"Yes I'm fine." He told her. "It was simply like getting the wind knocked out of me." He grabbed her hand, stood and pulled her to him putting his other arm around her waist. "Now enough stalling. Are you ready to start the day?" He leaned his face down a bit till his forehead touched hers. As swim as contact was made the room melted away and they were standing in the middle of town. Her clothes had been returned to a proper dress for the outside and his clothes had also been fixed. He released her from his grip and stepped back. "First things first." He smoothed his hair back. "We find a friend of mine. He's an old fellow that likes to know what is going on in the dark."
"Depends on what that entails.." she was beginning to say when they were suddenly standing in town. A bit confused as to when that happened she gave a sigh and began to tie her hair into a bun now that they were out again. "For what exactly?" she questioned, the uneasiness ever growing within her. She looked from left to right, assessing the groups of people out and about. How had they not noticed their sudden appearance?
Even angels have their wicked schemes, and you take that to new extremes.
Dante ignored the strange stares from the couple of people that noticed their sudden appearance. No one would ever believe that they had just appeared out of thin air. "I need to know if there are some unwanted guests in my area. Then after I dispose of them we will continue as planned." He put her hand in the crook of his arm and led her towards the more shady part of town. A few men who watched from the shadows eyed them carefully. Even though they were supposed to be normal folk their clothes were still more expensive looking, that of wealthy merchants.
Dante continued down the darker streets of close buildings and strange, unpleasant smells until he stopped in front of a a house that seemed in very ill repair. Even in comparison to the rest of the slum like houses. Dante knocked six times on the door and waited. "Keep your mouth shut. Even if you are provoked or asked a direct question." Dante glanced at her.
A few seconds later an old woman opened the door. She hunched over and only had three teeth when she smiled. Her face was wrinkled and a mouse scurried under her shall when she laughed a cackling sound. "Dante, what a pleasant surprise. Come to the temptress for more fun?" She laughed again and winked at him.
"No, I need questions answered, and you still owe me witch." Dante answered. The old woman nodded, looking disappointed. "Yes yes, come in." She said and moved inside the dark dwelling. Inside was crowed with furniture that didn't match what so ever. A greenish sofa, and a red marble table with blue covered seats. In the center of the room was a giant cooking pot over a fire. The room was very warm because of it.
"So what do you want to know Dante?" She asked and sat in a giant backed chair that looked like a throne. "What other visitors are into area? I know they usually check in here." He asked, he kept a firm and protective grip on Havanneh and was silently thankful that the witch hadn't taken any special notice to her.
"Hmm, I suppose you already saw Raphael. Since he was wanting to meet you anyway. Other than that I'd say there are about twenty others that have come in. They all kept their reasons to themselves. An unusually high number for the times. What you been doing Dante?" Her eyes shifted to Havanneh and a wicked sparkle shown in them as she took the young woman in. "Is this the woman who you took in a while ago as a pet?"
"No, Havanneh is safe at home. This is Isabelle, another of my servants and only here to serve a small purpose. Ignore her." Dante's muscles were still tense.
"I see. A shame. I wanted to meet her. The only woman to have touched a demon's heart. Or at least that's the rumor."
"Rumor? What rumor is this?" Dante demanded.
"Surely you know. Dante has been touched by human and conspires to destroy his own race." She laughed. "I guess your brethren have come in town to make sure that doesn't happen."
"Enough, witch, I came here to know where and who is in my area. Give me their names."
The old woman sighed. "Always so bossy, here." She waved her hand and a parchment with twenty names appeared in front of the two. Dante snached it out of the air before Havanneh could read it. Then turned, leading her back out the way they came.
As tempting as running would have been, Havanneh gripped onto Dante's arm nervously as they went along. The cheery peaceful look of the town gave way to an eerie, grimy one as they crossed to the less fortunate side. The stares from the shadows weren't as concerning though, it was wherever they were headed that was alarming her. Somehow Dante's definition of friend wasn't one normal people would have. What if they ran into someone else like Raphael? When they reached the door and Dante looked to her she nodded her head once, her voice too caught in the back of her throat to speak if she wanted to anyway. Had she not told Raphael her name earlier they might not even be in the situation they were in now.
