Double Dare

[Fezzik]

The room was dark, smoke filled. It was hard to see the stone walls, though they were obviously made of stone, that cold feeling radiating through the small fourteen square foot room. Stay low, stay quiet, stay dead. Stay low, stay quiet, stay dead. Stay low, stay quiet, stay dead. Stay low, stay quiet, stay dead. He repeated it to himself in the quiet of his head, eyes closed and cheek pressed to the stone that had been pieces together to form a floor. Caramel eyes searched, finding some small pieces that were pried up and loose as if someone had been trying to escape from the small room.

He just laid there. He closed his eyes, slowed his breathing so his chest was barely visible as it rose and fell in a steady rhythm, and he pulled off the look of a fresh corpse. He could hear footsteps. At the door...inches from his body....beside him...standing next to his head. He peeked open his left eye, since that side was pressed to the floor and somewhat hidden. Leather...designer...blue snakeskin. This guy had some real cash with him...

A chuckle came from the figure that towered over him and when they bent over, an arm extended, connecting with the nose. A yelp sounded and the man back away quickly, hands covering the bleeding orifice. He jumped to his feet, sprinting to the door and slamming it shut, watching the smoke of the room for a moment as it swirled around the window of the door. For a brief moment, he was distracted. Beautiful...the smoke looked very very beautiful as it swirled and danced through the air of the now closed off room. Apparently, his ruse had been effective.

RING RING RING. He ran down the corridor. RING RING RING. What was that!? RING RING RING. Jesus Christ, where was that sound coming from?! RING RING RING. Was it a gun? Someone was shooting at him? RING RING RING. Wait....RING RING RING. A growl tore from his throat and caramel eyes opened, naturally dark tanned hand reaching out and taking hod of the cell phone that rang on the bedside table. Dammit, someone always wanted him when he was asleep.

"Sadir." he growled, his Israeli accent heavier and thick with sleep, considering the fact that he had only just woken up, "How may I help you?" He listened to whoever was on the phone. he hadn't paid attention. The only thing he understood were the words "Work" "Duchess" "Bodyguard" and "Now". He pieced it together to figure he needed to get back to work with the duchess, because he was her body guard and was needed now.

The moose of a man pushed himself from his bed, tiredly going to the bathroom to examine himself. Scruff, greying hair, bags under his eyes....he hadn't slept well recently and each time he was sleeping well, he got woken up by the god damn phone. Shaking his head, Sadir washed his face before grabbing the little pen he kept on hand. There were still stains on his face from the day before and slowly, he traced them with experienced hands, drawing the characters. They were an array of Egyptian and Arabic. When he finished, Sadir set the pen aside and changed his clothes. Usually he wore something normal. A pair of slacks and a button down shirt and a tie. Today, it was the same with the exception of a bullet proof vest that he pulled on. He didn't feel like taking risks today with getting shot.

Slowly, he moved from his room, walking down the hall with his hands shoved into the pockets of his slacks. Dress shoes clicked on the floor as he moved down the dimly lit corridor. For God's sake, he LIVED in their god damn house. It wasn't like he wouldn't KNOW if someone was trying to make any kind of move.

[Lemonadeparade]

She stood tall, well, on a pedestal she had been positioned on. "Ah!" she yelped out, flinching the slightest bit. "Don't move so much, and you won't get stuck with any pins." her mother muttered, watching as the seamstress layered different ruffles of fabric along her body. "Why must I always be the one at fault here?" she muttered, folding her arms. Her mother rolled her eyes, her floppy over-embellished hat flipping up a bit. "Hopeless." she sighed, waving her hand. She left the room, leaving Eleanor and the young seamstress to their work. "I am sorry about the pins,..I didn't realize your mother was going to stand next to us for that long. She is very..dem-..tedious about things..it makes you nervous when she pokes and prods at you as you work." the obviously too young girl explained, fidgeting with the hem of the dress.

"Don't be sorry, she is a hag..and I would rather a pin be stuck in her eye." she shook her head, thinking of her icy dragon of a mother. "Don't say such things about your family." she replied quietly, stitching a strip of fabric down.
She scoffed. "Why? We all feel the same, she is worse than her mother." she hissed, thinking of her grandmother, and wishing she hadn't. All her life she couldn't remember at time she enjoyed being courted around by body guard, and media swimming around her, she wasn't even the princess! She would be, when her mother married into another branch of royalty. Eleanor couldn't understand her family, sucking up the good fortune of other people. Then when the media portrayed them as they were, a whole storm would brew up.

