Character Info: Phoenix Star
Age: 18
Hair Color: Red
Eye Color: Grey
Date of Birth: June 21st 1998
Father: Salem Star
Stepmother: Ramona Star
Mother: Bridget Star (Deceased)
Height: 5'0 ft
Weight: 107 lbs
Salem Star
Age: 40
Hair Color: Red (Greying)
Eye Color: Brown
Date of Birth: March 13th 1976
Ex-Wife: Bridget Star
Wife: Ramona Star
Daughter: Phoenix Star
Height: 5'10 ft
Weight: 155 lbs
Ramona Star
Age: 38
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Purple
Date of Birth: October 30th 1978
Husband: Salem Star
Stepdaughter: Phoenix Star
Height: 5'6 ft
Weight: 115 lbs
Bridget Star
Age: (At the time of Death) 35
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Grey
Date of Birth: January 6 1978
Date of Death: August 4 2013
Ex-Husband: Salem Star
Daughter: Phoenix Star
Author's Note: The following story takes place in between Rise of the Tomb Raider and Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Trigger Warning: Abuse, mentions of religious abuse, forced marriage. If anyone is uncomfortable with this click away now.
Intro: Worst Birthday Ever
Phoenix stood still staring at the mirror with a bored expression as she let the hairdresser do her hair. Examining the makeup on her face. There were many things that she would rather do on her birthday, but attending a Trinity gala hosted at her father's mansion with strangers she barely even knew was not one of them. She wondered how it all came to this. Her father Salem is a high ranking commander of Trinity which she had learned is a paramilitary religious order. Salem is to put it lightly a piece of work. Salem wouldn't let Phoenix have friends over, wouldn't let her do after school activities, and be a kid. For him all that mattered was being "Godly" and if she did anything he deemed "ungodly" there was hell to pay. She was yelled at and beaten, Salem would sometimes withhold food, lock her out of the house in freezing weather, and was sometimes locked in the basement, he even pressed cigarettes on her. For Phoenix her mother, Bridget, was her escape. Bridget was forced into marrying Salem after he got her pregnant against her will. Bridget would try to defend Phoenix from her father's tyranny and he would get physical with Bridget as well. One day Phoenix ended up in the hospital with a broken arm at ten years old and this was the straw that broke the camel's back for Bridget. She ended up filing for divorce not long after, unfortunately she was forced to split custody with Salem over Phoenix. On days when she would stay with her Dad, the abuse ended up escalating and it got worse when he married Ramona, her stepmother. When she would stay at her Mom's house, those were the good times, she allowed Phoenix to have friends, do after school activities and even movie nights with her mom. When she was fifteen, (which is the age where the child decides which parent they want to stay with at least at the State they lived at) she and Bridget planned on telling the judge at the next hearing that she wanted to stay with her Mom. The chance never came to be because Bridget was killed by a drunk driver, which resulted in her Dad and Stepmom having complete custody of her. Now that she is eighteen she couldn't wait for her opportunity to escape.
"And done," the hairdresser said as he examined his work. "You look lovely, my dear!"
Phoenix looked at herself in the mirror one more time as she smoothed white satin party gown. She did not understand why her stepmother chose this dress for her as she told her that they were for future brides.
"Thanks, Danica."
"Always a pleasure."
"Yeah, always." Phoenix grinned. She slipped on her white gloves up to her elbows, her bracelet, and earrings before heading down stairs to meet up with her father and stepmother.
Salem and Ramona as usual were micromanaging the party decor, table placements, and flower arrangements, as well as everything else when she came down.
"Dad? Ramona?"
No answer, the couple simply went about their business. Phoenix sighed and moved off to a corner to wait until they noticed her. Minutes ticked by, and still not so much as a glance in her direction. Ramona finally noticed her stepdaughter leaning against the wall.
"Phoenix!" She shouted, causing the young woman to jump. "Stop slouching and straighten yourself up!"
Phoenix quickly obeyed, and shuffled to her stepmother's side. Salem and Ramona looked her over, up, and down, then Ramona twirled her finger to order Phoenix to turn. Phoenix obeyed and both her father and stepmother nodded in approval.
"Lovely," Salem smiled. "Quite, lovely."
Phoenix nodded and went back to her spot, but made sure not to slouch again or suffer the wrath of both her father and stepmother again. She glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. Five hours, all she had to do is last five hours of this so-called party and be done with it.
About one hour later, Phoenix was fake smiling and greeting guests as well as accepting birthday gifts, only to place them onto a table.
"Announcing, Desmond and Olivia Shade and their son, Ross Shade!"
Phoenix sighed as she put up her fake smile again and held out her hand to greet the young dark haired, green eyed young man in a white tux who was making his way towards her.
"A pleasure to meet you Mr. Shade." Phoenix extended her hand to shake and much to her shock, he kissed her hand.
"A wonderful pleasure to meet you beautiful." he replied. Phoenix felt her stomach turn over as she slowly and warily took her hand back.
"You look stunning tonight." Ross commented, taking a few steps closer to her.
"Thank you." Phoenix whispered uncomfortably.
"I wonder how well you dance?"
"I've never done it that much."
"Well how about we do a little practice hmmm?" their foreheads were almost touching now. Phoenix glanced at her father and stepmother, she found that they were watching with keen interest, almost too keen.
