The Price of Peace (Completed)

[Frost]

"There are more of you survivors!? Well then we must move quickly to make sure none of you are hurt! Quick, we'll all leave together! Let's go, Asmoday, gather everyone together, we have to move fast," Shelrair replied, thinking fast.

Now Siberius began panicking, as Jezebel struggled to stand up and began practically crawling back the way she came, he
began limping back to his bed, attempting to
absorb every ounce of information that his new demon "friend" had revealed to him.
I can't leave, it's impossible for me to leave this room, they've assured that. Let's hope that Jezebel doesn't tell anyone who I am, if she does, then I'll be dead for certain. Everything, my life, the future, is in the hands of my worst enemy.
Siberius' mind was in a frenzy, growing more and more paranoid as his thoughts continued their feast on Siberius' conscious ness.

[Farrelei]

To Lilly, it was an absolute expression of his love for her.
The day was a danger to him - if he were spotted, he would be hunted down. Even inside the Chapel, even now, his life was in significantly increased danger than it was during his nightly visits.
He pulled her out of the chair, and held her above him as he continued to embrace and survey his love.
She smiled. She loved him. He was her Inspiration, and she was the only reason he still felt he should live on here.

---

After the rest break, Eleanore filed back into the carriage, along with Bowen, and the trip resumed.
It was tedious, and sleep seemed always just out of reach, beyond the horse's hooving, the wheel's rolling, the musings of Bowen or some other, or the occasional singing of the driver and/or guards.

She only really seemed to enjoy the trip in the slightest when a guard rapped on the window and announced that they only had roughly 10 minutes left to go.
She readied herself then, and pulled the curtain back to stare out and hopefully catch a glimpse of the city.

Lious was not unlike Gardaine in that it was a high-walled citystate and that it was quite wealthy, however it was not nearly the size of Gardaine. It was relatively small compared to the once-capital of the Empire.
Trees, well-tended grass and flowerbeds began to line the roads leading to the city, and finally the walls were visible.
Hundreds of people had gathered to see the Empress of immestrial arrive in Lious. There were guards spread out across the paths, lining the Gate. Bowen noticed blood on his side, even in pools in some places. There had obviously been some kind of scuffle.
The carriage slowed to a halt in front of the Gate, and trumpets were blown from the walls, announced their arrival.

---

Fern was suddenly struck with hysteria, "I don't know! I just want to see Purea my mother, she might..."
But as she struggled to find her words, they were gaining speed.
It began to feel unreal, "Please look for my friends!" Fern cried out, still trying to catch up, but falling behind as they ran ahead.
She hoped she hadn't taken a turn for the worst here.

[Frost]

Two men entered the room that held Purea and many other workers of the Palace, at first they jumped, but after settling themselves they called out for the rest.
They made way for Shelrair, who, after eyeing everybody in the room carefully, curtsied elegantly to them all.
"Thank goodness there are some survivors," Shelrair sighed with 'relief'.
She hurriedly ran around checking pulses and asking if everybody was medically alright, before calling medics to come and check on them professionally.
"Does anyone need anything? Food? Water? We, a secret government force, wiped out each and every enemy that attacked the Palace a few days ago, soon we shall leave the Palace, you are all welcome to join me and be reuinited with your friends and families."

[Farrelei]

Fern hurried into the room, her eyes immediately locking on to Purea ((Violet's in here too isn't she?)).
She screamed and ran into her arms.
"Fern.. I really did fear for the worst."
Fern looked up and saw her mum crying, through her own tears, "They looked after me.. The guards protected me and so did Miss Shelrair and their group."
Purea tightened her grip, and raised her head. Shelrair was already looking straight at her.
"Thank you.. So much."

---

The fanfare continued as the carriage pulled into the city. For about 10 minutes, they wheeled around circles and past cheering people.
They came to a stop by another carriage, the crest of Lious emblazened on its side. The door was opened, and Eleanore gathered herself and stepped forth. She was immediately greeted by a smiling man who looked to be in his late 30s - the President of Lious.
Bowen alighted next, and the three of them shook hands, posing a while for the people.
"Welcome to Lious. It's a huge honour."
"Thank you for the overwhelming greeting!"
He motioned to the carriage, "I know you're probably sick of travelling by now but there's not very long to go from here."
Eleanore laughed and boarded, followed by Bowen, the maidservant and finally the President.
Thankfully for Eleanore, it was a larger carriage then her previous one. They walked up a small flight of decorated stairs, and found themselves on top of the open-topped second storey of the transport. The seats were extremely comfortable and coloured a deep purple.
Eleanore and Bowen waved as the carriage began to pull away from the people, and toward their home for the next few days.

