Dedicated to OurMidnightMemory for being our first follower. Thank you so much! :D You guys have to check out her book 'Ancient Love'. It's an Action Romance involving the characters from Night at the Museum. It is amazing.

~~~~~

Rami travelled many days until he reached his home in Saudi Arabia. He found that in every mission he would come to miss the sandy, sultry desert that he lived in. The climate of other countries seemed cold, he could not understand how people survived there.

The hot breath of the desert whispered in his ears. The sands kissing his lips ever so lightly and the hot winds breathing down his throat. The soft glow of the morning light made the sands look like molten gold swirling in the air before him.

The Arabian Knight, the Lion of the Desert was home.

Rami was only nineteen but already excelling in all aspects of life. He was the best of his clan, a trained killer, honest warrior and compassionate man - traits that often never came hand in hand. With beautiful almost delicate features, emerald green eyes and messy black curls with hints of gold at their tips, he was easily considered a handsome man. 

But when he finally reached his traveling caravan sadness closed over him. Its icy fingers clawed their way into his heart and hollowed it clean. Trying to ignore it the young Arab hitched Bucephalus near the camels.

Their caravan wasn't merely any travelling caravan, though it pretended to be one. It hosted the deadliest assassin gang in the world. The Montagues, only to be rivalled by the Capulets. 

Though the world knew Rami as Rami Montague his true name was Rami Moghamed and he never forgot it. 

As soon as he got inside the tent he collapsed. His dreamed that he danced with a girl who's eyes were honey brown in Verona's many grand festivals.

~~~~

Rami's father and mother Aadil and Azeema Montague were talking to their nephew Babbar. Aadil with his bright eyes and warm handsome features, was a picture of what Rami would look like in twenty or so years. His wife Azeema, beautiful attractive woman in her late thirties, was fretting over the arrival of her son. 

"Where is he?" she asked her fingers twisting and knotting her richly dyed veil. "He should be here by now."

Babbar, Rami's twenty-one-year-old cousin, smiled. His large bulky body taking on an almost childish countenance, a phenomenon that occured whenever he talked to Azeema.

"My dear Aunt, I believe he is back, sleeping."

"He wouldn't even greet his own mother?"

 "He doesnt seem himself" Agreed Babbar. "He seems depressed.":

"I'll talk to him," interceded Aadil.

"No Uncle, I think it is best that I talk to him. " Expressed Babbar in a calm voice. "Though he loves you dearly, I think it is best that he discusses this with me first,"

Aadil nodded glumly. "You have my permission to leave."

Babbar nodded.

He came out of the tent into the hot sultry desert. Their caravan would be leaving this afternoon, heading for some other place, maybe Egypt this time. 

As Babbar walked over to where Rami usually slept he thought about how Rami wasn't acting like his usual playful arrogant self. Something was wrong and Babbar was going to fix it.

Babbar opened the flap of Rami's tent a peered inside.

"Morning cousin!" announced Babbar cheerily. His cousin groaned and hissed when he saw the sunlight.

"Is the day so young?" He asked.

"A quarter past nine dear cousin. Get off your lazy arse."

"These hours seem long..." muttered Rami barely audible. Babbar knew now that if he ventured carefully he might bee able to find out what was wrong with Rami. He sat next to him.

"What makes them long?" Asked Babbar

"Not having that, which, having, makes them short."

"Are you in love?"

"Out."

"Of love?"

"Out of her favour, where I am in love."

"Who is it that you love?"

"A woman," replied Rami scornfully.

Babbar chuckled at this.

"Raihana..." Whispered Rami mournfully.

Babbar recalled the beautiful eighteen-year-old woman that Rami claimed to be in love with. Raihana was the daughter of a high ranking assassin. She had soft thick black ringlets of hair that fell about her shoulders, and dark eyes that seemed to pierce anyone.

"She's very beautiful," Babbar remakred.

"Beautiful she is but she won't be wooed. I've tried everything!"

"Perhaps she has sworn an oath of maidenhood like those Christain martyrs."

"That's exactly what it is!"

"You should learn to forget."

"How can I forget Babbar?"

"By examining other beauties."

"They will only make Raihana look more beautiful."

Babbar sighed. 

