One Week Later
ㅤㅤNeo wandered down the halls, glancing into rooms as the demon servants cleaned them. He was looking for one specifically - one he had only happened upon by chance before. How Raemith expected him to find the place when he had only been there once, he didn't know. Then again, it was a rather memorable place, having it almost been where Neo punched Raemith.
ㅤㅤQuilliene was now aware of Christopher's addition to the whole ordeal of the past experiments that her parents conducted. It was horrible, absolutely profane and disgusting. She seemed to lose any respect she still had for her parents right when he handed her the file. Christopher had a little talk with Quilliene, but Neo wasn't present for that per the prince's request.
ㅤㅤNeo wandered down the halls, finally coming across the resting room for the guards. He knocked on the door as he entered, his mismatched eyes immediately shifted to the short but burly man lounging along the couch and rewarding himself with some rather odd glances from the other guards. However, once Neo had appeared, it was like holding a smelly sock in front of a bunch of dogs. Each and every one of the guards reeled back and glared at him, and he did his best to ignore it.
ㅤㅤ"Raemith?" He called.
ㅤㅤRaemith awoke with a sneeze, then another as he sat up, looking around drearily before resting his eyes on Neo. "Ah! Neo, mate!" He hopped to his feet, walking over. "Fancy seeing ye here. Wha'd'ya need?"
ㅤㅤNeo frowned, wondering why he was being so friendly. "You're supposed to accompany me outside the castle today, remember?" He raised an eyebrow. "Chris'll never take me off watch for trying to bolt that one time."
ㅤㅤ"Right! Right," Raemith rubbed his eyes. "Oi remember, was just resting my eyes is all. Ye ready to go, mate?"
ㅤㅤ"Mate?" He repeated, grimacing as he turned and started walking. "We're hardly mates, Raemith. It's more like you just stopped being an ass, so I'm not trying to hit you anymore."
ㅤㅤ"Nonsense!" The guard ran to catch up. "You were the arse, but we are mates! We talk all the time an' stuff, an' about personal things, too. Like yer feelings for 'er majesty."
ㅤㅤAs they reached the castle exit, Neo paused, looking at him and gritting his teeth. "You better not be gossiping about that every chance you get. Most of these demons would kill me in a heartbeat if they found out. Besides, nothing is going to happen with that. Nothing."
ㅤㅤThen he shook his head as they exited the gates onto the sidewalk. "And we are not mates, because you were my prison guard for a year, Raemith. Whether it was your or another, someone was bribed to let Fleur's father do those things, and you let him."
ㅤㅤ"Oi now! Don't do that!" Raemith grumbled and hopped in front of Neo, making him stop. "That was different, and complicated, and Oi didn't have the whole story. Kyra told me everythin'. But Oi was under orders from a different master. There are things blokes like me have to do, or else... punishments ensue. I didn't enjoy seeing you like that."
ㅤㅤNeo didn't say anything - he simply glared at Raemith in silence. Then, he shouldered past him and kept walking. When he touched him, though, it was like memories seeping into his mind on command. The scars on his back burned as if they were fresh, and he could clearly remember the sensation of blood dripping from the wounds. Raemith groaned as he continued to follow.
ㅤㅤ"And I didn't tell nobody 'bout yer business," Raemith said firmly. "That's our lil' secret." A few moments of pause before he changed the subject again. "Did ye bring yer money? Whenever us demons want somethin', we get it delivered, so most of us don't got cash. Meanin', Oi can't pay."
ㅤㅤ"Yeah, I got some from Chris," Neo mumbled, still not up for conversation. "Enough for a person-alised item, but nothing fancy. Something good for..." He cut himself off, remembering he wasn't supposed to share what he was getting, so he quickly shifted gears. "We're also going to the graveyard and a flower shop. So be prepared for that."
ㅤㅤ"A graveyerd?" The guard asked, thinking before it seemed to dawn on him. "Ah... Oi see."
ㅤㅤAs they continued on, Neo finally stopped at a shop in particular. It was a jewellery store. He opened the door, a dinging sound coming from inside as he did so. Taking a look around, he took in all the rich looking individuals while he and Raemith looked like passersbys on the street. Raemith shifted closer to Neo awkwardly.
ㅤㅤ"Eh," Raemith muttered. "Do ye also feel like they're all staring at us?"
ㅤㅤNeo opened his mouth to answer, but his attention was drawn away to a woman who was wafting the air in front of her nose. She wore a white button up, paired with a long black shirt and a matching silk shawl. Dark hair was tied back in a neat, curled ponytail, and she wore bright gold glasses. One of the other women looked at her curiously.
ㅤㅤ"What's wrong?" The girl asked her.
ㅤㅤ"You don't smell that?" She wrinkled her nose. "It smells awful."
ㅤㅤ"I don't smell anything..." The other girl frowned.
ㅤㅤNeo raised a curious eyebrow. He would definitely be lying if he didn't think that maybe she was a demon, but what did he care if she was? Raemith didn't seem to have any reaction to her, so even if she happened to be, then it probably wasn't important. He proceeded to not answer Raemith as he walked in casually, not caring about the looks he got or the whispers from afar.
ㅤㅤ"Stay there," Neo called over his shoulder.
ㅤㅤRaemith, as obstinate as he was, actually stayed by the door. Neo headed to the only free counter, which happened to be the one where the woman was complaining about the stench. Upon noticing that the man who had entered was walking up to her counter, she proceeded to stop wafting her face and stand upright with a friendly smile.
ㅤㅤ"Good afternoon, monsieur," She said politely. "What can I do for you today?"
ㅤㅤ"Hello, miss," He said kindly. "I'm looking to have something custom-made. Do you guys still do that? I haven't been here in... a while, and I'm looking to surprise someone with something special."
