She shook her head, disapproving, "You lost your way, Father. It is so sad. Now," She cut into his earlobe ever so slightly with her blade. "You get to choose again. What part of you are you willing to lose?"
Florian tensed up, his heart pounding in his freshly cut ears. Any second now the knife would be coming down, slicing into his jugular or biting into somewhere he'd be left to live with.
["Put yourself in the place of ash and know you're already dead."] He closed his eyes, rapidly muttering away with his mantra. 'Because it's all about choice, they're that kind of mad.'
"Just do it." He broke. "Stop being such a fucking coward. Untie me or end it!"
Severa frowned. Cupping his cheek, she forced his eyes on to her own, "Still rejecting me, are you?" She searched his weary, terrified eyes for a short time before calling out to her brother. "Owain, show's over. Leave us."
Owain shrugged. "Well that was anticlimactic. Ah well... I did find a rather enjoyable opportunity while I was out, in any case. I suppose I'll follow up on it."
Crossing over to his bed, he opened his suitcase to put some more carbon into his pocket. As he crossed back to the door, he tousled Florian's hair. "Don't let her keep you up too late."
He could only scowl at the patronizing tussle. Were they up to something different now? A change of tact would be enough to worry about as it was, but the lack of questions somehow made it worse. What was their end game here?
"Alone again." Florian said, Any hint of cheek gone from his voice.
"Yeah," Severa whispered happily, though her tone wasn't nearly as condescending as it had been earlier. "Let's talk, Father." She disappeared behind him for a moment and when she returned it was with a chair in her hands. Placing it in front of him, she sat down. Leaning forward in her seat, her elbows resting on her knees, she smiled softly. "Father, what do you think my childhood was like?"
"This where we play reader is it? Fine." At least it might distract her from bleeding him dry and all he had to do was avoid mentioning the maiden. "You speak well and dress nicely, so odds are you're wealthy and educated. Not just now though, you hold yourself and look to others in that special way one born in carbon can. My guess is noble, maybe not high ranking... but richer. A child to that does not want for much."
"Anyone with eyes could figure that out," She teased. "Tell me something most wouldn't know. Look past the flesh. If I like your answer I may clean you up a bit. The blood is staining your cloths, Father."
Of course she wanted more. Okay he could dig a little deeper, with a sigh and a furrowed brow he thought back over their short time together, the parts where the blood wasn't pouring out of him.
"You call the man, Owen, brother. I assume he actually is your brother? But you are close in another way. So why is this? Were you kept away from the other children your age, or did they push you away?" It was starting to come together, it'd been a while since someone had openly offered him a challenge. "But you talk of punishing like you like it, you don't get pushed away easy." And she had kept going on and on about seeing Florian's soul, his true self. Like a need to understand, he'd assumed it was for added leverage and power.
"Why I'm not sure yet, but I think lonely. Other people didn't want much to do with you."
Severa grunted in amusement and got to her feet. Disappearing for a brief time once more, she returned with a wet rag. Crouching down next to him, she started wiping blood off of his neck first, "Let me fill in some of the blanks, Father." She started, a subtle smile on her face. "Owain and I... we are twins. We've always been of the same mind in one way or another. Other children... they didn't understand us. And, well, they were afraid of us." She shrugged. "We had unique hobbies. An... off-putting sense of humor. It hurt back then, but I have come to embrace such treatment."
She tilted her head as she wiped the wound clean, "We are two sides of the same coin. Together, we are whole, we don't need the acceptance or acknowledgement of a third party. Naturally, we wanted of little but each other: in body and mind." She locked eyes with the priest before moving to another wound. "What do you think my parents were like?"
Florian couldn't deny the water felt good as the dried blood was wiped away. She even seemed genuine in the story she told him and why shouldn't she be? For all they were concerned Florian wouldn't live out the day. But he could at least claw for a few more minutes.
Her story itself had actually thrown him off. He'd expected a trained killer, an assassin for the family, granted she seemed to be exactly that but the way she spoke of her childhood. It was sad if he was perfectly honest.
