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WARNING: descriptions of macabre re-telling toward the end.

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EPISODE TWENTY THREE

'victim has more than one face'

IT WAS A few days since one of Aoi's men— Kei she called him — had punctured a small slit across my throat. I wanted to fight, I really did, but Kei's hand was controlled against the knife and the other held my jaw when he whispered, as quiet and as close as he possibly could to prevent Aoi from hearing, "I might hit something— a vein or an artery, so don't move. She only needs proof."

I stared at him through glassy tears, but as soon as the blood was drawn after a deep, searing pain, I didn't notice Aoi had stood until I heard the loud clicks of her phone taking pictures. I tried to hold the wound to stop it from gushing blood— but Kei took both of my hands and kept it down. He shook his head.

"Just a few photos, dear. Ooh, don't you think this would be better in polaroids or would that be too dramatic? Well?" She laughed as Kei kept silent and I sniffed out my tears. "You are bleeding out. That's enough. Kei, from now on you're in charge of her. Make sure she's tied and bounded— we're leaving now before Cordelia zeroes in on our location."

That was true for the most part of the next two days.

We had jumped around places every few hours, never staying long just in case Cordelia was planning a rendezvous rescue mission. Kei was in charged of me, especially when Aoi wasn't with us. After that day she had him puncture my throat, she only came back when she needed more. Mostly it was my blood, drawing out fresh ones in a syringe, now easily took from light cuts on my arms, and then sending them back to Cordelia and the others. She was constantly on her phone, sometimes smiling or snickering— sometimes she relied messages of what was happening on the other side, mostly the fact that they've received my 'proof of life' and though Cordelia was begrudgingly okay with it, her brother was not.

When she sent the photo, Cordelia had apparently reigned most of her 'contacts' and eased up— letting Aoi work on her plans. For now, as long as Aoi kept sending proofs that I was alive— fresh blood everyday, no photos anymore since she didn't want the background to be seen, too many variables — they were at her mercy.

On the second day, nighttime by the gist of it, I was moved to a ride that took a few hours— enough for the rattle of the van, though squished beside two anonymous people, one of them I guessed was Kei but I wouldn't put a bet on it— we arrived somewhere off the road I assumed. Because as soon as I was outside, the air was great; gone was the putrid scents of dank, stuffy places. This was fresh air. And from the crickets, the swept of trees— it sounded very close to a forest.

As soon as a metal was slammed— I was guessing a van's door — I was titled off my grid; hands swept on the back of my legs, then my back. A muscled body and a definitive groan at tilting my weight to a more secure position.

As soon as I started squirming being carried, starting to raise my voice against the gag on my mouth, someone else— someone far away — laughed while the one who held me, groaned again. "I need to carry you since we're going through roots and rocks." Kei. And he sounded too close for comfort. "Your eyes need to be covered and I'm not about to play that game where I try not to face plant you. Or help navigate the blind, which admittedly would be funny but it would take too long. This way, it'll be over in minutes without you slowing us down. So shut up and take all the help you need. Some of them would have no qualms dragging you in less than perfect conditions."

He leaned in close to my ear, making me grit my teeth at the contact. "They know Aoi isn't taking photographic evidence anymore. I'm your best bet at trying to keep whatever virtue you have left intact, so shut the fuck up and accept the kindness. Aoi won't be here until morning and they'd love nothing more than to play with you. Like it or not, kid, I'm your guard for the rest of this kidnapping."

So I grew silent. Not limp, giving up silent, but seething, teeth-gritting silence where frustrated cooked me in the next few minutes of a bumpy ride in Kei's arms. It was dark, and even those he was with was cursing at all the forest growth on the way. Kei seemed to navigate it better— carrying a grown woman sans it.

It wasn't a long trek, but enough for Kei to breathed a little sharper as soon as he set me down, my heels, still intact though in less than mint condition (I couldn't even look down at the dress; the beauty of it was grimed, slept it, and protected me from worst than worse conditions), dug through fresh earth. Kei took my gag first, then my eyes adjusted to the faint light blocking my view.

