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It was late at night. It had been a long time since the feast, but I still felt bloated. The food she'd shoved down her throat felt like it was piled on top of each other. Aubrey dropped the scissors she'd snuck from the kitchen on her desk and made her way to the window. She'd only been in the house a few days, but the chair in front of the window had become her favorite spot. It overlooked the manor's gardens, and sometimes she could see Barbara or Emily enjoying tea time.

As her green eyes slowly scanned the darkened garden, they suddenly landed on her hands. Clean hands, not the ones that were always stained. They still bore the scars of her escape, but they would soon fade. She had indeed run away.

From that hellish island.

It dawned on her once more, and at the same time, a series of intense moments from that day flashed through her mind.

She could still see Phoebe's face as she screamed at her to run. The first friend she had ever had, the closest she had ever been. The thought of Phoebe made her heart feel as heavy as a weight. Aubrey swallowed dryly, swallowing back her tears.

She had to believe Phoebe was okay. She knew it was ridiculous, this unrealistic wish, but she had to believe it to keep herself alive. Aubrey forced her eyes open and looked up at the night sky.

A dark cloud hung like a pit of dust from a full moon. The boy she'd met under the night sky. She remembered the boy, his hair as black as the sky, blowing in the wind. She wondered how he was doing.

The boy who looked so unhappy, she  wondered if he was alright. Where did he go?

"......I'm worried about someone."

Aubrey's hands clenched into fists. She stood up and grabbed the scissors she'd brought earlier. Standing in front of the mirror, Aubrey took a few breaths.

Her long, uncombed hair had clumped and tangled together in an uncontrollable mess. It was as if the cloud of dust from earlier had stuck to her head.

Several maids had come and gone to comb this thing that could hardly be called human hair, and several combs had broken.

“Ha......."

Aubrey let out a deep breath, picked up the scissors, and snipped away at the uncombed part of her hair. The sound of scissors echoed in the silent room.

It was a creepy sound. It sounded foreign, like an animal skin being cut. After a few more strokes, Aubrey lowered her trembling hands.

Her hair, which had been long enough to reach below her breasts, was now short that barely reached her shoulders. On the floor, the tangled strands lay in a reddish bush.

In the mirror, she saw a girl who looked almost human. Not a disheveled, disoriented, fleeing slave, but a disheveled but somehow normal girl.

 “I want her to be a child worthy of this house. I want her to be worthy of being a Ravant.”

Aubrey remembered the words. That was all that mattered now. To be a child worthy of this great mansion, as Jeffrik had said.

To live a normal life without being recognized as a slave. Aubrey pressed her lips together and raked a stray strand of hair out of her face.

* *

The sun was just rising in the afternoon when she heard the unexpected call. Aubrey had just returned to her room from lunch and was dragging her chair back to the window when Trin came to her.

 "Ah, Miss.  Miss Emily wants to see you."

"Me?"

 "She said she'd like to have tea with you......."

Before Trin could finish her sentence, Emily appeared.

"Step aside."

Trin's head snapped up at her words, and she hastily stepped aside. Emily strode into the room, dressed in her early morning finery, the hem of her layered dress fluttered with each step.

"How's it going? Is everything okay?"

Emily asked, looking around the room.

 "Yeah, it's great."

"Take it easy, my mother told you to."

With that, she glanced at Aubrey's bed, then ran her index finger across it. As if to check for dirt.

 "I was wondering something about you. I was thinking maybe a cup of tea, what do you think?"

"......."

 "I know you're always spying on me in here."

Aubrey almost bit her tongue as soon as Emily said that. She thought she'd never find out.

 "I didn’t mean anything bad, I just....... I just wanted to see the garden......."

 "I know, so let's have a cup of tea. What do you say?"

 Aubrey hesitated for a moment, then nodded, and Emily turned around with a wry smile.

* * *

Moments later, a small tea party had begun in the garden. Aubrey couldn't believe she was sitting in the same spot she'd looked at every day.

The fragrant smell of flowers in bloom all around, the smell of grass mixed with it, the sound of birds chirping in the distance. It felt like a dream.

The silver tray was filled with sandwiches, scones, and other sweets. While Aubrey's eyes darted everywhere, trying to remember everything in sight, Emily sipped her tea. She was watching Aubrey.

Her mother's niece, who had come out of nowhere. Emily still couldn't believe it. From the sounds of it, she was dirty and ragged when she was found.

Emily wondered about that. Her origins, which even her mother had never told her. Clink. Aubrey's head snapped up at the sound of the teacup being set down.

Aubrey's face was ugly, her cheeks and chin streaked with red, and her eyes green as a forest. Instantly, she felt disgusted. Emily barely managed to straighten her scowl.

"Where have you been and what have you been doing?"

"......."

No wonder she couldn't answer. She must have lived a life of begging in the dirty streets.

 "Here, you can answer while you eat."

Emily graciously placed the cucumber sandwich from the bottom of the tray on her plate.

"I'm......."

Aubrey stammered.

 "I'm from the streets. I lived on the streets."

Her eyes narrowed as she answered. Her lashes fluttered as she lowered them slightly.

"Poor. Poor thing."

Emily said, covering the corner of her mouth with her hand.

"How do you survive on the streets, stealing food from other people's houses? I'm sure you didn’t pick up their discarded food."

"......."

"Oh, my God. Did you really do that?"

 Aubrey's hands tensed under the table. She knew Emily didn't like her, that much she knew. She knew this was going to happen a million times. But.......

"I begged for it, I didn't steal it or pick it up."

Aubrey smiled nervously. Her fisted hands shook under the table. Aubrey had never touched anything that didn't belong to her, that much was true.

Emily thought it was ridiculous. A life at the bottom of the heap, what's the point in trying to improve it? Coming from a lowly background wouldn't change that.

"So, what's it like, living here?"

"......."

 "This gorgeous mansion, the food, the clothes. How does it feel to have things you'll never have in your life?"

What the hell does Emily want, Aubrey wondered, and before she could answer, Emily leaned in and brought her face close.

"You know what, sister, you know how I feel?"

"What......."

"Someone was my mother's niece who showed up out of nowhere. Aren't you curious?"

Aubrey could barely breathe in front of the pretty face that was so close. She was afraid her breath would touch that gorgeous face.

"Dirty."

 "......."

"I don't want to have a sister who looks like my mother, so......."

Emily smirked.

"Don't get in my face."

 * *

Rumors of the Count of Ravant's guardianship of a young girl had leaked through the grapevine and trickled through social circles. At every lavish tea party, there was talk of the girl.

 "I hear she's the niece of the Countess of Ravant?"

"Really? I heard they picked up a stray orphan."

Barbara never attended unless she was needed, and when she did, she stuck to short answers and smiled when asked about the girl, so the rumors about her ran wild.

 It was a crisp, breezy fall day when the rumor mill returned to the mansion. The gardens of the manor seemed to be bursting with colorful leaves.

A table draped in white lace was set with sliced apples, baked pies, cheese, and crackers. Madam Delove had heard the rumors and had come to visit Barbara.

 "Are you going to let it go on like this," she said, "with all the nonsense those twitchy mouths are talking about? I can't believe you......"

Madam Delove covered her mouth with her hand and whispered, saying she never thought she'd have to say this.

"There's even talk of the girl being the illegitimate daughter of the Count of Ravant."

 Barbara chuckled softly at that. It seemed like every story that came out of her mouth had a story.

 "Countess Ravant, now is not the time to laugh!"

"You all have such imaginations, it's hard not to laugh."

 A leisurely laugh when she could have summoned all the noblewomen in her immediate neighborhood for a full explanation. Madam Delove looked like she was burning up inside.

"Is that what madam thinks?"

Barbara asked bluntly, and Madam Delove nearly spit out her tea. She managed to control herself and dropped the tone.

