Diamond wakes to Veera shaking her shoulder and tapping her cheek with the other. She's already wearing her purple and black wrappings coiling up to her throat. Her face exposed, she's pulled her air back into a ponytail using one of her wrappings.
"Come on," she says. "Up and at'em."
Diamond means to say something, but all she can do is groan. Her body aches so badly it hurts to breathe. It doesn't help that last night's bout of running and crying made her eyes swell. Veera offers Diamond a hand.
"Breakfast is served. If you don't hurry you might get some of the lame scraps." Veera giggles.
Diamond grunts. Trying not to bend at the waist, she fumbles in the drawer of the dresser for her wrappings. Veera opens the drapes and folds over Diamond's sheets. As Diamond ruffles through the drawer, she finds her wrappings gone, as well as her Brotherhood uniform. Only does she then realize she's wearing a silk nightgown.
Today marks the second day she's in the mansion of the Faceless Assassins.
"Hey where are my wrappings?" Diamond asks as she catches Veera tucking the sheets in.
"Oh, Malick took them to be washed. Same goes for your armor. It'll be ready by noon." Veer nonchalantly says.
"Okay, so what am I supposed to wear?" Diamond asks, weary she already knows the answer.
"I think he said he left something for you." Veer says as she walks past Diamond. "It should be in the bottom drawer."
"Eww, some of his old wrappings? I'll bet he didn't wash them either." Diamond complains.
"Don't worry. You'll just wear it until now." Veera smiles.
"But you didn't deny that it could be his old wrappings." Diamond eyes.
"Just throw something on and get down to dinner!' Veer laughs. She walks through the doorway and takes a turn left. "I'll come back for you!" she calls.
Diamond sighs in aggravation and crouches her legs to reach the drawer. She pulls open the drawer and freezes. Malick's old shirt, possibly the one she saw him wearing when she first woke up in the Faceless Headquarters, is folded neatly and tucked at the top of the drawer. Diamond feels her insides twist, thoughts already running ramped in her mind at what the other members might think.
Surely they had suspicions since he is the only male. But what will they think? Will they gang up against her? Kick her out? Ignore her?
"Stop it! Don't over think this!" Diamond hears Libby's voice lecture. "You always overthink, then not only does it not turn out that way, but you're letting your thoughts distract you from the mission at hand."
Diamond sighs and takes out the shirt. It stops at her thighs and she pulls on a pair of breeches. When Veer returns, Diamond's just pulled her hair into her ponytail.
"Awww! Look at you!" she squeals. "You're dressed like his girlfriend!"
Diamond quickly clamps her hand over Veera's mouth. "Shut up!" she whispers. "Quiet!"
"Oh my gosh!" Veera mumbles through her mouth. She pulls off Diamond's hand. "Is that why you went out last night?!" she dramatically gasps. "Did he-!"
"No! Shut it! You'll let the whole house know!"
"Know that you're not a-!"
"NO!" Diamond exclaims. "Nothing happened!" Diamond sighs and rubs her face, pinching the bridge between her nose. When she speaks again, she lowers her voice. "I tried to sneak out last night. But he caught me."
Veer's excitement fades, but she doesn't lash out at Diamond. Instead, she shrugs. "I understand. You never like this place, but please, just give it a chance until you leave." Veera softly says.
"I'm sorry." Diamond mumbles.
"For what? Following your heart? I wish I could do something like that." Veera compliments.
"Well it's just, you've bene so nice, and I don't want you to think that it was all, a waste. Like . . . you've been so kind to me, and nice, and I feel like I just took advantage of you -"
"Diamond," Veer stops her. "you didn't take advantage. Believe me, I know what it feels like to be taken advantage of."
Diamond feels her heart ache at Veera's continuing kindness and understanding. She follows Veera out, trying not to snap back at her constant talk and 'visions' of Diamond and Malick wandering through the woods of Skyrim and diving in the clear waters of Cyrodill.
