Collaboration post between Isolde and Diana
Diana could not muster an iota of resistance. Weak, pathetic, abandoned and most important of all, having lost all hope in the face of overwhelming force, she could only cry as Isolde lifted her, clutching the teenager tight to her body while the building collapsed. Cracks spread through the prison's many walls, terribly sharp knives cutting into its life. Groans along with creaks became evident within seconds. Walls bent under the sheer stress of floors. A slow, agonising death tapped every corner Isolde rounded, almost as if it had given chase.
Just as the exit appeared, a loud snap resounded through the building. In an instant, all support columns gave away with an unbearable cacophony. Despite her tears, Diana found herself screaming as the world collapsed around her, pathetic hands holding on for dear life. Her world filled with the sight of rupturing chaos for a split second before light claimed it. She almost thought Heaven finally claimed her.
But no.
Bright skies opened up instead and even in her whirlwind of panic, Diana found herself breathless.
Freedom.
Her wish.
Had the pendant fulfilled it? She still clutched it in her hand, holding onto it as though it held her life and her tears dried up ever-so-slowly as Isolde blitzed through the streets. She left behind dozens of citizens, almost too fast for Diana to see anything and yet still… This did not prove Isolde's good intentions. She may have saved the scared teenager from death, but death would have been salvation compared to prison. Besides, in her heart of hearts, Diana could see her fate: kidnapped yet again, taken as far away from her family as humanly possible, kept around only for amusement… Lacking a way out once again.
Doomed to die a miserable death.
Isolde could tell the girls fear did not settle despite her focus upon the surrounding destruction that threatened their survival. Well, mainly Diana's survival considering her weak state. She doubted her chances if anything fell upon the girl that she would be remotely okay. A tired sigh passed from her lips, the red now coated with a grey dust from the crumbling walls along with most of her face. The vampire could taste it upon her lips and it was slowly festering her sense of irritation. Escaping the building was no issue but she had to try to get Diana away safely and keep her hidden.
For a moment, Isolde tightened her grip on the girl so she could reach into her pocket awkwardly to see if her phone survived. Though her hopes were cruelly dashed when she revealed it to find it smashed and twisted, most likely crushed when she was earlier. She withheld a vicious hiss as she shoved it back into her pocket, blue eyes gleaming dangerously as she took care not to look at the child she was trying to save. It would only make her fear increase.
"Sorry little one, you're going to have to stay with me for now…"
Luckily, Isolde often trekked the streets when boredom finally crept into her mind and she ended up taking a walk despite her hatred for the sun. It also helped that she owned an apartment in a fairly nice but quiet area of Nauchtwald that wasn't far. She quickly glanced to Diana who seemed to observe the world around them but other than the scream before, seemed silent. The silence concerned her but she would try talk again with her when they were both safer. With a final, small frown she shook her head and began to head towards her home, avoiding the masses as well as she could.
~
It didn't take long for her to hurry up the steps of the building she lived in, releasing Diana for a moment so she could stand as Isolde dragged a set of keys from her pocket. Only a single bat charm hung from its ring, an annoying gag-gift from Henry but it was amusing despite her denial of it. Unlocking the door, Isolde finally seemed to settle visible. Her figure that previously stood tall and rigid now relaxed, shoulders slumping. The door swung open to reveal a pretty pristine but slightly cold apartment. A red and white theme stood out most, though there was splashes of matt black in the form of her tables, wall art and chairs. Only a few personalised and warm objects were scattered around and a few pictures. However, it was home for her. Stepping around Diana, she held the door open with a small attempt at a smile as her relaxing seemed to reveal her own exhaustion.
"Come on in then, kid."
Every moment they spent in the streets served to add another layer of despair on Diana's emotions. She could feel her useless body shake in Isolde's hands and her mind entertained terrible fates awaiting her, repeating horrifying pictures without end. She barely registered the passage of time; only waking when Isolde set her own her own two feet. Of course, Diana almost collapsed under her body's frail weight. The woman could see her wobble in place for several seconds before she braced herself against the wall.
Naturally, she picked up on Isolde's words, but she had no idea where to place them. She understood every single one, however, dread gripped her heart as she contemplated her situation. Was her captor trying to get her take a step of her own volition? Make her sell herself into slavery? Diana's dried tears almost started running again as she thought of malicious intentions, however…
This did not seem like a prison.
Sparse, definitely. Prison? No. No bars on the windows. No dirty floor. From an angle, it even looked pleasant! The red-white-black combination seemed artistic, almost intricate. A few personal possessions lay scattered about. Diana could not identify any of them and while they lent a sense of home to the apartment, they refused to calm her troubled heart. So instead of answering verbally, she shook her head. Taking a fearful step backwards in an attempt to distance herself from Isolde, she let dread rule her actions.
