"Theodora... Please... help me. I'm so sorry... Please... save me..." His begging continued as he climbed the steep stairs at the end of the hallway leading to the villa's courtyard.
She sighed, "Where is Niko, my lord?" She was tired of this game. She wanted him to suffer. Suffer as she had suffered. To feel the collective pain that had been caused by his hands and orders. "You know... I'm beginning to think you don't know where Niko is."
Theodora ran the black blade across her finger, slicing it easily, the sharpness barely stinging her skin. She drew a thin line across her calloused thumb and watched the blood rise to the surface slowly at first, then burst from the seam before trickling down her finger, "But I know where he is..."
The General had taken her everywhere, not letting her out of his sight for a single moment since fate had brought them together. As the war moved along, the two of them sliced thier way through legions of men. They had searched tirelessly for months during the campaign, looking for Niko, listening for any word of a deformed boy, born without an arm. But there was none. General Tualon's vast resources aided her search, discovering that the description of such a boy had been tossed into a shallow grave outside of town years ago. He had come from the Lord of Felal's villa with a dozen of other dead slaves. Theodora remembered hearing the news as if it were fresh in her ears. Still, they seemed like a lie, though she knew deep down they weren't.
The hallway opened up onto a large marble terrace. The night sky blazed orange as the villa around her burned, the light from the flames bounced off the clouds that covered the sky, casting everything in an ominous glow. The sound of clashing swords had diminished and only shouts and yelling could be heard in the distance. It was suddenly quiet, almost peaceful... almost beautiful.
A light drizzle started to fall, and the raindrops felt cool on her skin. She looked up into the sky, and wondered what her brother felt before his death. She could only hope it had been quick and painless...
"W-what do you mean, T-Theodora? Niko... Niko is alive. I promise! Help me escape and I will bring him to you!" The man sobbed at her feet clutching her ankles, his graying face streaked with tears. He wailed and begged. Pitiful, disgusting. He never showed anyone mercy, yet he had the audacity to bawl like a coward at her feet. She would not allow it. He had not shown her or any other slave the same mercy when they begged naked and broken at his feet. He wasn't deserving of death. Death would be a gift, and he needed to suffer first.
Her blue eyes glared down at him. Filled with hate, malice, and unquenchable anger. "Disgusting..." She whispered down at him, his eyes growing wide with fear. She kicked him hard in the jaw sending him flying backward.
"I know where my brother is." Theodora walked toward him, he tried to crawl away from her. She stepped on his back pushing him flat onto his fat, round stomach. She leaned down and grabbed a fistful of his hair yanking it back, forcing him to look at the sky.
"You freed him long ago... Perhaps in death you could find him for me...." She slid her knife down the side of his face, her sharpened blade, splitting his swollen skin cleanly with barely any pressure. "But first, my lord... I must settle some favors." He sobbed, begged, cried, but it only fueled her anger.
She cut off his tongue, ears, and fingers. She blinded him, castrated him, and mutilated his face until it was nothing but raw twitching meat. Finally, after admiring her handiwork she slit his throat and stood over him watching the blood drain from his body. He gurgled and sputtered, twitched and convulsed until his body stilled.
Tears streamed down her face. She had hoped seeing his lifeless, mutilated and tortured corpse would somehow fill the emptiness she felt inside her. But it hadn't. She had no brother, no family, and now, not even revenge. Nothing but the blade in her hands. She walked over to the terrace edge and slumped to the ground, staring at the sky, closing her eyes to feel the rain fall harder on her face. Her blood-soaked body was cleansed by the downpour.
When the rain subdued to a gentle drizzle, she opened her eyes into the night sky. It was dark, but the clouds had parted opening up to an endless sky filled with twinkling stars. Beautiful. She thought.
She heard the sound of familiar footsteps come up behind her, a heavy, comforting hand fell on her shoulder, and a large bag of coins landed at her side.
"Hmmm... Well... What will you do now, Theo?" The General spoke. His husky voice only seemed to add to the peaceful, surreal atmosphere of the night. "You're free. You can do anything you want."
She didn't say anything. She had never thought about it. What would she do now that she was free? Revenge had been the only driving force in her life, now that she had it, there was nothing left. She slumped her shoulders, looking down at the black blade in her hands, the deep red blood that stained her hands faded to pink, then nothing as the rain washed it away. Leaving her hands clean. But they weren't really clean. They could never be clean again.
"I... don't know... I don't know, General... There's nothing left for me..." The emptiness inside her threatened to consume her. All she wanted to do was close her eyes, and disappear. Wash away like the blood that was trickling down the marble.