"Most parents don't like the thought of their children sharing bodies like that. They tried to separate you, discipline you? To keep the mind distracted while training it at the same time, is that how you first learned the skills you have now?"
"You'd think that was the case, wouldn't you?" She smiled... sadly. "Our mother never knew. Of course, she knew we were different. Everyone did. But, she was the only one who loved us regardless. We... respected that and we loved her. We knew how it would make her feel, so we hid it from her." She began dabbing the wounds on his chest. "She died of a sudden illness, ignorant to our true nature. As it should have been." She chuckled. "Not very romantic, I know, but sometimes monsters aren't made of tormented souls. Sometimes, they are simply born."
She laughed, "Do you believe in 'evil', Father?"
"In my own way." Florian watched her hand carefully in case it got any ideas. As if he could stop it if she did.
"That's a cop out, I thought you were a priest!" She teased, giving him a light shove that proved far more painful due to his injuries. "I don't believe in good or evil. They are just words we use to make sense of the world around us. Nothing more. I live in reality, Father. I believe in what I can touch and taste. In what I can hurt... and what can hurt me. I bare no ill will towards you. The abstract nature of politics is... pointless. Wouldn't you agree?"
"I don't know about that." Florian winced at the fresh agitation of his wounds. "I' haven't seen many things in this world that I'd call pointless. Just because things get their meaning from people, doesn't make them any less meaningful. I've tried living the way you say..." 'Kill your heart or...' The old saying that had ruled his life for so long still felt fresh in his mind.
"That way might stop the pain for a time, but it leaves everything else cold and fleeting."
"But we don't want to stop the pain, Father. Don't you see? Humans were never meant to live in our own heads such as we do now. We're supposed to enjoy the natural world, and everything that comes with it. Pain being one of those things." She shook her head. "Anyway, how about you, Father? What was your childhood like?"
"Oh not as fancy as yours. No wealth or funny siblings for me, no my parents were practical people. Besides you've seen things outside. My Frostfall hasn't changed so much." Four years away and so little had changed, at least that he'd seen. Florian could still hope there were smaller ways that had lasted for a while. Hope was all he had at this point.
"What were you like back then?" She smiled. "I can't imagine you saw yourself living a life like this in your youth. Tell me about the young boy before the priest."
"Oh he was a self obsessed bastard, you'd have loved him." Florian shook his head wearily. It could have been true as well, looking back at things with the clarity of distance, then Severa may have been the perfect wife material for Florian. The old Florian that was!
"For what it's worth I didn't get along with other children wither. I still don't get what people see in them, no patience for the creatures."
Severa giggled, "Yes, well, we should never forget where we come from. Remember, you were just like them at one time." She'd finished cleaning the last of his wounds and threw the rag back onto the sofa. Sitting down in her chair once more, she stared into the priest's eyes. "I have always been fond of children. I," She giggled and blushed. "I cherish their innocence. Adults are different. They know about the world. They should be prepared for what it entails. When I take a man under my power and do with him what I will, I do it knowing that his innocence has long since been lost. The same goes for you, Father."
She crossed her arms over each other as she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, "Father, why are you so afraid of yourself? Why hide it? Why seal it away? You're only lying to yourself." She smiled warmly. Despite her words, she seemed so... sincere. "Believe it or not, but there is a way this can go that ends with your survival. I don't care about the Gentleman or my twisted, overbearing aunt. I've played with many, many men and women, but each and every one of them has disappointed me in the end. Will you be any different, Father? Could you be the one I am looking for?"
She wasn't the first to say he was lying to himself, but Florian had never seen it that way. People always tried to oversimplify human nature by talking about masks and sides and all other kinds of metaphors. But no one Florian had ever met was that simple, every one of them was a seething vortex of traits, baggage and feelings. To his knowledge everyone in creation had these same urges, most just didn't act on them. Why was it always seen as such a crime when he tried to change?
"Because it was the first choice that was truly mine."
