The Coming From the Shadows Series
Coming From the Shadows: Lydia
Previous Instalments:
- The Ambush: Part 1 – Surviving the Cult: A Journey Through Chanthaburi
- The Ambush: Part 2 – Surviving the Cult: A Journey Through Chanthaburi II
- The Ambush: Part 3 – The Ambush: A Tale of Survival in Siam
- The Ambush: Part 4 – The Ambush: A Tale of Survival in Siam II
The Ambush: Part 5
The Price of Loyalty
December 1908 A.D.
Chapter 1:
Lydia sat rigid on the rough-hewn bench; the rope biting into her wrists a reminder of her failure to escape; now, a captive of Albert and the Cultists – but, she at least managed to accomplish the goal she came to follow through with, even if it cost her, her own freedom – Her mother; Cathryn – Lydia’s older Twin sister; Elizabeth were free with Norina’s help.
Her long, raven-dark hair was no longer neatly in its tight bun; after Albert had yanked her hair to force her to the ground during their sword-fight, it had all come loose, it now cascaded around her shoulders and down along her back; the fringe covered her silvery-grey eyes, she had been defeated, but not broken though, she was already trying to figure a way of escape.
Albert, a man whose eyes held a coldness that could rival the Siberian winter stood over her; surveying her, he was feigning a detached interest, in truth though, he found himself admiring her beauty, when George had approached Albert’s family and tried to broker an alliance – this had come as a result of the incident in 1905 when William, Lydia’s older Half-Brother had set fire during his and Lydia’s escape, the event has set a rolling effect in motion that ruined George’s reputation, almost entirely brought down his entire Business Empire and the Cult of the Minotaur, George’s attempts to broker an alliance was to prevent a further decline and reaffirm his position with an equally powerful family – He offered Lydia as the tool to secure the agreement, all of Albert’s scepticism had vanished during the initial meeting, George wasn’t lying, when George made the claim that Albert would indeed have a wife of great beauty, it was indeed true.
Hearing movement, Albert broke his gaze away from Lydia; turning to see a Cultist approach, the news was not what he’d wanted; Cathryn, Elizabeth, Xian, Damir and Nintau had escaped along with the Italian girl shaking his head “Well…, at least we still have Lydia” he stated, turning his attention, he gazed over towards the workers of he Lodging House-turned-Prison and barked out in the native Siamese language to give instructions; the workers looked at him, their faces etched with fear ~”Take her; Clean her up, she is not to do anything herself; Understood”~ he emphasized each word; the cruelty deliberate – a calculated theft of her dignity ~”And…, find something more…, feminine for her to wear; something that would be suitable for travel”~
Lydia’s gaze shifted for a moment; she looked towards Albert with a simmering anger, she could understand bits of what he was saying; the indignity and disregard of her personhood; it fuelled her growing hatred towards him, but, she clamped down on the instinct to lash out – it wouldn’t work, there was little she could do surrounded by so many armed Cultists while she herself was defenceless and with her wrists bound; for now, silence was her only weapon
The Following Morning
As the morning sun began to rise; the air over William’s safe house hung thick as Elizabeth, Norina, Xian, Damir and Nintau finally arrived to the location that William had instructed them to follow through the map; if not for Norina, despite the language barrier due to her inability to speak anything other than her native Italian language, the group would have been entirely lost – but as they finally began their approach – the tension became thicker when William stepped out during their approach, his face a roadmap of anxieties and rage as he marched towards Xian deliberately.
“The Serbian stated you abandoned her!” William snapped; gesturing first to Damir before bringing his hand directly towards Xian; shoving him backwards “Did you leave my sister behind!” the force of his movement as he shoved Xian back caused Xian to stumble, nearly tripping over as he went backwards
Xian, usually composed looked at William with some concern, he barely managed to maintain his balance “There was no choice; those Cultists were swarming the damn building; we had to get Cathryn out of there, you saw her, it was why you took her with you instead of leaving her with us to walk!”
