White Queen Ascending

On the way back to their house, while walking in a narrow and rough pathway, Torin looked at the girl beside him and asked, "Are you not afraid that I'd sell you out?"

"Nope." Luciana answered swiftly. Her appearance clearly shows that she didn't really care, not even for a bit.

Torin was made dumbstruck. "You! do you really trust other people that easily? Heck! Do you know that those fifty silvers is already a hefty amount?" He suddenly became worried that the poor little girl might be fooled someday.

Luciana looked at the man weirdly and said, "No."

The man was again speechless by her reply. "Cough cough. Anyway, Remember not to trust anyone easily, always be wary about strangers!" Then he hurriedly changed the subject.

"Don't you have any questions about what you heard in the tavern? Are you not curious about what I do?" He asked as he watch the girl walk beside him, looking as if she's out sightseeing on a trip.

"You kill people." Luciana straightforwardly and without any emotion said.

Torin choked up with the girl's answer. 'Talking with this girl will surely make me live shorter!'

"Ehem. Do not talk as if killing people is a normal thing!"

The girl looked at him curiously, with a face written with, 'How is it not normal?'

Feeling exasperated, Torin repeatedly sighed. Then he suddenly remembered where the girl just came from and felt bad inside. 'Does she really think that it was normal?'

"It is not!" He flicked the girl's forehead. He feels that there's a need to educate the girl properly about her views in life.

"Then why do you kill?" She said while rubbing her reddish temple.

"I kill because I have no choice! I kill so that I can live!" He answered. "Remember, you should only kill if you don't have any other option! But keep in mind as well, that if someone intends to harm you.. Kill them! Kill them without mercy!" Torin fiercely added.

Luciana blinked her cute eyes, then bobbed her head. Inside, she repeated what he said in her mind. What he is saying now is definitely new to her. Killing was normal like drinking water for her before.

'Is the outside different from that place?' she asked herself.

When Torin noticed that she listened to him carefully, he nodded. "I will teach you everything I know. In return you have to keep my lessons well in your heart."

"Okay" She said and nodded briefly.

Shaking his head, feeling mad about her short answers to his long speech, he grumpily lectured "You should use that tongue more! And didn't I tell you to call me uncle?!"

Luciana just looked at him again with a weird gaze thinking, 'What is his problem?'

~~~

Three days ago in the Requiem Sanctum, Eastern Hideout of the Revolution group.

"Kid, I'm surprised you are awake. We honestly didn't believe you'd make it. You waking up now could be counted as a miracle. Additionally, what's more unbelievable is that the doctor said that after just taking a few months of rest, you'd eventually recover back to normal." Theon Ruggiero said to the boy lying on the bed as he sat casually on the nearest chair.

The boy on the bed was covered with bandages all over his body. He has been in coma for days and he can still feel the pain from his injuries, but he ignored it for now.

He carefully looked around him. He is in a small room. There's only a single bed, a wooden table with a lamp on top, and two chairs inside the room. The window curtains are slightly moving because of the gentle air coming from outside while the natural light of the sun brightens up the room. After observing his surroundings, he stared at the man on the chair vigilantly. His purple eyes are filled with confusion. He has a lot of question in his nine-year old mind.

"Wh-who are you?" The young boy asked, feeling wary about the presence of a stranger in the room accompanying him.

"Do not be nervous kid. We and my group saved you. I am Theon Ruggiero, the second in command here in this revolutionary camp. The place you came from is now gone, so you are safe from now on." He said in a very calm manner as he observe the boy who currently looks at him nervously.

"Tell me your name and how did you get on that place." Theon added while crossing his arms.

The boy still look guarded but still answered with a croaky but childish voice, "I am Amias. I work as a servant there."

Theon kept silent for a while. He raised his right hand, placing it in his chin and eyed the boy. "You should not keep things from me." He warned with a chilly voice.

Cold sweat ran down from Amias' nape. "What.. what do you mean?" He asked. He had a feeling that the man is talking about his identity. His father had repeatedly warned him before dying not to tell anyone his surname unless he have no choice. Of course Luciana was an exception, because at that time, he was sure that she won't tell anyone. He already trusted her that much from the moment she gave him half of that bread, what more after experiencing danger with her side by side?

"I know that you're not just a servant. Perhaps you could fool anyone else, but you can't fool me."

"I'll answer you. But.. I.. I have a question." Amias' downcastedly said, but he still decided to tell him about himself, and thrown all the caution away in the air. If it means he'll answer his questions, then he'll tell everything he wants to know.

"Pray tell." Theon said to him with a cold face.

"I have a friend.. She's a girl with white hair. Around eight years old. Did..did you find her too?" He asked while stuttering, feeling a bit afraid of hearing the answer.

"We didn't" The man coolly said, but he noted that there is indeed a white haired kid at that place before. He'll report it immediately after talking with the little guy. "But we also do not know if she's still alive."

Amias' face immediately lost all color. "Can you look for her?" He hurriedly said, feeling deeply worried about his friend.

"We can" Theon answered, but inside he said to himself 'We can, but I'm not sure if we can find her.'

The face of Amias' visibly relaxed. "I believe that she did not die." He trust his feelings.

"Now, can you tell me everything?" Theon asked him once again. Actually, he really isn't interested in what he's going to say. He was just a bit curious why the boy would hide something. "Do not worry, I keep my mouth shut most of the time."

Amias' released a long sigh before saying, "My name is Amias Devin. My real father died a year ago. I had no where to go. I was adopted by a kind villager and he helped me to become a servant in that place. I am a noble, that I'm sure.. but I don't know anything about my family's history."

Then Theon blanked out for a bit. After a while, having digested everything the boy just said, he immediately stood up and shouted, losing his composure.

"Did you just say that you are a Devin??!"

~