Isolde watched quietly without saying a word. Mostly, she dared not to at the moment in case it terrified Diana further. However, her refusal to come in seemed to stress the vampire out further. Letting out a deep sigh she shook her head, hand running lazily through knotted blonde strands as she looked around her home.
"Diana.You are free. Will you just come in? I need to get you something to eat for a start, I doubt they fed you well." Isolde pointed out, eyes flicking to the girl and then to the visible kitchen counter. Not eating food herself she had food and water simply because Skylar was often over - she just hoped that it would be okay for the girl to eat. Isolde was pretty sure the girl wouldn't be able to eat anything heavy in her current state.
"Aren't you hungry?"
Free? No. Isolde only said that because she wanted to imprison her again, she wanted to see her suffer, writhe in a prison, forever staring, not even being able to talk. Diana shuddered from the thought, closing her eyes so as to prevent vertigo from claiming her right here and there. Words seemed to have lost their meaning to her, but she could not even flee. Not to mention her current captor seemed to be cruel enough to try and coax her with pretty words instead of actions.
Again, Diana shook her head, dreading what would come next.
"Please… don't hurt me." She knew it useless. But she repeated it anyways as she lifted her pendant to her throat.
Isolde's gaze narrowed slightly before she stepped away from the girl and the door, heading further into the apartment. Her steps were slowly and if someone looked close enough, were sluggish as her body protested any shift or movement. She needed to heal. She needed blood but that was not possible right now. Stepping into the adjoined kitchen she headed over to the fridge, pulling it open with a small hum. Avoiding the bottom drawers which held her packets of blood, Isolde plucked some fruit, cheese and sliced meat she had available before throwing them onto the counter.
"I won't force you inside, Diana. I told you I will protect you but you need to eat and get clean.". Grabbing a plate from the cupboard she also brought out some crackers and bread. It would have to do since Isolde didn't want to risk cooking at the moment when she herself could feel the protests of her limbs. Also, she wasn't sure what the girl could eat yet.
Sighing, Isolde opened a drawer to grab a knife to continue preparing some small foods for the girl. The apple was quickly sliced up and the vampire quickly put together sandwiches and crackers onto the plate. The knife was put into the sink to be cleaned later
as she whisked the plate up from the kitchen island and headed to the sofa, a black glass coffee table put in front where she settled the plate before stepping away.
"Just come in. Sit. Eat. You honestly need it…"
Eyes widened the moment Isolde stepped away from Diana, leaving her more than an arm's length from the woman. Outside striking distance. Outside kidnapping distance. Outside punishment distance. Outside everything a captor could use to have power over their charge. Though fear still roared in Diana's heart, this tiny realisation stuck with him and she seemed visibly conflicted. Even worse, Isolde started to get food from the fridge, mentioning a word Diana knew more than well enough.
"Eat" seemed foreign from her captor's mouth, but it had left Isolde's lips as the woman prepared easy dishes in front of Diana. The poor teenager felt her mouth fill with saliva, but she swallowed it forcefully so as not to be enraptured by an obvious trap. Because… it had to be? Yet at the same time, it seemed so incredibly sincere. A part of her, long buried by a year of cruel captivity, recognised the genuine air to Isolde's words, yet Diana refused to accept it.
For the longest of times, she remained in the doorway, trying to reconcile her two selves. Hunger panged in her belly, but she refused to obey it for what seemed like eternity. Treacherous thoughts made her doubt Isolde's intentions, no matter how honest they seemed… Yet in the end, despite the treacherous nature of the thought, hunger won out, helped along by bits of hope.
Heart throbbing in her throat, Diana walked up to Isolde to show her her palms: scratched, dirty and skinny beyond belief, she did not look like she could eat without catching at least five diseases in one go.
Isolde paused for a moment, she was still as the girl approached by her eyes widened when the girl showed her palms. Even if it was to show the dirt that covered them, to Isolde it was shocking considering the girl just moments before wouldn't stand remotely close to her. It did take Isolde a moment to remember that humans easily fell sick...Something that caused her expression to shift into one of discomfort. Other than Skylar and a few others, her interactions and understand of mortals was limited.
"Right...You need to get clean. Then you can eat.".
Looking around for a moment she pursed her lips before looking to Diana. She wanted to help the girl but at the moment, it seemed best to leave her to do things for herself. Nodding slightly she smiled faintly before walking slightly ahead.
