He found the old man sitting by the window of a local pub. The target had a flagon of ale in front of him as he devoured a plate of meat and rice. It looked to be his second plate. 

 

Hadrian was in no rush. He ordered himself a drink and waited until the old man got up to leave. He could tell from the hiccups and swaying that the old man had drunk more than he could rightly handle. 

 

He stalked the old man quietly. This was not the first time he killed a man under someone’s order. Money was money. This was, however, the first time he killed under the order of a little girl. Hadrian thought back to the tiny beauty. She wore the clothes of a boy, but that face was much too fair and clean for her to be one. It was obvious at a glance, at least for Hadrian. What was also obvious were her mannerisms. The way she walked, how she carried herself. Bold, confident. Her words were clear and precise, her voice cool and even. 

 

A Noble. This was not uncommon here. Her age was, however. The reason she dressed as a man wasn’t hard to figure out, it was a precaution. But why she wanted Maurice dead was another matter. Hadrian had known the old man for some years, mainly by reputation. He didn’t stand out much, but he was a trustworthy small-time smuggler who just so happened to be in attendance of some rather big-time events. Disasterous cluster-fucks, every one. The fact he made it out alive through them each time was a testament to either his luck or his skill.

 

Not many would’ve known him by face. Hadrian only had because he’d worked with the man some time back. Hadrian had been hired to protect a certain nun and escort her across the border of the Raul Confederacy. She’d been the daughter of some Royal or another and had been in hiding until then. He didn’t know the full story, nor did he care, he simply got the job done. Maurice came into play when the enemies of the girl’s father had tracked their company down and ambushed them. Hadrian had nearly died, not that this wasn’t anything but a normal day to him. 

 

But the escape from their new enemies had the survivors exhausted but they had made it to the rendezvous point where Maurice had been waiting. Apparently, his reputation had reached the girl’s father and he’d been hired to smuggle her the rest of the way. Hadrian didn’t know what that entailed or why, after crossing the border, she had to continue in secrecy. Again, he didn’t much care as long as he was paid. 

 

Hadrian followed the man into an alley. He took out his dagger. “You knew.” 

 

Maurice was leaning against the alley wall. He held his own dagger casually but his grip was firm. His muscles taut, ready for a fight. “Of course I knew. How else would I have lived this long if I couldn’t spot a rat? I just didn’t think the great Blackwater would stoop so low as to take on a hit for some child.”

 

Hadrian didn’t take offense. “I don’t discriminate between age, I only care whether your money is good.”

 

“So you come like a petty thief to kill and rob. Are you a mercenary or an assassin?

 

“They’re both the same in the end. I can just be paid to do a wider variety of tasks.”

 

Maurice’s face turned dark and sour, though you couldn’t tell from the shadows. “That little bitch. I gave her the benefit of the doubt, but she really is her brother’s sister. I should’ve--”

 

But Hadrian didn’t let him finish. He knew an opportunity when he saw one. He struck fast and hard, his blade faintly reflecting the dim light of a far-off lamppost.

 

Maurice felt his death. He reacted on pure instinct and raised his arm to block. The arm guard hidden under his long sleeves proved it’s usefulness and protected him from a nasty slash.

 

He cursed. “Walk away, Blackwater! You don’t know who you’ve gotten involved with.” 

 

Hadrian didn’t answer. Why would he have? He didn’t fear death or torture. He didn’t care who the girl was. He kicked the man in the groin and brought him down. As he hunched over with the wind knocked out of him, Hadrian expertly slid his blade between his rib cage and into the old man’s heart. It was an easy kill. 

 

Blood pooled into Maurice’s mouth as a sharp pain exploded in his chest. Whatever last words he may have had were drowned. 

 

Looks like his luck had finally run out.

 

Hadrian wiped his dagger on the man’s clothes and rummaged through his pockets. 

 

“I’ve given him a few valuables. They should be on his person, greedy as he is. Take them, consider it a bonus.” He’d been told not more than an hour prior.

 

The girl’s words were not those of a youth. Even though she looked sick as she ordered the death of a man, she still went through with it. Hadrian could respect that, especially when he found so generous a client. 

 

Once done, he left.

 

Onto the next.

 

***

 

They heard him before they saw him. The soft crunch of his boots as they hit the floorboards, and the resulting creaking of wood as his weight pressed down on them, signalled his return. 

 

“It’s done.” Hadrian informed without preamble. He took a seat behind his desk and reached into a drawer. “My payment.” He reminded gruffly.

 

The short-haired girl stammered. “Y-You already took what he had on him, didn’t you?”

 

“Aye, I did.” Hadrian poured himself a drink.

 

“Then why can’t you be satisfied with--”

 

“Ruri. “ Faye stopped her.

The girl squirmed. “But Nee-sama, this isn’t right! Why should we give him money? He killed them. He should be content with what he took! We shouldn’t even be talking with someone  like him let alone pay him for something so horrible!”

 

Faye closed her eyes. She felt like she was going to throw up. There was that familiar sourness in her mouth, that feeling of needing to spit. She held it in. “He did only what I asked him to. It was necessary.”

 

“Was it? Really?” Ruri found the courage to talk back.

 

Faye wanted to hit her. “I won’t leave anything to chance.” Not with her virginity on the line. She stood and took out a small pouch. Without an ounce of hesitation she threw it altogether upon the man’s desk. 

 

Hadrian took it and looked inside. It was full of gold. This was a sum that Faye had stolen from her parents’ safe. It was prepared  for just this occasion. For protection.

 

“ That’s quite a bit more than what we agreed previously, kid.” Hadrian was unmoved.

 

“I want to hire your company.”

 

“Nee-sama!” Ruri hissed, clearly thinking this was a bad idea. But what did she know? Two kids out alone. They’d never make it.

 

“Shut up.” Faye’s tone left no room for argument. She silenced her mercilessly.

 

The offer was tempting. He could’ve asked a hundred questions. He had one. “How long?”

 

“How long would this buy you?”

 

He took another look. “Two years. Maybe three.”

 

Faye nodded. “It’s agreed then. Protect us well, won’t you?”

 

Hadrian didn’t answer. Instead, he took a drink. Then he set about gathering his colleagues. Babysitter? This was going to be the easiest job he’d ever taken. Or perhaps the hardest. 

 

Either way, he was getting his money’s worth. To Hadrian, that’s all he cared about.