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She's used to hopping the garden wall. Too familiar at this point. It's only been a week since she trusted Obadiah enough to visit his estate. One week of captive hell. Her body is using the last of it's strength to make it to her father's doorstep. The adrenaline rush of making it out the door when the Magistrate turned away could only get her so far.
She collapses as soon as her hand brushes against the doorknob. Lucky for her, a few guards heard a 'thump' outside and decided to check it out immediately. There she lays, half naked and bleeding on the ground. One of the guards rushes to get the Monsieur. Panic sets in the second he lays eyes on his precious daughter.
“My daughter! What's been done to you?"
He collapses to his knees besides her. The Monsieur gently touches her face, tears forming in his eyes as he does. His face quickly turns red with rage.
"Who did this? Who hurt my Molly?"
With gentle grace, he moves to hold her hand. Her eyes flutter slightly. With the very last iota of her strength, she manages to whisper out.
”LeFay.“
His eyes darken at the name. He knows exactly who you mean. It only seems to hurt him more. He trusted that man. Everyone trusts the Magistrate.
"LeFay... That bastard. I'll kill him."
He strokes her hair soothingly, trying to calm himself down for her sake. After he kisses her forehead, he stands up. Taking a moment to address the guards.
"Find LeFay. Bring him to me. Alive."
The guards nod and scatter to search for the Magistrate. A few others rush to find a doctor. The Monsieur stays by her side, protective and furious.
Some time later, the doctor arrives and examines Molly's wounds in a guest bedroom in the lesser used Upper West Wing. He winces as he notices some of the deeper cuts. The doctor's mind racing at who or what could of done this, but he knows better then to ask when the Monsieur is in a mood like this.
"These need stitches, sir. And she's lost a lot of blood..."
The doctor prepares his medical kit, ready to treat her properly. The Monsieur watches anxiously as the doctor works. He can't stop glancing at how intentional the cuts look. His hands clench into fists.
The Monsieur stands tense all the while The doctor finishes the last stitch and covers the wounds with bandages and ointment. He looks over his completed job once more before looking over to the Monsieur.
"She'll have permanent scars from this. Physical and...psychological."
”...That man...that...monster...will pay for this. By my hands.“
The Monsieur waits for the doctor to leave. Once alone with his daughter again, he sits by her side, holding her hand tightly. He doesn't notice her stirring slightly. Only focusing his attention from his angry thoughts to her face when she whispers hoarsely.
”You can't do anything, Papa...he...he made up papers...marriage license...I'm...I'm legally...”
She's far to weak to finish her thought, but the implications come across clear. The amount of damage that has truly been done is far greater then he initially thought. He freezes as his blood runs even colder. A legal marriage license would mean that the Magistrate has far more control in this situation then if it were a simple assault charge.
"No... no, no, no. That can't be true..."
His voice shakes with a mix of disbelief and fury. It's such a depraved thing to do in this situation that he almost doesn't believe it. He needs proof.
“Do you know where I can find these papers, Molly?”
She weakly points to her bag, where she had smuggled the documents out of the Magistrate's house. He quickly retrieves the bag and searches through it frantically. Once he finds the papers, he unfolds them. His hands trembling. As his eyes scan the document, and his face pales.
"This... this is a fraud. This isn't valid."
Even as he says it, doubt creeps into his voice. The signature looks legitimate. He reads the details again, his breathing becoming erratic. The date, the witnesses, everything appears legitimate to an untrained eye.
"That bastard forged my signature... He used my name as a witness."
He crumples the paper in his fist, his eyes filled with rage and helplessness. After throwing the paper down, he takes her hand again. His grip tight but careful of her wounds.
"I'll fix this. I promise. I'll find a way to annul this."
His voice breaks slightly, a rare thing for the normally composed and relaxed man. The weight of the situation is crushing him. He looks at her bandages, then at her tired face. She's so young and full of potential, now trapped in this nightmare.
"You're still my daughter. I'll protect you from him, no matter what."
He vows intensely. The Monsieur's eyes hardening with determination to fight this legal, and possibly physical, battle. He is unable to rest all night. Pacing the Upper West Wing until one of his guards guides the Magistrate in.
Obadiah seems unphased by everything. Almost happy as he strides in. A smug and cocky smile graces this monster's face.
"Ah, Monsieur Mauve! I've heard about our dear Molly's...incident."
"You have some explaining to do, LeFay. Those papers are fake."
Obadiah feigns concern, but his eyes gleam with satisfaction. The Monsieur stands tall, trying to maintain authority despite his fatigue. They both understand this will not be an easy war.
"Fake? I have the original copy right here."
He pulls out another document, identical to the one Molly had. Same foraged signatures. The legal binding made certain.
"You think I won't expose you? I have lawyers who will tear this apart."
Obadiah chuckles darkly. No one in this town would dare to go up against the Magistrate. No one from any other towns would either. He's untouchable.
"Go ahead. I have connections too. I also have Molly's signature. She's an adult. She agreed to this."
He lies, knowing full well he forced her hand. This lie does not fool the Monsieur. He knows his daughter better then anyone.
“You had her under duress. She was scared and hurt! There is no way that signature could hold any type of weight."