As soon as the light stopped trying to attack me, I was face to face with an old English house. The ones you still see from the countryside now and again, bricks and aged and definitely well-worn.

This one had faint lights cascading from the shadows of the drapes, two storey and more boxy than big, but it was set in the clear view of the middle of nowhere. Trees shadowed it, the moon bright and beckoning. It was more or less cleaned and livable.

The man beside me sighed. Kei had a fine sheet of sweat on his face, but apart from that, he still looked put together.

"Are you..." I cleared my throat against the rasp and unused. "Are you sure you should've let me seen this?"

Despite it all, he snorted. "I don't know if you've noticed, but we're in the middle of nowhere. Aoi said you deserved a little bit of breathing room." He rolled his eyes, inhaling. "Anyway, you smell and unless you'd like to stay here and acquaint yourself with the rest of them— there's a room for you upstairs with new clothes and a shower with better amenities."

He finally looked at me then; glossy black eyes and rigid lines of an admittedly, good-looking face. "Pick."

Kei trudged forward, not waiting for me at all. I didn't even glance at Aoi's other men and nearly ran after him.

Lesser evils was going to be my new favourite phrase.

— — —

True to his word, Kei led me to a room upstairs; it was bare apart from a bed without feet, two pillows over it, and clothes at the end. There was a dresser and a stained mirror, and a door that led to a decent bathroom. A toilet with the top and a shower head without grime nor uncomfortable smell.

After he made sure of everything else in the rooms— the windows with metal grills I couldn't possibly fit into much less jump from — Kei left the room with a soft click. But after testing out the silence, standing as silent as I could, I could feel him just on the other side.

It was reassuring and terrifying, so for the better part of my psych, I checked the new clothes first. There was nothing fancy about them; a shirt, some loose joggers I could tie, and some basic footwear. Apart from one clean black knickers, there was nothing else to keep my modesty safe. The shirt was at least black and not at all see-through.

It will have to do. With a rattling sigh, I peeled off my old garments with relief and pity. The lovely shoes then the gossamer gown that was streaked, rumpled, and ugly. Then I took a cold shower.

I tried not to dwell on what I was doing, how normal it felt despite not being in a bathroom I've ever been in, and tried to relax the knots in my body. I did wince at the newer nicks on my arm where some of the plaster washed off. There was no shampoo, not even a soap, but the water felt nice.

As soon as I felt thoroughly cleaned, I wrapped myself with the only towel— it felt new and was most likely thrown in like an afterthought like the pillows and covers — before I got out and stopped.

Kei was on the corner of the room with a chair I hadn't seen before. He had his eyes closed and his legs stretched, but even I knew he heard me enter the room again.

"What are you doing?" I demanded, fists tight on my towel.

"Resting my eyes, hearing nature, healing my soul. Having a grand old time really."

I gritted my teeth. "I meant in this room. I need to change."

"Then do it."

I scoffed.

He sighed, finally opening his eyes to convey how much he cared about my near-nakedness with a deadpan stare. "Kid, I was ordered to be in the same room as you at all times. Apart from bathroom breaks, you and I are going to be seeing more of each other than we would like to be. Also you're cute and all now that you don't smell like the corner of a garbage can, you're still not my type. You can, of course, remain in the towel for all intents and purposes, but I am not leaving the room."

The last part was said in a more dangerous voice; a pitch lower and a threat hanging loose at the end.

I thought through my options, shuffling my feet, but Kei had already closed his eyes. With gritted teeth, I muttered, "Don't open your eyes."

The edge of his lips twitched. "Wouldn't dream of it."

With my eyes completely on him, I quickly put on the underwear first, dropped the towel, and hurried with the rest of the clothes. As soon as I was done, I exhaled, took back the towel, and sat on the edge. My knees were up as I started drying my hair. Kei opened his eyes and smiled without humour.

"See? As long as you play nice, we'll get along."

I exhaled. "Who are you?"

"None of your business."

