Darkness blanked out his surroundings, his despair blocking everything but the woman standing over him and his mother's body on the floor. His tears fell on her motionless form, disappearing in the spreading stain covering her torso and streaking her hair. A thick pool of her blood slid sluggishly from under her and the oppressive darkness surrounding his mind was cut by the startlingly melodic voice of his mother's murderer.
"I'll give you a choice, kid..." She seemed almost bored as she addressed him, wiping her blade clean. Her clan was lost to his grief fogged mind in spite of her blatant display of clan colors.
"You can call me mother... You can call me mistress... Or I can kill you." She didn't even bother looking at him while she spoke, her attention fixed on something across the room from them. "Decide." Her tone was impatient suddenly and his mind reeled at his choices. He couldn't betray the woman on the floor, and a sudden burning hatred told him he couldn't die just yet, but his only other option terrified him. The light touch of the woman's sword reminded him of her impatience.
