The Archives of the Greedy

Requested: ~What Did He Do To Deserve That?~ Captain Lawless

August 11th, 1754
(Louis is 7 in this case)

New York

Louis peeked over his hiding spot; behind a wagon. Him and his friends had gotten bored that day and decided to do a little bit of Hide 'n Seek. His dark blues glazed over the landscape his grandparents owned. Ever since Louis' father stormed out one night when he was still a baby, his mother lost the house they used to live in. She resorted to living with her parents instead. But the good part was that Louis got to see his grandparents all the time. But there was also bad news... some man, who Louis doesn't even know, had gotten his mother pregnant. He couldn't help but overthink it everyday... she just came home one night and...

Louis tucked a strand of his dark brown hair behind his ear. The faded freckles on his cheeks stood out more in the sunlight. The sound of footsteps coming up from behind Louis caused him to smile, thinking that one of his friends had found him. When he glanced over his shoulder, his cheeky smile dropped.

"What do we have here?" Louis' eyes widened when a man dressed in black and white raised a musket towards his face. Frightened, Louis jumped up and ran. He had to warn his grandparents and mother - even his friends! But Louis knew better. He was too far from the house and he definitely wouldn't reach them in time. He and his friends were playing in the treeline - which was at least a 15 minute walk from the house. When he had glanced over his shoulder to see if the stranger was chasing after him, another male, dressed in black and red, popped out from behind a tree. Louis didn't notice the man until he had stuck out his foot and tripped him, sending him to the ground. His face almost making contact with a tree root. Louis laid there in the dirt, sore. His hands were scratched up and so was his face. And who knows if he skinned his legs either.

The feeling of a rough hand flipping Louis onto his back made him tense up. Were these poachers? If so, why target an innocent boy who did no wrong? And where were his friends? "You look... familiar. Where have I seen you before?" Louis glared up at the green eyed and dark brown haired man that stood before him. He didn't seem that tall, however. Maybe 5.9? When the supposed 'poacher' was about to touch Louis' face - for some unknown reason - Louis built up all the confidence he had and spat in the stranger's face. The man slowly brought up a hand and wiped the spit off with his face with a frown.

"Ohhh, that wasn't very nice."
"Let me go!"
"Look at that! He can speak!"
"Smart for a child like him."
"Spirited too!"

The green eyed man had grabbed Louis by the arm as hard as he possibly could and dragged the boy to a nearby tree. Grabbing Louis by the collar of his shirt, the male picked him up and pinned him up against the tree whilst holding him with two hands by the neck. Two men stood by the green eyed 'poacher's' side and stared at Louis' frightened expression. "We have questions for your elders. Only tell us where they are, boy, and you can go." The stranger in black and white took a small step forward. "Best do as he asks, child." Louis couldn't even choke out a word. He couldn't even breathe! "I could snap your neck, you know. A little more pressure and POP! The sad little flame of your life extinguished." The man brought his face up closer to Louis', his breath stunk of some type of food. "You are nothing. A speck of dust. You and your mother. Living here like animals, oblivious to the true ways of this cruel world!" Louis' eyes started to tear up - and not just from fear.

"The wiser among you recognize the shape of the future. People throw themselves at our feet and beg for mercy." The man's eyes curiously looked Louis up and down. "But not you, it seems. No... you and your mother cling desperately to your ways. Too ignorant to go back and find her 'husband'." Louis gasped when the green eyed male's eyes glowed a light gold colour. He smirked at Louis' reaction and his expression soon turned to a soft one. "But I am not unkind." His hands released from Louis' throat, dropping him onto the ground. The black and white dressed male adjusted the musket in his hands. "And so I spare you, that you may carry word to your mother. Let her know the sooner we are given what we seek, the sooner you can return to your empty and pathetic lives. A fair trade, is it not?" Louis ran a hand across his neck before he raised his head. "What.. is your name?" The man grinned and placed his hands on his hips.

"Seven Reed. Why do you ask?"
"So I can find you."

Seven's mouth turned into an 'oh' shape and his expression held fake worry. "I look forward to it." Seven gave Louis a wink. "Captain." He muttered under his breath, motioning with a hand toward Louis. The man with the musket got the message and made his way over to Louis - who was still recovering on the ground. When he looked up, he was met with the butt of the musket slamming onto his forehead.

---

Once Louis had awoken, the sky was dark and his vision wasn't quite right. He put a hand on the tree he was pinned up against and used that to stabilize himself. His forehead ached and he knew there was a bruise there. But he couldn't waste anymore time. He had to get back home. Louis managed to get himself up and started jogging at first before he broke out into a sprint. A guilty feeling welled up in his stomach when he saw both the stables and the house on fire. He kept muttering under his breath as he drew closer. Was his grandparents okay? Yes, they were. They were standing out on the road, watching what they built years ago get demolished by the flames. Were his friends okay? Probably. Was his mother okay? Louis didn't know. He hasn't seen her yet.

Louis ran around the house, calling out for his guardian. When he didn't hear her respond, he thought of the worst. That was until he could hear crying and coughing coming from the stables. Louis' eyes went wide and he wasted no time in sprinting down to the burning building.

Vera could see her son running down to the stables with his hair in his face. She shook her head and tried to crawl out from the wooden plank that landed on her legs and kept her trapped in the corner. A few tears escaped from her eyes as she leaned her head against the wall. There was no getting out of this. She was leaving everyone and everything behind. The sound of small footsteps caused Vera to look back at the entrance of the stable to see Louis coming towards her. When he noticed the situation she was in, he immediately got down onto his knees, trying his best to move the wooden plank. However, it didn't even move an inch. Vera tried to grab her son's shoulder. "No, my son. You must leave. Now, please!" Louis furrowed his brows, still trying to move the plank. "Not without you!" He cried, hissing when a splinter stabbed into his hand. "It's too late for that." Vera whispered.

Once she got the chance, she grabbed Louis' hand and brought him closer to her. The tears in his eyes broke her heart instantly. She knew that he knew it was over. Vera caressed Louis' right cheek while her other hand combed through his hair. She looked over his face for any more signs of bruises after she saw the one that was on his forehead. "You must be brave, Louis. You must be brave." Louis shook his head and grabbed the hand that was combing through his hair. Vera took that hand out of his grip and took out the skinny black ribbon that was keeping her hair together. She wrapped it around Louis' wrist and tied it before taking the same hand and placing it on his chest, near his heart. "Stop this, stop this!" He tried to pull away, but Vera wouldn't let him. "You will think yourself alone, but know that I will be holding onto your wrist. Always and forever." Vera wiped a tear that slid down Louis' cheek before she looked up, seeing her father walking over to Louis with a fast pace.

She leaned forward and planted a kiss on his hair. He was about to reach out to touch her face one last time but it was cut short when his grandfather grabbed him from under the armpits and dragged him away. "N-no! Stop! LET ME GO! LET ME SAVE HER!" Vera gave a warm smile to her son one last time, placing her hand on her stomach.

"I love you, Louis."