{Le Château du Seul.}

Isabelle

Isabelle turned, frowning slightly at whoever had interrupted her one brief moment of peace. Her frown turned to a flat-out scowl when she saw who it was. The man seemed no more happy to see her.

"Come back for round two?" snapped Isabelle. Tash turned to glare at her.

"Still as haughty as ever, aren't you?"

Isabelle pursed her lips. "Takes one to know one."

"Don't make me laugh. I'm sure your precious Joshua has convinced you that I am an evil, lie-spouting man. Am I correct?"

"Funnily enough, no."

"Ah," said Tash. He took a step forward. "What, then? Did he tell you that you were a angel from heaven, not a flaw, not a single trait to mar your perfection?"

"Again, the truth seems to simply avoid you."

"As it does to you."

"Your opinion."

"Fact, my dear. Only fact."

"But of course." Isabelle closed the door with a sharp click. The small drops of rain that continued to hit Isabelle were becoming annoying.

The two glared at each other for a hostile moment.

"Well, it might interest you to know that your precious Joshua seems to have forgotten you. He seemed very, ah, intent on finding Mercy."

Isabelle's face hardened for a moment. Out of pride, she forced it to relax. "And why should that bother me?" she said sweetly.

Tash looked at her, now amused. "Back to your old games, then?" he asked distastefully. "I can't say I'm surprised... Your kind never listens to the common folk."

Whatever impression Isabelle was trying to make disappeared immediately.

"My kind?!" she cried furiously. Tash raised an eyebrow delicately.

Mercy

Mercy cowered on the ground, tears streaming endlessly down her porcelain cheeks. She has a sharp pain where Gabe had kicked her. But still, the angelic boy loomed over her, casting a long shadow in the dancing candlelight that crawled up the wall like a bogeyman. Mercy had always feared the dark, afraid of what came with it. And apparently such menace - such beautiful menace - as Gabriel lurked in their shadows.

Mercy barely had any time to wallow in self pity before the door opened a creak. "Mercy?" There was a hiss through the crack in the door. Gabe's head popped up immediately. Mercy wanted to shoo them away, but it only made her feel worse when Gabe's smile set into place, just a masochistic curl of his lips, the hollows beneath his eyes making his tan skin look pale as a ghosts. She feared for a moment's time that Gabriel was a vampire - but then she remembered that she was the true monster in that room.

"What's going on?" Joshua pushed the door open a bit, and Mercy noticed first his baffled expression which quickly changed to shock when he saw Mercy crouched helplessly on the ground. But she knew that he wanted to retreat back out of the room when the gun was pointed to his head. He, too, was helpless with cruches. And his only defense was poor little William.

Mercy didn't listen to what Gabriel said next, she was too busy biting hard on her lip until she tasted the salty blood that pooled in, and think back to such innocent day when she'd known Gabriel. He was just a paper boy, announcing to the people who bustled by what the news was. Mercy had been the only woman to stop for such a poor-looking boy, and listen to the intriguing headlines he read.

For months, it seemed, maybe a year, Gabriel brought Mercy the newspapers with his own hand, letting her have them free. No one had suspected anything. But then she'd been turned. And all she'd been able to do as she sat inside her bedchamber, skimming through the pages of books, or her eyes scouring the countrysides for his slouched over figure to come walking up the path, she thought of him. And she thought of her jealousy. What if his heart had been stolen away by another woman.

"I-I understand now ..." Mercy murmured, low enough that only Gabe could hear. "I understand why you hate me so much ... you're jealous ... you think that I, too, have had my heart stolen away by another."

Gabe's eyes shifted from a look of intent intrest, because she'd spoken, to utter amazement at such an astoundingly stupid remark, then to malice. "Don't you ever assume something like that!" Gabe growled low, bending down, his face so close to hers that she could feel his warm breath tickle against her sweaty face. "I wil never love a beast like you!"

And with that, Gabe abruptly rose back to his full height, six-foot-one, and kick her hard in the gut this time. "Why, you monster!" Mercy heard Joshua cry in outrage. She could only imagine the torchured look in William's eyes as he helplessly tried to restarin Joshua. She heard Joshua yelp as he was struck to the ground. This was the end. Curtains closing.
- - -

Is that okay Incog? I hope I didn't bring you in at the wrong time If so, just go ahead with whatever post you want, and I'll modify.

And the profile for Gabe will be posted in the DT.

**Good LaReina. That is perfect.
Attention all. There has been two people created, and their profiles are put up in the DT. I recommen you taking a gander at them, for the other character soon is going to be introduced.