The road with the palace entrance attached was completely locked down for the day. Guards and military personnel lined the path. The tall, iron gate was closed behind them as they passed through, onky to pass through a second gate (which was, however, left open).
The Presidential Palace was before them now. It was connected via bridge to a large-ish man-made island in the middle of a pristine lake, which itself was decorated thoroughly with blooming gardens and water features.
During the ride, Bowen inquired about the signs of conflict he saw on the way there.
"Unfortunately," President Logan began, "There are some 'groups' in the area that consider themselves remnants or descendants of the Old Rebellion that ceased last year."
Bowen was a little startled, "Hm? But the Rebellion succeeded in its cause."
The President shrugged, "People will always find cause for violence. Even if they have to lie to themselves to get it."
Eleanore could see Bowen was a little angered by this, "..Peace comes at a price."
The president laughed, "Peace? Well, between you and I, there's no such thing as peace. Peace is an illusion that some of us just happen to make up. Hell, why do you think a righetous man kills? For peace! But you can't find peace if you're too busy disturbing it, can you?"

The breeze swished past Eleanore's face in a flurry, and she smiled as she caught his logic, "The price of peace is bloodshed."
Bowen grit his teeth, "The Old Rebellion held a noble cause."
The President laughed mockingly, "I'm sure they did."
The carriage slowed as they reached the entrance to the Palace.
"Well, let's continue our conversation come dinnertime, yes?"
They alighted and entered the building.

The Palace exterior was a hard building, made of white marble and painted a variety of colours, predominantly blues. It consisted of three storeys, and looked rather like the large mansion of an extremely wealthy family.
As soon as the doors were open, the guests were greeted to an extremely cozy and smallish room, much unlike the palaces in Gardaine and Hangyakunin, where the belief that first impressions were much more desirable led to huge welcoming halls full of grandeur.
The room was decorated with a rich, red decor. At the end of the small room was a large window, a table and two chairs laid out simply and neatly. Some books lined the windowsill. There was a larger door to their immediate left, and a staircase next to the space with the window. The stairs led up to the path that ran on the top of the room, with a door at the top, a door at the end of the path and large windows lining the rest of the walk.
A servantboy appeared, welcomed the guests, and led Eleanore and Bowen to their rooms. The president bid them farewell and went off to his own rooms.

Eleanore felt immense relief on being able to simply lie down. There were no interruptions, no noises, and her clothes had all been hung in the wardrobe already by a servant. It was nice being able to close her eyes for a while and not have to care about anyone or anything.

[Frost]

Shelrair smiled graciously, "No, thank you, without you're amazing courage and strength to hold out all this time, both undetected and safe, we would not be standing here, now let's go, we need to leave."

The Chronicle

[/u][/center]
An explosion of shock and answers has occured just yesterday as Shelrair Hemari, an agent working for the Empress herself, fought alongside her co-workers in a desperate attempt to grasp the control of the Palace from a group of assailants.

Shelrair Hemari fought valiantly for her country and city's security,
"This country is blessed with fruitful ambition and splendourful resources," Shelrair said late yesterday, "I had to do what was necessary to keep the people of this nation safe."

The attack occured during the breach of the Gardaine Wall, whilst our armies rushed to the battle there, the assassins crept into the Palace, killing hundreds of men, women and children.
146 People died, some soldiers, guards, servants or leaders serving our country, only a handful of survivors remain, saved
by the heroic Shelrair after she abolished the murderers, personally killing both the leader of the assailants and the second-in-command, as well as supporting the remaining people and rushing them out of the Palace, her strength alone saved our City from utter chaos.
Among the 146 that perished, Vizier Safroth(lastname) and every High Officer is reported dead, though King Siberius, having fought for the city alongside Shelrair, was miraculously alive after being shot twice, once in the shoulder and once in the thigh, as well as having his skin burned.
"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Shelrair and her saviours, without them many of us wouldn't be."
Shelrair Hemari is set to be interviewed promptly, and
is set to also receive several royal acknowledgements for her loyalty, she states that she has always been passionate about politics, and will hopefully be granted the opportunity of protecting the people of Gardaine once more.

