Their Princess

Ch. 26- Blurs (Edited)

Aria's POV:

I remember when I was about thirteen, I loved the blur. I lived for it. That was because I could feel no other emotion other than peace. It then slowly became something I depended on.

But I had to stop loving it because Mama found me high in my room once and she broke down right there and then. And it felt like the numbness and peace slowly slipped away through my fingers as my mom sobbed.

She cried out to whoever would listen as she muttered on about failing me. It wasn't her fault though. It was all my fault and how I'm unable to feel naturally happy. The only time people would see me smile was when I was out of my mind.

I made her hurt and hated seeing her like that so I stopped. I stopped hanging around those kids and withdrawal was a tough phase but Mama was there for me. 

The only thing that I was grateful for being around those teenagers was when they taught me how to fight.

It was something I wasn't proud of but it was a good ability to have especially when you're being held at gunpoint.

"Let her go and I'll have your ending be quick," Adrian says as if he was being merciful, pointing the gun at the both of us.

I knew he didn't have a clear shot but what was more disturbing was the sentence that had just left his mouth. Maybe it was some bullshit rich people say but it didn't sit right with me.

A family full of criminals?

Whatever, I couldn't focus on that now. I needed to get out of his grip. 

The man behind me scoffed as he grabbed onto my low bun, yanking my head back slightly. Suddenly, about a dozen figures in all black came circling the van, killing the idea of a way to get out of the mansion.

I understood the position I was in but the only thing that had been going through my head was to win and I knew exactly what to do.

I don't know what came over me but I shut my eyes tightly as I whispered, "If you're still watching over me, protect us. Please."

The man behind me let out a disgusting laugh as he pushed the barrel deeper into my head to show who was the one with the upper hand.

I locked eyes with the group in the van with a look of masked defeat and they stared back with worry in their eyes.

I gave them a sly smile as a signal, watching their faces twist in confusion. In one swift motion, I drove my elbow into the man's abdomen, making him double over in pain. 

Without missing a beat, I spun around and brought my knee up to his face with all my power. As he crumpled to the ground, I was already reaching for the handgun tucked into my waistband.

Gunfire erupted around me as Lawrence, Adrian, and Adela burst out of the van, expertly shooting off targets with precise shots. 

Albert was already climbing towards the driver's seat despite his injury and turned the engine on. Unexpectedly, the frail man stomped on the gas pedal and drove straight into three men, taking them all down at once.

"The boss wants her alive!" a voice shouted amidst the chaos. Suddenly, I felt large arms wrap around me, lifting me off the ground causing a scream to slip and they dragged me away from safety.

With the little mobility left in my wrist, I aimed my gun at the man's arm and squeezed the trigger. The shot rang out, followed by a pained scream as he dropped me hard onto the concrete. 

I didn't waste a second, rolling onto my back and firing another shot into his thigh. He howled in agony, collapsing to the ground.

Looking over to the van where the four were fighting against the many, I began pushing myself up off the ground but I could hear a man laugh evilly behind me.

Another assailant had grabbed my leg and began dragging me against the rough concrete. I winced as the gritty surface scraped against my skin, but I tightened my grip on the gun. Twisting my body, I aimed at my attacker and fired.

The bullet had found its mark, and the man staggered, releasing my leg and dropping down groaning with a thud. I scrambled to my feet, heart pounding as I surveyed the chaos around me.

Just when I thought it was over, I spotted one last figure emerging from the shadows, a menacing grin on his face as he approached. I recognized him immediately, and my heart sank to my stomach as I froze in a mixture of shock and anger.

He was there that evening.

He was one of the men who killed Mama.

Memories of that fateful night flashed before my eyes—her eyes, the ringing in my head, the overwhelming helplessness. My hand trembled as I tightened my grip on the gun, but my mind was clouded with rage.

I could hear my name being shouted from behind me but they were either too far or everything around me felt cloudy.

"Remember me?" he sneered, taking slow, deliberate steps toward me. "We should have killed you alongside your mother but I guess you got lucky."

My breath hitched, but I forced myself to steady the weapon, training it on his chest. He was closer now, his presence radiating a dark aura that churned my insides.

For a moment, time seemed to slow. The chaos around us faded, and it was just me and him, the weight of my hatred bearing down on me like a suffocating shroud.

"I vowed to myself that I would kill you myself" I whispered loud enough for him to hear, my voice cold and steady, belying the storm raging inside me. "And I always keep my promises."

His grin faltered, just for a second, before he reached for his weapon. But he was too slow. I fired once, the bullet striking his abdomen, and he staggered backward. 

Seizing the moment, I charged at him screaming, throwing my whole body into the tackle. We hit the ground hard, the rough surface scraping my skin as I landed on top of him.

I didn't hold back. My fists rained down on him, each punch fueled by the pain I carried from my past. Every blow was a release, an outlet for the pain and grief I'd carried for so long. He was too weak to fight back, his strength drained by the wound in his abdomen, and I took full advantage.

My knee found the bullet wound, and I pressed down hard as he unleashed an unearthly scream that tore from his throat. His face contorted in agony, and I felt a sick satisfaction in watching the fear replace the confidence in his eyes.

Amid the struggle, my gaze caught sight of a sharp metal blade just a few feet away. Without hesitation, I reached for it, my breath coming in unstable, shaky gasps.

"Have you ever heard of the saying?" I asked, my voice trembling with a mix of rage and grim determination. "An eye for an eye?"

His brows furrowed in confusion, but then realization dawned on him. His eyes widened in terror as he began to scream, a desperate, relentless sound that filled the air amongst the fighting that had slowly started to come to an end.

I didn't hesitate. Lifting the blade, I brought it down with all the force I could muster, plunging it into his eye. Blood squirted on my face as he let out a guttural scream. I twisted the blade with disgusting satisfaction just to make sure he was in as much excruciating pain as possible.

His screams slowly turned into whimpers of desperation and I brought my lips near his ear as he shook in agonizing pain, whispering, "That was for my mother," Before slitting his throat just like his friends did to the young maid in the hall.

For a moment, I just sat there, staring down at what I had done, my chest heaving as the adrenaline slowly ebbed away. 

The monster who had taken part in destroying my world was gone, but the weight of what I had done settled heavily on my shoulders despite it being for my Mom's vengeance.