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.)
The air in the room grew heavy, thick with the scent of tension and fear. Jav Tion, a hulking figure with eyes like burning coals, stood in the doorway. His presence alone seemed to drain the oxygen from the room, leaving only a chilling vacuum of anticipation. His gaze swept over Joseph, taking in the young man’s hesitant posture and the way his eyes held a spark of defiance.
But it was Charli who truly caught his attention. Jav Tion’s gaze settled on the frail servant, his lips curling into a sneer. Charli’s head, which usually hung low in Jav’s presence, remained lifted, his eyes fixed on the floor, but his body was rigid, as if braced for a blow.
“Charli,” Jav’s voice was a low growl, laced with menace. “You’re not supposed to be in here.”
Charli swallowed hard, his throat dry. “Master Joseph,” he stammered, “He is…he is just showing me the room.”
Jav Tion’s eyes flickered to Joseph, a flicker of interest igniting in them. “Master Joseph, huh?” he scoffed. “Quite the commanding presence, you are. A pity you’ll learn the true meaning of obedience soon enough.”
He stepped closer, his boots thudding on the plush carpet, a deliberate reminder of his power. His gaze shifted back to Charli, his voice laced with a venomous sneer, “Don’t ever disobey me again. You hear me? You dare to look me in the eye, and I will make sure you never look at anything again.”
Charli flinched, a tremor running through his thin frame. He bowed his head, his trembling hands clutching the silver tray. Jav Tion’s dark gaze settled on him, and he saw a fleeting flicker of fear cross Charli’s face. The fear, however, wasn’t just for himself.
Joseph watched the exchange, a cold knot of anger tightening in his stomach. “What did you do to him?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
Jav Tion’s eyes narrowed, the embers of his anger flaring. “And who are you, little sparrow, to question me?”
He stepped closer, his presence filling the room with a palpable sense of danger. “Let me make this clear,” he said, his voice a hissing whisper, “This is Ombre. And in Ombre, you do as you are told. And you do not interfere.”
He moved closer to Joseph, his breath hot on the young man’s face. “You think you can change things? You think you can protect this…” he gestured towards Charli with a sneer, “this filth? Don’t be a fool.”
Joseph stood his ground, his eyes locked on Jav Tion’s, a newfound determination hardening his face. “He’s not filth,” he spat. “And I will not stand here and watch you torment him.”
Jav Tion laughed, a harsh, mocking sound that echoed in the room. “You are a fool, child. You have no idea what you are messing with.”
He turned his back on Joseph, his laughter trailing behind him, “I suggest you learn your place before you suffer the same fate as this…creature.”
Jav Tion walked out, leaving a trail of chilling tension in his wake. He left Charli trembling, and Joseph standing frozen, his anger burning like a wildfire in his chest. He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Jav Tion was a threat not just to Charli, but to everyone who dared to challenge Scarlett’s rule. And he knew, with a terrifying clarity, that he had just stepped into the eye of a storm.