[Farrelei]

Fern plonked herself down onto the seat next to her mother in front of one of the large, antique tables that filled the lively hall.
The mood was split, and the guests filled the room with blends of emotions - relief and happiness and being safe and free; horror and despair, for their loved ones were nowhere to be found, or already pronounced dead.
The one thing that remained unchanged was the compassion they all felt for their saviours. Shelrair herself was present at the feast, as were most of the Empress' Covert Organisation (ECO ;D), and they recieved much praise. The feast was held in a club underneath a large-ish Antique Store named 'Waurd's', and was open only to Government officials, members of the military, ECO members, survivors, and of course, their families.
Purea had cooked this meal, and speeches were given, and there was music and celebrations.

---

Two demons, both unknowing of the other, stared over the same chapel.
The sunlight was dimming, and the colours turning grey in the late hours of the day.
Life was a mystery to both of them. Both were young in their bodies, yet both had already felt the heartbreak of lost love, the smashing of hope, and the tempests of betrayal and confusion.
Both could smell the leftover meat pies being wheeled down the street, a gift to the fatherless children from the Bakery, as they were now too old to sell.
However, one was cruel, and other a thing of the night.
And for both, one the inspiration for their aspiration.

Vivian's plans were the only things she could still call the 'truth'. Apart from that, it was hard to know what to believe. She remembered things, every now and then a new memory, of past lives. She didn't know if he was still alive somewhere, but she was loyal ((of course, by Red Sea, she'll have her own aspirations, will remember most things, and will want the Fate for a completely different purpose..)).
She hurried to the chapel door, knocked thrice, and waited for a call.

He saw the woman run ahead, and seized the opportunity. He spread his wings, and darted up to her window light, and let himself in.

Kyou was surprised to see another visitor as he approached. The priest seemed as surprised as he. As he let the woman enter, he bid the Sire a welcome as well.
She turned on his approach, considered him a moment, then went on her own business, her eyes constantly veiled by a wide-brimmed hat atop her head.
The ache in his chest tightened as he followed its beckon. And he found himself following the woman in the hat. Eventually, he realised that not only Lilly, but this woman must also be producing a wave.
Had he not already been under the influence of the Elder's soothings, he feared he may have died.

---

Lilly clutched as his shirt, and implored, "What's wrong!?"
Startled, he shook his head, "What?"
"It's.. Everywhere."
"...Everywhere? What is?"
"It's like a long, deep crack, scratching itself down our wall... Can't you feel it?"
The thump of footsteps interrupted them both.
Rine's heart began to pound.
Lilly warned him to hide - a nigh-impossible feat in her room, so left the way he came, scrambling upon the roof as he always did when footsteps endangered their privacy (and his life, as a demon).

Kyou was silent, moving only when he had too, using the blood that leaked from his bitten lip as a way of distracting his inner pain. He watched the woman ascend the stairs, and encorach even further upon Lilly's location.
There was a rap on the door, and the the creak as it opened.

Lilly turned, "Father-"
"..Hello," the woman's voice replied crisply and coldly.
"Oh.. Hello."
The door was shut, and the woman approached Lilly, in the seat by the window.
As she got closer, Lilly saw, through the darkness, the glass of milk in her hand.
"It was sitting on a tray on a table outside. I guess it's meant for you."
Lilly took the glass, and nodded silently.
And the silence continued for some time.
"...Who are you?"
The woman placed a thin hand upon her face, stroked and then scraped it gently with the tips of her long, red fingernails, and then answered, "My name is Emilia. You're.. Important... Well, you were important, to a late friend of mine. And he wanted help from you."
And the demon on the roof felt ill as he overheard their conversation - partly from jealousy (Lilly was his), partly from fear of this newcoming woman.
Lilly tightened her grasp on the glass, never drinking. She would respond, but the silence was interrupted yet again.
A moan and a collapse from outside the room.
Emilia headed directly to the door, pulled it open and stared at the mess on the ground.
The blood in his hands was warm, and sticky, and as the door opened he moved his gaze from the arrow - his Cerilie - to the demon woman behind its frame.
A demon.
He suddenly realised. And then his heart stopped.

For a moment. He was too weak to attack her in his state. He just stared, horrified, at the beast before him.
Demons. The most cursed of all creatures to walk Vadaa.
Lilly dropped the glass, smashing into pieces on the ground. All eyes turned to her, and Rine dropped from his place up above.
Frantically, she pulled herself toward him.
He stared at the woman and the boy in the blood. In a moment of self-hysteria, he tapped into the itching waves of air around his hand, directing it at Emilia the Cruel.
And, surprised, she raised her own hand and applied a harsher force at the boy.
His own attack backfired and slammed into his body, prickling it, sizzling it. The smell of burning flesh filled their nostrils and he toppled forwards into the room, blood splattereing the floor and the walls. He was far from critically injured, but Lilly thrust herself upon him.
The chair skidded and fell on its side in the corner, and Rine pushed her backward as he focused his eyes upon the demon before him.

