Chapter six
December, 1599
It took a longer time than she would expect of herself for Alexandra to return back to her senses. It was as if she found herself suddenly sank into the bath full of water, her ears blocked by the overwhelming water and her senses dulled out by the movement of waves. All sounds were muted out, aside of her own rapid and short breathing, as she tried to get a grip of herself to understand her current predicament. The sudden change from the joyous and merry conversation to the screams and shouts interrupted by the sound of fighting dazed her, barely registering yet in her benumbed mind.
An arm tightening around her waist as the person carrying her over his shoulder quickened his steps shook her out of her daze, clearing the fog from her mind and pulling her senses back to the surface. The adrenaline surged through her veins as she realised that she was, in fact, in the middle of being kidnapped, and her friends were currently the ones trying to fight of their attackers – aside of the one that picked her up and dashed with her.
It took the man by surprise when she started trashing against him, blindly slamming her fists against his back and kicking her legs in hopes it would hit something, anything, that would lessen the grip on her and give her a chance to make a run for it. And while the sudden appearance of resistance made him stagger for a second in surprise, Alexandra's tries were to no veil. The grip only tightened, making it hard to breath as she could almost feel the bones cracking under the strength of her kidnapper.
"Stay still or I will break your fucking bones if I have to." the man said.
Even though she weighed almost nothing against him, his words still came out breathless as he made a run through the forest with his victim, not slowing down and not hesitating on his way to reach the designated destination.
And the strong squeeze made her realise that the man wasn't joking.
She couldn't hear any sound of fighting any more, only her own breathing enhanced by the bag on her head and the rapid footsteps of the running man. None of the sounds calmed her down. It was hard to estimate what was going on with Elena and Demon – the screams and shouts of pain were terrifying and blood curling, the ones she had heard before being dragged away, and that memory only enhanced the dark scenarios that her imagination kept conjuring. The Mist Guardian would never let anything happen to his fiancée on his watch, but it was still beyond Alexandra's knowledge and imagination just how much skilled Demon actually was when it came to fight and protection.
She hoped, despite the small voice at the back of her mind telling her she was naïve, that the group would left her companions alone once their intended target was acquired.
It didn't took long before the man started slowing down and Alexandra used the opportunity to try and free herself once again.
The man groaned when one of her feet reached his knee and tightened his arms painfully around her waist, making it hard to breathe. She could almost feel her bones cracking, as she gasped for air, her movement stilling from the sudden pain. It was going to leave a few bruises, though she still hoped no ribs were broken in the process.
"You are seriously asking for it, lass."
She had no idea where he was taking her, in which direction they were going and just how far they were exactly – the dark material on her head did its job and blocked her view, making it impossible to recognize her surroundings.
And the smell of it was making her nauseous as the overwhelming stench of stables and must entered her nostrils, making it impossible to take a deeper breath.
A pained gasp left her lips when she found herself thrown painfully on the ground, her body hitting the snow covered ground, too soft to be a solid road. A few branches snapped under her weight, scrapping the material of her coat, thankfully neither strong and sharp enough to break through the material. A passing thought of forest crossed her mind, though it was forgotten when her hands were wrenched behind her, her jolts snapping in protest at the rough handling. Alexandra bit her lip to stop the painful scream, not wanting to give any satisfaction to the man.
"Now, be a good girl and don't try anything funny." He warned her, ripping the material of her head. "We will spend some time here before moving on. Make it easy on yourself."
She nearly cried in joy when the clear air entered her lungs.
There was no time to give any form of answer to the words as Alexandra was suddenly pulled roughly from the ground. She staggered, trying to find any support for her legs and almost dropping back onto the snow. The man paid her no attention instead dragging her forcefully to the nearest tree and sitting her down on the ground, the white snow cushioning the strength of his push partially, though still not enough to make it painless.
"Who are you?" she asked, trying to make her voice sound strong and steady, though it came all hoarse and shaky as she fought to calm the nausea down.
"None of your business. We won't see each other after today, so there is no need for names." He replied with no hesitation, already turning around towards the blazing fire.
The small camp was fully prepared to be picked and packed in the matters of second, all the necessary items set up to ensure their owners wouldn't lost precious time upon their return. It was an organised action, Alexandra thought to herself, one planned and analysed beforehand. They had probably waited for their return from the Christmas Fair, as the fire was blazing fully and strongly, indicating that it hadn't been started in the matters of few minutes. The logs were already partially burned, giving just enough light and warmth to not freeze in the cold winter air. It was too weak, though, to enjoy the comfort of the flames as Alexandra sat to far away too feel any of it.
The group had their minds set on successfully performing their job of kidnapping her.
She moved her eyes to her kidnapped, taking in his appearance and making notes in her mind of any detail that could be useful in the future. It was hard to recognize his age, but the wrinkles in the corner of his eyes put him on the older side - or maybe it was the result of the style of life he was leading. His bald head glistered in the fire as he sat opposite her on the log, making himself comfortable despite the cold.
"As soon as the guys are done with your friends, we will be on our way." the man admitted and her eyes widened in fear at the indication. "Don't worry, they will probably spare the girl. Can't say the same about the dude." he added, seeing her expression.