"What do you think of me? Do I strike you as the kind of person who would think that?"

"Of course not, I only asked because you said the rumors were so rampant."

 "Well, part of me wishes I could step in and clear it up for you. I wouldn't have come to you like this if I didn't think you were on fire."

Madam Delove's eyes sparkled as if she wanted to be believed that they were actually hot. She was the kind of person who needed to hear all the gossip that went around in social circles to get her gears turning.

And this one, involving a quiet, upstanding couple, had made it impossible for her to stay home.

"I've said it before I'm going to leave it alone. These are stories that will die down. That's what rumors are for." (Barbara)

 "But....."

 

Barbara was a very boring person. That was how  other women described her. She didn't do much, and she didn't get angry very often.

Many of them said they had found a family member that matched her quiet nature. But it was no fun to be so quiet.

“If it was a story that was going to die down, it would have happened so long ago. Isn’t that right, madam?”

At Madam Delove’s casual remark, Barbara stirred a little.

"Um, I was wondering if you could tell me about my father?"

The words stopped Barbara in her tracks. Then she looked at Aubrey with sadness in her eyes.

"I've never heard stories about my dad before, and I'm curious to know what he was like........"

Diane had never talked about him in her life, and Aubrey wondered how two sisters could have such different lives.

"I never wanted to say his name again."

Barbara thought for a moment, then spoke out of habit, the corner of her mouth twitching upward.

Her mother, the first daughter of Baron Herwaldi, had set her eyes on a man other than the one the family had chosen for her.

Peter Sandalwood, a merchant without a title. The house had been rocked by Diane's announcement, and it had taken days of cajoling and threats.

When she refused to budge, they finally kicked her out of the house. It was a slap in the face. But Diane never returned home after that.

A year later, Barbara received a letter. Diane and Peter had gotten married in a small church and were living a normal, happy life.

"I thought, 'Well, at least she’s happy, even though she ran away like that,'" Barbara says, "because I was starting to think my parents' choice for her wasn't very good."

Barbara smiled softly, as if reminiscing. But it didn't last long, and she soon arched her eyebrows.

"I wonder how much time has passed since then, because that was when I got married and got pregnant with Emily....... About four years later, Diane came to visit me. Very suddenly, with a tiny child in her arms."

Aubrey knew it was her, and she tried to imagine it. Diane visiting her sister with a tiny child. How she felt.

"She looked terrible. She looked like she hadn't eaten in days."

Barbara kept getting choked up as she spoke, gently rubbing her chest.

"Diane told me something I hadn't thought of, that there was a terrible plague in the village where they lived, and Peter caught it and died within days."

And when he died, he left behind a huge debt. As their business went downhill, they had to scrounge up money here and there and buy food and goods on credit, and the debts snowballed until they found Diane.

After giving away everything she owned and selling her house, Diane was unable to pay off her debts, so she went on the streets and found Barbara.

Luckily, Jeffrik had heard of her situation and offered her a small outbuilding next to the mansion. Barbara helped Diane in both ways financially and emotionally. She felt that her parents were to blame for her sister's disappearance, but also that she was to blame.

 "One day, maybe two seasons later, Diane just disappeared, leaving a note saying she couldn't burden me and Jeffrik anymore. She said she'd gotten a job with someone she knew, and they offered her a place to stay."

Diane couldn't have known that the plague that had taken her husband's life had taken up residence in her body and was slowly taking over.

"I thought I'd done something wrong, that I'd unknowingly put a burden on Diane, that she'd left. I was going to bring her back because jobs are plentiful here------."

His eyes, a mixture of happiness and sadness, slowly turned to Aubrey's face.

"Only to find you all grown up."

Aubrey was suddenly overcome with the urge to tell Barbara everything. Wouldn't this person understand her, accept her completely?

But an iron grip of fear clamped down on her throat. What could guarantee? Who could she trust?

Was there anyone who would see the mark on her back and still accept her? As Aubrey pondered, Barbara, who had brushed off her grief, placed a hand affectionately on her shoulder.

"So, Aubrey."

Aubrey lifted her head slowly at the affectionate call. What words would come from those lips. She couldn't tell.

 "After much discussion, I have something to tell you."

Aubrey swallowed hard. Long discussions. That meant days of arguing with Jeffrik. The two of them arguing over Aubrey's residence. Who would be the winner?

"I don't know how this will come across to you, but......."

This is bad. This is bad.  Aubrey thought, her hands on her lap.

"We're going to be your guardians."

"Yes, I know...... What?"

Aubrey thought she was being told to leave, but the words were unexpected. Aubrey's head snapped up. Barbara cocked her head.

"You knew?"

"No, I didn't. I just thought you were going to ask me to leave......."

Barbara's brow narrowed at that. Then she shook her head and patted Aubrey's forearm.

"Oh, honey, I would never say that to you. Where would you go when this is where you are supposed to be?”

How sweet it was to hear her say this was where she belonged. How she had waited. Suddenly, a lump rose in her throat.

"After discussions with Jeffrik, we have decided to take you under our guardianship until you find a good mate and a happy life.”

"..."

"Will you please give us the chance to do that?"

Barbara asked, bending down slightly to meet her gaze. Aubrey was speechless with emotion.

Oh, my God. How are they so nice to me? The words tumbled in her mouth.

All Aubrey could do was fall into Barbara's arms. Above her head, she heard Barbara's warm laugh.

***

That evening. A dinner was being held to celebrate Aubrey becoming a member of the manor. Aubrey put on a dress she had never worn before and made her way to the dining room.

The dark green dress, which matched the color of her eyes, was nothing fancy, but it suited her slender frame just fine.

Perhaps a more colorful dress would have accentuated her pretty face.

"I'm sure he'll be nice to you."

Trin said, patting Aubrey on the back as they headed for the dining room. She could still hear Jeffrik’s voice, the way he'd acted like he was going to kick her out at any moment.

But maybe he was different now since he had agreed to be her guardian. Maybe he thought it would be nice to take care of the poor kid for once.

Aubrey took a cautious step. Then two, then three. She liked the way the hem of her dress dragged with each step.

Aubrey let out a small gasp as she entered the dining room. Paintings covered the walls, an ornately patterned carpet on the floor, and a long table in the center.

The white tablecloth was covered with seasonal flowers and long candlesticks. Aubrey couldn't take her eyes off the candlelight and the glow of the chandelier above.

Eight red chairs with gilt trim. Jeffrik sat at the head of the table, and Barbara, seated next to him, smiled at her.

 "You look beautiful, Aubrey. Have a seat."

Soon the butler came over and pulled out a chair across from Barbara.

"Thank you."

Aubrey smiled brightly and greeted him, followed by the sound of talking and laughing from somewhere. Once Aubrey was seated, the room began to bustle with activity.

One after another, food was brought out and placed without a sound. Aubrey's mouth watered at the sight of all the delicious food on the table.

"Honey."

Barbara, who had been smiling happily the entire time, called out to Jeffrik. He stared at her, his face still rigid.

As if that were an unspoken invitation to speak, Jeffric's brow narrowed slightly and he looked away again. Aubrey, meeting his icy gaze, clasped her hands together more politely.

 "I hope your time in this house is a happy one."

"Yes, Uncle."

"I don't know if Barbara told you, but we're going to support you financially until you find a good match. You can always tell us if you need anything.”

He said he would sponsor her as long as he could, but his voice was cold. Aubrey bowed her head in gratitude.

"Only, I hope you're worthy of the honor of being in this house."

His words made her spine tingle.

"A child worthy of the title of Ravant."

"..."

"Are you listening, Aubrey?"

Jeffrik asked, calling her name as if he expected to hear an answer. Aubrey bowed her head in response.

"Yes, Uncle, I understand."