Expecting another demon, handsomely disguised and noble-like she was taken back by the haggard old woman who answered the door. "Wi!"she started with an exhale, but bit on her tongue quickly before she could call the woman a witch. She looked it though, and she didn't need Dante's confirmation which followed quickly after to know it. There wasn't a human on earth who would either. She'd never seen one before though, and was surprised she hadn't even bothered to be disguised. With her wink at Dante she cringed a bit at the thought of anyone considering her a temptress. Just what does she mean by more fun. With her thoughts straying she shook her head a bit to regain focus. What Dante did and with whom he did it was none of her concern, hideous as they may be.
When the woman invited them inside she followed closely to Dante and stood waiting anxiously at his side. She didn't like it here. Everything about it made her uncomfortable. Her eyes were scanning the place as the two spoke and disgust was apparent on her face. When the witch spoke of Raphael however her interest went back to their conversation. Suddenly the witch was eyeing her, and Havanneh began shifting uncomfortably on her feet when she asked who she was. When he introduced her as Isabelle she forced a smile and nodded once in agreement before dropping her head to face the ground. Her grip was tightening on him subconsciously as they continued. Why is it they all seem to know me..I barely even leave the castle and suddenly I'm a household name?.. With the witches next words though her head snapped back up, and her eyes locked onto Dante in bewilderment. She opened her mouth to speak, but her words failed her once more so she closed it quickly. That's what this is then? They think..they think Dante and I? Was that the prophecy then? A demon would destroy his race for a human? She zoned out a bit after that, lost in thought. When the paper appeared before them she didn't bother to try and even look towards it, she wouldn't have known who they were anyway.
When he turned and led them out Havanneh followed quickly after. She was happy to be leaving that place but was still confused and almost wanted to ask the witch for more information. If twenty demons had gathered there to attack them would their disguise even be of any use? Raphael recognized Dante right away so what about the others? And what about me? If it comes down to it Dante won't need to risk an ambush when he can just kill.. Her breathing was getting short and choppy now and the color had drained from her face as the realization dawned on her. It was either the demons who'd gathered would attack them or Dante would kill her, or worse, demonize her to appease them. When she was sure the Witch was out of earshot she forced herself to speak; to gather any sliver of confirmation before she resorted back to her first plan of fleeing into the groups of humans once they were in the busier part of town again. ""Dante? What will we do?" she spoke in a shaky whisper, and though it may have seemed in order to keep her words quiet, it was simply all she could manage at the moment.
Even angels have their wicked schemes, and you take that to new extremes.
As Dante walked he read the list of names, ignoring Havanneh's question for the time being. His face seemed strained as he read and when he rolled it back up and stuffed it in the folds of his clothes he looked down to Havanneh. "I need to take care of something. Go back to the inn and wait in the room. The door will seal behind you." He paused. "Don't run from me Havanneh. There are demons looking for you that will make me seem like a benevolent god." He stroked her cheek once. "Go to the inn and do not open the door. You will be the only one who can open the door besides me. So I won't knock." He removed her hand from his arm and gave her a slight push towards the main part of town. "Go." Before she could turn around again he was gone in a puff of smoke.
(I figured something could catch her one the way to the inn, and begin our adventure
When Dante brushed off her question as if she hadn't even spoken her fist automatically balled up in anger. That was as good an answer as any. Why in the world anyone thought he cared about her enough to destroy his own kind was beyond her but she didn't care to stay and find out what they'd do about. Now all I need is an opening. she thought as they neared the better side of town. It was almost as soon as she decided she'd take off that he told her not to run. She wouldn't let it scare her for now though. That was all it was after all, or so she thought. Just a scare tactic to make sure she obeyed. Without a word of protest she huffed out an "Alright." as he shoved her forward and then he'd disappeared. She started off walking slowly, checking all about her to be sure he was really gone before she burst out into a full sprint, dodging and weaving through people as she went. She reached the inn in a matter of minutess and hurried as quickly as her feet would carry her to their room. When she entered she closed the door behind her and sure enough it sealed like he said. Wasting no time she crossed to the closet where she'd put their things the night before. The coin purse he'd given her before may not have held much gold but it would be enough for her to make it a few towns away. She grabbed it from the floor where it sat and secured it tightly to her wrist, then stuffed it up the sleeve of her dress. The thought crossed her mind that it wasn't her money to use but she shrugged it off quickly as she moved to the dresser to retrieve the letter she'd written for Myra. "I've earned this much by now anyway." Grabbing his shirt she'd hung up before she tore the fabric to form a drape to tie around her head as added concealment. Hurrying back to the door she stood at it for a moment considering her next move as she adjusted the fabric to cover her mouth and nose. With an inhale she could smell his scent still heavy on it which brought an image of him to her mind. Her hand had reached the handle of the door now, and was lingering there considering his warning. "Those demons aren't looking for me..they're after you Dante." With that she slung the door open and hurried out.
