The Assassin's Choice

Choosing whether to plunge a dagger into your wife’s heart is never an easy decision. Especially when you were kissing passionately just this morning. But that was the situation Kalaw found himself in. Funny what finding out your wife is royalty can do to an assassin. 

Kalaw watched the other faces in the tavern. A futile action to distract his mind from what he must do. But it has also become second nature for him to observe. It was a full house tonight, mostly ordinary townsfolk unwinding after a day of work. Few looked strong enough to take him in a fight. The men’s drunken shouting and laughing made Kalaw more furious. Don’t they know a murder will happen here in less than an hour? Or maybe not. He didn’t know yet what he should do. Didn’t even know how he’d do it. He didn’t dare think about that. 

It’s been a while since he sent the brat to ask her to meet him in this tavern. She should be arriving soon. He needed to make a decision. Part of him hoped she would be suspicious and stay home instead. Then he could leave the country and forget about her, about the rebel army, about the Red Lakan. Why did she have to be his daughter?

A tavern wasn’t an ideal place for assassinations. It was much better to do it in the victim’s bedroom at midnight. Or a dark alleyway. He even assassinated a count in a brothel. But a tavern is too public. Too many witnesses. Maybe that’s what he wanted. For them to pin him down. Would be difficult for the merchants, but the blacksmiths and mercenaries might be able to do it as long as he didn’t resist. But based on the off-pitched singing, he doubted they’d be able to pin him down even if he tied his hands behind his back. 

While waiting for his wife to arrive, Kalaw counted how many paces it would take to reach the door. More futile actions. Suppose everyone would be stunned for three seconds after what happens, he would only reach halfway before burly men start blocking his way. He’d rather not spill more innocent blood than necessary. His best gamble was still the window beside his table. It was open and big enough to fit a person. He needed only to jump. 

The voices in the tavern suddenly got louder. There were thumping of mugs on tables, stomping of feet, and whistling. Kalaw’s head snapped to the entrance. There, the source of the commotion stood, turning her head left and right. Even in peasant clothes, she was more beautiful than nobles’ daughters in their silk gowns. Not that there was anything special about her face, but there was a certain air in the way she carried herself. A sort of confidence that she was special. 

Her emerald hair was tied in a ponytail, something she did before she cooked. When he asked her about it before, she said that it was so that hair would not get into the food. She was preparing to cook dinner, Kalaw guessed. A smile bloomed on her lips when she finally spotted Kalaw sitting in the corner. Lascivious eyes followed her back as she approached Kalaw’s table. He wanted to dig their eyes with a spoon then and there. She put her hands on her hips and put on a fake frown.

“The kid said you had something important to tell me? Why didn’t you just come home, darling?”

Kalaw searched her face and body for signs of deception. Signs that she knew why he called her out. Signs that she suspected he already knew she was the Red Lakan’s heir. Signs that she knew he was an assassin. But what he found was the same old face he had kissed thousands of times in the past three years.

Looking at her face closely, he was suddenly made aware of her resemblance to the Red Lakan. His eyes, his nose, his mouth. Was he imagining it? 

“And why are you wearing black? I didn’t recognize you immediately,” she added. 

As far as she was supposed to know, Kalaw was a carpenter. He left home in carpenter’s clothes to offer his services around town and returned home in carpenter’s clothes. But that night, Kalaw revealed to her his real work outfit. Black shirt, black pants, black boots, black cloak. She was seeing him in his true colors for the first time.

“Please sit down, Maya.”

Maya’s eyes narrowed. In their three years of marriage, they only called each other darling. They always flirted and joked around. He never used a serious tone with her. But Kalaw was not relieved to see her obey him and sat down instead of running away. 

“Why did you marry me, Maya? We barely knew each other. And I’m only a carpenter.”

“Did you call me here just to talk about this?” she laughed. But when she saw that Kalaw was not laughing with her, she continued. “I would be lying if I said your looks didn’t help. Especially when I was coughing out water and yours was the first face I saw after almost drowning. I didn’t mind that you were just a carpenter. I’m used to a simple life. Besides, even when we have nothing, you still do your best to help others. Remember when Old Man Yakal’s granddaughter was sick, and you piggybacked her to the healer in the middle of the night even though there was a typhoon? How can I not marry someone like that?”

