Fairy Rings

8. Brief Moments

"Your Excellency?" A small, whiny voice chimed behind them, ""I see no reason to be associated with the mafia. I want no involvement in this matter whatsoever. I can easily find myself a new partner and assure you that I won't bother you again, I promise." Rambling on, Gil scooted across the dirt on his back in an attempt to wave a white flag in defeat. Rising from her position with a little bit of help, Navaeha thought for a moment before grabbing the pistol on the floor as her father stood there with his back turned to her. If she had learned anything at all from all the stories she had heard over the years, it was how to stay away from her father, how to hide, and if all else failed, how to appease him. A fleeting thought of turning the weapon on him vanished as she recalled the countless crude deeds she had to endure over the years all thanks to Gil. Holding the pistol in her hands, she felt a sense of weight and power in her grip. The smoothness of the metal surface was comforting, and the ridges of the handle provided just enough texture to make her feel in control. She carefully c****d the weapon, feeling a faint click as the mechanism engaged. Her father turned to look at her, the anger replaced by concern etched on his face, his eyes flicking briefly to the gun before returning to her. His body was steadier than Ambrosia's had been while awaiting punishment as she walked past him and unleashed the rest of the clip into the awaiting society reject lying on the floor. His head, his leg, his torso, and his groin. Not in that order, though they were all dealt with in a timely manner; the twinkle of hope that seemed so farfetched returned little by little. The screaming died with the last shot, his head now lying on the ground with his face fixed in permanent pain, a hole blown through it that had scattered brains across the dirt floor. Blood pooled from the holes. Her face however, was fixed in a temporary smile. Navaeha was relieved that out of all the evil that would follow, her unholy prayers had gotten answered.

"I guess you deal with that sniveling on a daily basis." The room was shrouded in a suffocating silence; her voice was the only thing that pierced through the tension. It was a soft, dainty tone devoid of any emotion despite the grave transgression that had just occurred. Her eyes were cold and unfeeling, scanning the room with an intensity that left everyone present feeling exposed and constricted. She stood there like a sentinel, the gun in her hand and the dead body of her enemy, both menacing presences that demanded respect and fear. The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder and the palpable anticipation of what would come next. The slightest twitch of her hand could set off a chain reaction that would change everything. The last thing that she expected to hear after was a good laugh, her eyes turning sharply to gaze upon her father, whose hand now rested gently on her shoulder.

"Yes, we do." He gave her a gentle pat before casting his gaze at his men, unsure of whether to punish her or not, given their little spat. Strong arms wrapping around her in a friendly manner had her nearly running for the hills as she squirmed to get away. "When I heard that you were shy and reserved from your teachers, I don't think that they had any idea about this kind of thing being the reason why." A friendly lie, one for the ages.

"Is Ambrosia off the hook?" Navaeha attempted to say, now accepting the cold embrace from her father. His body shielded her almost entirely from everything in the room.

"Don't push it." Navaeha cast a hopeful gaze towards Ambrosia, who was now thankfully recovered, though his face was still red and plump from the blows and fresh blood stained his face. Despite the relief she felt for her friend's recovery, she couldn't shake off the feeling of her father's eyes staring down at her disapproval. She imagined his icy eyes piercing through the top of her head, even though his strong hug felt sincere. The weight of his judgment felt heavy on her shoulders, causing her to second-guess herself and her actions. Despite her best efforts to focus on Ambrosia, the thought of her father's momentary relapse in character lingered in the back of her mind, making her feel uneasy and anxious. Ambrosia's thankful smile eased her mind till the others spoke up.

"That was unexpected." Turning her head to see who spoke, she was met with a cold stare coming from the shorter of the two. The tousled locks of his blonde hair formed a wild halo around his head, while his vacant, sand-colored eyes appeared to be lost in thought. The unruly tangles in his hair complemented the blank expression on his face, as if they were both part of the same enigmatic puzzle. His body seemed to be hung there like a corpse, his frame nearly skeletal, matching his defined jawline and sunken eyes that were accentuated by the shadows around the room.

"Yes, it was happily unexpected." Letting Navaeha out of his grasp unexpectedly, her father accidentally sent her stumbling backward, nearly colliding with the floor as if she were made for it. "Search the barn. Dame, have 27 help you load the boxes labeled Ava's summer into the trucks first. We will need all of her clothing." Watching as the skeletal man gave a nod and began pulling down boxes, she glanced at the younger man, who seemed to be around her age. His broad shoulders weren't wide like Ambrosia's; they were scrawny and almost dainty in a way. She wondered who of the pair was who until she watched as the younger man fell behind the skeleton.

"Now to deal with you." The sound of her father's boisterous laughter echoed through the room and made her shiver involuntarily. She turned her gaze towards him, feeling a sense of unease as he faced the two of them. His hands were clasped, and his eyes glinted with a mischievous twinkle. "I know that you don't take me for a fool, Mutt, and sometimes I pray that you're not so dull, but I see my daughter for the first time in years, and she's calling you by name. Did you have s*x with my daughter?" He asked, his assuming, knowing glare beating down on Ambrosia, making him feel weak and insignificant.

"How could I have s*x? I haven't even had my first kiss yet!"Navaeha, feeling a sudden rush of embarrassment, quickly brought her hand up to her face to hide the visible signs of her fatigue. As she rubbed her eyes, she tried to shake off the heaviness that had been weighing down on her for hours, making her feel increasingly drowsy and unfocused. Despite her best efforts, however, she couldn't help but feel self-conscious at being caught in such a vulnerable moment. Her father's eyes lightened as he cast them on the dead body.

"I'm going to warm myself by the fire." As the two men turned around and walked back into the barn to collect more boxes, Navaeha stood there, her heart racing with anticipation. She waited in silence until they had disappeared from sight before rushing towards Ambrosia, her mind a flurry of confusion and relief. As she reached out to touch his face, she couldn't help but observe the fine details of his features. His baby blue eyes, usually so bright and lively, were filled with such pain that it was almost palpable. His cheeks were flushed a deep shade of red, and his forehead was creased with worry lines. Navaeha took a deep breath and closed her eyes momentarily, trying to steady her nerves. When she opened them again, she found herself staring into his beautiful eyes.

"Are you alright?" Her gentle hands brushed away the hair from his face. "Please forgive me, Ambrosia, I didn't mean to get you beaten." She whispered apologetically. As she gently ran her fingers over the painful and forming bruises, her touch came to an abrupt halt when he let out a sharp intake of breath and winced. She immediately withdrew her hand, concerned that she might have unintentionally caused him more pain.

"It's alright." His husky voice was low, his hands meeting Navaeha's, pulling them gently into his own. "I should have told you what the names meant. When we get a chance alone, I promise you that I will explain." Dropping her hands quickly as footsteps emerged, Ambrosia watched as the two men walked in and pulled more boxes. "Where are the guns?" he demanded. The Dame cast an eerie glance at the two of them before heading back outside. As she stole a quick glance towards the staircase, she suddenly let out a startled squeak when Ambrosia's hand swiftly grabbed her arm. It felt as though she was being pulled up the steps by the force of that grip. The suddenness of it all caught her off guard, her heart pounding in her chest as she stumbled slightly before finding her footing.