She was about to make a run for it from the inn when an idea struck her. Pulling off her covering she went to the front to find and speak with the innkeeper. "Sir, there are large towns to the east and west of this one are there not?" He answered suspiciously, telling her the closest was a days journey to the west and the east was 3 days off. She was trying her best to keep her voice even and calm but it sounded frantic nonetheless. That was alright though. She wanted the innkeeper to think she was leaving off without her husband to the nearest town. In reality her plan was to go in the opposite direction, but this way she may have been buying herself some extra time that may prove crucial to her escape later down the line. Hopefully if Dante came back looking like she'd gone missing the innkeeper would naturally tell him she ran to the town to the west. "Just a day?" she exclaimed convincingly. "That'll be perfect..I can make it in no time..and then maybe to the south from there.." she pretended to be thinking aloud. With that she gave the man a stern yet pleading look before turning on her heals to exit the inn.
When she was back outside she integrated herself with the crowds as seamlessly as she could, though with her first step back out eyes were following her closely. As she moved towards the eastern limits of the city she began to plan her route ahead of her. "The innkeeper said it was three days journey but he probably meant by carriage. By foot it'll have to be at least twice that. So what will I need? A week's worth of supplies? She'd almost forgotten she hadn't even eaten since the day before. Her stomach was growling now and suddenly she wished she'd made more of that last meal. She went on until she came across a few rows of food and water stands that seemed specifically for travelers who were just coming in or leaving out. As she browsed the many selections she was a bit upset with herself she hadn't been more thorough. Had she traveled towards the west of town to get her supplies first the whole ploy may have been more convincing, but it was too late now. There was no telling how long Dante would be gone for and he could very well be looking for her now. A few minutes of bartering later she had a small sack with about five days worth of bread and dried food, and a small blanket as well. It probably wouldn't be enough for the whole trip but she hoped somewhere along the line there would be smaller towns she could stop in to restock.
By now she'd decided to chalk the uneasiness rumbling in her gut up to hunger and tried nibbling at some fruit to help calm it. The eeriness she felt before never left her though and as she neared the edge of town the feeling only grew stronger. The number of people on the streets dwindled with every step she took but somehow she felt with every step more eyes were landing on her. Every few feet she'd steal a glance over her shoulder but it didn't seem anyone was following her. Surely Dante hasn't found me already.. Nervous now she quickened her pace. It only took a few minutes for her to make it outside of the town limits and into the openness of vast uncultivated land. Swaying carelessly in the wind about her was grass and grain which stood nearly to her waist. There was something of a makeshift stone and dirt path but she decided it was best to stay off of it.
Out there she felt more at ease than she had before; the feeling of being watched almost completely gone away. A smile was taking over her features as the thought of being free again presented itself to her finally. When she decided to run it was only so Dante wouldn't kill her or hand her over to the demons. Now that she thought about it she wasn't just surviving but gaining her freedom as well. "One day I'll be able to travel through places like these and be able to stop and feel the warmth of the sun on the plants again." she spoke in a whisper to herself as she continued on. Her pace was quicker than before but one she could keep up for a while. She wanted to get a good distance away from the town before she slowed to be sure she wouldn't be caught right away.