Fear gripped her stomach, hearing the words.
The idea of Demon getting hurt or losing his life because of her and the duty he had been given upon accompanying her made her terrified. Alexandra had no doubt he would go to any length to protect Elena and to try and fulfil the task put on him by Giotto, but she never wanted him go to such length to do so in the first place – any of the Vongola members actually. It was the exact thing she had been fearing ever since learning about the plan from her father.
The nausea hit her once again, though it had nothing to do with the smell of a bag.
They should have never involve non-Mafia family in anything concerning their own household.
The only consolation, as little as it was, was the fact that Demon would never let anything happen to Elena, so there was a chance her friend would run away and get some help, for both of their sakes.
"What do you want from me?" she asked, shaking herself out of her dark thoughts.
Both her father and Lorenzo prised the strength of the Vongola House and Alexandra tried to keep that thought constantly in her mind, hoping that there was not much exaggeration in the commendations.
"Money, obviously. It's nothing personal, lass, but the price offered for you couldn't be ignored." The man replied with no second thoughts.
"You are a mercenary group?" she continued, not wanting the eery silence to fall between them.
The forest was ominous. The darkness surrounding them, broken only by the lightened fire, were almost suffocating, giving the impression the shadows could come to life at any given moment, claiming their victims for overstepping into the territory of the nature and breaking its winter slumber. The heavy air enhanced a fear and anxiety building steadily in Alexandra's heart and mind, the growing tension giving her an impression of a beast hiding in between the trees, waiting for the good moment to come out and attack them, sacrificing their souls for the peace and silence they were breaking with their presence.
She could feel a shiver running down her spine and the imagination her own mind conjured.
"One of the best. That's why we were taken for the job." The man confirmed, a sliver of proudness audible in his voice.
"Who hired you?" she grimaced when the man looked at her with a pity. "I'm going to meet him anyway. The least you can do is to prepare me for who it is."
"Nice try. But I'm not telling you shit. I don't even know the name."
She furrowed her brows, watching as the man shrugged his shoulders carelessly, using a stick to move some logs in the fire, making it shine brighter for a few seconds. He seemed just as uncomfortable in the forest as she, his eyes darting all the time around, trying to see anything through the thick darkness and listening for the sound of his returning comrades.
"How can you not know the name of your employee?" she asked with incredibility, moving her legs a bit.
The snow had been melting through her clothes, the cold liquid already soaking through the coat and getting slowly through her dress. If she was going to be alive after the ordeal, there was no doubt she would suffer from a cold as a consequence.
"The names are an obstacle in the business. The less we know, the better. It's enough we know who to take and where to deliver you. Anything else is pointless." He admitted easily. "As long as I got money in my pocket, I don't ask."
Mercenaries Groups were feared amongst both Noble Houses and Mafia Houses for the same reason – they hold no compassion over their victims and their work was swift and fast. If they were hired to get rid of someone, they would do so by any means necessary, their consciousness long lost for the sake of money they could earn. And they often used the opportunity to channel their own sick fantasies and tendencies onto their victims, the sheer malice and brutality causing many nightmares to the ones witnessing the aftermath of their actions. The Groups, gathered out of the most dangerous and degenerated individuals possible, held no only great cruelty, but also great power in their bodies to please their employees.
Though as easily as it was to buy their service, their loyalty was as easily strayed when someone with bigger money showed up, offering them better pay.
"But honestly, whoever wants you does not spare expenses. I'm taking jobs for decades, but it's the first to have such money for delivering someone." The man added after a moment in wander, glancing at her.
"My father can pay you more if you let me go."
She knew her tries were pointless when the man let out a booming laughter, throwing his head away, the sound cutting roughly and unpleasantly through the still air, echoing in the forest.
"I doubt it, lass. I know your family. Even if we gave you back, your father wouldn't let us go."
"If you played it right, he might." her voice was less than convincing, and she winced hearing it. "I can vouch for you. Tell him there was no harm done."
She was still not so certain about her ribs where the man had been squeezing her during the run and her legs and bottom were currently on the frozen part, but she could easily let it go.
"It's not about your safety, lass. It's pride. No man would just ignore it like that, basing only on the words of a woman." the man shook his head at her, clearly amused by the words.
"I know my father. He will recognise your atonement." she watched as he sighed, running his hand over the bold head.
"You don't know the world, lass. None of you noble chicks do. We took you from him, showed him he is not as good as he believe. Even if he didn't kill us, we would still be locked. And, with our deeds, we would end up executed. Either way, we would be done for." he explained, his face turning serious. "I believe you are a nice girl. But I'm not going to lose my life over you."
The silence descended between them as the man concentrated on the fire, occasionally looking around in alarm.
It was hard not to lose herself in the dark thoughts that tried to take over her mind when she considered her current position. She still didn't know what was happening with Demon and Elena, but the lack of returning companions of the man was giving her some hope that the Mist Guardian was fighting for his fiancée and his own safety to the best of his abilities – and that there was a chance for the come out unscathed from the dangerous situation.
