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

Maybe I Am A Monster

Reza--

Roman and I stumble across an abandoned cottage covered in vines and overgrown shrubbery just before noon. We haven't been attacked by the family so far or bounty hunters. I'm not stupid enough to think it's not coming but it's nice for now. Roman and I circle the cottage and find a broken window to slip in through. We'll cover it with something once we're inside so it's not as obvious we're in there if anyone tries to see in. It's not in too rough of condition beyond the dust except for where the rain and snow came in through the window. Roman searches the other two rooms for safety reasons while I remove my cloak to check on my side. I felt a slight tear in the new stitches Roman had put in for me while I was fighting Mother but it looks like only one popped. It should be alright.

"It looks like we should be safe for at least a little while." Roman tells me as he comes back into the main room.

I settle on one of the dusty arm chairs as he tacks up a sun faded blanket from the other room.

"How is your side?"

"Lost a stitch but it's alright."

He sprawls out across the couch and sighs. "So what happened at the compound? We were on time."

"I apparently made it a second or two too late so she called it Failure. Mother and I argued and then I attacked her."

"Woah! Good job Reez, look at you out there living my dream of striking down that horrible woman."

"I'll admit it felt good." I chuckle. "But what's our plan now? We have the Mitzkos after us, bounty hunters from Tanbarun if they can find me, and most likely Wistal Castle will be after us after what happened."

"We can either try to lay low and change our appearances a little or we try to join in another group or we can hit the seas and see what shenanigans we can get into? Or we could face it all head on and take on everyone, though I don't think that'll really be possible, no offense."

"I just want to sit and breathe for a moment. It's been a rough few days and we have a long life of almost dying ahead of us." I sigh and reach for my necklace to fidget with but it's gone. "My necklace is gone."

"Which one? You wear at least five of them."

"The one from Meiren. I know I had it when I went to Wistal, of course, but I don't know if it made it back out with us."

"Sadly, even if we went back for it there's no telling if it's in the castle, on the grounds, on our path back to the compound, in your mother's office, in the compound, or anywhere along our route here. We'd be caught and killed before we got anywhere near it."

"Yeah, I know." I sigh. "I'm going to try to sleep for a little while. Please wake me if anything happens."

"Sleep well Miss."

I wake up lying across the couch with Roman's cloak draped over me. I look around the cottage for him but he's not here. I curse under my breath and pray that he hadn't gotten captured as I head toward the door. I open it and struggle to catch Roman as he falls into me but he manages to catch himself and stands me upright.

"Sorry Reez, I didn't like not being able to see anything so I came out here to guard and scout perimeter. You were sleeping pretty well so I didn't want to disturb you."

"Have you seen anyone?"

"Not at all and it concerns me." He mumbles as I settle against the wall beside him. "Have you ever known of the family to not go after a Reaper for failure?"

"Yeah but they only did that if... the target survives. Son of a bitch! I swear if Izana survived a dagger to the chest I am going to throw myself off a cliff!"

"So they'll go kill him then come for us?" He asks and I nod. "Great! That gives us time to put quite a bit of distance between us and the family and the prince gets to die as he wanted. It's a win-win."

"We're going to the castle." I tell him after a moment of silence.

"What!? As your attendant, I am going to respectfully inform you that there is no way in Hell I am letting you near that castle when we have both kingdoms, bounty hunters, and your crazy family after us!"

"We're going, Roman."

"Why do we even need to go? It's literally the best option available to go in the OPPOSITE DIRECTION!"

"I am- was- the Reaper. It was my job to kill him. I failed in my family's eyes but I've never not completed a job. I have to be the one to kill him." I'm honestly not sure why it's bothering me so much but I need to go, I need to kill him. Maybe Meiran was right; maybe I did become a monster...

I dodge Roman as he lunges at me again and curse at the tugging of my newest set of stitches. I told him definitively that we were going to Wistal Castle so I can complete my job for the sake of my sanity, and now it's turned to this. He believes that if he can pin me down or make me incapable of going that the family will take care of him for us. I know that if we go, the castle will be crawling with wanna-be Reapers and we might die but I just can't seem to let it go and I don't know why. My thoughts are torn between my desire to kill Izana and Meiren's last words to me all those years ago. I hadn't thought much about it since Mother had it beaten out of me. I misjudge a dodge and I'm sent crashing to the dirty wooden floors with Roman on top of me. I swing at him on impact but he catches my wrists with ease and pins them down. This is the bad part about fighting against someone who knows your every move.

"Why are you so intent on stopping me besides your Reaper-bound oath? Because that's not in effect anymore." I ask as I relax my struggles for a moment.