[IC] Fun with the Family

[Xigo]

The moons hung high in the Silvermoon sky. Their silver radiance pierced the night, illuminating all but the darkest of corners. The streets were barren, save for the occasional individual running home, or torch-wielding guard on the lookout for danger. One of these many elves, however, had a different thing in mind.

Silently this man made his way through the winding roads of the golden city. His objective clear, and mind sharp as he entered the noble district, clad in the blackest of garbs. Were it not for the bright silver spheres high in the sky he would be akin to a phantom, invisible to the naked eye.

He adjusted his cowl as he made his way to a smaller structure's door. Inspecting the address of the building, he smirked. And with the most casual of movements did he knock trice upon the grandeur wooden entrance, smirk quickly transforming into a wicked smile, hidden beneath his mask.

Tonight was the opportunity to strike.

___________________________________________

Merica Riversong sighed as she filed through paper after paper, sorting the usual mess that was upon her supervisor's desk. Books were scattered across the deep red carpet, a discarded jar of ink hid away betwixt two masterfully crafted bookshelves.

The chamber itself was a comfortable size, all furniture within it of elven design. The girl took a bit of pride in that, after all, she was the one who decorated it. If her boss had done it, there would be no grace to the arrangement. Everything would just be strewn about. At least, that's what she told herself.

He had departed recently without a word. While she was used to being away from the man by now, it still startled her to be entirely alone. Shadows seemed to creep up on her when her back was turned. Noises were amplified by her keen ears, echoing in her mind, causing her to look with widened eyes in the direction of even the quietest sound.

So when she heard a knock at the door, she was reasonably startled. The sound practically caused her to leap out of her skin in shock as her gaze turned to face the entrance, eyes widened as the letter she once held drifted softly to the ground. It took a moment for the girl to compose herself, inhaling sharply as she adjusted her reading spectacles.

"Hello?" Her voice betrayed how frightened she had just been, the sound of it meek.

"Delivery for Magister Ashwalker."

She blinked her eyes in confusion as she slowly began to stride for the door. Something coming in this late at night had to be important. Her fingers gingerly graced its lock, opening it with the most simple of movements. As her eyes focused on the man in the doorway, she spoke.

"He's not here right now. But I'll t-." Realization dawned on her, her eyes widening in fear. Her hand shot out to slam the door shut, but the attempt was in vain. For her arm had been swiftly grasped by the man's significantly larger appendage, pulling her closer to him. Her chest was against his, the woman's eyes transfixed by the familiar ones looking back into hers.

"Wh-." Merica's words were quickly silenced by a cloth tightly pressed against her lips. She inhaled sharply in shock, flailing her arms in a desperate struggle to escape her assailant. Slowly her conscious slipped away from her as her body grew limp, the smell coming from material covering her mouth being breathed in as the girl went into a panic. Within moments she was asleep in the arms of the man.

"Ssshhh, sister. We wouldn't want you to get hurt now, would we?" As the man held the girl in his arms, he allowed himself a quiet and sinister chuckle. Swiftly did he shut the door, stealing himself and his quarry away into the night.

The only thing left behind was the girl's glasses, the lenses cracked by a heavy boot.

[Xigo]

A soft moan escaped Merica's lips as her eyes squinted open, barely perceiving the world about her. Everything was but a daze to her, as her perception of the world was foggy. Smells were vague and mysterious. Sights were distorted and blurred. Her body was numb, only able to barely register any sensations it might make contact with.

As the girl slowly awoken did her eyes open further, pupils dilated, light causing her a tinge of pain. She was on a bed, she could tell that much, a comfortable one at that. A deep blue silk fabric covered the soft cushioned surface, which the priestess now laid upon. Continuing to take in her surroundings, she noted the chamber she laid in to be large, yet sparse. Circular in shape, yet there was one alcove where a tiny personal library seemed to be, two towering bookshelves and a desk waiting for use. Along with these was a large window with the curtains pulled shut to prevent light from entering the room, though it still crept in regardless of the obstacle.

