The snow continued to fall relentlessly. There were no sunbeams or a glare, and Von could not differentiate night from day. But in that moment when he opened his eyes, he didn't think about the weather. He didn't think about how cold it was, and he didn't think about anything other than what that night had been. A night that seemed to have been dedicated only to him and Sophie. Not that Von was the romantic type of man, but surely that night had broken chains that had been placed within his heart long ago.
Sophie's gaze that night had been light, it had been as soft as a feather gliding through the air. Her eyes were a green immensity that Von had lost himself in several times, from which he could not look away, as if hypnotized. He had never looked so long into someone's eyes. Sophie had deciphered every line of Von's brown eyes, she had seen something far nobler in there than a sadistic killer. She saw the corruption, clear and well-defined, within his being. It was as if she entered his skin and felt every fiber of his being, and saw how difficult it was for him to erase the memories. Memories that Sophie knew would never leave.
She came to the conclusion that Von was not a man marked only by superficial scars, as she had thought. There was much at the bottom, and she looked into the abyss that Von had created. And for some perhaps special reason, she had not lost herself. She had not become corrupted with him, only someone already corrupted to understand what corruption is. But Von's corruption had come gradually in his childhood, just as Sophie's had. Both were not necessarily corrupted, but molded. Molded on the fringes of a controversial doctrine where there are no weaklings. But whatever they both were, that night they had met.
.
.
.
Sophie was walking hurriedly through the Cerminian streets. With the snow falling there was almost no one except her, Blair and a Von farther away. Sophie held Blair's hand and almost ran, dragging the girl along. The assassin was trailing behind, staring wildly at the flakes that danced through the air. His brown hair fell across his face and swayed in the icy breeze. He paid no attention to the two in front of him, in fact, paying attention was the only thing he hadn't done in the last six hours.
When Von woke up, his bed was empty. But not that his empty bed was synonymous with an empty soul. When his eyes opened and he slowly saw his surroundings, there were no pangs in his heart, no desolation, but rather a relief. A relief because Von knew his cowardice, he didn't know how to look at Sophie. Still in his bed, the sheet highlighted something that not only calmed the sea inside him, but also gave him a comforting feeling. A strand of red hair. That long strand, which made almost a musical shape on his pillow, almost uncovered his eyes. But Von was not prepared for what was to come in the near future.
Tears welled up in Blair Rudra's eyes as Sophie quickened her steps. She struggled to make sure she didn't let go of the redhead's icy hand, even with gloves on, Blair could feel the balmy temperature Sophie could provide her. After a few minutes, Blair could no longer see Von, the only thing she could see were the red strands flying towards her.
- Here we are! - Sophie stopped in front of a large old-looking wooden house, looked at Blair and saw how red the girl was. - Did I run too fast? -
- No... - Blair blushed even more.- I'm just not used to running. -
- If you want to be a Chasseur, you have to learn at least this much! - Sophie said on impulse, and saw Blair bite her lips. She didn't choose this, was the thought that invaded her mind later. But what had been said, was said. - Von, I'm going in.- she turned back, but didn't see him.
The breeze along with the blizzard chilled her spine, Sophie felt her breathless for a few seconds and thought quickly. She touched the knocker, and put her fingers to her lips. A middle-aged woman came out of the door and gave Blair a disdainful look.
- Diana, I have to go. - She turned to Blair: -I'll be right back. - As she said that, she ran through the snow.
.
.
.
The footprints in the snow showed Sophie where to go. That place, which didn't even have a proper civilization, stunned her simply because that was where she had made her worst memories. They were in a place further away from Cermina, where the inhabitants were not as hostile as those underground, but were stricter than the latter.
Despite her acquired trust, Sophie had learned never to fully trust anyone - this was true even for herself. Von may be the killer he was, but she could understand him at a certain point. And after much snow on her face, and even a few slips, she found him. He was leaning against a crumbling wall, feeling the snow falling on his shoulders.
- For a second I thought you ran away. - She said in a disapproving tone as she approached him, standing a meter away.
- Why would I run away, Miss Chasseur? - He answered bitterly, Sophie couldn't see his eyes, his hair fringe covered them.
- I asked myself the same question.
- There's nowhere else I want to go. - He leaned off the wall -I'm definitely quite comfortable at the mansion.-
- Blair almost missed the appointment. - Sophie had given up trying to look at him, and fixed her green eyes on the snow-covered grass.
- It wasn't up to me at any time. -
- Yes, but it was up to me. - She sighed. - I have to get back. - Sophie turned and walked back to Diana's house.