"Go on, Phoenix," said Salem
Shocked by her father and stepmother's indifference, Phoenix felt lost and had no idea what to do. She unhappily accepted Ross's hand and he led her to the dance floor. He gave her a smile that made her skin crawl as he set his free hand on her waist and they began to step and sway to the music.
"You are a lovely dancer," said Ross after a few steps.
"Thanks."
"Imagine that you are better at other things."
"You're too kind."
"Well, isn't it a man's job to compliment his woman?"
Phoenix's skin crawled again, and she felt a flicker of offense and disgust through her body as she gave Ross a warning glare.
"I don't know what you mean."
"Oh, come now, sweet thing, let's not play hard to get."
"I'm not playing hard to get," Phoenix answered as she took a step back. "I really don't know what you are talking about."
Ross smirked and pulled her back into the dancing embrace. "Alright then, let me lay it out for you."
He twirled her as he began explaining.
"Ever heard of eugenics?"
"Isn't that the idea where good blood can only come out of good blood?" Phoenix asked, not liking where this is going.
"Well as you know, Lara Croft has been decimating Trinity cells left and right. She has already destroyed our cells in Siberia and Europe as well as Canada. Now she is working on destroying our cells here in the United States."
"And what does this have to do with us?" Phoenix inquired in a shaky voice.
Phoenix has heard stories about Lara Croft the Tomb Raider. Now she could not tell which to be scared of more. Croft? Trinity? Or her father and stepmother? One thing is for sure after hearing the stories she hoped not to run into this Croft lady anytime soon.
"Hopefully once Croft is eliminated and Trinity remakes the world the way God intends it to be, the only way for Trinity to survive is if we keep our bloodlines pure."
"What are you talking about?!" Phoenix pulled away again
"Isn't it obvious?" Ross grinned creepily as he bent down to one knee and pulled out a ring box. He opened and took a deep breath to speak.
"Phoenix-"
"No!" Phoenix felt sick. Just a blood purifier and an incubator? Was that all she was? She turned to storm off but was stopped by Salem.
"Now, now, honey," Salem said as he turned Phoenix back towards Ross. "Let's not be so hasty. Ross is Trinity's youngest commander at twenty years old, he's a good man from a good family. He will teach you to be a respectable Godly woman."
"Wait, you knew about this?" Phoenix's stomach dropped.
"Of course," said Ramona as she walked up to her husband's side. "We told you we were planning something special for your birthday.
"Birthday gift?! An ARRANGED marriage?!" Phoenix flipped out.
"We even helped him pick out the ring," said Salem
"You both are insane!" Phoenix yelled as she broke free of her father and ran out of the ballroom and upstairs to her room with Ramona and Salem following her.
"What the hell is wrong with you guys?!" Phoenix screamed when they were in her room. "You didn't at least think about talking to me about this first before springing it on me?"
"We were afraid you'd say no," Ramona explained.
"Well you both had good reason to be! I'm not marrying him!"
"Yes. You. Are." Salem ordered in a cold yet angry voice.
"I don't even know him!"
"He's part of Trinity, that's all you need to know.
"No it's not!" Phoenix couldn't believe what she was hearing. Did they not care that she did not want anything to do with Trinity and the religion her father tried to force her and her mother into?
"Phoenix Jennifer Star! Your mother has tainted your soul far enough and now we have a chance to undo the taint," said Ramona
"Not my problem!"
"Oh yes it is your problem, because Ramona is your stepmother and I am your father! You are part of this family!"
"Maybe I don't want to be anymore!"
SMACK!
Phoenix fell back against her bed, holding a gloved hand to her bloodied nose after her father punched her.
"Don't ever disrespect me like that again! Your little scene back there was bad enough, it's going to take a while to remove that stain from our reputation and I was so close to getting a seat on Trinity's High Council!"
Phoenix choked back a sob. They didn't care! They were really doing this. They were throwing her away so her father could up his status with Trinity.
"Now you're going back down there and accepting Ross's proposal."
"No, I'm not!"
Phoenix turned around and angrily faced her father. "I'm not going to-"
SMACK! Salem struck her again. Phoenix's head swirled as she tumbled off the bed and clutched her forehead.
"Oh, Salem. She can't go back down now, she's bloodied the dress!"
Salem sighed. "I guess we'll just tell everyone she was taken off guard and needs to think things over. She will go with Ross on his mission to Alaska to get to know him a little more. She'll accept the proposal when they both get back." The two turned to walk off, when Phoenix jumped to her feet.
"I've just turned eighteen! I'm too young to marry!"
"Nonsense, you little brat!" Ramona shouted. "Plenty of people get married at eighteen."
"But, not me! I'm not ready!"
"Then get ready! And clean off that dress!"
"Enjoy your final single days, you'll return an engaged woman once Ross's mission is complete," said Ramona
The door slammed shut as Phoenix clutched her head, trying to stop the throbbing in her head from the thrashing around and sickening announcement that she was being forced into an arranged marriage. Standing to her feet she took off her now red gloves and began undoing her dress. After she got out she glared angrily at it. Rage boiling inside of her, she ripped the dress in half and used what was left to clean the blood off. Then she tossed it out the window and into the dumpster below. She slipped into the shower, washing the tears and blood away.
"There has to be a way out of this."
A plan had been formulated in her head, but in order for this to work Lara Croft would have to be there to cause enough chaos and confusion so she could slip away. All she could do now is hope the woman is in Alaska as well.
Will everything ever be alright again?