13 Misperception

Sophie opened her eyes with tremendous difficulty, her vision was blurred and she was totally bewildered. She couldn't see much because of the darkness, but even so everything was spinning, as if she were on a carousel. When the daze wore off, after a few minutes, she realized her position. She was lying on the floor of her room, stretched out on the carpet. The flashbacks of the previous day confused her mind the pain in her body hit her like lightning. She had arrived at the mansion and her father had tortured her, it was not the first time Chasseur had done this, but each slap began to be more painful than the last. She remembered when he had let her go and how she had run to her room, he had come after her with quiet steps and was pushing her against the bookcase in her room.

She ran her hand across her forehead and felt the blood, dry. She stood up with great difficulty, her foot weakened, but she supported herself on her grated knees. He was limping and groped the wall for support. She walked past the door to Von's room, it was half open. Sophie pulled over and peeked through the doorway. Her weight shifted back against her and she felt her stomach turn. That emptiness made her squirm with pain, her mouth salivated as she felt very thirsty. She hadn't eaten anything for two days. But everything was forgotten for a few seconds when she saw Von kissing her maid. He was pressing her against the wall and Angela's face was flushed.She could barely see his face, but that silhouette was all too familiar. Something came to her mouth, and blood spattered on the floor. Von looked at her as if surprised, and a cynical smile was about to be born on her lips.She could barely see his face, but that silhouette was all too familiar. Something came to her mouth, and blood spattered on the floor. Von looked at her as if surprised, and a cynical smile was about to be born on his lips. Sophie's legs failed and she threatened to fall, but she held on to the bookshelf where she had hit her head. When she stood up, she lifted her head and with only her right eye open, looked at the lamp for breath.

-I stay unconscious for a day and you replace me. - She sneered in a voice that was meant to be ironic, but came out more hurt than she wanted. She was trying to balance on two legs, she couldn't stand her weight and her hunger was so great. - Although dogs should stay with bitches. -

-Miss Sophie, I can expla..- Angela was interrupted by Sophie's laughter, it was clear that that look was of uncontrollable rage, but the only thing she could do was laugh at her misfortune.

-You're not going to kill her just caus...- Von interrupted.

-It's a waste of time to pay attention to dogs. - She interrupted again and removed her hand from the base of the bookcase. With her head still up, she left the room without limping or leaning on anything. She made it to the hallway, but then fell to the white floor, and saw the drops of blood trickling down her knees. She removed Von's black shirt and threw it away angrily. Something came to her mouth, and blood spattered on the floor. Von looked at her as if surprised, and a cynical smile was about to be born on his lips. Sophie's legs failed and she threatened to fall, but she held on to the bookshelf where she had hit her head.When she stood up, she lifted her head and with only her right eye open, looked at the lamp for breath.

When she stood up, she lifted her head and with only her right eye open, looked at the lamp for breath.

-Miss Sophie, I can expla..- Angela was interrupted by Sophie's laughter, it was clear that that look was of uncontrollable rage, but the only thing she could do was laugh at her misfortune.

-You're not going to kill her just caus...- Von interrupted.

Her right eye was opened, Sophie felt a hand on her back and on her arm, soon after seeing Von's brown pupils.

- DON'T TOUCH ME WITH YOUR IMPURE HANDS! - She shouted and moved away until she hit the foot of her bed. He looked at her strangely, seeing the green orb choking back tears.

-Sophie? -A lone tear ran down her left eye at the mere sound of her name being pronounced by him. She began to cough and the urge to vomit was overwhelming her being, but there was nothing in her stomach. Von saw the drops of blood coming from her red lips and in one swift movement, he hugged her.

She struggled and punched him with her weak hands. She spat out the remaining saliva mixed with blood that still remained in her mouth, and Von let her go. She got up and ran to the bathroom, swiped the key with speed, and sat down against the door. She saw the tub and crawled into it.

When she turned on the faucet, she saw white gauze all over her body. She calmly removed it and saw her failure. Right there, marked on her belly. As she watched the tub fill up, she felt an absurd urge to cry. But Sophie was tired of tears, she was tired of how they wet her face, and she was tired of her weakness to cry about everything. It seemed that everything was conspiring against her: The failure of the first mission, her father beating her, Von kissing her maid. All this was wearing on her being, but it all had an explanation and logical consequence: She failed because she really believed she could kill everyone in the embassy. And that resulted in her father's mistreatment, she released everything that had been stuck in her throat since the day she had found out about his plans with her mother. Her own mother! The woman who gave her life, even though she was futile, did not deserve such deception! She didn't deserve to be deceived by her father, she didn't deserve what that sadistic family was giving her! And Von... A question that had long been so strong, but at the same time weak, became something revolting. Revolting because she was the one Von should have wanted, and not some little shit maid.