Some time passed and the town behind her was finally out of view. She thought that would be a good sign that her plan was going accordingly but it seemed almost as soon as she noted the town was out of sight a figure popped into view and was gaining on her fast. At first it was alone, and her heart stopped, sure it was Dante. "Not even fooled in the slightest!? she exclaimed as she clutched the bottom of her dress in both hand to allow her to run faster. As far as she made it she couldn't simply just turn herself in. No, she'd fight till the end, he'd have to catch her to kill her. Every so often she'd turn back to see how close he'd gotten and it seemed for every inch of distance she put in between them he got closer by a foot. When he was close enough to hear his steps behind her she stopped looking back all together to keep her entire focus on running. Tears were forming in her eyes at how foolish she had been to think she'd have gotten away so easily but still, she wouldn't relent. It wasn't until the footsteps behind her were so loud she could make out they had a strange pattern. It wasn't just one set but..two? Three? Finally she couldn't help herself, and she was forced to investigate, and right she was. There were now three figures, clad in black, following closely behind her. But where? Where did they even come from! she was shouting to herself as she turned back to face ahead of her when suddenly she ran smack into another. She practically ricocheted off of his chest and collided roughly with the ground. The short time it took for her to scramble back to her feet proved plenty of time for the other three had catch up to them. Dark chuckles could be heard as they circled in around her, eyeing her carefully. She could tell from their looks at least one of them was confused as to who she was, though the others didn't seem to care. Her body was shaking now, but she tried to stand as firm as she could, sizing each one of them up and her chance for escape at the same time.
(I wasn't entirely sure how you wanted to carry on from here so I figured I could pause here to let you decide.)
Even angels have their wicked schemes, and you take that to new extremes.
After he left Havanneh alone he searched the nearby area for anyone that possessed a mirror. It took a bit and some gold to purchase a plain mirror from a lower class woman, but he didn't have time to stop and have fun torturing it out of her hands. With the mirror in hand he made his way towards the southern part of town where a hill sat and could see the majority of the town from the crest. Once there he knelt down and spread the parchment out in front of him on the ground. Each of the names he drew on the mirror along with several other glyphs. Within a few short moments the town shimmered into view on the mirror just as it was laid out in front of him. A soft red light appeared where each demon was located, and to his surprise he saw six of them leaving town, and in a hurry.
He looked up from the mirror and saw the figures running after another. He quickly looked down at the mirror once more and drew another glyph, a white light shown over the other figure and Dante slammed the mirror on the ground. He stuffed the parchment back in his shirt and started running down the hill.
With his power he seemed a blur as he ran by trying to catch the other demons before they reached their target. Luckily for him they stopped suddenly in a circle and he slammed his arms into two of their necks sending the men flying back about fifty yards and before they hit trees, breaking them in half. His eyes were glowing a bright red as he turned to face the other four men who were standing semi-shocked at his appearance.
"Get away from my property!" His voice boomed. "Be gone before you end up like the other two." His rage was not hidden in the slightest as he swung his arm at one of the men who caught it with a thunderclap sound.
"No Dante." Another man said. "You have become to close to a prophecy that the council doesn't like in the slightest. They have put a bounty on her head I fully intend to collect on." The taller demon with a long coat leaned forward a bit. "One hundred hearts Dante, of pure souls. You know how hard it is to come by and offer like that?"
Dante's response was explosive. He twisted his arm and grabbed the man who held him throwing him into the ground creating a small crater. Despite his enormous strength he reached for Havanneh and wrapped his arm around her waist gently. Just before he could get a firm grasp a hand grabbed his shoulder and he was ripped away and thrown back.
"Do you really think that brute strength will get you out of this situation? We're demons just like you, Dante. And just as strong, or stronger." The demon pulled out a stake from the folds of his jacket and leapt forward. A sharp scream came from Dante as the stake was plunged into his chest pinning him to the ground. Dark red runes covered Dante's body and soaked into the ground. "That was given to me by the council just for you. It was created with your essence and will keep you there for a while."
Havanneh was still formulating a plan when Dante came storming into the scene. She hadn't even called for him, and yet here he was. In a flash he'd taken out half of the group before she could even register how he'd known where to find them. Frozen in fear she just stood, silently watching as the demons exchanged words and blows.
