He was free. As the cool air hit his dirty face he gasped greedily for as much of the invisible vapor as he could. Living for over a year in that tin suit was almost too much to bear. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like to live in one for much longer than that. He shook his head, ridding his brain of all the guilt he would have if he thought about what his actions had done to others. He needed to live in a moment where he did not feel guilt, but pride for his actions that helped the O.Z, or so he thought. Yes, Azkadellia handed down the authority of what should be done to people who resisted her, but he was he that embellished the torture and left his captured prisoners at his mercy, not hers. As he took a small step out of the suit he looked around at his surroundings. Yes, he was still in the woods where that asshole Cain had left him.

'What a chump!' He thought to himself. Leave it to Cain to grow a heart at the wrong possible time; he should have just let his son do what he wanted. Zero looked down at a young man who trembled before him. Oliver's knees banged together as he shook and sweated. He knew who Zero was; his family had been also affected by the wrath of this cruel man. What had he done? Oliver thought back to what exactly happened and the moments flew back in a rapid pace.

He had been delivering initiations to houses that seemed to be well off the path of normal guests. Why would the princess want to invite people that lived so far away from the palace? He didn't argue, it was his job to deliver the invitations. Some how he'd ended up way in the middle of nowhere surrounded by trees and bushes. He made out what looked to be a camp at one time and knew he must be on the right track. However, as he stumbled across the grass and bush, he noticed something looming ahead. It was a tin suit. He'd heard about these things and how Azkadellia's men had used them to trap their prisoners. According to people around the kingdom, all remaining tin suits had been emptied and destroyed by command of the queen. He looked at this one and thought of how frightening and menacing it looked from the outside. He couldn't even imagine what it was like inside. He knew that Mr. Cain had been locked in one, but no one dared asked him what that ordeal was like.

Oliver could hear tapping in the metal. He had looked over, curious as to why someone was still inside. All prisoners had been released months ago. Poor man, Oliver thought as he walked over towards the tin box and peered into the small glass opening. A pair of hazy eyes met his and Oliver jumped back. He swallowed and reached for a nearby rock. Using it as a hammer, he knocked the two screws up that held the door in place.

The smell that hit him made him want to throw up. A mixture of hot, moist air, mixed with metal and sweat filled his nostrils. He wouldn't ever forget that smell, no matter how hard he tried. Now staring up at the evil presence, Oliver wished he'd never even ventured this far. He watched as Zero approach him and then he saw his heavy hand pull back.

Zero walked over to a piece of paper that sat on the greenery, stepping over the limp body of the messenger. The cream colored stationary was stiff in his hand, the fancy gold script looked important.

"So the mighty Cain snagged the great DG." His upper lip curled in disgust. "We'll see about that."

Zero knew one of the first places to go would be his parent's house. He could stock up on supplies, clean up a bit and then head off to the palace to seek his revenge. Cain didn't know how to get revenge, but Zero certainly did. He walked the 10 miles down to his parent's house and stopped. He made a face at how cutesy and warm it looked. It hardly looked this pleasant when he lived there. He rolled his eyes at the bed and breakfast sign on the porch. Of course.

The house was quiet when he entered, and it smelled of vanilla. Taking the back staircase, he quietly entered his old bedroom, still set up as if he were a boy. He hadn't been in this room since. After he left for the academy he never turned back. He looked around at the plagues and pictures that lined the walls and cursed his past. That smiling boy was most certainly not him. It never had been.

"You're friend Wyatt Cain came by." He heard a voice behind him. He swore under his breath and turned around to see his mother and father. "I knew you'd be back one day."

"I'm not staying mother." He pushed her out of his way and walked down the hall. In the bathroom he started the bathwater and avoided looking in the mirror. His mother stood in the doorway looking in sadly.

"What did we do to make you hate us?" she asked softly. Zero rolled his eyes and turned to her.

"Why don't you go down and get me something to drink." He looked up at his father. "Both of you." He watched them shuffle down the stairs towards the kitchen.

He worked fast, grabbing a change of clothes. There wouldn't be anytime to shower. He had worked so fast that if he'd been asked later what happened in that house, he wouldn't have remembered. The last thing he fully remembered was placing the lock around the back door and one on the front door. As he heard the cries and screams of his parents, Zero didn't look back. That was one part of his life that would soon be gone and he didn't have any remorse. All they did was hold him back all of the years he was a child. Now, on towards the palace.