[Frost]

"Such unnecessary complications."
She unexpectedly rushed forward, her hand wrapping itself around the boy's neck and easily lifting his body off of the ground.
She stared at him, her eyes wide and deep.
She squinted at him, tilting her head.
"Your name?" She asked calmly.

[Farrelei]

Rine could not have known that the woman didn't mean his Lilly any harm, but her actions and his instincts told him only lies.
To Rine, she was a threat. His young mind jumped to conclusions, and pushed reasoning aside. He ignored her question, inside slamming a ball of myst into her chest and freeing himself from her grasp.
His attack didn't do much to hurt her, so he attacked again.

The intense pain in his soul was gone, and now Kyou was left with a simple pain in the chest, where the arrow had burst forth. He pinned his shirt down over the wound as he tried to stand straight. The winged boy was obviously a demon also. Kyou knew he should have acted earlier, but he had no idea Demons still roamed, and so badly desired the sword.
He ignited a strong aura around he and his spirit beast, and brought it forth upon Emilia and Rine. His attack seemed to hurt Emilia, but only a little, and Rine was flung backward into the wall.
He was obviously incredibly weak. He didn't stand a chance. Lilly, now, was whimpering in horror and backing away into the corner of her room. She dragged a trail of blood from her left ankle, and when Kyou positioned higher, he noticed white points sticking out of the skin, and the foot was completely twisted at an angle.
Gathering his thoughts, he realised the woman demon was turning to him, and he took the chance to strike at her once again.

[Frost]

Emilia swiftly grabbed his arm, digging her fingernails into it in the process and letting drops of myst sear into the fresh cuts before flinging him onto the small bed that belonged to Lilly.
She elegantly took a deep breath, drawing her hands into the air.
Her eyes shot open and dialated fully as long, thin shocks of aura and myst launched out of her hands, resembling small lightning bolts, enveloping and destroying everything in the room.
Walls were pierced, framed pictures fell, glass shattered and wood splintered, the entire room was covered in ruins.
Her deep breaths turned to a chuckle, her chuckle to a giggle, and her giggle into laughter as the aura and myst grew to incredible levels of magnitude, for the first time, she felt what it felt like to be alive.

[Farrelei]

The torture and the pain was incredible. Kyou would have died then and there, had his Ercilie not thrust itself into the demon's back, and through her chest, stopping just before it reached its master.
Kyou swallowed the air, now that he could breathe again. Tiny flames licked upward on the walls of the room and then dissolved. The walls looked as if they had been torn into by countless ravenous beasts, and Kyou turned his head and saw that he was covered in bloody scratches. The bedsheets were torn and soaked red.
A scream diverted the attention of both he and Emilia, before she could finally do away with him.

Rine tried to grasp at Lilly on the floor, but she screamed, scrambled and pushed away.
"No... No...!"
"Lilly!"
"NO!"
Her words burnt him. Rine pulled away.
Lilly, bleeding, scratched at the walls, "Let me out! Out!!"
She swung her head to her left and noticed the sword on the ground beside her. She wrapped her fingers around the hilt, and then resumed clawing at the wall.
Emilia lifted off Kyou, and stepped to the mindless girl on the floor, paying Rine no attention.

Savannah's face, horrified and morbid, loomed in his mind. In that moment where he revealed himself as demon, to save her, all her love dissolved, and she grasped onto the one person he thought was his enemy.
And all because he was something different to her.
"If our positions were swapped... I'd still love you."
He said it out loud. He didn't know who he was talking to - or about - anymore.
Because now, Lilly had gone and done the same thing. Except now, she'd gone insane.
If this woman never came...

A pure hatred burst forth in his heart, and his hands - he screamed with rage as he unleashed it upon the woman in front of him, in a burning red flame.
It did little but burn her arm just a bit, before she raised a hand and her aura caught on to the myst being thrown at her, and molded the air around her into a shot that reversed and pierced straight through him.
The scream was caught in his throat and cut short, and he felt his body tipping backwards.
No more... No more...
Emilia smiled, "What a pest you are. Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to think over your actions in the Sea."
The room lit up for a moment, as another rush of aura swept through the air and cut into Rine's body and soul.

