Don't Fear The Reaper *Izana x OC x OC* (COMPLETE)

Genuine Emotion

Izana--

    I watch as Reza is tackled to the floor by none other than my brother's bratty little attendant. He must have noticed her arrival on the grounds and tracked her in here. It's unsurprising but I hadn't anticipated him actually coming into my rooms. He typically avoids me unless Zen makes him follow along during meetings. I watch out of curiosity since I haven't seen her in any sort of combat so far. If I help her or interfere in any way, it'll only raise concerns regarding my loyalties and create problems for Zen later on. Reza flips them over so Obi is pinned to the floor beneath her with a dagger to his throat. I hope to see more but all he manages to do is free himself before she slams his head into my desk. I'll admit it's a fairly skillful maneuver on her part and shows that she has decent strength even while injured.

    She slowly gets to her feet and tells me to take her to Roman so she can kill me and escape while leaving a cover for my death. She'll kill me at the holding cells to make it appear as if I were trying to prevent the escape instead of simply leading her to him. It could work for sure but she's wavering slightly and I fear she may collapse before we can get this settled, then she'll run out of time or get captured herself. My idea of quickly dressing her wounds goes over horribly and her response is to jerk me to my feet and pull me toward the door. Thankfully I can feel my legs fully so I don't fall without the cane.

    Reza and I carefully travel through the corridors of the castle with her clinging to the shadows and any area she can duck into while I quickly distract and redirect the castle staff. Beyond the increased guard patrols we have food runners and messengers as well. I notice as Reza leaves the cover of an alcove she's at some point started to stitch her side as we go. I don't know why she feels this is an appropriate time to perform medical care when she could have while we were in my office, but at least she's trying to prevent her untimely death. We make it down to the cells rather easily and before I can redirect the guard, she pushes past me and in the time it takes to blink, she drops him.

    I stay back as Reza goes to see Roman and free him but I raise a brow as I don't hear either of them speak to each other. She hasn't moved to put the key into the door either. After a few moments of silence, she whistles quietly, the same whistle we heard when he was in trouble. From our positions, I can see her jaw line and the small smirk playing on her lips.

"You came back for me. I knew my darling Miss couldn't stand being without me. I knew you loved me!" Roman drones on dramatically and now I really wish she'd kill me now so I don't have to hear it.

"Yeah, yeah. Sadly we have a few issues and I need you so I can take care of them." She tells him, unimpressed by his flattery.

"Well your target survived the poison so that's one of them. We have roughly five hours to kill him, escape, and return so you can report to Mommy Nightmare Fuel."

"I really hope you know that if Mother ever hears you call her that she will kill you." Reza chuckles and it seems to be one of the first true emotions she's shown without suppressing any of it. "I'm aware that Izana is alive, that's how I was able to make it to you. The assassin lackey knows I'm here but I left him unconscious in the office. There is also a sizable bounty on my head thanks to dear old Shenazard Castle. I was caught up on my way to the castle and got away but I'm sure they're lingering nearby."

"Are you injured?"

"No."

"Are you lying to me?"

"No."

"Yes she is." I interject and she shoots me a glare that I return with a smirk.

"Ugh, he's still alive? Why didn't you just kill him after taking the keys?"

"His time is quickly approaching, Roman, now hush."

     Reza unlocks the door and within a second she is enveloped in Roman's arms as he hugs her, then begins to fuss over her in search of injuries. She smacks his hands away and pulls a few daggers from her thigh garter to give to him. He tucks them away and she sends him ahead around the corner to monitor the guard and watch for any other interruptions. Once he is gone, she turns and her deep red eyes focus on me.

"Are you ready?"

"As long as we succeed this time, then yes. It's rather humiliating to face plant your desk in front of your staff, then have to hobble along with a cane because your legs are asleep."

"Perhaps if you'd succumb to poison faster it wouldn't have been an issue. Also, I feel as if for a literal castle, you lot are severely lacking in door locks, eh?"

"Quite possibly." I chuckle. "Tell your lackey I said to take care of you or I'll come for him in the afterlife."

"I'm shaking in my boots, honestly." I hear Roman drone back from around the corner. "Get on with it Reez, we have to go."

She rolls her eyes and draws a dagger as she steps toward me.

"This is going to hurt and be messy, but this is the only way I can do this in time, alright? I'll aim for something vital so you won't suffer long." Her voice is soft and almost soothing as she speaks. "Close your eyes and count to seven, when you wake you'll be in Heaven."

I do as she says and close my eyes and count in my head. I'm still tense, knowing it's coming once I reach seven, but at least I'm getting my wish.

Three... Four... Fi-

I feel the dagger plunge into my chest and my eyes open just as a whistle echoes through the corridor. Reza's eyes lock onto mine and I can see fear and regret on her face, but as I start to fall, she's tackled to the ground beside me.

A/N: I apologize for the delay in posting.. I was sick with a bad case of laryngitis and what doctors believed to be but couldn't confirm to be covid-19. Shortly after that I was still feeling effects of it and struggled to regain the strength to make it through work let alone writing and job hunting(I am in an AWFUL work environment). Last week I also had to deal with the loss of an ex boyfriend who passed at the age of 25 just a few weeks shy of his daughters birth and his wedding day, then the following day my friend's mother passed of cancer. I hope to continue to write and hopefully get into a routine, so in the meantime please bear with me. 💙-H