Taking DG out of the palace was hardly a task he sweated over. With outbreaks of violence in certain areas of the kingdom, the palace was a ghost town without a sheriff to look out for it. He was easily able to sneak right in the back door without even a second thought. Even getting out wasn't a problem. He'd simply gone in through the service entrance. The palace was dead, all security gone. All he had to do was fling DG over his shoulder after wrapping her in a heavy blanket. It looked as if he was discarding something.

He was worried though after hearing stories that she was a pistol. He thought she'd put up some sort of struggle and actually make him work hard to get her. Hell, he'd been locked in a tin suit for well over a year and he was still able to take her. He laughed at this thought as he traveled down the old roads, with DG bumbling along on his shoulder.

DG opened her eyes and shook her head slowly. The room was hazy and her head felt like it was caving in. She sat up and peered around the room. It was dark and smelled of mildew and dirt. It looked like it hadn't been inhabited in many years. The walls were cracked and sagging. She looked around at what had once been a main bedroom. The owner long gone, apparently in a rush. The previous inhabitant's objects still sat on the shelves and dressers. She knew she'd never been inside, but a part of her knew this place. She rubbed her wrists, looking for some form of restrains, but only a red raw mark remained on either wrist. She moved slowly, trying to be as quiet as possible. He wasn't here at the moment, but she knew it would be long before he'd be back. She inched towards the end of the bed and tried to quietly place a foot on the floor. With one foot out of the way, she placed the other down next to it. She stood, placing all her weight on her feet, hoping and praying that it would not make a sound.

She let out a soft sigh as the step remained silent. She took another one, followed by another until she reached the door. Cracked just an inch, the light from the outside filtered in. She inched the door open just enough to slip her small frame through. She took notice of the front door, it being only a few steps away. She tiptoed carefully but stopped when she heard a heavy creak behind her.

"You know why they didn't let me in the academy at first?" He asked. DG froze and felt her heart stop. She closed her eyes tightly as she felt his presence behind her. DG shook her head slowly as turned around. Zero shook his head and laughed. "Apparently, I'm great at following orders, but I have quite a temper problem."

DG took a step back but kept her eyes on Zero. She didn't want to make any sudden motions that may upset him. He looked up at the man as she tried to take another step back, feeling the wall brush along her fingertips. She had nowhere left to go. Her head was throbbing and she could feel a welt growing on the back of her head. Zero took a step closer as DG pressed her entire body up against the wall. She could smell the sweat and metallic smell as he came closer. She felt her skin crawl as his hand reached out and touched her cheek.

"I don't know what you want from me." DG whispered. Zero placed his other hand on her cheek roughly, squeezing her face.

"I think I know exactly what I want, dear princess." His hand slid down and grasped her neck as he spat out the last work. She reached up and pulled at his hand with her left hand, trying to pry his hand away as she choked. Zero stopped suddenly and let go of her neck, allowing her to gasp for air. He grabbed her hand and looked down at the engagement ring. It was the ring he was meant to have. It was his grandmothers, the ring he'd been promised so many years before.

"Where did you get this?" He asked harshly. DG looked up at him as she rubbed her neck. "WHERE?" He yelled.

"What business is that of yours?" DG felt his hand slap across her face in an instant, the breath taken out of her.

"ANSWER ME!" He shouted.

"If you must know, Cain did."

His breathing became labored and his face turned red with fury. So Mr. Wyatt Cain had done it again. He'd taken his woman from him; he'd taken his job, his glory. All Zero had left been a reputation and imprisonment ahead of him. He cracked his knuckles and sneered at DG. 'Fine' he thought to himself. 'I'll just take what means the most to him'.

He yanked DG from the wall, pulling her towards the bedroom again. DG tried to cement her feet on the ground, but Zero was too strong. She tried to pry his fingers off of her arm but he dug them into her skin. She let out a heavy groan as he threw her onto the old bed. A cloud of dust circulated the air and she coughed. She watched as Zero entered the room, loosing his shirt collar as he approached the bed. She swallowed and whimpered a soft cry as he pushed her back onto the bed. Every fiber of her wanted to get up and run, but she was too frightened. She felt him push her back on the bed as he hovered over her.

