Thank you to Remind on Quotev for this week's fanart of Obscured! I love how you've drawn the first knight/emperor, it's amazing!

Your heart thumped furiously in your chest as you stared, wide-eyed in disbelief at the man perched upon the bannister. Peering over the edge, you noticed that it was incredulously high up from the ground. After all, you were on the highest floor of the palace.

"Octavi- Octavi Kirayo?" You stuttered incredulously.

"The one and only," He confirmed with you. Staring, fatally near to speechlessness, at the man in front of you, you noticed that his eyes were not the same as you had remembered. Rather, there was close to no remorse at all, and they had a new sharpness different from what you had grown used to.

"I've been watching you," He chuckled dryly, "Before long, I am certain that you will step out of line. And what do you think will happen to you?"

"I- I don't know what you're talking about-"

"Don't kid yourself, [Name]. The Emperor is bound to kill you in the future. Your chances of survival in this cage are slim," Octavi pointed out to you, pursing his lips as his eyes glanced at the bathroom door with light peeking out of its cracks.

"We don't know that for sure though, now do we?" You snapped back at him, not caring how loud your voice was. However, it seemed like the Emperor could barely hear a thing happening outside due to the harsh splattering of the water from the pipes and into the bath.

"Keep your voice down. Listen, I have come to give you a proposition. Leave this life and run away with me. I may not be the exact same as I was before, but I'm still Octavi, am I not? And I still have these feelings for you, [Name]. I have at least most of my sanity back, and even if the effects of the incident remain, there's no denying that you know my love is true. Always has been, and always will be," He spoke in a hushed voice despite the sound of the water flowing, his voice growing in tranquillity as he talked to you.

You paused and thought for a moment. Running away with Octavi could lead him to his actual and final death by the hands of the Emperor, and there was no doubt in your mind that the Emperor would raise hell in Intuuin. But with the marriage yet to be announced to the public, only a small fraction of people even knew of your existence. You could, however, have less of a chance of your life being ended; still, if the Emperor were to find you, there was no way in the world that you would hear the end of it. You could also earn your freedom. You could embroider as much as you liked and explore new horizons like you had wished to do when you were younger.

Nevertheless, it would be risky and put many people in danger. Now that you knew the drastic measures that the Emperor was willing to take, you could not help but feel hesitant. Especially since you felt like the man in front of you was a stranger that you once knew.

His patient instead was running out due to the time-sensitivity of the scenario. "[Name], please. I'm doing this for our good," He urged you on.

"Octavi, are you sure about that? From the looks of things, you have willingly taken on the role of a black snake. If anything, I have learnt during my time in the capital that they are nothing but trouble. You even admitted it yourself. Why did you have to join them, Octavi?" You objected, a worried expression washing over your features in the pale moonlight.

"I joined them because they're all I have left-"

"You have your little brother Oriin left! You have me; you have the Emperor. You have your job here, waiting for your return," You intervened in his sentence.

Octavi sighed and fixed up his tie neatly in an attempt to calm his nerves. There was still that aura of seriousness and ever-lasting formality surrounding the man, and again - he was an enigma to be dealt with.

"[Name], the black snake group is my family now," He explained simply to you, his voice cold and distant.

"What about your family at the palace?" You interrogated the blue-haired man.

"That is behind me now; it is my past. As much as I would like to get rid of the Emperor, I know full well I do not have the strength do so," He shot back at you.

"You insist that most of your sanity has returned - are you sure about that? The Octavi I know wouldn't dare speak such words. He was obedient and loyal to the Emperor, to the palace, and above all - Intuuin. What happened to caring so dearly about the safety of Intuuin?" You objected.

He stared at you, speechless. He didn't seem to have a response to that. His muscles relaxed for a brief moment, only to tense up several moments later as a firm hand gripped over your torso and another clasped forcefully against your mouth. Tilting your head back, you looked up to none other than the tall and fairly lanky figure of the man whom had been seated next to you during the dinner, indicating to you that this had all been premeditated by the black snake group.

"Listen here, doll. Sir Kirayo here has tried to reason with you and get you to come with us willingly because he's such a big softie for you, no matter what we say or do. You're going to come with us whether you like it or not. Whether you even want to escape or not. You know why? Because now that the Emperor thinks he's so much better than us, what would be better than taking away the thing he treasures most dearly?" He whispered in a hoarse and unmerciful tone, his face so close to yours that you could feel his pale strands of hair tickling your cheek.

"Be gentle with her, Vernon-"

Octavi was cut off by the man who now had you pulling desperately against his arm and stomping on his feet. You wanted some sort of escape from his grasp, even if for a moment. Unfortunately, his grip never softened - not even once. "I let him try to convince you, but our time is running out, and you don't seem to be leaning towards a particular answer at the moment. By taking you away, we can finally make the Emperor act out on his emotions and have him vulnerable. With no heir to the throne, this will be the end of the Wang family bloodline. And before the heir to the throne can be decided, the black snake group will have the chance to take over Intuuin at last," He explained their plan to you in the means to frighten you more. It seemed like just seeing fear erupt from your frame satisfied him gratefully as the once listless and stone-cold man was grinning like a maniac.

