Diamond paces her room in the Faceless Headquarters. She fights back her anger as best she can.
When she agreed to Zusa's negotiation, it didn't dawn on her until she returned to her room that she will be stuck in the mansion for three days. Three days! To anyone else, that is a privilege that they would do anything to extend; but to Diamond, it might as well be a prison of a home.
Three days of being in this house; no contact with Libby, at all! Or the Brotherhood! Even if they were to know she is gone, would anyone come looking for her? Veezara came the last time Diamond was sent out on some big mission, but that was for the party. Her next assignment is to go talk to Gabriella; and Diamond can only assume that her absence will only leave the Brotherhood to thinking she's spending time with the Guild. As far as Diamond knows, the Brotherhood still thinks that Libby is dead. Not to mention she's under the tutelage of Malick. Who isn't all that excited himself, so what else is she supposed to do? She flees, they'll find her, yet if she stays . . .
Diamond plops onto the bed and sighs in aggravation. Her hair still in a messy braid flops onto her nose, and Diamond wrinkles it to move it off. She rubs her hands over her face and grits her teeth. There's a knock at her door and a muffled voice calls behind it. From the pitch, it's Veera.
"Come in." Diamond grants.
The door opens and Veera steps in with a soft smile and a pile of clothes in her one hand. "Hey." She greets.
"What's that?" Diamond instantly questions.
"You're new uniform." Veera answers.
"My what -?! No, no, no, this wasn't part of the deal!" Diamond objects.
"It's more like an unspoken requirement." Veera rephrases. "Besides, I know how much you want to leave. The more you please Zusa, the quicker you can leave."
Diamond groans as Veera places the clothes on the dresser.
"Listen, about me not liking the Faceless . . ." Diamond starts.
"You don't have to explain yourself to me." Veera stops her. "I don't need to hear it. More importantly, you have Malick as your mentor!"
She squeals and hops onto Diamond's bed. Diamond rolls her eyes, but smiles. She rotates her finger in a circle in the air. "Yay." She grumbles.
"Don't act like you're not excited." Veer nudges Diamond's arm.
"Who said I was acting."
"Come on! Okay so he's brooding and moody, but he's pretty hot." Veera smiles. Diamond rolls her eyes. "Okay, think about this. He's the second in command of the Faceless, having him around could make everyone treat you with more respect."
Diamond ponders over this for a second. "I'm not here to gain anyone's respect really, I'm just staying here because I want her to leave me alone!"
"Wow. You're really loyal to your Brotherhood, huh?"
"Well yeah, I mean, they gave me a home when no one else would." Diamond explains.
"You didn't know your parents?"
"Nope, and didn't care enough to find out." Diamond admits.
"Well, I guess you don't trust easily, huh?"
"Well, I mean I guess. I have only one friend since in the Brotherhood I'm still like a newbie." Diamond says.
"They don't respect you?" Veera asks.
""Well, not exactly. Just, that . . . I don't know, I was just essential to them." Diamond asks.
Veera stays quiet for a moment, then slinks off the bed. "Okay!" she claps her hands together. "Get up!"
"What? What for?" Diamond asks propping on her elbows.
"To make sure your uniform fits." Veera asks.
Diamond groans and gets up from the bed. She lets Veera escort her over to right in front of the vanity. Looking at her reflection, she can't help but frown. With her hair down and braided, and her uniform dyed purple, she did resemble one of the Faceless. It creeps her out; how easily some simple adjustments and she can be clarified as one of them. Still, it's more than how she feels when with the Brotherhood. She feels like she, belongs here. Diamond shakes her head as if to get the dust off.
She stands straight so that Veera takes her measurements.
"Hold your arms out." She instructs.
Suddenly Veera pokes her between the ribs. Diamond squeaks and instinctively claps her arms to her sides.
"Oh relax. Now come on, the sooner we can get this done, the sooner I leave you alone."
Diamond sighs and holds out his arms horizontal. Veera loops the tape around Diamond's waist and drew it in snug. She strips the tape away and pulls a pen out of her bun to mark a pad of paper. Diamond clamps her arms in against herself against like chicken wings as the Veera fussed around her.
"Ow!" She jolts as Veera pinches her right on the fleshy part of her underarm. Then she feels Veera take the tape and string it around her bustline. "Hey!" she reflexively smacks her hand away.
