[h1][center][color=firebrick]Violet[/color]  & [color=LightSteelBlue]???[/color][/center][/h1]

[sub][color=firebrick]Mentions:[/color][/sub][@ReusableSword]Roman
[hr]


[color=lightgray]Violet walked away from the loud voices, the fireworks and the comfort she felt being near a friend. Each step she took she felt herself sinking further and further back into that black void she felt so lost in. 

She let out a long breath that she had been holding in for so long. Her head continued to pound as she felt her body in its weakened state feel even more sluggish. She had just eaten yet it felt as if she was famished and needed energy. Perhaps a rest would do her good. 

A presence lurked behind Violet from behind the trees, moving swiftly and silently with every step. She was being watched, whether she knew it or not. The pair of men had been watching Violet for some time now. They had been waiting for a few conditions to be met. The first had been that they needed to be certain that the target was indeed Lady Violet Damien and that she was living. Then, secondly, Violet needed to be alone and alone she was at last. Perhaps there had been guards in the distance, but they were a bit [i]preoccupied[/i] for the moment.

Taking small steps to keep her balance, Violet counted as she stepped, 1..2…1…2. She paused for a moment, stopping in her tracks as she rested her weight on the cane. She pretended to be out of breath but truthfully, she felt eyes on her. More than one at that. The feeling of being watched sending shivers up her spin. She hoped it was just Roman perhaps watching her off but something felt off. 

[color=firebrick][i]Something certainly wasn’t right… [/i][/color]

Her head began to hurt even more, the sharp pains in the temple of her eyes. She shut them to rest her vision for a moment, feeling as if her senses were somehow sharper. There was someone watching her. But who? 

Opening her crimson eyes, she began to walk again, this time her feet quickening. She continued to count 1-2-1-2-1-2 the beats hitting faster as she focused on keeping her balance. Her legs were already causing problems as they buckled slightly under her from the new speed she attempted. It was useless, she would just need to hope one of the guards was paying attention. 

Before Violet could react, a figure stealthily closed in on her from behind. Like a predator stalking its prey, this mysterious assailant made their move, their presence only becoming known as strong, unyielding hands covered Violet's mouth, stifling any potential outcry, [color=9370D8] "If you scream, you die... again,"[/color] He hissed the words,[color=9370D8] “If you scream, you die. [i]Again.[/i]”[/color]

[color=slategray]“It would be better if she did. [i]She’s a mistake.[/i]” [/color]With a haughty laugh, a second person had moved up from the shadows as well. [color=slategray]“She shouldn’t exist. She’s an anomaly goes against the very laws of nature.... We should kill her here and now while no one is here.’[/color]

But before she could even comprehend their words, a blade materialized under Violet’s vision, pressing against the tender skin of her throat. In the moonlight, the knife glimmered ominously, its sharp edge reflecting her own gaze back at her. The man behind her spoke once more. [color=9370D8]"No..."[/color] he declared, his tone unwavering. [color=9370D8][i]"We'll bring her to him alive."[/i][/color]

Violet felt a hand wrap around her mouth as her back pressed up against their body. Her hands gripped onto the cane  as her crimson eyes widened. She struggled in their grasp as whimpers escaped from the hand that held her mouth shut. 

You die..again? Die..Again? 

It was then that the sharp pinch of the blade pierced her flesh as her head tilted back instinctively. She pressed her body against theirs trying to gain as much space as she could from the blade but it was held so tightly to her skin she couldn’t struggle. Her body felt so weak and frail as it was that even the attempt of taking off was out of question. 

[color=Firebrick]“R-Rr”[/color] her words mumbled behind the hand,[color=Firebrick] “R-Rom-an,”[/color] She tried to shout as she squirmed in the arms of the captor in some hopes he may hear her. It was useless though, the words came out as nothing more than muffled sounds behind their hands. 

Violet's eyes searched around frantically, but it was useless; she still could not see or focus on anything. She still looked towards the direction of the mocking voice, her face still not showing even a drop of anger or frustration but she certainly felt something in the pit of her stomach. It wasn’t fear but something else. 

