Chapter 2: Look Again

Elena was prepared. The kind of preparedness that came from obsessing over something for too long. Not something premeditated, but rather the inevitability of it. She had been working on this for so long, that the only thing that was left was either its execution or its end. Perhaps it would be her instead. Ending. 

The people of Reinhardt were kind. Or perhaps scammers. It could be either and Elena wouldn't prefer it any other way. For busybodies like her, it seemed the night was always too bright underneath festive lights that stayed lit year-round while no one could tell what was being celebrated. The night was also too dark in the shadows of these lights, alleyways that seemed to belong to a different reality. The brighter the streets of Reinhardt shined the further it fell into the web of depravity and decadence. Long, winding streets that either seemed to lead to one of those glitzy establishments or disappeared into the depths of Caligo's Lair.

There weren't a lot of advantages to Elena's age. She was twelve, a few months shy of turning thirteen. It seemed that when she was born, she had managed to draw the world's ire and now every hour leading to her thirteenth birthday was meant to be as unbearable as the rest of her life. All that being young ever seemed to do for her was help get a second piece of bread at Larriet's bakery to make up for the previous day's missed dinner, lunch, and breakfast. It was also surprisingly easy to ferret out the details of House Braskal's illegal trade dealings as she appealed to the secretary's lecherous tastes in underage children.

Her platinum blonde hair, as pure as angel wings, and her blue eyes as rare as delicately cut sapphire melted the heart of any adult she encountered. This made it easier to infiltrate target locations under the guise of a gullible child, easily forgotten or lost amidst the evening crowd. 

Elena had long been deprived of her place in the castle and its luxuries. The world did not care and neither did her family. This job was only meant to be a stepping stone, a move she was making to distract the opponent from her real intentions. 

'All of this would've been done and over with if I had only accepted that stupid offer', Elena thought with no small amount of regret. Crouching on one of the sloped roofs of Reinhardt's finest establishments she observed her target. Franklin Braskal was the Minister Braskal's youngest brother as well as his secretary.

As fair as Reinhardt was on the surface, its underbelly was swarming with Avalon's worst. It was simply referred to as the Lair by those who knew of it, and hell by those who didn't. All business took place in certain locations to keep the commoners out of conflicts. 'Golden Time' was one such place. House Braskal mainly dealt with money laundering, using his assets in his private gambling establishments he cleaned out the rest of the Lair's illegal money, to pass the strict inspections from the capital. Elena had been hunting them for the past two months, the longest she'd ever taken for a job. Her 'mice' or rather her henchmen had spent the better half of their time looking into Minister Craig Braskal's skeletons and were almost about to come up empty when the news of tonight's meeting fell into their lap like a miracle.

The stage was set and its actors prepared. Leaving her hiding spot Elena took her place behind the enormous gate of 'Golden Time' and put on her most innocent looking expression - the one that made the housewives clutch their hearts in an attempt to guard against her cuteness - and prepared her tears. It had been a long time since she last had to deal with such vile creatures and she wanted to make sure she enjoyed every bit of agony Mr. Franklin was about to go through. After all, she was in a terrible mood after seeing the Monster's face in the morning and nothing made better kindling than the overinflated fragile egos of the most wonderful gentlemen Reinhardt had to offer.

***

Franklin Braskal was having a terrible day. First, his eldest brother had decided to cancel all the appointments he was supposed to attend and was busy spending time with his mistress. Hidden from the public eye in a lavish villa she was showered with more money than most nobles would ever handle all their lives. Although Franklin had decided to bury his frustrations since he knew very well who controlled the purse strings, he could not give up an opportunity to form more connections. The dealers in Reinhardt were greedy, but the nobles were even greedier. A chance to get their hands on more wealth, especially in such prosperous times moved even the reticent of them. 

"Master Franklin, you flatter us. Although the terms are quite generous, it is nowhere near what we can afford. A misstep in such a crucial period will destroy us all." Said the merchant, his eyes darting around as if looking for a path to escape. 

"I understand, of course. You are cautious, as you should be. I must remind you, however, that even if you scoured Avalon, you will not get such terms anywhere else," he shrugged. Franklin knew that this was not an opportunity that he was offering them, but an opportunity that he would gain if he managed to secure their patronage. A new name in the world of art, famous for its salon which only showcased the most prominent and worthy of its vast collection. 

He had come today with high hopes, but even after an hour of negotiating and almost 2 million Opes worth of wine, the merchant had not budged. It almost seemed suspicious, now that he thought of it. With how eager the man had been when setting up the details for the meeting, he seemed entirely too convinced of his loss should he join hands with them. As he rose from his seat in the VIP suite of the casino and headed towards the revolving glass doors of the 'Golden Time' he thought to himself, 'There is something I'm missing'. It's not possible for a month of careful planning to betray him at the crucial moment, not to mention the resources he had poured into securing this contract.

As he passed through the opulent gates of the casino and attempted to clear his mind with the fresh air outside, he heard it. A scuffling sound that seemed to come from beside him. He turned, heart in his mouth preparing to scream, as he felt all sense leave his body. Before him stood a child so beautiful that she brightened the dark corner she was standing in. It somehow seemed obvious that she was but a child from the slum, with her tattered clothes and bare feet, but even all the dirt and grime on her didn't manage to obscure her beauty. Platinum blonde locks and the clearest blue eyes, he could've imagined that somehow she had been summoned from the filthiest desires he could dream of.

Gathering his wits, he said, "Why are you alone child? It is too late in the night for little children to roam about."

"I-I'm sorry, sir. Bu-bu-but I'm so hungry." She said, blinking those jewel like eyes at him. Even her voice was heavenly! Franklin couldn't belive his luck. 'Perhaps tonight's good fortune was reserved for this moment', he thought giddily.

Outwardly he extended his hand and said in the gentlest voice he could muster. "Would you like to come along with me then? We could get loads of good food for you."

She looked at him a beat longer, clasped his hand, and said with fear and gratitude, "Thank you, sir."

Franklin wasted not a second longer and raised his arm to call the carriage that happened to be passing by. He first loaded his new toy onto the seats and then climbed up himself. Thinking of all the fun he going to have, he removed his top hat, adjusted his butt comfortably and asked, "Where did you say you were from, child?"

"The Sanctum, sir." replied an impassive voice.

"Is that so? Are you lying child? You don't seem as if you'd belong anywhere near a hundred miles of that place", he turned toward her with a mocking smile formed on his face only to freeze at the sight in front of his eyes.

As the carriage moved on to a destination unknown to Franklin, the only thing it left behind on the cobbled streets was a whisper. Carried by the moonlight, a chilling but childish voice was heard.

"Why don't you look again?"