And that, it seems, was the last nail in the coffin.

The broken door was burst open, as Father Treed stumbled through the frame, pistol at the ready.
Rine was under the impression that his jaw had been completely blown off, and so didn't attempt to speak.
He raised his last working arm and trying to pull his shaky self upwards. Blood dripped from his hair, his mouth, his chest.
Fly.
That was all he thought. Kyou watched in silence as the demon boy, whose wings were now half-blown off and soaking, pulled himself out the chapel window.
He listened for a crunch. He thought he might have heard one, but it was hard to tell, over the screams of the girl, and of the Father in the doorway.

This world was not for you, it seems
Even though you wanted it
The people you loved only learned to hate you for what you were.
And being born Cursed into a world that can't understand
Is really a gift - one you couldn't grasp
And if you'd lived and loved on through the nights
You would have found people who loved you back
But, it seems, the song of the nightbird has faded
Into the sounds of the breeze by the streetlights
Only to be heard in the memories
Of those who still can't go to sleep.

Rest in Peace - Rine Serwood
The Nightbird.

[Frost]

Her long, slender fingers stretched as she began to grasp the sword that lay in the terrified girl's hands.
As her fingers came in contact, a shock of sudden energy snapped at her hands, drawing her hand back quickly as if she burnt it. As she raised her right arm to inspect what had happened, her eyes widened as she noticed a lengthly crack in her middle fingernail, one single drop of blood oozed it's way through the crack, and then fell from her finger to the floor.

---

Shelrair tapped her glass delicately with a spoon and coughed to hush the murmuring and the noise and to begin her speech, too elegantly for anyone to hear except from Asmoday and Jezebel who sat closest to her.
She tapped it again furiously, coughing louder, this time getting everyone's attention.
She smiled once everyone looked towards her.
"Ladies, Gentlemen, thank you for your arrival today, it pleases me as a humble peacemaker to have such loyal recognition from each and every one of you, I just want you all to know how important you all are to me, and I promise I will rebuild your broken lives somehow, as you all know, King Siberius has recently honored me as a High Officer of Gardaine just this morning, and I will use this new title to bring permanent security to this nation. Thank you."
The room was filled with cheers and applause that lasted for several moments.
Shelrair raised her hand and quietened the people once more,
"Let's give thanks, and then eat, shall we?"

[Farrelei]

Treed went to fire, but resisted the urge. He didn't want blood on his hands.
Instead, he ran to Lilly, shoved Emilia and pulled her body closer to him.
Lilly shrieked and hissed, digging her fingers into his soft skin. The sword remained dangling in her hand as she screamed and yelled as her body was lifted across his shoulders.
He ran to the end of the room.
"NO![/i]
There was a thud of some kind that rung through the air, and then a splash as what appeared to be beastly scratches opened up in wounds all over Treed's body.
Kyou pulled himself from the bed and positioned himself near the back of the room.
Treed lashed out at Lilly, but she raised a finger, and screamed that word one last time.
A line of pure substance tore itself through his head, pulling his entire body backward, through the rails of the stairs and down the flights below.

Lilly staggered, now free from the Father's hands, and her ankle rolled. There was a snap, as - Kyou realised - her foot completed ripped from her leg. She tumbled into a heap on the ground, whimpering, crying, bleeding.
Kyou couldn't find the words to say, nor the courage to move.
Emilia stood deathly still, observing the spectacle before them.
A nightmare beyond words, it was. The last act of a horror play.

The girl gasped, and raised her head, looking about.
An audible whine emitted from her lips, and as she spun all around, she broke down into hysterics. She chanted the Father's name, and pulled her way through the doorway out to the staircase.
There was a moment's silence as she pulled her head over, eager to see what had just happened, and then the silence was broken with a heartbreaking, chilling scream of nonbelief.
She repeated the same word over and over now.
"NO NO NO NO NO! FATHER!! GOD, PLEASE! NOO!!"[/i]
Kyou watched as she tried to stand, tumbled and then clawed back into the room.
She never made eye contact with either of them, as if they never existed.
She pulled herself up over the windowsill, and leant out, peering below.
"...No! NO!"
Kyou broke the spell, "...Lilly!"
"Teach me to fly!"
It was Rine's death all over again.
"I flew once! Fly away again! Into the night! Into the night! Inspire me! YES!"
Kyou ran to the window, but her body toppled wholly over the sill.
She screamed as she fell, and then the scream was cut short.
Kyou's chest tightened. There was no point looking out that window.