And perhaps someone noticed the commotion and provided some help.
Shifting, Alexandra winced when a tingling pain shot in her legs, both the position and the coldness taking a tool on her.
"Are you paid to bring me alive or dead?"
She tried her best to keep her voice steady and unyielding, though the shaking sneaked into it, making her wince. She really wanted to remain calm and collected in the situation, to not show any weaknesses. The man kept watching her for a long time, assessing her, trying to read something from her face. When a few minutes passed with no sound, Alexandra lost her hope to receive an answer to it, before he cleared his throat.
"Alive. Lucky for you." he answered eventually, dropping his eyes to the fire. "But that can change if you keep talking once the others are back."
"Wouldn't he mind if your friends violated me in any way?" she continued, if not to appease her curiosity, than to cut the eerie silence that surrounded them.
"Shit happens. You could always try to run, making things difficult. Lessons would need to be learned. If you misbehave." he answered mercilessly, shrugging his shoulders, before adding, looking her straight in the eyes. "There are things worse than death. And he never said if you are to be in one piece."
Her mind became as frozen as her legs, the ability to think of anything, more questions or any conversation subjects fleeing from her head, as Alexandra became suddenly aware that she might not be saved this time, despite her father's and Giotto's intention. The development of the events was something she had never been prepared for. Even though she had been raised in the family of Mafia, she herself had never experienced violence or threats directed at, the events of Valentina's death not really physically harming her, the reality of her life being in danger befalling her twice as hard.
The waiting was prolonging and it was setting both her and her kidnapper on the edge, for many different reasons. Him, because he was getting anxious about the fate of his comrades, as the strength and abilities of the guy they intended to eliminate strongly surpassed their expectations, and her because she was both worried about her friends' safety and her own fate. Which at the moment, didn't look so good.
Every passing minute was turning more problematic and dangerous. The wetness was getting through her clothes where she was sitting on the ground, the coldness of it making her shiver, despite the numbness of her legs. There was still a hope in her that, somehow, someone would come to her rescue, as it had happened in the past.
Though the sound that cut the silence sometime later, rushed footsteps accompanied by the harsh swearing, made her heart stop for a split second, as she realised the group was probably returning from their attack.
Which meant that Demon wasn't able to stop them after all.
Her captor, on the other hand, shot up from his log, relief and anger morphing together on his face as he looked in the direction of the sound.
"What the fuck took you so long?" he asked, before his eyebrows furrowed. "And where is the rest?"
Alexandra turned in the direction of the man that appeared in the light of the fire, gasping for breath, resting his hands against his knees, shaking with fear of what he had just experienced.
"It's bullshit, man! The guy, I have no idea what he is, but he definitely isn't just some noble dude. I barely escaped, the rest weren't so lucky."
"You left them?" the first man shouted in disbelief.
"What did you expect? You weren't there, it was fucking scary!"
"How the fuck are we going to finish the job now?"
The man, still gasping and shaking, turned towards Alexandra, his eyes darkening and narrowing while he looked her up and down. She barely stopped herself from pushing back against the tree when a glint in his eyes changed to more cruel one, indicating he was not going to treat her easy in any way.
"I don't care about the damn job. She cost us the rest of the group." He said finally, straightening. "She is going to pay for what the guy did to them."
A knife glistened in the fire, reflecting the sparks dangerously as the man fished it from his belt and twirled it around, taking slow steps towards her. The idea of the pain he was going to inflict of her seemed to wipe out the fear he had been feeling upon reaching them, the cruelty and maliciousness taking over his senses.
"What about the payment? It is going to be even better, with only the two of us." the first man said suddenly.
The fast recovery from the worry of his friends to greed terrified her.
But the words halted the movement of the second guy as he considered the words, narrowing his eyes even more, though the knife kept twirling in his hand.
"We need to deliver her alive. There was no requirements about her state. I can damage her a bit and then we can finish the job." He decided.
Her instincts kicked in when he approached her, his movement a lot faster than before.
The man let out a yelp of surprise when she suddenly raised her legs, kicking him in stomach with what strength she had. She took him of guard, as he stumbled backwords, falling to the ground with a thud. Alexandra wasn't certain herself whether it was adrenaline, a fear of her own health and life or something else but she pushed herself of the ground, fully set on using the opportunity the sudden and unexpected fit of self-defence brought her.
She stumbled, for a second, when she straightened her frozen legs, though the sound of the man collecting himself and the cursing gave her additional strength as she shot up forward, trying to flee. She ignored the little voice at the back of her head saying it was to no use, there was no possibility for her to get away from two men twice her size and strength.
Alexandra had no idea where exactly she was running to, the forest looking all the same, trees blending together as she weaved through them in the attempt to escape. A few branched caught her cheeks, her bounded hands a handicap she tried not to think about. Her feet slipped a few times and she barely caught her balance, though still made her way forward, trying to muster as much strength and speed from her body as she could.
But it didn't take her far.
A strong pull at the back of her coat made her scream as she was thrown on the ground. Not able to stop the impact due to the line holding her wrists, wincing at the pain in her back.