Twenty minutes had passed and Sophie was bored inside the dark room. From what she knew of Diana, they wouldn't be leaving that room any time soon. Sophie was now watching the room carefully, it hadn't seemed so scary since she was seven years old. In fact, that room, which had a strong presence of dark red and brown, was quite beautiful. It smelled like apple tea, and the glass windows were painted red and yellow.
She hadn't spent half an hour inside that house and had already left in search of the assassin that she by then knew very well. She walked with light steps and he was still in the same place, leaning against the same wall as if the memories were torturing him. Deep inside, Sophie knew that she hadn't left the house because she was bored, but because she needed to see him. It was as if she felt that Von was calling her, as if he was begging her not to be left alone.
- It's still afternoon, isn't it? - She said, putting her cold hands in the pockets of her overcoat. - I know a café nearby.-
- Is that an invitation? - He leaned away and gave her an angry look.
- A try.- She swallowed hard. She stepped forward and pretended to touch Von's shoulder. Sophie saw his strength die, leaving his hand still in the air, as it had once before. She looked at the white skin almost blending with the snow on the ground, closed her fist and looked coldly at Von.- I can do this all day long, Von.-
- "this" what? - He blinked disdainfully.
- I could feed your cowardice for the rest of the day.- Sophie spat out the words ruthlessly.
Sophie saw his strength die, leaving his hand still in the air, as it had once before. She looked at the white skin almost blending with the snow on the ground, closed her fist and looked coldly at Von.- I can do this all day long, Von.
She looked at the white skin almost blending with the snow on the ground, closed her fist and looked coldly at Von.- I can do this all day long, Von. -
- "this" what? - He blinked disdainfully.
- I can spend all day feeding your cowardice.- Sophie spat out the words ruthlessly.
- Am I being cowardly? - Von laughed ironically.
- You're running away from me. - She spoke almost in a whisper, as if she finally admitted a single truth.
- Is that being a coward? - He quirked an eyebrow.
-In my view, yes. - Sophie tightened her grip, trying not to show anger. -Are you running away just because now I know about your fears? Von, this is pathetic! -
- Am I being cowardly? - Von laughed ironically.
- You're running away from me. - She spoke almost in a whisper, as if she finally admitted a single truth.
- Is that being a coward? - He quirked an eyebrow.
-In my view, yes. - Sophie tightened her grip, trying not to show anger. Are you running away just because now I know about your fears? Von, this is pathetic!
-Pathetic is you trying to be a good girl! Why the hell did you bring Blair here? Why the hell were you in my room yesterday? I didn't need you! - he exploded.
- As far as I remember it was you who showed up at my door like a dog without an owner!-
- Because you went there! You might as well have just ignored me like I was nothing.-
- Just like you do with everything? - She swallowed hard at what she had just said. She stared into her brown pupils, and sighed heavily. - And I... I'm... I'm sorry. This is not a good place to discuss it. -
- What is Diana Hoziv? - After a few seconds of silence, he asked.
- Corruption in human form. - Finally, she declared.
.
.
.
- I'm not a fan of coffee, Sophie. - Von said bitterly as they walked into a bar.
- I prefer hot chocolate, but we're in Carsin. - She sat down on a leather stool, and Von sat down beside her.
- What's so great about this village? - He had looked at her without resentment for the first time that day.
- What's so important about Carsin?- Sophie laughed. -Maybe it's because my grandfather was born here. -
- What does it matter if your grandfather was born here?
- It's a breeding ground for murderers.- She turned to the man behind the counter and made a "two" sign with her hand. - Don't trust anyone in this village. Never. -
- Why did you leave Blair in the hands of a murderer? -
- Diana won't kill Blair, Von. - She said it as if it were something obvious.
- You said yourself not to trust anyone, Sophie. -
- Diana wouldn't put a noose around her own neck unless she was out of her mind! - She spoke a little loudly and laughed.
- You talk about her as if she were a close relative. -
- I've spent a lot of time here. I met a lot of people.-
-How old were you? -
- Seven, but I stayed until I was twelve, coming here. When I turned ten I stayed a long time, almost a year. - She said bitterly, and the man brought her two medium coffees.- Do you still have the same process, Julius?-
-Yes. - The man answered her dryly, and turned and walked to the counter, where he disappeared through a black curtain.
- I sensed a hostility.Are all the inhabitants unfriendly? - Von took a sip of coffee and grimaced. -Hot.
- Von took a sip of coffee and grimaced. - Hot.
- Burned your tongue, did you? - Sophie laughed. - Oh, no... Julius has his reasons. - She narrowed her eyes and laughed, taking a sip as well.- Although this village would look very nice for you, arrogant and cold.
