The Fourth Lord

Please Just Stay

   It had been almost a week and a half since Y/n had visited Karl's factory. She didn't feel unsafe, she just didn't really know how to process everything she learned. Karl is immortal and much older than she originally thought, he was taking people from the village and other places and performing awful experiments on them, Mother Miranda was behind it all, and he had psionic powers because of her. None of it felt real, but she had to admit she missed him. He was fun to be around. A loud thud was heard at the door, causing Y/n to jump; she walked over briskly and opened the door to find a small metal cup on the ground. A smile crept onto her face as she picked it up, seeing what was inside: the brandy that she usually drank with Karl.
   On the side of the cup was carved "come back?" with a tiny sad face. Y/n took a deep breath before grabbing her coat and making her way to Karl's factory. Once there, she wasn't surprised to see him standing there waiting for her. She stopped a few feet away from his outstretched arms, causing his smile to falter.
   "I'm glad you came, but you don't seem happy to be here." His face was mostly hidden behind his sunglasses and his hat tilted low, but Y/n could see pain on his face. "Why did you stop coming?" Y/n's face paled and tears sprung to her eyes; something was terribly wrong and Karl knew it. He rushed forward to hold her and wipe tears from her face, begging her to tell him what happened.

   Last week, when Y/n was leaving his factory, someone had followed her home. It wasn't anyone she recognized, filling her with a fear she hadn't known since....well, in a while.
   "Who are you? What are you doing here?" She tried hard to keep the fear out of her voice but failed, making the stranger laugh. He was tall, blonde with blue eyes, and had a thick German accent, but that's all she could remember about him.
   "I've seen you...in that place, that..that....hell. With him, the Devil himself. You love him, don't you?" Y/n opened her mouth to deny it but was interrupted by a heavy slap to the face, splitting her cheek. "Don't speak to me, whore! You've bedded with him, haven't you? You want to carry his child, his demon spawn into this world? Why? Are humans not good enough for you? Have you ever even been with a human, or are you only attracted to abominations?!" The stranger hit her again, with his fist this time, causing her to cry out and stumble backwards. He advanced, striking her again and again, grabbing her roughly and dragging her around, tearing her clothes. Y/n was terrified for her life; she couldn't decide if the people in the village were ignoring her, or if they knew the man and sent him to her. By the time he left, she was bloody and bruised, her face swollen and covered in blood. She lay on the floor for hours, barely conscious until she managed to drag herself up and into her bed, where she slept for nearly two days.

   Y/n was sobbing as she recounted the events of that night, her tears streaking through makeup and revealing bruises and healing cuts all over her face. Where had she even gotten makeup, Karl wondered. But that thought only lasted a second, anger and regret passing through him like a hurricane. Behind his glasses, tears were welling up in his eyes; he blamed himself. He should have been there for her, should have protected her, but how could he? She won't stay...she will now.
   "Y/n, listen to me. I know we haven't known each other for very long, but I care about you, immensely. I will go to your house and gather your things, but you are staying here, at the factory with me where I can keep you safe. As long as you are associated with me in any way, you will always be in danger. I will not take no for an answer." Karl's voice was firm, the pain hidden well behind it. Y/n hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest, sobbing so hard she almost threw up. Karl helped her inside, taking her to his quarters where he helped her onto the bed so she could rest. He needed help, and he knew who to ask, but hated the idea. Once Y/n was taken care of, he headed to the phone and dialed the number.
   "Hello?" Her sultry, elegant voice responded.
   "Hey, it's Heisenberg. I know we hate each other but I need your help, I have this...this friend who's hurt and I have no idea how to help her." Karl said through clenched teeth.
   "Her? Oooh, Karl, do you finally have someone to share all your secrets with?" Dimitrescu laughed, causing anger to seep even further into Karl's heart. "Alright, but it'll cost you. A lot." She hung up before he could even respond. Karl paced outside of his bedroom door for some time before Lady Dimitrescu arrived with a small care package in her arms. Karl silently led her to his room where Y/n had just woken from a nap.
   "L-lady Dimitrescu? It's an honor to meet you-" Dimitrescu waved a hand, silencing her.
   "Save the formalities, dear, I'm here to help. Karl, go get me a bowl of water, and some cloths, will you?" Karl ran off to fetch what she needed. As soon as he was gone, Lady Dimitrescu's demeanor changed. "To be truthful, I'm glad my idiot brother has you. Even if you aren't anything now, he has someone to care about which he has needed for quite some time. I may never find anyone, but I became alright with that a long time ago. Karl is...different. He had a wife once, a very long time ago, and she was taken from him. Murdered by a jealous suitor. I wouldn't be surprised if he takes to you like he took to her. You look like her. Almost exact." Karl came back in with the bowl and cloths, and Lady Dimitrescu began her work of cleaning and bandaging all of Y/n's wounds. Everyone was silent while she worked, but Y/n's mind was racing with questions. Karl had a wife? Did they have kids? What was her name? Her thoughts were interrupted by Karl setting a hand on her shoulder.
   "Are you hungry? I can make you something, anything. What would you like?" His voice was soft, his yellow eyes oddly comforting to Y/n. She shrugged, telling him whatever he wanted to cook, and Karl beemed happily. He wanted to make her his favorite dish: homemade chicken pot pie. Simple, and totally unelegant, but he loved it and wanted to share with her. Their first dinner together went like a date, getting to know more, lots of laughing and smiling, and eventually Karl left her to fall asleep in his bed. He went off somewhere else in his factory to begin his new work: finding whoever hurt her, and bringing them to his factory.

Hey Guys! Sorry I've been gone for so long, but I will do my best to get this going again!