| General Fiction posted June 19, 2023 |
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Assassination Contest Entry
The Loyalty Test
by Lyle Nußbaum
Shimmokeen found King Aram's courier in his tent. He was handed a sealed scroll, which he opened once the courier had left. Inside was the following message: "Prove your loyalty to me by killing General Ashur and I will give you his command. How you do it is up to you, whether openly or by deceit; I await the fulfillment of my command."
Shimmokeen's stomach sank within him as he read the lines. Not only was General Ashur a great warrior but he had, also, been like an adopted father to him. He had taken Shimmokeen in and cared for him as his own; it was because of the General that he had risen so high in the army already. All that he had, he owed to Ashur. Yet, the king could not be defied.
After much thought, he invited Ashur to a private feast within his tent. Ashur arrived, unsuspecting, warmly greeting his adopted son and partook of all that was presented to him without fear.
A week later, Shimmokeen arrived in the capital at the head of the army. He met with the king and told him how he had poisoned the General's wine and convinced the army that he had died in his sleep from natural causes; after which they burned his body on a funeral pyre.
The king was pleased and officially placed Shimmokeen over the army. Then they celebrated their treachery together, drinking heavily.
That night, King Aram awoke to find a sword pressed to his throat and a voice whispering in his ear; it was Ashur. "You thought that you could dispose of me so easily? You are a fool! Did you not know that loyalty cannot be bought, especially at the price of betraying a former friendship? Of course, Shimmokeen informed me of your schemes and, together, we have plotted to end your reign. How else could you explain the army following the man who supposedly killed their beloved general?"
The king held his tongue, afraid that Ashur would slit his throat at any moment. He prayed that the guards might become suspicious and discover the intruder before he could complete his bloody deed. When the door of the bedchamber opened, the king's hopes failed for Shimmokeen entered the room followed by four armed soldiers. Shimmokeen and Ashur had a standing army within the city walls; his personal guards could not overcome such formidable odds.
The four soldiers bound the struggling king, tying each limb to a corner of the four-poster bed. Once he was securely bound, Ashur took a torch from its wall bracket and nonchalantly tossed it into the bedding. He watched with a smile, exulting in the agonizing screams of the king; as the flames spread, engulfing the bed, completing its grisly work, the king fell silent.
Placing his arm around Shimmokeen's shoulder, Ashur said, "The king offered you my position; you shall have it. For, now that I am king, I will need a loyal and capable general."
Assassinate Me A Thriller! writing prompt entry
Shimmokeen found King Aram's courier in his tent. He was handed a sealed scroll, which he opened once the courier had left. Inside was the following message: "Prove your loyalty to me by killing General Ashur and I will give you his command. How you do it is up to you, whether openly or by deceit; I await the fulfillment of my command."
Shimmokeen's stomach sank within him as he read the lines. Not only was General Ashur a great warrior but he had, also, been like an adopted father to him. He had taken Shimmokeen in and cared for him as his own; it was because of the General that he had risen so high in the army already. All that he had, he owed to Ashur. Yet, the king could not be defied.
After much thought, he invited Ashur to a private feast within his tent. Ashur arrived, unsuspecting, warmly greeting his adopted son and partook of all that was presented to him without fear.
A week later, Shimmokeen arrived in the capital at the head of the army. He met with the king and told him how he had poisoned the General's wine and convinced the army that he had died in his sleep from natural causes; after which they burned his body on a funeral pyre.
The king was pleased and officially placed Shimmokeen over the army. Then they celebrated their treachery together, drinking heavily.
That night, King Aram awoke to find a sword pressed to his throat and a voice whispering in his ear; it was Ashur. "You thought that you could dispose of me so easily? You are a fool! Did you not know that loyalty cannot be bought, especially at the price of betraying a former friendship? Of course, Shimmokeen informed me of your schemes and, together, we have plotted to end your reign. How else could you explain the army following the man who supposedly killed their beloved general?"
The king held his tongue, afraid that Ashur would slit his throat at any moment. He prayed that the guards might become suspicious and discover the intruder before he could complete his bloody deed. When the door of the bedchamber opened, the king's hopes failed for Shimmokeen entered the room followed by four armed soldiers. Shimmokeen and Ashur had a standing army within the city walls; his personal guards could not overcome such formidable odds.
The four soldiers bound the struggling king, tying each limb to a corner of the four-poster bed. Once he was securely bound, Ashur took a torch from its wall bracket and nonchalantly tossed it into the bedding. He watched with a smile, exulting in the agonizing screams of the king; as the flames spread, engulfing the bed, completing its grisly work, the king fell silent.
Placing his arm around Shimmokeen's shoulder, Ashur said, "The king offered you my position; you shall have it. For, now that I am king, I will need a loyal and capable general."
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Writing Prompt In 500 words or less, write a thriller (or/and horror) prose involving an assassin/assassination or hitman/hitwoman. No poetry or script, please. Be creative and have fun! |
Artwork by Raoul D'Harmental at FanArtReview.com
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