[ 3 ]
hours earlier...
Cade Hood had been sent to the poorest province in the country on an assignment.
The sixteen year old boy king who assigned him the task had been vague in the details. "I need you to go to Porpra, and spy on the locals for me. Specifically a filthy violet family named Raine." He said their names with disdain. But the name also stirred up emotions within his seventeen year old brunette general. It was a name he knew as well, because of their daughter, Violet Raine. Still, he quickly tried to compose himself and make it seem as though the name was new to him. He didn't want the king to catch on that he had a past with them, and send someone else instead. "There are rumors circling around the provinces that a rebellion is forming in Porpra, led by Scarlet and Mauve Raine. I want to squash their pitiful little movement before it even begins. It really pisses me off when people think they stand a chance against my powerful empire."
The king had then went on to explain that he had sent soldiers to their home, to question them about their supposed book club. But they had found nothing. No evidence of a rebellion. And though the king was inconsiderate, he didn't want to launch the country into a revolution himself by executing a family who was seemingly innocent.
And so, General Cade Hood found himself in the outlying forest with a clear view of the Raine's home. He had been standing there in the bushes for the better of two hours when he saw movement. A lone red boy, in the violet slums, walking with shoulders slumped and head down. From the opposite end, another red boy walked up, hitting him across the head with familiarity. "Here you are, Deet." He hissed in annoyance. "Mom and dad sent me over here to look for you, you little shit. You'd better get home right now if you don't want me to punch you. You know they're gonna scold you."
The younger boy heaved a sigh. "Alright Finn."
His quick submitting to the older boy's words took him by surprise. But he said nothing as his younger brother walked past him. "He was probably with that dumb violet girl. I should teach her a lesson." He brought an index finger to his chin in thought. He then walked away and returned with three delinquent violet boys, offering them a maroon coin each if they helped him scare a little violet girl.
Cade tried to stay out of their way. Whatever they had in mind was none of his business. He could easily take them out, but he knew he shouldn't get involved or else the king would hear of it. A brunette general saving a violet girl from a red boy.
He remained in the bushes for another hour when he saw someone again. A girl walking from the same path as the red boy from earlier. She seemed to be lost in thought, wearing a purple school uniform from the only high school in the little town of Porpra. Cade's breathing stopped, but he had no time to react as the three violet delinquents jumped out at her from the bushes. Together, they tied her up and gagged her as the older red boy walked out to reveal himself as the mastermind of that horrible plan.
But Cade couldn't look away. He couldn't ignore what was happening because he knew that girl. It was the same girl that lived in the house he had been asked to watch.
Violet Raine.
Now he made sure he remembered the red boy's name. Finn. He would make sure he didn't get away with it.
-
The seventeen year old was shaken to say the least as they walked the short remaining distance to her house. He had been hiding in the trees with a view of her back yard. But the trail looped around to go to the front of the houses. She didn't even realize, didn't even question that he knew exactly where to go. Instead, when they stopped in front of her house, he looked down at her, since he was much taller and towered over her several inches.
