The Red String of Fate

The Day I Lost You

Mid-Summer / June, 835.

Furlan awoke to the sound of whistling, rubbing his eyes as he surveyed the area he was supposed to be watching. Nothing seemed to have changed, but he heard their code. He hopped down from the roof and walked to the side of Anya's house. He could hear boisterous laughter from inside, and it didn't sound like the girls. "fuck" he whispered to himself, moving to peer into the windows and seeing a group of men – some in Military Police uniforms, some in casual clothes, surrounding the living room of Anya's home. Again, he heard the signal – He tried to figure out where it was coming from, and quickly determined it to be from Esther's room. He made his way to her window, and threw a rock up to get her attention.

"You fucking dumbshit" She growled to herself when she saw him standing there. She looked out the window at him and made a motion with her hand to her neck – indicating things were about to go down. She tossed him the makeshift ladder he used to use to sneak into her room, and he climbed up. As soon as he landed in Esthers room, he could make out the sound of footsteps climbing the stairs.

"I'm too late" he said as he locked eyes with Esther, who simply averted her gaze in response.

Furlan could hear Joseph call to Anya, and open the door to the bedroom next to them.

"we're too late" Esther said, looking at Furlan with sadness deep in her eyes.

Both Anya and Levi sprung from the bed as soon as they realized the door was opening, Levi tossing his shirt back on haphazardly. Anya looked up at her uncle, fear present on her face, in her eyes, and through to her very soul. This was exactly what she was afraid of, because unlike all the other time's she had been caught alone with Levi – something her uncle strictly forbid – she wasn't at Furlan and Levi's place, or even an alleyway. She was in this vile mans house. She knew that as far as he was concerned, he could do whatever he wanted to her, and to Levi, when they were within those walls.

Anya looked to Levi and pointed her gaze at the window. She opened her mouth and formed the word 'run '. He shook his head in response and grab a hold of her hand. "not without you" He whispered to her, as tears started forming in her eyes. She never wanted him to see her be weak, she never wanted him to see the hell she goes through when she's within those walls.

"Well, looks like you two kids have been busy" Joseph snarled, standing in the doorway. He cocked his head back and looked towards the stairs. "Aye Boys, can I get some assistance up here?" He hollered down, and before Levi or Anya could even begin to process what was going on Joseph had his friends entering the hall. Joseph looked them up and down, putting together a story in his mind as he walked up to Anya. "You fuck him, girl?" he asked, looking at Anya with a disgusted face. She was in shock; she couldn't find words to say. Her mind drifted off - if only they had left a few minutes earlier...

The moment that took her out of her shock, was the immediate sting of the fist colliding with her face. She could hear Levi scream, and out of the corners of her blurred vision she saw what appeared to be three men taking a hold of Levi and restraining him as he fought to get out of their grasp. "Run Levi! Get out of here! GO !" She barked the order, screaming with all she could.

"I'm not leaving you!" Levi screamed back, attempting to fight off his attackers "I'm not leaving you with this monster!"

"Monster? You know girl, if you're gonna act like a whore, maybe its time we give you to the brothel like we did with your bitch mother" Joseph snarled at her before punching her again. She could feel the pain of the impact but opened her eyes and looked for Levi. Her gaze found him thrashing, attempting to get three men off of him. Joseph pulled her up by her wrists, holding them firmly above her with one hand. "such a little slut" he growled at her before reaching his free hand down to her panties. Anya locked her legs closed and dropped the floor, releasing his grip on her arms above her. It was an act she was all too familiar with, him trying to touch her and her having to move her body so he wouldn't have access, fighting every step of the way until he would give up and move on to go to the brothel or beat her until she couldn't move. He never took it as far as rape, but she somehow felt he would get some sick pleasure out of raping her in front of Levi. She was scared to her very core and looked to Levi with her eyes begging him to just run, to get out. To not bear witness to anything he did to her.