A New Life Awaits (Verity and Devon)

[Devon Sawyer - Council]

A new life awaits

w/ Verity Fairchild

• "We lock her in the cellar. Now." •

Devon stared into the coffer that held a large sum of coins. It had taken time, but it was filling up nicely and wasn't the only one that was stashed among the secret places scattered around London. The Rogues had worked hard to keep their dealings afloat as always and for the most part, it paid off. Helping others wasn't going to come free. The people of London couldn't afford to pitch in for their good works either when it was those very people they were trying to help out.  

"Boy, you coming up with that case or not?" he heard Bones calling impatiently from above.

Devon closed the wood planking in the wall to hide the coffer again, making sure it was hidden to anyone else that wasn't in the know. His eyes landed on several of the wooden crates that lay in the darkened space before finding the one that held the wine. Not the best kind of wine he'd ever had, but it certainly got you to a place of enjoyment when one didn't care so much on how they got there. "You don't pay me enough, Bones." 

He took two steps at a time with the case and dropped it down on the dirty bar top. Bones gave a wide smile of missing teeth and nodded towards him. "Took you long enough." Devon smirked back and sat on one of the stools to watch as the old man began stocking up for business which would be opening soon. "You boys up to anything lately?"

"Better you not know, Bones," he replied with a sigh, scratching at his chin. The barkeep nodded with a shrug, knowing it was usually the answer he received. Devon didn't want to involve him more with the Rogues' business when it wasn't necessary to make sure Bones would not be the target of the guards' attention. He did plenty enough for them all by giving them a place to stay when needed, hide anything they may have stolen, and the cellar below to have their meetings. "It'd bore you to death anyway." His teasing made the old man throw a rag at him which he ducked before heading towards the other side of the room where Milo sat, writing in their ledgers.

Devon gave a nod towards his friend in greeting and indication to tell him how the day and the numbers were looking. "That last job at Conners did well," Milo began explaining, his large dark eyes scanning over the paper. Devon grabbed a chair and spun it around to straddle across from him. "We'll prob make a little less at the mill, but things are up." He placed the quill down and rocked back on the chair he sat in before something out of the window caught his eye. Several people were stopped in the road and appeared to be gawking at the front door to the tavern. "What in the?" 

Standing, Devon went to the shutter and pushed it open more to see what the others were starting at. There on the ground was a woman who was covered in dirt and blood, her hair matted to her face, and nothing necessarily recognizable about her features because of it. He pushed away from the sill and ran over to the doors, pulling on them as Bones yelled across the space trying to figure out why he would be doing such a thing when the tavern wasn't opening.

The woman remained motionless and he wasn't even sure if she was alive then. Kneeling, Devon picked her up as Milo gathered what little belongings seemed to be with her, placing her down on one of the large round wooden tables inside. He pushed away some of her dark hair and lowered his face towards her nose, but felt no breath against his skin. "She dead?" Milo asked as they both stared.

"Or nearly," Devon replied until something drove him to gently move her lips aside in order to peer at her teeth. Milo looked at him as if he'd gone mad and he wouldn't be wrong to think so then. The blood over the woman's mouth made him cautious that perhaps she wasn't human at all. Grabbing the dagger sheathed at his boot, he ran the blade across his finger until a stream of blood appeared. He placed his hand at her lips and let a few of the droplets fall into her mouth as Bones had finally shuffled over to see what was happening as well. In an instant, the fangs that had been hidden dropped into place, though she remained still as the dead, making them all jump back as Milo cursed loudly. "Get the shackles. We lock her in the cellar. Now." And so they did.

[Verity Fairchild]

Complete and utter darkness was what surrounded her. Kept locked up and put in captivity, held against her will. For days, weeks, months or even years on end. Verity had lost count a long time against. By this point she was losing all sense of days. Not really knowing if it was day or night. It is what happens when you are kept in a dark place with barely any light coming through. Only what kept her going was still hanging onto any thread of hope that she was able to get out of this nightmare. After a while she had started to keep a track of the days, scratching lines on the walls. Making a tally. It wasn’t accurate. Some days she would be too out of it. That's what happened when being kept as a prionser. Feeling weak all of the time. She wasn’t too sure what was happening to her. Truth be told, all of it was just a blur. Verity was innocent, a victim. An easy target. A nobody. Who nobody remembered or cared about. Even when she first went missing, there was nobody who went looking for her. Verity was just another ghost, an innocent soul who was taken. She wouldn’t be missed by anyone. It proved right. Already forgotten by the world. It’s what made her an easy target. The day she was taken she was found wandering the streets having been just left in ruins after being kicked out by her last employer for something she wasn’t her fault.

