THE TIES THAT BIND ||| THE LEGEND OF VOX MACHINA

The Pale Elf

Shrouded in the near pitch blackness of the stormy night, surrounded by faded yet never ending mist stood the mighty seat of the most Noble, De Rolo family, Whitestone castle. It's pearly, tall spired towers stood high above the land as gentle light shone through each of the pane glassed windows, gleaming, as if it were an odd symbol of hope and prosperity to those basking in it's shadow. 

Inside, past the slung half opened doors of the grand dinning room at the head of the elongated table sat Lady Johanna von Musel de Rolo. A light skinned, middle aged woman draped in a fine silken, dark green dress with a single, blue jewelled necklace gifted by her beloved husband hung around her neck. The flickering light from the flames burning from the lit fireplace revealed the light yet near unnoticeable wrinkles just below her eyes and around her pouting lips, as well as the hints of shaded grey hair steadily appearing amongst her tightly styled brown locks. 

Next to her leaning into his mothers side ever so slightly, sat on one of the very same ornate chairs was young Percival De Rolo, with his pale emerald gaze latched onto the very same book his mother intently read as well. A small content smile graced the boys lips as squeaking rambunctious laughter echoed all around as his younger siblings played without a single care in the world.

Tearing his gaze from the parchment layed before him, Percy turned his eyes upward toward his father, Lord Frederick de Rolo. A mightily tall, broadly built, grey haired and thickly moustached male slightly older than his wife of many years. His lightened black tailed suit appeared much harsher in the cascading shadow of the flickering flames, yet his rather intimidating stature did little to hide the elder mans jovial attitude as a younger boy, sharing the same brown coloured hair as his brother stood by his fathers side as they both laughed in tandem with one another. "It was so funny, Father." Julius laughed in tandem with the man of the household.

Fredrick's bellowing laugh emanated through the dinning room as he smiled widely, revealing his purely white, well maintained teeth. One arm wrapped around his other son while the other held his beloved daughter Cassandra in the other, nothing coming between the three as they continued with their larking. "And Percy too!" he chortled as the very same boys gaze landed upon his sister. Rushing through the open door happily the youngest brother of the three bolted toward the little girl layed on the floor with another book in front of her. Kneeling at her side, he too read along with his sister as the two remained the quietest of the lot.

An overwhelming feeling of contentment  ran through Percy as he shut his eyes lightly, basking in the peace of family and the comfort both his Noble parents had afforded himself and his siblings. However, it did not last, as the illusion was quickly replaced by one of complete, indescribable horror as the emanating light was doused in death and despair. A familiar woman's manic chuckling verberated through his mind as his body sat, bleeding and abused as the strange, hooded assailant stood before him with her face mere inches from his, slowly levelling the tip of her sharpened blade towards one of his bruised, teary, frightened eyes.

Then, in an instant he found himself barrelling through the forest his hair now turned a ghostly white, with hounds snarling and barking at their heels as he dragged Cassandra by the hand along with him. Both of them marred with dozens of cuts and scars from weeks of torture and torment at the hands of those that reaped everything from him. "Hurry Cass!" his terrified voice echoed as his groggy vision faded once more giving way to the searing pain of a sharpened dagger being dragged across his throat. "That man..." another feminine voice pounded in his head as his own whimpers accompanied her contemplating.

Again, the boy found himself huddled into his mother's side as his eye landed upon two masked, crossbow wielding men standing in the doorway. "Reality knocking at your door..." a decrepit male spoke as a single drop of blood dripped from his jovial fathers mouth as a sword stuck right through his tunic from behind, while the same hooded figure stood behind him wielding said blade with a gleeful smile spread across her face. Johanna's shrieks tore Percy's attention from his father as he turned to see his mother with a pair of sharpened bolts pierced straight through her neck, gurgling on her own blood as death took her as well.