Then she moved her lips to stammer out the words.

"Thank you for helping me…."

No sooner had he spoken than the meal began. The Count and Countess ate in silence. Occasionally, Barbara spoke to Jeffrik but he stuck to short answers.

And one more time, Aubrey glanced up, feeling the stare from earlier.

Emily, dressed in a white dress with a round neck, was looking at her. She was munching on the food in front of her, her blue eyes fixed on Aubrey.

"Is it good?"

The plump pink lips moved.

She had only asked if it was good, but Aubrey's mind was racing.

Did I eat too gluttonously, did I eat too unassumingly, people here eat like they're birds, did I eat too.......

"Yeah, it's good."

"Aubrey. You can feel free to talk to Emily. Think of her as your sister."

When Barbara said that, Emily's eyes narrowed for a moment.

"I don't have a sister."

"Well, technically, she’s your sister. She's my sister's daughter, so you're related."

Emily was as honest with her feelings as she was young. Her face, which had been a healthy color, turned red in an instant, and she said, with a look that would have made everyone choked.

"Yes, eat a lot, sister Aubrey."

Aubrey felt a lump forming in her throat.

***

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🥀 The young maid's name was Trin, she introduced herself, and said it would be an honor to serve her. Aubrey felt like the title of "lady" was a gift she could only have for one day.

Even as she dressed properly with Trin's help, Aubrey somehow managed to keep the brand on her wingbones hidden. As she grew, the markings, which were the size of an adult's palm, shrank a bit, but they were still clearly visible.

"There you go."

Trin said, wiping sweat from her brow. It had taken quite a bit of effort on her part, for Aubrey had been very clueless. Aubrey thanked her and mumbled something about being sorry.

"Miss, do you ever......."

Trin was about to ask something when she shook her head.

"You can sit here, I'll have your meal ready soon."

Trin led Aubrey to the bed. Before she could ask if this was where she was going to eat , Trin left the room. Dazed, Aubrey hesitantly approached and sat down on the bed.

"Ha..."

Her bottom, which she had intended to sit on only slightly, was soon pressed deep into the bed. It was just the right amount of firm and fluffy. Just like Barbara's voice.

"Everything in here is soft."

Aubrey murmured as she pinched the sleeve of the dress she’d changed into. She had just put her head in it, and it went all the way to her feet.

Knock. There was a knock on the door.

 “Lady, I've brought your meal."

Trin called Aubrey a lady. Sh was not a lady, but what should she do ? Aubrey hesitated, then decided to tell her to come in.

"Why are you standing when you could be lying down?"

And she was on her feet in no time.

Reluctantly climbing into bed at Trin's request, Aubrey leaned back against the headboard. Trin pulled up a chair and sat down next to the bed, holding a spoon.

"I made you some easy-to-digest spinach soup."

"Spinach soup?"

"Because the doctor said you should eat a liquid diet for a day or two, and it's an order."

Aubrey stared at the greenish soup Trin had brought her. It was unlike anything she'd ever eaten before, it actually tasted like human food. Aubrey slurped it down like a pig.

After she ate, she couldn't move. She didn't want to open the door to digest it, because Trin would come running in and ask if she could help.

Eventually, all Aubrey could do was lie down on her big, fluffy bed. But even then, she was in a terribly uncomfortable position. She felt like she shouldn't be able to roll around in this bed.

She didn’t think she could sleep well. She didn’t belong in this house. Barbara had told her she would be staying here, but it wasn't easy to accept.

It seemed unlikely that this luxurious mansion would take her in just because she was their niece. Besides, the place was too clean. She felt like if she did anything wrong, it’d get dirty.

Despite the fact that she'd already washed up, Aubrey couldn't stop thinking about it. Eventually, she dozed off, sitting with her back against the headboard like she did when she ate in bed. 

She woke up with a start, her neck snapping forward.

The room was now dark. A lamp, which someone must have brought in, glowed dimly on the desk. Aubrey slipped out of bed and looked around the room once more.

The room was long from end to end. One wall was lined with elongated windows at regular intervals, and a bronze desk and chair sat opposite. At the far end of the room was the bed where Aubrey had slept. It was a large, useless room.

Aubrey cautiously approached the window and let out a small gasp at the sight of the darkened garden. She was tired of grass, woods, and trees, but somehow everything here was new. She wondered if this was what they meant when they said it was like a painting.

The garden at night seemed to have fallen into a serene sleep. After looking around the room for a while, Aubrey turned on her heel and headed for the doorway. It was late enough in the night that everyone should be asleep.

Thinking she might be able to explore the large, sprawling mansion, Aubrey cautiously put her ear to the door. Again, no sound. Aubrey cautiously reached for the golden knob and turned it.

 "So what are you going to do, keep her?"

The sharpness in someone’s voice made Aubrey almost bite her tongue.

 "Isn't that a given? I don't know why you're raising your voice like that."

Barbara spoke in a sharp voice Aubrey had never heard before. She was angry as hell, but even her voice was regal.

"How are you going to explain her to people? Are you going to tell them all about Diane's pitiful plight?"

 "Jeffrik, how can you say that? It’s word for word!”

Aubrey eavesdropped on their conversation, neither leaving nor entering the room.

"Either way, I won't tolerate it, and I want her back at Herbaldi tomorrow."

"No. I'll keep her."

"Barbara!"

"Have you forgotten why Diane had to wander off, it's the same place that sent her to death, how can we send her child there!"

The shouting and yelling ceased, and then there was silence. Silence after a heated argument. The tension made Aubrey's hands sweat.

 "There were so many wounds on her body. Almost everywhere on her body.”

 

After a long moment, Barbara spoke. Her voice was filled with sadness.

"And she's so much smaller and skinnier than Emily, even though she's only two years older than her, and she's obviously not eating properly, and I'm not going to let her grow up like that anymore."

 "······."

"I trusted that you would at least understand, if not support, my decision. Then….."

 Barbara sighed.

 "We'll talk again tomorrow."

 "Wait, Barbara."

"I don't want to talk to you anymore right now."

That was the end of the argument. There was a small stir as Barbara left the room. Jeffrik's deep sigh followed. Aubrey quickly ducked behind the door.

She hadn't thought she'd be staying in this huge mansion. She considered it a great honor, a luxury she would never have again.

And now she might be living here.

Aubrey swallowed dryly, feeling like she'd gotten her hopes up when she shouldn't have. If the gods could see into her head, they would chastise her for daring to be so greedy with someone like her

But.

Maybe, just maybe, I.......

Aubrey backed away slowly. If she wanted to stay in this house, she couldn’t be a burden.

She lifted her heels to muffle the sound of her footsteps and closed the door quietly behind her. Her luminous green eyes faded into the darkness.

***

The days at the mansion were some of the best days of Aubrey's life.

When she woke up, food was prepared for her, and when it was time, a doctor came to examine her. All she had to do was sit still and people would move for her.

Barbara and Jeffrik’s arguments went on for quite a while. Trin noted that she'd never seen them fight that loudly before. So Aubrey stayed in her room as much as possible. She was well aware that she could be kicked out of the mansion at any moment.

After eating and sleeping in her room, Aubrey's condition quickly improved. She looked quite human, except for the scars that still marked her face.

But how long could this life last, Aubrey always wondered.

When she was feeling uneasy, she would drag a chair over to the window. Sitting in a spot with a clear view of the garden, she would stare out the window for hours.

Spring was in full swing, and the garden was bursting with color. The gardener, who was seen once a day, sometimes stayed in the garden all day.

Aubrey closed her eyes. She was suddenly aware of how many people moved about the mansion, quietly and bustlingly.

The sound of footsteps, the sound of small talk, the sound of pots and pans, and the sound of the wind. Aubrey would add her own imagination to all of these sounds to create a picture of the world outside her door.

