Episode 245
As Fatima stepped forward, the Jewish assassins, weapons drawn, looked at her with confusion.
Just moments ago, she had been trembling with fear, or so they thought.
Little did they know that her trembling was not from fear, but from anger.
“Last words.”
Fatima’s sudden statement drew mocking laughter from the assassins, as if they had seen it all.
“What, are you asking for time to say your last words?”
“No. The Apostle has listened to your stories until now, so I’m giving you the chance to say yours.”
“What nonsense is this? Just a crazy woman worshipping that fake…”
Thud!
A gurgling sound followed as one of the men clutched his throat and collapsed, blood bubbling from his mouth.
Judging by their movements and how they held their weapons, these men were not professionally trained assassins.
Even I could barely track the flying dagger with my eyes, so to these third-rate assassins, it must have seemed like a mere flash of light.
I couldn’t help but wonder where Fatima had hidden that dagger in her attire.
While I watched with a sense of detachment, the assassins and Fatima’s husband, Ramadan, stood frozen, as if possessed by ghosts.
In this seemingly frozen moment, Fatima calmly walked over, pulled the dagger from the fallen man’s body, and turned slowly.
“With the Apostle’s permission, you will all die here.”
Her voice was chillingly out of place for a wedding.
“What kind of woman is she…?”
“Could this have all been a trap to lure us in?”
Given the situation, one might think so.
But how must Fatima feel, hearing such words after her wedding, which should have been the happiest day of her life, was ruined?
She moved with the ferocity of a lioness thrown into a flock of sheep.
Thud! Slash!
“Aaah!”
“A witch!”
“Calm down! It’s just one person, surround and stab her… urgh!”
Whenever something flashed, another assassin would fall, blood spurting from their neck or heart.
When I first captured Fatima and her brother Nasr, she was just a child.
Back then, I was in my physical prime, so subduing them was easy. But now, seeing them up close, I wasn’t sure I could survive an ambush from them.
In a direct fight, maybe, but with an ambush, I wouldn’t be surprised if I lost my head.
Swish! Thud!
An assassin charging head-on fell backward with a dagger in his throat.
Another, trying to flank me, fell forward with a dagger in the back of his head.
One trying to flee was struck in the back and died instantly.
No matter what they tried, the result was the same: a dagger embedded in their body.
They weren’t trained soldiers, nor were they wearing armor to block blades. The outcome was inevitable.
This wasn’t a battle between assassins and guards; it was a one-sided slaughter.
Of the more than ten assassins, only three remained.
By now, they must have realized their failure, but they clung to hope.
“If it comes to this, we should take a hostage and plan for the future…”
“Grab him! He’s the one who booked this wedding hall!”
“Let’s take him hostage and escape!”
In their panic, the assassins pointed to Nasr, who, despite the chaos, hadn’t moved from his seat and was watching the scene unfold.
Choosing that escape route seemed like fate sealing their doom.
“Move, move! I don’t want to see him die…”
As the three assassins frantically swung their weapons and reached Nasr, a series of thuds echoed.
With the sound of leather drums bursting, daggers flew from all directions, embedding in the assassins’ bodies like arrows.
“Ugh… ugh.”
The assassins, unable to even scream properly, collapsed to the ground, struck by the weapons thrown by the waiting assassins.
The floor of the wedding hall, once filled with blessings and joy, was now stained red with the assassins’ blood.
In the brief time it took to sip a cup of tea, this shocking scene unfolded, leaving only silence in its wake.
Fatima, having calmed down, cleaned her weapon and turned to me.
“So… what do we do about the wedding now?”
“Well, should we do it again? But first, maybe you should explain to them.”
She nodded awkwardly, following the direction of my pointing finger.
“Um… well, you see, this situation is…”
On the day of his wedding to the woman he loved, assassins suddenly attacked, and the demure bride he thought he knew pulled out a dagger and took them all down?
Ramadan, experiencing this surreal situation, stood frozen, almost fainting on his feet.
I sighed, gently pushing Fatima aside as she looked at me helplessly.
It seemed I would have to come up with a suitable explanation.
After all, it was a truth he would have learned eventually, so perhaps it was for the best.
“So, you’re saying Fatima is both the Apostle’s maid and a personal guard?”
“Yes, you could call it a secret guard.”
“I never imagined. I thought she had a strong side despite her delicate appearance…”
Delicate appearance? She might look slender, but anyone could see she was as fit as an athlete. He must be truly smitten.
