Role

Chapter 5

Two years later, deep within the halls of the Shadow Sect, one of the
elite members of the mysterious group calls forth one of its young, and
promising members.

"I have a mission for you." the elite began, "A particular Imperial Noble
found it prudent to insult one of the Emperor's cousins. This cannot be
overlooked, however this is a delicate case. Things need to look as
though something went wrong in his household. Make sure you handle
this with a delicate touch, otherwise the results won't be in your favor."

The young shadow nodded, understanding the task before them. As he
left the Palace, the first snow of the Yuletide began to slowly fall.

Our scene shifts to the home of the Imperial Noble, Hubert. Snow
coated the land after a couple of days from the first night of Yuletide.
Cold, brisk wintery weather bites at exposed flesh, chilling people to
the bone. The slave pens and gladiator chambers felt most of the brunt,
but there were warming fires and extra furs to lay in, as well as each
other. Bynna finds herself snuggled closely with a few of the women
gladiators, each of them doing their best to stay warm.

On this particular night, Bynna has difficulty sleeping. Her thoughts drift
back to the Yuletide night where she was mutiliated, her voice and song
grievously taken from her and then forced into becoming a warrior. Lost
in her despair she almost didn't hear it. The sound was subtle, but
things were silent this night that it carried on the wind. The cell to the
gladiator pens was creaking. Creaking meant it was open.

Bynna looked around the pen, everyone was sleeping soundly. She
escaped the group of women she was huddled with and investigated.
The pen door was indeed ajar and no guards were to be seen. Quickly
assessing the situation, she found one of the gladiators that took her
under their wing and roused them. Within moments, the gladiator
woke the others, keeping them silent, the group agreed this might be
their once chance at escape.

They made their way through the halls, boughs of holly were hung in
decoration, wreaths upon the windows. Master Hubert did not spare
any expeneses. The goal was to escape, but a deep anger was burning
fiercly in Bynna's stomach. She wanted more, she wanted vengance.

Slipping away from the group she quietly moved through the manor, a
glistening dagger in her hand from the weapon storage for the
gladiators, she hoped to find her mark. A couple of guards patrolled the
manner, but they were not focused this night. Thera was celebrating,
even the Empire, for it was Yuletide. This made it easy to go unnoticed.

Humbert's room was just as she remembered. Lavish, and heavily
decorated for the feastive season. It even had its own tree. She found
him, sleeping in his soft, massive bed. She crawled through the bed till
she was kneeling right next to him. She looked down at him, hatred