Before you could make more attempts to break free, the man fell backwards off the balcony with his own free will, your frame still held tightly in his arms. You were no longer trying to break free but instead holding onto the man for dear life. His leather-gloved hand was securely holding onto a particular type of dark rope, and he zipped down at a great speed.

The view was spectacular, with the glowing town of Yunoaiu not too far out of sight, contrasting with the darkness of the night. The ocean peered behind Yunoaiu, its dimmed waves drowning out as it hit the sandy beaches. It was difficult to enjoy such a view at a time like this, especially as you were dropping at an unspeakable speed towards the ground, your ivory nightgown flowing around violently like a crow struggling to fly. Free falling, Vernon soon tightened his grip gradually, making the descent slow down and eventually come to a complete halt just about a meter off the ground.

Across from you, Octavi had taken his own rope and was already on the ground, rummaging around a coal-black rucksack that was hidden among tall blades of grass in the shadows.

Unforgivingly, Vernon dropped you on the ground - without a second thought, soon landing on the ground himself. You fell in the soil, droplets of crystalline water, and dirt damaging your nightgown as you stumbled to your feet, trying your best to regain your balance.

"Help me-! " Vernon's hand clasped around your mouth once again, forcefully dragging you along with him as he did so. In a small fault in the palace walls, Vernon squeezed through. He pulled you along with the dirt, your nightgown not even the least of his worries during this abduction. Octavi looked at you forgivingly; the rucksack now slung over his right shoulder as he crouched in the tall grass to chase after the two of you.

You were being hauled over to a rickety old wagon, with hay still at the back. You presumed that it was most likely stolen off some poor bloke in the countryside, as you would never see such a thing in Yunoaiu of all places. It was the swankiest place to be after all.

Thrown roughly into the back of the wagon, the hay pricked at your [S/C] skin and damaged your linen clothing even further than it already was at this point. Vernon approached your frame, pinning you down and using a rope to tie you to the wagon so that you could not escape. Lastly, he put a blindfold and a cloth around your mouth, making sure to leave your nose so you could breathe. Why weren't they just killing you instead?

With the blindfold on, you had no idea where you were going and would have no idea whatsoever how to get back. They had shrewdly thought ahead, now jumping into the front and getting the ashen horse to trot forwards.

In the meanwhile, the Emperor had just finished taking his bath, desperate to get back to you quickly. "My angel must be sound asleep, she's so silent tonight," He told himself, a small smile on his lips as he thought about how cute you looked when you slept. He enjoyed dearly being the first thing you woke up to, your groggy eyes illuminating with joy in the morning as if he were your Sun. He began to hum the tune which had been played at your wedding as he got dressed in a plain black yukata.

Stepping out of the bathroom and looking over to the bed, Takahiro felt his heart drop.

The spot on the bed where he had lovingly tucked you in was barren, the moon's spotlight making it incredibly clear to him. His eyes zipped around the room desperately for your figure. He hastily stepped out of the bedroom to look at the guards at either side of the door. They jumped at the Emperor's sudden appearance, fidgeting around under Takahiro's impaling gaze.

"Did The Empress leave the room? Have you seen [Name]?" He asked, trying to conceal the worry in his voice with his usual cold facade, only for his voice to betray him and crack sorrowfully when he spoke.

"I'm afraid not, Your Majesty," One of the guards responded, proceeding to bow after he spoke.

The Emperor stumbled back, his heart pounding in his chest. There was a rush of emotions running through his veins. He didn't know whether to feel sad, angry, confused or even all the above.

"Summon Eli right this second!" He roared at the top of his lungs, his pale hand clenching into a violent fist and knocking so hard against the hardwood door that it had made an indent in the perfect wood and flung viciously open, sending the guard standing by the door flying to the opposite wall.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" They exclaimed before their footsteps carried them faster than they ever had before.

The Emperor then looked around, searching the closet and even rummaging through most of the clothes, creating a jungle of mess. He checked under the bed, under the desk, anywhere he could before he stopped dead in his tracks. He looked over to the open balcony door. He had been so surprised by your disappearance that he had barely even noticed this detail.

His heavy footfalls led out on the open stone balcony, and he immediately stopped as he stared at the rope. Pursing his lips, he could only come up with two possible scenarios. The rope was specially woven by the black snake group, as their distinct weave and colour tended to be spotted during any shenanigans by the group that involved some sort of rope or thread.

So, you had either got the black snake group to help you run away, or they had kidnapped you in the small time frame of which he had left you alone. He grunted with anger, leaning over the balcony and taking in deep breaths. He had been hyperventilating and adrenaline was running through his veins.

His wine-red orbs looked up at the outside of the palace and the garden below but it was no use - the sun had set, and it was already late in the evening. However, there was no way you had got too far.

As if on cue, Eli burst through the door. "I heard it was urgent, Your Majesty," He paused for a moment as he scanned the room. "Where is The Empress?"