"You know there is something about you that made my blood boil. I don't know if it was your lack of traditional garment," She felt his hand travel down her body as it stopped right at her pants line. "Or this fire and spunk you have."

"Please don't," DG said taking in a shaky breath. Zero pulled away and smiled.

"What is this? The great DG is actually crying and I'm here to witness it." His eyes gleamed as he lifted her shirt, exposing her navel. Suddenly, Zero looked up as he heard horses approach. He covered her mouth with his hand to quiet her. His weight pressed up against her body, holding her down. DG closed her eyes and felt her skin crawl.

"Something seems off." Her eyes grew wide as she heard his voice just outside the house. She squirmed under Zero, trying desperately to move.

"There not even going to help." Zero whispered into her ear as his spare hands slid down DG's side, back down to the zipper of her pants. She tried to wiggle away as she heard the sick sound of her zipper being lowered.

"Did you want to go in? You know, look around?" DG's eyes lit up at the fact that Cain would be in to rescue her. She only wished he'd hurry as she felt Zero's hand pull down her pants, inch by inch. His rough, dirty hands grazed her skin and she felt sick. She couldn't think of any other way to be violated and tried again to push off of him.

"No, we'll keep riding. There's nothing in there anyway. There are only memories that do not need to be awoken." DG wanted to scream out, to run out the door and into Cain's arms, but she couldn't move. She felt the tears running down her face, burning trails down her cheeks. What a mess she had caused. She listened as the horses rode away, taking her hope with them. He kept his hand on her mouth, tightening the grip. The last thing he needed was for her to scream and for Cain to comeback. He could feel her body shake and her breath quiver from fright as his hand proceeded to beyond the second layer of fabric. He smiled to himself, knowing that what he was doing would surely piss off Cain. He thrived in this power. He knew he could get any girl he wanted, anytime. However, it was this particular person that he wanted the most. DG closed her eyes tightly and clinched her jaw as she felt his hot breath on her cheek.

"Say bye." He whispered. She opened her eyes and watched him lift his head. His body shook as he laughed proudly. She felt him loosen his grip just enough that she was able to get her hand free. She reached out and scratched his face. Four red lines streaked across his face. He let out a sound that shook DG to her very core. Zero pulled his hand back again and hit DG once again across the face, this time causing her nose to drip blood.

"You know what?" He sneered. "You're not even worth it." He picked her limp, tired body up threw her over his shoulder. He wiped away a strip of blood that slowly made its way down his cheek as he carried her over towards a small closet. Built as somewhat of a safe room, the tiny closet was only meant for a couple people and that was if they were standing side by side. As soon as DG figured out what he was about to do with her, she panicked. She started beat on his back and scream. She hadn't been in a small place since the old witch put her in the green coffin. He dropped her into the room with a thud, her head hitting the back of the wall.

"Please, please don't." She cried. Zero only sneered at her as he slammed the door in her face. DG started to bang on the heavy wooden door. She clawed at the wood like a wild animal. "Zero you can't do this." She screamed. She tried to ram her shoulder into the thick wood but she only bounced back against the wall. She let out a harsh groan as she felt her body almost shatter. "Don't do this." She screamed once again as she banged on the door.

From the other side of the door Zero grinned happily as he heard her tiny fingertips claw at the door. DG heard him slide a heavy chest if front of the door for good measure. She slid down the wall, sitting down with her knees tightly drawn to her chest. She was exhausted. She rubbed her head and wiped away a blood trail from the side of her head. The room was even smaller than she imagined and in the dark it seemed to grow smaller and smaller by the minute.

She sat her head back against the wall and swallowed. She was too tired to do anything at the moment. She was too tired to use her magic to open the door but something heavy blocked it. Feeling drained and faint she closed her eyes and hoped that help would arrive in time.

This chapter was incredibly hard to write. I know there may be errors, I tried to get as many as I could. Let me know what you guys think! I always look forward to your feedback! Also, I have a few short stories if you need something else to read in between my postings! Let me know what you think!