“Yes. As you saw today, there are always those who threaten me, so a secret guard is necessary. That’s why I have guards like Fatima.”
“Of course. Now that I think about it, it makes perfect sense. There are many who can’t see the truth even when it’s right in front of them, like those fools who just died.”
“It’s unfortunate. I gave them plenty of chances, but they insisted on courting death, so there was nothing I could do. Oh, and…”
For a scholar unaccustomed to violence, this bloody massacre would naturally be repulsive.
Seeing his future wife reveal her true identity and dispatch enemies like swatting flies must have been shocking.
In the worst case, he might feel betrayed, or his affection might have vanished entirely.
That’s probably why Fatima was standing there, hesitating and watching.
I had explained she was a guard, not an assassin, but how he would take it was anyone’s guess.
“So, what do you want to do now?”
“Excuse me? I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Fatima will continue to be my guard, so this must remain a secret. Others are being warned, so it’s just you left. What do you think?”
Most of the guests were assassins, and the rest were told Fatima was my guard.
Even with my roundabout question, Ramadan seemed genuinely confused and asked again.
“What do you mean by ‘what do I think’? I’m sorry, could you be more specific?”
“Sigh… I mean, what do you plan to do about your marriage to her? If your feelings have changed, I understand and will respect your decision. Of course, you’ll have to take a vow of secrecy, but I’ll ensure you face no disadvantages.”
“Change my mind? Why would I?”
“Uh?”
Before I could say more, Ramadan spoke.
“I’m actually deeply moved right now. To think my future wife isn’t just serving the Apostle but is a guard protecting him from the shadows. What could be more admirable and amazing?”
“Oh… really?”
“Absolutely! This is an unparalleled honor for me, and for my family. I’m so moved, I’m trembling with joy.”
Ramadan nodded proudly and looked at Fatima.
“She didn’t tell me, but that’s only natural. If she had revealed such a thing just because I’m her husband, I would have been disappointed. And I would have felt sorry for the Apostle. I’m happy to have a wife with such faith and dedication!”
“That’s… good to hear. I’m glad you think so. Haha.”
As Ramadan showered her with praise, Fatima returned to her usual self and approached him.
“Thank you for understanding.”
“Thank you? I wish I could express how deeply moved I am, but my words fail me.”
“It’s a relief that I won’t have to lie to you if I need to leave the house unexpectedly in the future.”
“Hahaha! In that case, maybe those assassins were a blessing from the gods, sent to celebrate our marriage. After all, we didn’t really lose anything, did we?”
To be able to brush off a scene of swords clashing and blood raining down like a storm—what a mindset.
They say couples grow alike, and it seems Fatima found someone with a mental fortitude just like hers to marry.
Their unwavering faith is truly impressive.
I left the couple to their own world and approached Nasr, who was tidying up the venue.
“It must have been a sudden incident. You’ve worked hard.”
“Not at all. We should have been more vigilant, but I didn’t expect such intruders. I’ll make sure those responsible for security are held accountable…”
“No, it’s my fault for insisting we relax on such a joyous day. Besides, no matter how they tried, those assassins were bound to fail. They never stood a chance.”
Even if assassins filled the guest list, attempting murder here would only lead to a gruesome end.
Realistically, even if Richard and Xiang Yu teamed up, they couldn’t pull it off in a place like this.
So, it wasn’t a failure of security or a lapse in protection.
Even when those zealots drew their swords and charged at me, I didn’t feel the slightest threat to my life.
“The important thing is not assigning blame but figuring out how to use this. Remember what those assassins shouted before they died?”
“They said something like, ‘If you die here, you’re a fake.’”
“Exactly. Let’s use that to clean things up a bit.”
I had long suspected that extremist factions were hiding not just in Jerusalem but elsewhere too.
And now, a perfect opportunity has presented itself. I’d be a fool not to take advantage of it.
“Understood. I’ll take action immediately.”
“Oh, and remember, this is about rooting out extremists. Make sure no harm comes to the Jewish people who are friendly to us.”
“Yes.”
To divide and rule, you must reward those on your side.
This might be the perfect chance to effectively dismantle the last holdouts of Judaism that refused to acknowledge me.
I should give Fatima a wedding gift, but it seems I’ve received a grand one myself.
That’s why I can’t help but be fond of her.