If the other members had questions about last night, they didn't bring it up at breakfast the next morning. Neither did Malick.
Walking into the dining hall, he sits in his usual spot, his head only looking up to see Diamond wearing his shirt. She thinks she sees him smile, but she can't be sure. Eloria sits next to Kiara while Ms. Lulu sits by the fireplace on a plush couch.
Diamond is hesitant to sit next to Malick, but remembers she has no reason to be despite what everyone else might think. If they think anything of it.
Looking over, Malick's already filled his plate. Diamond slides into her seat and is instantly awed at the enormous platters of food. Eggs, ham, piles of fried potatoes. Buttered pancakes with butter and syrup, thick waffles topped with seasonal berries and powdered sugar. A tureen of fruit sits in ice to keep chilled. Even the basket of rolls they set before her is more exquisite than the food served in the Sanctuary, since she's being honest with herself. There's an elegant glass of orange juice.
"Aw man!" she hears Veera shriek.
"What?" Diamond asks.
"They're out of muffins! And I had my heart set on a delicious blueberry. I told you we should've gotten here sooner, now we got stuck with the scrapes!" she pounds her fist against the table.
Diamond looks to her in shock, half the mind to slap her cross the face. Compared to the food Libby and Diamond see on a basis, this is close to sitting at the Jarl's palace. "These are scrapes?!"
She hears Malick chuckle. "To Veera it might as well be." Diamond turns to him and finds him smiling. Diamond tries to ignore a sudden cramp in the pit of her stomach. "Anything that isn't a muffin might as well be food for the dogs."
"Ugggghhh! Why?!" Veera exaggerates. She facepalms the table and weeps.
Diamond laughs at her childish behavior when she feels a hand grip her shoulder. Diamond tenses. "How're you feeling?"
On instinct, Diamond jerks way and looks to Malick. She swallows before answering. "Um, I'm fine. My legs just hurt though." Diamond makes sure Veera doesn't here their conversation, though Diamond doubts she can hear anything over her whimpering.
"Careful with your wording." Malick grins.
Diamond looks away, her cheeks feeling warm, and loads her plate. She debates on having a conversation with Eloria or Kiara, but Eloria seems caught up in a book she's reading, and usually when Diamond talks to Khajiits, they're stories usually depress her.
As she scours the table to load her plate, she finds a plate of bacon. Next to it had to be the plate of sausage. Diamond sighs and grabs a breakfast roll instead. Sitting back at her seat, she fills up a glass of milk. As she's devouring some pancakes, she sees a small side plate with two sausages push towards her. She looks to Malick and finds him leaning on his hand, his other still directing the plate towards Diamond.
Gratitude surges in Diamond's chest, warm and a little like an ache.
"I figured you'd want some. I don't much like bacon either." He says as she shifts his gaze ahead.
"Thank you." Diamond smiles.
Malick clicks his tongue in a tch, "Don't give me that look. I just didn't want to hear you complain either. You're probably more annoying than Veera, and believe me, that's saying something."
"Don't tempt me." Diamond snaps back.
Despite a small sting in her chest, Diamond expected no less. In fact, it feels nice to have him insulting her again, despite what was said last night. As she's halfway through her breakfast, she sees Malick finish a glass of orange juice and leave his seat.
"I'm heading out. I'll be a while, so we'll start in the training room at noon." He says.
"Oh, okay." Diamond agrees. "Where are you going?"
Malick looks to her and presses his pointer finger to her forehead. "Think, dumbass." She smirks.
Diamond smacks his hand way as her thoughts connect the moment he finishes talking. A contract. Diamond is tempted to ask if she can tag along, to see Malick in action would be, interesting. But she already knows because of her stunt last night he'll deny her permission. Then what is she supposed to do until he gets back? Train? Sleep?
She could hang around with Veera, but Diamond doesn't know how long she can take her interrogation assuring herself that something is going on between Diamond and Malick.
"I'll come and get you when I get back." Malick says as he readies to leave. As he passes Diamond, she stiffens as she feels his hand on her head. It shakes back and forth, messing her hair.