Only sincerity showed in Maya’s face. Either she was a much better actress than Kalaw was a lie detector, or she was telling the truth. Kalaw had to admit that he also fell in love with Maya after being married to her for three years. It was supposed to be only a disguise to blend in with the city. He didn’t know when it started, but being exposed to her sincerity and kindness every day made him realize he was capable of emotions. 

Memories floated in his mind. Her slender back cooking breakfast, the sputtering oil, the smell of fat dripping from the pork belly and making contact with the oil. Her sleepless eyes and yawns while she watered the garden before the roosters crowed. Her pink ears when he first whispered “I love you.” A smile surfaced on Kalaw’s lips, which he immediately erased.

“What about your parents? Why did you never introduce me to them?”

Hesitation surfaced on Maya’s face. It disappeared without a trace half a breath later. But it was enough to stab Kalaw’s heart.

“They disowned me years ago. I’ve been living alone for as long as I can remember. Let’s go home. I don’t like talking about my parents.”

Maya stood from her seat, but Kalaw grabbed her wrist. His other hand clenched the dagger in his cloak pocket. He glared at her and whispered:

“How long have you known?”  

“Known what? You’re scaring me, Kalaw.”

“Stop pretending!”

But tears were welling up in the corners of Maya’s eyes. Her tender hand trembled under his rough hand that had extinguished countless lives. He had been squeezing her wrist as if it was a viscount’s neck. 

He released her hand. The red marks left on her wrist were redder and dirtier than the blood of all those he had killed combined. Her eyes demanded an explanation from him for his behavior. The whole tavern quieted. Not even a gulping of ale could be heard. All eyes were on their corner.

“You know who I am. What I am.”

“I thought I did, but I don't know anymore. The Kalaw I married would have never done this.”

“You’re his child. His heir.”

It was enough for recognition to dawn on Maya.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Do you also not know about the guards following you?”

Maya’s head spun left and right, as if she could find the so-called guards if she could recognize their faces. Kalaw had noticed their presence a long time ago. Always watching outside their home. But he assumed he was the one they were observing. He never felt killing intent from them either, so he just let them observe. Who would have expected they were actually guarding his wife? Everything made sense now.

“Who are you really, Kalaw? Why do you know about the guards?”

Kalaw ignored how Maya calling him his name instead of darling stabbed his heart. He drew a sigil in the air with his finger and whispered [Tahimik]. A thin bubble enveloped Kalaw and Maya. All sounds outside the bubble ceased to exist as if they turned deaf. Even the buzzing of flies could no longer be heard.

“Magic? You’re no carpenter! Who are you? Why did you deceive me?”

She turned and tried to run away. But the thin film was like a steel wall that stopped her. She pounded her fist on the film. Although the spell’s primary purpose was to prevent eavesdropping, no one can leave the bubble, not even the caster, for its entire duration. It only lasted a minute, but it was more than enough for a trained assassin.

“Are you going to kill me?”

Kalaw unclenched his fist around the dagger and allowed it to fall into the depths of his cloak pocket. He showed Maya his empty palms and laid them on the wooden table. Maya remained standing on the edge of the sphere, putting as much distance between her and Kalaw. He sighed. 

“It looks like you really have no idea who I am. Alright, I’ll tell you. You’re right, I’m not a carpenter, I’m an assassin. My primary target is the Red Lakan’s head. We have been planning his assassination for the past three years. And it’s almost complete. In three months, the land of Lusung will be free of his reign. Or so we planned. Today, I learned that you’re his daughter. Who would’ve thought that the elusive heir we’ve been hunting all this while was a daughter all along? My own wife. Who’s been sleeping beside me in bed for the past three years. When I discovered you’re his blood, we suspected the Red Lakan might have already figured out our plan and sent you, his only child, to spy on me. Even if you’re not a spy, you’re a liability to our plans. Especially now that we’re so close to victory.”