For the last week she’d been trying to build up and preserve any strength she had. Plotting and planning her escape. Without knowing who or even what she was up against. All she was hanging onto was any thread of hope that she would be able to escape. It’s what was keeping her going these days. Verity didn’t have a plan exactly, just that she was going to keep on fighting. Today felt all different for some reason. Something wasn’t right. She didn’t know why but it’s how she felt. Unknowing to her but the Sanguine who had been holding her captive was starting to get sloppy. Verity was the longest human who he’s ever kept captive. All of the others hadn’t lasted as long as she. Verity was an anomaly. A fighter.

The Sanguine had grown tired of Verity. Her blood was getting less and less desirable. It comes to only using one blood supply for so long. Unknowing to him that Verity was starting to regain strength day by day. The Sanguine decided to turn her into a Sanguine just like himself for the sake of it. Thinking that she’d not make it through the transition process with how not many ones do. Yet she did. Verity fought back through all of the pain. Getting her payback by killing the one who locked her up. Winning back her freedom. All she could think of now was escaping, fleeing the hell she’d been locked up in for so long.

Pure, fresh and warm sunlight that was blinding her. Something she’d not seen for so long. Being trapped and imprssioned kept as a prisoner for however long. The sunlight was all too blinding. All her senses had gone haywire. She kept running and running trying to get as far away as possible. Soon as she entered the street all eyes were on her. People were all staring and whispering. With how others looked, she looked like a crazy woman. Right now that's what she was. Covered in blood, dirt. She quickly hurried and ran away from the main roads going to one of the side roads where she passed out. Unknowing to her that she was found by two men who took her away and locked her up. Thinking and believing that she would be a danger to others.

When Verity awoke she looked around to find that she was back in a dark room. In another cell. Looking down she saw that she was chained up. Just like before. Already she was starting to panic. Breathing or what was now classed as breathing to her now had become difficult. She might as well have been inside that cell again. Verity was panicking, trying to get out. Clawing and trying to pull at the chains and shackles that bound her. Screaming out of fear and hopelessness. Verity had barely managed to escape one prison to find herself yet again trapped in another.

[Devon Sawyer - Council]

A New Life Awaits

w/ Verity Fairchild

• What happened to you? •

"I don't know what to tell you. Yes, she fell outside of the door about an hour ago." The guards had been summoned by one of the concerned onlookers who had seen the young woman covered in blood and stumbling through the crowded streets. Now they were on a manhunt to find her and that tended to never go well when the crown got involved. They would no doubt think she was an escaped slave and throw her to whatever Lord claimed her first.

But he knew different. The markings on her wrist were very familiar to him. Raw, unhealed skin and deep bruising. The telltale signs of someone who had been chained up for an extended period of time. The teeth though... that would surely cause for problems when one of the Lords decided to have a look at those.

"Girl's probably dead by now. Lying somewhere in a gutter. She looked bad off." He eyed the young guard. Devon had to be at least ten years his senior if not more and he wondered what made him so anxious to prove himself. Probably just joined up with the king's men and felt he had to make it known he was just as good as the man standing next to him who had the experience. That and to keep from being removed from his station. Working for the king meant a steady pouch of coins. "Locked the door and stayed out of it when I saw her. Not my business. Can't say what happened to her from there. Like I said, gutter."

The young knight turned his nose up at him as if to remind Devon he was not the better man between them. It only made him smirk. "We'll see about that."

Devon gave a quick glance at Milo across the way before the swarm of men moved further into the bar and began their search. Nothing they weren't prepared for. Naturally, all their product was stored in the secret hideaways around the place. Below floorboards, behind walls, and other spots the eye would tend to miss. Bones, the actual owner of The Heathen's Cup where the Rogues conducted their affairs, continued wiping down the top of the bar as if this was a mild inconvenience cutting into his business. The only moment that made him worry was when the headed into they cellar.

He couldn't follow. As expected, he, Milo, and Bones were to remain frozen to their current spots while the guards searched. Devon only hoped the girl was still unconscious in the hidden room otherwise there would be no way to talk his way out of that. The seconds seemed like hours, the minutes likes days, but finally the Captain came up and told them to leave. The young guard who had given Devon trouble from the start was visibly nursing his ego which made the Rogue grin as he folded his arms over his chest and watched him join the rest as they finally left the bar.

"Bloody close," Milo said, his shoulders slumping from the tension he had been feeling. Devon sighed and gave a nod towards his friend as he headed down into the cellar to see about the girl.

