White Queen Ascending

The old man who took the girl out from her room, saw her being dragged back again. He walked towards them and snatched the chain from the other guy.

"Still alive aren't ya?" He grinned exposing his yellowish teeth.

She glanced at the man then ignored him.

He instantly became irritated by her disregard, he grabbed her collar and lifted her up. "C.o.c.ky now huh." He touched her face with his other hand then suddenly spit towards her.

She glared at him, hissing.

"What? You'll bite me?" He laughed loudly. "Thank me, for I am in a good mood or else.." he glanced at her thin body before adding, "You'll entertain our guests in another way. Tut-tut a lot of them likes playing with little children ha ha ha!"

He gave her one last punch in the stomach before returning the chains back to the other servant and ordered, "No food today."

"Aye." The guy said, then continued to walk away, roughly pulling the girl as she writhes up in pain.

Back in the familiar dark room, she crawled back to her corner. She lifted her shirt and looked at her skeleton-like body that now has a protruded broken bone. Her face darkened at the sight. Although it would heal on its own, with the girl's malnourished body, and the condition of this filthy place, who knows when it'll return to normal.

She closed her hands tightly, imagining in her mind how she would dismember the old man. Then she slowly loosen her fists and just sat quietly to take a rest.

"He-hello?" A boy said with a hushed voice..

The little girl who's curled up in the corner, slowly opened her eyes. She looked straight to the boy outside the steel bars who seemed to be just a bit older than her.

She silently observed the boy's appearance. He has messy black hair, round purple eyes, clean set of eyebrows, straight nose, and a full red lips. He is wearing a dusty garb and an old oversized cloak.

When the boy sees that she didn't plan to say anything, he added "Are you hungry?" He scratched his head. "Here, I have an extra piece of bread. It's a bit dirty, I hope you don't mind." He wiped his dirty hands on his cloak then reached for his pockets and he carefully extended them to the girl.

The girl coldy looked at him, not even bothering to take the bread from him.

"Uh, I forgot." He said while retracting his hand. "My name is Amias. My father used to work as a servant here but he died in an accident. I am here as replacement." He mumbled softly with a somehow sad voice and then continued his monologue, "I saw your fight a while ago and what happened after.. were you hurt?"

The girl then chose to close her eyes, not caring about him anymore.

"Oh." Amias now turned completely speechless. "I... I'll left this here." He cleaned the floor a bit, then placed the bread there. He casted a final glance at the girl before turning his back to leave.

When his footsteps can no longer be heard across the room, the girl once again opened up her eyes. Maybe because of the darkness, or maybe it was just an illusion, but her eyes looked as if a white light flashed from there.

"Stupid" She said.

Suddenly, a rat sneakily came out from the wall's cavity, carefully treading it's path towards the food. The girl then slowly stood up and the chains holding her feet rustled, scaring the little thing away. She looked at the escaping rat, picked up a small pebble then flicked it. Though it was done casually, it actually pierced through the rats body, leaving a small hole in its stomach.

She took the bread from the ground and sniffed it a bit. She cut it into two, keeping the half aside, before munching the other one.

"Should have left water too." She complained with a full mouth.

A few minutes later, a man dragging a boy ruthlessly came into view. The boy being dragged around was beaten up and weak. Although it was obviously painful, he's still gritting his teeth, with no intention of crying.

"Heh, wanting to help her? How about you accompany her here?" The man sneered. Then looked at the girl inside, "Little girl, you have a new roommate, aren't you happy? Ha ha" his laugh was too ugly in the ears.

"Amias, oh Amias ha! Stay here for a while and be a good kid." He opened the steel bar and pushed him inside, making him stumble and fall towards the girl.

But the girl just casted him aside and continued lying down lazily.

After a long period of silence, Amias, having somehow recovered, slowly sat back up. He curiously glanced at the girl and then looked at the area where he put the bread before. He smiled, looking foolish with all the bruises in his face and said, "Glad, you've eaten."

