[center] [i][h3]The Uninvited Guest[/h3][/i] [/center]

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Ulsid and Gabor did as they were bidden. The two of them had worked together for many years. They had an almost telepathic link after so much wet work done. They moved from the spymaster's room and quietly moved from the halls to the empty servant's room they used as their storage area. Inside were a bundle of rifles and many assorted melee weapons. They both selected a rifle and a long fighting knife. They hoped it would not come to close combat. A well placed shot from a distance to the target's leg or shoulder would be best. Taking people alive was not normally their specialty, but, they had done it before and would do it again. The two Umbrakin checked their weapons and nodded to each other, a silent signal of readiness. 

Creeping on the roof tops of the manor was not particularly difficult. The roofs were mostly a gradual slope with heavy stone tiles, no need to plan for snow here in the Old City. The two moved at either side of the roof, trying to flank the strange silhouette. That stood on the part of the roof that overlooked the balcony to the main dining hall. The mists tonight made it difficult to get a good sight picture on the black and gray clad figure. They crept forward, each taking cover behind the stacks of brick and iron that served as the manor's many smoke stacks. 

As they sighted in on the figure they both froze. This close they were able to recognize the garb. The cloak covered in dark feathers, the peaked cap, the silver mast. Not only could they recognize them but they were looking right at them. Turning its head from one of them to the other. "The Crow." Ulsid whispered before muttering a quick prayer to Talos. Not that a prayer to the one who had left them would save them from this creature from the Umbra itself. 

"Dare to shoot a legend?" The Crow asked, voice hissing through the silver mask it wore. The men did not fire, answer enough it seemed. The Crow walked forward, cloak billowing slightly behind them. They raised one of their gloved hands, a small stack of two coins sitting in their palm. "One for the crossing, one for the Umbra." they rasped. 

Gabor's eyes flew wide, knowledge suddenly dawning on him. "Kill-" his words were cut off by a pair of glittering coins flying from the hand of The Crow. 

The copper coins were pushed by the power of the Mark. They streaked out through the mist and found their marks. One struck the assassin in the head, snapping his head backward and sending him tumbling down the sloped roof. The other assassin was caught in the stomach and let out a terrible 'oof' sound as the coin struck him. His weight was more than The Crow and they rebounded from the roof, the shot that was fired from the assassin struck in the gut missing them completely. The Crow flew backward, letting their push on the coins fall off as they cleared the edge of the roof. Their momentum followed through, a slow arching fall downward toward the balcony of the room where the family was gathered. The Crow landed deftly on the stone railing of the balcony, their knees tucking to absorb the impact. They sat, crouched on the rail for a moment, cloak hanging around them like boneless wings. 

Guards immediately sprang into action. Men started shouting at the sound of the musket shot and rushed around trying to find the source of the shot. It sounded like it had come from above them. Many of the guards rushed into the mansion itself. The flooded forward and tried to make their way to the roof or to the dining room where the family sat. 

"Sorry brothers." The Crow whispered, their words not finding the ears of anyone but the apology still sent out to the two men they had hurt. One of them had fallen from the roof. The place he would stop was two floors down on the balcony of Fiona Delorano if The Crow had seen properly. Of course they had, they had watched them so much. The Crow took a deep breath through their mask and stepped off the rail of the balcony. The guards had heard the shot of the musket, they would be ready for an intruder. Best to get this over with as quickly as possible. 

The brass knobs of the balcony doors turned and then the doors were pushed open. The cool night air rushed in suddenly, causing the candles on the alter for Leon to gutter, three went out. A figure clad in a cloak made of black feathers stepped into the room. Their hands were up, raised in a posture of peace. The figure wore a thick and long buff coat under the cloak, obscuring their body type quite well. The coat was colored in blacks and grays, perfect for skulking about in the dark. A belt rested on the waist of the coat, two pistols tucked into it as well as a long scabbard that held a pair of long fighting knives. The main feature of the person was the long silver crow mast they wore over their face, eyes just dark circles of shadow behind it. Their hair was tucked into a wide brimmed peaked cap over a hood that seemed to be attached to the mask. The figure walked with hands raised into the room, not really looking at anyone. They stepped over to the side of the portrait of Leon and looked over at it. "He was gone too soon." The Crow's voice was a strange tone, somewhere between a deep voiced woman and a effeminate man, with a raspy tone like one got from smoking far too much. The voice was made almost inhuman by the echoing it did in the beak of the metal mask. 

The Crow lowered its hands, making sure to keep them in front of themselves and away from their weapons. "I was following the group that attacked him in the plantation. He was a friend to me, I did not want to see him killed, yet, there was little I could do when the time came. I can not fight an entire squad of Marked assassins." The voice seemed to crack slightly, as if holding back a profound sadness. "I came to pay my respects. I also came because I did manage to capture one of the assassins that was charged with killing any of the birds that left rookery. I am the reason why that will made it to you. I did make the man talk before he expired."