It was a quiet evening in the streets of Regalia. The normal chitter chatter at the Old Town checkpoint, an occasional runaway criminal here or there. But it wasn't for Natalie. She was on high alert, terrified of peeking around any corner. Terrified of her Mother. She never wanted it to come to this, having to stop her cookie and flower sales, lock herself up in her room and not leave until her Aunt knew it was safe. But one night, Natalie decided to take a stupid risk. She went out, just to go down to the Wunderbar, down the street, to get some tea. She was fifteen, after all. On the stroll to the Wunderbar, Natalie had zoned out of her typical 'awareness' she kept for the past few days. Passing through New Town with ease, she felt a sudden, negative presense surround her. She halted for a moment, furrowing her brows and clenching her fists, whatever defenses she could put up. All that changed was a slight cold breeze, sending a rough shiver through her. Something was off, and she new it. But she kept walking. All of a sudden, she felt hands grab at her shoulders, something cover her mouth, and she went unconsious. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - It was cold, and dark, and scary. Natalie's head jolted up, pounding with an unusual headache. She attempted to massage her temples to ease the tension, but her hands were tied with rough cord. She let out a deafening scream for help, but only the darkness and silence greeted her eerily. "Tsk, tsk, my little Natalie. You should know better than to scream. You don't want to get me caught, do you?" A deep, crackling voice called out from the darkness. Her blurry vision could only discover so much, as she saw large boots step into the dim light of what seemed to be a kitchen. A tall figure walked right up to her, staring down at her. She could feel it. A ripped nightgown dressed the monster, covered in crimson stains and earthly dirt. Her head dropped, too exhausted to examine the being that stood before her. The freezing, sharp tip of what seemed to be a dagger cautiously lifted her chin into the air. Natalie's eyes adjusted, slowly. "You won't be seen for quite awhile, Nat Nat. Not until I get what I /want/." The figure growled, holding the dagger on the teen's chin. Natalie squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that whatever nightmare this was would pass, and she would wake up. In her bed, safe. Hearing her Aunt's calls for breakfast, the birds chirping and the sound of distant Regalian chatter. But she didn't. "Open your eyes, kid." The child obeyed, not wanting to get herself into anymore of a pickle than she was already in. Her eyes adjusted slowly in the dimness, but finally made out her worst nightmare. Someone she didn't think she'd see, treating her like this. Her Mother. The town psychopath, the child murderer everyone talked about. "You told too many people, dove. Now I have to ground you until they come looking. They won't. I've lost all hope, and so. will. /you/." The demonic woman continued degrading and scolding her daughter. Tears welded in Natalie's eyes as her Mother stared back at her with hate, with grief, with suffering. The girl felt so heavy looking at her Mother like this. The woman grunted at that, dropping the dagger and hoisting herself up to turn and begin walking away. The girl, being in terrible pain and agony, forced out the words that she had plastered into her head this entire time. Words she had lived by, even throughout all this drama. She stuck to this sentence, and wanted to share it with her Mother. "But Mama, I /love/ you." As days went on, Natalie remained unseen in public, at home, anywhere. She was being held captive. The streets no longer scented with the fresh cookies and flowers she made, the spot she sat, just after the checkpoint to sell her goods, empty. It was obvious to anyone who knew Natalie or had met her bright spirit, that there was some emptiness. The last hope was taken by the one who had lost all hope.