Was, was he petting her head?!
Diamond waits until he's smoothed his hand over and has left the room. Her face flushing red. The sudden notion seems to have gone unnoticed, and Diamond can't get over how out of character that was for him. Then again, she does' know him enough, and since Veera has exploded into flames, either it's something he does, or she didn't notice.
As Diamond finishes her plate, she notices another member, the Unknown, Diamond's now decided to name her, enters the dining room from the opposite doors. Diamond watches her as she glides past Ms. Lulu with a gentle touch on her shoulder. Ms. Lulu smiles and brushes her fingers against the Unknown's hand.
She heads for another exit and Diamond springs from her seat and quickly steps in front of her. The Unknown jumps back a couple feet, startled. A hand reaching for her dagger on habit. Diamond is surprised how much taller she is to Diamond at least up close.
"Uh, sorry, um . . ." Diamond stutters as she tries to find the right words of introduction. "I don't think we've met, a-at least officially. Um, I'm Diamond."
Diamond extends out a hand to shake. The Unknown doesn't take it. With her white cloth mask, Diamond can't tell if she's glaring at her, or arching an eyebrow in confusion. Without the ability to determine her mood, Diamond feels her face flush from embarrassment. She can tell that the Unknown glances at her hand, looking at it like a viper ready to strike. Diamond lowers her hand, torn between declaring her bitchy or shy.
"So, will you tell me your name or will you be one of those, mysterious types? I've met everyone else, just not you." Diamond continues, forcing a smile. From across the table, Diamond can see Eloria looking at them.
Kiara's voice suddenly calls. "Diamond." Her voice startles Diamond and she turns to look at her. Zusa wishes to see you in her chambers."
Diamond gulps and nods her head. When she turns back, the spot where the Unknown member stood seconds before is now vacant. Diamond curses in her head and stomps her foot in aggravation, but soon it's replaced with fear as she fully processes what Kiara just said.
Zusa wants to see her. Most likely because of her escape attempt.
Betrayal. That's the first thing Diamond feels, which is ludicrous. For there to be betrayal, there would have to have been trust first. Between Diamond and the Faceless. Somehow, Diamond isn't surprised by how she suddenly knows within a day. Much like the way Astrid runs the brotherhood, guess the same rules apply for any organization. Nothing happens without the leader knowing about it.
Diamond makes sure to pile her plates neatly before heading down the hall that leads towards Zusa's room. Following by her memory of when Veera escorted her, Diamond steps left and into the hall of paintings. Following all the way down, she begins to feel the trademark symptoms of fear: sweaty palms, racing heart, tightness in her chest, dry mouth, a lump in her throat, difficulty breathing.
When she reaches the big oak doors, Diamond lifts her shaking hand and taps the wood with her knuckles. At first there's no answer, and Diamond thinks she may have tapped too lightly, but as she readies to knock again, she hears Zusa's dainty voice muffle through the wood.
"Come in." her voice chimes.
Diamond pushes open the door only enough for her to slip inside.
The room is only lit by the grand fireplace on the far back wall. It burns, casting a glossy look on all the silken fabrics on the couches. Diamond looks around and finds a weapon rack on the far left wall, next to a display case and bookshelf. Over on the right, she finds two large mahogany dressers and chests as well as another bookshelf with trinkets and odds and ends.
Tucked in the right corner is a gorgeously designed vanity with a gold outline done with the delicate design of feathers. There sits Zusa on a velvet red divan, combing through her black curly hair.
The curves of her body is accentuated from the silk red robs she wears. The neckline plunges down with black lace tracing along it, and there's a slit in the ankle long skirt that cuts its way up to her thigh. On her feet are high black heels. Her cheeks are smooth and round, as if Zusa has been carved from stone in the image of a goddess. Her eyes flick from her own reflection to Diamond's. When it does, Diamond feels her heart skip a beat.