"Oh, I hate you," Veera grumbles, making a note on the sheet of paper. She pulls the tape away again, this time drawing out one of Diamond's arms to measure its circumference. Scowling, Diamond gave up with a huff, resigning herself to be handled and measured and cataloged.
Soon, Veera has Diamond in a simple black shift dress; her Brotherhood clothes folded and entombed in the bottom drawer of the dresser. Then Diamond watches as Veera pulls out the wrappings. Diamond takes a timid step back, hesitant as she approaches.
"What?" Veera asks.
"I'm just . . . hesitant." Diamond carefully speaks, unwilling to admit she's nervous about a simple piece of cloth.
"Oh don't worry." Veer replies, unphased. "They're just wrappings. They're actually more comfortable than you think."
Suddenly it occurs to Diamond; just how easily she can turn this around. She can use this to her advantage. Perhaps they'd be willing to share information and techniques to her. Then when her time-span is up, she can deliver the news to Astrid; sure to earn her a spot next to Astrid's side forever. As Veera begins to wrap the cloth around Diamond's arm, Diamond asks.
"So uh, how do you guys do that, shadow thing?"
Veera looks to her with a confused look.
"Um, I mean, how do you guys vanish? Like cause those effects?" She rephrases.
"Oh!" Veera exclaims. "The cloak's enchanted." She bluntly answers.
Diamond nods as Veera begins to wrap the cloth around her torso. Diamond flexes her arm, and while she expects the cloths to bunch up and loosen, instead they stay put. They stay wrapped to her skin, and don't pull or pinch. Diamond looks closer and watches as the cloths morph together and stick to one another. Veer has already wrapped the other arm and Diamond rotates them in circles and flexes her arms forward and back.
"How's it fit?" Veera asks.
"Fits, good." Diamond says in an astonished tone. "So, another question. Do you take contracts from only women?"
Veera shakes her head. "Sometimes we take those of widowed men whose wives or lovers or spouses, whatever that have been murdered."
"Malick said that you guys, what's the word, vengeance of women in Skyrim."
"Yes." Veer answers. She leaves the front of Diamond's chest open exposing the shift while trying to finish Diamond's torso. She moves onto Diamond's legs after she gives padded shoes. The wrappings around with a smooth finish, no folds sticking out, just a smooth finish to give the illusion of one uniform.
"Okay, one more question."
Veera chuckles. "Jeez, you ask a lot of a questions."
Diamond nearly knees her in the eye, but just taps her on temple.
"So, you guys kill for the, justice of women? Does that make you good?" Diamond asks.
Veera finishes pinning the wrap under the inner arch of her left foot. Diamond can't get over how Veera giggles.
"What? What is it?" Diamond asks.
Veera is about to answer, when Diamond's door opens and Malick steps inside. "Hey girls . . ."
Diamond's face flushes and she instinctively crosses her arms over her chest. She then realizes that Veera is pinning the end of the cloth near her upper thigh. Diamond's face turns red and she stares at Malick.
"Uh . . . dinner's ready." He finishes. He then turns to go but Veera stops him.
"Wait!" she shouts. Diamond is in a daze at what she's trying to pull. "Come here! Come here!"
Veera trots over and grabs Malick's hand. Actually grabs his hand and pulls him more into the room. Diamond half expects him to wrench his hand loose, but he lets Veera tug him inward up to Diamond. They must be really good friends.
"Okay! Now Diamond, you come here!"
Diamond's eyes widen as Veera clamps her hand on Diamond's arms, still covering her chest. Diamond resists Veera's pull, digging her heels into the carpet. They bicker back and forth as Veera continually pulls Diamond up to Malick. Finally Diamond is inches in front of him and her cheeks are abnormally warm.
With her arms still crossed over her chest, she tries not to look Malick in the eye. She hears Veera chirp okay, then her hands try to pry Diamond's arms away from her chest. Diamond and Veera bicker once more and Malick rolls his eyes. Finally Diamond submits to Veera's slapping of her hands and drops her arms. Immediately, Veera begins to finish wrapping the open space across Diamond's chest.
"Now, even though it's not finished yet, but . . ." Veera takes a pin from the pile of clothes and begins to fold and place the wrap. "What do you think?"
Diamond glances over her shoulder and watches as Veera steps back to admire her work. She rounds up to the front with Malick, forcing Diamond to look at them both. Diamond drops her gaze instantly to the floor and fidgets at it with her toes. She traces the design and prepares for Malick's bombardment of insults.
