The True Partizan - 4

Numb - Part 9

The dress is gorgeous.

You hadn't even expected it.

You hadn't expected to have a dress at all. For the ball. On the morning of the flower festival you woke up and it was just there.

It's so beautiful.

It's a deep ocean blue, the skirt drifts to the floor like waves, flowy and light, the heart shaped bodice is fitted and littered with sparkling jewels. You know it's expensive. It screams 'look at me' and you're apprehensive of the attention it may bring.

"Do I have to wear this?" You mutter to yourself, sliding out of bed and trailing your hand along the fabric of the dress.

"Yes."

You jump, Claude is at the door you didn't even hear open. And the sight of him sparks fear in your chest.

You retract in shock. "How did you-"

"You have to wear the dress Y/n." He interrupts, eyes ice cold, "Everyone else is dressing up, it is a ball after all."

"Are you going to share the plan with me at all? Or am I supposed to guess what to do?"

Claude looks more angry than usual. "You'll know when you're meant to know. And don't worry, by the time the formula wears off you won't remember anything you've done."

You force down your increasing anxiety and fear. "When? When are you going to poison me?"

His face twists into a satisfied smirk. "Now."

You can't take it anymore, you're so mentally exhausted and terrified you just stare.

Your hand falls from the dress as your head swells with a sudden ache.

Your legs grow weak, your knees give way.

The world turns black.

JAMIE'S POV:

I heard a thud. From down the hall.

My brow creased in confusion and I walked to the source of the sound, y/n's room.

My father was stood in the room, staring down at...her.

"That was easier than I thought."  Claude stated, the rasp in his voice more noticeable than usual.

"What did you do?" I demanded, kneeling down next to y/n's unconscious body.

"Honestly Jamie, you may find it difficult to believe but I did nothing, I haven't even given her the formula yet."

I glanced impatiently at him. "What happened then?"

Slowly, a smile appeared on his face, a cunning smile. "She fainted."

Haru entered the room, double taking as he saw y/n. "What happened?"

"She...fainted."

I could see the dread in Haru's eyes that he would normally mask. "Does this mean?"

"Yes. Get Phi, and the formula."

I forced myself not to lose control, knowing I still had to convince my father I was still on his side. "Do you really think-"

"-Get rid of Jamie too, he doesn't understand what has to happen." Claude clasped his hands in front of him, watching me sternly.

I bowed my head, eyes drifting to y/n's face. "Father..."

"Leave Jamie. It's what's best."

I reluctantly stood, desperately wanting to rebel against my father and save her, but it would put mine and Haru's plan to waste.

I would find another way to save her.

I walked to my room enraged, my fists clenching tighter with every step I took. I resisted the urge to slam the door and ran my hands through my hair, pacing up and down the room. I grabbed a pillow from my bed and yelled into it, attempting to release my anger.

My anger for my father, for the leviathan, for the Maravish royal family, for the rest of the world.

But most of all for myself.

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Y/N'S POV:

You wake again, dazed and confused.

You're back on the bed, Claude, Phi and Ingrid are watching you.

You jolt up once more, extremely creeped out by them. "What happened?"

"You fainted." Phi replies bluntly.

Sudden realisation clouds your mind, along with dread. "And the- the formula."

"Yes, we've already used the Hamelin formula on you, it will settle in in about 5 minutes." Ingrid explains.

You feel sick to the stomach, and force down the urge to cry.

Claude's gaze is invasive and cold. "Put on the dress Y/n. There's no point in trying anymore."

He walks out of the room and the girls follow, the door shutting behind them.

You stare down at your hands, a tear falling from your cheek into your palm. You slowly look back up at the dress and glumly approach it, removing it from the hanger and changing into it.

The dress fits perfectly, and drifts to the floor, swaying calmly with every movement.

Conveniently, the leviathan also provided a bag of sanitary products in the bathroom with makeup and perfume that you suppose you're meant to use. It's so weird how nice they're being to you, everything about it is incredibly unsettling.

Claude opens the door again without warning, and you jump again, being in the house triples your awareness of everything. Also, you wonder how he knows you finished changing, which is weird, and makes you more uncomfortable.

You've also been unconscious 3 times in recent days, and do not want it to happen again.

"You'll listen to me now." Claude demands, he thinks the Hamelin formula has set, but it hasn't yet. "You will do as I say and you will serve the Leviathan. He produces a knife and a leather holder for it. "This is your weapon, tie it to your thigh. Then, Phi will take you to the van, you'll be silent, and then you'll listen to everything we tell you to do when we arrive at the palace."

You nod, taking the knife and trying to keep your expression as emotionless as possible.

"Good." This time when he leaves, he leaves the door open.

You attach the knife to your thigh, heart racing, but suddenly a feeling of abrupt calm washes over you. You blink, confused.

The calm increases, and suddenly all of your anxiety and fear seems to fade away. You reach for your wolf pendant hidden under your dress and grip it, trying to grip yourself back, but your hand slackens and falls to your side.

It's too late when you realise.

Now numbness is all you can feel.