And then she'd sneak in a little bit of herself.

She would wear colorful dresses, her face clean and well-groomed, her long hair neatly combed or tied up. She would wear silk socks and polished shoes and have tea in the garden.

In her imagination, she always looked like Emily. Emily, the darling of an aristocratic family.

Aubrey opened her eyes slowly. Outside the window, like she somehow had conjured her, was Emily.

A white table and a single chair were set up at the end of the row of earliest blooming flowers. Emily was sitting there.

Blue dress like a cloudless sky, gorgeous blonde hair cascading down her back. A white face, with full eyes. Despite being a fairly young girl, even her gesture of sipping tea was graceful.

Emily Ravant, young lady of the Count of Ravant.

That was how Trin had described her. Aubrey was impressed by the introduction. A glorious name she would probably never have.

At the same time, she felt a gaping hole in her heart.

She's a lady of noble birth, enjoying fragrant tea and refreshments, and Aybrey was on the verge of being thrown out of this house. How could they be so different?

Just then, there was a soft knock on the door.

"Aubrey, may I come in?"

A friendly voice. It was Barbara. Aubrey jumped to her feet and ran over to open the door for her.

"Auntie!"

Aubrey squealed in delight.

Barbara was dazzling again today, wearing a green dress the same color as her eyes. Aubrey felt a small sense of relief bloom in the pit of her stomach every time she saw her. She loved the feeling, the warmth that flooded her body.

"You must have been bored."

Barbara hugged Aubrey tenderly, soothing her.

Then the two made their way to the window where she had been sitting.

"What were you looking at?"

Barbara looked out the window and let out a small sigh. Aubrey stammered out an excuse, wondering if she would look at her suspiciously for spying on her daughter's teatime.

"Well, I was just looking out and Emily came out, I didn't mean to spy."

 "Of course. I know."

Barbara replied that she did, but her face didn't show it, and Aubrey wondered if she was being weirded out.

***

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"It's okay, just lie down some more."

Barbara soothed Aubrey and walked over to the man.

"Honey, it was Diane's daughter, just in case, but look ….doesn't she look just like Diane?"

"How do you know that?"

There was joy and excitement in Barbara's voice, but the man's voice ruthlessly cracked it. Disappointment flashed in Barbara's gentle eyes.

"How can I be sure? She called me mother as soon as she saw me, and you know Diane and I look like twins, and besides, look at that face, don't you see?"

But the man didn't answer, just stared at Aubrey coldly. More accurately, he looked displeased.

"I don't know."

"Honey!"

The man ignored her urgent call and went back the way he came. Barbara clutched the hem of her dress as if to follow, then sighed.

Aubrey stared at her wordlessly, and Barbara, feeling the stare, quickly smiled benevolently.

"Your uncle is just a little flustered, don't worry about it."

With that, Barbara pulled up a small chair and sat down, facing Aubrey.

"Now, can you tell me what you've been up to?"

"...."

"And…. where is Diane?"

****

Aubrey explained what happened in Pinswade. She lived there with her mother, and one day her mother caught the town's plague and died after a few days.

Of course, Aubrey didn't say how she lived after that, just that she became one of those parentless kids running errands for the adults and getting paid for it.

She couldn't bring herself to tell her aunt that she'd been raised as a slave in Crysis, because she felt like the moment she did, the warmth in her eyes would instantly change. The gentle gesture would probably turn cold.

 

Even if all she had seen and learned was labor, she knew that no one would welcome slaves with open arms. She could never speak of her past.

"I was separated from the children and got lost, and then I got lost in the mountains..."

Her mind was a mess, the hastily concocted lies floating around in fragments in her head.

Barbara was speechless for a long time. Aubrey's insides burned. The guilt of lying and the fear that Barbara would see through it burned her throat.

"I can't believe it ..... I've been looking for you."

A single tear fell from Barbara's eyes as she lowered her head.

"How could this happen............. they told me you were going to live well."

Barbara looked away quickly and cleared her throat, as if trying to control her overwhelming emotions. She seemed devastated by Diane's death.

She didn't know how the two of them had broken up, or why they had moved on with their life, but she did know one thing. Barbara had been looking for Diane for a long time.

Aubrey waited wordlessly for Barbara to get over her grief. Soon enough, she looked at Aubrey with damp eyes.

"How lucky I am to have found you, at least."

Then she hugged Aubrey again. Her neatly coiffed hair tickled Aubrey's cheek.

"You don't have to worry now. Don't worry about anything, sweetheart."

Muttering to herself, Barbara picked up the small bell on her nightstand and rang it, and as if waiting for it, the door opened.

"Henna, show the child to her room."

"Yes, madam."

The well-built woman bowed politely.

"Let's get cleaned up and get some rest in your room. Perhaps we can talk about what we didn't get to in the evening?"

“My room?"

Aubrey asked, startled by the sudden offer of a room.

"Of course. You’ll need your room if you’re going to stay here, won't you, Aubrey?"

Barbara smiled warmly and turned to face Aubrey. She was such a beautiful, kind woman. If there were angels, she wondered if they looked like this.

"I, I'm staying here, here?"

Aubrey couldn't believe her ears. She had never dreamed of a mansion this big in her life, but here  she was.

"Aubrey, you need someone to protect you."

"..."

"Don't worry, just get some rest tonight and I'll take care of the rest."

Barbara seemed like such a trustworthy adult, and Aubrey felt a glow from her, and when she left Barbara's hand and stood up, she found Henna waiting for her.

"This way, please."

Henna’s face stiffened as she stepped out into the hall. She walked ahead, then glanced back coldly when Aubrey fell behind.

"Ah, I'm sorry."

Aubrey, trailing behind, suddenly looked at her feet. Feet that were covered in blood and dirt, not to mention twisted from running this way and that.

Feet that looked like they shouldn't have dared to enter this mansion.

***

Aubrey's jaw dropped as they emerged from the long hallway into the mansion's lobby hall. The vast hall, with its strange carvings on the floor, immediately captivated her, and the huge chandelier hanging from the high ceiling looked like it would rain down crystals at any moment.

"Follow me so you don't fall behind. The mansion is large, and it's easy to get lost."

At Henna's words, Aubrey snapped her open mouth shut and paced.

They crossed the great hall and climbed the stairs. Then down another long hallway. Aubrey couldn't believe the path they were taking, the sunlight streaming in through the large windows and spilling over the hallway like shards of glass.

Aubrey stopped in her tracks and banged her forehead against Henna’s back as she was in a dazed white walking.

"Oh, I'm sorry......."

"Who’s that?"

One glance and it was a very cute girl.

Henna bowed politely to the girl and moved a foot to the side. As if to give the girl a wider field of vision. Aubrey squeezed her eyes in embarrassment as she found herself face to face with the girl.

"Who is it?”

The girl, who looked quite young, asked without taking her eyes off Aubrey.

Dazzling blonde hair spilled down her chest. Pearl earrings. Bright blue eyes that looked exactly like Barbara's husband were looking at Aubrey disapprovingly.

"The stable hand found her early in the morning while out for a walk. Madam said she must be her long-lost niece................."

"A niece?"

The girl interrupted Henna. The girl's eyes swept Aubrey blatantly. Her gaze lingered on every inch of her. The twisted hands, the dirty bare feet.

"That's what my mother told you?"

"Yes, Miss Emily."

"That can't be right."

The girl smiled, as if she were thrilled.

Emily. The girl was Barbara's daughter, and if you looked closely enough, she looked a little like her.

"Ah."

"What?"

"What did you see?"

Emily said. For a moment, Aubrey involuntarily averted her gaze.

"What the hell is that smell?"

Emily flicked her pale, tiny hands and passed them.

