Quoth the Raven

Enter the Governess

Craning my neck I look upon the titanic Governess, rising beyond the limits of the walls, standing as high as a small castle keep. Six feet tall heels adorn black boots, crimson blood stains marring the leather. A black leather catsuit adorns the totality of the behemoth, shimmering with myriad shadows and glimmers of moonlight. A whip trails from her hip, drawing up dust from the cobbled courtyard at her passage. She is strong, immensely strong.

I consider taking flight, placing myself at a better vantage at which to deal with this monstrosity, but I no sooner unfurl my wings and brace to hurl myself skyward, than the Governess launches herself forward, falling hard to the ground and sending up a seismic shockwave, her rough hands enclosing about my body like a vice. Her lips curl in a feral grin, hungry, mishievous. "Got you, I did!" The rank stench of her breath spills over me like a miasma. It is all I can do to keep from retching. "Have me, you do. But, can you keep me." I answer stoically.

Her grip tightens, tearing the breath from my lungs. "Answer your question, did I?", she booms. I brace against her unbelievable strength, struggling. She regains her balance, rising from the ground and standing, holding me before her face with a gaze of childlike delight. "Pluck, Pluck, Pluck!", she cackles, sending chills running down my spine. Her other hand comes into view, teasingly stroking first one wing, then the other, before gaining a grip on both and starting to pull. The pain is unbearable as I scream, "NOooo!"

Base survival instinct is all that provided me the means of escape from the pain and humility of the Governess' treatment. Energy spikes sprung from my rothe-hide armor, like thorns, piercing the restraining hand of the monster, tearing at her flesh. Her booming cry shakes the courtyard as I am hurled groundward, my breath stolen from me as I greet the earth in a rumpled heap.

I have but moments to look up and see the titan, her eyes welled with pain-rimned tears, shaking a hand full of bleeding rents. She looks down, hatred blooming on her stoney visage, her murderous intent clear to even the most bumbling of fools. Yet a fool, I am not.

I hasten to my feet, hurling myself to the side as her foot comes thundering down upon the pavement where I had first landed. "Not nearly as fast as you think you are, now are you dear." I taunt her as I leap into the air and rise to a more precipitous altitude. Hovering several feet before her face, well beyond her reach, I halt, "I have no qualms with you, you will stand aside and allow me to pass, or..." The crack of her whip sends me into a series of maneuvers to avoid the lashes, she IS faster than I thought after all. "Why is it never easy." I sigh, going into a barrel roll, twisting and turning, avoiding. Her wicked, maniacal laughs follow me.