The girl halfly opened her eyes then ordered him with a childish but croaky voice, "Sleep" then closed her eyes once more.

Amias nodded, and not too long after, he was already sleeping.

The sun has risen but no fresh morning breeze was emanating in the air. The dew, instead further, enhanced the foul odor inside the room.

The girl still kept on sleeping, but the boy was already awake.

A rumbling noise could be heard from the stomach of Amias as he gulped his saliva down.

Then a sigh of the girl was heard inside. It seemed that she was already awake for quite some time but pretended she wasn't. She took out the bread that she hid yesterday and passed it on to the guy wordlessly.

Seeing half of the bread he gave to her being offered to him now, he felt thankful.

He started to eat the bread and it soon was devoured quickly. He rubbed his mouth with his sleeves then asked,

"You know I'd get beaten up right?"

He saw her looking at him with a gaze that meant like, 'Atleast you weren't too stupid.'

He chuckled and said, "I'd still do it anyway even if I knew about it."

She was surprised for a second, then hid her reaction instantly.

"Can I ask for your name?" Amias again asked.

He thought that she won't speak again, and decided to talk randomly. But when he was about to open his mouth, he heard the girl saying beside him

"I am nameless."

Amias didn't talk and stayed silent for a while, sensing the heartache in her voice.

A while after he blurted out, "Your hair is like a light in this dark room.." He stared at her then added, "Luciana. Can I call you Luciana?"

She softly mumbled, "Light... Luciana..."

'I am not worthy of that name.' she felt bitter inside but also felt something she could not explain. He gave her a name, an identity. It was the first kindness she received in her life.

She asked herself, 'Are there really kind-hearted people in this place?'

Her silence meant approval for the boy. His purple eyes sparked brightly. His face that is filled with bruise and dried-up blood, produced a wide childish smile.

"It is my, Amias Devin's honor, to meet you Luciana." He formally said.

~~

It's been two days since Amias was dumped here with the girl, Luciana, and yet, he still do not find himself getting tired of talking.

"How could you live in such a malodored place? Even I, who has lived in utter poverty couldn't stand the stench in here." He said, spitting out saliva while speaking.

Luciana just chose to ignore his complaints. If she actually replied to this guy, who knows how long will he keep extending the conversation.

"Luciana, do you really not have any more food hidden? Urghhh! My stomach keeps on complaining. Say? Would I die like this?"

Amias ceaseless monologue kept the always silent room loud for two days now. The girl also no longer feel much aversion towards this loquacious boy, and started accepting his presence. She even reply sometimes to his babbling, though, by still a few words.

"Shut that mouth." She said.

Amias made an 'i am wronged' face but still did as she said and closed his mouth... for a bit, before talking again.

"Do you want to leave this place?" He suddenly said, looking very serious this time.

The girl silently looked at the child beside her.

'I do, I really do.' she said in her heart.

No matter how much she m.a.t.u.r.ed because of all her ugly circ.u.mstances, she was still but a kid. She wanted to experience how to play, like those children in her age. She wanted to be like a proper child too, but she kept it all hidden. Her dreams has long been forgotten in this filthy, little room. If there would be a time where she can already leave this place, that would be when she became strong enough. Strong enough to annihilate every single person who contributed to her sufferings. Only after that, would she have the right to dream again.

"I.. I will help you leave here." He blurted out.

Luciana was stupefied by this guy. She hurriedly stood up and peaked outside, making sure no one heard him before turning around and glared at him.

"I promise you.." he declared.

"Stop!" She snapped making him avoid her gaze.

He stopped completely this time around. But in his pure little heart, he already vowed to save his friend from this hell.

It was silent afterwards. No one spoke. The talkative boy kept his lips sealed, even as the metal banging was heard again, and the steel bar was being opened to let him come out.

He just glanced at Luciana and said inwardly, 'wait for me, I'll make sure that you'd come out from here as well.' before leaving the room.