Aubrey glanced at Emily, who just rolled her eyes and walked away, her pink dress with a little plunge in the back fluttering.

The blond hair that flowed down her back was so flattering on her, the way she stretched her back and craned her neck so high, so graceful, so unlike the aristocrats who sometimes visited the island.

"Stop staring and come. It’s rude."

Aubrey took a hurried step at Henna's scolding.

***

When she reached the bathroom, the maid who had come earlier was standing there with towels and clothes.

Henna opened the door to the bathroom, revealing a huge room that could hardly be called a bathroom.

It was painted blue and reminded Aubrey of the ocean. A huge mirror sat in front of her, and golden ornaments bloomed around it, reaching all the way to the ceiling.

As if on cue, a chandelier hung from the ceiling, smaller than the one in the concourse, but with clear crystal strands.

Aubrey's head swiveled around, taking in the opulence of the bathroom.

"Take it off."

Henna said in a nonchalant tone as she closed the door.

"What?"

"You have to take off your clothes to wash."

She grabbed the hem of Aubrey's tattered dress. At that moment, a picture of Henna being shocked at the sight of the stigma on her shoulder appeared in her mind.

"That, that!"

Aubrey exclamation startled Henna.

"I-I can wash up, I'll wash up by myself."

Henna looked skeptical that she could wash herself.

"Oh, I'll wash every inch of it, because I can, by myself............."

"..."

"I'm a little embarrassed"

Henna nodded.

"Oh, can I get some clothes?"

Henna raised an eyebrow as she backed away.

"I'd like to get dressed before coming out.”

After staring at Aubrey for a few seconds, Henna picked up the towel and clothes the maid was holding and handed them to her. Her actions were quite polite, but her expression and tone were not.

"Then wash up and come out."

"Yes."

Aubrey unconsciously clasped her hands together in a polite bow. Henna clicked her tongue at the sight.

Soon she was out of the bathroom, and Aubrey could only breathe a sigh of relief once she was completely alone.

Finally, she seemed to be coming to her senses. Aubrey looked around the bathroom once more. She still couldn't believe she had a separate room for bathing. She felt like she was in another world. She couldn't believe what she was seeing was real.

Aubrey's eyes darted around, and she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

Her red hair was wet and tangled and puffy, her face and exposed limbs were covered in grime and scars, and a musty odor invaded the fragrant bathroom.

It was an ugly sight. Aubrey shuffled out of her clothes.

But she didn't know what to do with herself. The bathroom smelled unmistakably fragrant, and there were neatly arranged items for washing, but she couldn't touch any of them.

In the end, Aubrey settled for a cold shower, but it was better than her bath in Crysis. There, she'd been able to bathe once a month in much colder water, and even then, she'd been lucky.

Wondering if she'd still be dirty after this, Aubrey scrubbed every inch of her body with the cold water. . Even though she was shaking, she held her forearm to her nose and sniffed to see if there was any smell

When the water finally stopped, there was a knock on the door as if they had been waiting outside.

"Miss, are you all washed up, I'll help you get dressed." 

The voice was not Henna’s, but a much younger one, and Aubrey hurriedly grabbed the doorknob.

"Oh, no. I'll put it on, I can do that."

Fearing that Henna would open the door, Aubrey shoved her limbs into the clothes she had received earlier with her still damp body.

When she finally got dressed and opened the door, the waiting maid's eyes widened. She must be the one who had spoken.

"Ah, my lady. Your body................"

Wondering what was wrong, Aubrey quickly looked down at her body.

"Why is your body so red? Are you sick, do you have a fever?"

The maid, unlike Henna earlier, was actually quite friendly and put her hand to Aubrey's forehead to see if she had a fever.

"My God, it's ice cold!"

"Oh, it's only cold water................"

"Cold water?"

The maid, peeking into the bathroom, sighed.

"I suggest you go back to your room and warm yourself up, and change your clothes again."

"Why change the clothes?"

The maid whispered, looking around.

"You're dressed backwards, my lady."

Aubrey's face flushed hot.

Everything was a mess.

***

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    🥀 She trudged through the damp dirt from the early morning dew, heading for the smell, and soon found a small stream.

As she quenched her thirst, she spotted a dead roe deer with its head in the stream and scurried away.

Whatever happened to it, its belly was already open and gutted, with maggots and other worms infesting it. The source of the odor was the decomposing carcass of the roe deer. Judging by its small size, it was a youngster.

She swallowed hard, her mouth dry. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to get some meat from there.

Aubrey shook her head vigorously at the thought.

"......Wake up. Aubrey Sandalwood."

Her voice was hoarse and cracked at the end. The few times she shook her head, it shook with effort. Aubrey sank to her knees, barely able to draw in a breath.

Her feet hesitated for a moment as she turned to go.

Yank's men ate the healthy animals as well as the diseased and dead. They discarded the dead parts and sliced off the edible parts with large knives.

After a moment of hesitation, Aubrey then turned around again. Slowly, she approached the stream where the roe deer had died.

***

"Ha, ha, ha......"

A rush of breath poured out. The small hands that had been patting the dirt-covered mound slowed.

In the end, instead of eating the dead deer, Aubrey chose to bury it. Touching a bug-infested animal carcass was gross, but it wasn't something she hadn't done before, so she squeezed her eyes shut and picked it up. Then she found a clean spot and buried it.

Aubrey squatted down and patted the mounded grave, then fell back into place with a thud.

Her head was spinning and she felt nauseous, as she hadn't been eaten. Before long, her vision flashed white. She was sure her eyes were open, but she couldn't see anything.

A small, slowly collapsing body leaned its cheek against the damp, dirt-covered grave and gasped for air.

‘You can do this. Open your eyes. Get it together and walk, you can do this, not after how you got away!'

She could hear her body scolding her, but it was no use. She didn't even have the strength to open her closed eyelids.

Perhaps it would be better if she died like this.

A weak smile spread across her resigned face. And then it was gone. White light peeked over the tiny back of the disembodied spirit. Morning was coming.

***

The Count of Ravant's mansion bustled with activity in the early morning hours, with maids sweeping and mopping everywhere and the sounds and smells of the kitchen heralding the start of a new day.

The Countess was up early, strolling around the sprawling mansion. She hadn't slept much the night before and her face was filled with worry.

"My lady, why don't you let it go?"

Henna, the maid, walking a couple steps behind her, said comfortingly.

Finding her long-lost sister was not easy. It had been nine years since she disappeared with her young daughter. No one had heard from her sister, Diane. Or her daughter, Aubrey.

"Now I just hope she's alive. That's all I can ask for."

The Countess of Ravant, Barbara muttered in a low voice. A maid, who had rushed in, whispered to Henna. Henna narrowed her eyes.

"What is it?"

"Vadem says he found a child on his way out for his morning walk."

"A child?"

Vadem was a stablehand at the Ravant mansion, and every morning he went for a walk in the mountains behind it. He had found a girl. It didn't make sense.

As Barbara scratched her head, she was stunned by what she heard next.

"Vadem says the girl looks a lot like the madam...."

Barbara's heart skipped a beat.

"Where is the child?"

"They say she's in the cabin."

"I'll go there. I need to see the child now."

Barbara scurried away, the maid and Henna hurriedly following behind her.

***

"Madam, I think we should send her out..."

"Don't say that. She hasn’t even opened her eyes yet."

The soft voice drifted into the blacked-out girl's ear. Struggling, Aubrey slowly opened her eyes.

The maid, who looked quite young, shrank back in horror when her eyes met Aubrey's.

"Madam, oh, she’s awake!"

Aubrey cautiously rolled her eyes. The fireplace in the front room was huge. The cream-colored mantel was alive with flames, and the heat radiated from it to where Aubrey lay.

Above the mantel was an unknown symbol carved in gold. The combination of letters reminded her of a witch.

