EMBRACE || a violet evergarden fanfic #1

XX

  There was the swoosh of the flying blade ; its cry. I held my breath and waited for it to land on at least someone, something. At that very moment, there was silence. At that moment, I was able to focus my sight again, and found that my blade had landed between a pair of sparkling blue eyes.

It had belonged to a girl.

Not around my age, however. Either way, she looked young, as if she had just finished sophomore.

I gasped in surprise. I never intended on killing children, and I wanted to pull the blade away, but it was already too late. Blood leaked from the mark it had made, down to the girl's gaping mouth.

"Who are you?" The voice demanded.

I stayed silent. And then, stepped into the light where I can now fully see what she had looked like. Her eyes were gold in color, her hair neatly pulled up and away from the distinct features of her face ; which looked pretty young.

That was when I realized, this was indeed the Marchioness herself.

But, where was her husband - the Marquess of Rhododendron? Had he no idea on what his wife is up to? Terrorizing both Bougainvillean brothers? I bit the side of my lip, thinking on what to do next.

"Well?" The Marchioness quipped, "I asked you a question. And I expect an answer from you. Don't make me do things I don't want to."

A laugh escaped from Dietfried's lips. There was blood leaking from the side of his lips, but he didn't seem to care. He stared fiercely into the Marchioness's eyes, "Don't make you do things you don't want to? I'll swear right now and then, if you ever come close to even her hair, I will have you face the consequences."

"You couldn't have fallen for a foolish war tool," She snorted as she came down the steps slowly, her eyes never leaving mine as she did. "What is it about this freak that made you so blind and desperate?"

Something flashed across his features that I didn't seem to recognize. One that meant that the Marchioness has already overstepped her boundaries, because Dietfried could only let out a low, warning growl, and said, "Do not. Mix business with pleasure. You know right then and now what I am here for. So why not give it to me, and then again, I'll leave you to whatever you're doing?"

"You ask a lot, Dietfried," The Marchioness commented, "but I will give you what you want - if the girl can answer me this riddle,

I hurt the most when lost,
Yet also when not had at all.
I am sometimes the hardest to express,
But the easiest to ignore.
I can be given to many,
Or just one.

What am I?"

The wheels in my brain started to click together and I tried my hardest to think. I am sure I have heard of such before. But ... where? I bit my lip and looked around, as if trying to find the hidden answer somewhere around the room, but to no avail.

Time was running out now, and everyone - specially the Marchioness had her eyes on me. She was testing me - I'm sure of it. My eyes travelled over to Dietfried's. There were a series of mixed emotions playing in those pair of lime-greens. They were wide in alarm ; as if to say, "Don't do it" but at the same time, they were filled with worry.

"Tick-Tock, little girl," the Marchioness chirped sarcastically, "it's an answer, or your beloved friend dies."

No, no no. Not Gilbert. He can't die. The thoughts raced like they were being chased by a predator, and I panicked. I squeezed my eyes shut, and pressed my lips together as I blurted the word that came first thing to my mind,

"Love,"