"Diana, follow me.". It was nearby, enough to stay in view before she pointed to a closed door nearby.
"That is one of the bathrooms." She explained before walking further into the nearby hallway to reach out and open a door. It was a bedroom, though it seemed to differ from the common red, white and black theme. This time it was a softer blue and white theme.
"This can be your room." The vampire explained, standing a short distance from the door to let the girl peer in if she wanted.
Though she did not understand Isolde, Diana did follow her if just to see what would happen. She kept a respectful distance between herself and the woman, of course, more than enough to dodge a sudden movement of anger or perhaps a lash of unearned punishment if it came down to it… Not that she could trust her legs to act in time. Even like this, she felt as though she would collapse with each steps taken, but she could not eat with dirty hands. The thought made her stomach, along with her mind revolt.
And then, Isolde pointed out a bathroom, followed by… 'your room'?
Diana's eyes went as wide as saucers as she looked up at Isolde. Fear, apprehension, distrust and yet a single speck of hope shone in those brown depths. Conflict whirled inside her as she could not believe the words. Surely, then, a devious trap lurked behind them, the devil himself perhaps, or even worse! A kind, suffocating captivity that did not even let her die a slow death of hunger. Shivering in her storm of emotions, Diana could only stare.
Isolde watched with a curious gaze, observing Diana tiredly as she slowly leaned against the wall beside the door, her head settled against the wall. She watched the emotions flicker in brown depths before she reached out her free arm, pointing towards the door.
"Diana. This room is yours. If it helps, I won't go in there at all. Do what you want with it." Isolde explained, her form still resting against the wall, exhaustion making her still.
"Go on, go take a look."
No. She refused to believe it. A stranger could not be this kind. Isolde had to have some ulterior motive or else it would not make any sense. For beasts lurked within the hearts of all people, looking for easy prey. A victim just like Diana. Paralysed to act in her own best interests, the teenager remained still. In fact, she took a step backwards as if to distance herself from sweet bait as she gathered her strength to speak.
"I… don't… understand," she half-lied, half told the truth. Her heart refused to accept such kindness.
"Need… umm… clean hands?" she tried again, venturing to a topic she felt safer to explore in the presence of her wicked captor.
Isolde could only sigh tiredly at the girls reaction. She wanted to help the girl but it wasn't easy and her mistrust of Isolde was slowly wearing down her patience though she suppressed it. She did not want to repeat earlier. Nodding slightly she pushed herself out, eyes blinking away the tired weight that rest upon them as she headed over to the bathroom door. There was another attached to her own room but she doubted that one was better for the terrified girl. She opened the door, letting the it open slowly as she stood at the side of the door again. Inside continued the red and white theme but it was generally quite spacious.
"Here you go." She leaned around the door, pointing to the sink where some soap resided and wash clothes folded and stacked neatly. It was a guest bathroom mostly so it appeared untouched.
"Soap is there. There is some wash cloths to use. Anything you need is in the mirror cupboards." Isolde paused, tilting her head.
"Are you okay finding everything?"
Once again, a weighty pause followed as Diana tried to take everything in. Her mind desperately attempted to place this good Samaritan behaviour somewhere within her world-view, yet it refused to fit and… and… and… and…!
Try as she might, she could not find anything wrong with Isolde's behaviour. The woman remained at a distance, spoke in a relatively calm voice, refused to make any sudden movements, asked her questions and seemed to be showing her around. Despite the terror resting in Diana's heart, she could not help acknowledging these facts, even if not on a quite conscious level. Fear slowly transformed into unease as she looked for any sign of trickery, not quite sure what to do with the information along with this strange situation.
In the end, she took hesitant steps towards the bathroom door. Watching Isolde from the corner of her eye, Diana nodded mutely, then stepped inside, closing it after herself like a polite girl. Then she started at it for what felt like hours.
Isolde did not burst through.
After about ten or so minutes of complete and utter silence, the teenager heaved a heavy sigh she did not know she had been holding. With trembling limbs, she cast off her clothes, or rather, her rags, then took to the painful task of inspecting her pathetic, fragile body.
Diana looked like a skeleton and she could not even muster the tears about it, for it had become a fact of life long ago. The dirt alarmed her more so, for it seemed to have seeped into every little bit of her being. She scrunched her nose at the sight, hesitating as she dared to look around the room to find herself a shower. She did not have the capacity to care about clothes or anything like that; hunger still burned within her belly and the quicker she got done with this the better.
Swallowing the fear of her new environment, Diana stepped into the shower. It took her more than an hour to scrub herself clean.