"Oh," Severa's eyes glistened. She was getting somewhere. She wrapped her fingers around the bottom of the chair and shifted in her seat. "And why is that? Who was running your life before you made it your own?"
'Oh crap.' He'd given her an in, no... no, don't let that happen. These were things he wouldn't even tell the other maidens, he couldn't let this harpy in.
"Ooooh no, you've had your share of questions for this round." His mind raced as quick as it could considering the loss of blood supplied to it. She liked playing, maybe he could give her a game. "You said you're looking for someone, who are you looking for?"
"I don't know," She answered immediately. Despite her answer being so unsure, she sounded almost proud of it. "I am looking for someone who can surprise me, I guess."
"Aren't we all?" Florian shrugged. 'Probably not, no.'
Severa shrugged, "I think most people find comfort in complacency. I find such people disgusting. No, I like not knowing what the next day holds in store. So far you've thrown me a few curve balls, but I believe I know the person underneath pretty well already. Tell me about him. Has he killed anyone?"
'Oh curve balls, glad to see I'm being entertaining.' "What do you think? Half my fluids are on my shirt or in your stomach, did I taste like a killer?"
"Hmmm," Severa squirmed in her chair. There was something in way he said it that turned on something inside her. "I don't know..." She got to her feet and crossed the short distance between them. Kneeling down, she forced his legs apart and looked into his eyes. "Maybe I need another taste." She giggled. "Tell me, Father... Would you object if I were to take you?"
"And here we go again!" Florians eyes and his head rolled together in unison. "The squealing while she drinks blood, the cock teasing and spouting out the poems. Who is this crazy act for, for the attention? To try and make me squirm? Or is this to prove to the boys that you can play at their level when they say no? Here's how I read you so far, you're not as crazy as you want people to think you are and you're not stupid crazy so that means you're better than this." His voice was getting louder as he went, yes there was some fear there but there was soemthing else too. Florian was offended and not just for himself.
"You want to see me off the leash so badly, untie me and we do this on even ground. Or you stand up and we do this like the professionals we're supposed to be."
Severa began giggling softly, and then laughing hysterically, "Oh, Father! This is what I am talking about! Take hold of the fear! Own it!" She clutched his thighs, her nails digging in as her laughter continued. "We'll do this your way, Father." She released him and got to her feet. Stepping around the back of his seat, she knelled down and to his wrists in her hands. "Binds aren't for everyone, Father, but I happen to adore them. Unfortunately, I don't think we're at that stage yet." After cutting the rope she stepped backwards.
This wasn't even footing. He was far too beaten and broken. If he tried anything he'd only be bringing himself further pain. Severa grinned, "What will you do now, Father?"
'And still she misses the point.' But at least he could stretch his legs. Odds are she'd knock him right down again but it was better than being drained.
"I'm going to do some cleaning." He grabbed up the wet rag she'd been using purposefully. "Because THIS" He dabbed at the fresher cut. "is how you catch things!" And yet he was getting off lucky, some nasty scratches and the threat of blow jobs were a fun evening compared to more traditional torture.
Severa rolled her eyes, "You wound me, Father. You speak as if I am a rabid animal. I'm a woman, silly. See for yourself," Peeling away the straps of her dress, Severa slipped it off with ease. Stripped down to nothing but panties and stockings, her scar-riddled body was now in full view. Sauntering over to him, he placed a gentle finger on his chest, taking special care to avoid his wounds. "Your eyes." She grinned. "They speak to me. They say... this is a familiar sight. Is there another woman, Father? Another who has a thousand stories written on her body?"
All she needed was a matching eye patch and it would have been like meeting the captain's long lost sister. Her finger snaked around the freshly born slashes in his torso, finding its way to the older wounds, their scars dark and faded. Her fingernail left a little itching tingle in its wake, and Florian barely noticed it.
What little blood he had left was quickly running south and pumping out a primal beat in his brain. His own hand slowly reached out as he gently ran the back of his fingers up one of the longer scars that flowed across Severa's torso, stopping just shy of her bare breasts. His left arm screamed out in pain and protest that it had to fight so hard to join in.
