Kidnapped|Book 4|A novel in the Blue Moon series| An Avengers fan fiction series|

17- Agony

Hey, hey, hey, it's Sierra! 

Get ready for another sad chapter. :(

~Music~

Fallen (Adrian von Ziegler) (he's great, if you haven't noticed)

Chapter 17

 

The palace of Ardhigiza is alit with happiness. Servants and courtiers walk through the gleaming, half-marble, half-wooden halls, and chatter rings through, even at the lateness of the hour. Light from the moon filters through the stained glass, through the waterfalls that still pour over the walls and in little rivets on the floor.

Up on the second floor, sprawled out on a chair, his feet kicked up, Videl lies. He's very pleased with himself, having just escaped from Earth by way of Kyle making the mistake of opening the door for half a second. Now, he is holding a piece of paper and inspecting both it and his fingernails in turn.

At this moment, Amara walks by. She is dressed in a nightgown. Velah rarely sleep, unless they have exerted themselves, and she doesn't look even remotely tired.

"What are you doing here?" She demands.

"I," says Videl cockily, "Am waiting for a message from dear Lifolas."

"Where has he gone? He left without a trace. "Lify doesn't often leave like this."

Videl looks extremely unperturbed. "He was running an errand for me. Seeing as I have been- had been- imprisoned. I suspect he will be here at any moment. We were to meet here."

"Why? You and he barely agreed on anything. Why should he help you? And why do you require his aid?"

Videl is about to reply when a piercing scream echoes from the third floor. In an instant, he has sprung from his chair, dropping the paper as he does so, and bounded up the stairs, Amara right behind him.

There is a large crowd of Velah outside Archer and Linthria's bed chamber, most still in their night clothes. A maid is frantically gesturing around, her long, bright-white hair shining in the light.

Videl does not spare them a look, but his chest clenches in fear as he throws open the door to his brother's room. Hands try to stop him, but he pushes them aggressively away, and stalks into the room, where the sounds of a crying baby can be heard.

It is dark, but Videl has no need for light to see two shapes lying on the bed. Archer is spread sideways, his arms hanging off the bed and his head sideways, limp as a ragdoll. Blood still runs from the gushing wound in his chest, where a knife is protruding, staining his nightshirt and the sheets around him. His red eyes are still wide open, and a trickle of red stems from his partially opened mouth. Beside him is Linthria, likewise still and bloodily destroyed, her hair hanging around her like a curtain.

Videl's eyes widen, his breath coming quickly, and as the thunder and lightning outside the room cast himself in a turbulent light, he falls to his knees and lets out an agonized scream.

Saliva drips from his lips as panting, he looks up, his amber eyes furious and pained, like a tortured animal. He has spotted the source of the cool breeze in the room, an open window, the curtains still blowing like a mocking wave. Next to the open window is a cradle, from which the sounds of a crying child are still heard.

Stumbling slightly, Videl walks to the cradle. Inside is a baby, a newborn, with a fuzzy mop of black hair on her head. Her eyes are bright red, and are the precise shape of her father's. She is splaying her little arms around, crying piercingly and making Videl's ears ring.