It drove her insane, being part of everyone else's life on that island. Why did they care? They didn't even have power, it was just money. Money that no photographer would get for taking a picture of her while she walked her dog. What were they going to put in the headlines? "Eleanor's dog takes a shit!" it really didn't appeal to her being who she was. To make things worse she had to attend a small party tonight, where plenty of stuffy old women and even stuffier and older men would sit and pretend to be having a good time.

"Lovely." the young girl marveled at her work, the long fabric now hung around the duchess nicely. "I agree." she nodded, putting her hand on her hip. It was soft blue, ruffles and gold also swam along the garment. "I feel like a wizard hat.." she sighed, closing her eyes. "The royal colors are not optional, or at least,..your mother told me this." the girl apologized, picking up needles and spools of different colored thread. "She never wears them, why would I have to?" she groaned, looking up at the white ceiling. It became quiet, the girl stood in the doorway, her hands folded. "Hm?" Eleanor noticed, then realized what she was doing. "Right then." she nodded, skipping off the small pedestal and fishing around in her purse. A small tip was placed in her hand, Eleanor looked into her eyes firmly. "Get away from us, quit this job and find something better to do with your life than catering to a bunch of rich scum." she finally said, before shoving her way past the girl.

She was to be escorted by her usual body guard to the event in less than an hour, her hair already hung in long swaying curls, golden accents dotted her hair. Small jewel roses, making her look like a little pixie. She tossed her dress about walking down the long spiraling stairs, attempting to keep from snagging the fabric. The last thing she needed was an earful of bullshit from her royal asshat. Not only would she have lost it, she very well may have had a heart attack and died. In that case..no, she was already down the stairs and being observed by the house maids and servants as they walked by. her guard would be here soon, and making a seen now wouldn't do much good.

[Fezzik]

Sadir crept up behind her, silent as usual until he leaned down and spoke.
"Do not give your mother trouble, little duchess." he told her, "She only looks out for you." Tanned hands were clasped behind his back, his gun visible at his hip where he always kept it. He needed to grab his jacket before he would be ready to take her in, but it was at the dry cleaners being...well, cleaned.

Eyes looked the younger woman over and he gave a small smile.
"You look nice, by the way. The color look good on you. Match your skin color." the older man gave a soft chuckle. He almost hoped that he'd startled the girl, knowing he could startle her parents when he did that to them. He loved doing that, honestly...it was god damn fun.

[Lemonadeparade]

She slung her hand against her heart, obviously showing she was frightened. "Damn it." she gasped, shaking her head. "You should wear a bell or something, the way you sneak up on people." she sighed, disregarding his statement about her mother. He wasn't royalty, he got paid by them, he had a choice in sticking around. "She treats you, and every other person in the world like crap. You know that, there is no point in defending her," she leaned in as if she were all around "she can't hear us." she patted him on the shoulder before moving beside him as was custom. It almost bothered her that she had people that walked next to her, literally because they were there to take bullets for her. Why? Why were they being paid to get killed? As if she were better because she COULD pay someone to do that?

She never voiced her feeling on this to anyone anymore, she knew it was useless. No matter how much you voiced your opinion to anyone around there, they only cared if you could pay them to. "Well, should we be going then?" she sighed again, not looking forward to stuffing herself into chair with her explosion of a dress . This would also include listening to old men in suits talk about their problems, and what the world needed to change. Why didn't they change them? They had money, they had power.

A loud trail of pounding on the floor echoed in the air, her mother's heels click click clicking. She stood straight, wiping the frown off of her face as she veered closer. "Move." she ordered to Sadir, pushing him out of the way and tossing her hair back. Eleanor made a face that could only be seen as gagging, her mother's back turned towards them. She walked ahead, exiting through the tall white doors that towered above them. An array of black cars sat patiently in a line, all uniformly sporting off tinted windows and thick glass. "How charming." she said sarcastically, she knew Sadir had been with her a thousand times through these things. Hell, she felt bad for the guy, he had to stand there and watch people grow bored to death. Over the years she had him, she wasn't always as kind as she was now. She used to listen to her mother's way of thinking, let the word react to your every beck and call.

