hopefully this chapter will answer some of the questions you've been askin', lol. why can't all my stories be this easy to put together?
Spring passed and moved into Summer, her training continued and slowly built in intensity. She was now a decent shot, and though she still couldn't throw Ludwig like they'd been trying, they had focused her training on avoidance and escape playing on her skills as a child.
It had been four months since the incident and she could almost feel the breath of relief that had been let go through their current residence from the lack of activity. This sudden relax is why Mina decided not to mention when she started to get the sensation that someone was watching her whenever she was outside.
She was just being paranoid. Why would anyone be watching her? Really it would just cause everyone to panic. She really didn't want to get moved again...
On top of that, the dreams kept coming back every night. Nothing complicated or insightful. Just people calling for Madeline. 'Come help me stir this sweet' or 'Lets go look at a story poppet'. The weirdest was 'I'll be your hero Madeline!' Mina was starting to think she should see a therapist, maybe she had PTSD or something.
Mina was in front of her mirror putting on her Makeup. It was a week away from her 15th birthday and the boys were taking her into a city that was close by today so she could look for some clothes with birthday money. Security would be a bit overkill.. Ludwig and Gilbert of course, then Erika, Vash and Ivan. Regardless, she was excited! It was the first time she had been let out of the house in months.
When her makeup was done she took a few steps back and examined herself, she wore jean shorts and a loose fitted black shirt, it was cool and cute. It also left plenty of room to cover the gun she had stored in a discreet holster that attached to her bra. It had been another condition from Master.
She declared herself perfect finally and grabbed her purse heading out the door, Vash directly behind her once she left her room, to meet up with everyone.
"Erika, I need another bathroom break" she muttered embarrassed as her bladder felt like it was going to explode. Damn ludwig was giving her an 'I told you so' look. He had made a point of saying she'd regret the large soda she'd grabbed earlier when they had decided to catch a movie while in the city. She shot him a glare, earning a snicker from Gilbert, and turned with the only other female in the group in search of a public restroom.
They found one in the near by park and Mina almost cheered out loud, running and dragging Erika behind her. The men stayed within sight of the restroom but didn't get too close. Both women were carrying, they wouldn't have issues in there, but men hanging around in front of a women's toilets might.
When they were done, they left the small building and started to walk back towards the group. As they walked, Mina accidentally bumped into an older woman, her bag spilling all over the place "Oh no! I'm so sorry!" Mina knelt down to pick things up, Erika noticed and joined her.
That's when she heard the shouting, she lifted her head to see the men running full tilt towards them, Erika scrambling under her skirt at her ankle, what had them spooked?
Before she could turn her head, hands grabbed around her middle, the things she had gathered scattered in the road, a scream ripped from her throat as she struggled. The last thing she saw before the door slammed shut in front of her was Gilbert and Ludwig reaching for her.
Mina kicked and screamed, trying to aim direct hits has she had been taught, wiggling and twisting in every way possible, but even with training, she was a small girl. with all the hands grabbing at her, she was outnumbered and overpowered.
"Will you just sit still!" snapped a voice speaking english in her ear .
"Let me go! Get off of me!" she screamed back in german, but a hand grabbed her hair, yanking her head to the side and she felt a sting in her neck. Her world started to go fuzzy. Within a minute, she was out.
When Mina came too again someone was carrying her. She had been jostled as the strong arms readjusted her, the person holding her grunting slightly "She's heavy for such a little thing." said the bright voice, it sounded like it belonged to a teenager, but she didn't dare open her eyes just yet.
"Can you carry her?" called another voice, a faint accent she couldn't quite place.
"Yeah, I'm good! I could lift two of her! You boys take care of everything out here, I'm gonna take her inside."
"You're sure you'll be okay lad?" she had to force herself to stay relaxed and limp, that voice she remembered. The redhead from the market.
"Yeah uncle Alis, what kinda trouble is she gonna give me like this?"
"Okay, tell your da we're gonna go stash the van"
"Sure thing"
The blonde started moving, she could feel the incline of stairs and he bounced up them, barely even jostling her. Mina waited until she felt the temperature change and heard the door closing telling her they were inside before she acted.
She went from limp, dead weight to full force attack. Her eyes opened at the same moment her elbow connected with the teens face. She used the force to push herself out of his arms, she fell to the floor and quickly scrambled to a steady crouch, her hand reached up her shirt and tugged the gun, that they thankfully hadn't found, out quickly drawing herself up and aiming it directly at her captors head.
Her eyes were deadly cold, body held strong and hard, her voice dripped with acid as the german flowed easily "Who are you and where am I?"
The blonde boy in front of her held one hand on his bleeding nose, the other raised in surrender to the gun. "I don't know what you're saying.. Madeline it's me! It's Alfred!"
"My name is Mina"
His blue eyes still looked mystified. She shook with stress, but growled as she was preparing herself to run. Then there was a loud crack and pain spread across her head. The gun fell from her hands and clattered to the ground. She pitched forward, her vision faded as the blonde in front of her darted out to catch her. She couldn't see, was she dying? Mina felt sorrow for her family…They would miss her so... Would the boys be okay? The last thing to go was her hearing, broken words were exchanged
"What was tha- hurt her!"
"Bloody git- room- hurry up- blood"
"-hit her- not my-"
"not- choice- helped- girl"
and everything went black again.
"Look Alfred, it's not like I had a choice! She had a bloody gun to your head!" the voice was british, she could recognize that...
