~1547~ "
Victoria please wait."
Victoria didn't hide the fact at how annoyed she was while she waited for Rose, her little sister, to catch up. Their parents had died years earlier and she had a hard enough time surviving without worrying about the sibling she never wanted. However she was the only family she had left in this world. And as their father used to say family was the only thing you truly ever had in this world or any other.
"Come on," she hissed once she was close enough, "That lot always prowls at night. We have to be hidden as soon as possible."
"Where are we going this time sister?", Rose asked as both of them surveyed their surroundings without turning their heads. A skill both had to learn early on in life. Constantly turning your head meant you were scared and that made you prey in many eyes.
"I'm not sure yet," she was forced to admit. Many of their safe havens had one of them lingering around, usually by the entrance. So many were discovered that Victoria was afraid all of them had been and refused to investigate to see if all them were. Mainly from the fear of doing so would expose those few left that weren't. All because they were careless, that had to be the reason why so many were discovered. Victoria had been so careful in picking these places because of their value as a safe haven. Rose and herself never stayed at the same one twice nor in one that was close to one they just spent the night in. But there was mistake somewhere, a pattern they left behind that caused the detection from Luther on his gang of thugs.
"Victoria," Rose said after a more well to do couple passed them. The type to look down on them as these did so. "Perhaps it would be wise if we left town. We cannot keep hiding like this. This is no way to live."
"I am aware of that sister," she said. "And we will not leave. This town is our home. More so than any these pretenders. We know every nook and seedy cranny better than any of them can ever hope. I will not be forced to leave because of fear." She put some empathies on that last word, enough that she hoped it shamed her sister into thinking such thoughts.
"And there are I days I doubt that this 'home' is worth fighting for," she persisted.
"It is the only thing we have," Victoria argued. "We have each other," her sister said. "That's not enough for this world," she replied darkly. "Where men control everything how can a woman strive to get a anywhere on her own."
"We'll think of something sister. Well you will, you are much smarter than I."
"Never put yourself down like that Rose," she chided her. "It is a sign of weakness and we can not appear to be weak in front of any one. We must appear to be strong, no we must be strong in order to survive." Rose simply nodded, that motto had gotten them this far and Victoria was positive it would keep them safe for a long time.
That confidence soon eroded into a feeling a dread as they turned a corner and heard a deep voice almost chuckle as it said, "'ello pretties."
Victoria awoke with a deep breath as everything swirled around her. A strange sensation in her head made her clutch it as she looked around if terror. She soon spotted a man sitting in the corner. Almost by instinct she realized the sensation was coming from him and tried to back away, the wall the only thing blocking her path. Eyes darting around the room she spotted the door and it's location from the man. She tried to predict if she could make it there before he could stop her.
"It is unlocked if you wish to leave," he said, almost as if he read her mind. "Most of us usually try to run once we reawaken. A basic, ancient instinct that seems to want to awaken at the same time. Given the circumstances it's only natural I suppose."
"Who are you," she demanded with more bravery than she felt at the moment.
"Most people call me Wilson. Well that is what I tell them my name is." "I don't understand." He gave her a kind smile, one almost like her father's, "All in due time my dear. Tell me, what do you remember before you woke up just now? Or would you prefer I have someone fetch you some fresh clothing first?"
Looking down Victoria saw the red on her dress, and the holes. Almost like someone... A flash came to her as she felt a metal blade violate her abdomen. "What am I?"
"You are like me," This Wilson said staying where he was. "What else do you remember?"
"I was with my sister Rose," she began. "We were running from a group of thugs. But they caught us anyway. They..."
After a few painful moments of silence Wilson told her, "It's fine if you don't want to remember it right away. All perfectly natural, I've been walking this earth long enough to know that. Several centuries in fact," he added with an amused glint in his eyes.
~Several months later~
Victoria swung her sword with more confidence than she ever had before. Wilson blocked and parried her blade with ease but with each training session she was able to catch him off guard more than the last. Throughout the lesson his smile grew brighter as she held her own. In some strange, foreign way she was secretly pleased that she could please him in such a way. "I have taught princes and paupers who hasn't picked up sword play as fast as you."
"I had to learn faster than most in order to survive," she said as their swords continued to dance between them. "I learned that is the way of this world at an early age."
"A pity the way things are has spoiled the way you view things, a pity indeed." She was able to press him back with her attack. "You may have learned to view the more subtle ways of the world with more appreciation if you had the chance."
"This world doesn't understand subtle," she told him. Wilson grabbed her arm after he forced their blades low and preformed some sort of move that ended with both of their blades locked behind his head. She tried not to let her confusion show, "Admitting defeat."
"Just one more lesson my dear," he answered. He pushed her off and she went spinning. By the time she turned around his blade was at her throat. Victoria froze thinking this was truly the end. But the blade didn't move any closer to ending her life as he said, "It is true that subtlety isn't as well known as it once was. But my dear Victoria, that what makes it all the more so powerful. I do believe that will be all for today," he said as he removed his sword from her neck.