"A bounty?!" she barely squeaked out after the man spoke, but Dante had him buried before she could turn to him for an answer. The expression he wore now was more than she'd ever seen before. It was different from when he was angry at her, or any of the others. He was absolutely furious, and looked as if he'd crush anything in his path, but she ran for him nonetheless. His arm had barely cupped around her, when she felt him being jerked away. The speed with which these demons moved was almost too much for her to keep up with. One moment she safe at his side and the next he was pinned to the ground. His sudden scream ran a chill through her entire body and before she could weigh the consequences she was ducking through the demons who stood taunting him. She dropped to her knees then and shakily gripped her hands around the stake, pulling at it will all her strength as if somehow she'd be able to remove it. The demons were laughing at her as well now, and she felt as though her heart would beat right out of her chest at the realization she couldn't be of use. "I'm sorry" she was mouthing to him but sound didn't leave her lips until finally the first demon grew tired of the scene and came to seize her. She held as tight as she could to the stake but nonetheless, in one swift motion he had her by the hair and was dragging her behind, kicking and screaming for help.
"You won't mind if I take this off your hands then, right?" he said with a laugh, lifting her into the air. "No? Well it's settled then. She's all ours. As are those hundred hearts. We'll have to be off now, but it was truly a pleasure." With that they began to shimmer out of view, their laughter and her pained voice fading off into the distance as well.
Even angels have their wicked schemes, and you take that to new extremes.
When Havanneh was pulling on the spike he yelled in pain again, but tried to grab her attention. "No, get away Havanneh!" He yelled at her. When the demon yanked her by her hair he felt his rage flair back up and he tried to remove the spike from his chest once more.
Dante grunted in pain and slammed his head back on the ground when they disappeared. "Damnit." He cursed. Havanneh's face had been panicked and he had almost had her if only that bastard of a demon hadn't ripped him away. He could feel the weight of the runes on his body and the searing pain of the spike through his chest that made his breath short. He knew that the spike would not kill him, but it would definitely be weakened by it dramatically.
He picked up his arm and started drawing on the spike with his finger and it started to glow with different runes all along the wood. As he read them he let his head fall back again. It was a timed spell that would only weaken with the full moon, and that wasn't for another couple days. He would be trapped until then.
He tried to inscribe different spells in hoping it would weaken the spell yearly, but nothing worked. He ran out of known words before the following night. No one had come by to try and help him, and even if they had he was sure they would run the opposite way with a man seeming perfectly alive with a spike through his chest.
As he lay on the ground he tried to think of how he could get to Havanneh, if she was still alive, and how he could get her out of the situation. Then if he did manage to somehow to get her back what would he do then? He couldn't return home. That would just be cornering himself and his servants. He slammed his head back again in frustration and screamed as he felt the moon rising and the spike slowly moving farther into his chest. His blood soaked into the ground as it continued to move down and into the dirt. For several minutes the spike continued to sink into the ground until it was completely gone and he was just laying on the ground, free for the time being.
He sat up and coughed, blood coming from his lips and reached his hand up to scratch three runes into his skin with his nail. With the runes the hole in his chest slowly closed and he was whole again.
Two days on the ground pinned by magic left him winded and weak, but he managed to stand up and cast another spell to take him back home. He landed in his room on the bed groaning and coughing more blood on his sheets. "Havanneh.." he called out and looked around the room. As if hoping she would be there to offer some smart remark as to how he deserved the wounds, but there was no Havanneh. Clutching his fist he tried to push himself up, but only managed to make his vision start to shake.
His breathing was still ragged, and his whole body pained him. The last time he felt this much pain was.. was.. he lay thinking. The last time was when he had had his heart stolen. His pure, innocent heart that Raphael now had. The last time he had felt anything though was a day shortly after he had taken Havanneh. Her defiance and wit had taken him aback, and surprised him greatly. He felt excitement and for the first time happiness. Despite having a have terrified and angry girl in front of him he liked having someone that could stand up to him. It made him feel more human and less a monster, strange as it may seem.
He moved his hand to his chest and felt to make sure his wound was really healed, and then he tried again to push himself up. The pain was already starting to subside, although the weakness would take much longer to wear off. He didn't have time. If Havanneh was alive, then he had to use every second he had to try and get to her.
