Vermeil Cendre
Summary: Salem had asked for the girl to be brought in alive, not in one piece.
For Lamia. Maniacal laughter is to be indulged in.
"Cinder..." She turned her head just slightly to let Emerald known she was listening, and not continuing to stare out at the pits where Grimm kept crawling out of. The liquid stuck to their skin like tar as they forced their way out from the earth's womb, but then it slinked back in once the creature was free to roam the land and start creating fear, as well as destruction. The goo was like a living creature it self, sliding along the ground back to the pit like a tentacle. "...i don't like it here."
Emerald's voice was softer than usual, the bite that usually accompanied it was gone; it only showed itself when Emerald berated Mercury. Their foolish antics were one of the few things familiar in this place, and both of them seemed to take some comfort in it. The petty fights momentarily drew their attention away from the world.
She didn't reply to what she had already known, though. Cinder simply kept her lips pressed into a thin - pained - line, glaring out at the horizon. She wished the Grimm born here would tear into the flesh of that inexperienced child for inflicting this pain on her.
It was the sound of Emerald stepping back then abruptly forward that drew her attention once more, along with those little giggles coming from her right. She turned her head fully to glare at Tyrian, who was squatting along the railing of the balcony.
Her lips parted, letting out little clicks and hisses before Emerald could even step closer to her to listen carefully to what she was trying to say. Damn that girl for making her like this. Weak. Vulnerable. Unable to communicate without help. Needing to stay here in the care of Salem instead of being able to take care of those silver eyes herself.
Emerald straightened slowly, gaze flickering from Tyrian to Cinder the whole time. She really needed to reprimand her for that. Her sudden skittish nature did nothing to inflict the fear her own voice use to. From Tyrian's escalating giggles he found it amusing that her companion was so put off by him.
"Cinder would like to know why you haven't left for Mistral yet." The twitch of his lips made Emerald glance away and Cinder gritted her teeth. This was ridiculous.
Her vocal cords dug into her throat, her tongue feeling like it was dragging over gravel when she spoke, "An/swer me, im/be/cile."
He burst into laughter, clearly not troubled over her choice of words. Then he grinned, holding back more giggles if the way his body shook was any indication. "Should I put the eye on ice for you?"
The question was so unexpected - the implication so disgusting - that it took a moment until her lips curled down at the idea. Her own eye was scarred over, unless she re-opened the wound there would be no way to replace it.
His laughter was filling the air around her again and Cinder motioned Emerald closer; the burn along her throat, the hot coals in her mouth... made it impossible to attempt speech again for the day. This time she told Emerald to stop cowering before the maniac as well.
It caused the young girl to jump slightly, adding fuel for Tyrian's nearly never-ending laughter. She could hear Emerald swallow down the distaste for the man and his behavior before she stood up again, attempting to keep eye contact with him this time. "Cinder says if you can manage it. She would appreciate it if you didn't scar her new eye up, and that if you make a mistake-" Emerald stumbled over the words here. "-to take the other one."
The grin that came over Tyrian's face told her everything she need to know. That he would be delighted to purposely mess up the one and leave Ruby completely blind. Salem had asked for her alive, not that she be in one piece.