Joshua

Joshua tried to get forward, leaning on his crutches helplessly, but William was restraining him, holding him back. Joshua nearly called out at him, ready to yell for him to let go so that he could properly defend himself, but the man named Gabriel seemed to lean closer towards Mercy, whispering words that made no sense to him. Joshua called out to the man as he kicked her in the stomach.

"...Monster!" The only word Joshua heard, and he felt outraged. Mercy was the one who was the least of a monster in the god-fosaken place. She was the most human of them, having unexplainable human emotions. She was king, caring helpful. She did not deserve to be called a monster.

"Get away from her!" Joshua growled towards the man, dropping his crutches and clenching his fists. William seemed to have let go of him, eyes befallen on Mercy on the ground winded, staring horrified.

"Oh look. There is another. Two will die tonight." Gabe hissed, striding towards Joshua quickly, Joshua barely if noticing what was happening. The man expertly slammed the butt of the pistol across his face, making Joshua lean on his other leg making him fall over in excrutiating pain. "Get up." the man sneered. "You monsters are supposed have have strength beyond humans, knowledge beyound compare, and yet you are there on the ground writhing in pain from a simple humaniod blow."

"Leave him alone!" William yelled at the man, who just looked towards him and pointed a pistol at his head. William looked at him shocked, jaw slack with terror but continued. "Y-You expect to fight an injuried man? Joshua is wounded."

"Well, he is going to die in a matter of minutes, after I kill you."

Mercy leapt up to her feet, trembling. She grabbed Gabe's arm boldly, not like her. She seemed like a different person, and through squinted eyes he saw her golden hair whipping around her, her eyes black as the night. She looked strong, like she would actually be able to act against this man, but Joshua did not miss how her hands twitched and her shoulders were slumped and trembling. There was something going on. Some memories that were existing that he did not know, deep and hidden never brought up until now and Joshua felt himself reach out for her.

"Mercy..." His voice came out a slightly higher pitch because of the pain in his leg.

She did not listen. She still stood there, looking at the man. If she could cry, then she would have at this moment, her face showing torment and suffering. "Is that what I am?" She spoke, shaking her head, hair falling into her eyes. "A monster?"

But the man wasn't paying attention to her or William and his arm dropped. He was staring at the window, torch light gently flicker beyond. Joshua felt himself try to get to his feet, but fell over again. Sure enough though, William was at his side picking him up.

"Who are they?" Joshua hissed at the man, examining the man's expression.

"They weren't supposed to be here. Not yet. Constance has not --" But his sentence was cut off as they heard calls from outside.

"Creatures! Monsters! We know you are here!" A voice called from outside. "Show yourself, for we are here for judgement and the decision has been made. You shall be done with as the government wishes! Your existence's are no longer wanted in this world for you are tainting it with your fowl lives."

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Is that alright LaReina? I wasn't quite sure...

~Incognito

William

He crouched down, time standing so very still as his heart fluttered persistantly like a hummingbird, his lips quivering as the tears welled over.

This wasnt how it was supposed to be... this wasnt how this was supposed to end... no he didnt want to die alone...

He was so scared... he had never before been this scared in his life. Not the minute Joshua had left him, or when his father went off to die. No, nothing compared to this aching that suddenly infested itself inside of him, his eyes wide as he rolled back and forth, sobs filling the room.

"You bastard..." he murmured under his breathe, his eyes suddenly focusing on the man's limp arm and then at the gun that was pointed at nothing at all or so it seemed. "You bastard!"

He leapt at the man in a rage he never knew he possessed, his hard eyes now a full opaque black. His teeth bared, fingernails digging into the man's skin who let out a shrill cry of surprise.

"What the hell!" The man stepped back as William struggled to inflict as much damage as he could possibly. "You stupid brat!

William sank his teeth into the man's arm, biting down so hard he could taste the blood on his tongue, it's rusty metallic tang. He wanted to cough, to let go and spit out the cursed blood on his lips, but he kept biting down, harder and harder.

The man screamed, shocked, before hitting him with the barrel of his gun, knocking him to the floor.

Outside, the voices were getting louder and louder, chants arising from whence they came, and all he could feel now was the numbness of death on his tongue, the aching pain in his temple, and the sudden loss of all hope...

"You disgusting little.." the gun was raised, pointed at his head...

Mikael

I ran through the corridors bouncing from room to room until finally i found Alex and a few of the Unforgiven armed holed up in three ajoining rooms.
"Alex gather what men you can find. There are people attacking the chateau. Do not let them harm anyone. Use maximum force."
"But sir i"
"Just do it damn it!" I shouted grabbing my sword cane and running from the room.
"You heard him" shouted Alex. "Unforgiven with me!" He roared leading a rag tag bunch of armed hooded men. "Carpe Diem" came the mass reply.