Would she understand, would she accept him... or would he just be something too boring for her? Maybe he had lost his way, he'd reveled in madness as openly as she did once. Others were made to be challenged or broken, leave the weak where they fall and dance in the- 'No! Not anymore...'
"What do you want from me?" Florian's hand fell away from her flesh, however reluctantly.
Severa grinned, "Your soul, of course." She caressed the side of his face, resting her palm around his jaw, just under his ear. "But you must give it willingly." She inched her lips closer to his. "Do you have that within you, Father? Can you not simply... let go?"
Her breath was warm on his face and her chest even warmer as the two edged closer to each other, their exposed bodies pressing against one another. Florian's lips brushed against hers, light as a feather, she raised her head up just enough to angle it towards his perfectly and for one moment their mouths opened to meet each other.
"It's not mine to give." Florian turned his head away, breaking the moment with a sickening crack.
"Nonsense," She brought up her other hand and turned his head towards her once more. "You said it yourself. Others chose the path you walked for you. Does that concept not repulse you now? You can make this decision yourself. You are a grown boy, are you not?" She grinned. "All you have to do is let go, Father. What reason do you have not to, truly?"
"I'm not yours yet." Florian could have cursed the idiotic pride that said that as he became painfully aware of her naked flesh pressed against his, and then the cold feeling as Severa stepped away.
She accepted the challenge and his world descended into a haze of pain and misery as the twins set about their sport with wild abandon and Florian was made familiar with the fates of various saints. The knives danced across his flesh and in between Severa saw to tending him with just enough nourishment to stop him from expiring. Still, Florian held to the code, he told nothing that would harm the maiden or her crew, easy enough since as far as his captors got less and less interested in actually asking questions.
Each day Owain saw to expanding Florian's scar collection and between these bloody bouts his sister saw to probing Florian's mind and emotions. As the hours wore on and his blood drained away Florians ability to keep up with her wits (and even his ability to speak properly) crumbled. With no other options left his mind retreated into itself as it waited for the inevitable.
Florian tensed up, his heart pounding in his freshly cut ears. Any second now the knife would be coming down, slicing into his jugular or biting into somewhere he'd be left to live with.
["Put yourself in the place of ash and know you're already dead."] He closed his eyes, rapidly muttering away with his mantra. 'Because it's all about choice, they're that kind of mad.'
"Just do it." He broke. "Stop being such a fucking coward. Untie me or end it!"
Severa frowned. Cupping his cheek, she forced his eyes on to her own, "Still rejecting me, are you?" She searched his weary, terrified eyes for a short time before calling out to her brother. "Owain, show's over. Leave us."
Owain shrugged. "Well that was anticlimactic. Ah well... I did find a rather enjoyable opportunity while I was out, in any case. I suppose I'll follow up on it."
Crossing over to his bed, he opened his suitcase to put some more carbon into his pocket. As he crossed back to the door, he tousled Florian's hair. "Don't let her keep you up too late."
He could only scowl at the patronizing tussle. Were they up to something different now? A change of tact would be enough to worry about as it was, but the lack of questions somehow made it worse. What was their end game here?
"Alone again." Florian said, Any hint of cheek gone from his voice.
"Yeah," Severa whispered happily, though her tone wasn't nearly as condescending as it had been earlier. "Let's talk, Father." She disappeared behind him for a moment and when she returned it was with a chair in her hands. Placing it in front of him, she sat down. Leaning forward in her seat, her elbows resting on her knees, she smiled softly. "Father, what do you think my childhood was like?"
"This where we play reader is it? Fine." At least it might distract her from bleeding him dry and all he had to do was avoid mentioning the maiden. "You speak well and dress nicely, so odds are you're wealthy and educated. Not just now though, you hold yourself and look to others in that special way one born in carbon can. My guess is noble, maybe not high ranking... but richer. A child to that does not want for much."
