Fading Colors in Shadow

The Descent Into Darkness

The guard deposited her right outside her house. Camille stared at it a little in surprise, as though she realized it was probably the last time she would see it for the next year. She looked at the guard, who nodded to her.

"Go on," she gestured to the door. "I'll be heading back for a bit. Someone else will come to pick you up."

"Are you sure you should be leaving me alone?" Camille asked skeptically. "I am technically a criminal now."

The guard smiled. "You could try to run, but I assure you that you won't get far. News of this sort travels fast in Fontaine." The guard turned to leave. "Monsieur Neuvillette mentioned that there was someone who would want to take you down to the Fortress themselves."

Camille didn't know what to make of that. "I... is that so."

The guard waved a hand as she left, and Camille realized she hadn't even asked her for her name. Camille turned around to look at her house, and took a deep breath. She opened the door.

And immediately staggered back as someone crushed her in a bear hug.

"Mom?"

Her mom's arms around her tightened. "I'm sorry, I couldn't bear to see your trial." Her mom pulled back, and Camille held her by the shoulders. At times like this, her mom looked really small. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but she was smiling, as though she knew that if she broke down, Camille would too.

A pang went through Camille's heart as she realized her mom would be all alone now. Camille placed a hand over the one her mother had on her cheek. "It's all fine."

"How long is your sentence?"

Camille's lips twitched upward. "One year. You didn't even consider the thought that I might get off, did you?"

She smiled too. "No. The Iudex is notorious for being fair and for doing things by the book."

Camille nodded, remembering how prim and proper he seemed as the Chief Justice. "Mom?"

"Yes, dear?"

"What did I do wrong?" Camille's voice broke and her eyes filled with tears, and her mom wiped them for her, being the ever-loving presence she always was.

"You didn't do anything wrong," she said soothingly. "You were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and so was the stalker. It was a case of bad luck. Just bad luck."

She hugged her again, and the doorbell rang. Camille stared at the door, dread pooling in her stomach. Her mother, still with an arm around her, headed for the door, and pushed it open.

"Camille, correct?" asked the person outside. His hair was messy and black, a coat hung from his shoulders, and a handcuff was clipped to the side of his belt. Scars were on his throat and under his eye.

"Well, you've got quite the escort," said Camille's mother. Camille stared at him, knowing who he was. One wouldn't see him out in the city that often, but everyone knew who he was. Her eyes fixed on the scars at his throat. What did it mean for her, that he had personally come to escort her to the Fortress?

"Duke Wriothesley," she said, her mouth feeling a little dry.

He nodded. "Time to go. I trust you've said your farewells?" He took out his handcuffs and spun them in his hand, and Camille turned back to her mom.

She took a second to look at her house again, at the paint-splattered walls, the lamps she'd bought because they were beautiful, the photo on the fireplace of her entire family, living and dead. "Goodbye, mom," she said, stepping out the door with a sort of finality.

Her mother smiled at her before she closed the door, and Camille swore that the moment the door closed, she could hear a heartbroken sob. Camille closed her eyes as she heard her mother's footsteps fade away.

"Considering you were crying as well, I don't think you should be surprised she's breaking down too," said Wriothesley, a wistful look on his face as he looked at the door one last time. He headed down the street, clearly expecting Camille to follow, and follow she did. Wriothesley clipped his handcuffs back to his side, and Camille's eyes followed the movement, wondering why she wasn't cuffed yet. Wriothesley noticed her gaze. "Neuvillette said to treat you with respect, but also not to tell you that."

"You just disobeyed him," she said dryly.

"Ah yes. But no one will believe you."

She sighed and hurried to catch up with him, staying one step behind him. "What's the Fortress like?" She'd only ever heard rumors. Not many people spoke about the Fortress, and the whole place was autonomous. Not even Neuvillette had much power there.

"You'll see," he said simply. "You'll be spending a good amount of time there after all."

They passed a busy street, but not one person stopped to gawk at him or her. It was almost as if they were invisible. "Do you think I did something wrong?" she asked, wincing at how vulnerable she sounded. She looked at herself in the shop window's reflection, wondering what she'd look like when she was out of the Fortress. She would be at least 22 years old then.

"As the Duke, I am obliged to say yes. As Wriothesley, no." He slowed down so that they were walking side by side. "There are no rules when you're fighting for your life. It's not like you committed first-degree murder. Although it's not often when someone ends up at the Fortress for self-defence." He looked at her. "And considering what I ended up at the Fortress for..."

Camille nodded. She heard that he had been there for murder. People still talked about his trial, how he had accepted all charges right off the bat, and how Neuvillette was strangely quiet in his trial. "You were ridding the world of evil. I was protecting myself."

"No, dearest. I was getting revenge," he said with a strange softness. He led her to the back of the opera house, and didn't say anything else as a hole opened in the ground and an elevator appeared. A drop of water fell on Camille's head, and she looked up, surprised at how quickly the weather changed. It was bright and sunny minutes ago, and now there was a downpour, as though the sky was crying for her because she wouldn't. "It's raining."

Wriothesley nodded and looked up. "It rained after my trial too. This will probably be the last time you see the rain or the sun in the next year. Savor it."

Camille looked up at the pouring sky. "Hydro dragon, hydro dragon, don't cry," she said softly. She took one last glance at the sea and the sky, before Wriothesley ushered her in, where they headed into the darkness.

*****************