After a moment of silence, Diamond cocks her head up slightly, peeking under her eyelashes. Malick still stares at her, then he shrugs his shoulders.
"Well, you're not as ugly as I thought." He says. Then he turns and heads for the door.
Diamond is left baffled and astonished at his sudden compliment. Or at least as close to a compliment as she's bound to get. Veera hops to her side and tries to keep her squeals contained. Still she bounces up and down, her breasts bouncing with them. Diamond realize how, shaped, they are for a fifteen year old. They hop opposite to Veera, and Diamond even thinks she might hit herself in the face with them.
"Hey!" Malick calls, and Diamond turns at attention. "If you'll just follow me I'll show you to the dining."
Veera skips out after him, and while Diamond tries to stop her, she still leaves, leaving Diamond's questions still unanswered. Diamond rubs her head as a dull throb taps her temple. She looks again to the mirror and draws a shaky breath.
From her neck down she is coiled in black and purple wrappings. Black open-fingered leather gloves cover her hands with studs poking out atop the knuckles. Her hair is still down so her pink tips actually look like they're fading from blonde to pink at the end. Tucking a few flyaways behind her ear, she didn't even notice Veera had draped a deep purple cloak around her shoulders. Small wisps of black flow off and fade in the air like steam from a cup of tea.
Diamond crouches down like she's ready to sneak, pulling the hood over her head. She watches as the entire cloak as the shadows thicken from the bottom and crawl their way up to her shoulders and enveloping the hood, concealing her face. Diamond lifts a hand up and sees the wrappings have turned pith black as well. When she stands, the blackness fades and the purple shows through again. Diamond turns her hand over and over, fascinated.
It takes a moment to spot Malick standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame, arms folded. Diamond flushes instantly tomato red.
"Pretty cool huh?" he says. Diamond remains silent, and just as she opens her mouth, Malick beats her. "Though I'm sure a simple red dot would be fascinating to you."
Diamond sneers.
"Come on. Dinner's this way."
Diamond flips off the hood, and Malick as she follows him towards the dining hall. Parts of route there brings Diamond to familiar rooms she's seen before on tour with Veera. The living with the piano,
Walking into the dining hall, the room was lit by hundreds of tiny black votive candles, and stands of black glass beads hung from the chandelier. The entire hall was soaring and grand. It was blue and had crystal snowflakes hung suspended from the vaulted ceiling, wavering ever so slightly. Embroidered pillows and carpets lined the floor, while thick clouds of sweet smoke hazed the air. Lethargic courtiers sat, stooped, and stood around hookah pipes and bowls of smoking incense. A heavy perfume pervaded the space, making Diamond dizzy.
The scent of cinnamon, freshly baked bread, and spiced meat seeped to her nose, causing her stomach to growl like that of a ravenous dog. The smell of perfume and wine mingled with the scent of the rich food. More draperies hung suspended from the vaulted ceilings. A warm fire crackling in the hearth.
Malick guides Diamond towards the large mahogany table that stretches all across the floor. Diamond notices another member of the Faceless already sitting there. She lifts her head, her face covered as expected, then at instant glance, she gets up from the table and quickly walks out of the room through a double set of doors on the opposite side of the room. The only remainder is an elderly Redgaurd woman sleeping; a Dwarven battleaxe slung across her back.
Diamond tilts her head in curiosity. "Who was that?"
"Another member." Malick vaguely answers.
"I know that, asshole! I meant who it was. The girl behind the cloth." Diamond snaps.
Just as Malick is about to say something, Veera pops in squeaking hello.
What is she magic?! Diamond thinks.
Malick motions Diamond to one of the carved, straight-backed chairs with velvet cushions. It's made for someone taller than Diamond, so her toes rest on the ground. Everyone took their seats at the enormous rectangular claw-foot table. It was dark wood, almost black, and there were intricate designs, like vines, carved into the legs. Huge black candles flickered in the center of the table. Veera sits at the very end, near the head of the table, then Malick, and then Diamond.
Diamond's eyes widen at the expanded buffet style food that's spread in front of her, plates touching the corners and seemingly spilling over the edge. Whole roasted cows and pigs and goats still turning on spits. Huge platters of fowl stuffed with savory fruits and nuts. Ocean creatures drizzled in sauces or begging to be dipped in spicy concoctions. Counsels cheeses, breads, vegetables, sweets, waterfalls of wine, and streams of spirits that flicker with flames. At least twenty or more soups and a creamy pumpkin brew sprinkled with silver nuts and tiny black seeds.