"Hmm..." The General calmy sat next to her, removing the sharply angled helmet from his head, exposing his brown hair that was braided out of his amber eyes. His expertly crafted armor made him look like a God of War. The bronze metal, thick red leather, gauntlets, and intimidating Gladiator helmet were splattered with blood. "Why don't you come back to Gresas with me, Theo. I'm planning some things... I could use your help. I'd be grateful if you joined me."
Theodora thought he would toss her aside after their mission was complete. She was sure he would have grown tired of her. She had helped him bring the war to an end, and he had helped her have her revenge. Their deal was done.
She turned to look at him and for a moment thought she saw her father in his face and an overwhelming feeling of admiration swelled in her chest. The General had seen her, the real her, and in the last six months had lifted her to new heights. Life was good. He treated her with respect and gave her a way to take back her life. She was so absorbed in finishing her mission, she hadn't realized that the General seemed to fill the empty hole in her heart.
It was at that moment she decided to devote herself to him. She would follow him to the ends of the earth.
Sheathing her blade on her thigh, Theodora stood, holding out her hand towards Lyonis to help him stand, "Where to next, General?" He grabbed her forearm, and she helped pull him to his feet. A smile formed on his lips, and he ruffled her hair.
...
...
Theodora took a long drag of her cigarette. "He saved me... He set me free." She looked over at Cordelia, who was watching her face from the corner of her large grey-green eyes. "I owe him my life."
Cordelia spoke softly, deep in her thoughts, "How long have you been with him?" Her posture stiffened slightly and Theodora wondered what about her comment had bothered her.
"Fifteen years. It's been a long time. We met when I was only fourteen."
"And you were an assassin? At fourteen?" Cordelia looked at her with disbelief and awe. "That is amazing.... You two are quite a pair. I'm sure... He is quite important to you." She looked away. Her grey-green eyes sparkled with jealously and misunderstanding. For as old as the witch was rumored to be, it seemed her experience with love and relationships was minimal. Without turning to face Theodora, she opened her mouth once more, "You must really love him..." And while the witch tried to hide her displeasure on her stoic face, Theodora read her easily.
"I do love him." Theodora laughed at the innocent remark, and she saw the witch slump slightly, disappointed, " The Commander... He is like a father to me. He raised me, gave me purpose and structure when I had none." Cordelia glanced at her, watching her face. Softness returned to her light grey-green eyes. "I hope that clears up any misunderstandings, Madame VonElise. The Commander IS dear to me, but.... He is not my type. I prefer the company of women."
Cordelia's eyes widened slightly, and nodded. Theodora could see her ears redden in embarrassment, "I apologize, Theodora. That was... arrogant of me to assume. I just... Oh... I don't know..." The black-haired witch shook her head slightly in frustration, a scowl plastered on her face and she huffed deeply, as if angry and conflicted with herself. "I'll be honest with you... I am not good at this sort of thing. Lyonis... He feels different to me. He.... makes me feel... different." She stumbled over her words, unsure how to express her emotions with words, and Theodora couldn't help but think how cute she was. It made her want to tease her. Lyonis's infatuation with her suddenly made a bit more sense.
"Commander Tualon will love to hear about this. I cannot wait to tell him you were jealous..." Theodora smirked at Cordelia, who blinked at her with shock and horror. But the look quickly disappeared, and her stoic expression returned to her. "I'm sure you understand, Madame... I tell him everything." Cordelia simply nodded as if it was a fact of life. She could almost hear the witch's thoughts, telling herself 'Of course she would tell him everything. She is loyal to him. It's only natural.'
Cordelia stiffened again before speaking, "Does... Lyonis have.... another woman I should know about? I don't want... to disrespect anyone."
Theodora couldn't help herself and burst out laughing. She clutched her stomach and bent over. The Commander? A woman? Absolutely not. Not once in her entire time with Lyonis had she seen him pursue the affections of another woman. Occasionally, he would bed one of the many women who pursued him to satisfy his own needs. But it never went deeper than that. Honestly, Theodora didn't think Lyonis was even interested in the opposite sex. For her first few years under him, Theodore actually thought her mentor was abstinent and hated women.
"No. No, Madame. He does not have anyone else," she said, finally collecting herself. "You shouldn't question his honor or intentions. The Commander is not impulsive - at least not with matters of the heart. I have never seen him pursue a lady before. Actually, its a bit odd." She glanced over at Cordelia, whose face burned even redder, "I was wondering if maybe.... you had enchanted him. Maybe you slipped some love potion in his tea?"
