Time ticked by with the distant sound of dripping water. Anelle pulled her knees to her chest to keep warm. Her hands were numb, squeezing her knees in a futile attempt to keep from shivering. The damp penetrated her clothing, freezing her to the bone.
The men's cell had been gutted, leaving only three occupants. Two old men past their prime and a boy well into his teens, he cradled his left arm trying to hide the stub where his left hand should have been.
The far door screeched open.
Anelle continued watching the slow shift of the light. Slowly the lines from the barred window moved across the stones, elongating as the sun began its descent. She heard footsteps, heavy boots hitting the ground one after the other. More than what she had grown used to hearing. She looked up to see a stream of guards in black uniforms, lining the corridor between the cells.
The head guard banged the hilt of his sword against the bars three times. Anelle felt a dull throb in the back of her head as each clang rang out. She hadn't had food or water since she woke in the cell, her mind was swimming through fog.
"Stand!" The guard shouted. "Everyone up now!" He banged the bars again.
Many of the other women held on to each other as they climbed to their feet. Anelle held tight to the wall behind her. Her head was spinning and she leaned against the wall to stay up right. Her legs were shaking. The pit of her stomach was ice cold, dread and fear tumbled in her empty stomach.
The cell door opened, its hinges screamed. Anelle winced covering her ears.
"Out, all of you!" The guard commanded.
One of the guards grabbed the closest girl and hauled her out of the cell. The rest of the woman funnelled out. Anelle was near the back, the guards hurried them along by crushing them together. The girl in front of her was around fourteen and shaking all over. Anelle held her arms to keep them both from tumbling to the ground. They travelled through winding corridors and a set of stairs. Anelle's thighs were burning as she reached the top.
The prisoners shuffled into a room with the same black stone walls. The floor transitioned to wood as they were pushed over the threshold. A glass window stood at the far end of the room. Anelle squinted her eyes as the afternoon light poured in from outside. The room was empty except for a rickety wooden table and a bucket of water. The doors slammed shut. The guards fanned out evenly around the room. The women stood clustered.
An older woman in a black dress and maids apron dragged each girl to the table and scrubbed her face with a cloth before handing her off to another maid, who guided them across the room to stand in a single line along the wall. Anelle subtly raised her eyes to look around the room as she waited. The guards were talking between each other and taking long glances at one or two of the women.
The maid grabbed Anelle by the arm and slapped a dirty rag against her face. The cold froze her in place. As the cloth was removed she looked wide eyed at the maid. But the woman was scrutinising her face, ignoring Anelle's silent complaint. The smell hit her nose as the rag swiped across her face again. The same putrid smell of dirt and blood that had permeated the cell stuck to the inside of her nose. Anelle swallowed deep to keep from retching.
She was handed off to the next maid and dragged to the other side of the room.
"Stand still and don't move." The maid said. She looked Anelle deep in the eyes for a long moment before walking away.
The young girl next to her was shaking. Anelle held the girl's hand gently squeezed. The girl froze for a second before squeezing her hand back. Her breathing began to even out. Anelle drew small circles over the girl's knuckles as they waited. The motion kept Anelle's fear at bay, helping them both stay calm.
Anelle was too tired to think about what was happening. Deep down she knew her life was about to change but she was too tired to fight or care. She had died once, could things get worse than that?
The head maid picked up the bucket and left the room. One of the guards leaned over to the second maid and whispered something in her ear. Her face turned red and he chuckled at her reaction as she left the room.
Moments ticked by as they stood in line and the guards became more relaxed, talking louder and leaning against the walls.
Three quick knocks echoed from outside. The guards snapped to attention and silence fell.
Anelle tensed as the door opened. The man with emerald eyes was followed by an old woman in a floor length black dress. Her long grey hair was tied in six loops, three on either side of her head and the tail running down the centre of her back. She paused a few steps into the room. He turned to look back at her.
"Care to explain?" She asked in a low voice, with one eyebrow raised.
He smiled and gestured to the room, "I thought you would appreciate seeing them in natural lighting."
The old woman made no reaction to his comment and walked towards the closest girl. Despite her age the woman walked with grace; every movement of her body was considered and deliberate. Her hazelnut eyes inspect each girl as she moves along the line. She stopped just shy of Anelle and lifted the chin of the girl in front of her, turning her head towards the light. The woman dropped her chin and addressed the girl.
