III: The Soldier and the Fairy Queen: Red Eve

XXXIV: Korvidar

March 17th, 2017 - 32 days after Sunny's abduction
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The blue-eyed soldier in front of Tatiana pursed his lips and glanced at her, then back down at the packet of papers he held gingerly, "This is your last mission. I have--."

Tatiana interupted him, "Before what?" She cursed herself. That's not what the Soldier would have done.

Korvidar leaned against the wall beside the soldier, laugh lines forming at the corners of his violet eyes as he chuckled. Laugh lines he'd stolen from his last host. "Well, there goes any cover you had."

Tatiana ignored him and stared at the soldier blankly, trying to correct her mistake. The soldier eyed her warily, like she was going to pull out a gun and start shooting. Tatiana rolled her eyes mentally.

"I mean, a gun would be helpful in this situation," Korvidar smirked and strolled up to the soldier, poking him in the head.

Tatiana sighed quietly.

"Your clearance isn't high enough for that information," the soldier frowned and continued on in his bland voice, somehow degrading the French language while he did it, "the mission is a simple termination. Target: Anthony Stark. Everything's in the packet."

The soldier passed-- tossed, rather-- it to Tatiana. She caught it with one hand and watched him scurry out. She sighed and leaned back on her makeshift cot in her new cell.

Korvidar smirked, "What's in the file?"

"I'm not going to terminate him," Tatiana muttered.

"Uh-huh. Why? He tried killing James, right?"

Tatiana frowned, "Go away."

Korvidar ignored her, strolling back and forth leisurely, "Come on, Titania. You didn't think that silly mind trick was really going to work very long, did you? You won't be able to use that again."

"Don't call me that."

"Why? Because Arnim names you 'Tatiana' instead? And you still want to please him? Even though he's been dead for almost forty years? Come on, Titania, give me something better than that," Korvidar crossed his arms and faced her.

His expression made her want to punch his smug face until it was bloody. She looked around and found a pebble and threw it at him. It went through him like a spoon through gelatin.

He looked down, unimpressed, "Good job. You're really host material, aren't you?"

Tatiana ran a hand through her hair and pulled the white strand in front of her face. All this moving was making her back ache. "Why did you pick me? I am damaged goods."

"I don't really have a choice. Besides, you weren't 'damaged goods' when you became my host," Korvidar hooked a finger under her chin, tilting it up. "Don't you remember the glory days? You had everything at your fingertips, and you wasted it. For what? Your pride?"

Tatiana swiped at his hand, but he was intangible again. She changed the subject, "How can you do that?"

Korvidar tugged on her white streak, his arrogance dissappearing for a moment, "I don't know, truly. This is the longest I've ever been with one host. I usually assimilate much faster."

"That is an oversimplification. You are going to kill me, and then use my body for your own nefarious purposes." Tatiana chuckled dryly, "It is kind of comforting, actually."

"It should be. I've given you so much. Strength, power, life... what more could you ask for?" Kordivar let go of her hair and went back to leaning against the wall.

Tatiana frowned, "Freedom, perhaps?"

Korvidar scoffed, straightening his black lapels, "You've been spending too much time with the Americans, Titania."

"Americans deserve more credit than we give them. They are loving people," Tatiana protested.

"'Loving', 'freedom', 'comforting'. What is wrong with you? You never used to be like this!" Korvidar spit at her.

Tatiana raised her eyebrow, "What did I 'used' to be like? Evil, remorseless, selfish? Is that what I 'used' to be like, Korvidar?"

Korvidar moved his weight onto his right leg, calmer now, "Yes. You used to be ambitious. You had plans for your empire. For our empire."

"My empire. Which you would promptly take over when you 'assimilated'?" Tatiana asked, crossing her ankles.

Korvidar exhaled sharply, "You are making me sound a lot worse than I am."

Tatiana raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

"You're practically invincible because of me!"

"Until I die," Tatiana ran her hand through her hair again.

Korvidar resumed his arrogant expression, "You don't have to die."

"I would rather die than do anything you tell me to," Tatiana growled, clutching the packet in her hand.

Korvidar inspected his pale hand, "You might not have that ability for much longer."

"What is that supposed to mean?" she challenged him, flipping from French to Russian, clenching the papers harder to keep her hands from shaking.

Korvidar glanced at his feet, "I suppose if this were a novel, I would be your antagonist. Isn't that a curious thought? Someone writing all of this down?" Korvidar smiled, "Although I suppose it would make sense to you, since you now believe in God."

Tatiana let her question slide. For now. "I have always believed in God. I have now been forgiven and saved by Him," Tatiana responded tartly.

"And that's why you have a star on your shoulder! Tell me, where is your god now? Is he going to come save you now? Like your friends are?" Korvidar snickered. "I would be surprised if they even remembered you, now that they have James back."

"Leave me alone, Korvidar."

"No can do, Titania. Unlike your friends, I will stay by you. My little monster," his mouth curved into a wicked grin.

Tatiana knew that he saw that his words hit her hard. "Leave."

For once, he obeyed. She knew he was watching. She didn't let any of the tears collecting behind her eyes spill over. She opened the packet and tried to make a plan.