The evening hour had soon approached with the fall of the sun behind the thick and shadowed treetops of the misty forest and the rising of the first full moon of the season, already bathing everything in its blissful pale hues of white and yellow and conjuring forth the howls and wails of the wolves who stalked this dark and silent hour amidst the very forests where the most cunning and devious of predators lurked. And along with the beginning of night, so came the beginning of Alena's reluctance towards this very mission entrusted upon her by Matthias, this very unfair and divinely cruel mission where she was to, what else, bring aid to her enemy rather than strike him down in cold blood as she so desperately yearned for. Venius, the bastard had no right to continue walking the earth, not after all that he had inflicted upon his very niece, pain...suffering....torment....sadness, but fate be a cruel mistress, for Venius was not the one Alena was to deliver unto Death, but the bearer of the executioner's axe. In other words, he was the client, and it would be folly for Alena to go against the Decree and murder him right then and there. Forced was she to serve such a selfish, conceited, cowardly, and unscrupulous man such as her uncle. No! That man was not her uncle, he was not family at all to the woman.

What would also be folly was to parade about the Dream District and the Carail Theatre in her usual dark and foreboding attire of the assassin, at least that was according to Matthias, so a disguise was tailored for the woman at the Ravenhead's request. Standing amidst the tall, polished mirror of her bedchamber, Alena looked to her reflection with a bitter sigh parting her lips and a flash of disdain across her eyes. The [url=http://images.buycostumes.com/mgen/merchandiser/17324.jpg?zm=1600,1600,1,0,0]dress[/url] Matthias had the city tailors personally craft for her was marvelous indeed, but it reminded her so of the past. It had been ages since she donned such a beautiful and elegant evening gown as this, lace trim, valuable red velvet, smoother than the finest silk imported from the Ahkshribah Deserts, and buttons and fasteners crafted of the purest silver, it was all so wonderful....but all so saddening as well. [i]My mother.....she once made a dress as beautiful as this for me....[/i] Was Matthias as enigmatic as she assumed? Did he decide to search into Alena's past while she slept and glance forth upon this pain-invoking recollection. Not really, it was pure coincidence, and she didn't blame the dark man.

Alena jumped a bit as a few knocks sounded at her door, opening to reveal the man in question. "Are you ready?" Matthias asked of her blunt and to the point, his usual demeanor. "The performance is to begin in a few hours. That should spare you enough time to seek out Herr Carthenwald and arrange the assassinations. He's recently made an amendment to his contract. Now he's offering to pay fifty thousand for one target alone." A contract worth fifty thousand in gold, it would be the largest and most grand of contracts the Coven has ever accepted monetary wise and possibly casualty-wise. Only a crooked fiend such as Venius could orchestrate a foul scheme as this, anything that better served to his gain of profit, no matter the expense, but to Alena, the creep would soon learn the price to pay for his greed. Not now...but soon. "Herr Carthenwald is quite the philanthropist, is he now?" A bite of poison upon her reply to Matthias. "I shall accept the contract then, Matthias, but I still live upon my promise to kill him once this is all said and done." Matthias nodded curtly, a gruff sternness to his voice, "I am aware of your desires of retribution, Alena, but keep your blade upon the other targets till then. Also, you will need this." From behind his back, the older man pulled what appeared to be a sort of [url=https://www.socaldesignco.com/cart/images/P/VoltoValora_reg.jpg]mask[/url] and handed it to the woman. Alena had to wonder why, as she looked upon the decorative designs and felt the cold porcelain upon her soft hands, Matthias would give her a mask, but he continued.

 "Carthenwald was yours once upon a time. As you've told me, your father entrusted his business and all that followed with it to you, but Venius, like the snake he is, slithered forth and stole it from you, but....he knows not that you still walk among the living. Should he discover you, there is certain guarantee he will not hesitate to end your life, be it in his best to protect his ill-gained assets. That is why I ask of you, Alena, to conceal your face from him. Let him not look upon the visage of the past, for it will invoke in him...murderous intentions." Of course, should the higher authorities and the Madame Mayor herself know of this travesty, then it was due certain Venius would be up to his neck in hot water, his wealth and his glory stripped from him, and he thrown into the darkest cell of Karstberg's prison, and Alena....returned to her rightful place, but what to say indeed that he would not murder the woman just to keep his money? Alena nodded shortly in understanding of her master's reasoning and placed the mask upon her face...now she was without identity, merely...just another citizen come to enjoy the show at wonderful Carail Theatre. "I'm glad you understand, Alena. Now, get you to the theatre where Herr Carthenwald awaits. Make Haste!"