"Anyone with eyes could figure that out," She teased. "Tell me something most wouldn't know. Look past the flesh. If I like your answer I may clean you up a bit. The blood is staining your cloths, Father."
Of course she wanted more. Okay he could dig a little deeper, with a sigh and a furrowed brow he thought back over their short time together, the parts where the blood wasn't pouring out of him.
"You call the man, Owen, brother. I assume he actually is your brother? But you are close in another way. So why is this? Were you kept away from the other children your age, or did they push you away?" It was starting to come together, it'd been a while since someone had openly offered him a challenge. "But you talk of punishing like you like it, you don't get pushed away easy." And she had kept going on and on about seeing Florian's soul, his true self. Like a need to understand, he'd assumed it was for added leverage and power.
"Why I'm not sure yet, but I think lonely. Other people didn't want much to do with you."
Severa grunted in amusement and got to her feet. Disappearing for a brief time once more, she returned with a wet rag. Crouching down next to him, she started wiping blood off of his neck first, "Let me fill in some of the blanks, Father." She started, a subtle smile on her face. "Owain and I... we are twins. We've always been of the same mind in one way or another. Other children... they didn't understand us. And, well, they were afraid of us." She shrugged. "We had unique hobbies. An... off-putting sense of humor. It hurt back then, but I have come to embrace such treatment."
She tilted her head as she wiped the wound clean, "We are two sides of the same coin. Together, we are whole, we don't need the acceptance or acknowledgement of a third party. Naturally, we wanted of little but each other: in body and mind." She locked eyes with the priest before moving to another wound. "What do you think my parents were like?"
Florian couldn't deny the water felt good as the dried blood was wiped away. She even seemed genuine in the story she told him and why shouldn't she be? For all they were concerned Florian wouldn't live out the day. But he could at least claw for a few more minutes.
Her story itself had actually thrown him off. He'd expected a trained killer, an assassin for the family, granted she seemed to be exactly that but the way she spoke of her childhood. It was sad if he was perfectly honest.
"Most parents don't like the thought of their children sharing bodies like that. They tried to separate you, discipline you? To keep the mind distracted while training it at the same time, is that how you first learned the skills you have now?"
"You'd think that was the case, wouldn't you?" She smiled... sadly. "Our mother never knew. Of course, she knew we were different. Everyone did. But, she was the only one who loved us regardless. We... respected that and we loved her. We knew how it would make her feel, so we hid it from her." She began dabbing the wounds on his chest. "She died of a sudden illness, ignorant to our true nature. As it should have been." She chuckled. "Not very romantic, I know, but sometimes monsters aren't made of tormented souls. Sometimes, they are simply born."
She laughed, "Do you believe in 'evil', Father?"
"In my own way." Florian watched her hand carefully in case it got any ideas. As if he could stop it if she did.
"That's a cop out, I thought you were a priest!" She teased, giving him a light shove that proved far more painful due to his injuries. "I don't believe in good or evil. They are just words we use to make sense of the world around us. Nothing more. I live in reality, Father. I believe in what I can touch and taste. In what I can hurt... and what can hurt me. I bare no ill will towards you. The abstract nature of politics is... pointless. Wouldn't you agree?"
"I don't know about that." Florian winced at the fresh agitation of his wounds. "I' haven't seen many things in this world that I'd call pointless. Just because things get their meaning from people, doesn't make them any less meaningful. I've tried living the way you say..." 'Kill your heart or...' The old saying that had ruled his life for so long still felt fresh in his mind.
"That way might stop the pain for a time, but it leaves everything else cold and fleeting."
"But we don't want to stop the pain, Father. Don't you see? Humans were never meant to live in our own heads such as we do now. We're supposed to enjoy the natural world, and everything that comes with it. Pain being one of those things." She shook her head. "Anyway, how about you, Father? What was your childhood like?"
"Oh not as fancy as yours. No wealth or funny siblings for me, no my parents were practical people. Besides you've seen things outside. My Frostfall hasn't changed so much." Four years away and so little had changed, at least that he'd seen. Florian could still hope there were smaller ways that had lasted for a while. Hope was all he had at this point.