The table itself seems to be built for twelve, and Diamond remembers Veera mentioning how they only have six members for now. Diamond is tempted to ask Malick if other members are going to join them, but is torn between receiving a snippy answer, and just waiting. Rather than start a food fight with Malick, Diamond waits and soon, ironically enough, faces appear.
One of them being a young woman in her early twenties with long, flowing blonde hair that stops at the middle of her back, emerald green eyes, and her body tall and lush . . . sexy by anyone's means. She wears a short tavern dress with a low-dip collar and a slit on the side that exposes her lean legs up to the upper thigh. Judging from the tears at the skirt, she cut it short herself. She makes her way around the table taking a seat across from Malick. Diamond makes notice of her eyes, outlined in charcoal to make it look like a cat's.
What the hell?! Is everyone here attractive?! Diamond thinks.
She looks up and catches Diamond staring. Diamond wants to look away but it's too late so she tries to crack a smile.
"You must be the new girl." the girl speaks. Her voice is smooth and, feminine; and she gives Diamond a smile. "I'm Eloria."
Eloria extends her hand across the table and Diamond struggles to reach it, but still catches it to give it a shake. Eloria giggles and Diamond can't help but feel slightly embarrassed.
"So, was the new girl obvious?" Diamond asks.
"Well, you the only person dressed in uniform." Eloria points out.
This realization makes Diamond flush even more. Suddenly there's a whoosh of a body plummeting and Diamond braces herself. There's a heavy thud and the entire table as well as its contents rattle. Diamond peeks open one eye, and yelps in surprise as a pair of real feline eyes stare hard into hers. A mask covering the lower half of her face like Malick's.
Crouched in front of her is a female Khajiit with piercing yellow eyes, the pupils reduced to thin slits, and pierced ears pressed back. Diamond remembers Libby telling her how any cat, when about to attack will do this gesture, and it's best to be very cautious. Diamond feels a lump in her throat as she sees a dagger in the Khajiit's hand. She flicks her eyes from the dagger to the Khajiit. Suddenly the Khajiit smiles showing rows of teeth.
"Greeting sister. Kiara welcomes you to our home." She speaks.
She rises, her long legs wrapped in the purple and black with bits of fur poking out in between. Her tail swings back and forth and she drops down from the table and takes the available seat next to Diamond. Diamond fidgets nervously as, Kiara, licks her lips and sheathes her dagger.
"What brings you to the Faceless, sister." Kiara asks.
"Oh um, I'm not an official member. I'm just, visiting." Diamond stutters to answer.
Kiara raises an eyebrow in question. Diamond feels her blood grow cold, when Malick suddenly interjects. "Zusa's giving her the three day initiation thing."
"Ah, I see." Kiara says, her face returning to normal.
Diamond looks to Malick, who spins his fork in his bowl, rolling up pasta noodles. Diamond looks at her plate, which is loaded with food, though she knows she didn't get it herself. Still the aroma of the food is enough for her to dispatch it. Mushroom soup, bitter greens with tomatoes the size of grapes, rare roast beef sliced as thin as paper, noodles in a green sauce, cheese that melts on your tongue served with sweet blue grapes.
Halfway through her pasta, Diamond looks up to the old Redgaurd still sleeping in her chair.
"Hey," she murmurs to Malick. He looks to her as he takes a drink of red wine. "Who's that?" Diamond asks pointing a secret finger at the woman.
"Hmm, oh that's Miss Lusha. We call her Lulu."
"More like Kookoo." Veera adds, spurring her words as she takes a gobble of pasta. She swallows heavily and belches. "She claims she has unworldly abilities. She doesn't go on any missions."
"From what Zusa told us, she used to live in a village and give people fortunes, but the Nords didn't trust her. Thought she was a witch and drove her out." Eloria adds.
Diamond hears Kiara snarl. "The Nords fear that of what is different."
Eloria suddenly smiles slyly. "And if I were you, I'd be sure not to mention, STORMCLAOKS!" she suddenly shouts.
This wakes Lulu, her eyes wide and beady. She instantly draws her battleaxe and with a blink, it sticks into the table, the toe of the axe inches from Diamond's face. Diamond's eyes widen and she carefully leans back. Miss Lulu begins to swing it around wildly screaming. "Stormcloaks! Stormcloaks!"