Subconsciously her hand rubbed her throat, "What was that move you used just now?"
"That?", he answered with that small chuckle of his. "A simple move I learned from a man in the far east. He claims it is unbeatable when applied correctly."
"Unbeatable," she repeated, mostly to herself.
"I see it more as a last ditch attempt to save one hide," he told her. "Not something to rely on."
"Of course Wilson," she quickly said. "You must have learned so much in five hundred years it almost boggles the mind. How did you survive this long? Do I have the chance to live as long?" "
To answer to your first question relatively simple my dear Victoria. I stay true to myself. Once an Immortal changes too much from what he once was he is already lost. His body is just wondering around until some other immortal takes unknowing pity of them by taking his head. No all the immortals I know who have lived as long as I have are longer are still true to who they originally were. As for your second," he paused for a moment, "well only fate can truly say for sure one way or another."
"True to myself?", she mused. "How do I know what that is? How do I know for sure?"
"Moments such as the one that made you immortal I'm afraid," he answered. "Once you are in a situation where you have to act to save yourself or a loved one is how you find out who you really are. As I'm sure you fought to save your sister Rose."
"Yes," she said slowly as she remembered. She truly never forgot that day.
"'ello pretties," Luther sneered as his group of filthy, disgusting cronies blocked the path in front of them. Rose clutched at her sleeve as Victoria felt the fear causing her heart to pound. "Why you been avoiding us an' da like? Me boys are starting ta think ya don' like us." He looked at his "boys" with a sneer that made her skin crawl. "Maybe you should show them that's ain' true."
The rest of them started to chuckle and eyed them with a particular look in their eyes that made Victoria want to wretch. The moment Luther took one step toward them her hand reached back instinctively to Rose. That same instinct made her grab the arm clutching at her sleeve and sling her little sister toward them while shouting, "Take her!" She barely had the time to register the betrayal in her sister's face as she turned to run. Right into a couple of Luther's boys that had come up behind them. "No!", she resisted and lashed out with a hand that drew blood as it scraped against his face.
"You damn witch," he grunted. Before she could do anymore damage she felt his knife penetrated her stomach repeatedly and let her drop the ground.
"'ey! There more life in dis one," was the last thing she heard before she blacked out.
She thought about that moment practically every second since she reawaken. All the while wondering why she betrayed Rose like that. Even more so why she felt no guilt over it at all. If that was being true to herself what did that make her? A survivor. She did what came naturally and tried to survive, because she was strong. Because she is the only one she could truly re
ly on. No matter how kind a person was to you they would always try to take something from you in the end, even if they had a smile that reminded you of your father. She looked at Wilson's back not feeling any guilt or trepidation, knowing this was the moment to act. He was totally unaware as she came up behind him and drove her sword though his torso. "Urk," he grunted and dropped to his knees. "W...why...?"
"I am being true to myself," she said into his ear with a slight sneer. "You told me that there might be a chance that we might face each other in the game. And I'm playing the only way I know how, to win. Because in the end I will always, always, choose myself over anybody else." Removing the sword she raised it above her head and swung it through his neck with ease. A pain that was above anything she could have ever imagined over took her as she absorbed his Quickening. Then it was done. Taking a moment to regain her senses she looked at the husk that was her teacher, his dead eyes seemingly starting into her soul, almost accusing her of betrayal. "My sister died because she was weak, just like you, like any mortal. Because you allowed yourself to open up to a person, a group of mortals, to let yourself become vulnerable, to become as weak as they are. And I will never be that weak, I will not allow it."
~now~
Victoria showed no mercy as she continued Janet's training session. Like always she bested the young girl and kicked her down hard in disgust. "You are so weak it's disgusting!", she snapped as she slid the edge of her sword on her upper arm drawing blood. Janet grabbed it but didn't cry out, she learned long ago doing so would draw her a beating. "You are practically worthless the way you are now."
Walking away she notice Nathan come into the room. leaning against the door jamb he looked at Janet and commented, "Geez Vicky, if you hate the kid that much why did you take her on to begin with."
"A mother doesn't hate her child," she informed him. "She does what she can to make them a better person."
"Looks like hate to me," he told her. "Why do you care if she becomes better ot not, she's not one of us yet."
"Because she reminds me of my sister," she said thinking back to Rose. "She died because she wasn't strong enough to what I did to survive. I will not make that mistake again." Looking over her shoulder at Janet she added, "Why don't you take her back to her room and check over her injuries."
Overhearing that Janet got a scared look on her face. Nathan just grinned as he walked over and picked her up to her feet. "Don't worry I'll take good care of her." Janet resisted a bit but eventually let him take her out of the room.
"I'll toughen her up if it takes an eternity," Victoria said to the air once she was alone.