It was composed largely of fine wood, intricate carvings of mythical beasts woven throughout the supporting beams integrated with the walls. The floor was a polished and smooth stone, blue carpet spreading over the course of its surface. The alcove of the personal library's entryway was covered by a transparent pink silk curtain, needing to be pushed aside before any entry was permitted. Though barely so, it did grant one a degree of privacy within, as all one could see through it were vague silhouettes. Two magic lamps gently floated in the air, unactivated. Ultimately it was a bright room in color, if not in lighting.

The rest of the chamber contained things that, to her mixture of amusement and terror, appealed to her in her youth. Off to the side was a table where one might tend to her appearance, to another a small circle of cushions revolving about an ornate hookah. A closet filled with the most expensive of garbs. All of these things shared both elaborate design and a layer of collected dust from years of idleness.

The girl rose from the bed, still clad in her white robe from the night before, though sans slippers which rested neatly on the ground. She stumbled across the ground as she scurried to the window, pulling back the curtains, causing the light of the blazing sun high above to blind her momentarily. Her eyes never truly adjusted to it, but she could recognize where she was well enough, as she looked to the ground three stories below.

Quickly she went to a nearby bookshelf, tearing out a page from a diary long since abandoned. With ink and feather did she scribble out a letter, folding it neatly before throwing it out to be carried by the wind. As she heard not too quiet steps outside of her room, she swiftly returned everything to its resting place, her light body making barely a sound as she maneuvered back to toe bed. She laid down upon it, eyes snapping shut.

Her ears twitched as she heard the door make a single click - the opening of a lock. The knob slowly twisted. It began to push forward. Merica allowed herself to gulp once as she prayed silently to the Light for her safety. She was in hell, after all.

She was home.

[Xigo]

The lady's ears twitched as she heard two pairs of boots make their way across the floor. Her heart skipped a beat as she came to the obvious realization that yes, the sounds were headed in her direction. Faint mutterings of a conversation were overheard by her, though they were too soft to make out properly. Coupled with her senses still avoiding her, all that she really caught was gibberish.

She struggled to not make even a peep, fearful of the consequences of revealing that she was not truly asleep. The foot steps stopped just before the edge of her bed, the conversation now fully apparent to her. As they continued, the priestess felt a gloved hand gingerly gracing her cheek, stroking it once.

"Why has she not awoken yet? You informed me that this potion would only last a few hours." A growl followed this man's words, his familiar voice causing a small bead of sweat to form on Merica's brow, slowly running down her face.

"Perhaps her frailty has caused the concoction to be more effective than predicted, my lord. It was designed to incapacitate the strongest of men, ones fit for combat. Not little women." This voice was clearly nervous, foreign to the girl. It too belonged to a male, but it occasionally cracked as its owner spoke.

"I sincerely doubt it would be so effective as to last an entire night and half the morning."

"Alchemy does not always produce perfect results, my lord. Perh-."

The first voice quickly snapped back at the other, anger apparent. "Are you suggesting that you've failed in the task I've given you? That you did not produce what I required?"

"N-No my lord. I did everything to the letter. But... I... do not kn-"

The second voice stopped as Merica felt a hand firmly grip her neck. It hoisted her up, the girl struggling to maintain her guise as she was lifted to a point where she was sitting upright. She was released at this moment, if only for the same hand to clench the low collar of her dress, holding her up. Her body begged for air, but she dared not allow herself to gasp for it, keeping her mouth securely shut and her eyes firmly sealed. A loud growl was the prelude to the man's next action.

Merica's cheek reddened as his bare hand connected with it in a vicious slap. Her eyes snapped open as she yelped in pain. Silence hung in the air as all individuals present remained still, save her attacker, who's lips curled to form a twisted smile. He released his grip, pushing her away and onto her back, Merica laying still on the bed as her wide eyes looked into his. It was the same man from the night before. Her so-called 'brother'.