Her emerald eyes still as piercing as ever, and Diamond can't get past the cold glare that's embedded within them. "Oh, Diamond." Her first word is quiet. "I didn't see you there. Please come in."
Zusa motions a dainty hand in an inward circle. As if drawn by the motion, or as if it's reeling her in like a fish caught on a line, Diamond takes careful steps closer, one foot in front of the other.
"Glad to see you're getting to know you're way around." Zusa continues, her tone louder this time. "I trust you're finding your stay, adequate?"
Zusa places the brush back on the vanity so softly Diamond can't even hear the small tap it makes as it hits the wood. Then again Diamond can't hear anything over the roar of blood on her ears. Her tongue is frozen and speech seems to be impossible. Diamond can't help but treat Zusa like a real snake, the venomous kind. She stands motionless, her eyes locked on her, considering plans of retreat.
"I was recently informed that you tried to escape the estate." Zusa continues. "You know, I'm trying to help you, Diamond. I show you what I have to offer in comparison to that poor excuse of a faction you call home. You're not someone who's easily swayed by luxury and glamorous things, I expected as much. But I assumed you would at least be wise."
Diamond's never seen Zusa like this. He's not a maniac anymore; she is perfectly controlled, perfectly poised. Careful and quiet.
For the first time, Diamond recognizes Zusa for what she is: a cold-hearted hunter disguised as a woman, a genius as well as a sadist, a hunter of beauty. She slowly turn to face Diamond.
Diamond wants to run.
"Are you unsatisfied with the life you have found here? Do you still hold loyalty to your faltering faction?" both of Zusa's perfectly shaped eyebrows lift, but no creases form into her forehead. "I would like to hear an explanation for why you betrayed the Faceless, yourself, and me . . ." she taps her chest. ". . . by trying to venture off back into the wasteland that is Skyrim."
"I . . ." Diamond takes a deep breath. She feels her pulse in her throat. "I did not try to escape." She surprises herself when she answers in a steady tone.
The look Zusa gives her reminds her now of a wolf of the wilds of Skyrim – a viscous, predatory stare. Diamond feels her pulse in her throat. She wants to rip her to pieces. Diamond doesn't know whether to lie down in submission or become an attack wolf too.
Zusa would kill her if she knew what Diamond did, Diamond can feel it. Her hands curl into fists – she can see it even if they're folded neatly in her lap. Diamond is alone here; if something happens to her, no one will know and no one will see it.
Zusa's mouth pinches for a second, then her lips purse and she rises to stand. She side steps and motions towards the divan.
"Come and sit down, Diamond."
It's hard to breathe.
Once again, Diamond feels her legs guide her robotically guide her towards the vanity. The space closing up, Diamond swallows again to ensure she still has air flowing through her lungs. She sits down, fisting a bit of Malick's tunic in her hand. She can feel herself shaking as she lifts her arm slightly, then sets it back down, gripping the seat.
Zusa stands behind her, at first gazing at both of their reflections before reaching over Diamond's shoulder, the heat of her skin causes a shudder through Diamond's chest, and grabs the brush. She gingerly takes out the hairband holding Diamond's hair in a ponytail.
Diamond tries not to cringe at the thought of Zusa's black hair entangling with her sandy blonde, but she can't protest. Instead she sits proper, hands folded in her lap and takes a deep breath.
Without reason or explanation, Zusa begins to comb through Diamond's hair. She looks so calm and focused; and this adds to Diamond's hysteria. Diamond tries not to flinch every time Zusa's finger touches the small strands next to her ear, and when she gently rakes them across her scalp to hold down fly-aways.
Zusa then opens a drawer on the left and pulls out a small pair of scissors. Diamonds sits rigid as Zusa stands behind her with the scissors, trimming. The strands fall on the floor in a dull, blonde ring. When she's done, she rings her fingers through Diamond's hair again. Diamond wants to questions her, smack her hand away, but she doesn't. She can't. As far as she's concerned, her life is on the line.