But over the years she had seen true sincerity from people, and it had started to grow on her. Though, she still had her moments of fits and rage. Sadir had been around to see a few, like the Christmas epidemic. There was one winter in which she was requested to sit through a dinner at a winter gala. It seemed like the usual sort of bash, until her cousins began flicking her when nobody was watching. Soon, the flicking evolved into their feet swinging at each other under the table, and concealing scowls and glares. Then fate as it often does took a turn for the worst, her youngest cousin had kicked her quite hard in the shin, causing her to react by stepping on his own foot. But to her dismay, and his as well, he let out a loud howling cry. Her sharp heel had really done on a number on his smallest toe, in fact she broke it. Since then, it had been clear she wasn't one to mess around with, but her tolerance had indeed grown mentally.

They walked out of the house, the pale yellowish white drive way was round and quite the big deal. The sides were lined with lights and different species of flowers, fountains and sculptures scattered around the large green lawn showing off all of the luxury they possibly could. It was an old house, but the gardeners made sure that the foliage of the house was always up to date and well kept.

"I am always excited to watch grass grow, but even better; we get to watch old people slowly die." she muttered, keeping her dress off the ground as best she could.

[Fezzik]

Sadir moved out of the way when he was commanded.
"She couldn't hear you, little one." he corrected her. he wouldn't dare to speak out of tongue about the young woman's mother. She signed his checks. He slowly nodded his head to the older woman, watching her go.

"Well, you are expected." he said, offering her his arm. Sadir had been around since the duchess was very little. When she was smaller, he used to carry her where she was required to go as if she were his own child. He had been 21 when she was born, and when they had first hired him. At first, he had been outraged that his job was to protect a baby, but he had managed to grow with the child. And now, at 41, he found that this snobbish stuck up young woman was the closest he would get to a child of his own. He;d been there for every milestone in her life, even when things happened on his days off (Which were few).
"Watching people die is more fun thank you think."

[Lemonadeparade]

As they walked around the pebbled pathway and into the car, she scooted aside. She knew the drill, Sadir was to sit next to her in case things went south. She had done this her whole entire life, she couldn't remember a time he wasn't some where near her. If not beside her then off in the distance in case she needed him. He never complained, at least not in front of her, she could only imagine the things he must have said about her family to his friends. She was almost embarrassed when she began to think of the awkard stages she had gone through. She was a chubby baby, and even a chubby child until around seventh grade hit. Her thick arms and legs sunk into smoother, tanner limbs, her chest began to grow as well as her personality. Now, she was a spitting image of her father with her mother's hair. She had his softer eyes, and his small nose.

Her dress was stuffed under her to keep from crowding the whole entire car, her driver was cut off from her, the black window set in front of them for her own privacy. She rarely saw their faces, and she knew they were often different people. The lower the wage they could pay the driver the better. "Have you seen it happen?" Eleanor finally asked, after ten minutes had passed. She rarely said much to him, besides the usual complaining about her mother or telling him instructions she had received.

He was there when she had her first school dance, she almost had to beg him to leave. The look on his face when he realized she didn't want kids intimidated by the muscles in the suit made her almost a bit guilty. It was strange, he looked the same, but different. He looked older, but he was still as strong and alive as ever. "I mean, I don't mean to be nosy. You just never tell me about yourself, you only watch me." she shrugged, looking out the window. People knew most things about her whole family, if there was even a divorce the news needed to know. It didn't make much sense to her, why do people care about them? She realized she didn't even know a single thing about Sadir, not even if he was married or had kids her own age.

The scenery flew by the car as she sat, and sighed a lower sigh. Her hands were folded, her thumbs twiddling with anticipation to get there already and get it over with,

[Fezzik]

A small smirk crept upon his lips. He was sitting perfectly straight, one arm on the back of her seat, as always. His fingers brushed her shoulder . He was usually silent, which made it easy to forget he was there. He'd discovered a long time ago that letting his fingers just barely brush her shoulder would just remind her that Sadir was sitting there, watching and listening.
"Many times, little flower." he told her, his voice low and seeming to roll out of his like a train down the tracks, "Old men, and young men, and sometimes even women." he was staring out the window. At some point, he had put on sunglasses that hid his caramel eyes from the sunlight.

"There was a cult in my country." he said, "They were in the news for a long time in Israel. They tried to convince many people God was angry. They kill many people in public."

[Lemonadeparade]

She took a deep breath, hearing him explain. He had seen dead people, and knew this was what he was protecting her from. He had seen the lifeless, emotionless corpses laying on the ground and was willing to risk this for a living. Her head nodded slowly, trying to figure out the proper response. "I...I am sorry." she apologized, what else could she say?