"Fucking bitch!"
Everything was happening fast.
She barely had a time to take a breath before she was suddenly pushed to the ground, a hand gripping her neck while someone straddled her, blocking any possible movement she could make.
"I was going to let you live. Give you some scar here and there. But now? You will be lucky if I give you a moment of break from pain." The man hissed, his heavy breath brushing over her face.
"Are you sure your employee will like that?" she said back, wincing when a hand tightened around her neck.
"I don't fucking care."
When a knife touched her cheek, Alexandra was certain she was facing her end, the feeling only increasing when the tip made its way down her face, pressed enough for her to feel it, but not enough to break the skin.
Yet.
It was getting hard to breath as the man kept tightening his hand, a pleasure shining in his eyes as he watched her reactions, her eyes widening as the bare minimum of oxygen was entering her lungs. He wasn't going to kill her, not yet, but he was going to make it close enough for her to suffer. Her sight started to fog, tears forming in her eyes as she struggled to see clearly.
A panic was settling in her heart, the overwhelming realisation that she was going to die taking over her senses. She tried to struggle, to move her body in a hope that it would – somehow – throw the man away from her, giving her at least a short moment to breath in and let the oxygen enter her lungs.
"There are so many things I want to do to you that I have no idea where to start." The man said, more to himself, a glee in his voice.
It ended as quickly as it started.
A force that hit the man was strong enough to make him fly away from his victim, slamming against the closes tree.
Alexandra gasped for breath, blinking to gather back her focus and find her bearings in the new development. She could hear a sound of short fighting, some screams reached her ears, though she was unable to fully recognize the exchanged words and profanities that were thrown in the air.
A pair of hands appeared in the peripheral of her vision, reaching out for her and she flinched, trying to get away before any more harm was done to her
"It's just us, Alexandra. No one will harm you anymore." A calming voice sounded from somewhere on her right.
She looked in the direction, her vision clearing finally. When she met the familiar amber eyes watching her with worry, the owner crouching on the ground next to her with his hands still extended towards her but frozen in the midway, as Giotto awaited for her to gather her bearings, Alexandra felt a crushing relief taking over her mind and heart.
She was saved, after all.
"I will untie your hands now."
She nodded her head, closing her eyes for a split second to gather her emotions – even though she was shaken and terrified what had just happen, she was not going to cry, despite the overwhelming need to do so. The fear for her own life and the safety of her friends, the worry that, in the end, it would be her last moments on the earth, despite the best tries of all people involved.
"What about Demon and Elena? Are they safe?" she asked, coming back to her senses and wincing when her voice came out weak and scratchy.
Giotto glanced at her face for a second, before returning to his task, eventually succeeding in unwrapping the thick line from her wrists.
"We are fine. And I could be perfectly able to deal with it on my own, thank you very much."
A relief swarmed through her veins when a voice sounded from somewhere behind her. An offence was easily audible in Demon's voice, as the mere idea that he might have required any form of support in dealing with the thugs was strictly aiming at his ago and suggesting lack of believe in his abilities.
"Elena is safe at home already." The man added, showing in her line of vision.
She suddenly found herself being lifted up from the snow covered ground, gentle hands holding her under her armpits. It wasn't the perfect position or the most dignified one, though she was still grateful, especially when her legs gave up from under her, making her stumble uncontrollably. Her body resting against the harder and more stable one.
Immediately, hands supported her elbows, helping her stand upright.
"Your cheeks is bleeding." Giotto said with worry, his eyes scanning her face.
"I'm fine." she said with no second thought.
It was quite obvious she wasn't, as her legs were barely able to hold her weight and the bruises were already forming on her wrists and neck, something she wasn't able to see yet, though the two men in front of her easily noticed and weren't happy about.
Demon glanced at something behind her, his eyes shining for a brief second. She made an attempt to look in the direction as well, wanting to see what exactly had happened to the two man that her kidnapped and attacked her.
"I will take you home." Giotto said suddenly, stopping her movement.
She barely held back a yelp of surprise when he suddenly picked her up, both due the necessity of her state, as well as to prevent her from turning to see towards the two mercenaries that were lying on the ground behind her, red staining the white snow around them, a colour strangely lively for such a gruesome sight.
He wasn't certain whether Demon would refrain himself from actually ending their lives if he wasn't there with him, though Giotto was glad the Mist Guardian stopped himself from doing so.
They would still need a doctor to look at them to make sure they would survive until the interrogation. Demon was effective and fast when he wanted to be.
"I can walk." Alexandra protested, temporarily distracted.
"You can't."
A grumpy voice made her jolt in surprise and it took her a second longer than necessary to recognize G, the man's presence not even noticed by her before the man spoke, crouching on the ground and assessing the state of the fallen men while he clocked his tongue. She was still unable to look in the direction the redhead was standing as Giotto was quite successful in blocking her view.
"Take her home, we will take care of everything here." The Storm Guardian continued, straightening from the ground and approaching the small group. "You do know we need them to talk, idiot."
Demon only looked at him with impassive face.
"They are alive. I see no issue here."
