"Mistress Relane, come inside! It's not safe out there!"
Lightning crackled in the sky.
"Mistress!"
"I will, in a minute."
"Well, don't be long... If those creatures return..."
The servant scuttled away. Moron, Relane thought to herself. There were no creatures here, except the scurrying rats and foxes out in the streets. She took a few more bold steps into their garden, feeling the rain on her face. She hated them, truly, keeping her locked up in these ridiculous dresses - as if they even suited her - when she just wanted to be free to live like they did in the Imperial City, hard and fast and living each day for that day, not having your whole life planned out for you from the moment you were born.
She made her way away from the family house, past the row of cherry blossom trees, across the quaint little bridge over the stream. The wind rustled in the branches. Things scurried in the undergrowth.
Relane pulled her elaborate silken garments around her for warmth as the rain slowly saturated them with water. She was just making her way through the first cornfield when something snapped at her ankle.
She spun around indignantly, squeaking in surprise. There was nothing there but shadows. For a few moments, she stared intently at the ground, but she couldn't see a thing. She continued through the tall ears of corn. Only moments later, something hit her foot, tripping her up.
She picked herself up from the ground as something peeled away from the dirt, scrabbling madly at her chest and she yelled, trying to throw it off. Her arms passed straight through.
She shrieked, flinging herself into the corn, but there were more of them now, clutching at her legs as she ran, reaching as though for her very heart itself. She battled her way through the crops, the house now so terribly far away. She'd never reach it in time. The monsters would kill her first.
She screamed, to attract the attention of someone, anyone, but there were so many of them now that she could barely stand. She clung to her life, fighting for every inch of herself as they ripped her apart.
The rain poured and the night was black.
After painfully long, her entire body evaded and broken, they left her gasping for breath in the mud. She slowly picked herself up, and gathered her shredded skirts and veils around her. It was so cold.
"You don't look well, my Lady,"
She turned to face the man who had just spoken. Where had he come from?
"You!" She exclaimed indignantly. "If you were here this whole time, then why didn't you help me?!"
The man - cloaked in black leather - simply chuckled.
"You seem to have managed fine by yourself... Relane."
"How do you know my name?" Relane demanded, backing away slightly, ready to run. The man ignored her.
"Or should I say Larxene?"
"What are you talking about?"
The man extended a hand. "Come with me."
"No way!"
Relane - Larxene - was dragged, kicking and screaming, through a tear in reality.
The night was black.