The witch shook her head once and pursed her lips as if she didn't like her own honor being questioned. "Matters of the heart cannot be swayed in such a way, Theodora. Especially with mana as strong as Lyonis's. Even if such a thing were possible... He would not be so easily influenced." Theodora still didn't trust the witch, but her responses and actions seemed authentic. Only time would tell if that trust was misplaced.
"Then it seems your affections with one another are genuine," Theodora smiled up at the sky and wondered what would happen when it came time for them to leave. Her Commander was not acting like himself around this woman. With each passing day, his infatuation with her only seemed to grow. "Madame... Enjoy your time with the Commander while we are here. Don't dwell too much on it and just trust that he is a good, honest person. I really don't think you need me to determine that for yourself."
The pair walked down the street, slipping away from the chaos of the main strip. Favoring a smaller path deeper into the city to talk with ease as they walked toward Cordelia's apothecary. The alley was narrow and quiet; distant sounds of celebration could be heard beyond the brick buildings surrounding them. Oil lamps along the street and the dim light from surrounding windows barely lit the path.
"Oui! You two!" A man's slimy voice called out from behind them. Cordelia kept walking as if she hadn't heard a thing, and Theodora took her lead. "Ey! We're talking to you!" Another man's voice rang out through the empty alley, "Come on, ladies. Don't ignore us! We know you can hear us. We just want to talk..."
Two other men slipped into the alley ahead of them from a connecting street, stepping in front of them. The two behind could be heard walking towards them. The group had them trapped in the narrow alley. Cordelia continued to walk forward as if she couldn't even see them, completely at ease, stopping in the cast of a large shadow in the middle of the passage. Theodora glanced around; the two men behind them were approaching quickly, thier postures threatening, thier eyes glazed over in drunken lust. The two in front had blocked the narrow alley ahead of them, thier eyes also staring at them with hunger.
"What's a couple of fine women doing out by yourselves? Doncha know it's dangerous?" One of the men in front leaned forward slightly; his arms crossed over his chest. They weren't large or strong men. They weren't intimidating in the slightest. Theodora knew she could single-handedly take them on. In thier drunken state, they would be easy to dispose of. She slipped a secret blade concealed on the inside of her waistband into her palm, hiding it in her clutches.
Cordelia's whole body was suddenly cloaked in a dark shadow, and Theodora could barely make out the definitions of the woman's feminine face. "Gentlemen," She said, her voice laced with collected contempt, "Let us pass. I'm sure you could find other lovely ladies who would rather enjoy your company tonight. You would be far better off in thier care." The four men walked closer to them, surrounding them in the narrow alley. Theodora stiffened and was about to lunge when she felt Cordelia's hand touch her forearm, stopping her.
"Hohoho... I doubt that, princess..." The four circled them, thier bodies encroaching on thier personal space, making Theodora tense. "Why don't you ladies let us take care of you tonight... Don't worry... It's quiet back here; nobody will hear us." The other men chuckled evilly. "Don't try to get away... or scream... Just be quiet, and it won't hurt that bad. We'll try to be gentle with ye." The ugly man who had been talking flipped a small dull knife in his hand. He played with it in his hands. An evil smile crossed his face.
Theodora felt the atmosphere shift around them as if the already dark alleyway started swallowing any light emitted from surrounding buildings. It was as if a thin black blanket shrouded them. Even the light from the sky and stars above them seemed to fade. It grew cold and foggy breath escaped the men's lips as they panted disgustingly. They didn't even seem to notice, thier greedy beady eyes fixated on thier targets. Cordelia stood still as stone. Her blank expression was unchanging and devoid of any emotion. The air around her seemed to warp slightly, distorting as if heat radiated off her. The men inched closer, reaching thier hands out towards them with disgusting intention.
"Hmm.... It seems we are not in the presence of men... But pigs." Cordelia said, suddenly breaking the silence. Her grey-green eyes seemed to glow in the dark as if they were the only source of light in the small space. "But even pigs would be better company..."
"Feeling tough, ey bitch? Don't worry. I'll fix that tongue of yours." One of the men reached up to slap her, but before his palm hit her cheek, he froze. His open palm stopped mere inches from Cordelia's porcelain cheek, and his eyes widened in fear and confusion, "W-what? What the fuck is happening?"
Theodora watched as all four men froze; they struggled and fought against the invisible force holding them, grunting and cursing, the whites of thier eyes shining in fear. A smile tugged at Theodora's lips as she looked over at Cordelia. The witch had anger flaring in her eyes, and a strong, intimidating force seemed to ooze from around her. It was an exhilarating, powerful presence - similar to what she had felt in the Commander. Theodora couldn't help but feel excitement bud in her chest.