"Step forward."
The girl stepped forward.
"How old are you?" She asks.
"S-seven-teen." The girl whispered.
"Head up girl and speak clearly." The woman snapped.
"Seventeen." She repeats slightly louder.
The woman nodded while walking around the girl.
"Have you had your first bleed?"
The girl's face began to turn pink. She opened her mouth but closed it again before nodding her answer.
"Now my next question is important. Do not lie, there will be consequences, understood?"
"Yes, my lady."
"That's Dame Luel to you." The woman snapped.
"Yes, Dame Luel."
"Have you ever shared your body with a man?"
The girl's cheeks darkened from pink to crimson, her eyes staying low as she shook her head.
"Answer with your words." Chastised Dame Luel.
"No, I have not."
Dame Luel turned to the green eyed gentlemen.
"I will take her at the usual price," the lady turned back to the girl, "Stand over there." Luel said pointing to the other side of the room.
The old woman continued walking down the line. As Luel reached Anelle her eyes darted down to her hand holding the girls beside her. Anelle felt the back of her neck prickle as she was being observed. Flashes of her step-mother scolding her for bad posture came to mind. The same eyes she had grown accustomed to throughout her childhood faced her now. Eyes that saw her as a doll to be posed perfectly. Anelle took a deep breath, strained her shoulders and raised her chin. Her eyes were cast down submissively. She embodied the perfect doll; the ideal woman. Dame Luel paused and watched her before moving on.
Once at the end she turned back to the gentleman from across the room.
"That will be all for today." Luel said.
"Truly? Are there no others?" He gestured to the line as he spoke, his eyebrows raised.
She sighed deep and began walking back across the room. She stopped again in front of Anelle.
"Step forward." Luel said, pointing to Anelle.
Anelle stepped forward, remembering all her etiquette lessons, her feet were silent as she moved, her hand slipped free from her companions. Her head stayed perfectly still, her eyes never leaving her mark.
"How old are you?"
Anelle took a moment to remember her numbers. She pictured Kae using his fingers to count to ten and jumping to hers to count to twenty.
"N-nineteen." She replied.
Luel winced as she spoke.
"Your accent is atrocious. Where are you from?"
"A place called Garlon." Anelle clenched her teeth and stuffed down thoughts of home.
"How did you acquire that earring?"
Anelle opened her mouth and paused at the unexpected question. "It was a gift."
"From a man?"
"Yes."
"Were you in love?"
Anelle opened her mouth but closed it again. The answer should have been simple. All winter she had ignored her feelings. She feared the loss of his friendship if Kae didn't share her feelings. That didn't matter now, as she may never see him again. Her face fell as she realised the love she had now lost. "I… Yes."
"Were you married?" Luel continued.
"No."
"Have you shared your body with him or any man?"
"I-I do not believe so."
The elder lady looked up at that, finding Anelle's eyes with her own. "Explain." The Dame demanded.
"My home was ravaged by war," Anelle took a deep breath holding back the urge to cry, "I was… injured." The pain and feeling of the spear being driven through her chest came flooding back. The image of her parents lying dead. A lump began to rise in her throat.
"Go on, child." The older woman coaxed. Her voice softened, bringing Anelle back to the room.
Anelle took a deep breath and composed her face into neutral perfection again.
"I lost consciousness and when I awoke I was all alone here in Athon. I have no idea how I came to be here or how long I was…" Anelle searches for the right word in Ealrian. "…asleep for. Nor what may have happened to my body in that time."
The room fell silent again. Anelle held her head high, determined not to let her embarrassment and shame show.
Dame Luel regarded her for a moment before turning away.
"I will take her too but I expect a discount. She will need lessons to improve her accent and I will be unable to market her deflowering with an extra charge." Luel said, directing her words to the green eyed gentleman.
"Twenty five percent off?" he responded.
Luel nodded. "I will take it."
*****
Anelle and the other girl were escorted down another long corridor. The same orange candle light flickered over the soot stained walls. The guards kept their distance, hurtling them along with disgruntled remarks.
"Faster." The guard commanded. He stood at the threshold of a door, holding it open with his foot and shoved them inside.