What the hell was that?

Green eyes flashed with warning. Her body tensed, ready to flee.

"Aubrey......?"

There was a murmur, followed by a cautious voice. The same soft voice she had heard in her sleep.

Aubrey turned her head.

There stood a woman with her auburn hair braided into a corolla. Her white face and slender neck looked elegant in the olive-colored dress she wore.

She looked at Aubrey and covered her mouth with her hands in disbelief.

Slowly, she approached and crouched down at Aubrey's bedside. Aubrey's eyes widened as she took in her features.

A white, demur face. Dark green eyes like her own, the corners of her eyes drooping down to a gentle expression. It was definitely Diane.

"......Mother?"

She asked cautiously, and the woman's face lit up with emotion as she wrapped her arms around her small body. Her arms were warm and she smelled good.

"It is you, it really is you, Aubrey Sandalwood."

The woman murmured, sounding as if she might cry at any moment.

How the hell did this happen?

For a moment, she looked so much like her mother, but then she realized she was dead. She watched her mother die right next to her, no longer a living, breathing skeleton.

How...............

The woman removed Aubrey from her arms and searched her face again.

"My God, you look so much like my sister. I expected it when you were little, but I never thought you'd look like her like this. Henna, do you remember? Doesn’t she really look like Diane?"

The woman said with happiness in her eyes. The girl named Henna, who was standing a few steps away, nodded with an expressionless face.

"......your sister?"

Aubrey asked, stumbling back to her senses, and the woman smiled sheepishly, a single tear sliding down her cheek from the corner of her eye.

"You don't remember me, you were too young. Aubrey, I'm your aunt."

"What?"

"Barbara. Barbara Herbaldi. Diane is my sister."

She laughed through her tears, and as she did, she stroked Aubrey's messy red hair lovingly. Aubrey searched her face quickly.

As she looked at her face smiling kindly at her, and as soon as she could remember her face that she had seen in passing when she was very young, someone walked in. 

A man in a white shirt and a black vest knitted with coarse yarn. It was Dr. Renald, the family doctor, and when he spotted Aubrey, he pushed up his glasses, which were smaller than his eyes.

He walked over to Aubrey, gave her a quick examination, and smiled at Barbara.

“As I said earlier, there are no other symptoms other than severe dehydration and malnutrition. Wounds on the soles of her feet can easily fester, so it is best to reduce her activity level as much as possible. She should eat well, rest well for a few days, and monitor the progress.” 

“Thank you.”

Renald started to say something more, then shook his head and looked at Aubrey.

"If anything else hurts, just let me know."

Aubrey nodded hesitantly, and he smiled wryly.

As she watched him leave, Aubrey looked around the ornately decorated interior again; it was the coziest yet most sophisticated place she'd ever been.

"Give me a minute."

Barbara said, still looking at Aubrey with warmth in her eyes.

"Yes, ma'am."

Then the servants who she hadn't realized they were there left without a single sound. The last butler left, closing the massive doors that swung open on either side.

"Aubrey."

Aubrey's shoulders jerked at the call.

How long had it been since she'd heard her name called so sweetly, so affectionately.

"The stable hand was out for a walk and found you. He said there was a girl lying in the mountains, so he brought you to me..."

Barbara clasped Aubrey's hand in both of hers and pressed it to her cheek as the emotions of the moment overwhelmed her.

He really did. The moment Vadem, the stable hand of the Ravant family, placed the girl he was carrying on his back on the sofa, Barbara felt like she'd been pierced through and through.

The girl looked exactly like the Diane she'd been searching for. Except for the freckles on the bridge of her nose, the girl's eyes closed as if she were dead, she was Diane herself.

Barbara saw a younger version of herself in Aubrey. The scene of the happy days of her twin-like sister,

even her scent came to mind immediately.

"I recognized you at a glance."

Barbara gazed into Aubrey's warm eyes as if whispering love.

Aubrey was both perplexed and intrigued by the look. It was a bit of a shock to realize that there was still someone in the world who looked at her like that.

"But, Aubrey. How did you end up on that mountain?"

The affection in her voice, the warmth in her touch. Barbara’s lips parted easily.

"I was................"

Aubrey was about to reply when she remembered something.

Yank had said that once a slave was on the island, he or she was a slave everywhere. So if they were lucky enough to make it off the island, there would be nothing they could do once they had been branded a slave. All they could do was starve to death on the streets.

His words didn't leave her mind easily.

"I mean, I'm......."

The more she stuttered, the more she felt the tingling sensation of the brand on her back. Like a warning that she was about to be discarded.

That was when the closed door slammed open with a bang.

A furious-looking man strode in, his voice cracking as he strode forward and stood in front of Aubrey in a flash.

 "I heard the child is awake."

The man's voice was heavy with weight. His dark eyebrows and tightly pressed lips beneath his graying blond hair were intimidating. A mustache tucked into the corners of his mouth.

Aubrey jumped to her feet as he stared her down. She felt like she should.

***

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    🥀 Aubrey looked up, startled, at the sound of something crashing into her. Through the tightly woven fabric, she could see a yellowish light.

Thump, thump, thump. She heard the sound of footsteps, one after another, as they scurried around the sack she was hiding in. Aubrey curled into a smaller crouch and clamped her hands over my mouth.

I can't make a sound. I can't be found. I can't go back.

Aubrey squeezed her eyes as she clamped her mouth shut, not allowing a single breath to escape. Through the blackened silhouette, she could see an unusually small body.

"Take me with you.”

He stared at Aubrey for a moment, then, over the shouts of the pursuers, grabbed her hand and started running. The two of them rolled down the mountain and climbed aboard the docked ship.

Luckily, the ship was empty, but they were not safe. They could be attacked at any moment.

With Aubrey's back to him, the boy held up an old, large, empty sack, and with his other hand pointed to a corner of the ship where the sacks were stacked in a row. As if to say, "Hide there.”

There was no time to hesitate. Aubrey stepped straight into the boy's open sack. Her small, skinny body disappeared easily into the sack, and she found a place among the others.

It was then that the ship's owners returned. With what appeared to be the boy's family.

"Hurry up and get going, we've already lost too much time!"

Aubrey gulped and swallowed back the breath she'd been holding, straining her ears to discern the man's voice.

"Move, move, move!"

Luckily, it wasn't one of Yank's men, because the voices of the men here were mostly guttural and poorly spoken. Inside the sack, Aubrey busily moved her eyes. One of the silhouettes of a group of people on deck was unusually small. Probably the boy.

She remembered his face, white in the moonlight. The blue eyes that had warned her, the dark hair that had blown in the night breeze, the boy who, after a moment's hesitation, had run as fast as he could to grab her hand.

A long silhouette stepped up beside him.

"Please sit over here. Please cut the crap, do you realize how much this has been delayed because of you, and where the hell have you been, Master?"

The man called the boy master, but with a hint of condescension. He seemed to be yelling at him to answer right now.

"I'm sorry, the repair was going to take a long time, so I went looking around......."

The man snorted at the boy's response.

"Did you think you were on a trip or something?"

Then he barked at the workers to get going again.

At the same time, the boat lurched forward. The sensation of lurching on the waves of a calm sea. It was clear. They were getting away from this hellish island.

Her hair stood on end as goosebumps spread down her back. Aubrey gasped and clamped her hand over her mouth.

She felt like a scream of joy might escape at any moment.

Finally, finally, I'm here...............

The moment she first came here, the moment she was branded with the stamp on her wingbone. Her mind quickly flashed back to the lashings she’d received and the curses she had uttered.

The ship, which had been rolling along, was now completely off the island. It now sailed gently along the waves.

"Run!”

Phoebe's anguish voice echoed in the air.

Aubrey lifted her head and looked in the direction of the island, and though it was through a dirty sack, her eyes saw Crysis.