[Tash M. Grevette]

"My kind!"

I raised an eyebrow, Were all the rich this emotional about it? I sure wouldn't be if I was loaded. Isabelle glared at me with such anger that I almost wanted to shrink backwards and turn away. What was her problem? Did I touch a nerve? The rain battered the windows and pushed away the growing the silence.

"You're filthy rich," I started, "You're kind, that kind,"

Isabelle blinked, confused, "What?"

"What kind did you think I was talking about?"

For a few seconds she stared at me and I stared back, all my anger vanishing and leaving the room. I took a few steps closer until there was only a foot or so of space between us. I took a deep breathe before I started again.

"Your kind?" I asked, tilting my head down so I could see her face, "What kind are you talking about?"

She looked up at me and said something that sounded like a question, but more like a statement, "You don't know,"

"Know what?"

I sounded like I was three again, remember when my mother first told me how my father had left. Starting out with, "You don't know," before she told the story. I looked down to Isabelle, confused and feeling like a little kid again, like I was being kept out of some inside joke.

She was silent, and I whispered, "Isabelle? What is it?"

Kittykat - I hope I'm interpreting your post correctly... Let me know if I am not.

Isabelle

Isabelle stared back at Joshua, horrified. How could he not know that he was no longer a mere human? How could he not have felt the transformation burning through his veins, like fire from hell itself? How had he escaped the fever, the days of anguish and suffering. How had he not noticed the physical changes in his form? Had Tash not looked in a mirror? Had he not seen his eyes, and therefore not known what he had become?

Isabelle shuddered at the thought. She did not want to be the one to tell Tash. That was Hester or Hiram's job. They had experience with such things. Isabelle did not.

Hesitantly, Isabelle opened her mouth to attempt to explain. She never go the chance, however. At that moment, a voice echoed from outside, penetrating the howling wind and pounding rain and seeming to fly right into Isabelle's ear, making Isabelle shiver.

"Creatures! Monsters! We know you are here! Show yourself, for we are here for judgement and the decision has been made. You shall be done with as the government wishes! Your existence's are no longer wanted in this world for you are tainting it with your fowl lives."

"What the - ?" began Tash. Isabelle spun around to glance at the door. There was no was she could block it except for the one, single, old lock. Isabelle prayed it would hold. She slid it into place.

"Isabelle - "

"I don't know, Tash!" Isabelle cried frantically. "We've got to get out of here!"

Isabelle devoted no more time to thinking. She grabbed Tash's arm and dragged him up the stairs, adrenaline keeping her going.

Isabelle ran and ran until her last stores of energy were finally giving out. They had landed themselves in a little-used wing of the Chateau. Isabelle would have breathed a sigh of relief; the place should have been relatively safe.

But then the pair heard shouting voices coming from a room directly to their left. And Isabelle recognized Joshua's in the fray.

Yes, you interpreted great ^^

[Tash M. Grevette]

"Yeah, you do know," I said once we stopped, "Who were those people on the outside? What're they talking about? Monsters and---"

"Tash, I-I can't!"

"Tell me."

The firelight shuddered and Isabelle's eyes flickered toward the left. I looked over and could see Joshua's back and half of William, words being shouted out of a room. It was another fight probably, something else Joshua got to first, some other inside joke that left me out of the loop.

I walked past Isabelle and stood back in the shadow of the staircase, peering into the doorway. It was, obviously, dark inside. But with every little jump of candle light a new peice of face was shown. Inside the room there was a boy holding a gun pointed to William; Mercy was sitting on the floor.

I drew in a sharp breath and moved over toward the other side. It was so hard to stay quiet when every step seemed to echo and thunder, but no one else noticed. I looked around and thought, Where'd Isabelle go? Joshua turned his head just I ran into William, crashing to the floor.

A gun shot fired and then a loud crash---the front doors.

"Monsters!" They shouted, "Show yourself!"

Joshua

Joshua looked at the doorway in shock and horror. Tash had burst in staring bewildered at them all, pushing William over who was now on the ground looking panicked. Mercy still grasped Gabe's arm as he slid down to the ground, craddling himself, the pistol dropped at his feet.

He felt himself look threw the door, hoping to see her face, but Isabelle was not there. He felt himself take a breath of thin air, and smelt the smoke coming from the torches.

"We have to get out of here." Joshua said, his voice wavering. He kept his eyes on the doorway where Tash stood. "They will kill us all."