"Do you need anything? I can send some help from home." Giotto interrupted the fight before it could erupt.
The negation came from both Guardians, their attention already back on their targets, even though they posed no danger anymore. But it was obvious they were both furious and angry, their natural instinct of protecting others taking better of them.
And the fact that their pride was hurt at being unable to actually ensuring nothing happened to Alexandra did not help much at keeping their tempers in check.
Giotto glanced at the two of them, hoping that their common sense would not be turned off at one point or another once he was gone. But he was mindful of the woman in his arms and the fact that she was doing her best to stop her shivering, the wetness of her clothes clearly noticeable as he held her. With a nod of his head towards his Storm Guardian, he turned around eventually, still making sure she wasn't able to take a glimpse of the blood covered ground.
"We have horses close here." He said, mostly to break the silence that engulfed them once he put some distance between them and the scene. "Elena run to the house as soon as the attack started. It took some time to reach it, but she made it just in time. We found Demon at the moment he dealt with the last of the attackers."
Alexandra was very stiff and he wasn't certain whether it was because of her embarrassment or the coldness she had been exposed for quite some time. But it didn't make the carrying any easier.
"There were a lot of them." She pointed out.
He wasn't going to share with her that with Demon's power of illusion, it was still surprising it had taken him that long to all the attackers down. Though it was clear they weren't just some thugs hired in just any bar – the signs they had seen once reaching the Mist Guardian were a sign that a vicious fight had taken place there.
"Demon is a skilled fighter." he answered vaguely.
It wasn't until he helped onto the saddle, taking her by surprise when he took the position behind her, but he didn't want to leave the Guardians with no means of transportation if they required it that he took a good look at her face illuminated by the moonlight, his visibility far better when they were out of the thick forest.
And he doubted she would be able to keep herself on the horse, even when she tried to keep as much distance between their bodies as possible.
"Did he hurt you badly?" Giotto asked, feeling a rare spark of anger at her state.
She was pale, but it wasn't anything surprising considering the situation she had found herself in. But the calmness she was showing him was worrying him a bit. He had seen a few victims of kidnappings and violence in his life and there always had been some emotions – mostly fear that indicated future trauma caused by the experience. If it wasn't for the shaking of her body when he had helped her stand up and the way her legs had been barely able to hold her weight, he would have thoughts she was not influenced by her attacker at all.
He couldn't help but notice that Elena had seemed much more shaken upon arriving at his office, out of breath and barely standing, than the kidnapped woman herself.
"Not much aside of what you saw." Alexandra replied, clearing her throat and wincing when a pain erupted in it. "The man that took me did nothing actually."
"Your cheek is bleeding." He noticed suddenly.
She blinked in surprise before raising her hand to her face. The coldness and shock made her mostly numb and she hadn't even felt the scratch on her face before.
"I must have scrapped it on some branch when I run." She answered absently, using her sleeve to wipe it away. "Or the man cut it, but I didn't feel it back then."
"I will call the doctor once we are back at the Residence."
"There is no need. I'm cold and a bit shaken, but there is not much harm." she answered immediately.
"You were strangled. The mere fact you were kidnapped and held outside is enough reason to have a doctor check on you." Giotto opposed, taking one more look at her. "And your lips are turning blue."
He was going to ask her about the full recollection of the events, even though he didn't want her to return to the memories of it. But he wanted to know the extent to which the mercenaries were willing to go to get her to their employee.
Because it seemed they were much more motivated than he had assumed.
Giotto relaxed only when Alexandra was securely tucked in her bed, her maid and Elena hovering over her last he had seen her, making sure she was well warmed and fed with a soup prepared by the cook. They still waited for the doctor to come and examine her. He still wasn't certain whether her calmness and acceptance of the situation was natural, or she was just good at hiding it. But a feeling in his guts was telling him it was the second option, as he had noticed the absent and clouded look that crossed her features a few times since they had retrieved her. It was gone as soon as she noticed someone looking at her. Which led him to believe that her strange ability of quick accommodation was mostly a defence reaction than anything else.
It was occupying his mind much more than it probably should have, considering Alexandra was his responsibility only for a short time, but it was natural for him to examine the feelings of others and act accordingly to them.
Thinking back to the events of the day, Giotto rested his chin on his folded hands. The group was not even close enough to be a dangerous opponent for Demon, but it was still a more experienced one than the ones they had encountered previously. The element of surprise had been a good distraction for them to snatch Alexandra, especially with Elena's presence there as well and their numbers – he expected they were more than one group.
He was quite proud with his Mist Guardian. While knocked out for the next few days probably, the men had not suffered much damage – physical at least, as he wasn't going to testify for their mental state after facing the illusionist - which meant Demon had held himself back.