Jogging down the stairs, it was just as quiet as before the guards had been there. He moved aside a few of the wine casks to then pull on a single candle sconce on the wall. This unlocked a board in the wall which he pushed forward to step through. There, another small space opened up to where the Rogues kept most of the rewards they were able to get after a job. Ten paces from there was a door and the sound of the young woman who seemed to be attempting to get free from her bonds.

Devon came up to the door and peered inside the small opening which was barred. The shackles were still holding her which was a good sign, but the fact that she was now screaming was not. "Hey!" he called to grab her attention. "You keep that up and we're all dead, including you." He could see the fear in her eyes, but more human than monster. "I don't plan on hurting you, but your voice kind of carries, and the people that would hurt you are not very far off, so keep it down." Devon shifted his weight to try and get a better view of her as it was very dark inside and the only visible light was coming from the small room behind him. Monster or not, she clearly had been through something awful, but he wasn't going to take his chances either. "What happened to you?"

[Verity Fairchild]

She’d barely escaped one prison before finding herself back in another one. Already the paranoia was setting in. Finding herself back locked up once again. A part of her wishes to have died back at the hands of the one she held captive before. Verity didn’t know she could withstand any more torture physically and mentally. Feeling herself drained. Verity couldn’t remember how she’d gotten here. Her memory was still all foggy to put together the pieces. All she could remember was getting out, being free then the sunlight was so dazzling. She tried to get to somewhere quieter away but she was feeling so weak she’d passed. Then awoke to find herself here. Chained up once again. Confined to a small space. Kept locked away like a caged animal. How the tables had turned. That she was once a respectful and virtuous woman. Now she felt like a ruined woman. A nobody. 

With any ounce of energy she had left she tried to trash against the chains that bound her from escaping. She’d even tried to scream, making any noise for anyone to hear her hoping that she could be saved. Unknowingly that the screaming could draw the wrong attention to the wrong people. She was now only acting on instincts for survival. Verity nearly jumped out of her skin hearing a voice shouting to her. At first she didn’t know which direction it was coming from. With how dark the room was it was hard to differentiate. Too she had heard faint voices earlier it made her wonder if it was one of them. Her eyes widened as the male yelled, shouting her warning her to be quiet. That the screaming could draw the wrong attention. There was little recognition in her eyes. “I was taken… taken off the streets by a man. He locked me up for a long time then I took my only chance to escape then I found myself locked up again” Her voice was hoarse, low and gravely. It was like she’d forgotten how to speak. 

“Please let me go, I’m innocent. There’s only so much I can endure” She pleaded her innocence. Unaware  the reason why she was locked up this time was that she was being seen as a monster. Verity knew she couldn’t cope being locked up again. There was only so much torture she could take for a lifetime.  

[Devon Sawyer - Council]

A New Life Awaits

w/ Verity Fairchild

• He'd heard they were also at their worst when they were first made. •

Devon remained quiet as the battered young woman whimpered out her words, his eyes shifting to watch her. He was pretty damn good at being a judge of character and definitely when someone was trying to spin a false tale to him. It was a necessity of a skill when it came to being a Rogue. Especially when he was the one that had to also be a good liar as well. He wasn't rightly sure if monsters were any better at being deceitful, but he wasn't going to put it past her. He had had enough run ins with them to know they had abilities far beyond that of humans.

From what he knew of sanguine, they were strong, could see better in the dark than animals that were born for it. They moved faster than could be seen by his own eyes and even those who weren't human. Then there was the little bit about needing to drink blood to stay alive or whatever it was they were considered to be after facing death. Definitely not the kind of creature anyone would want to come across on a late stroll when it was hungry. Or maybe even when it wasn't looking for a meal. 

Devon's head noted the condition she was in. Normally, her kind should've been able to break free with fair ease from her shackles. She also didn't seem acutely aware of where he stood when he first came up to the door as if she needed to adjust her sight in the darkness. Putting it all together, he was starting to think she was just recently turned into... this. He'd heard they were also at their worst when they were first made. Something he kept to the forefront of his mind.

Still, his hand slid into the pocket of his pants, pulling out the iron ring of keys. Slipping one into the lock, he let the door swing open widely before kneeling down, keeping himself from coming into the dark makeshift cell she now sat in. He wasn't about to take the risk stupidly. 

Light from the window behind him spilled over his shoulder and into the blackness where it barely reached the girl. "As I said, I'm not going to hurt you, but I'm going to have to ask you a few questions first and believe me, it's for everyone's good, including your own." He sat back on his heels, taking a moment to ensure he wouldn't make this too uncomfortable for her, knowing she had probably been through a nightmare.

"That bruising doesn't look fresh," he started, motioning quickly with his fingers towards the markings on her wrists that were still visible despite the new bindings on her. "Did he keep you awhile?" Devon's head motioned slightly more inside of the room to get a better look at her. "What.. did he do to you exactly while you were kept there?" He sighed before continuing, his voice going slightly deeper. "You can be honest. No matter how strange it might sound. Or horrible."

