[center][h2][color=lightseagreen]Artemis[/color][/h2][color=lightsteelblue]
[color=mediumturquoise][b]Time:[/b][/color] Late Afternoon
[color=mediumturquoise][b]Location:[/b][/color] Roshmi Grand Hall
[color=mediumturquoise][b]Interaction:[/b][/color] [@Helo] Cade [/color] [color=orchid]✦[/color] [@Eviledd1984] - O’Ner
[h3][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/610964561553522698/610976734258659379/up-divider.png?width=960&height=83[/img][/h3][/center]

[color=lightsteelblue]One word, four letters, was placed in front of Artemis: wine. 

Artemis couldn’t hear or see anyone else in the hall. Her eyes were unfocused and distant, as if witnessing a horrific crime. Artemis’ breathing became shallow and quick, unable to breathe deeply. She tried to grab the chair, but her hands slipped. Her dress tripped her as she scrambled up. Without a word and tears forming, she moved away from the trouble. From head to toe, the young siren trembled. The noise of the ballroom became overwhelming. To her, it felt like it was being screamed into her ears. Artemis tripped over her dress a few times but recovered, causing people to stare at her with confusion. She ignored them and began heading towards the backdoor. All she knew was she had to get out of here before she broke down. Her mind raced, trying to ease the agonizing memory began to resurface. She hadn't noticed Risa’s entrance, nor the Undead General leaving the table.

[hider=Artemis’ Flashback][color=#FFF176]”You can’t seem to stop crying. Here, this will calm you down, child…”[/color] A tall and older Dark Elf was telling the siren, who dressed in a inexpensive and formal gown. He beckoned over another Dark Elf to bring over a drink. She watched as he poured the dark red liquid. She glanced around the fancy manor and swallowed hard. 

[color=mediumturquoise]”What is this?”[/color] Artemis inquired as she sniffed it. She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. It smelled strong and had a cherry taste to it. 

[color=#FFF176]”It’s called wine. It helps people calm down and aids in the adjustments. All the slaves love it. You’re of age now for it too.”[/color] That was a lie that the slaves enjoyed it, but what would she know? When Artemis didn’t move to drink it, he snapped harshly, [color=#FFF176]”Drink it. Now.”[/color] Artemis took a quick sip and placed it beside her on the table. She didn’t enjoy the taste, nor its bitter taste. What he hadn’t told the young siren was that he had spiked. It would cause her to become dizzy and lightheaded and constrict her vocal cords so she couldn’t scream or use her voice. He had also spiked it with flarus so she would be stuck awake. 

She didn’t know any better, having not been exposed to it prior. Maybe it could help qualm the grief and pain in her heart...
 
[color=#FFF176]”You have to finish it or I’ll whip you. I don't think you want to visit that again, do you?”[/color] Artemis quickly obeyed out of fear of him. She had already been beaten and verbally abused by him. She hadn’t been able to walk well on land and carry the heavy wood logs he’d wanted. It resulted in her dropping them and causing another Elf to trip and hurt himself. She had apologized multiple times but it’d fallen on deaf ears. They had begun to beat and whip her. In defense she had used sonic scream and blasted the Elves hearing temporarily. They had then sent her to her room. Later on, she had been joined by the slave owner, River, where she now stood. He’d come to comfort her and apologize for losing her temper; or so he had said….

Artemis scowled as she began to feel lightheaded and dizzy. [color=mediumturquoise]”I don’t.. I don’t feel so good,”[/color] Artemis stood up and wobbly moved over to the couch to lay down. She didn’t know that the Dark Elf was following her with his eyes, grinning at her feeble attempts to nurse herself back to health. 

[color=#FFF176]”Oh dear, you don’t look so good, now do you?”[/color] River came over to her and sat by her. Artemis saw he was holding something and recoiled with fear. She couldn’t tell what it was, because the room was spinning. She let out a hoarse cry as he sat in front of her. [color=#FFF176]”Shh, child, it’s all right.”[/color] He grinned down at her fear and began to pet her hair gently. She hated her hair being touched. He knew that but she didn’t dare object as she trembled with fear. Something was happening, but what? 

Then suddenly, her thoughts were answered if he had read her mind. [color=#FFF176]”Nobody will hear you scream now, you bitch.”[/color] He yanked her head up by her hair in which Artemis cried out. She tried to gather her voice to scream, but she felt hollow inside. Her mind was hazy and the room was spinning. She started crying and tried to move away when another pair of hands forced her back down. She began to thrash wildly, causing River to smack her in the face with the muzzle. Then, he began to pull it on and let go of her hair harshly enough to tear out tufts of blue hair. The muzzle was so tight she could hardly breathe. There were spikes in it as well, digging into her face. She didn’t know if blood was trickling down, but she started seeing red.

As Artemis cried and began to tear at the restraint on her face, River punched her in the abdomen. Artemis let out a feeble cry as she fell to her side, winded. She had difficulty breathing with the muzzle on. The rest of it was a blur: she was forced to lay down as River began shouting obscenities and insults. Her dress was being torn from her. As she tried to fight, the other Elf was holding her arms behind her back. Helpless, Artemis tried to fall asleep, but could not muster any tiredness. It was as if someone had sucked all the sleep out of her. She was forced to stare up at the River, beating and violating her, with fury and rage. All she could do was cry and beg for death to escape it...[/hider] 

The ballroom spun around Artemis. Her body was still trembling and her vision blurred with tears. She was near the doorway when a loud, booming voice filled the hall, announcing dances would begin. She didn’t care about these dumbass dances. She didn’t want to be here in the first place, only within the city so she could get the hell off Daka island. She didn’t seem to have a choice, however, as her paper transformed into a butterfly. Puzzled, she watched it momentarily, as it began to flutter away. Oh hell, she did not care. Her partner would have to deal with it. She continued towards the doorway when an invisible pull started to drag her backwards. Horrified, she found she was forced to follow the butterfly that had started to flutter around her in determination. 

She wiped her eyes quickly under the mask as she set it back on her face. Heart racing and empty inside, Artemis followed the butterfly. She willed the tears away and took deep, shuddering breaths. That was almost a decade ago, she was no longer there… She had escaped… The muzzle was gone… She didn’t have to drink the wine… It had been a mistake, right?

But she couldn’t shake it, as hard as she might. Artemis found herself staring up at a feline demihuman near the food table. He stood with a few others. The butterfly parchment landed on her hand as she showed him the number. Speechless and impassive, she stared at him. She didn’t have anything to say, nor did she care too. All she wanted to do was run away. She longed for Darius and Myra’s company, but she didn’t want to drag them down with her. Besides, why would they care for her anyway? She was nothing but a siren, and the sooner he found out, the better, so he could leave her too and she could be alone. It would be for the best. Freedom meant solitude for her. She would only ruin their lives, as she had ruined many before. 

Unfortunately, she was stuck in this horrific dance, where she had to have contact with others. Artemis gritted her teeth and waited for the misery to begin. Once this shit was over with, she was leaving. Her heart sunk as she thought of Darius and Myra, but she couldn't explain it to him. He was already dealing with enough shit. She wanted to help him, but how could she was when she was drowning in her herself? Artemis wished for the pain in her heart to stop but it would not listen. She averted her gaze from the feline demihuman and stared at  the wall nearby him, hoping and praying for it to end as quick as possible.[/color]