Elizabeth shifted her gaze towards Xian; unlike her Younger-Twin; Lydia, she had no real connection to Xian; she had only really integrated with the group since the events in Greece which had been earlier that very year – she pushed the fringe of her Blonde hair away from her icy-blue eyes; they narrowed as she looked towards Xian “Me and Norina were getting my Mother our; why did you abandon my sister!; how difficult would it have been for you three men to stand by my sister in her time of need!” Her voice was like venom as she shifted her eyes accusingly between Xian, Damir then Nintau then back to Xian “You three could have helped her!”
William narrowed his gaze as he looked at the three men before him; Xian, Damir and Nintau – then, suddenly a torrent of rapid-fire Italian, a language only understood by its speaker at that very moment; eyes turned to Norina, without Lydia’s presence, there wasn’t anyone that understood what she was saying.
Norina finally slumped to the ground; her face crumpling as she fell silent; what quiet words she spoke now were simply lost into choked sobs.
William’s gaze softened a moment as he watched Norina, then looked towards Elizabeth “Take the Italian; go visit Cathryn; I put her on the bed in the back room, I already tended to her injury”
As Elizabeth eased Norina up; taking her with her to go and visit her mother, Norina still sobbing quietly; William shifted his gaze again, then took a deep breath – now he needed to go and send word, he needed to try and get a wireless sent to his Dreadnought, he needed to call off his attack if it was at all possible, though, he doubted it, but, he had to try, otherwise he may end up putting Lydia in danger if she was to be transported to the Imperium’s base of operation along the coast should her timing coincide with the arrival of the planned attack.
Xian observed as William quietly set off on horseback; he then looked to Nintau and Damir – Damir simply moved off quietly to find somewhere to be left in peace.
Back at the Lodging House
As Albert moved with quiet precision; he began sifting through Lydia’s meagre belongings while she finally slept; as his eyes shifted briefly towards Lydia; his usual hardened expression softened, before his eyes returned to the bag, examining the contents; most of it was utilitarian; concealed knives, a few items designed for picking locks, a ceramic-bottle containing water, tools that would be normal for someone trained for survival; the Jian Sword itself however stood out as Lydia’s most prized possession; he remembered how she wielded it during their fight, the lethal grace the way she seemed to dance even as he overpowered her with his own Talwar Sword – it had as much important to Lydia as his own sword did to him.
His attention shifted to a small intricately carved box; it was a curiosity that demanded attention; but yet, it almost seemed invisible, like his eyes wanted to look away from it – its surface was smooth and unmarred, there was no obvious latch, no keyhole, no indication whatsoever as to how to open it.
His eyebrow raised up; confusion and curiosity piqued “Hmm” he mumbled, hearing a subtle whispering, he turned his eyes to Lydia a moment believing she had awoken – but no, she was still clearly sleeping; turning his eyes to the box again, he moved it close to his ear, it was then he realised that the strange, subtle whispering was coming from the box itself “Interesting” he said quietly, believing it maybe some kind of mechanism he placed it down for now.
His attention moved to the next item of interest; a dog-eared copy of ‘The Wreck of the Titan’ a grim omen, a foreshadowing – this single book sparked more curiosity, he didn’t take Lydia as someone who would read books, as his gaze set back to Lydia for a moment he tilted his head, then he placed the book down.
The next item though was what truly captured his attention; a journal – a forbidden peek into her soul, what secrets could he learn that would benefit him; he ignored the inherent violation; he opened the worn pages, he began to read – From the dates it was clear she had kept the journal since childhood, his eyes followed a detailed timeline of events that Lydia had recorded, it painted a picture of a Young Girl who’s childhood was scarred by abuse, filled with desperation and a constant gnawing hunger for survival; from the Cultists brutal education, methods even Albert had never heard of before; then the further he read, the date as 1900; it detailed a painful separation as George sent Cathryn away, Lydia’s only source of warmth while living on the Smythe Estate – she was left alone, it was a loss that clearly haunted her.
