"I will ruin everyone and everything that stands in my way. Even him"
Aria Middleton is a Made Woman.
Being haunted by nightmares of the past is what drives her to be the Queen of the chessboard. The most important piece. She feeds off of the miser...
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The darkness is a veil. Perhaps the most common metaphor used for darkness is referred to as the concept of having something pulled down over your eyes. The metaphor of darkness to veils works accordingly as they both obscure our vision. They both partially blind you from truly knowing what's true and what's not.
That is what he was. Darkness. He was a darkness that I thought I could carry light into. He was a veil I presumed I could uncover to show light and clear vision. A veil cannot be lifted if it is strangled around the bearer's neck.
Perhaps if I had turned a blind eye that fateful day, If I had decided to continue my journey to the lecture hall. If curiosity had not killed the cat as it did me. But, I didn't. I didn't want to.
I would endure all the pain, torture, and betrayal all over again for the hefty price of sitting in this same place. Of wearing this thin white dress that did nothing for the cold, of being covered in my blood, of reaching further on the brink of insanity. Of this darkness.
A tired, dehydrated, breathless sigh escaped my breath.
"Why did you do this to me?" I sobbed, yearning for some sort of solace in this horrid place, "Why didn't you just kill me, why do you allow him to control you?"
"My grandfather would not lie to me."
A soft chuckle escaped my chapped lips, and I lifted my head from its position in my hand leaned against my kneecaps. There was nothing particularly funny about what he stated, perhaps I was truly losing my mind. I've only been here for two days.
"The same grandfather you so rightfully loathe when he hasn't laced you with whatever poison he supplies. You once claimed to love me, was it all a lie, a mere facade?" my tone was venomous, aggressively upset, and tiresome at some point. Part of me hopes he will just kill me.
"You betrayed me." Ash accused, wrongfully.
"I did no such thing! Trust me, I beg of you, trust me. I agree, I involved myself because your way of dealing with problems is likely overrated. I did not make any such deal." I fought, just as I had fought before but it was of no use. As before he would not listen to me, more so now when the drug was still in his system.
"My loyalty lies with the syndicate."
"Then kill me. For goodness sake, just rid the world of me. I cannot bear this torture any longer." A pregnant silence befell us and to pass the time I merely counted the seconds. I counted wrong. Upon almost giving up, he answered.
"I can't." It was so soft. Merely a whisper if there was sound except for the fading echo of our voices. Yet I heard it. I grasped it. And I couldn't, for the life of me, understand it.
"Why?"
"I'm selfish enough not to let him kill you. I need you, if I let you die then I will perish. I'm selfish enough to keep you alive, no matter the torture you have to bear." he answered, still emotionless while speaking yet the fight to stay lucid during this conversation, if you can call it that, was evident.
"Do you not care at all for the torture he has inflicted on me?" I gulped, tasting dryness on my tongue. I silently begged for water and he poured me a glass, for a moment our fingers touched and I immediately recoiled from his touch. A pang of hurt flashed on his face before it disappeared completely.
"I do care. But I can't let you die. I will however promise to find you a way out." he begged for him to believe him. To not let breaths and breaths of memories ruin everything we have worked towards. The relationship we have built. It's broken just as it is worn.
"I care nothing for your promises." I menaced. Gripping the chain around my neck, I pulled the chain and it released itself from my neck—the military tag dangling from my hand as I threw the necklace at his feet. It only now bore the weight of shackles.
"I wish not of your forgiveness, you have betrayed me and I am still caring for you." the vulnerability in his voice was not hidden this time, and once more I met his gaze watching his eyes darken not with lust or love but with the knowing consumption of the drugs in his system.
"You will never find peace if I ever leave here," I replied, knowing I was no longer speaking to my Gray. He was long gone and I didn't know if I would ever get him back or if I wanted him back.
"I'm sorry I couldn't help you." He said, but I never heard.
