The door to the dim room was kicked open by a tall, brawny man. He stepped inside, two scrawny men following after him and clicking the door shut behind them, turning the lock. A female was slung over the tall man's shoulder, unconscious and limp. Her midnight black hair swayed over her head, concealing her face. A lone man sat idly in the room, the oil lamp on the desk beside him illuminating the left side of his face. His eye was glazed over with visible scarring. The right side of his face was cloaked by darkness, but despite that, his smug grin seemed as clear as day.

"Is that her?" he inquired, his arrogant tone commanding. "The jewel of the Bellerose family?"

Lifting her off his shoulder, the brawny man silently held her up by the arm before the man. The scrawny pair moved on either side of the lady, one gathering up her soft locks while the other snatched her jaw, lifting her head.

"We got 'er, boss." The man holding her hair out of her face chuckled. "She was at the place just like ya said."

The one holding her jaw lightly shook her head from side to side, a smirk plastered on his face. "Poor little flower. She didn't know what 'it 'er."

"And no one saw?" the scarred man questioned. He rose from his seat and stepped closer. "No one followed?"

The tall, mute man shook his head, and it was up to one of the others to respond. "Blimey, course no one saw! Who do ya think we are?"

The other nodded. "We used the drug you 'ad made for us. It worked like a charm, it did. Knocked 'er right out."

The noblewoman twitched slightly, beginning to stir at last. "Tie and gag her," the boss ordered upon noticing her movement. "Make sure she's quiet and secure. I need to make…arrangements…with her family."

Sophia suddenly felt her hands bound and strung up above her head. She tried shifting, but to no avail. Sapphire eyes fluttered open, blinking rapidly to clear the blurriness of her vision while adjusting to the dark surroundings. She scanned the unfamiliar room, finding it hard to see with only a single light source present. The place was silent and empty. There was a soft ticking of a clock, and there were barely any furnishings. Bricks covered the window, forbidding even a single ray of light from entering.

Sophia was seated on the wood floor, her back resting against the wall. A rag was tied around her mouth to keep her from speaking. Tilting her head up, she saw her wrists bound with rope, the thick cord tight on her skin and suspending her hands to a pipe running along the wall. She wriggled her arms, trying to loosen the rope. But the more she moved, the more uncomfortable her wrists became. It was then that the creak of the floorboards reached her ears and she looked to see two men over by the door. They'd been so silent and still that she hadn't even noticed them.

"Awake at last, little flower?" the scrawnier of the two spoke up. The woman eyed the knife he was flipping back and forth in his hand. She shivered when he started coming toward her. "Don't be afraid. We ain't gonna 'urt ya. Just be good and everythin' will be fine."

The brawny man at the door remained in place like an unmoving statue. Sophia fearfully watched the smaller male crouch in front of her with a menacing grin. She wanted to question him - to ask why she was there and what they wanted from her. But the rag covering her mouth prevented her from doing so. All she could do was stare at the man. He suddenly stabbed the knife into the wall beside her head, making her flinch and squeeze her eyes shut. Soft whimpers sounded from under the rag.

"Better 'ope your family can follow instructions. I'd 'ate to have to cut up that pretty face of yours."

If Sophia wasn't shaking like a leaf before, she certainly was after that statement. After a nice morning of shopping for her favorite tea and some new materials to sew with, the last thing she'd expected was to be kidnapped. She didn't know those strangers at all, but by the way they spoke, she could only assume they were after her family's wealth. After a few more frightening threats from the man, the door swung open and another pair entered the room. There was another scrawny guy just like the one before her. But there was also a mean looking man with a scarred eye and blond hair slicked back out of his face. He had a threatening aura about him that sent a chill down the woman's spine.

"Ah, so our guest is awake," he uttered, his voice unsettling. "Good. I was afraid the drug worked too well. Hope your accommodations are to your liking."

He laughed with amusement, an impish smirk on his face. The four of them fell silent when they heard a sudden thump on the other side of the door. Several of them snatched up their knives, preparing themselves like cats ready to pounce.

"Open up!" a masculine voice shouted beyond the door. "I know you're in there! What have you done with my sister?!"

Barnaby! Sophia wanted to say. He must've followed them! A wave of relief washed over her, but it was swiftly replaced with an overwhelming fear. No! Go home! These men are armed! They'll kill you! Her desperate pleas went unheard. After a few more thumps, the door was broken through. The black-haired man spied his sister, then set his fierce gaze on the thugs already leaping at him. He skillfully dodged the first knife thrusted toward him, snatching the arm wielding it and disarming the attacker. With the weapon in his grasp, he fought back against the other men, managing to force them aside.

With the first chance he got, Barnaby made a dash for his sister. "Sophia!"

The young woman caught sight of the scarred man right behind her brother. She squirmed, her shouts muffled by the rag. It was already too late. Barnaby stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide as a pained cry tore from his throat. Sophia stared, eyes wide and tears already spilling from them. Everyone seemed to be frozen in place for several long seconds. Droplets of blood dripped to the floor, and slowly, Barnaby tipped forward. He collapsed several feet from her position, landing on his stomach with a messy stab wound in his back. He struggled to move, a dark red pool forming under him. Even in his dying moments, he reached for his sister, brown eyes on her the whole time.

"So…phi…a…" He tried to crawl to her, but his body was too weak. All he could do was reach his hand toward her in a desperate attempt to save her. "I'm…so…rry…"

His arm suddenly went limp and the life in his eyes faded. Sophia cried and sobbed through the rag, her whole body shaking violently. Her tears flowed like waterfalls, and even after closing her eyes, the image of her brother lying dead on the floor was imprinted on her mind. She'd heard of murders and accidents, but never in her life did she imagine things like that happening, not to her. Her older brother was dead. All because of some thugs.

The half-blind man standing over Barnaby squeezed the bloody knife in his hand. "This fool. He must've been eavesdropping and tailing us." He growled lightly with anger. "These damned aristocrats and their arrogance."

"Eh, boss?" one of the underlings interrupted. "What are we supposed to do with 'is body?"

"Leave him. Our hideout is hidden. We can't risk disposing of him and being noticed." His wicked gaze landed on Sophia. "Besides, we still have the lady. She's the one that matters. Though perhaps…" He walked around the corpse and toward the woman. "It might be wise to give the Belleroses a reminder of what will happen should they disobey our instructions."

Sophia struggled against her binding, peering up at the man in terror. The glint of his knife was reflected in the dim light, drawing closer and closer. The torturous screams of agony were trapped beyond those walls, never to reach those outside.