The gates look even bigger than Ercilia remembers.
It opened with a mighty creak, and while the woman beside her walked into it without hesitation, she was struck unmoving by the sudden rush of dread and trepidation. Something bad is going to happen - not that a traitor like her should still be confounded.
Every fibre of her being is telling her to run and hide and escape, but knowing that her chance to do so has already long passed, she only steels herself there and stays still.
"Ercilia?"
The woman called for her from somewhere within the dim pathway. Her bright crimson-red hair and electric cobalt-blue eyes seem to lit up like a torch in the dark - a light that won't lead her to the end of the tunnel. Ercilia gulped down her fear, forcing out every ounce of courage she had left and dragging her feet forward.
"I'm coming, Aunt Ruxandra."
In a wider portion of the passage, there was a flicker of light that was coming from a lamp that looked old - almost ancient. Under its uneven illumination stood her aunt and an old woman.
She has a slightly malicious smile on her face and is dressed in an all-black outfit.
"Dear, say hello to Grandmother Guinevere..." Ruxandra said with a soft smile.
"She's going to mold you into a perfect Viatrix - just like she did me."
"Pleasure to meet you, Ercilia..." Guinevere greeted with a soft smile of her own.
"I'm glad we finally met."
An act.
It's all an act.
Ercilia smiles back brightly, deciding to play along with whatever they're up to.
She knows her position here, and she knows that she'll be punished. However, they still bothered to go through all these pleasantries and whatnot. That's not to say that they're being lenient, though. If anything, it only unsettles her even more.
'How suspicious,' was what Ercilia thought.
Guinevere came closer and took a lock of her hair. She pinched her cheeks and made her turn around as if studying her from head to toe. Ruxandra simply observed them through it all.
"Impressive recruit as always. Good job," Guinevere snickered.
"Always an honour," Ruxandra replied with a grin.
Ercilia froze, taking in what she'd just been called.
Now, she gets it. She's going to be taken in as a recruit, and considering the fact that she's supposed to be getting some sort of death sentence right now, she can only wonder what kind of training ground she's about to be thrown into -
An even worse hellhole, no doubt.
"Now, Ercilia, do you understand what you are going to do?"
Ruxandra smiled down at her, grabbing her arm roughly - her nails digging harshly in her skin. It was then that Ercilia knew that the real deal was finally happening. Guinevere walked to a corner then, seemingly having a conversation with someone in the dark.
"You're so lucky, dear. You're still getting a chance."
Her throat went dry when the old woman started walking back, and soon enough, the light fell on the person she was just talking to. It's this massive hulk of a man with a rugged, burly build, a detached look on his face, and a loaded rifle in his hand.
Ercilia recognizes him as the notorious private instructor of the Viatrix clan.
"A-Aunt Ruxandra, w-what's the meaning of this...?" she stammered out, perplexed and unnerved.
"Are you going to-"
Ruxandra cut her off with a slap across her face.
She recoiled from her in pain, stunned at the assault. Her other hand still held her firm - so firm that it'd most likely leave a bruise or two.
"You know, Ercilia, I was like you once - a rebellious child who was led astray by pointless ideals and naive philosophies..." Ruxandra started again, speaking with kindness that could not be sensed from her iron grip and the searing pain she had inflicted on her niece.
"Grandmother was the one who saw potential in me after I got banished from the family. She offered me a choice. Die at this very moment or become the mafia's tool and stay alive."
"I'm offering you the same choice, Ercilia..." Guinevere said encouragingly.
"Be wise about it. You only have one chance."
"I would rather die..." Ercilia spat out, enraged.
"I can never be like any of you! You're all vile and cruel! You're the worst!"
Ruxandra narrows her eyes in irritation. Even then, Ercilia only returns her expression of aggravation with a disdainful one, not backing down.
It may be stupid of them to give a traitor another chance to work for the mafia again, but since she is often deemed as quite the rare one - skilled, talented and competent at such a young age, it is somehow understandable that they are willing to go with this option.
"You don't understand, dear. If you won't accept this, there's only death waiting for you..." Ruxandra cooed, smirking devilishly.
"You may curse this family all you want, but are you prepared to curse your whole life too?"