05-13-2015, 08:39 PM
The only thing louder than her heart having a rock concert inside of her chest was the silence that hung around them. It seemed to be the common theme for the night, this awkward quietness. The day as a whole had been fairly awkward.
Dante’s Abyss was one of the most horrific experiences she’d gone through – twice, to be exact. The fact that Charles had helped her recall those memories made her wish she had remained ignorant of it; then again, she did quite literally ask for it, so she had only herself to blame. “Yes, I remember. I participated in two of the events.”
“Two! Oh, my;” Charles’ brows rose in astonishment. “A third under your belt would be even more impressive, wouldn’t it?”
A chill danced across her skin, and she hugged herself to ward it off, but this wasn’t the kind of chill a blanket or a warm fire could remedy. “I wouldn’t deem it as part of my prouder moments.” Her eyes were haunted as they lifted to meet his gaze. “There were children participating in one event,” her voice lowered, recalling how easily one of the younger participants had died. “There should never be children in such a game.”
“I agree,” Charles said, his expression sullen. “But it’s the past, and there’s nothing you can do to fix it now.”
“I know.”
“Violet, I want you to join this tournament.” She blinked up at him. “This is the perfect opportunity to get your name out there, and get those in Coruscant to take an interest in you.”
“I thought we were going for subtlety here, Charles? This is the exact opposite of fucking subtle.”
“We can always be subtle later,” Charles replied. He shoved the paper at her. “Join up, make a name for yourself. If it works, you can get even closer to the inner workings of Coruscant’s elite, and possibly make the plans for an uprising even easier.”
Her gaze flicked from the paper to Charles several times; was he fucking serious? Oh, Kami, he was. Shit. With a dejected groan, Violet shoved to her feet, and began pacing a small path between the couch and the dinner table. “Do you realize what you are asking of me? I can’t risk my life since we’re supposedly immortal now, but you are certainly asking me to risk my sanity. Forever is a long time to be fucking crazy.”
“You’ve survived a lot worse, which is why I am asking you to do it.”
“One of these days I might just be lucky enough to hit the batshit lottery, and you know who’s going to be to blame for that?” She turned and stared at him, her expression cold. “You.”
Charles frowned. “I know what I am asking you to risk, and I know what it would cost you.” He wheeled the chair around so he didn’t have to look at her. He looked, instead, at a curious little item sitting on a display on his dresser. The cylindrical item was silver with black, and looked suspiciously like the hilt of a broken sword. “But, there are those that need us, both of us. How can I ask of you what I have not already tried? How can either of us live knowing we could have done something to save people who have done nothing but be born in the wrong place?”
Several long, silent moments passed, and all she could do was look at the back of his bald head, wondering if he really knew what he was doing, especially if he knew the kind of task he was entrusting her with. “You’re right, Charles. I would not be able to live knowing that I could have done something to protect people who really needed it. I have the training – hell, killing bad guys is the only thing that’s brought me peace since I was a teenager. I can do it in so many ways I’ve lost count.”
“Which makes you the obvious choice to carry out the task,” Charles reached out and picked up the object on the dresser, his fingers running over its obsidian colored shaft. “Go, Violet. Please. And when you return, we shall talk more and finalize the plans.”
She didn’t want to do it, she didn’t want to go through it again, but what choice did she have? “Fine.”
Dante’s Abyss was one of the most horrific experiences she’d gone through – twice, to be exact. The fact that Charles had helped her recall those memories made her wish she had remained ignorant of it; then again, she did quite literally ask for it, so she had only herself to blame. “Yes, I remember. I participated in two of the events.”
“Two! Oh, my;” Charles’ brows rose in astonishment. “A third under your belt would be even more impressive, wouldn’t it?”
A chill danced across her skin, and she hugged herself to ward it off, but this wasn’t the kind of chill a blanket or a warm fire could remedy. “I wouldn’t deem it as part of my prouder moments.” Her eyes were haunted as they lifted to meet his gaze. “There were children participating in one event,” her voice lowered, recalling how easily one of the younger participants had died. “There should never be children in such a game.”
“I agree,” Charles said, his expression sullen. “But it’s the past, and there’s nothing you can do to fix it now.”
“I know.”
“Violet, I want you to join this tournament.” She blinked up at him. “This is the perfect opportunity to get your name out there, and get those in Coruscant to take an interest in you.”
“I thought we were going for subtlety here, Charles? This is the exact opposite of fucking subtle.”
“We can always be subtle later,” Charles replied. He shoved the paper at her. “Join up, make a name for yourself. If it works, you can get even closer to the inner workings of Coruscant’s elite, and possibly make the plans for an uprising even easier.”
Her gaze flicked from the paper to Charles several times; was he fucking serious? Oh, Kami, he was. Shit. With a dejected groan, Violet shoved to her feet, and began pacing a small path between the couch and the dinner table. “Do you realize what you are asking of me? I can’t risk my life since we’re supposedly immortal now, but you are certainly asking me to risk my sanity. Forever is a long time to be fucking crazy.”
“You’ve survived a lot worse, which is why I am asking you to do it.”
“One of these days I might just be lucky enough to hit the batshit lottery, and you know who’s going to be to blame for that?” She turned and stared at him, her expression cold. “You.”
Charles frowned. “I know what I am asking you to risk, and I know what it would cost you.” He wheeled the chair around so he didn’t have to look at her. He looked, instead, at a curious little item sitting on a display on his dresser. The cylindrical item was silver with black, and looked suspiciously like the hilt of a broken sword. “But, there are those that need us, both of us. How can I ask of you what I have not already tried? How can either of us live knowing we could have done something to save people who have done nothing but be born in the wrong place?”
Several long, silent moments passed, and all she could do was look at the back of his bald head, wondering if he really knew what he was doing, especially if he knew the kind of task he was entrusting her with. “You’re right, Charles. I would not be able to live knowing that I could have done something to protect people who really needed it. I have the training – hell, killing bad guys is the only thing that’s brought me peace since I was a teenager. I can do it in so many ways I’ve lost count.”
“Which makes you the obvious choice to carry out the task,” Charles reached out and picked up the object on the dresser, his fingers running over its obsidian colored shaft. “Go, Violet. Please. And when you return, we shall talk more and finalize the plans.”
She didn’t want to do it, she didn’t want to go through it again, but what choice did she have? “Fine.”
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