"Who will?" He looked at all of them frantically, eyes passing Gabe crumpled on the floor.

"The government! Our existences are not supposed to be allowed. They will kill us all and who ever has dwelt in the matters with us." Joshua felt dizzy and he had to steady himself on the wall. He was breaking out into a cold sweat, and his stomach lurched. His senses swam together and he felt like he was going to collapse. His loss of blood was taking its toll.

"Why would the government want to kill us?" Tash asked blindly, trying to examine all their emotions. His eyes stopped on Joshua, almost as if for the first time noticing the scars and lines all across his skin. Joshua's dark cherry red hair fell coarsely around his shoulders now. His eyes diverted from everyone and returned to the red carpet on the ground. Red, like how everything would be in the end if he let this continue. A blood bath.

"Don't pretend you do not know!" Joshua spoke, his voice almost in a yell. "I am a monster here, we are all monsters, mistakes made by the government." He was so close to collapsing at this moment in time, but he would not. "Mercy, go get Hiram and Hester. Make sure they get out to the forest. William, bring Tash with you, and get through the back door and go forth and join them there. Do not be afraid. Everything will be fine when they find no one here."

"But they will." Mercy spoke softly, almost unaudible. "You will be here won't you? Why aren't you going to leave?"

"Injury only permits me to go so far. I will stay here, and greet them." Joshua looked back up at them. He would not say the truth out loud for he would not let William be hurt by this. Joshua did not expect to live much longer. His senses were failing, and he would go to them, claiming he was Hiram, hoping his death would sensuate their thirst to see their blood spilt.

"I am not letting you stay here!" William scrambled to his feet, eyes widening and examining Joshua as if he was absurd. "You can't expect me to let you stay here, by yourself. No protection? It is either they will kill you or he--" William gestured at Gabe. "will."

Joshua stepped painfully forward, cringing as he put a little wieght on his leg. He reached out for William, but William flinched away. Giving up, Joshua returned his hand to the wall. "William, I promise I will be here when you come back. Go, before they break fully in."

Mercy looked at Joshua with eyes wide, but Joshua would not look at her. She knew the truth of the matter and he did not want to verify it.

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~Incognito

*Can some one pm me the link to the dt now ive 'editted' my post*

** Um.. skull... can you possibly edit that post? I will fill you in on the plan in the DT but killing them wont solve anything.. so please lets not kill anyone..**

Guys - can comeone please post? This storybook can't die because of something this silly! If it bothers you so much that Skull killed off one guy, then will someone PM him and ask him to edit? He obviously hasn't checked this storybook! And, in the meantime, will someone please POST?

**Skull, you don't need a link. You go to the read and review section in the forums and go down to 'Storybooks' and right below it you will see something that says 'Storybook Discussion' in tiny writing. Click that and hunt down the DT thread for this Stroybook. It is titled the same thing.

But I am just going to branch off your post anyways. I know I have technically double posted, but forgive me. We don't want this to die now don't we.

Constance --> Her profile is in the DT. You might need to know this.

She watched as they crashed through the door, breaking it down balefully screaming and calling, torches flickering endlessly. She crinkled her nose at the smell of smoke. That was one of the smells she most disliked but she would have to ignore it herself. She got up from her perch, but then to her anger she watched as a troop of people showed up, brandishing weapons, one unmistakably one of those pathetic murderous monsters. She cursed under her breath as they swung in attacking the government officials brutally and irresponsably. Foolish. They could ruin all her plans at this moment in time.

Constance strode towards the brandishing fight between the surprised and meer angered rebels. She felt sudden distate for both of them. Fighting over something so foolish. They thought had to protect this old and crumbling castle, put their lives to do so, but the other side just wished to maintain the human side. They all both deserved to die.

The heels of her shoes clicked against the mosaic floor, echoing loudly, the noise seemingly resonating in the front foyer. Her footsteps drew their attention and she drew out of the shadows, her demanding presence seemingly putting their battles in a hold still.

"Oh dear, what seems to be going on here?" Constance's light voice seemed to be glorified, causing the foyer to envelope in silence. "I do not believe I permitted you into my domain." She looked over eloquently over at the people onviously from the government. Some raggled but still identifiable. There was peasants in their midst, obviously of low class. They were probably offered a loaf of bread if they came and added to their numbers.

A small stern man stepped forward, he straightened his vest and seemed to be flushed severely. "We are here on orders of the King. The people who dwell in this castle are beyond humanity, and the King has ordered their extermination."

"I do not believe any of us here are 'beyond humanity'. We are all human here." She stepped forward a little bit so that she was right before the little man.