The tears rolling down her cheeks only made the man laugh, as he leaned forward. When his face was only inches from hers, his hand came forward. She shut her eyes in fear, though the only thing he did was wipe away the hot liquid with a thumb. It was soft, gentle. Were it any other situation, Merica would have been calmed by it, but she knew only too well the intent behind the gesture.

She opened her eyes slightly, catching a glance of his sinister look. The smile was still present. And as he spoke, the sick humor in his tone was as apparent as the sun on a cloudless day. "It's such a pleasure to see you again, dear sister. Oh the fun we will have."

New tears formed to replace those brushed away.

[Xigo]

He grasped her hand firmly, forcing the weeping woman to rise from her bed. "Do cover your feet up. It can be a bit chilly at night." Merica's expression was unchanging, sorrow still evident upon her features, though she did as commanded. With shaky hands did she once again don her slippers, the process slow and agonizing. As soon as she dared to glance upwards towards her kin, the man snatched her hair, pulling her upright. While his voice was kind and his movements graceful, the violence in each of his actions spoke more than either.

She yelped in pain as she was forced upwards, eyes squinting at the sensation. As soon as she was standing firmly upon the ground, he shoved her forward. Truth be told, she could have held her position if she so desired, for the push was more of a nudge. But the sharp object she felt gingerly gracing the back of her neck soon afterwards granted her more than enough encouragement to be on her way. The two would step out of the chamber, alchemist heaving a sigh as he was left behind.

A deep red carpet ran the course of the hallway she stepped into, decorated with intricately woven gold threads which dominated its outskirts in a gaudy fashion. The walls were of a polished stone, details of the Riversong family's history carved within it. Exaggerated tales of the past, if nothing else. Here and there a portrait of a long deceased family member could be spotted upon the wall, torches flanking them on either side. And here and there was a door, each once belonging to an innocent youth.

The man would take the opportunity to inspect his sister as they stepped through. She was shorter than him, significantly so, with nearly pale skin and light red hair. Her body was certainly frailer than his, visible muscle being almost absent from her perky form. The robe we wore was of virgin white color, the silk fabric smooth and covering her features, offering naught but a tease of the body beneath as it gently moved to accommodate each step she took. Internally he chuckled at the idea that his blood-related sisters struggled to do what seemed to be second-nature to his step-sister. Her movements were graceful despite her situation, causing him to question what exactly it was that was taught to people of her past profession. How to tease others at any opportunity? Taunt them with false promises?

He snorted as he confirmed this notion inside his mind. Yes. That's what courtesans did. Otherwise they would be out of a job. If the family was not almost entirely dead, she likely would have wed a wealthy man and done them all a good bit of good. Now she was just dead weight, waiting to be slain like all the others.

Despite being the hardest to locate, he understood she would be the easiest to kill. After all, each of his blood-kin were well established warriors, respected wielders of their preferred instruments of death. She? She was simply a priestess. All of his other prey fought him to the bitter end, denying him any sort of satisfaction besides the comforting knowledge that he lived another day. Merica would be one where he could come to his eventual victory in any way he pleased. The choices he had were almost overwhelming, making him almost giddy with glee. Still. There was time to pick and choose. So long as the guards about the structure were vigilant in their watch (and why wouldn't they be with the amount of gold they were getting?), escape was a comical notion.

"Tell me dear sister, what sort of meal would you enjoy?" He smiled, sliding his dagger back into the sheath dangling at his waist. Five seconds passed. Then ten. No answer was given back.

A frown formed on his lips briefly, swiftly replaced by a scowl. His voice changed from its previously smooth and collected tone, words being barked out. "When I ask you a question, you will answer me! Are we clear?" The question rung throughout the hallways, not a sound being made in response. Eventually, her quiet voice murmured something. This provoked more furious words from the man. "I can not hear you, little sister! Speak up! Before I grow impatient!"

