Joseph’s suitcase thumped onto the plush carpet o
Joseph’s suitcase thumped onto the plush carpet of his new room, its muted sound the only interruption in the suffocating silence. The room itself was vast, with high ceilings and windows that offered a breathtaking view of the meticulously manicured grounds of the estate. But the opulence felt cold and sterile, devoid of the warmth of a home.
As the servant, Charli, turned to leave, Joseph’s gaze fell upon him. Charli was a frail figure, hunched over slightly as if burdened by an invisible weight. His dark hair, almost black, fell over his forehead in long, ragged bangs, obscuring one eye. The eye that was visible, however, was filled with a deep, unsettling sadness that sent a shiver down Joseph’s spine.
“Is everything alright?” Joseph asked tentatively, noticing the slight tremor in Charli’s hands as he clutched a silver tray with a glass of water.
Charli looked up, his expression shifting from a fleeting flicker of hope to a carefully masked fear. He forced a smile, though it looked strained and unnatural. “Yes, Master Joseph. Everything is as it should be.”
Joseph couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. He noticed the slight discoloration around Charli’s left eye, a faint purple bruise hidden by the curtain of his hair. It was a subtle detail, but one that immediately sparked a sense of unease within him.
“Did someone hurt you?” Joseph asked, his voice low and filled with concern.
Charli’s eyes widened, his gaze darting around the room as if fearing unseen ears. He quickly shook his head, “No, Master Joseph. It’s nothing. Just a bit of clumsiness.”
Joseph’s intuition, however, was screaming otherwise. He had learned from his parents, from the world outside the sterile walls of the orphanage, to read people. And Charli’s attempt to hide his injury was a clear sign of something far more sinister.
He scanned the room, trying to glean any clue about what might have happened. His eyes fell upon a heavy silver tray on the table, its polished surface reflecting a glimpse of his own reflection. He noticed a small, chipped area on the edge, and his mind clicked.
“Jav Tion?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Charli’s face paled. His body flinched, and his gaze dropped to the floor. “Please, Master Joseph, you must not speak his name.”
Joseph’s eyes narrowed. He had heard whispers about Jav Tion, the fearsome guard with a reputation for ruthlessness. The stories had painted a picture of a man who operated with a cold, calculating efficiency, a man who seemed to derive pleasure from enforcing Scarlett’s iron grip on Ombre.
He knew, even without knowing the details, that Charli was terrified of Jav Tion. The fear radiated from him, a palpable energy that permeated the room. And Joseph felt a surge of anger, a sense of injustice that twisted in his gut.
“What did he do to you?” Joseph demanded, his voice rising in frustration.
Charli’s hands trembled. He tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat, leaving only a choked sob. He shook his head desperately, pleading with Joseph to understand.
“I can’t tell you, Master Joseph. It’s dangerous.”
Joseph’s eyes met Charli’s, and he saw a flicker of hope amidst the despair. He saw a sliver of humanity clinging to the edge of a shattered spirit, and he knew that he couldn’t turn away.
“I know you’re afraid, Charli,” Joseph said, his voice softening. “But I promise you, I won’t let him hurt you anymore.”
Charli’s eyes widened in disbelief. He had never encountered such a sentiment in this cold and unforgiving world. He had learned to expect nothing but pain and hardship, but Joseph’s words, spoken with conviction and empathy, offered a glimmer of hope.
“Thank you, Master Joseph,” Charli said, his voice cracking with emotion. “But please… you must not get involved.”
As Charli backed away, Joseph felt a new resolve hardening within him. He had just arrived in Ombre, but he already knew that his aunt’s vision of a “perfect society” came at a terrible cost. And he vowed, in that moment, to do everything in his power to fight for the forgotten souls like Charli, the ones who were treated not as people, but as mere instruments of control. The seed of rebellion had been sown, and it would not be easily suppressed. (*continue from here–>* Jav suddenly entered the room with eyes dark for bloodlust and he snarls harder when he sees that Charli — who was vermin in his eyes for being related to supernatural people — Charli’s head wasn’t bowed low like it usually was when he was around pure people — people who didn’t use magic.)