The world shimmered back into view around her slowly and now she and the two demons were in a deep mauve colored room. The place was set strangely, like something of a room to entertain guests, but the center of attention was supposed to be set on a blank slate of glass that covered the entirety of the far back wall. From there couches and armchairs were littered about as if the place was routinely used for meetings. By her hair the demon dragged her forward until they were a few inches from the glass. With his free right hand he tapped it in a specific rhythm and a moment after a blue cloud like image began to swirl across it. He was silent then, and stood adjusting his clothing as if to be sure he was presentable. A few moments later a heavy accented voice boomed in the room. It informed them he was not granted an audience at this time, and in defeat he settled into black arm chair a few feet away, carelessly pulling Havanneh behind him as he went. From then they waited. Minutes melted into the hours seamlessly, and every so often he would tap the glass again in the same pattern, only to receive the same message. The two would wait in shifts, leaving in and out to eat but at no time did the glass go unattended. The day passed without event and late into night the Havanneh passed out, from hunger or fatigue, perhaps both, but she woke to the sudden pull of the man at her head again. He was adjusting himself, standing up straighter than before. Through sleepy eyes she watched as an image flickered across the glass. At a curved table sat five cloaked figures, staring back at them. The one sitting to the furthest right spoke first. "What is this you disturb us for, Griffus? Do you think we laze about, with nothing better to do than entertain your every meeting request?
Clearing his throat he gestured towards Havanneh at his side. "This is the woman. I have retrieved her from the demon Dante as the bounty required." Muffled whispered were heard among those seated at the table before the voice of a woman on the left erupted with anger. "Do you think we have never seen her before? That you could simply bring in any human from the street and turn her in for the prize?" The second demon stepped forward this time, and spoke softly. "She must be disguised in some way, but we heard Dante call her Havanneh with our own ears. We aren't trying sleight the council in anyway. We wouldn't dare."
Angered himself now by the accusation he yanked her forward so she was in front of him, and in full view of those watching now. "This is her! Tell them now, tell them your name or I'll kill you myself." She didn't speak though. She only struggled under his grip, determined to be free of him. All the while the council and the two demons yelled back and forth, some shouts about plans to fool the mighty council and others about innocence of such acts. It carried on endlessly until finally the one seated center raised his hand and spoke. "That is quite enough." The others quieted instantly. He looked then to Havanneh. "Speak child, tell us your name. No harm will come to you." When she didn't answer right away Griffus began to shake her violently by the hair he still gripped, her vision going a bit hazy but she was silent nonetheless. Truthfully she hadn't decided what would be best yet. For now she could take advantage of the council not believing her captors to avoid being turned over to them but what then? Would they not just kill her themselves? Or worse, go after Dante for proof? Dante.. Her mind trailed back to him for a moment. Why had she run back to him before? When they were fighting would have been the perfect time to slip away so why was she so concerned about him lately? Was it because she knew his story now? It had to be. Ever since she found out why he is the way he is she couldn't bring herself to be as angry with him as before. Like he was still that child who needed care, and even though it was all those years ago, maybe if she could give it to him now he wouldn't be so bitter. She shook her head at the thought. It's too late for that now. I made the cowardly move and ran. I ran to save my own life instead of standing up to him; instead of trying to help him reclaim his...and now he's gone.
There was only one thing she could do now, so reluctantly she made her choice. "Stop! Please..I will speak." Trying to be as convincing as she might she stared into shadowed faces of the council, fiddling with her fingers nervously, innocence in her face and in her eyes. "They are mistaken sir, my name..is Isabelle.." In a flush of anger he pushed her to the ground then, and began pacing about, rubbing his temples as they spoke. "Then why do they believe you are the one named Havanneh? That Dante called you by her name even? "I did not know before why. Havanneh is..taller than I, with the strange hair; almost like flames sir. She is nothing like me, so I thought they must never have met her, but if there is a reward for Havanneh that must be the reason why they lie. They must have found out Havanneh was sent away and they wouldn't be able to get to h-" Her hands flew up to her mouth then, as if she'd accidentally said too much. Her eyes grew wide and she looked away, as if Dante would be there to punish her any moment. It wasn't till the urging on of the others that she quietly picked up where she left off. "Before we left Dante..he sent Havanneh away to the second castle to be safe. He's very secret about it, he never has guests there. Some say he even replaces his guards and servants every few months but..she left just over a week before we came here.."