ㅤㅤ"Yes, we do!" She replied, pulling out a notepad. "I assume you would like an engraving on this item?"
ㅤㅤ"Yes," Neo nodded.
ㅤㅤ"And is this for a special someone?" She hinted smoothly.
ㅤㅤHis face immediately flushed. "Uh- No- Nothing like- Well, I-" He stumbled over his words before shaking his head. "Sorry. No, it's not like that. I'm just looking for a silver amethyst ring, simple with a bit of spiral design around it, and the etched line on the band, A Raven in the Day."
ㅤㅤShe copied what he said into the notebook. "That is adorable, monsieur. Are you sure this isn't for a missus?"
ㅤㅤ"Uh, yes..." Neo nodded, hating how hot his face felt. "Just put it under Neo - I don't have a phone, so I'll just come back in a week, and if it's not ready then, I'll be back next week." Nodding again, he paused. "Thanks, miss...?"
ㅤㅤ"Lexi!" She grinned. "Short for Alexandria."
ㅤㅤHe opened his mouth again before stopping dead. "Alexandria," He repeated, his mind racing. "What's... your last name?"
ㅤㅤShe appeared confused. "Nubard. Why?"
ㅤㅤNeo stood stock still, frozen as he watched her stand there in curiosity. He examined her features carefully, mouth still open. The curls in her hair - curled like that man's mess of a mane. Even if he never saw his face, he knew immediately it couldn't be a coincidence. He took out a wad of cash from his back pocket, slowly regaining his composure.
ㅤㅤ"Do you have any siblings?" He asked carefully, trying to be casual.
ㅤㅤShe blinked for a moment, watching him count the cash. "Yes. Well, I did. He... passed away."
ㅤㅤ"Really?" He frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that. How much?"
ㅤㅤ"Um," Alexandria hummed. "R-Right. Seventy pounds, for the ring and engraving."
ㅤㅤ"That's less than I thought," He raised an eyebrow, handing over the cash. As she started counting it out, he looked at her flatly. "By the way," He said, rolling up the cash and stuffing it in his back pocket again before lowering his voice to a dangerous growl. "I very well knew your brother, Alexandria. Axelius tried to kill the very person this ring is for, and if you try to do the same, I'll kill you just like I did him. Do you understand?"
ㅤㅤShe stood there for a moment, cash crumpling in her hand as she stared him in the eyes. For a while, they held each other's gazed in a silent battle of will, but then she simply chuckled. Shaking her head, she sighed, placing the money in the register and humming a soft tune. Neo felt confusion enter his mind as she silently printed out the receipt and handed it to him.
ㅤㅤ"Your receipt, monsieur," Alexandria said politely. "And please refrain from threatening people in public in the future." Her eyes went from a light brown to a gold. "Because you may not like the response."
ㅤㅤNeo felt strange. The gold seemed to overtake him, and he couldn't see anything except the woman in front of him. The environment, the bustling voices of those around him, it faded away to black. All that was left was the golden gaze of the girl he knew as Alexandria, and the overwhelming feeling... to comply with her every order.
ㅤㅤ"Neo," She said slowly, smile still plastered on her face smugly. "You will leave this store. You will forget you ever saw me. You will not turn back. When you need this ring, you will send someone else to retrieve it. Do you understand?"
ㅤㅤNeo's chest tightened, and he felt the kind of fear he hadn't felt since Fleur was dying in his arms. He didn't even reach for the receipt as he stood up a bit straighter, turned around, and walked for the door. Nothing left his mouth as he passed Raemith, his eyes rimmed with a golden glow. He walked straight out of the store, down the sidewalk, and seemed to hold his breath the entire time.
ㅤㅤJust as the worst memories of his life came.
ㅤㅤHis knees buckled, and he fell to the pavement. He grabbed his temples and groaned, closing his eyes, shaking his head. Flashes of Fleur dying in his arms as he kissed her, the feeling of lashes against his back as her father screamed at him for what he had done. It was like he was reliving those three years in a blur, but everything was just as fresh as when it had happened.
ㅤㅤThen he heard Raemith's voice. Calling to him, begging him to get out of whatever gods forsaken trance he was in. Finally, after struggling for a few minutes, he looked up and was able to take in his surroundings. Realising he was in an alley, Raemith shaking his shoulders and knelt down in front of him, Neo blinked away the gold still in his eyes, the red returning to his gaze.
ㅤㅤ"Mate, what happened?" Raemith demanded. "Yer crying..."
ㅤㅤ"What...?" Neo touched his face, the tears soaking through his gloved fingers. "I don't... remember..."
ㅤㅤRaemith pat his shoulder supportively, pulling out a handkerchief and handing it to him. "Here. Ye got somethin' from a woman and then ye walked out without takin' the receipt. What'd ye get?"
ㅤㅤ"Oh," He mumbled, taking the handkerchief and wiping his face. His tears didn't effect the napkin. "I got a ring... Yeah, I remember... that. I just..." He scrunched his eyebrows, trying to remember what happened with the woman. "I don't remember the girl."
ㅤㅤ"After ye left, she disappeared into the back." The guard shook his head. "Wish Oi could say Oi remember, but Oi don't, either. Do ye wanna go back?"
ㅤㅤ"No!" Neo said sharply, surprised by how afraid he was. "No, I... don't. Fuck that." He stood up. "Let's just get to the flower shop."
ㅤㅤWith that, he handed the handkerchief back to Raemith and turned. Leaving the jewellery shop behind, Neo ceased his worrying and walked down the sidewalk. He rubbed his black and grey eye - it had felt strange ever since he came to. Raemith was following close behind him, pocketing the nap once again as they made their way into a flower shop a few blocks away. He could only wonder what happened, but he knew he was afraid to go back.