She stopped in her tracks, head slowly turning about to glance sideways towards the man's face. Her expression was dim, eyes barely open. The corners of her lips tugging downwards. Whether it was an effect of the tonic applied to her previously or depression, the man cared little. "... I am a vegan," she replied, her quiet voice barely carrying the message across.

His scowl swiftly transformed into a smile. "Of course. Now then, let us make our way to the dining hall. I'm certain something could be conjured to your tastes." He couldn't help but chuckle. Oh how perfect everything was.

[Xigo]

The manor's dining hall was just as extravagant as the rest of the building. Marvelous red fabric hung from the ceiling, far out of the priestess' reach. The top of the room was simply so very high from the floor, encompassing three entire stories in height. Unnecessary. But certainly intimidating. After all, there was certainly enough room for something so gaudy. Were she in a better situation, Merica would have chucked, as she knew most of the enormous manor's space was wasted. Most rooms weren't even used. Though each one had their secrets, once private to her long since departed family members.

Thoughts of her family caused painful memories to creep into her mind. Ones of the life she had prior to the destructive marriage between her widowed father and the woman who brought so much conflict to the family. It was from her childhood, the trials of becoming an adult just looming around the corner. She and her true family, consisting of her elder brother and biological parents, lounged beneath a tree. Sharing something the girl longed to one day have again. A simple picnic. It served as an escape from the rigid lifestyle amongst Silvermoon's nobility. And each of them enjoyed it. While it was not common for them all to traverse into Eversong for the sake of enjoying a meal, it was an event that was looked forward too. Each of them threw away their stresses and simply lived for the moment, spending time with loving family members before returning to lives of work and learning.

Life was full of blissful innocence for the young Riversong girl. She laughed. She learned. And she grew, inheriting her mother's stunning appearance as time went on. Her brother was protective, almost to a fault. And her father supported her in the darkest hours. Always ready to offer guidance and comfort when it was needed. Most important of the three to the young elf though was her mother. The woman was simply an inspiration through their time together, and she longed to be strong like her parent.

Her near perfect childhood came to a sudden end, aiding in Merica's brutal awakening to the cruelty of Azeroth as it did such. When her mother succumbed to an unknown disease, Merica did not take it well. As she wept for days at a time her brother began to spend a great deal of his time attempting to comfort her. With their father absent, the two fended for themselves over the duration of a month. This was of course easier that it sounded, as their servants tended to them. However, the patriarch of the family's sudden vanishing act at the end of his wife's death was worrying.

He came back one day though. With a gold band about his ringer did he tell his children of his new marriage. The black-haired vixen clinging to his arm smiled a wicked grin of victory. It was a starch contrast to the grim expression on her new husband's face. He didn't flinch nor defend himself as his son denounced him, departing from the household. All he could do was hang his head in same, as one of his two children vanished to never be seen again.

Merica found herself lonely at home, surrounded by strangers she was to call brothers and sisters. The family's immense wealth began to be used to promote their lessons, most of them learning of the arcane arts. At her step-mother's request, Merica would be trained in how to function in noble courts. She excelled at this, largely due to her wanting to make her father proud. Though he would never be proud of her for this, after all, his baby girl had become little better than a professional whore. A courtesan.

Eventually the day came when she was thrown out of her home, and given to the Church of Silvermoon to have her repent for her terrible ways. She was trained as a priestess there, learning the three tenants of the Light as she grew accustomed to her new home. Only two weeks of arriving would she learn of her father's death. Then a brother. Then a sister. And then another and another as her step-brothers and sisters began to drop like flies. Her prayers to the Light were filled with requests for her life to be protected. Every day she wondered if it would be her turn to die.

She even re-.

"Daydreaming, little sister? Oh come now. Focus on me." He flashed a wicked grin her way.

She heaved a sigh in reply.