Albert paused; slowly sitting himself down , his eyes drifting to Lydia a moment – from this position, as she slept, he saw just the same girl he read of; a young woman vulnerable, a subtle crease marred her brow, a silent scream trapped beneath the surface – the weight of her past, the burdens she carried.
A reluctance began building as he shifted his gaze back to the journal; but he read on; her escape in 1905; the burning of a mansion set by William, how she travelled alone to find her mother, and how she reunited with her – the details of the escape from Britain to France and the beginning of her training under Cathryn and someone called ‘The Monk’ then came the details of her experiences of her killings, the writing and the way it detailed things seemed like someone in constant pain; the end of each entry had begun to add a pleading message ‘I want a Normal Life’ it became recurrent as he read further – then there seemed to be a moment of brightness that dawned with the introduction of a British Soldier; Thomas Davidson, at first she seemed to dislike him, but with further entries; it detailed developing feelings Lydia had no understanding of even as they had to part ways.
He reached the more recent date; it simply detailed a need to save her mother; that, he thought was reference to what led her to become his captive.
He closed the journal; he had invaded the privacy of someone that was haunted, almost broken – but forced into a life she had no understanding of; he had previously just viewed Lydia as a potential possession – now though, something changed as he observed her sleep.
“Albert” a voice questioned quietly; it snapped his attention up and away from Lydia; he spotted Bartholomew by the door leaning in, gesturing for him
Albert shifted his gaze to Lydia before standing, placing the journal back amongst her possessions and walking off to meet with Bartholomew outside the room.
Chapter 2
The Safehouse
As Cathryn stirred; the first thing that registered was a painful throbbing in her arm; a dull and persistent ache that radiated upwards.
Her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim light; she was no longer on some rough, cold floor – she was on a simple, clean bed, the room felt both familiar and yet, strangely safe; seated beside her, her daughter; Elizabeth.
As he eyes settled on Elizabeth she was processing things, slowly moving, adjusting her position she noticed Norina; at first, believing it to be Lydia due to their matching Long, Raven-Dark hair and Silvery Grey eyes that both matched with Cathryn’s “Lydia?” she croaked; her voice raspy
Norina shook her head; she remained silent though as her eyes shifted to Elizabeth; Elizabeth seemed lost in thought; it was only after recognising her mother speak that she snapped back to reality “Oh…, no this is Norina” she said absently
“Where…, where is your sister” Cathryn looked at Elizabeth; she felt a growing sense of unease building “Elizabeth, where is your sister”
Elizabeth’s face clouded with a mix of guilt and anger “Xian; he abandoned her back at the lodging house”
“What?” Terror suddenly washed over Cathryn “He…” she shot upwards from her prone position, she barely even registered the pain in her arm from her movement; Lydia had been abandoned, that meant she was with the Cult of the Minotaur; George’s cultists
“Easy mother” Elizabeth said gently; her voice clearly concerned “You need to rest; we need to wait for William to return, we can plan our next move then”
“William?” Cathryn’s eyebrow raised as she now became confused; her Step-Son, that…, that was unexpected – Lydia told her about what happened the night William burned the manor down, how he fled alone to escape the Estate as it burned, leaving Lydia to also escape alone, to travel on her own to find Cathryn “Why is William helping now?”