"What were you like back then?" She smiled. "I can't imagine you saw yourself living a life like this in your youth. Tell me about the young boy before the priest."
"Oh he was a self obsessed bastard, you'd have loved him." Florian shook his head wearily. It could have been true as well, looking back at things with the clarity of distance, then Severa may have been the perfect wife material for Florian. The old Florian that was!
"For what it's worth I didn't get along with other children wither. I still don't get what people see in them, no patience for the creatures."
Severa giggled, "Yes, well, we should never forget where we come from. Remember, you were just like them at one time." She'd finished cleaning the last of his wounds and threw the rag back onto the sofa. Sitting down in her chair once more, she stared into the priest's eyes. "I have always been fond of children. I," She giggled and blushed. "I cherish their innocence. Adults are different. They know about the world. They should be prepared for what it entails. When I take a man under my power and do with him what I will, I do it knowing that his innocence has long since been lost. The same goes for you, Father."
She crossed her arms over each other as she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, "Father, why are you so afraid of yourself? Why hide it? Why seal it away? You're only lying to yourself." She smiled warmly. Despite her words, she seemed so... sincere. "Believe it or not, but there is a way this can go that ends with your survival. I don't care about the Gentleman or my twisted, overbearing aunt. I've played with many, many men and women, but each and every one of them has disappointed me in the end. Will you be any different, Father? Could you be the one I am looking for?"
She wasn't the first to say he was lying to himself, but Florian had never seen it that way. People always tried to oversimplify human nature by talking about masks and sides and all other kinds of metaphors. But no one Florian had ever met was that simple, every one of them was a seething vortex of traits, baggage and feelings. To his knowledge everyone in creation had these same urges, most just didn't act on them. Why was it always seen as such a crime when he tried to change?
"Because it was the first choice that was truly mine."
"Oh," Severa's eyes glistened. She was getting somewhere. She wrapped her fingers around the bottom of the chair and shifted in her seat. "And why is that? Who was running your life before you made it your own?"
'Oh crap.' He'd given her an in, no... no, don't let that happen. These were things he wouldn't even tell the other maidens, he couldn't let this harpy in.
"Ooooh no, you've had your share of questions for this round." His mind raced as quick as it could considering the loss of blood supplied to it. She liked playing, maybe he could give her a game. "You said you're looking for someone, who are you looking for?"
"I don't know," She answered immediately. Despite her answer being so unsure, she sounded almost proud of it. "I am looking for someone who can surprise me, I guess."
"Aren't we all?" Florian shrugged. 'Probably not, no.'
Severa shrugged, "I think most people find comfort in complacency. I find such people disgusting. No, I like not knowing what the next day holds in store. So far you've thrown me a few curve balls, but I believe I know the person underneath pretty well already. Tell me about him. Has he killed anyone?"
'Oh curve balls, glad to see I'm being entertaining.' "What do you think? Half my fluids are on my shirt or in your stomach, did I taste like a killer?"
"Hmmm," Severa squirmed in her chair. There was something in way he said it that turned on something inside her. "I don't know..." She got to her feet and crossed the short distance between them. Kneeling down, she forced his legs apart and looked into his eyes. "Maybe I need another taste." She giggled. "Tell me, Father... Would you object if I were to take you?"
"And here we go again!" Florians eyes and his head rolled together in unison. "The squealing while she drinks blood, the cock teasing and spouting out the poems. Who is this crazy act for, for the attention? To try and make me squirm? Or is this to prove to the boys that you can play at their level when they say no? Here's how I read you so far, you're not as crazy as you want people to think you are and you're not stupid crazy so that means you're better than this." His voice was getting louder as he went, yes there was some fear there but there was soemthing else too. Florian was offended and not just for himself.
"You want to see me off the leash so badly, untie me and we do this on even ground. Or you stand up and we do this like the professionals we're supposed to be."