"We're leaving soon." the older man looked at Rami's belongings, which had fallen in disarray. "I suggest you get this all packed up."

Babbar got up and walked out and made a silent vow. I'll pay that doctrine or else die in debt.

~~~~

Jurie Kage, also known as 'kagehime' (the shadow princess), swept through the doors of the Capulet estate. The 'family' parted, making way for the legendary girl, shroud in black finery that flowed behind her. Long wooden halls lined with rice and bamboo paper walled rooms wound down to the main hall of the estate. This Japanese-western styled castle was the headquarters of the Capulets ancestors and know for them.

"Takashi! Come!" She yelled up the red clad stairs, her honey-amber coloured eyes flashing angrily. Jurie's sleek raven hair tumbled down to her waist as she stomped up the stairs. "Come down you coward!"

A mop of black hair appeared from behind the wall. "Oh! Jurie welcome back how was it?"

Jurie's small figure stalked towards her cousin. "How was it?" She placed her hands on her hips. "You have the balls to ask me how my mission was?!"

Takashi cocked his head on one side. "Huh?"

"You never told me that there was going to be another person from a completely different family on this mission!"

"Oh." Takashi knew just how much the missions meant to his cousin and understood the frustration of having a mission stolen by another family.

"Yes oh." She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Well on a brighter note there's a new mission for you!" Takashi smiled awkwardly.

Jurie padded towards her room with Takashi following in suit and slid open the sakura patterned door. Throwing her mask into her weaponry clothing wardrobe she fell back onto her king sized bed. "So? What is it this time?"

"Well...it's a bit complicated."

She raised an eyebrow. "Complicated?"

"You see it needs to take place during a party, well a disguised one."

Jurie nodded her head thinking. "Interesting." She mused. "When?"

"In about a week."

"Lovely."

~~~~

As the clan packed their belongings to their camels. Rami fiddled with his bow and arrow. His best friend Malek and his cousin Babbar packed his belongings for him.

Finally, Malek sat down next to Rami and snatched away the bow and arrow.

He handed him an envelope.

"New mission," Malek explained curtly sensing his friend's sadness. "It should cheer you up."

It did bring a mild twinkle in Rami's eyes and some colour to his unusually pale cheek. Eagerly Rami opened the letter and his face fell.

"It's a party..." Rami mumbled mournfully.

"But not any old party my sad child" Malek said getting up.

"Child?" Rami scoffed. Clearly offended.

"You know the Capulets?"

"Those..."

"No swearing! Anyway, we are throwing a business party in England with them."

Rami groaned. He hated pretending to be friends with an enemy.

"Means of travel?" he asked.

"Horse then boat. Don't worry the party is in a month. You will have more than enough time to reach the party if you leave today. Oh and here's the money for the boat" Malek exclaimed throwing a small bag of coins. "In that business party, we will lure in one of the richest men in the world."

"The 'Unspeakable'?" asked Rami.

"The son of the Unspeakable. It is your job to kill him but you must do it before the Capulet's daughter gets to it. I hear she is one of the best Ninja's that ever stepped foot in Japan."

Rami was silent.

"Rami?"

"Yes"

"Promise me one thing." Implored Malek. Handing him back his bow and arrow.

"Anything"

"Get yourself laid after the mission. I can't look at you like this depressed."

Rami cursed him in fluent Arabic so the Europeans amongst them wouldn't understand the vulgarity of his words.

"Nothing a little sex can't fix" Malek said winking as he did so. "Are you saving yourself up for someone else? You can't really be such a strict follower of Islam."

Most of the clan followed Islam loosely, even Rami's father did not properly adhere to the rules. For Rami Islam was a salvation from the blood the covered his hands, a revelation and a liberation. True he was no Imam, not orthodox follower and nor was he entirely without sin, but he lived his life with as much honesty and compassion as he could, with God's words at his lips.