“From the stuff in that back office; he’s clearly interested in dismantling fathers entire operation; all of it, from the Cult of the Minotaur, the entire Family Empire he has accumulated all his wealth and power; he wants to challenge the Imperium itself” Elizabeth explained “We just need to wait a little longer; once he is back, we can go back and find Lydia”
The Lodging House
Lydia finds herself being brought out into the humid morning sun; the more feminine Siamese attire felt more like a cage to Lydia, so use to more practical clothing, clothing that allowed for freedom of movement, but these garments matched what Albert seemed intent on; removing her autonomy, her freedom – she narrowed her eyes as she looked at the bindings around her wrists, then felt it; a push against her back, it was an unmistakable feeling of a rifle “Move!” a Cultist ordered
Lydia shook her head, but slowly moved; her eyes landed on Albert, she said nothing, simply climbing up onto the back of the Cart that had been arranged for their journey; she sat down, twisting slightly to keep her eyes anywhere but Albert as he sat opposite her; her bag was placed by his feet as the cart began moving; pulled by an Ox – along the sides, a group of Cultists started walking, this would be difficult to even try to escape from, so, she wouldn’t try – not yet at least.
Through the journey; it was mostly uneventful but also, it was rather silent, Albert made no effort to talk unless he saw she needed something or to simply ask if she required anything; otherwise, it was silent – but, she did notice how his eyes always lingered on her, unlike the predatory gaze he had during their first encounter – the look that lingered seemed different, she felt that it was more of pity, while his face did not show it; his eyes spoke volumes, eyes often could reveal ones emotions.
The Lodging House – A Few Days later
After witnessing Albert and Lydia leave; Martin, one of the few Cultists left behind at the Lodging House-turned-Prison, decided that he would send word, it had been long enough; all this planning was falling into place, all that was needed was his message to be sent, so far, no one was remotely aware of his communications with a French-Related Cultist group – the Imperium’s shifting power structure was ripe, if the Cult of the Minotaur collapsed, a new balance could be established.
The Dreadnought
Far away; On the open sea – a behemoth of steel cut through the waves, the Privately-Owned Dreadnought, usually a symbol of power for Modern Imperialist Nations – was now a representation of William Smythe’s entry into the game of shadows, the first of what would become his opening challenges against the Imperium – against his own father and the Cult of the Minotaur.
The large guns turned towards the Burmese coast; a low-guttural order echoed through the ship followed moments later by a thunderous roar as they fired; shells screamed through the air, hurtling towards a known Imperium stronghold – it had begun.
The Imperium’s base of operation lit up into a ball of fire.
“Target hit” a crew member announced, his voice calm amidst the chaos
“Excellent” a voice replied, it was laced with a grim satisfaction “Continue the barrage, we shall destroy all of that facility”
The Approach to the Imperium
Burma
What was initially a gentle swaying motion hit an unexpected bump shifting the cart; it startled Lydia to an alertness – her eyes fluttered open and she lifted her head up, she was groggy with sleep , laying on her side; her first sight was Albert sat opposite, staring at her “Awake?” he questioned, his lips curving to a smirk, he gently swayed with the movement of the cart
Lydia simply groaned, forcing her hands to the seat to push herself up; the movement restrictive as her eyes shifted to the bindings around her wrists.
“Are we going to go back to silence again?” Albert questioned with a grin “Because I have a question for you this time”
Lydia managed to adjust her position; turning her gaze towards him; she remained silent, but it was clear she was waiting for him to speak, to ask his question; but she narrowed her eyes.
He shook his head, maintaining his grin “I might need to beat that out of you” he comments offhandedly “Once we are married that is” he observed Lydia carefully, watching for signs of defiance, he was not surprised when it came.
“I will not marry you!” she snapped; her voice was cold “I will not be forced into some kind of arranged marriage by my father; my future is mine to decide, not yours!”
“You have no say” Albert said calmly; while he remained calm, Lydia was getting more and more riled up, he found it rather amusing, but, he then thought back to what he read in her journal days ago; a hint of it crossed his face as his features seemed to soften for a moment, Lydia noticed; returning to his hardened gaze, he looked at her carefully “I would suggest accepting this decision” he glanced around for a moment, then back towards Lydia “If you do accept this situation; it makes things easier for you, you can have the normal life you crave; I can ensure you live away from the Imperium, away from your fathers ambitions; have your own home and a family”
Lydia raised her eyebrow; the words ‘Normal Life’ struck a chord, despite her best effort, it was visible in her expression that the idea itself was tempting her “But I give up my freedom and independence; right?”