Severa began giggling softly, and then laughing hysterically, "Oh, Father! This is what I am talking about! Take hold of the fear! Own it!" She clutched his thighs, her nails digging in as her laughter continued. "We'll do this your way, Father." She released him and got to her feet. Stepping around the back of his seat, she knelled down and to his wrists in her hands. "Binds aren't for everyone, Father, but I happen to adore them. Unfortunately, I don't think we're at that stage yet." After cutting the rope she stepped backwards.
This wasn't even footing. He was far too beaten and broken. If he tried anything he'd only be bringing himself further pain. Severa grinned, "What will you do now, Father?"
'And still she misses the point.' But at least he could stretch his legs. Odds are she'd knock him right down again but it was better than being drained.
"I'm going to do some cleaning." He grabbed up the wet rag she'd been using purposefully. "Because THIS" He dabbed at the fresher cut. "is how you catch things!" And yet he was getting off lucky, some nasty scratches and the threat of blow jobs were a fun evening compared to more traditional torture.
Severa rolled her eyes, "You wound me, Father. You speak as if I am a rabid animal. I'm a woman, silly. See for yourself," Peeling away the straps of her dress, Severa slipped it off with ease. Stripped down to nothing but panties and stockings, her scar-riddled body was now in full view. Sauntering over to him, he placed a gentle finger on his chest, taking special care to avoid his wounds. "Your eyes." She grinned. "They speak to me. They say... this is a familiar sight. Is there another woman, Father? Another who has a thousand stories written on her body?"
All she needed was a matching eye patch and it would have been like meeting the captain's long lost sister. Her finger snaked around the freshly born slashes in his torso, finding its way to the older wounds, their scars dark and faded. Her fingernail left a little itching tingle in its wake, and Florian barely noticed it.
What little blood he had left was quickly running south and pumping out a primal beat in his brain. His own hand slowly reached out as he gently ran the back of his fingers up one of the longer scars that flowed across Severa's torso, stopping just shy of her bare breasts. His left arm screamed out in pain and protest that it had to fight so hard to join in.
Would she understand, would she accept him... or would he just be something too boring for her? Maybe he had lost his way, he'd reveled in madness as openly as she did once. Others were made to be challenged or broken, leave the weak where they fall and dance in the- 'No! Not anymore...'
"What do you want from me?" Florian's hand fell away from her flesh, however reluctantly.
Severa grinned, "Your soul, of course." She caressed the side of his face, resting her palm around his jaw, just under his ear. "But you must give it willingly." She inched her lips closer to his. "Do you have that within you, Father? Can you not simply... let go?"
Her breath was warm on his face and her chest even warmer as the two edged closer to each other, their exposed bodies pressing against one another. Florian's lips brushed against hers, light as a feather, she raised her head up just enough to angle it towards his perfectly and for one moment their mouths opened to meet each other.
"It's not mine to give." Florian turned his head away, breaking the moment with a sickening crack.
"Nonsense," She brought up her other hand and turned his head towards her once more. "You said it yourself. Others chose the path you walked for you. Does that concept not repulse you now? You can make this decision yourself. You are a grown boy, are you not?" She grinned. "All you have to do is let go, Father. What reason do you have not to, truly?"
"I'm not yours yet." Florian could have cursed the idiotic pride that said that as he became painfully aware of her naked flesh pressed against his, and then the cold feeling as Severa stepped away.
She accepted the challenge and his world descended into a haze of pain and misery as the twins set about their sport with wild abandon and Florian was made familiar with the fates of various saints. The knives danced across his flesh and in between Severa saw to tending him with just enough nourishment to stop him from expiring. Still, Florian held to the code, he told nothing that would harm the maiden or her crew, easy enough since as far as his captors got less and less interested in actually asking questions.
Each day Owain saw to expanding Florian's scar collection and between these bloody bouts his sister saw to probing Florian's mind and emotions. As the hours wore on and his blood drained away Florians ability to keep up with her wits (and even his ability to speak properly) crumbled. With no other options left his mind retreated into itself as it waited for the inevitable.