I didn't expect anything else, so I nodded. "Got it." I turned away from him, staring outside at the cool night. The weather felt different, colder and crisp. Snow was going to fall soon but the wind was too fast.

Kei exhaled a long and rough breath. "I've known Aoi long before she was taken." I turned to him, surprised, but he looked somewhere above my head as he spoke in a calm, almost indirect voice. "She recruited me a while back, different, darker, and told me everything. So I promised to help her with anything she needed." He met my gaze. "And yeah. Even if it meant taking you in and making sure none of those bastards touch you. And not leaving the room when you're in here."

"That's a heroic way of thinking about a kidnapping." But Kei didn't flinch, he only kept my stare with a steady rhythm. "I don't mind that you're... telling me everything, but are you sure that's okay too?"

He smiled, but it wasn't humorous either. His face didn't looked like it knew how to smile genuinely or without an accompanied flat look. "Aoi said I could tell you anything about me. She said stories were payment enough for the stories you sold."

Sell yourself to the devil. I snorted. I couldn't help it. Kei tilted his head.

"You're oddly cheerful," he said. "Good showers could help with a lot of things, huh?"

"I think I'm having an out of body experience."

He sat up, taking out plasters from the inside of his jacket, and started stalking towards me. I shuffled back out of reflex, wary and alert. He sat on the edge of the bed while I retreated a couple of paces until he took my hand with a sharp tug, stopping me.

"I'm not going to bite," he promised with a wry, sharp look. "I just need to changed your bandages, then you're free to fall flat on your face or hug the wall for all I care. We don't want your boyfriend to see the infected wounds, do we?"

I blinked. "What?"

He shook his head. "Just c'mere and make my life easier."

"Why did you say that? Are you lying?"

He sighed roughly. ""Did you really think Aoi is going to kill you?"

"Yes."

"That's true. She's not exactly... well, never mind that. She won't. As long as the people on your end fight for your life, she won't. Anyway, they're actually helping her with some of her plans. Or at least, making it easier for her to put things into place."

I swallowed a dry mouth. "What does she want? Doing all of this? I know it's revenge but..."

He stared at my eyes, glossy black buttons that tried to pry into every emotion I possessed. "She wants them all dead. Every single one of them who changed her life, who put her through horrors she never wanted," he answered simply. Plainly. "She wants justice for the little girl who never had a future."

"But what does —"

He sighed roughly, pulling my arm with a harsh tug. This time final. "Ask her. She'll be here in a couple of hours. I'm too tired to play puppet. Entertain yourself while I clean your wounds."

So I moved silently, letting him sit, knees up to his ribcage, as he mutely dressed up all my old wounds again.

— — —

I woke up to a shaking and came face to face with Kei. Before I could scream, he rolled his eyes and pushed off me. "Eat." He inclined his head to a tray resting on the corner of the bed, and once he walked away and stood up rigidly did my eyes adjust to Aoi on the chair he was resting at just a couple of hours before I fell asleep.

Aoi was donning an amused look on her pale face. She was wearing a pale pink dress now with ballooned lace sleeves and strappy pink heels. It was a whole sight for sore eyes. Her hair was pulled back into a bun and tied with a white silk scarf. Her nails were newly painted to match her outfit, with rhinestones on some of them. They matched the case on her phone too.

Really something else.

"Don't be too cross with Kei. He's been trying to wake you up for the past minute and you wouldn't exactly respond with a quick shove so he had to take measures." She lifted her chin slightly. "去る."

Kei bowed, not making eye contact, before he left and closed the door with a soft click.

"I thought you'd be famished, so I got your favourites for breakfast." She nodded to the tray, bringing my eyes back to her and the cascading dawn slowly rising beside us. Darkness was being swept away by a new day in pale yellows and dark oranges. The trees were curled and ballooned upwards.

The tray was composed of my favourite breakfast. A full English breakfast with beans, a perfect omelette, and two sausages. Beside it was a cup of black tea; only sugar, no milk. There was extra bread on one corner with softened butter on the side, and chopped, cold fruits.

