Painted Roses

Drowning In You

                 

"Lucinda, stop!" Cliffwood shouted, holding out a desperate hand to stop Beldon as he raised the gun again, pressing it back against his shoulder and holding it with worryingly steadiness.

"How dare you?" Lucinda snarled, getting to her feet, staring daggers at Beldon. "You little fool! What do you think a gun can do against me?"

"Lucinda!" Cliffwood snarled, kicking his horse so they got between Lucinda and Beldon. "Enough! Enough with your madness! You cannot keep doing things like this! You can't just make people disappear, people notice!"

"People don't notice! People don't care!"

"They care, Lucinda!"

"Luka didn't!"

"He did! Just like he cared when his other siblings vanished! Just like I cared when our parents vanished! People care!"

"Oh just stop," Lucinda snapped, then spun away from them, her eyes on Rosalia who'd been half way towards her horse.

Eyes widened as eyes met and Rosalia hit the ground, narrowly avoiding another spell Lucinda threw her way before they both flinched at the sound of a second gunshot. Practically growling, Lucinda turned on the men who were riding around the lake towards them, throwing out a hand in their direction and the force of the spell threw them from their steeds. Luka and Beldon's hands flew to their heads, screams of raging agony pouring from them. Cliffwood and Finnian were on their feet, Finnian getting out of the firing line, Cliffwood ducking behind his horse.

Rosalia ran for hers while everyone was distracted. Get to her horse. Get to Braydon. Get away from the castle. If she got away, Beldon would follow her and Luka would follow him. The Cliffwood Brothers could do what they wished, she was getting away.

She rounded the front of the well, starting the mad dash for her horse and something slammed into her back, knocking her off her feet, sending her gambolling over the grass, coming to rest right next to the dagger Lucinda had dropped.

Her eyes widened and she grabbed it, right before Lucinda snatched at her hair and dragged her up, making her snarl in pain and twist her head, breaking free and getting two steps away when Lucinda caught her again, fingers locking in the ends of her locks, forcing her to a stop and almost taking her off her feet.

"Release me!"

"I really would have let you go, Rose, but not anymore! So let's finally put that burial gown to good use!" Lucinda snarled.

Like Lucinda had known a bullet was coming her way, Rosalia knew a spell was going to hit her. Any longer and something horrific would happen.

She turned, without even thinking, lifting the dagger and it sliced through the end of her hair, taking off half a foot, knocking both her and Lucinda off balance as they stumbled, letting out shrieks of surprise as their courter-balance vanished.

Rosalia whirled around, recovering quicker then Lucinda, turning to her as she flailed her arms to not fall over her dress and the well wall.

Rosalia took three quick steps forwards, dropping the knife, balling up her hand and doing something so unladylike Antoinette would have fainted.

She slammed her fist into Lucinda's jaw and sent her flying back, her heel catching the broken wall and she crashed into the water of the well, her dress flaring around her, blinding her and sinking her as she screamed and gargled.

Rosalia stood there, breathing hard, her fist hurting, glaring before she remembered to compose herself. She straightened and pushed her ruined hair from her face.