The tall white ballroom hall came into their view, it was elegant and simple. Pillars lined the front, as if it was a Greek building. It was often rented out for meetings and assemblies, dances, banquets, what have you. A few nice cars sat out front, all too expensive not to belong to the people she was to speak to. "Well, I wouldn't mind if someone killed me right now." she grumbled, seeing her mother waving at them as the pulled into the parking lot. "She is just,..just,.." she shook her head, not needing to finish. They both knew what she was, vapid and terrible. Vacuous and a waste of the worlds energy and time.

The car door was opened, allowing her dress to spill out. She stood, her mother waving her towards her direction. "Come along, Eleanor dear!" she smiled, her thin red lips showing a sugary sticky sweet smile she was used to only seeing in public. Her only salvation was the fact this was one of the last few events she had to go to before her mother got married, thank god. Once her mother was distracted by Mr. Moneybags she could find more time to get into her own life, rather than the life people wanted her to get into for them.

She had planned to travel abroad and study to become a botanist. She always remembered admiring flowers in the garden, and watching them sprout from tiny green flecks into the ground into large bursting petals of color. When she was younger, she was convinced that they had magic in their gloves, and would often try to steal one when nobody was looking. Of course her tiny fingers didn't fit quite fell in the leathery gloves, and she would often find the magic didn't work for her. Not one bit.

Her mother grabbed her arm, her own bodyguard looking at Sadir. He nodded once when they weren't looking, they had known each other for as long as he could remember. Which was why he was one of the first people he was going to let in on the secret. "Have you heard?" he muttered to him as quietly as possible. But the sound of her mother kissing ass was loud enough anyway. "Margaret! Darling!" an older woman shouted, her gloved fingers waving in the air. The bucket of pearls and expensive fabrics gave her a hug, then turned to Eleanor. "My, what a beautiful girl you have grown to be." she smiled, letting out a small laugh.

She nodded, knowing being rude and asking her who she was would cause a bit of an awkward tension. Instead she accepted the compliment with a smile, her hand drifting to her shoulder rather than a hug. "It is nice to see you." she lied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear casually.

[Fezzik]

Sadir had grabbed the girl's arm firmly when she stepped out of the car, hissing in her ear that she should never say that, because one day it could happen. When she was off with her mother, Sadir clasped his hands behind his back, standing perfectly straight.
"I hear many things." he said when he was addressed, eyes watching the girl through his sunglasses, "It would depend upon what you want to know if I have heard." he turned, looking at him with a smile. There were things that went on that he knew that other bodyguards didn't. The Maids know everything.

[Lemonadeparade]

"Have you heard about the wedding plans?" that was code, if he responded with anything other than why yes of course then he was to remain silent. The tall hunk of muscle had a scar on his forehead, his eyes didn't match, and the pair of thick black glasses concealed it well.

The women shoved tea cakes and cookies in front of her, offering her whatever her little heart desired. "Oh, I'm fine." she obliged.

Crowds of little old ladies with their little old husbands talked about their little old problems, that quite frankly Eleanor couldn't sympathize for. These people sat all day in luxury, their problems were worthless to her. She knew she complained quite a bit, but she could hardly keep herself sane around her mother, oh..and her sister.

"Little Eleanor, Mother!" a voice squealed, then a bustling puff of pink came towards them. Eleanor leaned over towards her mother. "She isn't wearing blue." she muttered.
Her mother swatted her away the slightest bit, standing to embrace her sister. Her family was quite obviously related, they took no effort in restraining their emotions around others.

Eleanor snaked herself out of the chair regretfully, letting the bundle of horror give her a hug as well. "I missed you." she grinned, her brunette sister was always a little bit more. A little bit taller, a little bit skinnier, straighter teeth and long lashes. It was a wonder she was engaged, and Eleanor didn't want to bother thinking about men. Her excuse was often she hadn't received her cooties vaccine when she was younger, and that men gave her hives. Her mother pestered her about dating, it was good for the media. It was another reason she was so excited to watch her get married, she would be less angry at everything in the world, this included Eleanor.

The smell of earl grey and what could easily be called the scent of old people was making her a bit sick. She had never actually grown to like tea, and never bothered to tell anyone she actually hated it.

The tall security guard watching Sadir closely, examining his every facial movement and word. If he revealed plans to someone who shouldn't hear them, he and along with many other employees would be put in jail. On top of that nobody would receive the money that was going to come out of this, don't forget the money.