Anelle stumbled in. The room was a small box with a single bench stretching the length of the room. A candle leaned precariously on a rusted metal sconce. The walls were the same black soot covered stone.
The door banged closed, followed by a series of clicks.
They stood frozen in silence.
Anelle sat down on the bench. Her aching legs felt sweet relief and her head stopped spinning for a moment. Her companion followed suit and sat down close to her.
Anelle took a deep breath, working up the courage to speak. She closed her eyes.
"Everything will be alright." She whispered between breaths.
"You don't have to do that." The girl responded, her voice sounded like a shout in the silence.
Anelle's eyes fell on the girl next to her, taking her in. Dark blond hair with bright highlights falling down to the middle of her back. Her hair was tangled with pink ribbons. She had blue eyes the colour of warm oceans. A small but defined nose, soft cheekbones and a rounded chin.
"Who said I was comforting you?" Anelle replied.
The girl looked away in confusion. Anelle focused her eyes on the ground.
"Being strong for someone else can be a way of hiding my own fears," Anelle looked back at the girl, "I may be slightly older but I am just as terrified." Anelle saw her own fear mirrored in the girl's eyes. "What's your name?" Anelle asked.
"Vetha."
"Anelle." A bitter smile touched her lips. "I would say it's nice to meet you but under the circumstances…"
The two girls exchanged a painful smile. Vetha's eyes began to glaze over. Anelle squeezed her hand, blinking back her own tears. They sat in silence comforting each other.
The door unlocked. The girls remained seated as the door swung open. Dame Luel stood on the other side. Two guards loomed behind her and another person stood behind them. Anelle was unable to make out the newcomer.
Anelle and Vetha stared at a pail of water one of the guards was holding. A wooden cup was bobbing on the top of the clear water. The girls licked their dry lips, their mouths felt as dry as a dessert, having had no water since they arrived. The guard placed the pail on the floor and both girls fell to their knees lapping up the water. They filled their empty stomachs with the sweetest water they had ever tasted.
Anelle looked up as her stomach was full and she could drink no more. The newcomer had set up on the bench. He was an older man dressed in a long black coat buttoned up to his neck. He opened his case and was fiddling around with small vials and different length needles.
He addressed the Dame as he spoke. "I am ready now."
Dame Luel turned to Anelle and pointed at the bench. "Sit and stay very still."
Anelle did as she was told. She looked into the box and saw many different length metal needles. Small vials of different coloured fluids marked with yellowed labels and cursive script, lay in leather straps around the edge of the case.
"Now girl," Dame Luel said, "if you move even slightly you could go blind or worse the needle could pierce too deep and disfigure your mind."
Anelle looked her dead in the eye. The woman showed no emotion. She meant every word. Anelle looked over her shoulder to the guards blocking her only exit. Even if she got out of this room where would she go? Her breathing came faster; her heart beating hard against her chest. She clasped her hands together trying to stop them from shaking.
The man picked up a long needle and punctured the top one of the vials. He turned the vial upside down and watched as the liquid flowed into the hollow tip of the needle. He placed the vial back into the case and turned to Anelle.
"As the Dame said, it's best not to move and don't close either of your eyes. Take a deep breath in," Anelle did as she was told, he brought the needle up in line with her right eye, "and out." As she exhaled he deftly inserted the needle into her eye. She gasped from the pain. He stood holding the needle still. The pain shot straight to the back of her head making her dizzy. Every inch of her body wanted to move. Sharp bursts shot through her eye slowly descending deeper into her chest. He held her head in an iron grip and kept the needle straight.
She tensed her shoulders and neck to keep still. Her hands balled into fists squeezing tight, her knuckles turned white and blood began to trickle between her fingers as her nails broke the skin.
Slowly the needle moved, scraping away at her eye. A painful sensation of fluid trickling into her eye and deeper into her body. It flowed down into her veils twisting itself around her and falling into her chest. She sat paralysed from the parasite winding its way into her body.
The needle was extracted and the supporting hand behind her head released.
Her body fell hitting the hard stone floor. Her right eye was nothing but a blur and her left swam with tears. People moved around her. Sounds muffled. A hand touched her neck. She couldn't hear. Couldn't move.
Her mind sank into the abyss.