Phoebe's face faded from the shouting, and a girl was placed on a peaceful-looking island. Six-year-old Aubrey, a bright-eyed, red-haired girl who had no idea she was being sold into slavery.

She waved from the blackness of Crysis.

Goodbye. Don't ever come back here again.

Aubrey buried her face in her forearms and sobbed away the tears that shouldn't have escaped.

***

Her vision went from pitch-black to eerily bright, and then, with a dull thud, she knew the ship had reached the harbor.

"Let's unload the damned crates of wine first!"

The man shouted. Her briefly relaxed body stiffened with tension. She carefully wiggled her wrists and ankles out of the sacks. Now all that remained was to get off the boat without them seeing her, and then she would run again.

Where no one would know her.

One by one, the men carrying the sacks approached her. Someone opened his arms and was about to pick up the sack she was hiding in.

"I'll help."

A young voice. It was the boy.

"Young master, you stay over there. Listen to Hardy.”

"I'm just trying to help. Just let me carry this one."

The boy used a polite tone of voice that didn't quite match his gruffness. The man hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"Thank you."

With that, the boy cautiously approached the sack.

"Excuse me."

With that, he whispered, and carefully lifted the sack upright. Then, just in case anyone was watching, he picked it up. He quickened his pace.

The harbor was bustling with early morning activity. The boy looked around and found a huge pillar to hide behind. He set the sack down carefully and untied the sloppy knot.

"Ha."

The sudden appearance of the girl startled a few passersby, but they soon realized the girl's scanty attire and shook their heads as they walked away.

The cool air rushed into her nostrils, and soon the smell of something fishy and slimy assaulted her  senses. Aubrey sucked in a sharp breath and looked around.

The women in their finery, the gentlemen in their dapper, impeccably groomed attire, the child selling baskets of bread around his neck, the man with a large bag full of newspapers. The whole scene was unfamiliar.

After a quick glance around, her eyes landed on the boy standing in front of her.

"Oh, thank you so much."

"Now go."

The boy cut off Aubrey's words. It was a dismissive tone. And rightly so, since the boy's situation didn't seem to be much better, judging by the conversations they'd had on the ship.

But she did want to say thank you.

Aubrey looked up with a grunt, his face a little unfamiliar in the light.

Black hair dulled by the light, his face white with spots of color. Blue eyes that blinked absentmindedly. The boy gave off a strange aura that Aubrey had never experienced before in her life.

"Go, you want to get caught again?"

But the boy's words made Aubrey's parted lips tighten. If the boy was telling the truth, they had barely gotten off the island. If Yank wanted to capture the runaway slave, he was probably already on a ship, crossing the ocean.

Frightened to finish the thought, Aubrey pushed past the boy. Then, with a thud, her little bare feet took off running.

The boy looked at her retreating back. A girl in plain clothes was running away from him through the crowd, her long red hair swaying like dancing flames.

***

Was the fourteen-year-old slave who had run away from the island happy?

For a while, she was. She felt like she had the world at her fingertips just by running away from that hellish island.

She felt like she could accomplish anything.

But that sliver of hope was so easily shattered.

Her tattered clothes, dirty bare feet, and messy red hair attracted attention wherever she went. The stares soon turned to Yank's whipping men, then to the pimp's men, then to the men who were chasing her.

"Hey, it's okay...... Oh my God!"

Aubrey flinched at the sound of anyone's voice, her body reacting automatically even if she didn't want to.

As she ran through the streets, heated by the fall sun, Aubrey looked everywhere.

But everywhere she looked, there was not a single place in this sophisticated city that would welcome a runaway slave.

She was in the woods again. It was the only place she could see to go.

It took her two days to reach the mountain she thought was so close. Along the way, she slept under a crooked bridge and in a clump of bushes by a river where no one came to visit. Hunger was quenched by water.

She finally made it to the mountain, but it didn't make a difference. It was nice to be out of the public eye for a while. The unquenchable hunger and the lingering pain of her wounds plagued her.

The soles of her feet, the ones she'd used to flee Crysis, were completely tattered from running through the hot streets. She could barely walk anymore.

Five days after her escape, Aubrey lay on a wide expanse of rock, barely breathing in shallow gasps.

She didn’t know where she was anymore. She didn't even know how far she was from the harbor. It had been a while since she'd last seen anyone, so she'd probably gotten pretty far.

A faint smile crossed her dirty face, a relief that no one was after her in all this.

But unlike her mood, her body was raging with hunger. The hunger that she had been satisfying with water had reached its limit. Her vision spun, and shimmering dust floated before her eyes.

"Haa......."

Aubrey let out a long breath and closed her eyes. So this was what it was like to be so close to death, she thought, as her lethargic body sank deeper into the rocks.

In her fading mind, she heard a cheerful voice. A girl with scarlet hair in a bun appeared before her closed eyes. It was Phoebe.

"Phoebe..."

[There. Did you think you were going to get away with it?]

Just as Audrey was about to say the name out loud, Phoebe snorted.

[Why would you abandon me like that!]

Her usually smiling face contorted and she began to howl. Her hair, which she had always worn in a braid, was now in disarray.

"Phoebe, I'm......."

A cracked, hoarse voice escaped Aubrey’s lips.

"I'm sorry....... I'm sorry, Phoebe......"

I shouldn't have left you, but there's nothing I can do about it.

I should have come with you.

With you................

[Don't move, stay still, before I burn your face off.]

This time, the voice was husky. Where Phoebe had been, a man with an iron skewer stood, frowning.

[Wherever you go from here, you will always be a slave of Crysis.]

Her back burned frighteningly before the voice finished. It was then that Aubrey's eyes widened.

The memory of the faces of the men who had laughed as they branded her, at the age of six, hardened her weak heart in an instant.

I will survive somehow. I will live.

Aubrey staggered back down the rocks. The sun had now set, and she stared into the inky darkness.

"Ugh............. What's that smell?"

A foul odor, carried on a cool breeze, assaulted Aubrey's nose. It was not a smell she could stand.

Searching for something to eat, Aubrey quickly wrinkled her nose and looked around. Where in the world was this foul odor coming from?

***

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          🥀 The future of a parentless orphan was clear. Either they would starve to death on the streets, or they would be taken in by someone to do odd jobs to satisfy their hunger. Either way, the future was far from normal or happy.

Aubrey's life was neither, but it was the worst of all.

Her mother, Diane, had died of a plague that had swept through the town. Aubrey's face an lips were covered in blisters. The air around her smelled foul. Even the people who had brought food for Diane's little girl got sick of the smell and slowly stopped coming.

Eventually, six-year-old Aubrey was the only one who kept Diane company.

Aubrey was visited by Jeff, a man who looked pretty bad. He had a scruffy, chest-length beard with a dead fly tangled in the middle.

He flashed a missing front tooth and said,

"There's a place your mom asked me to take you. Let's go there."

Aubrey wondered if there was a place her mother, who was dying, had prepared for her.

This was the man she had often greeted when her mother was alive. It seemed like the least she could do. Aubrey, six years old, followed him onto the boat, full of anticipation.

They sailed for a while across the blue-black waters until they came upon a series of small islands, the busiest of which, Crysis, was their destination.

Sandy beaches lining the ocean, dense forests behind them. There was a village beyond.

"There are a lot of kids like you there."

A village of abandoned kids like her. Aubrey suddenly felt like she had a friend she'd never had in her life.

As the boat approached the island, the waiting man approached. No, many men.

The man in the lead was a distraction. He had a long scar across his eye. He had a thick nose and thin eyes that reminded her of an animal. His name was Yank, the owner of the island.

"Go over there," Jeff said, "for you must ask his permission to live on this island."

Aubrey did as he said and walked away. Soon Yank and Jeff were talking.