Sighing deeply, Giotto leaned back in his chair. He had retired to his office once he had left Alexandra in the capable hands, and waited for G and Demon to return. Capturing all the men and delivering them to Alaude for interrogation was going to take some time and he had taken it upon himself to send the help despite their previous opposition. The situation took him by surprise and he still could feel the scare he had experienced when Elena stormed into his office, barely able to breath and terrified, G following closely behind her, asking questions at the rapid speed. Once she was able to say what had happened and the rushed assessment of her state had made sure she was unharmed, they had left her under the care of Matteo.
it had been far better planned than the previous attacks, at least the ones that had happened during her stay in Vongola Residence. In contrast to what had been described by Francesco, the attempts were random, the mercenaries counting more on luck than background checks. Which made him more certain of the truth behind his friend's words. Moving Alexandra outside Carlevaro house seemed more and more like a great solution with every passing day, despite his slight doubt about the outcome of the planned engagement annulment. But it didn't change the fact that he needed to keep her safe and unharmed for the duration of her stay in Vongola Residence. And probably after that, though not to such an extent, as he doubted Francesco would be able to provide her with enough security on his own while running the internal cover investigation simultaneously.
He had a growing suspicion that, even after he was exempted from being Alexandra's protector, he would still be seeing her a lot.
A knock to the door didn't come until over an hour later, when he immersed himself back into the work, deciding to be more productive in his waiting.
"They are all with Alaude." G said in a form of greeting, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.
"I take it they are still unconscious?" he asked, dropping his current task and paying close attention to his Guardians.
They looked the same they had when he had left them to deal with the mess. Not that he really expected them to look otherwise, as all of their opponents had been already taken out and the possibility of others lurking around was minimal.
"It can take some time for them to wake up." Demon confirmed, shrugging his shoulders when he received an exasperated look.
"Was there anything to indicate who they were hired by?"
"No. Not even a note indicating the target, which is quite common for the mercenaries. Everything must have been coordinated verbally, to not leave any trace behind in case of failure." the Mist Guardians scowled with a sign of impatience.
It was a false hope on Giotto's side, but he was still holding a shadow of belief that the case would be solved easily, for the sake of Alexandra's safety and wellbeing. But so far, everything indicated that there was not going to be any shortcut in this. And the day had shown that their opponent would use any opportunity of their distractions.
"Alaude will try to get anything out of them when they are up." G added.
"Maybe he will have more luck than the Carlevaro men. Francesco wasn't able to get anything out of the ones they captured." the blond said absently. "Still, it is the first time they had managed to actually take her away."
"They had it planned well." the irritation in Demon's voice brought him up from his musing.
"It's not your fault. None of us expected the higher ranking of mercenaries. But I think it would be safer to move around in a bigger group, whenever Alexandra and Elena go outside." he said, trying to placate his Guardian.
"Should be no problem." G shrugged his shoulders.
It was obvious by the way he was scowling that the redhead wasn't entirely happy with the possibility of joining the two women in their shopping or other activities the young ladies were participating in. Giotto had no doubt the Storm Guardian would be doing his best to avoid the duty, taking it over only when other Guardians were unavailable. Still, he was going to do his best. G would put as much effort in making sure that Giotto's word was kept as the blond himself, it was certain. The reputation of Vongola meant the same for all of them, and one's duty was all of theirs.
"How is she?"
Demon's question took him a bit by surprise, but he concealed it. Even though the man was usually a reserved person, the wellbeing of the ones close to him was his top priority, something many had omitted in judging his character. Which played a great part in why the Mist Guardian and Elena had grown close to each other so soon after joining the Vongola family – and why Elena had introduced Demon to Giotto in the first place - their goals and beliefs matching each other.
"She was well when I left her in the guest room. Stubbornly refusing to see a doctor despite her bruising and apparent exposure to the cold. Elena is probably still with her." he added.
Demon nodded his head, not at all surprised by the information.
"I expected as much."
"I will go to The Sphere tomorrow. There can be someone to recognize any of them." G said when a silence fell over the room.
Giotto considered the idea.
The Sphere was an infamous bar located in the Slums of their town, a place where a lot of mercenaries and criminals liked to spend their time on drinking, accepting shady jobs and enjoying the serviced provided by local females looking for a way to earn their living. Considering its location, no authorities were brave enough to dwell there, so any fight – including the ones with casualties, something that occurred much too often for the comfort of the ones not enjoying such a way of life – went with no repercussion and punishment, encouraging only others to join the growing numbers of The Sphere's inhabitants.
Giotto hated going there, even when he had been living close by to it at one point or another. And he definitely didn't find the idea of any of Guardians going there enjoyable and comfortable in any way.
But whoever wanted to hire the service of mercenaries, it was the best place to go. And there was no doubt that the frequenters would be very helpful in providing the news about possible customers of the ones that they had currently in their captivity, as well as in giving names to the faces, if enough moneys were exchanged.
"You know we are not very welcomed there since the news about the title reached the Slums." he said hesitantly.
"As long as I bring enough money, they are not going to complain." G shrugged his shoulders with no care.
"Still, I doubt it will stop the fists."
They had been frequent visitors when they were young adults barely done with their teenage years. Even though the owner had never been too kind to them, as long as they were paying for their drinks, he left them alone. But it was the girls that were the most profitable for him and any customer that was not interested in their services was not of much importance to the man.