"Very well then, child, your honesty is appreciated." Griffus burst in then, appalled at what he was implying. "You're going to believe her then? She just doesn't want to die! You can see the lies all over her, can the council be fooled so easily?!" "What reason does she have to lie if she will be killed either way? It will be settled in this way. Either bring us the real Havanneh, or bring us Dante to confirm this is her. And you won't receive any help from us this time, you'll work it out on your own. Get to it quickly now, or someone more noble might claim your prize." With that the image cut out, and they all sat staring blankly at the glass. A smile had crept it's way to Havanneh's face now. Satisfied with her work she was congratulating herself internally when Griffus came at her wildly. In a moment she went from her knees to suspended in the air by her throat, coughing madly he shouted to her. His voice turned to blurs quickly though, and she lost consciousness within the minute.
When she came to she had been moved to a cold stone room. It was bare and void of color, nothing like the first flamboyant room they'd gone to. Here her hands and feet were spread and shackled to the wall, and a few feet away she could make out the shapes of the two demons. One seated casually and one standing by his side. They were arguing about something, blame being placed here and there before a voice she identified as the unnamed demon ended on a note that accelerated her heart to the point she almost couldn't hear them over it. But what he said was clear, and with her vision slowly coming back so was the fear she so haplessly discarded in order to fool the council. In front of her was a table, littered with devices she could only assume had one purpose. Torture. And that was what the demon had said before he stormed out. "If you get too carried away and she dies before she admits who she is we won't be able to collect the hearts. I can only sustain her but so much."
"Well well, look who's come back at just the perfect time. I was afraid a broken neck would be the end of you." He stood then, casually making his way towards her, a smile on his face as the swept his fingers across the objects as he neared. "That was a lovely performance my dear, you are quite the little deceiver." He said running his fingers along her face, then traced down across her body which she just then realized had been stripped down to her undergarments. "Clever as you are though, there are still several flaws with your little plan. The first being that you are Havanneh, and there are more than enough ways to make everyone aware of that. If you thought you'd be able to buy enough time for your little lover to come save you you'll be sadly mistaken to know he won't have the strength to take any of us on now. Not before I make you talk. Your loyalty is certainly touching but wouldn't a swift death have been much better? Better than waiting in agony only to have your savior finally arrive to be slaughtered in front of you? Maybe I'll keep you alive just long enough to see it, then collect the bounty for both your heads."
Though his words actually were terrifying Havanneh couldn't help but be amused at the man's attempts to describe the situation. That wasn't it at all, and he was a fool to believe so. A gruff chuckle was erupting from her now, and the man paused, his eyebrows raised as if waiting to be enlightened. "You're mistaken." She was a bit taken aback by the sound of her own voice, low and cracking on each word, but she persisted anyway, laughter taking her over as she went. "Dante isn't coming here for me. You know who I am, yes, but you were all a bit too taken with whatever that prophecy said." She was shaking now, from laughter and fear, perhaps a bit of sadness as well as she admitted these things aloud. "He'll go home, or perhaps to the second castle for real, and replace me like he did the woman before me, and the one before her." She was still lying about the castle, but if that meant none of the servants would be in danger she wanted them to believe that much of what she said was true. "If you mean so little then why would he not give you up freely then, hm? He didn't have to resist being clearly outnumbered." Another laugh escaped her at his words.
"If you thought because he fought you before he'd come charging in here you're going to be sorely disappointed when nothing comes of all this. If a wolf comes to take a sheep you try and protect it while it's in front of you. You don't rush off to the whole wolf pack once it's gotten away." "Well then, that brings us back to you admitting it first. Have you forgotten that? He didn't seem the least bit fazed by her explanation. He was determined to win any way necessary, and she, she was determined not to let him. With the last of her strength she forced a half grin. "I'll die first."
"Well, why don't we get right to seeing which one of us is correct then?" he said turning from her now and gripping the first thing he could reach on the table. In his hand he was now uncoiling a long leather whip, barbed at the end with groups of four inch blades protruding in every direction. If he was taking his time to frighten her it was working. Her eyes went wide, and she bit her bottom lip in anticipation of the first strike.
Even angels have their wicked schemes, and you take that to new extremes.
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