"She wouldn't have shot me…" the blonde teens voice answered. Though,he sounded a bit unsure of that.
"Oh? You're positive then? Do you think she's been there having tea parties and talking about how much she missed us for the past nine years? "
"...No"
Mina opened her eyes and tried to sit up, but soon found out she was tied down. She looked to the side, she was laying on a hospital type bed, straps across her chest and middle, her arms in leather bonds. She couldn't see the pair who were talking, she didn't even hear the footsteps as he approached.
"Ah, Madeline! you're awake!" her eyes flashed towards the voice as it appeared at her side, Mina could see a man with ashen blonde hair hovering above her. "shall we sit you up a bit then? there you go luv" a push of a lever and her bed creaked to a sitting position. "Sorry about the bed, but we can't have you trying to kill your brother again."
Mina wasn't stupid. In the past four months she had so much knowledge shoved into her head about this… It was probably someone who hated her family, a bad deal or something, or maybe for ransom. She was't giving them anymore information than necessary. With that in mind she stuck to speaking only in German, letting her face betray nothing saying she understood their English words.
" My name is not Madeline! Where am I? I want to go home!" her eyes shot a glare.
The british man sighed "You are home Madeline. At least, with your family" oh, so he understood german.
" I'm not Madeline, let me go."
"What is she saying?" asked the teenager. she had forgotten he was here. her eyes went to him. what was that name? Alfie? no… Alfred. his bright blue eyes skirted over her nervously. "Sh-shouldn't you be speaking German? Maybe she doesn't understand us!" she looked back to the british man, something about Alfred's face made her ache.
"Oh, she understands English, your uncles heard her speaking it last month to the cook while she was in the garden." she worked not to react. Someone had been watching her. She kicked herself for not saying anything.
"Maddie… Don't you remember me? Even a little?" Alfred asked again, she turned her head away from them.
The british mans voice came softly, speak to her like a cornered animal. "Madeline, luv, I know this feels strange-"
"My name is Mina" she grumbled.
Arthur huffed. "No, your name is Madeline. You were taken nine years ago, I'm your father, and this is your twin brother. Bloody hell just look at Alfred, you can't tell me you don't see how much you look alike."
Madeline kept her head turned away, these people were insane, she had been kidnapped by nut jobs. She could hear the irritation rising in his voice.
"Look at him Madeline"
"My name is Mina"
"Just look at Alfred."
"I want to go home"
The brit sighed and grumbled to himself, then again louder, "Look at him" in german this time, a bite to his words. Her eyes hardened and her mouth twisted to a scowl. She glared viciously into the green eyes of her captor.
"No" she said full of acid and defiance
"Fine then" Arthur's eyes turned cold, he stood straighter and reached for something "We'll do this your way" a click sounded and a gun pressed to her head. Her eyes widened in shock and fear.
"Dad! What the hell are you doing?!" Alfred spat in disbelief.
" She's been with those people for nine bloody years, this is probably all she responses to now!" he yelled at his son.
It took everything in Mina not to snarl and snap back. Her family never treated her this way. Her family treated her kindly. They would have sooner turned a gun on themselves then her.
Again in german the british man repeated "Look at him"
Her eyes reluctantly went up, meeting the stunned blue ones behind black frames.
"Do you see the similarities Madeline"
"My name is-" the piece poked at her head. she doubted it was loaded... but just in case, she cut herself off. Her eyes slid over the face in front of her. Yes, she could see a slight resemblance. Similar noses, hair colour almost the same. Face shape, although masculine, not unlike her own. Even the damn glasses…
"A white girl who looked like a white boy is no great shock." she muttered stubbornly
The blonde in front of her looked at his father hopefully. There was a sigh and the gun dropped, the man shook his head.
The pair, having given up for the moment, had walked to the other side of the large white room and were talking. She could just hear them if she strained.
"Does Papa know about this yet?"
"No. I don't think he could stomach seeing her like this"
"... And you can?"
"Just barely lad. But we knew this would be hard. They've had her for longer than we even did. God knows what they put in her head."
She was looking pointedly away, but she could hear the pain in the words. If she wasn't being held against her will, had a gun to her head, been drugged and currently surrounded by lunatics, she might even feel bad for them.
But… Papa… Her brows furrowed, wasn't that what she had called her father before they sold her? She couldn't remember much of anything.. But Master had once slapped her after she had said that word… It had left a lasting impression, the only time he had ever harmed her.
No… No, her family had abandoned her. But...Could this be that family?
Her face hardened, even if they were she wouldn't care. That family had given her up, they weren't there to hold her hand, read her stories, take care of her when she was sick or sad. that family gave up their rights to her. Master was more of a father to her now.
Tears finally crept into her eyes, the adrenalin of the situation fading. She wanted her family. She needed Gilbert's arms, Ludwig's hand. She wanted a kiss on the top of her head from Master Beilschmidt , Erika to hug her, Vash to awkwardly pat her shoulder… She would even welcome Ivan's smile and over sized hand if he would come and cut her loose… An image of Ivan with a knife hovering over her flashed through her mind suddenly and without warning.
printsessa
A shudder ran through her. What the fuck was that?!
yes uncle Alis is Alistair or scotland. also, YAY return of Alfred and Arthur. but uh-oh... lot harder to kidnap a 15 year old and convince her everything she knows is wrong then it is with a 6 year old. damn boys... you're at a disadvantage!