“You get what you want; don’t you, all you need to do is obey, be what I want you to be” he felt his lips tug into a much darker grin, he could see the vulnerability in her expression; she was actually considering it
She shifted her eyes away from him; looking towards her bag by his feet for a moment; it was the wording he used to tempt her; she recognised them, her expression, while clearly softening shook her head “You read my journal” she said softly; her voice a tremble and barely above a whisper – this knowledge was not meant for other people, when Albert didn’t respond, merely maintained his grin, she felt as though the very invasion of her journal was a violation, she looked downwards, as she fell silent again, Albert’s own expression softened, realising just what she must be feeling
For a moment, Albert actually seemed saddened; but he couldn’t dwell on it when an explosion echoed from the distance; shifting his attention away from Lydia he rose to his feet in the uneven movements of the cart and saw smoke rising into the air much further away “What happened down there” someone questioned
Only when more explosions seemed to ripple out did it become clear; their destination had come under attack “Shit” Albert said simply
Heavily distracted; the Cultists of the Minotaur were unprepared when they themselves came under attack; gunfire ripping out; the sounds of French being shouted – the cart suddenly toppled when an explosion went off.
Lydia found herself crashing against the ground when thrown from the cart; slowly she tried to push herself upwards, turning her attention as everything around her became chaotic; she didn’t have any clue what was going on or who was who anymore; she stepped back, as she did, she felt her foot nearly slip forcing her to turn her head, she noticed she was stood against a ledge overlooking a river.
Then a sharp pain shot along her thigh; she winced before letting out a scream stumbling completely backwards over the ledge; Albert saw her fall, rushing to try and help but as he reached the ledge, he lost sight of her “Damn it!” he shouted
Chapter 3
Burma
At a position between the attack on the coast and the chaotic fighting in the hills – a British military regiment found itself receiving orders to find out what was going on, with a belief that there could be an uprising against British rule.
Amongst the soldiers present was Wilson’s own regiment; typically they were stationed in India, only in the past few weeks had they been moved by a strange order; with all the chaos unfolding, Wilson looked towards Miquel – a Kenyan-born soldier serving beneath his command, and beside him was Thomas.
Thomas’ dark hair and deep ocean-blue eyes with an independent and often helpful spirit, he was one of the popular soldiers of his regiment; easily having a good relationship with those he worked with “What do you think is going on sir?” Thomas questioned; he shifted his attention to the mobilising soldiers rushing around
“I don’t know; but I guess we’ll be finding out soon” Wilson answered, his attention darting between his own soldiers and the soldiers that were local to the area “Get ready to move”
It wouldn’t be much longer before the soldiers were on the move; it would be a march; a show of force in the event they would be dealing with a potential uprising, but for Wilson, something felt off, like something wasn’t quite clicking in place – he issued strict orders to his regiment to remain wary as they marched along the river, their attention forwards.
The River
Lydia felt the river clawing at her relentlessly – it was like a frigid serpent, each surge of water slammed her against jagged rocks the pain was a sharp counterpoint to the numbing cold – the feminine Thai silk provided her no protection against the cold water; they instead only added weight pulling her beneath the water – with her wrists still tightly bound she had no means to grab for anything, she was not use to being in this kind of vulnerability, now, she was reduced to the desperate need to scream “Help!” she spluttered, choking on water “Help!; Please!” her voice was ragged plea swallowed by the uncaring wilderness, the gunshot wound to her thigh was agonising and painted the water around her a dark, ominous crimson, she saw nothing but the whirling chaos of the river – a watery tomb threatening to claim her.
Just a little further away though; the Soldiers of the British Empire were on the move; Wilson, hearing something in the distance stopped, he signalled the rest of his regiment to also stop “Does anyone else hear that?”