Only watching the water filling up, Sophie had no idea how wrong her head was. She had no idea that everything that happened with Von and Angela was just a dream created by her own imagination. Maybe, she wanted herself to be everything to her father's subordinate. Maybe, those kisses had become something more. Something she was not emotionally prepared to deal with. Something she may even never have felt. It was not easy to make an assassin fall in love. And yes, falling in love was the word she had so unknowingly repressed in her troubled mind. She had fallen in love at most, two crushes were all influenced by her lovely mother, who by no means wanted her daughter to become like her father. But even with radical protection, Sophie became what she is: a copy of her father. Of course, Norgard Chasseur is strict in the extreme and not as weak as Sophie, but the desires are the same. The madness done just for the pleasure of seeing someone suffer was the small bond that united them, which would later unite her with Von too. Only this sadness marked in her heart was not characteristic of her. She could grieve for everything that had happened in this short period of time, but Sophie believed that she shouldn't regret the past. But she shouldn't leave it only in her memories either.

Von was face to face with Norgard Chasseur. The general looked at him with a certain admiration, mixed with curiosity, as if he wanted to know what his next steps would be. And this, no doubt, was of great interest to the general. In his opinion, the prey that had appeared in front of him the day before were prey that needed to be very well cared for. That needed to be very well shaped. Norgard Chasseur did not look at Von with anger or with contempt for the failed mission, but looked at him like a hawk looks at a snake. Chasseur had always been fascinated by the boy in front of him. The general saw himself in him. From the time he was twenty-one years old, and just wanted to kill everything. Of course he was not poor, and of course he had a family.But, the same lust shared by all sadistic killers brings them together, makes them look both the similar and different.

-Chasseur, I know that I interfered in Sophie's battle and that the instructions given were to just watch her and bring her back safe and sound, so pardon me. But if I didn't interfere, she might be dead. - Von finally declared, as his saliva ran dry down his throat.

-Sophie's mistakes belong only to her, Von. - The first smile of the office was given, it wasn't fake or cheerful, it was just a smile of satisfaction: Norgard saw himself. - But I'm the one who should apologize for hitting my daughter, aren't I? -

-You know what decisions to make. -

-Thank you for that sentence, Von. Sometimes you're very kind. - The amused laugh came out, and the tense atmosphere was finally relaxed.

-Really, only sometimes. - He laughed along, a hearty laugh that von could only give in the General's presence. Norgard stood up and sat down at his desk, closer to Von.

-Von, I know it's complicated, but you're going on another mission. And this one is extremely confidential.-

-Another mission, General?-

-Yes, I will pass on the details to you and Sophie when she is better. - He stood up and walked to his bookshelf with the books. He put his hand on his chin, and looked for a book. After almost a minute, he raised his eyebrow and sighed with relief. He picked up a moss-green hardcover book and handed it to Von. - Give it to her, and tell her Sam will be back tomorrow morning. -

-Yes, sir. -

Sophie had been in the bathtub for almost an hour. Her hair was pinned up in a bun. She could move her torso smoothly as if she didn't have the bullet wounds. She had seen the mood lighting change in her room and then in the bathroom, but she had also gone back to her room after Von had left. She didn't want to meet him at all, didn't want to know what his eyes desiring another woman should look like. She didn't want to know how hot he must have been while kissing her maid. And she didn't want to know what the sound he made near her ear was. Maybe that last one was just meant for Sophie, and that was exactly what she wanted. She wanted to get away from the one who used her as a toy, she wanted to keep a lot of distance from what she called 'manipulation'. Manipulation because it was all too easy, she declared when she stopped to think about it all. The companionship was totally present, but there was something more spicy there between the two of them, and that was desire. One body thirsty for the other, only Sophie didn't just take it to the superficial side. She had her values and her feelings.

That's when she saw the door opening, and was a few seconds perplexed by what she had just seen: the door opening. She could have said it was a spirit or her mother's ghost, but it was just her forgetting to lock the door. And when she saw the familiar silhouette, she shouted 'HELP!' that could be heard even from the hovel where the armory was located. Because she didn't want to see Von, she sank her face into the water, crossing her arms over her submerged breasts and pressing her thighs together. She would not see him, and he would not see her body. But the only thing that happened was a small pop on the floor, as if something had been placed there. When she heard the door close again, she got up quickly from the tub and even though she was wet, and in great danger of slipping, she went to see what it was. But the only thing she found was the detailed moss-green cover, with gold lettering and a musty smell. It was her favorite book. And when she picked it up, a small paper fell out, being wet across the floor with the water that dripped off her body.

"Samantha returns from Grebeci tomorrow morning, I want you better."

The first information was overshadowed by the second. She stopped breathing for a few seconds. Sophie worried about the way he communicated. He entered without saying a word and left the same way, like a shadow. her heart was beating faster and her breathing was uncomfortable. Sophie didn't know whether this was good or bad.

Feelings are cruel.

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