Rami's face turned a violent shade of scarlet, violently he snatched up his beloved weapons. "I'm not promising you any of that horseshit."

~~~~

The shurikens sank into the target board. 'Thunk'. 'Thunk'. 'Thunk'. Jurie threw her arm forwards as the fourth one stuck into the bullseye. Picking up her butterfly knife she twirled it around her fingers, eyes skimming over the action plan for the next mission.

Takashi walked in, a fancy ball gown hanging from his arm. "Jurie. Here's your ball gown for the mission night that is only 4 days away, might I add."

Turning around to face her cousin Jurie eyed the ball gown with disgust. "How am I supposed to fight in that?" She asked throwing her arms up into the air.

"Well... I don't know. You've always been able to fight in one of these. You strap several knifes to your leg? I don't know, don't ask me you're gonna be the one wearing and manoeuvring in it."

Jurie shook her head, snatching the beautiful, westernised-japanese ball gown from Takashi's grip. "I  guess I'll have to make do with it."

The older boy hid a smile, imagining exactly how well the dress would fit on his cousin's lean, curved body as her sleek, silky raven hair tumbled down her back. No doubt she would be the star of the night.

Catching his cousin's arm in his grip he smiled, "Kenji has made some new weapons for you to try."

A genuine smile stretched over Jurie's face and her eyes twinkled with mischief.

The steps down to the laboratories were wet and slippery but they were no harm to the highly trained woman as she stepped down them one after another while her cousin brother clumsily slipped and tripped behind her.

"Ya know it wouldn't kill you to walk a bit slower right?" Takashi asked as he clung to the walls for assistance.

Jurie just rolled her eyes and walked on.

Despite his clumsy, cheerful nature Takashi was also one of the best ninjas found in the Capulet 'family'. His movements were smooth and quick when h fought, he simply struggled to get on with daily life in the same manner.

A block of wood split into two, falling to the ground revealing a smirking Jurie who was admiring the shining blade of the new katana that Kenji, the 'family's' weapons master had made.

The master whistled, "Nice, kagehime."

Kenji was no old, wrinkly master. He was as a matter of fact...well there was only one word one would use to describe him.

HOT.

Like the grill on top of a barbeque.

With his head of jet black hair, and sparkling jade eyes, which were the most distinct features on his face he was without a doubt beautiful. His straight nose, chiselled jawline and muscular physique reminded all the women who was the legitimate Statue of David.

He was gorgeous.

Absolutely gorgeous and even had the intelligence to go with it.

Jurie threw a smirk in his direction, giving him a nod of approval, but then again, when did she ever disapprove of his handy inventions.

"You, my gorgeous darling, are ready for the night." He replied, his jade eyes glittering.

The sound of a hand connecting with a forehead rang out in the lab and both turned around to face Takashi who was busy facepalming himself to even realise that he had two pairs of eyes staring right at him.

"I'm such a third-wheel." They heard him mutter to himself. "Always. Why haven't I learnt my lesson?"

Jurie and Kenji chuckled quietly.

~~ (A month Later)~~

The clinking of champagne glasses filled the ballroom as guests poured in, dressed in elegant gowns from numerous designer brands.

It was finally the night of the mission and Jurie was decked in her dazzling dress, several shurikens, spikes and her newly acquired katana hidden under her gown, strapped to her thighs. She was indeed breath-taking, with her sleek hair pinned up with a decorative chopstick, the rest cascading down her back in soft, curled tendrils. No one would have ever thought that this magnificent lady was actually a lethal ninja.

Walking around with her father, a wise, middle-aged man with shiny, gelled back hair, dressed in a crisp black suit, she chatted amicably amongst the guests.

Then she saw them....

Eyes.

The colour of moonlight sparkling through emerald.

Eyes that belonged to the same man who had infiltrated her previous mission, dressed in an array of warm coloured garments, a western suit and tie with hint of the Arabian desert weaved in the cloth.

Jurie clenched her fists, gritting her teeth and breathed out, counting slowly down from 10.

9....

8....

7....

6....

5....

4....

3....

2....

1.....

And he smiled at her, showing her his perfectly aligned white teeth. It was almost boyish with soft dimples embedded in his cheeks.

Jurie's eyes widened and she fled from the strange mysterious man but stopped abruptly when she heard the loud shattering of the ceiling to ground windows.

Let the games begin, she thought to herself before slipping away into the shadows.

Hey guys this is our second chapter, admittedly much much much much much much much longer than the first one. But I think the two of us thoroughly enjoyed writing this chapter! Luv you guys! Please don't forget to:

COMMENT. VOTE. LIKE.