Jav Tion, a hulking figure with a face etched with cruelty, slammed the door shut with a force that shook the room. The silence that followed was thick with tension, broken only by the rasping sound of his heavy breathing. He was a beast of a man, a guard trained in the harshest methods, his eyes glinting with a predatory hunger. His gaze swept over the room, finally landing on Joseph, a spark of amusement flickering in his eyes.
“So, the little bird has finally flown the coop,” he sneered, his voice rough and gravelly, a constant reminder of his power.
Charli, frozen in place, clutched the tray tighter, his knuckles white. He looked like a deer caught in headlights, his eyes pleading for mercy, but Jav Tion offered him none.
“Don’t worry, boy,” Jav Tion continued, his voice a venomous hiss, “I’ll make sure you learn your place. You think you can protect your little pet?”
He advanced towards Charli, his footsteps heavy and deliberate, each step a threat. Joseph, his stomach churning with a mixture of anger and fear, stepped forward, his voice shaking slightly.
“Leave him alone.”
Jav Tion stopped in his tracks, his gaze shifting to Joseph, a slow smirk spreading across his face.
“Oh, is that so? And what makes you think you can tell me what to do?”
Joseph, despite the fear crawling up his spine, met Jav Tion’s gaze head-on. He knew he was no match for the brute strength of this man, but he wasn’t going to back down. He had seen the fear in Charli’s eyes, and the injustice of it all fueled his anger.
“He’s a person, not a dog,” Joseph retorted, his voice firm despite the tremor. “He deserves respect.”
Jav Tion laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. “Respect?” he snorted. “He’s a filthy… He doesn’t deserve anything.”
The anger in Joseph’s chest burned hotter. He knew then that this was more than just a fight for one man. It was a fight for the very soul of this place, a fight against the brutal system that forced people like Charli to live in fear.
“Then you’re blind, Jav Tion,” Joseph declared, his voice laced with a new strength. “You can’t see that he’s just as human as you are.”
Jav Tion’s eyes narrowed, a cold glint appearing in them. He moved closer, his face inches away from Joseph’s, his voice a dangerous whisper.
“You’re challenging me?”
Joseph’s heart pounded in his chest, but he stood his ground.
“Yes,” he said, his voice unwavering. “I challenge you to see him as something more than a servant.”
The tension in the room crackled, the air thick with anticipation. Jav Tion’s hand moved towards his belt, fingers reaching for the hilt of his dagger. The room felt as if it was shrinking, closing in around them, the threat of violence palpable. Joseph braced himself, his mind racing, trying to find a way out of this confrontation. He knew he couldn’t fight Jav Tion physically, but there had to be another way.
Suddenly, a voice, soft yet strong, cut through the tense silence.
“Jav,” the voice said, and it was clear to Joseph that it held a certain authority. “This is not your concern.”
It was Scarlett, her voice, usually filled with an icy coldness, tinged with a hint of amusement. She stood in the doorway, her silhouette framed by the light of the hallway, her presence an intimidating aura. She surveyed the scene before her, eyes sharp and calculating.
“Leave them be,” she continued, her gaze fixed on Jav Tion, who, despite his anger, immediately retreated, his hand falling away from his dagger.
Jav Tion muttered under his breath, but he backed down, his eyes flashing with simmering resentment. As he left the room, slamming the door shut behind him, the silence returned, but it was different this time. It was a silence of uncertainty, the tension still thick in the air.
Scarlett turned her attention to Joseph, her gaze unreadable. She walked towards him, her steps silent and deliberate.
“My dear nephew,” she said, her voice surprisingly gentle, “I see you have met our esteemed guardian.”
She stopped before him, her eyes holding a chilling depth.
“You will learn, eventually, that in Ombre, respect is earned. It is not given freely.”
Her words hung in the air, a veiled warning. Joseph, despite the fear still clinging to him, felt a spark of defiance ignite within him. He had taken the first step in this fight, and he knew that it was just the beginning. He looked at Charli, who, despite the fear still visible on his face, gave him a small, grateful nod. This was the start of something new. This was the start of their fight for freedom.