You were only ever as human
As he inspired you to be.
As a human caresses her spirit bird,
So the bird caressed his human.
Sometimes, they say the soul lingers on after death
In the case of the ancient ones,
Or untimely cursed.
And maybe, for a moment, there was a ghost in that room -
But Fate had already decided. You weren't strong enough.

Rest in Peace - Lilly

[Frost]

((Can Eleanore 'die' now?))
Emilia's eyes flickered around the room, gathering every sense of surroundings, only the intervening boy remained.
Suffering is much more fulfilling than Death itself, maybe he's more satisfying if he's kept alive.
She turned around and, with a re-adjustment of her large, frilled hat, left the room.

[Farrelei]

((LOLOLOL wishful thinking there. Also I was thinking Emilia might have taken silent note that he was a demon hybrid, maybe that's why she didn't kill him))

Kyou steadied himself and fought to keep down the vomit in his throat. He was overcome with heavyheadedness.
Digging his nails into the windowpane, he pulled himself upward and stared after the woman leaving the room.
He ran over to her and screamed, "You! D-Demon!! Where are you going?"
She ignored him and continued on.
"Didn't you kill them!?" He asked, partly because it all happened so fast that he really didn't know who killed whom and what actually took place, but he was also sure that her presence had some part in it.
And the boy's as well, but the boy was already long-dead.
Suddenly, it hit him. The carrier of the Fate was gone.
Another link and so many more years lost.. We got so close in the end.
She trod through the stringy brains of the Father on the staircase with a squelch, then reached the bottom.
Now we go back into hiding - for what!?

As Emilia left, she ignored the priest at the door and slammed the door behind him. He looked slightly surprised when Kyou came running behind her.
He thrust out an arm and halted his progress, "What are you doing, boy? What's going on?"
Kyou hit the man, "She.. She just killed them!"
His eyes widened, "What?"
"That p-priest, and the demon boy, and the girl... She killed them!"
The priest grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him over to the staircase.
When he saw it, he immediately let go of the wrist and collapsed on his knees in silence.
Kyou tore away and ran from the chapel, not stopping, not looking back. He ran as far as his fatigued legs would let him.

---

There were yells. Angry yells. Venomous yells.
Instantly, McKenzie sensed the terror of the moment.
The bangings on his door weren't unexpected. He hastily creaked it open and demanded what the fuss was about.




"...What have I done?"

[Frost]

Emilia walked out of the temple grounds, her newly born mind being filled with new premonitions and thoughts that interested her greatly.
She turned down an alleyway, and then another, until she found herself within the slums of Gardaine, where many people lay on the path and outside, not caring anymore about what people thought of them.
A girl came running out of an old shack and approached her with a tin can.
She had long blonde hair, just as Emilia had, and her eyes were light brown. She smiled and shook the can, the sounds of metal coins racketing inside.
Emilia smiled.



Three Days Ago...
Violet listened as the echoes of footsteps were heard above her and the other two maidservants.
Floor Negative 12 was cold and damp, with no source of light other than the light that shone in from upstairs. There was a chandelier, but the candesticks that rested atop it were completely melted away into grimy mush that hung down from the sides. There were boxes of papers and old, broken goods everywhere, some were kept in their boxes, others were scattered and spread all over the floor, but shockingly the room had no stench or smell, in fact it smelt reasonably fresh.

Violet grimaced at the hiding place she resided in for quite some time now, she hated everything about it,
What I wouldn't give to be back in the Forest, away from this mess, but no, I had to follow Siberius thinking that I could be what he wanted, but once again no, he was already with someone.
She scratched at her hair and tugged at her uniform, it was quite restrictive and very uncomfortable for her, so she ripped it off.
She ripped along her skirt, making it shorter, unbuttoned her top, and finally shook her hair until it rested comfortably hanging straight down. Now she could relax.
"Are we just going to stand around and do nothing?" One of the other maidservants asked.
"Would you rather lose your life?" The other replied.
Violet sighed and stood up.
"I agree with Genevieve, I think it's time we leave, we've got nothing here now, and we'll just slowly rot down here unless we get out, we could make it to the forest, perhaps I could make a distraction and you two can leave, you're both only about 13 and I've had a longer life than you."
The other two didn't complain.
They walked up the stone staircase back upstairs, looked around every corner, and continued to flee from the assassins, one of them never stopped.