[color=slategray]"Rr-R-Ro-Ro!"[/color]The second man cruelly mocked, his voice dripping with contemptuous amusement as he approached Violet. His malicious intent was obvious in the look in his eyes as he moved closer, even going so far as to shove her with brute force back into the other man’s body, her breath escaping her lips as she had slammed into him. 
A sadistic grin stretched across his face, his eyes filled with perverse pleasure as he scrutinized her expression. [color=slategray]"Stupid corpse can't even talk,"[/color] he jeered, obviously relishing in the situation. His lips curled as he bit down on them, savoring the sight of her vulnerable state.
[color=slategray]"Does she even have any emotions anymore, or is she nothing more than a mindless zombie? …Well, let's find out, shall we?"[/color] With sudden and cruel intent, he roughly seized the bottom of her dress, viciously tearing at the fabric. The sound of the garment being ripped apart echoed through the air as her leg was exposed to the cool air.
Violet didn’t say anything or try to draw attention; she just simply allowed him to push her around, waiting. Feeling the arms of the man wrapped around her tightly as the second approached with a predatory tone in his voice. 
She stood still, looking towards his direction as he approached. The faceless man then reached for the bottom of her dress as she heard the shredding of the fabrics. She stood there allowing him to do as he wished, You die..again? Die..Again? The words repeated in her mind as her body quivered, her lips piercing as she felt the cold air sting her skin as her leg was visible from the amount of torn fabric. 
The first man, his patience wearing thin, finally intervened. 
[color=9370D8]"Enough,"[/color] he barked with authority. With a firm grip on Violet's arm, he forcibly yanked her away from the second man, twisting her out of his grasp. Ignoring her pain and discomfort, he began to drag her across the uneven terrain, cutting through the grass with relentless determination. Their path led them back into the concealment of the dense tree line, where no one would see them. He then threw her back into the other man’s arms once they were within the dark sanctuary of the trees. [color=9370D8] “Oscar, I am going to bring the carriage back over to the nearby road…For now, keep her out of sight and quiet.”[/color]



Littering around her the small pieces of her dress floated off into the breeze landing at various parts around the hill she had just left with Roman. She gripped her cane tightly in her fingers as she prepared to raise it but before she could she felt a firm grip on her arm as she was yanked away nearly tripping over her weakened legs as she had to drag herself to her feet while being pulled into an unknown location. Her cane dropping from her fingers as she struggled to catch her balance trying to not shout in fear they may do something worse. 

As the first man disappeared into the night, Oscar, the second man, leered at Violet with a malicious glint in his eyes. A malicious smile curled upon his lips as he reveled in his newfound control over her. 

She felt her body tossed once again back to the original man as he wrapped his large around around her squishing her tightly to his chest to the point she found it slightly hard to breath. She Thrashed around as she tried to loosen his grip but it wasn’t working. She watched the shadowy figure leave into the distance when she finally spoke. 

[color=firebrick]“Are you afraid of blood Oscar?”[/color] Violet asked, her voice was deep and eerie with its lack of emotion. She didn’t wait for a response. [color=firebrick]“ Let's find out,”[/color] Violet threw back her head, her lips parting as she opened her mouth. Her head snapped forward as her teeth sunk deep into his flesh in hopes to loosen his grip on her.

 She felt his skin tear under her teeth as a hot liquid pooled into her mouth. She grimaced at the feeling but as the warm thick liquid touched her tongue she felt the urge to bite harder. Her teeth sunk into his flesh further as she felt him loosen her grip on her. Her hands quickly shot up gripping onto his arm as she bit all her might into the latch she had created. She pulled back for air as she stumbled to her knees into what felt like a patch of grass. The red , thick and warm liquid dripped down her chin as she swallowed hard. She scrambled back slightly till she hit a tree, creating as much distance from the man as she could. 