She begins to run around the dining room, and while Eloria is laughing, Malick and Kiara continue to eat their food as if nothing is wrong. Diamond is nervous as Lulu screams and swings all around the table. Suddenly she feels a head on the back of her head. It lowers her forward and Diamond can hear the wood of her chair get decapitated, the motion sending a vibration through the wood and the bones of her legs. Diamond looks to Malick as he's leaned forward as well, his arm extended towards Diamond. He sits back up and Diamond follows his motion in unison. She looks to her chair and her mouth agapes.
Veera growls and slams her palms to the table, springing up from her seat. "Would you calm down you crazy old hag?! There's no one here!" she screams.
Lulu instantly stops, as if a switch has been flipped in her head and she sheathes her battleaxe.
"You're scaring out new guest!" Veera growls through grit teeth.
Miss Lulu looks to Diamond and Diamond goes rigid. "Oh! My goodness, sweetie I am so sorry." She says. "I'm a little bit paranoid since I was run out of my village."
Diamond doesn't know what to say, so she merely nods and gives a gentle smile.
"Well, I'm sorry to leave so soon, but I need to take a quick nap." Lulu says. She then proceeds to leave the room, a little wobbly but holding her own through the doors.
Veera sits down and sighs while Eloria still giggles.
"Not funny Eloria."
"Gets me every time." says Eloria.
"That's because you have a cruel sense of humor." Veer counters.
"Is she, um . . . crazy?" Diamond carefully asks.
"Well, it varies." Veera says.
"Meaning . . . ?"
"She'll laugh at odd places in conversations or drop out of them distractedly. Her eyes sometimes fixate on a point with such intensity that you find yourself trying to make out what she sees in the empty air." Veera explains.
"Sometimes, for no reason, she'll also press both hands over her ears as if to block out a painful sound." Eloria adds.
"She's less mad than unstable." Malick chimes. The way he says it, he was almost, defending Miss Lulu. Correcting the girls rather than agreeing with them.
Diamond feels her heart heavy and looks to the exit where Miss Lulu left. Her sympathy leads her to agree with Malick. With what she's been through and how it seems to affect her, Diamond decides she's probably not so bad. And apparently she's done something right to have Zusa believe her and keep her around the home.
After dinner, Malick leads Diamond out to the training room. It's the size of a Jarl's grand hall filled with various weapons and obstacle courses. The masked member from dinner practices at an archery station while Kiara spins and slashes at dummy with her daggers.
The shooting range has a variety of standard bull's-eyes and human silhouettes. Something catches Diamond's attention and astounds her more. The unnamed member stands behind a control panel, pressing colorful buttons for at least ten seconds before stepping out onto the range.
All the dummies move side to side in simple motions while others bend backwards vertically until they're backs are flat on the floor. She goes to stand at the middle of the range, on a platform that presses down from her weight. Immediately a dummies springs up and Diamond watches as she loads an arrow and skewers the dummy straight through the heart.
It slams to the ground and another springs up. She quickly reloads and shoots again. Another dummy slides out from behind a black barrier and a dagger shoots from another metal contraption. The nameless member spins out of the way and shoots at the dummy's head. It slides back and one at the opposite end slides out. Once it's shot in the head, she aims for another up higher. This goes on for sixty seconds, nearly ninety dummies each with an arrow in the heart, neck or head before a bell chimes and steam hisses throughout the range. All dummies retreat to their places and the nameless member walks off slinging her bow to her back.
Wow, she's as good as Libby . . .
"Dwarven mechanics." Malick says, startling Diamond. She turns around to find him wearing a loose, black sleeveless shirt and some old trousers. His arm muscles very distinct. "Zusa spent the better part of her years learning about them. Built that entire range herself."
"Wow." Diamond mumbles in genuine surprise.
"Come on, over here." Malick motions.
He leads her to a huge wooden floor with a large circle painted in the middle. Though Diamond still wears the wrappings, Malick instructs her to remove the cloak. Diamond obeys and tosses it aside.
"Since you'll be with us for three days, I've been instructed to teach you some of our basic fighting styles and techniques. The purpose of this is to prepare you to act; to prepare your body to respond to threats and challenges - which you will need, if you intend to join the Faceless." Malick explains.
"I wouldn't hold your breath on that." Diamond snips back with a mischievous smile.
"We'll go over technique today, and tomorrow you will start to fight other members."