"You have such beautiful hair, Diamond." Zusa finally comments. Diamond remains quiet, but not out of respect, but fear. Is this how Zusa keeps control on her members? Zusa tilts her head and smiles at Diamond. "Really why do you not take more care of it? The pink is such a harsh contrast to your eyes. With proper grooming you can steal any man you choose."
Diamond can't answer either question. Her stomach twinges.
"I'm going to ask you again." Zusa states, her voice growing louder, and Diamond notes the extra tug she adds as she brushes Diamond's hair. "Why did you try to sneak out?" her voice is like a razor's edge.
"I didn't." Diamond answers. "I was simply bored from being inside." Further, further. Lies require commitment "Sitting around all day drives me crazy. I wanted to get out. Stretch my legs." Diamond can feel her insides writhing within her.
"Diamond, you are not what I had hoped you'd be." Zusa deeply says.
Diamond's blood turns to ice.
The world becomes a whir of colors. There's a pain, a crackling. Diamond thinks it's her skull, because Zusa now has her hair locked in a vise-like grip. Her follicles screaming from the pull. There's the sound of crinkling glass.
Her eyes closed from the sudden whirl of motion, when she opens them, out of the corner of one eye, she sees red splattered across the shattered surface of Zusa's vanity mirror. The pain in Diamond's temple slowly rises and Diamond is forced to shut an eye as the gash sends a gush of blood running down her face, into her eye and filling her mouth with the sharp, metallic taste of her own blood.
Zusa's hand pushes Diamond's face harder into the glass. A piece of the mirror pokes at the soft surface of her bottom lip, then one small flick of Zusa's wrist and it's embedded in. Diamond screams into grit teeth.
"You're really not as smart as you look." Zusa coldly comments.
Hands gripping the border, Diamond tries to push off, but she's no match from Zusa's ungodly strength. Through her good eye, Diamond expects to see Zusa with a manic look in her eye, but she still sees that cold and calculating look in those green orbs of hers.
"You should know better than to lie to the leader of a faction, Diamond. Should know better than to hide and waste my time." Zusa hisses. "Those who betray me must be punished. Loyalty until death. Death to the disloyal."
In her head, Diamond hears Malick's voice echo in her head. "It is Zusa who might do something unfortunate should she fear you attempting to flee."
"You have such beauty you don't realize, Diamond. You also don't realize how easily I can take that all away." To reassure her point, Zusa bumps Diamond's head against the mirror again. Diamond can feel bits from above sprinkle down on her head.
Diamond's head is viscously jerked back off the mirror. She can hear bits of it scattering across the floor. Thankfully she has just enough reflexes to turn on her side, saving her head the initial impact that would've knocked her unconscious. Her head still bumps the ground, her one hand keeping her propped up. Spots of red splatter along the floor and disappears into the crimson carpet.
Before she has time to adjust, there's a hard kick to her stomach, forcing the air out of her lungs, and it hurts, hurts so badly Diamond can't breathe.
There's the clicking of Zusa's heels, and soon Diamond feels the pressure Zusa's foot on her hand. The heel of the shoe mimics that of a dagger as it presses into her knuckles. A scream of pain erupts from her mouth. A wail that curdles her own blood and makes her hair stand on end.
"Why do you persist on hurting me?" Zusa asks, the pain in her voice clearly masked by anger.
Her foot lifts and Diamond curls into herself, seething that pain and cradling her hand. Suddenly a hand grabs her shoulder and forces Diamond onto her back. Zusa is not on top of her, straddling her hips, pinning Diamond's hands above her head. In her one hand is a shiny glass dagger.
"I give you everything you could want. If it's not processional items, then I can give you wealth, power, that fear that true assassins deserve." Zusa says. She presses the tip of the dagger against Diamond's left, unscarred and not-bleeding eyebrow.
"You're cause may be true, but you're a lie!" Diamond final screams, using the pain as her fuel. "You think all your members are faithful, loyal to you?! They're not! They hate you! Fear you! You have no real power! Your fear will run out!"