"Then why did these people attack? I do not understand." He seemed to be unnerved by her presence.

"My silly servant boy, James." She gestured over towards the one that was not human. They wouldn't be able to tell right away without closer inspection. He was obviously the leader of this chirade. "I told him to protect the castle while I was gone. I was visiting my father, Duke of Northampton, it was a pleasant reunion. I returned, because I have to watch my own domain, just to find this mess. I believe James must have believed you meant the castle harm. He was never schooled. Illiterate fairly."

The man looked slightly spooked at the mention of her father, who undoubtedly had a great title, even if it was one in England. Their family deserved respect, and if there was one mention to her father, news could be cast to the King, meaning an undoubtful amount of trouble.

"It is has been a long voyage and I would prefer to get my rest. Would it be possible if you could take your leave? I will punish my servants accordingly. I can guarentee you that they won't act as foolishly next time." Constance took a quick glance over at the mutant.

"I don't think we are allowed to--"

"Go to the King and tell them it was a false call. There is no need to dwell on these matters any longer." With a satisfying smirk she watched them retreat out of the castle, torches still flickering, and they retreated into the early morning.

"Now what am I going to do with you?" Constance asked pleasantly, as the door shut. She eyed the brigade of forces standing there, the non-human stepping forward to seemingly question her. His eyebrows were furrowed in frustration.

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~Incognito

William

He felt the tears bubble up in his eyes like acid. "I may be small... and I may not be the most courageous out of all of us, but there is one thing I am not Joshua and thats a child, so stop treating me like one."

Joshua looked at William with surprise, the words that passed through his lips angry and bitter.

"You think that you can pull the wool over my eyes is it? That I cant see the truth behind your words? Father said he would be back and he never did. You... you said you would be back and I had to find you..." The words he struggled with more then any he had before. "And now you expect me to believe that you are going to be alright when you're hurt and they are storming in to kill us all? I am not a child so stop acting like I am so naive!"

"William, let's go!" Mercy grabbed his arm, struggling to pull him out. "It is his choice."

"I refuse!" He struggled against her grip, trying to get back to Joshua's side. "I dont want to be alone again! Please dont leave me alone again Joshua! Please!"

Joshua flinched at those words, but stayed still on the ground, William's pleas sending an unwanted guilt throughout him.

"Let's go William!" Mercy dragged him furthur. "Tash, you too."

"No! I cant... I dont want to be alone..." William gave up the struggle as the tears cascaded down his cheeks. "I... I dont want to watch him die..."

"We must get out of here William," Mercy murmured before pulling him slowly out the door, his feet sadly obliging as he followed her like a lifeless corpse.

"Joshua..."

~~

Joshua

He watched as they retreated and he felt himself start to tremble. He felt the guilt and the sudden urge to chase after them and to take William in his arms and whisper that he was sorry and that this was the only way he could go, but at this moment he could not. He did not wish for his last memory to be of William begging for his own chance to live.

"William." Joshua breathed as he heard their footsteps retreat down the hallway. "I am sorry." He leaned his head against the wall, and felt a sudden wave of uneasinees wash over him. What if they did not make it out? What if they walked right into the arms of those cursed people and were killed right there, their blood blending into the red of their fancy carpets. He would send them to their deaths, and then maybe he would live, but the dreaded feeling of living alone was omniously there pressing down on him. That could not happen. He wished at this moment with all his heart to be with them.

"They are leaving." Gabe's voice rasped from the other side of the room. "There torches are retreating." And true enough Joshua saw the lights of the torched start to fade in the distance. They had left. Sudden pain lerched through him. for what means did they leave? Did they kill them already, not even a scream bellowed?

He stumbled for the crutches around him and grabbed thgem, lifting himself weakly to his feet. He had to find them and verify it with his own eyes. Stumbling out of the hall blindly, he turned hallways and passage ways not even noticing where he was going. All the while calling out profanities to god and their names, hoping for one simple response from them.

He reached the top of the stairs of the foyer, the large grand piano sitting in the corner. But he did not dwell on that matter. There was that Mikael man, the one who had shot him in the leg, and his gang, but his eyes drifted over them nonchalantly and landed on the bright redheaded female, the gold dress clinging to her frame. She looked up at him with a grim smile.

"What have we got here? It it appears that my beloved brother has returned to me." Her laugh seemed to resonate in the chamber. He just watched her, recognition flooding through him. That could not be her. His sister had died of the plague. He had left and the government burnt their house down, including the diseased corpses of his sister and his mother. This could not be happening. That could not be her.

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~Incognito