And while he, G and Cozatto were not entirely immune to the charm, they weren't frequent enough to be deemed good customers. They had mostly gone there to eavesdrop on anything that would be deemed useful in their self-proclaimed mission, often getting into trouble because of their actions.
"Not my first fistfight. And surely not my last." the redhead was still as unaffected by his worries as ever. "I doubt there will be a better source of information until the assholes wake up. The sooner we get something, the better."
Giotto couldn't disagree with that, despite his reluctance in agreeing to the plan. He knew that G could handle himself there - the only people that could start anything with him were the owner and his son, as the mercenaries couldn't concern themselves with the matters that didn't involve the payment.
And he wanted to deal with the issue of Alexandra's safety as soon as possible, for his own peace of mind as well.
"Take Knuckle with you, please." he caved in finally, sighing. "He and Ugetsu returned earlier today, so he should be fine with the trip."
"You want him to bring a priest into the bar." Demon interjected with a dose of laughter in his voice. "There are many jokes that start this way."
"From what I heard, he is well accustomed to the bar from his past days." G rolled his eyes, not sharing the notion.
It took Giotto aback and he looked at the Storm Guardian with shock all over his face.
"What?"
"When he was still in the boxing business. He had been celebrating his victories there from time to time."
Giotto had a vast knowledge about the past of all his Guardians, whether they joined him at the very beginning of the Vongola existence or later on, not pushing them to share the information they hadn't been comfortable to give until they had been ready to so on their own will. But while there was a place for everyone in the family, he still wanted to know the members of it. Knuckle, despite his current profession of priest, hadn't lived in the abstinence, but the idea of the Sun Guardian in The Sphere somehow didn't sit right with him.
But, he realised with slight shame, he shouldn't judge anyone on that.
"The things you learn every day." Demon said with a smile, watching their lord's reaction.
The glaring amber eyes did not have much effect on him, as there was no real anger behind it.
"I'm going to finish that conversation here. Let me know before you leave tomorrow, please." the blond said instead, covering his embarrassment.
Alexandra looked at the doctor, waiting patiently until the examination was over and she could dig herself under the covers. The man seemed quite flustered, having Elena and Lizzie hover over him, watching his every move, awaiting the result. Giotto was keeping on the side, not wanting to make anyone too uncomfortable, but still making sure that the man was aware of the Lord of the House watching his examination.
She was surprised when the blond joined them in the room as well – she had expected him to be already back to his work or with his Guardians.
But she was curious about doctor Smith, as he had presented himself. As far as she was aware, there was only one person of medical profession in the neighbouring towns and he had served all noble families. Which made him a man that was sometimes a bit hard to deal with, as his ego seemed to grow noticeably with every passing year, not to mention his quite busy schedule. She had been treated a few times as well, especially as a child, and it definitely wasn't doctor Smith that had attended her.
Elena had introduced him as a Vongola acquaintance, so she wasn't going to complain about it, especially since he seemed more efficient in his work than the other doctor.
"You are already having a slight fever. But it's to be expected after the experience." he said eventually, putting his equipment aside. "There is no frostbite, a miracle in itself. Thank your lucky star. The bruising won't be gone for a few days, but there is no damage to your throat. You should be fine with some medicine and good food."
"That's good to hear. Thank you." she said sincerely, putting the covers closer to herself.
"Just remember to take it." the doctor watched her until she nodded her head. "It's not much, something to strengthen your system, but untreated sickness can develop into something far worse. Do you have any history of that?"
Alexandra scrunched her forehead surprised by the question, not seeing any connection to the current situation, but eventually answered.
"I had severe pox and pneumonia as a child. But I made a full recovery."
The man seemed to take a sudden interest in her words, stopping his packing and leaning comfortably in the chair, watching her.
"Simultaneously?" he hummed in wonder when she nodded her head. "It's rare to survive the severe case of pox itself. The pneumonia should have killed you. Who treated you?"
She noticed Elena glaring at the man for his words, though she kept herself from interrupting the conversation.
"The local doctor. Ricci."
The doubt crossed the doctor's face, the lack of belief in the man's ability not covered in any way.
"What did he use to treat you?"
"I was seven. Even if I was told what it was, I definitely wouldn't remember it." she said apologetically, wincing at the disappointment on the man's face.
She didn't remember anything from that time, if she had to admit honestly. The high fever had consumed all her strength and kept her unconscious for most of the days, according to Beatrice. But the figures in robes and masks were still haunting her dreams occasionally, their bodies strangely twisted by her childhood imagination and the hallucination she had been experiencing back then.
It was a miracle she had survived it. Everyone had been repeating that, during the time she had spent on getting back to full health and even sometime after it. Doctor Ricci had been trying to convince her father to take a closer look at her case, though Francesco had been unbending in his refusal. And, as she had grown older, Alexandra had been immensely grateful for that - the idea of having the stranger examining her and watching her closely was revolting.
"I will need to speak to the man. It's interesting."
She was growing a bit uncomfortable by the watchful and observant eyes on her. When Giotto cleared his throat, catching the man's attention, Alexandra barely held her sigh of relief back.
"Dan, Alexandra had a hard day. I don't think your questioning will make it any better." the blond said gently, approaching the small group.