She presses the dagger into Diamond's flesh. Blood trickles around Diamond's eye. She blinks against its sting.
With both eyes blind with crimson, Diamond suddenly feels Zusa ram her mouth into hers, drinking in her screams like it is a fine wine. The feel of the dagger shifts to Diamond's throat. Diamond feels Zusa's tongue break through her lips and wrestle with her own. Just as Diamond is about to bite on it, Zusa retracts and begins sucking on Diamond's tongue.
Diamond whimpers as Zusa licks along a clean sleek of skin on her neck. The dagger leaves her throat and the hand holding it now traveling along Diamond's torso. Diamond reflexively bends her legs as it cups one of her breasts and Zusa tickles her tongue along the clean spots of Diamond's collarbone.
Through the mixture of pain and pleasure, Diamond grits her teeth and keeps her hatred at the forefront of her mind. "I . . . am not, your . . . fucking plaything!" she hisses.
Then suddenly there's a stab in Diamond's left forearm. She tries to jerk away, but she's still too incapacitated. Zusa's digs the points of her knife into Diamond's flesh, twisting it around. There's an excruciating ripping sensation and warmth runs down Diamond wrist, filling her palm. Diamond's screams fill the room and she doesn't bother masking them, and neither does Zusa.
The pain is so strong, Diamond searches her brain for a way out.
Suddenly her lips are moving, words coming in through the screams.
"I wasn't alone!" Diamond wails. "I wasn't alone."
The dagger instantly retracts. Tears run from the corners of Diamond's eyes.
"What?" Zusa calmly asks.
"I wasn't alone. Someone helped me. They promised me escape." Diamond mumbles through the pain. Her words so slurred it sounds as if she's had too many bottles of ale.
All at once, Zusa's grip is gone as well as her weight on Diamond.
She hears the click of her heels move back towards the vanity.
"Hmm, that's all I needed from you." Zusa says.
From her position on the floor, Diamond can see Zusa stab the dagger, hilt up facing the ceiling and sit back down at the divan, as is nothing is the matter. If there was blood on her, the crimson colors of the nightgown didn't show it.
"Thank you for your time Diamond. You're dismissed." She says. Even with the broken mirror, she goes back to combing her hair with her brush.
Her entire hand, up to her wrists is coated in blood. Diamond feels ready to retch.
The door to Zusa's bedroom opens and a member comes in. Diamond can see it's the unknown member. She walks in and carefully kneels down in front of Diamond. She reaches out a hand, her fingers gently touching the flesh. Blood pools around the cloth around her fingers, yet not absorbed into it. She closes Diamond's eyes and Diamond can feel herself lifted from the floor. She feels the streams of blood as it rounds to her neck, then drips off.
Diamond feel ready to cry.
Zusa used her. She used Diamond for information, and Diamond gave it to her. Even with what little detail she has, it's enough that she will find out.
Diamond assumed one of the members betrayed her, but now she's now better as she's just done the same.
They leave Zusa's room. The new light of the halls can be seen through her eyelids and Diamond sees swirls of yellow in the darkness. Blood continues pouring down her face, her neck, and her slender body.
Malick's face emerges into her head. Even without the energy to sob, tears still stream down her cheeks. One crying tears, the other blood.
It's sort of funny, how little trust there is in a group that's supposed to have each other's backs. Here Diamond didn't think she could trust anyone on the thought of betrayal, and yet here she is a betrayer as she's just sent one of the members to their death.
The thought makes her want to laugh. And then scream.
There's no escape from what she's done. No reward. No pleasure.
As she's brought into a white room, Diamond could swear she hear Libby's voice.
So soft, dainty, and warm. "Diamond." It whispers.
Diamond can just picture her and Libby running through the mountains of Riverwood; fishing and laughing at how she so easily pickpocketed a priest.
The image is beautiful.
Diamond grasps for it with desperate fingers as she feels something poke her arm.
Warmth runs through her veins and the world fades to black.