Oscar frantically scrambled backward, hand over his wound, eyes wide in shock. [color=slategray]“What! …What the hell are you?”[/color] Blood trickled down from his wound, staining his clothes. He stared at her with a mixture of anger and fear, his eyes locked onto her as he realized that his captive had proven to be more formidable than he had anticipated.
Rising to his feet, he took a deliberate step toward Violet, his face contorted with determination. [color=slategray]"I'll… I’ll make you pay for that,"[/color] he seethed, his voice laced with venom and hatred.[color=slategray][i]"You... you fucking bitch!"[/i][/color]

Violet raised her hands above her head cowering on the ground as she shielded herself. She shut her eyes tightly feeling nothing but a sense of peace. She felt like she was about to return home, a smile spreading on her face as she awaited the light. 

The night was calm, but Cassius felt restless as he left the tavern. He had spent the evening decompressing in the comfort of a stiff drink. It had been a strange time recently. The death of his mother, him leaving his life as a mercenary behind for the time being to seek out a father he never knew existed, later confronting that very man on the doorsteps of his grandiose estate, making his debut in the city at as an impromptu competitor in an archery competition, and even witnessing the execution of a strange man that proved to be an even odder spectacle than he ever expected… His life had changed so suddenly, and in typical Cassius fashion he hadn’t properly taken the time to process everything. Instead, he had found the solace of women and wine to distract him while he pushed everything down to deal with another day.
 
As his stroll truly began, he wandered aimlessly, still not truly knowing the layout of the city. He was good at learning his way around a place quickly, it had been a helpful skill in his usual line of work…but as of yet he had not spent enough time here to commit it to memory. He wasn’t bothered though, by the prospect of simply letting the wind guide him and seeing what the night would uncover. For almost an hour he walked, and whistled songs from his past lives.
 
Cassius found himself in a park. It was dark out, but somehow the surroundings were still beautiful…just barely being serenaded by the dim rays of moonlight. He had a tendency to find beauty everywhere he looked. Believe it or not, it was a learned skill. Another among his arsenal of abilities to cope with the harsh life of a sellsword. It helped to brighten up the times between all the bloodshed and horrors he had endured. As he sauntered through the park, he noticed a scrap of fabric on the ground beneath his feet. His eyes focused on the cloth, and he realized that it wasn’t alone.
 
He took in the sight of what almost appeared to be a trail of ripped fabric littered around marking a path. Just as his curiosity began to pique, he heard a commotion beyond the tree line. The specific sound was one that made his blood run cold, and though his brain told him otherwise…his heart and the loosening of his will gifted to him by the wine in his bloodstream caused him to rush towards the sound. Palming the handle of the axe at his belt, and cautiously slipped into the trees and moved towards the ruckus, staying low and ready for trouble. What he found was a more ghastly sight than he had initially even imagined. A blood stained man stood towering over a cowering woman aggressively. Cassius paused for a second, trying to piece together some semblance of an idea as to what had transpired here, but there was no time. The man’s violent intent was clear. If Cas was to intervene, it was now or never. He stood from his strategic position and spoke in a stern, but still unnecessarily charming voice.
 
[color=LightSteelBlue]“It appears I have made a wrong turn, friends. Forgive me, but now that I’m here…I wonder if everyone should just calm the fuck down.”[/color] He raised his axe, using it to point at the bloodied man. [color=LightSteelBlue] “Step away from the girl now, or I’ll stain the rest of you with that crimson.”[/color] 
Violet's hands fell down to her side as she looked up. Her face was pale from fear but the blood had decorated her mouth and chin with the streams of the thick red liquid. She still felt the taste of the coppery tasting blood in her mouth, the pupils of her eyes the size of a pinhead. Her headache had somehow disappeared and strangely enough, she felt slightly better. 

She looked up at the new figure who arrived, hoping it was Roman but turned out it wasn’t. She hadn’t heard the voice before, perhaps it was just some passer-by that heard the man's cries of pain. 

Caught off guard by the sudden intervention, Oscar momentarily froze in his tracks. His anger and determination were still evident, but he was forced to reassess the situation. He narrowed his eyes, contemplating his options and assessing. Then the other man returned before he could react.