The doctor was not happy by the interruption, but yielded with no objections. Standing up from the chair, he gathered his suitcase.
"Make sure she is taking the medication. I will send the bill directly to you." he said, addressing Giotto. "I don't want to be called here if your fiancée gets worse because of your negligence."
Alexandra was a bit taken aback by the tone, but when she glanced at Elena, the blonde only shrugged her shoulders with a smile on her face. She seemed perfectly used to such behaviour.
"Don't worry, I will make sure she is taken care of." Giotto promised with an amusement in his voice, not a bit offended by the words.
"Good. I know my way back."
With that, the doctor left the room, not even waiting for any form of parting wishes. Alexandra watched the door in a silent stupor, not at all expecting such a person. Lord Ricci, who she was used to, was always a most polite and pompous person when at the professional visit, not wanting to offend any of his patients. As long as they were happy, the money flew. Even if there was not much choice when it came to medical care.
"He is rough, but he is the best."
Hearing the words, she turned to Giotto, a smile on his face showing his amusement by her reaction to the man.
"I don't doubt it." she said.
"So, you are for now on the bedrest." Elena said, sitting down on her bed comfortably. "At least until the fever goes down."
"It's a slight fever." she pointed out.
She wasn't going to leave the bed anyway, the warmth of the covers more than welcoming and desirable. But the feeling of embarrassment by having so many people watching over her took over her senses and she felt the need to not show any weakness.
"It's a fever nonetheless. You spent a lot of time in the cold." Giotto joined in, standing on the legs of the bed with his hands in the pockets. "And Dan is really going to be an unpleasant companion if he is called because you got worse." he added under his breath.
"I'm going to prepare some more tea for you, Miss. Being hydrated is important during sickness." Lizzie added, her face set in determination as she made her way to the door.
"Thank you." Alexandra said, not sure whether the maid heard her before she left the room.
She felt the two blonds in the room watching her closely, seeking for any signs of discomfort or sickness. Which she found quite amusing, considering the medical examination had just finished
"I'm really fine." she said, trying to put as much confidence in her smile as she could.
Elena raised an eyebrow at her while Giotto hummed in disbelief, but none of them commented on the words any further.
"I would never doubt your words, but I will trust my hunch on this one." The woman said, not even making an attempt on covering her doubt.
"I need to return to my work for a bit. If anything happens, just send Lizzie to fetch me." he said, watching her until she nodded her head.
"Nothing will happen. Don't worry." she added anyway.
She couldn't stop the impression of being a burden growing in her mind – he had enough work to take care of his growing family and the need to watch over her and ensure her safety must have quite an obstacle.
The silence in the room was comforting and welcomed when Giotto left, as her head started hurting a bit, but she refrained herself from showing it, mindful of Elena's presence and her worry.
"How are you, really?" the blonde broke the silence eventually, blue eyes watching Alexandra closely.
"I'm good. A bit tired, but not worse to wear." the brunette answered with no hesitation, though it didn't seem to convince her companion.
Especially when her hand unconsciously raised to her throat, gently rubbing against the darkening bruises.
"You were kidnapped and held captive. You can't tell me it left no impression on you."
Elena wasn't wrong - the memory of the bag covering her face and the belief she had not been going to make it back alive was still making her heart tighten painfully in fear. But she didn't want to make anyone more worried than they already were. It was a nice notion, to have people caring deeply for her, but Alexandra wasn't used to that.
Her parents and sister were far more reserved in showing their feelings. Only her aunt and Avery were open with that, but she hadn't been around them frequently enough to get used to it.
"It wasn't the most pleasant experience, but I am safe and sound, rescued just in time." she pointed out, smiling at the blonde reassuringly. "I will stay in bed for a few days and will be back to normal."
"I know you will be. But promise to talk with me if you feel the need?"
Alexandra couldn't refuse the request - Elena's pleading eyes held too much power for her to do so without feeling guilty about it afterwards. So she nodded her head, making sure of the sincerity shown on her face. The blonde was a bit hesitant in believing her, but anything she was about to say was cut short by Lizzie's arrival, cups of hot, steaming drinks balanced on the tray in her hands.
She wasn't going to admit it, but experience had a lot of impact on her.
The warmth slipping into her body from warm drink, thick covers and the fire from the fireplace made her realising more and more with every passing minute that she was safe, after all. There was a part of her mind that still couldn't fully grasp it, the memory of the overwhelming cold and hands gripping her, a knife scrapping over her skin with the promise of further harm and pain too alive and vivid in her mind. She couldn't shake the feeling that in the least expectant moment she would be waking up in that forest, on the frozen ground, imprisoned by her kidnappers, awaiting torture to come, all hope gone and forgotten in the face of looming danger.
But the tears didn't come until she was left alone in her room, Elena leaving to her own room after much prompting and Lizzie retiring only after making sure Alexandra had a drink on her bedstand in case she needed it during the night. And even though there was no one to hear her, as she was certain her maid was long asleep in her bed by now, she made sure no sound left her lips as she tried to get rid of the memories from her mind.