The soldiers shifted uneasily; their eyes scanning their surroundings; then a more distinct scream came; it was closer, laced with desperation; Thomas moved forwards quickly, he recognised the voice – when Wilson shifted his gaze, Thomas had already found what was causing the screams, and he shoved his way past his fellow soldiers, darting forwards, dropping his equipment “Lydia!” he shouted – what was Lydia doing out here?, that question though would have to wait
Bursting onto the riverbank; his eyes desperately searched the swirling chaos – he spotted her, a figure struggling against the current, her dark hair plastered against her face, her silken garment like some drowning banner – but, he knew it was certainly her.
Without a seconds thought; he defied Wilson’s orders entirely, disregarding his own safety and plunged into the frigid water; the cold was a shock to the system, stealing his breath.
“Davidson you damn fool!” Wilson bellowed; his voice amplified by a mix of anger and concern
“We need to get him out sir!” Miguel shouted
“Obviously!” Wilson snapped; the soldiers quickly scrambled into action; those outside of Wilson’s regiment also threw in to assist with the unfolding chaos.
Panic was overwhelming Lydia; the one way of dying she did not want to endure was drowning; her vision blurred as her limbs grew heavy; she felt herself going beneath the water again – it scared her to no end fearing she might not be coming back up this time; then she felt it – a strong hand grasping her.
She was pulled upwards; breaking the surface, gasping as she did so – her eyes were wide as she locked onto who just saved her “Thomas?” she spoke barely above a whisper, her voice hoarse and weak; recognition was clear
“Hold on” Thomas shouted above the roar of water; wrapping his arm around her, but he struggled to keep them both afloat, the current was relentless as it pulled them further downstream
While his muscles burned and ached from effort; he was fuelled by a desperate determination to save her “Rope!” a voice yelled “We’ve got rope!” the voice repeated – Thomas’ recognised Miquel’s voice
A thick rope snaked through the air landing just within reach of Thomas, using his left hand, he managed to grab onto it, wrapping it around his wrist with a quick motion; the soldiers didn’t waste time; they began to pull.
Thomas maintained his grip as he tried to swim; kicking his legs with great effort against the current , desperately pushing the same direction as those pulling him; with combined effort, he finally reached safety; pulling Lydia onto the muddy bank – he hovered directly above her, his body shielding her from a gentle wind as she shivered, Lydia stared up at him, she was in shock, but she certainly recognised him.
“Thomas” She whispered; her voice still weak as she raised her hands up; still bound by her wrists she gently touched Thomas’ face, she wanted to make sure he was real; even as soldiers swarmed them, Thomas didn’t move, he just stared down at her, there were so many questions running through his head
The Burmese Hills
As the chaotic fighting finally came to an end, the last of the French cultists fleeing, with many of their fallen comrades lay scattered around, Albert slowly checks the surrounding area, then , he spots Lydia’s bag, making his way over and collecting it, putting the strap over his head and letting it fall along his left side, he wasn’t certain why he decided to pick it up – his eyes landed on one of the remaining guards “No doubt our base of operations below will be too chaotic to help us; so, we’ll need to begin searching the river ourselves”
The Cultist guard that Albert addressed raised his eyebrow; he was clearly wanting to question; but Albert’s eyes narrowed, instead, he remained silent and set off with the others to begin search; Albert, shifting his focus to the damaged cart shook his head, then he too began to follow the guards to check for signs of Lydia.
Siamese-Burmese Border
Cathryn, alongside Elizabeth and Norina shifts her attention towards her Step-Son; William, majority of the past few days, their journey had been filled with discussions regarding what information William could get with regards to the Cult of the Minotaur and a French Cultist group; that William simply referred as the Rooster – he offered little information beyond the name and a rivalry within the Imperium – due to his and Lydia’s past actions, more Cultist organisations of the Imperium had grown bold enough to openly challenge George Smythe and his Cult of the Minotaur.