- You know I'm only like this when you deserve it. -
- Heh! Did I deserve anything for yesterday? - She grimaced. - You don't know how much... - She stopped as she felt her face flush.-I was sleepy yesterday.- she concluded, trying not to let the words that wanted to come out escape.
- Why didn't you go back to your room? - He chuckled sideways, noticing her embarrassment.
- I couldn't... - Sophie whispered as she took another sip of coffee.- But Julius had a platonic crush on me.
- For you? - Von laughed nervously. - A platonic crush? -His laughter subsided, and Von calmed down.
- Yes, a platonic passion. - She narrowed her eyes.- Did you know that your laugh said it all, Von? - She took another sip of coffee.
- "said it all", Soph? - He laughed sarcastically. - How?
- You laughed too fast. Jealous, are you? - She squeezed his cheeks.
- Where are your gloves, Sophie? - Von spoke seriously.
- I didn't get . - She looked away from him at the ends of Von's hair. He, in one swift movement, removed the black gloves he was wearing and gave them to Sophie.
- Put them - His voice was husky and domineering.
- No need. - Sophie's only mistake at this point was to look into Von's eyes. The brown irises were intriguing and intimidating, a killer's look.
- Put it on, Sophie. -He said again and Sophie felt a chill in her stomach. She put the gloves on her cold hands gently, and took Von's hand, intertwining their fingers.
.
.
.
- VON! STOP! - Sophie shouted in between giggles. - IT'S TICKLING! -
- So you give up? - he said in a hoarse voice next to her ear.
They were both lying on the snow-covered grass next to each other. Although she liked the cold, Sophie did not like the contact of the snow with her bare skin. Von would put a little snow on the back of Sophie's neck when she was distracted. Sophie would laugh and then the ice would start to melt.
- Stop... That's no good. - She shivered and laughed, turning to lean her head against Von's arm.
- Are you telling me this doesn't count? The actual cheating?
- Heh, me cheating? - She grabbed his arm, moving closer and closer.
- Still playing dumb.-
-If I confirm, will you stop putting your icy hand on the back of my neck?-
- Uh, no.- He laughed and took some more snow and put it on the back of her neck.
- HEY, STOP! - Sophie shook herself shaking off the snow - It burns! - She made a pitying face. -We look like two children who've never seen snow. -
- I don't like snow. - He stood up and looked at the sky, trying to see the moon that was beginning to appear.
- You don't like snow, but I've never seen you so spontaneous. - Sophie still sat on the ground, looking up at the snow that was beginning to fall. - It's snowing again.-
- It had stopped? I didn't even notice it.-
- Why don't you like the snow? - she asked curiously.
- I almost died of hypothermia. - Von kept looking at the moon as if trying to find a lost time.
- I would love to know that story. - He looked at her when she said this. The smile on Sophie's lips made it clear that knowing why Von had almost died of hypothermia was not her real intention.
- Why? - He turned again to the sky. - You are a sadist. -
-And you're not? - Sophie stood up and, in one swift movement, hugged Von behind his back. - Tell me you don't like the snow now. -
- How can you do this, Sophie?- Von whispered in a pained voice. -The same thing happened last night. -
- What? - she asked. Von turned quickly and grabbed her by the back of the neck, almost colliding their faces, so that they both couldn't look away.
- Know what's inside. - Sophie blushed at what he had said and a heat came over her.
- We are alike.- She whispered awkwardly. Von looked away and Sophie saw a fire reflected in his brown pupils.
It wasn't desire. It wasn't desire for her body, or anything like that. It was fire. It took Sophie a few seconds to connect all the information, but when she saw Von's gaze on her, she was sure. It was fire. Some house was burning, and Sophie hoped with all her strength that her intuition was wrong.
Except that Sophie's intuition was never wrong. And as the two of them ran to the place where the flames were spreading, she saw very clearly how destruction begins with small details. Von kept watching the moon, recapitulating all the events of the last twenty-four hours and almost lost in thought. All his desolation, all his anger and all his arrogance, were melted away by that woman beside him. That woman who watched Diana Hoziv's house catch fire. That woman who had comforted him for an entire night. A woman who was now no longer called a girl. Sophie made him break away from all his concepts, from the whole gigantic world he belonged to. Von felt in another universe, as if he were oscillating between reality and fantasy. But when Sophie squeezed his hand tightly, when he saw the tears streaming from her eyes, Von saw: this was his new reality.
- Tell me what this is, Sophie.- He said after a few long seconds of thought.
- War... -