"You never know what you'll find in an alleyway." Cordelia's eyes were unblinking, "And you're right, sir... It is dangerous in the shadows." Without warning, the man's wrist, who had swung at her, snapped backward at an aggressive angle, his fingers touching the back of his forearm. He yelled out but was instantly stifled as his lips shut closed. His mouth refused to open.
"Oh no, no, no.... Don't try to get away... or scream... Just be quiet, and it won't hurt that bad. We'll try to be gentle with you.." Her words mimicked his, and a small smile formed over her lips as she reached up to place her palm gently against his face. He screamed behind sealed lips, his head twitching violently. Fear and pain crashed over his face as his large frightened eyes started to bleed. Blood trickled down his face from his eyes, nose and ears.
The men around twitched against the invisible force, trying to escape. They grunted and yelled behind closed lips, like flies caught in a spider's web. "It seems no one has taken the time to teach you manners," Cordelia spoke softly, almost motherly. It was eerie and terrifyingly calm, sending excited shivers down Theodora's spine. It had been so long since she had felt such a new and terrifying power. "Shhh shhh shhh... It will only feel worse if you fight against it. You must learn that there are consequences to your actions."
The darkness around them reached new depths. It was as if the entire world had been swallowed into nothingness, removing all traces of life and warmth. Theodora couldn't even see an inch in front of her nose. When the light returned slowly to the narrow alleyway, the men were gone with it, as if they had been absorbed into the shadows. Cordelia sighed deeply and looked over at Theodora, her eyes thick with apology. "That was unpleasant. I apologize, Theodora."
"What... Where did they go?" Theodora couldn't help but feel shocked at what had just happened.
"Beni took care of them. They won't be bothering anyone ever again." She spoke with love and affection in her voice as a black cat with two long tails slinked up beside her as if out of thin air. Theodora hadn't heard or felt him even approach them. Reaching down to scoop him up in her arms, Cordelia stroked his fur, and the cat purred loudly. Its large golden eyes stared unblinking at Theodora.
"Is this your fabled familiar?" Theodora asked as they continued their walk down the alleyway as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
"Yes. This is Benoni." Cordelia snuggled into his coat like a child holding a kitten. Her cheerful disposition returned as she stroked the cat in her arms before placing him back down on the cobblestone steps. "Thank you, Beni. Happy hunting." The eerie black cat seemed to nod in response as it slinked back into the shadows out of sight just as quickly as it had arrived.
"What happened to those men?" Theodora asked, watching the cat disappear into the shadows. It seemed to melt away into nothing as soon as it slinked deeper into the dark alleyway.
Cordelia shrugged, "Who knows? But Beni will make sure they won't be able to hurt anyone ever again."
Theodora had always had a strong connection with animals ever since she was very young. She had been gifted with The Sight, as her father had explained to her, where she could form bonds with animals to see through their eyes and call upon them for help. Her affinity towards animals made her sensitive to almost all creatures, but she hadn't felt any animalistic presence coming from the cat. It was as if he were an entirely different being.
Her first impression of Cordelia was that the woman was a meak, broken person. She knew there was probably more to the Witch of Ville Marais than met the eyes. But to what end? She couldn't say. After that display of unseen power, Theodora only had more questions. And she was torn between whether or not Cordelia's actions should make her more apprehensive or more trusting of the witch. The witch had put on a small show of her power in front of Theodora for a reason. But that reason was a mystery. Perhaps the witch had wanted to silently threaten her, demonstrating her power to intimidate her. Or maybe it was simply an act of good faith - to show they were on the same side. Theodora could not say. Silence fell between them, and before she knew it, the apothecary came into view.
"Well, Theodora. Thank you for walking me back. I appreciate your time and company this evening. Would you like to come in for some tea?" Cordelia flicked her wrist, and the front door popped open. A soft glow filled the space and filtered through the closed linen curtain pulled over the window.
"Perhaps another time, Madame VonElise. I must be getting back to the Inn. Someone needs to keep an eye on the crew. Thank you for this evening." She clicked her tongue a moment before speaking again. There was a lot for her to ponder after what had transpired. "But... If you don't mind. I would like to continue our conversation another day."
Cordelia flashed a brilliant smile at Theodora. One that was filled with a warm eagerness, as if the witch not only welcomed but longed for her company. "Of course, Theodora. I look forward to it." And with that, the witch disappeared behind the door and out of sight. Theodora stood in the street for a while, watching the lights downstairs turn off and the lights on the third story flicker on. There was much to contemplate as she walked back to the Inn, lost in her thoughts.