Maya listened to Kalaw’s explanation patiently. When he finished, she said, “So you’re one of the monsters who wish to kill my father.”

“Your father is the monster, Maya. He murdered a whole village in cold blood! The village where my mother and father lived!”

“My father never murdered a village!” She paused to think, “Wait… are you talking about that village ten years ago? Anahaw Village? Is that what your rebel army leader told you? That my father murdered that village? I suppose they never told you how they were creating a weapon. Some sort of disease. They were testing it out on those villagers. My father found out about it, and realizing it could spread an epidemic throughout Lusung, he made the heavy decision to make sure the disease would die once and for all. Your rebel army killed those villagers, not my father.”

“That’s a lie. We stand for justice. We never harm the innocent,” Kalaw said. But he could not see deceit in Maya’s face. Instead, he saw genuine sadness while she talked about the villagers. Could the rebel army have really orchestrated that genocide?

“What reason do I have to lie to you? You have me locked in your magic right now. I’m defenseless against you. Why are you wasting time talking? Do you take pleasure in gloating over your victory? Just end this now!”

“If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it tonight while you were sleeping in our bed—before you even suspected me.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

“...I needed to know… if the woman I love is truly my enemy…”

“Love?”

“Yes, Maya. Love. It’s true I married you to blend in the city. So that the Red Lakan’s guards will not suspect a stranger. But the past three years with you have been the best days of my life. You reminded me that I was still human. That I’m still capable of emotions. Of happiness. Of love.”

“How dare you say all these after everything you did tonight?”

“I’m very sorry, Maya. But I needed to know for sure that you were not sent by the Red Lakan. It would break my heart to know that the past year with you was all a lie. Although that’s hypocritical of me to say. I would spend the rest of my life making it up to you if I could.”

“Wait, what do you mean if you could?”

“I’m afraid the Red Lakan is now aware of my identity because of this meeting. No doubt he will send his guards to capture me. Even if I leave the city, he’ll send his assassins to finish me off. Not to mention that since I refused to kill you, the rebel army will also now consider me a traitor and execute me.”

“Let’s run away. We’ll hide in the mountains. Let’s leave Lusung.”

At that moment, the film dissipated. Four shadows from different tables pounced in their direction. Kalaw stepped forward and grabbed Maya’s wrist. He pulled her behind him and with his other hand, he pulled the dagger from his pocket and parried the incoming blade from the nearest man. Based on its position, it would have slit the back of Maya’s neck.

Kalaw was confused. Why were these men, who were tasked to protect Maya, trying to kill her? He was supposed to be their target. He looked at the man’s face. Then he looked at the other approaching men. These were not Maya’s guards!

The man jumped back. The other three arrived at his sides. They eyed each other and nodded as if coming to an understanding. Simultaneously, they jumped forward. Three men surrounded Kalaw while the other one ran straight for Maya.

Kalaw no longer had the luxury of time to think who these men were. In one circular arc, the dagger sliced through three necks. Without stopping the momentum of his arm, Kalaw threw the dagger to the last man running for Maya. Before the man’s hand could touch Maya, he fell face first, the hilt of the dagger protruding from his back.

Before the tavern realized what was going on, four lifeless bodies bathed in pools of blood. The others did not know whether to capture Kalaw for committing murder in public. But the blood on his dagger had not even finished dripping, and no one wanted their blood to be its next drink. 

Taking advantage of their hesitation, and before reinforcements came, Kalaw snatched Maya’s hand and dragged her to climb to the open window beside their table. They ran together on the night streets. Whenever they saw a city guard’s lantern, they snuck into a dark alley until they passed. 

He was no longer sure who his enemy was. Did the rebel army really turn that village into a biological weapon? Did the Red Lakan really murder that village to prevent the outbreak of an epidemic? Was the rebel army using him all this time? Was Maya really telling him the truth? There were too many questions that Kalaw did not know the answer to. But one thing he did know was that he could survive anything as long as Maya stood by his side.