Venice Craven

As I wrapped my fingers around it's hilt, Lord Mao lowered his mouth to my neck, capturing the wealth of blood that had already formed and had started to trickle down over gown with his tongue before planting his lips around the injury itself. Startled so at this, I nearly dropped the dagger entirely. In fact it is only when his hand started to paw at my breast through the thin silk, the fabric being torn by what ever implement he had used to cut into my throat, that I started to regain my senses. My dark blue eyes darted down, a moment of curiosity in amongst all this confusion. Perched upon the middle finger was a metal ring that extended over all three knuckles to form a sharp talon like tip. It was this that was digging-- no, cutting, into my flesh as he cupped the breast and squeezed it painfully in time with the drawing of the blood into his mouth.

And then, he unexpectedly started to gag, his eyes wide and his face suddenly now finding an expression when prior it had lacked it. I took this moment ... this opportunity to bring the sky-stone blade up between us and with as much force as I could muster (my strength was weakening- loss of blood and lack of air has a habit of doing that) I shoved the blade up into the centre of his chest. It was harder than I had anticipated but I managed to send it an inch and a half into his flesh.

His second surprise of the night, Lord Mao's eyes looked at me with horror and he let out singular curse. The his hand released my breast and he brought the armoured finger sharply across my face, the bladed finger digging deeply into the skin and filling my eyes with blood. It continued to cut down sliding over the curve of my neck as he fell back to the ground heavily and then was still.

I had never thought that death could come so quick. Blinking back blood from my eyes I stared down at him as if expecting him to move in some way.. a limb to twitch or his sightless eyes to focus upon me. He did not. I stumbled back, thoughts reeling through my head. A noble. I had killed a noble. I would be put on trial and hung for everyone to see. My family's name would be ruined. I had to get out of here and fast--- My mind was working much faster than my body was and I fell back weakly against the side board I had only moments ago been pressed against. I clung at it for support, surprised that my parents had not heard the scuffle and come running. But then again, there had not been much noise had there..? Perhaps nothing more than what they expected..? Perhaps they knew and had arranged all of it.

I couldn't stay here. I needed to get out. Pushing back the rising panic I took a deep and gasping breath. I walked forward, bending over the corpse I nudged it testingly with my boot. Nothing, no signs of life. Dead then. A murderer. I bent down and grabbed firmly upon the hilt of the blade. After a couple of pulls I managed to pull it free from the body.

I ran quickly from the room, down the short hall towards my bedroom, shutting the door (quietly) behind me. I grabbed my bag and started to stuff random things into it. The bloodied blade going in the bottom and wrapped in a blanket. Should I write a note? No.. what note could explain this? Did they know? Did they arrange it? Best to leave nothing. I did not really think about what I was taking or I would of grabbed more sensible things. Warm clothes, more blankets. Instead I grabbed a couple of dresses, some favourite items of jewelry. My favourite book, a brush and a few decorative ribbons. A small pouch of coins was placed at the bottom of the bag and I gave the room one last look before passing through the kitchen, grabbing a loaf of bread left out on the table and exited for the last time from the house I had grown up in.