was time to leave that one alone. Again.

Crap. I’m an assassin.

Well with all the things I’d found myself naturally good at, and liked doing, everything had pointed to that. Talk about depressing.

“Well now I know what old Fu Manchu wants me around for.” I grumbled.

Sam gave my shoulders a little squeeze and shrugged. “Well, you have to admit that what you’ve been learning, and are good at doing are skills that would make you really good at sneaking up and killing people. Doesn’t mean you have to make a career of it, you know. You’d make a pretty decent thief, too. Just don’t try picking pockets.”

“What?” I gave him a mock outraged glance, glad that he was trying to shake me out of my currently poor mood. “You think I couldn’t do that?”

“Oh, you could.” He admitted. “If you could get close enough to anyone to try, but even if you managed that you’re kind of a hard person to forget was around given your looks and all.”

“There is that.” I agreed with a little frown. I was still on back side of getting comfortable with the way I looked and the whole being a female thing.

Sigh.

Worse, Kae’song had a job for me to do.