My mind reeled back. The only person who could know... "Quinn. When did you get to talk to Quinn?"

"I didn't. I asked Cordelia and I thought it was Leon who knew." Aoi tilted her head. "Who's Quinn?"

"A friend of mine." Careful, Wendy.

"Who knows Cordelia?"

"She knows Leon more." It wasn't a lie. " She lives in the same town as us."

"Hmm." I didn't know if she could tell I was keeping something from her, but I did my best at pretending that my annoyance with her questioning was because I wanted her to stay away from Quinn because she was normal. Not because Cordelia has her on her disposal. It was true either way, but her finding out the former was out of question.

So I turned to the tray, pulling it close. "You look nice," I said offhandedly, taking the butter knife and taking a good portion of the softened butter before spreading it evenly across the bread.

"Thank you." I could hear amusement from her voice without looking. "It is an important day. I'm glad you've managed a shower and a change, though you'll be a little more happy to know that you'll be more cleaned and dressed up nicer in a little while."

I couldn't help it. I looked up and took the bait in her glimmering eyes. There was a hitch there now, a difference. It was something close to elation. Excitement. Less blandness or mocking in her smile, but a genuine happiness. The sudden emotion brought all my walls up.

Of course she saw through my gaze easily. "Oh, don't look at me like that. You can just ask if you want to know something."

"What's happening?"

"You'll be happy to know that Cordelia and I reached an agreement. You're going back to your lover's arms in a few hours. Isn't that such happy news?"

All hairs on the back of my neck straightened. "What happened? What did they exchanged?"

"Three invitations to the most important party of the night."

I was lost. "What?"

"Oh, it'll be easier to tell you later. But you are getting glammed up. As soon as you finish, we're traveling back to London and fitting you into a dress for the occasion. For now, your only real worry is to keep yourself from being too bloated, so I'd stay clear from the sausages and just the bread."

I could tell that she wanted this to be a surprise; that it brought her happiness to be a shock, so I chose to drop the subject. Instead as I slowly ate, hungry enough to let the silence keep us company, Aoi adjusted herself on the chair and hummed.

"What was the question that you wanted to ask me?"

I looked up. "Pardon?"

"Kei said you had a question."

I blinked. Then cursed the bastard. "It's nothing."

"No, please do. Since this will be the last time we'll see each other."

I clenched my jaw, but my curiosity tingled. It didn't matter if she didn't tell me the truth, but I had a feeling she would. Aoi was bare truths and dusted skeletons. She didn't keep them in a closet but welcomed you with it.

"Who are the people that you want punished?"

She paused, letting the question sink in before a stagnant, malicious smile spread on her face. "A Cavendish, a wicked mother, a Rottschild, a bastard and his grandson. Tommy got to one of them already— his body is buried beside a church close to his childhood home. Or what's left of it. Tommy wanted him to suffer so he threw him to a pack of dogs that he starved for three days. When they sniffed his blood, they went absolutely feral and picked him apart so cleanly that what was left of him was an eye, a chunk of scalp with sparse hair, and his glistening white bones."

She leaned back, smiling so nicely it was almost angelic.

"Though those were the ones behind the entire charade. They're harder to get through, but as you see, plans are moving. The ones who actually took me when I was thirteen, I had already dealt with. For grown men, they didn't last long during torture. But I savoured every moment of those five days. Not like Tommy's dogs. That was painful but brief. I kept them howling until I took out their throats. Until they begged for their own deaths."

She stood up, leaving me shell-shocked and pale. "Eat up, Miss Cain. We want you to look your best for the party tonight."

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NEXT

EPISODE TWENTY FOUR

HER NAME WAS DARLING BLUE

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google translations: japanese

 去る - leave

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Wendy's coming back home :-) Who's excited for the reunion?

Though now it means we're closing in to the end. I always get nervous at big tie in and reveals, though now you all probably have most of the story lined up. Especially that last part, huh?

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts :-)