Ranking

Prologue

By the time the man reached the village, the soothing individual pitter patters of the raindrops was no longer distinguishable.  The rain fell in unending sheets around him quite literally.  Peering into the darkness, he spotted the purpose of his mission.

Crimson blood, nearly black in the ink of the night, was crudely painted like a path in the dirt for the man.  As he continued his leisurely pace, a dead body appeared in his way.  He kicked it aside.  Then two more.  Then nine.  Forty, sixty, eighty...the man grinned grotesquely under the crisp bowler hat that hid his face; his master would be very happy.

He didn’t know how many glassy expressions, how many drained corpses, how many slashes, how many gallons of spilled blood he had walked past when he, at last, set his eyes on his prize.  Again that twisted smile writhed onto his face.

In the midst of all the death sat a child, her golden hair and pure white frock stained scarlet.  Her legs dangled over the edge of a massive pile of bodies upon bodies upon bodies...the man let out a low whistle.  His master would be very pleased.  The little girl was perched atop them all, poised regally as if she were a queen on her throne.

She observed his every movement, every step, every twitch, with calculating indigo eyes.  The man did the same, circling her in awe.  Never before had he ever seen such raw destructive power...and from a child, no less.  And yet, as he inched closer, he could see her quivering in fear.

At last he emitted a sound.  Smirking, he removed his bowler hat, holding it to his black-clad chest, the rain bouncing off an invisible barrier around him.  “Osric at your service, little lady.”  If she was at all alarmed by the scars and eye gouged out, she didn’t show it.  The man mockingly made a sweeping bow, his hand gracefully extending in her direction: a question.

Silently the little queen slipped off her royal throne, slowly making her way towards Osric, as if she knew this would happen all along.  He had to keep from beaming with triumph; he could almost feel the privileges and rewards coming to him.  The puddles splashed as she unflinchingly stepped her bare feet into them.  Then finally, she was before him, his still stretched proposal.

And she took Osric’s cool hand, her own petite one drowning in the sea of an adult’s palm.  Her blue-violet gaze piercing his, they had a wordless moment of interaction.  Do you understand what you are doing?  

Yes.

Hand in hand, the odd pair walked back down the road.

Hey there! This is my first Wattpad story...I may not be the best writer, I know.  Can you guys give me some feedback?  I've been reading the online stories for a long time, but now I've finally grown a pair and decided to post something.  Hurray!  I would love any suggestions about the story, cover, pictures, videos...Thanks a million!

Song of the Chapter: Stand in the Rain by Superchick

*Dedicated to AyeshaShariq for her absolutely stunning job on the cover...thank you thank you thank you!*