Diamond goes rigid. "Wait, what?! But they, they're really good." Diamond protests.
"Then I suggest you pay attention." says Malick. "I'll throw a lot at you. Everything I learned from my own mentors, and my own bruises."
Diamond gulps.
"Remember, combat is about controlling the conflict, putting the battle on your terms. You should always be acting, and never reacting." Malick explains.
Malick names a few different punches, demonstrating each one as he does, first against the air and then against the dummy. It's a good thing Diamond is a fast learner. Like in the past, she needs a few tries to figure out how to hold herself and how tom move her body to make it look like his. The kicks are more difficult though he only teaches her the basics. The dummy feels thicker than the ones at the Brotherhood Sanctuary, and it stings her hands and feet, turning her skin red, and barely moves no matter how hard she hits it.
Malick constantly watches her. Eyeing her as she goes through the movements again. Diamond's insides twist like someone's stirring them with a fork. He stares at her, his eyes following her body from her head to her feet, not lingering anywhere - a practical, scientific gaze.
"You don't have much muscle." He says. "Which means you're better off using your knees and elbows. You can put more power behind them."
"Hey, who's the girl who wields a Warhammer as her weapon on a daily basis?!" Diamond counters.
Suddenly he presses a hand to Diamond's stomach. His fingers are so long that, though the heel of his hand touches one side of her rib cage, his fingertips still touch the other side. Diamond's heart pounds so hard in her chest it hurts, and she stares at him, wide-eyed.
"Never forget to keep tension here." He says in a quiet voice.
He lifts his hands and steps back. Diamond feels the pressure of his palm even after it's gone. It's strange, but she has to stop and breathe for a few seconds before she can keep practicing again.
After another hour, Malick lifts the dummy aside and opens the floor for the two of them. They stand on opposite of each other and Malick takes a fighting stance. "Remember the techniques." He says.
Diamond doesn't nod instead she readies her arms. Malick's arm twitches and Diamond reflexively braces her head between her forearms. Malick's fist lands on her left and while it stings, it's better than if it hit her jaw. But before Diamond could strike back, Malick spins down, kicking Diamond's feet out from under her. Her back slams into the floor, nearly knocking the wind out of her and making her vision speckle with colorful dots for a few seconds.
She stifles a groan and pushes to her elbows to find Malick extending out a hand. Diamond eyes him cautiously and takes his hand. He hauls her to her feet and lets Diamond dust herself off.
"Good block. But did you see what you did wrong?" he asks.
"No." Diamond answers.
"You need to be quicker than that. I don't know what kind of techniques they train you in the Brotherhood, but you always need to be on your feet. Quick thinking." He snap his fingers to emphasize the point. "Now again."
They spare for another hour, beads of sweat budding on Diamond's forehead and moistening her neck. Within the final five minutes of their last sparring round, Diamond manages to block both of Malick's punches and grab his forearm from the second punch and throw him over her; his back slapping to the floor. Once he's down for the count of three, Diamond is declared the winner. Diamond jogs over to help him up, but Malick is already on his feet.
"Well, at least you catch on fast." He says.
"Is that a compliment?" Diamond teases.
"It's an observation." Malick leans his face close to Diamond's which reminds Diamond of lying inches away from the fangs of a dog about to attack.
Suddenly he grabs Diamond's arm and twists it at a painful angle behind her back, causing her to clench her teeth tight, seething from pain.
"You didn't really think you won did you? I was holding back. Way back." Malick hisses into her ear.
He releases Diamond's arm and she rubs it profusely, not even caring if it meant failure in his eyes. "You mean you've been going easy on me? That's not fair!"
"Are you complaining?"
"Well, I . . . you. . . I . . ." Diamond stutters.
"Care to finish any of those sentences?"
Diamond then screams, frustrated. She crosses the room and wipes some sweat of the sweat from her forehead. She slams the point of a dagger so hard into the table that it sticks there, handle towards the ceiling.
Returning to her room, Diamond orders an outrageous number of delicacies, dumping the food out the window, and then taking her anger out on Malick, at every living member of the Faceless by smashing dishes around her room, screaming at the top of her lungs. No one comes to stop her, and Diamond doesn't care. She kicks a path through the shards and passes the mirror on her vanity before stepping back. Looking at her reflection, she snarls.
"I will never be one of you." She growls.
Bringing her fist up, Diamond slams it into the mirror, shattering it to pieces and sending fissures cracking along her reflection.
"Never!"