[color=9370D8]“Alright we’re ready to go, but her guards have bested our guys and they’re on their way. We have to go now-“[/color]The man halted his speech seeing Cassius.[color=9370D8] “…Who the hell is this?”[/color]

[color=slategray]“Some guy trying to score points with the corpse bitch... “[/color] Oscar drew off then suddenly bolted at Violet, [color=slategray]“Fuck him! Let’s  just take her and run!”[/color]The other man unsheathed a sword and got in between as Oscar began to try to throw Violet over his shoulder. However, his movements were hesitant and he was weaker than before.

Cassius began to saunter around the sword wielding man, circling him strategically. He sized up his foe, taking in everything from the confidence in his face to the tightness of his grip on the weapon. The man seemed comfortable enough brandishing that sword, but Cas could tell by body language alone that he was tense…and that was never good against an opponent as at-ease in combat as Cassius. 

[color=LightSteelBlue]“Does it usually take two of you idiots to harass a woman in the dark like this? If I was your boss, I would have killed you myself long ago for such a lack of efficiency. Looks like I’m going to get that chance anyway. Lucky me.”[/color] He did not hesitate as he finished his words, taking the opportunity to dash towards the man. Using the underside of his axe’s blade, he hooked the man’s sword and parried his foe’s defensive maneuver with ease. This man was a thuggish ne'er-do-well, but he was no Cassius Vael. 

With the same momentum, he brought the side of his fist around and into the man’s nose hard. He could feel the bone crunch beneath his strike. [i]You break the nose…and they may as well be blind.[/i] The man stumbled sideways and groaned in pain as his already crooked nose now set on the other side of his face. He came back quickly from the attack, swinging his sword wildly as his eyes were blinded by the effects of the injured nose. Cassius side stepped each swipe, playing with his prey and enjoying the thrill of it. 

Violet struggled as the man attempted to grab her. She ripped at the wound on his arm with her fingers, pressing into it deeply as she yanked, tearing at his flesh more. The man screamed out [color=9370D8]“You bitch!”[/color] He shouted before grabbing her and forcefully tossing her over his shoulder. Standing to his feet Violet thrashed around her fists punching anything that could “Let me go.” she growled deeply, yet true to her new nature there was no emotion , no fear, no anger. It sounded like a threat. 

The sound of the woman’s struggle beyond this man pulled Cas’ focus momentarily. It was enough of a distraction to allow his foe to land a glancing slash on his left arm, nothing major…just another scar to add to his collection. It was time to wrap this up. Cas aggressively blocked the man’s next attack with enough force to knock the blade out of his hand. A look of shock filled the eyes of Cas’ opponent. Normally, Cassius would allow the man to retrieve his weapon…but this wasn’t a man of honor, so that luxury had not been earned for him. With one quick downward slash, Cassius brought his axe down hard into the man’s head, cracking through the skull and into the soft meat of the brain beneath. Using his foot to kick the man backwards, he released his weapon from the man’s skull and turned his full attention back to Violet.    

Oscar’s eyes darted between the two of them, quickly realizing that it was two-on-one. He swallowed hard, a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead His gaze was locked on the man sprawled on the ground. Oscar’s mind raced for a split second before making a decision. With a sudden burst of adrenaline, he slammed her down on the ground, his hands breaking freeing from her waist. He gritted his teeth and glared at Cassius. [color=slategray]“This is [i]far[/i] from over.”[/color] He seethed, his voice laced with a promise of vengeance,[color=slategray] “I’ll find out who you are and then we’ll make you endure the pain that will exceed the realm of your nightmares. ”[/color] He sneered before his glare snapped to Violet. [color=slategray]“ And [i]you[/i]. I’ll be back for you.” [/color] With a wicked grin that twisted his features, he hurriedly retreated backward, disappearing into the darkness of the night.

Oscar left them with some chilling parting words, [color=slategray]“Don’t worry, you won’t have to wait very long.”[/color] The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the silence, leaving the two siblings to deal with the aftermath of the encounter.[/color]

Violet let out a loud groan as she pulled herself up off the ground. Slowly pushing herself up with her hands, pushing up her knee to slowly rise to her feet. She stared at the figure with dead eyes. Violet's blood soaked face held no emotion, her deadpan stare, frail and bruised body standing before the man. 

[i][color=firebrick]“ You should have let them kill me.”[/color][/i]