"The black snake group has taken her, or she has run away with their aid. Look at this rope. They couldn't help but make it obvious whose doing it was. I want every guard, general, butler, maid - every single staff member to be on the lookout. Tell all the royal knights and guard divisions to look for her. Get the investigators to do searches of every house in Intuuin; I do not care how long it takes, as long as I find [Name]. Get the residents and look for witnesses. Lock Yunoaiu walls as soon as possible," The Emperor ordered, his voice cold and strong.

Eli immediately bowed, "Right away, Your Majesty," He responded before sprinting out the room. Several minutes later, guards and knights could be seen flooding out of the palace and onto the streets, decreeing a total lockdown of the city as they searched for you. People on the streets screamed in fear as the chevaliers mercilessly broke through the crowd, on the lookout for the missing Empress.

The Emperor took in a deep breath, nails digging furiously into the stone. The black snake group had the very nerve to take his truly beloved; he had the nerve to take [Name]. And the Emperor did not like people taking what was his.

Eli returned to the royal quarters, bowing as he entered. "The word is out and spreading like wildfire, Your Majesty. In the meantime-"

"In the meantime, I will look for her myself," The Emperor stated boldly. Eli jumped at the statement.

"Are you sure? Perhaps that is what the black snake group want, Your Majesty," Eli informed the Emperor, who shook his head.

"Even if it were, do they really think they can overpower me?"

"At least allow me to assist you," Eli offered, desperate to help his Emperor.

"No, I will leave you in charge of matters here. I am sure you know exactly what to do," The Emperor stated. Eli's eyes widened. Was he going to fill in the Emperor's position and duties?

"You have pretended to be me behind red screens before, have you not? Nobody will have a clue that I have left as long as you order utter formality and have the few who see you swear to secrecy," The Emperor continued.

Eli nodded, determined not to object and let down his master. He had total and undying loyalty to the Emperor.

"So be it, very well. I will fill in your position and duties in the meantime. However, it is best to plan your course of action before you leave, Your Majesty."

"Indeed so," The Emperor answered, hurrying over to his office to plan his search.

As now nearly everybody in Yunoaiu was in a desperate search for you, they had no idea that it was to no avail. Vernon had already managed to lead the wagon through the city walls and was now racing through a quiet village. Most of its residents were already fast asleep.

It seemed as though time were dragging on, your ankles and wrists now aching from the tight rope. As you were led through the countryside, the hours seemed to go on for years before the wagon finally came to a halt.

Vernon and Octavi jumped off the wagon, and Vernon carelessly walked over to a small, stone cottage. Meanwhile, Octavi climbed onto the back of the ancient wagon to untie you. He looked at the marks which the rope had left and gently caressed your skin, "It must hurt, I apologise for it being put so tightly on you-"

Octavi's sweet words were cut off by you kicking him away and attempting to scurry out of the wagon, only to be caught by his strong hands and dragged over to the stone cottage. He used his hands to bind your own to stop you from trying to remove the blindfold and cloth around your mouth, gagging your words so you could barely even scream or talk.

Octavi looked around. He had taken you to a small, irrelevant village hidden at the foot of a mountain range, patches of ice and snow in the process of melting away as summer was quickly approaching. There were only a few houses and a small plot of land for some farm animals. At most, there was also a little pub and a stone well in the middle of all the houses.

The village was barely even a village for that matter. With only a dozen houses at most and nothing all that important about the town, it was not even on any maps. There was no way that anybody could find you and Octavi here, especially since it was miles away from Yunoaiu.

Guiding you past a wooden door, reinforced with pitch-black metal, you felt the warmth of what sounded like a crackling fireplace welcome you. Only after locking the door behind Octavi did Vernon nod his head, signalling that it was alright to remove the blindfold and gag. Doing just that, you rubbed your eyes before scanning the room.

The walls were made of cobblestone, and the floor has a precarious old wood, crying out with old age whenever somebody dared take a step upon it. There was a small seating area of green, unappealing mossy fabric that had several ivory knitted blankets folded at the end of the sofa.

"Where am I? Where have you taken me? Leave me to go right this second!" You demanded desperately, bolting away from Octavi and towards the door. You pulled and pushed despairingly at the heavy door but to no avail.

"It's locked. You better behave yourself. Bad behaviour will be punished, good behaviour will be rewarded. Do you understand, slave?" Vernon spat out, harshly with words of deadly venom.

"Slave? I am no slave! I'm the Empress! Let me go right now!" You yelled.

Vernon sighed and walked over to you. He wore an all-black suit with a small, golden brooch of a snake on his right chest pocket. His gloved hand grabbed your neck and lifted you up by it before throwing you away from the door. The prickly and damaged wood only made your fall worse, scratching your [S/C] skin with scratches all over.

"Do you think I care that you're the Empress? You better shut your trap, little girl. If you refuse to stay quiet, I won't even do as much as feed you a single crumb," Vernon hissed, his eyes rolling in annoyance before he raised his hand, preparing to beat you.

Octavi stood up, swiftly catching Vernon's wrist before his palm could make contact with your skin.

"That's quite enough, Vernon," Octavi protested, his voice solemn and formal as usual.

Vernon grunted in annoyance and snatched his wrist away before using his key to leave through the front door, "I'm going to go on the lookout and scan the area then."

You sighed in relief that the much more violent man had finally left.