Not every prison comes to you in the form of grey cement walls and metallic bars. Not every villain will stand before you, a large monster with razor sharp teeth. Ivanna Vayas stretched lazily out across the plush red loveseat and studied the ornate gold details of the ceiling. They appeared to be all different manners of flowers and the occasional bird.
She had been stuck inside of this room for an indeterminate amount of time. Maybe it had been hours. Maybe it had been days. It wasn't as though she hadn't tried to think of ways to get out. Unscrewing the nails from furniture items to use as weapons, throwing every heavy item present at the indestructible window, that sort of thing. One of her ploys was so close to fruition that she now wore a collared chain about her neck.
Eventually she had accepted that she wasn't going to escape in any conventional sort of way. Ivanna found herself to be strangely unbothered by the notion. She had already grown to accept that Melkior Alvarsson was a rotten bastard, and she'd likely die when she outlived her use to him.
So rather than weep or wallow in her losses, she waited. The floors were a dark mahogany wood and the walls had pretty maroon peeling wallpaper. There were many comfortable items within the realm of her prison. A beanbag, two bookshelves, a cabinet full of blankets and various other small niceties. It was hardly the worst situation she had been in and she had a much greater task to focus on whilst she waited.
She needed to protect her fiance.
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The door clicked open and a dishevelled Asia Alvarsson entered the room. Ivanna sat up immediately, scanning her lover for any sign of harm. The edges of her eyes were red from crying and her hair was a mess but there was no sign of physical damage.
Ivanna sighed with gratitude and began to move as close to Asia as the chain would allow. Asia's eyes watered at the sight of the woman as she seemed to be trying to soak in every detail of Ivanna's face.
The graceful curve of her dark brows against her smooth caramel skin. The downturn shape of her light brown eyes and the slight bowedness of her lips. Asia wanted to memorise all of it and hold it forever in her mind. Soon enough she stepped into the woman's circle of reach and Ivanna took Asia's thin hands between her own.
She pulled the hands to her lips and planted a gentle kiss there, before locking eyes with the sad blue orbs before her. Asia was a complete mess and made no real move to hide it. Ivanna felt her blood begin to boil at the thought of Melkior and what he wanted Asia to do. She couldn't stand for it.
"Are you okay, love?"
Asia shrugged numbly, burying her head in Ivanna's collarbones.
"Are you?"
Ivanna gave no answer and instead scooped Asia up, carrying her over to the loveseat. Asia slipped her pale arms around her lover's neck and made no move to stop the action. When they were seated, Ivanna cupped Asia's face in her hands and forced the woman to look at her.
"You can't do what he wants."
Asia frowned deeply.
"But-"
"No buts. He's a sick bastard."
"He's my father."
The sharpness of Asia's voice snapped warningly and Ivanna let out a sigh. Her hands slipped from Asia's face and she nodded.
Asia's brows drew together nervously and she began to pick at her hands. It was rather hard to defend a man who had your lover kidnapped. Even knowing all the horrible things he had done to her mother, it was very hard for her to hate him.
"Ivanna…"
Her accented voice trailed off when she realised there wasn't really anything that could be said. She was stuck between two very different worries and eventually one of them was going to give. Asia wasn't sure she could stand to lose Ivanna.
"You can not let him make you do that."
Asia's face was full of irritation now and her firsts clenched in her lap.
"And how can I stop him?!"
When the both of them realised that Asia had yelled, they blinked at each other. Eventually Ivanna smiled a little and pecked a slight kiss on the latter's nose.
"You can't. But you know someone who can."
Asia flinched slightly. They'd had this same conversation almost every time she had been able to visit, and Ivanna had always held tight to the same hope.
"I can't go to him."
"You can."
Asia pouted again, taking in a slow and shaky breath. Ivanna noticed her fear and began to run her hands through the girl's hair slowly. It wasn't that Asia had any doubt her brother would help her. It wasn't that she doubted his ability to help her either. It was more so that she couldn't guarantee Ivanna's safety in the mix. It was a situation which seemed to have no solid answer.
"Asia, I will be okay."
"You can't possibly know that for sure."
Tears were streaming down the blonde woman's face now freely. When Ivanna spotted the glistening cheeks she started to plant chaste kisses across them. One, nose. Two, left cheek. Three, eyebrow. At first Asia felt no change until the tears were spread this way and that, and she was forced to realise how ridiculous it all was. Then Asia let out a small chuckle and Ivanna smiled.
"You have to be strong for me, mi sol."
Asia smiled lightly at the pet name and nodded.
"Okay. I won't do it. But I can't go to Adriel yet either"
Ivanna felt a deep relief in her and she closed her eyes, hugging Asia tightly to her chest like a treasure which could be swept from her at any moment.
Asia Alvarsson would be the death of her.
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