Cathryn tries to raise her question on Lydia again; her tone urgent, she needed answers – William turned his gaze towards her a moment “I can only suggest we catch up to them, and quickly; someone sent a message to the French Cultists, they know Lydia is with Albert”
Xian, sat atop of his own horse looks towards William carefully “Will they try to kill her?”
Norina shifted her eyes towards Xian; concern very evident in her expression, she then looked towards Cathryn – Cathryn looked to Norina then towards William, but he did not provide an answer, instead gesturing that they need to get moving instead.
“I hate this” Elizabeth commented “All we had to do was reach Yangon; instead, we get ourselves dragged across Siam and now that we’re finally in Burma; we still aren’t going to Yangon”
Xian shifted uncomfortably for a moment “I couldn’t exactly stop the initial ambush that caused you all to get separated” he said
“No; but you could have helped Lydia when she came to help us escape” Elizabeth responded, her tone icy
Xian simply rolled his eyes, he had grown tired of this argument; he knew he made an error of judgement, but, as he defended, it was a split-second decision, either he assisted with an injured Cathryn’s escape, or risk fighting Cultists.
Damir could see Xian was falling back onto the belief he had little choice; it was clear in his expression; though Damir felt guilt, he didn’t even try – he saw Xian move, and initially believed that meant he would have gone; in the chaos of the moment, despite that, he at least resolved to take the blame of his failure by personal choice, regardless of what anyone else has said – though blame was mostly cast onto Xian
Cathryn gently kicked at the horse to get moving; the group began following William once more.
The Burmese Riverbank
While soldiers have gone on towards the chaos along the coast; Wilson’s regiment had remained behind due to Thomas’ connection to Lydia – with Lydia by the hastily made fire, trying to get warm, she pulled the blanket that she had been provided around her; her eyes shifted, she looked at Thomas as he sat beside her “Gonna need you to let me see your leg” he said gently
Lydia hesitated; but the throbbing pain was not going to stop, she had already let Thomas tend to most of her other injuries; she was simply uncertain about revealing too much of her body – Thomas could see the hesitation in her eyes.
“I’m only going to bandage your leg; I promise” he told her softly “They wont be watching either” he added, gesturing to the soldiers, there was someone with better medical skill, but Lydia’s outright refusal to let him near resulted in Thomas being the one to provide the medical aid so far; when Lydia finally opened up the blanket, he moved towards her; he wasn’t use to her being in such feminine attire, though it did make it easier to get to her thigh as she pulled up the fabric, her face clearly reddening from embarrassment, he decided to be as quick as he could to save her further embarrassment, and his eyes remained steadfast on one spot alone; along the injury, not once did he feel any urge to let his gaze wander, choosing to respect her instead – once he was done, he moved back turning his gaze back to her silvery-grey eyes
The Coastal Settlement
What had been a once-privately owned Port, a base of operation for the Imperium to safely operate without much fear of a threat; was now a smoking ruin, the Imperium had just been dealt a devastating blow, though they had yet to work out exactly what happened, and where the attack had come from.
The acrid smell of burning timber and seawater filled George’s nostrils; he surveyed the wreckage, it was now a skeletal graveyard of twisted metal and smouldering debris; this had been a brazen attack; he would have been impressed if it had not been a source of income for his Business Empire, this was yet another blow against him – how much more would he need to endure before he could get things back under control, his influence was waning, he was encountering more and more resistance within the Imperium’s council, no longer did the Cult of the Minotaur hold absolute power within its structure of power, they were constantly being checked and challenged “Where are you Albert” he questioned quietly – he was pinning hopes on Cathryn being forcibly returned to him, he would use her to reestablish control by using her as an example that he can end resistance, he intended to reinforce Elizabeth broken loyalties, and then there was Lydia – marrying her off to Albert would secure a family alliance with another equally powerful family – it would create a new balance that he could work with.
Shaking his head he shifted his gaze to several Cultists and workers that operated around the docks, too much was out of his control, this was not acceptable to him.
Written By: Westley H.
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