Elegant (Wolffe)

6

Tw: Language, violence, blood, kidnapping?

✨ Family drama ✨ 

"What do you mean, she's gone?"

Isla didn't even look up at him, sipping at her wine. "I don't know what you don't understand. She's probably off hiding in a closet. She does that when she's 'stressed' or something."

Wolffe took a deep breath to calm himself. "I left yesterday after leaving her in her room. She was dizzy so she sent me home saying she wasn't going to leave her room. Did someone break into her room?"

Isla shrugged. "I didn't see her again after I sent her outside."

"You sent her outside?" Wolffe's voice dropped. "She was dizzy and could barely stand."

"And I'm supposed to know everything about her?" Isla examined her nails, running her tongue over her teeth. "I'm too busy for that."

Busy doing what? Neglecting her daughter? Negotiating with the Republic, when Wolffe knew there hadn't been any meetings yet?

But Wolffe kept his thoughts to himself.

"Apologies. I'll find her," Wolffe promised her.

"No need." Isla waved her hand. "She'll turn up. She always does."

Wolffe grit his teeth under his helmet and nodded before storming out of the room. "Bitch," he muttered to himself as soon as he was alone.

And he felt some satisfaction.

Karina was happy the dizziness was strangely gone. That was a plus. It was probably the only plus, but you can't always win.

"Hello, Karina." Lilith stepped into Karina's blurry vision with a smile. "Have a nice nap?"

"What do you want?" Karina pushed herself to her feet, noting that her binders were gone. "Because I can promise that my parents won't pay any ransom you send their way."

"Oh, honey," Lilith simpered, "I know that. I rescued you from them."

"By kidnapping me?" Karina asked incredulously. She tried her best to look intimidating, aware of how much shorter she was than Lilith.

"And I wanted to meet you!" Lilith clapped her hands happily, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "I've heard so much about you, it's almost like you're my sister!"

Karina narrowed her eyes. "Who's been telling you about me?"

"Me."

Black hair, long legs, small, beady eyes. That was what stood in the doorway.

Karina paled. "You."

Memories of her childhood came flashing back. The time her hair was cut while she was sleeping and she got in trouble, the time soup was spilled on her dress and she apparently was to blame, and the blatant favouritism.

Her brother walked into the room, his grin the same after all these years. He kissed Lilith before stepping back, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "Did you miss me, sister?"

"Of course, Lucas," Karina lied, plastering a smile on her face. "How could I not miss my brother?"

Lilith giggled, placing a hand on Lucas's chest, showing off the ring on her finger. "He ran away to be with me! We got married!"

Karina stared for a moment. "I always knew you were stupid, but I never thought you were this stupid."

Lucas sneered. "Shut your kriffing mouth. What we have planned for you doesn't involve you talking. At all."

Karina's lips thinned as she fell silent.

"Good. We're going to kill you," Lucas revealed. "Then we're going to kill my parents. Then the Eclipse will rule!"

Karina squinted at him. "What part of that is a plan? I just heard a bunch of nonsense come out of your mouth. How does killing me accomplish anything?"

"If you're dead our parents won't join the Republic! They'll think the Republic can't protect anyone and will join the Separatists! Then in all the chaos of war coming here, the Eclipse will swoop in and take over!" Lucas puffed out his chest proudly.

Karina pinched the bridge of her nose. "How are you going to kill our parents? There's guards everywhere!"

Lucas deflated. "We'll... attack them with weapons!"

"Brilliant!" Lilith kissed Lucas again. "You're a genius!"

"So now I'm going to kill you." Lucas raised a blaster at Karina's head before pulling the trigger.

Karina squeezed her eyes shut as pain took over all her senses. She fell backwards with a shout and looked down before laughing.

"I can't believe you missed!" Karina stared at the blaster wound on her shoulder, blood bubbling out of it. "I'm two metres away!"

"Don't listen to her." Lilith flashed Karina a look of pure hatred. "That was a difficult shot. Let's leave her here to bleed out like she deserves. A slow, agonizing death."

So Karina turned her head away as Lilith and Lucas glared at her before leaving, not even locking the door. She briefly wondered how such idiots managed to do anything before forcing herself into a standing position.

She hobbled toward the door, the throbbing pain in her shoulder causing her vision to swim. Karina managed to walk out of the room and into a hallway, slowly and carefully making her way through it.

She exited out through a large door into the outside world, face immediately stung by the snow falling from the sky. She shivered as she trudged through the snow, looking back at the building before continuing on her way.

She had no idea where she was going, just that she needed to get away from her brother and his insane wife. It pushed her to keep going even though she knew it was stupid not to seek immediate medical attention.

But what could she do?

Then she saw someone up ahead, standing motionless at the edge of a forest with snow pelting their back.

"What a karking weirdo," Karina whispered to herself.

"Hello?" The stranger seemed to see her and walked closer. "Are you okay?"

Karina warily watched them get closer, feeling blood drip down her shoulder into the snow. "Yes, I'm fine."

They tilted their head. "It doesn't look like it."

"Well I'm fine," Karina curtly said. 

They were now close enough for Karina to make out their features. Brown hair, a freckled face and a black cloak draped over a lithe form. "I'm Nicky."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Karina responded, not giving up her own name. "But I really must be going now-"

"You must be so cold," Nicky softly said, draping his cloak over her. "It's freezing out."

"Yes, but-"

"I have a house nearby with a roaring fire inside, let's warm you up." Nicky gently guided her to the forest.

"I-"

"Oh, and I'll take care of that nasty little scrape," Nicky said, eyeing her shoulder.

"I'd love to but-"

"Splendid!" Nicky cut her off. "I'll get you something to eat and you'll be on your way!"

"Actually-" This time Karina didn't get interrupted, but got lightheaded from the blood loss. She tipped to the side and was swept up by Nicky. "Oh, no, I can walk."

"It's not a problem." Nicky clicked his tongue. "And it's really not that far, let's get you there quickly."

Karina was too tired to fight it and weakly nodded, watching as her dripping blood made a trail in the snow as he carried her.