Obadiah steps closer. Despite how the Monsieur towers over him, he shows no fear. It only angers the other man more.
"She's my wife now. You can't change that."
The way he emphasizes the word 'wife' shoots a dagger into the Monsieur's heart. It mocks the older man. So much so, that he has trembles slightly with the effort of holding back from slapping this man. Or worse.
"You will regret this. I swear it."
"I doubt that. I have everything I need. Money, power, and now, Molly."
He smirks, looking up at the stairs where he knows she must be hiding. Obadiah places a hand on the Monsieur's shoulder. A gesture that looks friendly but feels threatening.
"You sick bastard."
"Call me what you want, but I'm her husband now. I plan to collect my 'husbandly' rights soon."
He winks at the older man, who looks ready to kill him right there on the spot. Obadiah removes his hand and grins wider. He turns, heading out towards the door.
"I'll take my leave now. Tell Molly I said hello."
He hums a tune as he makes it to the doorway. The Monsieur collapses onto a chair, defeated but not broken. His attention is soon taken away by Obadiah again as he stops at the doorway and turns back towards him. With a swift motion, he produces a pistol with intricate snake designs engraved in it.
"What are you-!? You're playing a dangerous game, LeFay. You won't get away with murder."
"I already have Molly, beaten and broken. What's death added onto my record going to do? Though, she'll be so sad."
He laughs cruelly, enjoying the power he holds over both him and Molly now. Obadiah aims the gun at his head. The threat hangs in the air as he waits for the Monsieur to react.
”You don't even truly love her. Caring not about a single ounce of her happiness.“
"I care about her...well-being, and her obedience. Which she'll learn soon enough. If you decide to try anything now, I'll make sure she never smiles again."
He glances at the stairs again, then back at the older man with cold eyes. The Monsieur clenches his fists, trying to restrain the urge to strike this sorry excuse of a man in front of him. Obadiah decides to press his luck once more as he leans in to whisper to the Monsieur.
”You should of heard how loud she screamed when I took her precious innocence.“
Those are the words that finally make the Monsieur snap. He tries to lunge towards Obadiah with the intention to kill, but the younger man expected this and moves quicker. Spinning around, he presses the pistol directly against the Monsieur's temple.
"Ah ah. No sudden moves."
He presses the barrel of the pistol harder to his temple. Causing the older man to wince. Obadiah leans in to whisper once again.
"I warned you."
"You're a monster."
Obadiah chuckles and pushes him down, making the Monsieur kneel. He looks down at him, wounding the older man's pride. That's the least of the Monsieur's worries at the moment though.
"And you're weak. Just like your daughter."
The Monsieur glares up at Obadiah with pure, unadulterated, hatred. The monster of a man releases him. Only to then kick him down.
"Now stay down. I have to go see my wife."
The Monsieur falls onto the floor, breathing heavily. Obadiah walks past him and heads upstairs, whistling that same tune from earlier. Before the monster can get too far, the Monsieur, out of pure desperation, grabs a nearby vase and throws it at him. The vase shatters against Obadiah's back. He stops, turning slowly with an irritated expression back at the old man.
"You're really testing my patience today, my dear father-in-law..."
He pulls out a handkerchief and dabs at the small cut on his neck from a one of the shattered pieces. After throwing the handkerchief aside, he strides back to the Monsieur. He doesn't even bother with the rest of the blood that trails down his neck. Obadiah leans down to the older man.
"I said stay down."
The Monsieur spits in his face. His eyes wavering with an immense flame of rage. The monster wipes the spit away and backhands the old man. Hard.
"You're a disgusting creature...just like your sorry excuse of a daughter.”
The Monsieur's head snaps to the side from the force. His cheek reddening immediately. He doesn't make a sound, choosing to just stare defiantly at Obadiah.
"You're going to regret that...and Molly will pay for it."
Obadiah stands up proper and kicks him again. This time in the ribs. As the older man coughs and tries to regain his composure, only for the monster to produces his pistol again.
The older man looks at the gun. Only to then close his eyes. Accepting his fate. He's done everything he could, but he knows he can't protect his daughter anymore. Obadiah smirks again, enjoying this moment of power over life and death.
"Goodbye, father-in-law. I'll be sure to tell Molly that you died a noble death...or something like that."
He pulls the trigger without hesitation. The sound echoes through the mansion. The Monsieur's body slumps lifelessly on the floor.
Obadiah holsters his gun and steps over the body. He heads upstairs to find Molly. Humming as he walks, acting as if he didn't just kill someone.
He reaches her room and opens the door without knocking. Immediately, he sees her sitting on the bed, looking out the window. Only for her to then jump up as soon as she notices the Magistrate.
"Darling, I'm home.“
She looks at him pure fear. Like an animal caught in the headlights of a car. Her eyes soon dart around, looking for any type of exit from this oncoming Hell. He notices her fear and grins, moving to block the doorway. Reaching behind him, he locks the door.
"Looking for an escape route? I won't let you go anywhere."
Molly let's out a small whine and starts to hyperventilate. Her eyes land on the window. For a moment, she considers jumping. He laughs darkly as he pieces together her plan.
