The Arcana: Fragments

XIV: An Unspoken Promise

Lucio x reader

The night sky was filled with the sounds of screams, shrill and horror filled vibrations that reverberated all the way to where I stood atop my vantage point. "An easy overtaking", one of my generals noted, the one who always sported white war paint over the customary black. I nodded my approval as I watched from above the cluster of villages succumb to my forces. Their homes had become torches in the dead of night, red and ablaze. Such bliss the color red and the sound of screams brought me.

"The town has fallen, let's introduce them to their new leader", my fur cape whipped against the winds current as I turned to descend down the stony cliff, it's hide smashing against the general who previously spoke. I scowled as I noticed his poorly done white war paint now lay smudged against my bear hide cloak. "My apologies, my lord", the general stammered, his features now painted like that of an albino raccoon. I laughed in his face to further the embarrassment.

"Fool", I sighed after recovering from my laughing fit, "Your weapon, fool", outstretching my hand. I awaited his compliance impatiently. The surrounding generals, an inept flock of five, gasped as realization dawned on them. "My lord, please don't do this..I regret my mistake and curse my clumsiness with all my soul, it was not my intent to offend my lord and get caught in the way of your magnificent cloak. Please, I have been a general for this tribe nearly fourteen years. I watched you grow up!"

The man now annoyed me, so I clicked my tongue in the traditional signal of the Scourge tribesmen and had his weapon forcibly removed from his person. The other generals complied hastily, the look on the fools face when all of his friends so obediently turned on him was priceless. "On the contrary, general, you have done nothing but offend me. Need I remind you for the last time that I am not a lord, I am a Count? Vesuvia lay only two more sieges away from falling under my control and I intend on inheriting the title as Count of Vesuvia the moment it happens". Twirling his weapon between my hands, an age ridden battle axe with more cracks and dents than actual sharpness, I eyed the fool with much amusement. "I revoke your title as general of this tribe, renouncing your place, shares, and ownership of all that should fall under your name. The Scourge removes you".

"The Scourge removes you", the other generals voiced at once. Satisfied, I glanced at my remaining five generals and nodded to them to finish the job. They bowed their heads in grave compliance. "Also, I nearly forgot! - from this day forward, black war paint shall be customary for all Scourge, regardless of rank or station". Breaking the hilt of his axe on my shin I tossed his weapon off the cliff and re embarked on my way down. The screams grew louder as I descended, the shing of metal rang from above me and I was unable to contain my laughter once more as I followed the plop.. plop.. plop of the fools head bouncing alongside me down the stone hill.

[M/C] Your POV

"Father!", I screamed as he was tackled down by several of the Scourge men. I had nowhere to go, and no means of defending myself without him. He was all I had. "Go! Run!", he shouted as he resisted the three men beating him. My mind agreed with him, but my heart kept my feet in place and instead brought a charred wooden plank into my hands as I whacked one of the men over the head with it, knocking him unconscious immediately. The other two turned their attention to me now, we all choked on the falling ash, struggling to see through watery eyes and heaves of dry breath. I raised the plank above my head once more, "Whatcha gonna do with that, girlie?", one teased, twisting a razor sharp long-axe in his hand. I whimpered in fright as the two made teasing lunges at me, retreating with agility as I made inexperienced swings.

Upon my third swing, the plank was yanked from my grasp and thrown aside. My back was now flush against a burning building, cornered by the two men. "Count Lucio!", a distant voice shouted from behind the two men. I gazed beyond them and saw my father now surrounded by a group of ten or so men and women, led by a tall, smirk plastered blonde who held a sword to his father's throat. Just as I was about to call out to him, the two men advanced on me and pinned me to the wall, muffling my screams with one of their hands. From my peripheral vision I watched as my father fell to his knees in submission, keeping his hands up and head down.

'Show him mercy', I prayed.

Feeling the lacing to my dress being undone, I writhed against my attackers once more. For an instant, the blonde leader with the bear cloak lowered his blade slightly, and for an instant, my heart leapt with hope. That was, until a high pitched, shrill laughter sounded from the blonde. I closed my eyes as my father was given his mercy.. My body had gone numb, and I had just about given up fighting the two Scourge men when the same voice as the laughter hollered at them both.

"You two, what's going on over there?", the man questioned. He drew closer, compared to his counterparts he looked far younger than them in comparison, my guesses estimated mid twenties. "Nothing that concerns you, boy", the one fondling my breasts spat. The strange leader clenched his jaw so tightly I thought surely his teeth would snap. "Mind your tongue, filth, I am your Count! How dare you?" The Count hardly glanced at me as I squirmed to free myself, clearly more concerned with the formalities between him and his men than the girl his subordinates were in the process of assaulting. "Best you leave, m'lord, we'll make sure she keeps quiet", the second flashed a yellowed teeth smile at their leader, who scoffed in disgust. "Let her go", he waved his hand at my figure. The two scowled, "No, I don't think we will. We deserve a little fun after doing all your dirty work", the one with the yellow teeth spat at the Counts feet, his saliva dark brown and foul smelling.

No sooner had he done that, the Count unsheathed his sword and swiftly dragged the blade across the man's throat. Collapsing on top of me, I was toppled to the ground along with his corpse, I screamed as his blood tricked into my mouth and along my nostrils. The second attacker fled within an instant, dropping his own weapon and kicking up plumes of ash and dirt as he ran. "If they wanted a whore, they could've easily bought one", the Count grumbled, sheathing his sword and watching me struggle to break free with little sympathy. He laughed as he watched me gag on the blood of my attacker pooling in my mouth. "Asshole!", I seethed, struggling further. Rolling his eyes he approached and easily lifted the corpse from my body with his boot. "Fine, fine", he outstretched his hand for me to take, "You're no fun", he stated, yanking me to my feet.

"You're the Count?", I asked. He nodded and spread his arms out before me, doing a small circle to parade himself before me. "The one and only", he smiled. I looked from him to my now destroyed town and people, the buildings illuminating our bodies with the remaining burning structures. His smile disappeared as he noticed my disrespect towards him, a quick frown crossed his lips when he saw me survey what he and his tribe had done. "It didn't have to be this way, you know", he began, "if your people had just surrendered, none of this would've happened", he scowled at me as though it were my fault. Before I got to respond, the rumble of more of the Counts men vibrated the floor beneath us and filled the night air with whoops and shouts of victory. The Count sighed in disapproval, "What happens now?", I ask, growing afraid of the next Scourge wave to come. "Now, my people reap their rewards", was all he cared to tell me.

"You should get going..", he spoke softly now, concern across his face. "Go north", searching in his pants pocket he took out a small pouch and handed it to me, it jingled with the sound of metal coins from within, "That should get you as far as Nopal. Now go on, shoo. You're not going to want to be here when the celebrations start, especially with as pretty as you are..", catching himself at the end of his statement he cleared his throat and turned away, beginning his trek towards the rest of his men. I turned away too, looking to the sky to find the North Star beaming from above, lighting the way to the next chapter in my now changed life. "I hope we can meet again someday..", he called out to me, the both of us still walking our own ways away from one another, "and on better terms...", he finished. I clutched his gift of currency in my hands as I continued walking, and though I didn't want to admit it, I already longed for the day when the Count and I could meet once again.

[07.01.2019]