Crimson Wealth

CHAPTER 1 - BIANCA

On November 16, 1864, my entire life had crumbled into ruins.

The memory of its night still remained vividly etched into my brain, haunting my every movement as I remembered the gradual loss of color from my mother and sister's face.

It started with the sound of a bullet that echoed through the house, alarming all of us who were sound asleep. Initially, I thought, as my sister entered my room to hug me, it was the sound of thunder that was coaxed in the heavy winter thunderstorm happening outside. But I realized it wasn't when the maids had started to scream, and those screams were silenced with another so-called thunder.

Sylvia held on to my hand as I trembled in fear. She covered me in her warmth, and I could feel her shivering whimpers as she bit down her screams for help. I was 14 at the time, unaware of the surroundings that were going on.

As the youngest daughter of my family, I wasn't burdened with the fact I had to inherit the Ministry of Defense when I grew up -- all that would be given to my sister when my father would retire. But as of that night, everything came clear to me that life wasn't always going to go in the desired path.

Sylvia muffled my screams as more gunshots filled the manor, and my tears fell down like a never-ending waterfall. Suddenly, my bedroom's door opened and a man stood in the doorway. His gun clung tightly in his left hand and a walking cane was stashed in his right hand. His face was covered with a mask tucked around his bottom half, only showing his hazel-brown eyes. His hair was done black, with visible white strands gleaming out of it. He limped towards us , and my sister's grip tightened, signaling her immense fear towards the man.

"GET AWAY!" my sister's hoarsely said, a cry breaking in between her words, "GET. AWAY."

Without question, the man had grabbed my sister harshly and pointed a gun towards her head. I took my sister's hand, unwilling to let go.

"LET GO OF HER!" I shrieked, "LET GO!"

The man kept silent as he pulled Sylvia with greater power, and struck me across the face harshly. I was pushed against my bed, placing the pain within me.

In a moment, my sister's screams gradually faded as she was dragged out of the room forcefully by her hair. When I had regained my senses, I jolted towards the doorway. However, I was too late when the man had shut the door and blocked it with a table from the hallway.

I kept banging on the door, "LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT! LET MY SISTER GO! LET SYLVIA GO!" I sobbed in despair, but it was useless. Everything was useless.

With a feeling of determination within me, I exited my chambers using the balcony. It seemed crazy, honestly, as I walked on the edges of the outer walls of my manor. I looked down to see the fall that could lead to my death, but I couldn't let the rest of my family die.

~~~

I entered my parents' room's balcony, finding them absent in their rooms as well, with a heap of mess that occurred in the tables and furniture. Both father and mother must have fought back, and considering that father was once part of the Royal Army, he would've won a 1v1 battle easily, but this just meant something else: there were 2 or more people in the house that day and they were all professionally trained.

I ran out of my parents' room, and I heard the sound of people arguing from my father's office. I stealthily paced towards there, calculating my every movement to prevent getting caught. Every second of that moment, only one thing rang in my head: What could a 14-year-old girl possibly do against three armed men?

The door was opened and I hid behind the wall of the archway. There, my mother and sister were both tied together, their faces bleeding from what I thought were punches and hits by these bastard-like men. The limping man stood in front of them, gun ready in hand. I was confused -- why didn't he take me too?