"Don't even think about it. You'd break your pretty little legs."
He moves closer to her. His eyes gleaming with possessiveness. Before he can get any closer, she turns around and with a desperate attempt tries to open the window. He grabs her wrist before she can open it fully, yanking her away from the window. Only to then spin her around to face him. Holding her wrists tightly.
"I said no. You're mine now. Accept it."
She growls at him and pushes him back into the window. Hard. It doesn't fully break, but it cracks. Obadiah stumbles, surprised by her strength. He catches himself on the frame.
"You little brat!"
He pulls her against him roughly. Making sure to restrain her arms behind her back. He walks over to the bed and pushes her onto it.
In another desperate attempt, she tries to kick him off. Only for him to dodge her kicks. Quickly he moves to sit on top of her, pinning her legs down with his own knees. Trapping her beneath him. He leans down, his face inches from hers, breathing heavily from the struggle.
"Stop fighting me! It's pointless.”
Without hesitation, and with possible built up anger, she punches him. It causes him to recoil just enough for her to squirm free. Before she can fully reach the window, the Magistrate grabs a nearby statuette and throws it at her head.
She hesitates and turns to him one last time to make sure he's still on the bed. Molly doesn't get the chance to realize her mistake. The statuette makes direct contact to the front of her skull. The momentum pushes her into the already weakened window. It fully breaks from the force as she falls to the ground below.
"MOLLY!"
Obadiah quickly jumps off the bed and practically flies down the stairs. As he reaches her, his expression is a mix of anger and concern. He kneels beside her, examining the damage. Her forehead is caved in and bleeding profusely from the statuette that only became more lodged into her head upon impact, and both of her legs are fully broken.
"I told you so...Look at what you've done."
Despite his anger, there's a hint of worry in his voice as he sees the severity of her injuries. He carefully lifts her up, mindful of the damage done to her. Carrying her back inside with his jaw clenched. He doesn't seem worried about whether or not she'll survive this, but rather his reputation if anyone finds out what really happened.
"You're going to need medical attention...and I'm going to have to explain this to everyone...somehow."
Molly is barely responsive, but still breathing. Her eyes seem present enough to show that, despite everything, she's still conscious. Even more so when she spots her father's lifeless body on the floor.
“Father!”
She pushes herself out of Obadiah's arms and crawls to her father. As she reaches him and realizes he's truly gone, she starts to weep. She seems almost delirious from pain and sorrow now.
“You...you killed him.”
“He was being disrespectful. He had it coming."
He sighs, annoyed by her accusation. Obadiah moves closer in an attempt to comfort her, with false gentleness in his touch. She pushes him away, visibly straining with the effort.
"Stop it. You're only hurting yourself more."
His tone makes it sound like he's scolding a misbehaving child. He decides to grab her ankle and pulls her away from the Monsieur's body. She still tries to squirm and fight back. Only to stop when Obadiah pulls out a knife from his pocket. He straddles her again. His eyes darken dangerously as he moves the blade to her right eye.
”One more move, and I'll make you blind. Do you understand?"
His voice is cold and threatening. No longer is he bothering to put on his false mask of the perfect gentleman. He presses the blade slightly against her skin right below the eye. It draws a tiny drop of blood.
“You're testing my patience."
He waits for her response with a deathly glare. His other hand moves to grip her hair to keep her head steady. Molly has well and truly snapped.
”Do it! You've alrea-!“
Before she can finish, he plunges the knife deeply into her eye. After a bit of twisting he yanks it back, pulling the eye with it. He smirks with satisfaction as he looks down at her now empty socket.
"Now you're truly marked as mine. No one will want you now."
He throws the knife aside and stands up. Obadiah looks down at her bleeding face with cruel satisfaction. She lays there in pure shock.
In this brief moment, he gets a plan. He doesn't really need her alive for much of anything now. She's damaged goods. It'd be hard for her to tinker or invent anything with a single working eye and a mostly damaged brain. If she could even recover at all.
He heads to the kitchen, and returns with a canister of oil and a box of matches. It takes some time, but he managed to pour the oil all around the Upper West Wing. He wants to be thorough in hiding his evidence. Except when it comes to Molly. He wants her to suffer. He coats her father's corpse in the oil, but leaves her untouched. She'll have to sit and wait for the flames to come to her, watching as it takes everything around her away.
"This will be my masterpiece. A tragic end to a wealthy family."
Obadiah moves to the doorway after discarding the now empty canister onto the floor near her head. He lights a match and drops it near the entrance, watching as the flames spread quickly. In one last mocking gesture, he blows a kiss to her before he leaves. Disappearing into the smoke like a demon being banished back to Hell.
The fire quickly roars and becomes nearly blinding, consuming everything in its path. The heat becomes unbearable as the mansion burns down around her. She lays there, her pain momentarily forgotten as she prays for the flames to end her quickly.
As soon as she decides to close her eye, she hears a voice echoing from both nowhere, and everywhere all at once. It has an undertone that could be mistaken for the sound of crawling maggots. Both sounds harmonizing in sync with each other in a twisted, yet ethereal voice.
"Such a waste... such potential... I can help you, little one."