[Verity Fairchild]

All of it was still a blur, not being able to piece together what was real and not real. Her own head and mind felt heavy; it was all just so foggy all of it. Like an endless dream and endless nightmare she was still trying to escape from. Verity was keeping to the shadows at the darker part of the room or more so the cell she was in. The light that was coming in from the small window was still straining her eyes. Being so used to complete darkness. Verity was surprised how the stranger who was keeping her now captive unlocked the door and peered to question her. It was strange to hear voices after being in solitude for so long. The stranger reassured her that he was not going to hurt her but wanted to ask questions. Still she felt nervous, at unease. He spotted the bruising and faint scars on her wrist, pointing it out. The shackle marks were still there, it showed how deep and long she suffered. “It felt like an eternity” She spoke, her voice still sounded strained from not speaking for so long. “I don’t know how long I was kept locked up for. I know it was more than days, weeks or even months” At the start she would scratch on the wall marks to tally up the days but as more time passed the more she’d given up hope of escaping she stopped. That’s when she started to feel a piece of herself slipping away. 

Verity wasn’t sure what to say or how to explain it all. Still she is unsure of it. “I was out walking the streets, I was looking for a place to stay for the night. I had been let go from my last place of work, I was homeless. I never knew at the time that someone was following me. All I remember was I was hit over the head and when I woke up I was locked up in a place just like this one.  Hung up with shackles keeping me from escaping” Her eyes glanced down around the cell and to the new shackles that she bore on her wrists. History was repeating itself. “I was locked up in that place for a long time. I was starved and used as a play thing, for him to use and abuse over and over again” She still felt the trickling fear and shame at the same time. For next part Verity wasn’t sure how to explain yet the stranger before her told her to say what happened even though it might sound, this was one of those things. “The man did other things to me” Verity started to say, unsure that what she wasn’t to tell was even real or just the craziness of isolation was making her think what happened. “He bit me, and was drinking my blood. It was like I was being drained. Only making me weaker and weaker. Until he started to get fed up with me, he fed me some of his blood” It all sounded so strange to say out loud even. “After that all I remember was feeling so much pain then I lost control. I think I killed the man who locked me up. I escaped and ran away then I passed out and you found me” This was all she knew and could remember, choosing to tell him all of it in hopes she can be freed and to get out of this never ending nightmare she’s been living.

[Devon Sawyer - Council]

A New Life Awaits

w/ Verity Fairchild

• Devon knew she was going to need to have blood sooner rather than later. •

Devon sighed shortly once she had finished giving him further details on her captivity. Disgust worked its way through his middle, a mix of hot anger and sympathy for the young woman was there too. This monster had taken an innocent girl and did unspeakable things while she remained his prisoner. He supposed the sanguine must've seen something special in this girl to keep her around for so long or perhaps it was the ease of getting an easy meal that led to her unfortunate confinement. The only upside that came from her words was the fact that she believed she'd killed him. He hoped so. Good riddance.

The question now was.. What to do with her? He didn't know a fucking thing about what sanguine needed when they were turned. He shifted his weight as he knelt in quiet thought, still having not said anything in response to her story while he tried to think of the best course of action. Devon knew she was going to need to have blood sooner rather than later. He didn't want to be on the receiving end of her getting a little edgy when that other side of her started to overtake the human temperament. 

His cautious eyes flicked quickly to the rusted chain that held her which would become pointless at any passing minute. It's not like letting her go was a choice either when she would undoubtedly kill others if she didn't fully understand what was happening. He internally cursed. She didn't even know what she'd become. 

Devon stood and the keys jingled in his grip as he leaned against the doorframe. Being chained up likely didn't help his argument when he promised not to cause her harm. He forced himself to relax his shoulders and remember she was just a broken woman right now, terrified and confused. He made up his mind and slowly entered the small room. "I'm going to unchain you, but you can't try and run, understand?" Not that he thought she could really get anywhere fast currently. "Guards are patrolling the area and they'll take you to one of the forts nearby to be sold off or worse. I'll bring you upstairs to a room so you can wash and change. We'll talk more after." 

He moved slowly as not to scare her, but he wasn't letting his guard down either. The worn key slid into the lock and he twisted it, letting the shackles drop heavily to the dusty floor. Pocketing the ring, Devon offered his rough hands to her to see if she could stand or if he would have to carry her through the tavern and hopefully before the doors opened to the public. His eyes softened being so close to her and seeing the damage to her body. "My name's Devon, by the way. What's yours?"