I hope they'll accept me. Aubrey hoped so, looking up and down the island that would become her new home.

When they finally ended their conversation, Yank handed Jeff a small, thick sack. It was about the size of his fist, and before she could ask what it was, Jeff hurried aboard.

"Mister! Aren't you coming with me?"

"Now you must go alone, for this island has taken you in."

And with that, Jeff left without looking back. Still, Aubrey was grateful to him for bringing her this far, but she couldn't say goodbye. She was disappointed.

As Aubrey stared out at the ocean, someone grabbed her arm. Aubrey's eyes widened in surprise as she recognized the face of the man who had stood behind Yank earlier.

The man had a long beard like Jeff's and a strange odor.

"Follow me."

By the time she realized something was wrong, it was too late.

***

Children on the island were put to work as soon as they could walk and talk, bred to be sold to the slave market or brothels. It took Aubrey less than a year to realize that.

It was then that she realized that her mother had never asked Jeff for anything, let alone set up a home.

The fistful of money he'd accepted must have been for selling her, because there had been countless other children like her since then.

"My God, I've never seen such a lovely island."

Nobles often visited the island. Aubrey thought they were stupid and naive.

An island that trained young slaves and courtesans was ostensibly touted as a vacation spot for its vast natural beauty.

There was no way to be self-sufficient on an island surrounded by water on all sides, so what little nature they had had to survive as a vacation spot.

Did they realize that every inch of ground they step on, every blade of grass, was the work of children?

"Aubrey, what are you doing here?"

She thought she heard a rustle, but then someone tapped her on the shoulder. Aubrey jumped at the slightest touch, a habit she'd picked up since the day she'd been sold to the island.

The girl with the scarlet hair in a bun raised her hands apologetically.

"Phoebe. You scared me."

"Oh, my bad."

Phoebe playfully mimicked a gentleman. Aubrey crouched down to give her attention. Her spine jutted through the rough, frayed fabric.

"What were you looking at?"

"Just. Watching."

From this thicket of trees, she could see the dock, the entrance to the island. Aubrey came here whenever she was disillusioned with her life.

"Ugh, I need to hide. I feel like my limbs are going to fall off."

Phoebe smelled strange after rolling around in the barn all day. Her scarlet hair was streaked with something, and her face was also streaked with something, with only her pale brown eyes shining through it.

"I wonder what other noble lady has come to visit."

Phoebe cleared her throat as she spoke.

Whenever a noble visited, the children were herded like sheep into the stables. The fact that child slaves were being raised on the island was a closely guarded secret. Partly because it was unsightly.

The only good thing was that when a noble came to visit, the day's work ended early. Phoebe and Aubrey found a flat spot on the ground and stretched out their limbs as best they could.

"Heh. She's so pretty."

Phoebe's voice was laced with admiration, and Aubrey shifted her gaze. It was a young girl who had followed her parents to the island. A young lady wearing a pure white dress and an equally lacy white hat.

"How can she be so white and fair?"

Phoebe said with a hint of envy. Stepping off the boat, the girl clung to her mother's side and looked around the island with fearful eyes. She couldn't have been more than ten years old.

Aubrey smiled wryly, wondering if she sensed something sinister about the island. But her expression quickly turned cold.

Perhaps it would have been better if she had run away then.

If only she had jumped into Jeff's boat as soon as she realized something was wrong.

Would it have been different?

Aubrey was now fourteen. Too late for hindsight and regret.

"Aubrey. Do you want me to tell you a horrible story?"

"I don't really want to hear it."

"But you're going to have to hear it."

Phoebe giggled. Phoebe, Aubrey's age, had been parentless since birth.

She also said she'd been brought to the island as a piece of luggage with other children.

"Cohen's coming."

A cold voice, devoid of playfulness. A feverish wind blew, ruffling Aubrey's red hair. Aubrey turned her head slowly from the sea.

"What?"

"Cohen is coming, in ten days."

Cohen was a man who ran a brothel business on the mainland. He stopped by the island periodically to pick up girls.

Over the course of Aubrey's six to fourteen years, she'd run away countless times during his visits. Phoebe did the same. Both girls thought it was better to be a slave than a prostitute.

Aubrey sighed deeply, wondering where else to hide this time.

"I have a bad feeling about this."

Phoebe said.

"What do you mean, you don't have a good feeling about this?"

"Something...... just doesn’t feel right this time."

Phoebe shrugged and laughed. There was a hint of resignation in her face, and Aubrey felt unnecessarily angry.

"If you have a bad feeling about this, you're going to be sold as a whore, don't be a dick and get up."

"I'm going somewhere."

"Since the great noble lady is here, let's go freshen up."

They took advantage of the lapse in guard to take a dip in the sea. Phoebe smiled broadly and hurried after Aubrey.

***

The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was Phoebe, red-faced and screaming.

"Run!"

The stables used to house the young slaves were full of Yank's men, and they began to pick out girls and take them away. Phoebe was among them.

Phoebe didn't cry, but she screamed, her face gaping. Run away!

Aubrey didn’t know how she got out of the stables after that. She didn’t remember.

"That bitch! Come here!"

Deep into the night. Two skinny legs ran frantically across the dirt, followed by men with dull torches.

The brothel pimp was coming much sooner than ten days, she realized too late, some sort of trick to catch the girls who were lucky enough to escape each time.

Aubrey gritted her teeth and ran, but all she saw was an island of endless darkness. There was no immediate place to hide, and at her heels were Yank's men, ready to kill her at a moment's notice.

Screams assaulted her ears. Skinny limbs flailing. The howling faces. Aubrey bit down hard on her lip as she recalled the living hell she'd seen.

"Evil!"

Small stone beaks snagged on her frantically running toes, sending her tumbling to her hands and knees, but Aubrey scrambled to her feet and ran for the nearest distant mountain.

"There's no point in running, they'll take you for four years."

The pimp's men growled and began to follow her up the mountain, their voices making her hair stand on end as they drew closer.

Her tiny bare feet trudged up the slopes. Broken branches and sharp stones poked at the soles of her feet, but she felt no pain. Her only goal was to avoid being caught.

Aubrey kept running. She fell again and again, deeper and deeper into the pitch-black forest. Their voices seemed to fade into the distance, but she couldn't stop.

She had to survive somehow.

Finally, her pitch-black vision cleared. The spot she'd come to whenever she'd felt down. She could see the dock. In the distance, two boats were docked side by side.

And there was a boy.

Black as the night sky, he sat with his knees up, watching the dock. Just like Aubrey did. His white shirt shone bright in the dark forest.

He didn't look like a local boy. The slaves here didn’t even get to see fine clothes like that.

Crack. The sound of a twig snapping as Aubrey took a step made the boy look up.

The boy's eyes widened as he turned around. Then he frowned as if he saw something he shouldn’t see.

"Search high and low, or I'll snap your necks!"

Aubrey's shoulders tensed at the distant shout.

The sound of their footsteps grew closer. There was no way she could run anymore, and the men whose eyes had turned upside down to find her would not give up.

How much longer could she run?

Better to be dead before then.

Alas. Why was her life.........

A lump stuck in her throat. Tears quickly filled her eyes and dripped down her face.

"Master, where are you, Master!"

The call from the other side made the boy turn around in disbelief, and he scrambled to his feet, dusting off his dirty hands. His hands, which had never known hardship, shone white in the moonlight.

Aubrey’s eyes, filled with despair, were fixed on the boy.

He had a place to go back to.

He could get off this island.

The thought scared her, and her feet moved. The boy only stared at her, his eyes still wary.

Thud. Thud. Closer now, Aubrey grabbed the boy's hand without hesitation.

"Please, help me."

Up close, the boy's eyes glowed a brilliant blue, and she could see the wariness and disgust in them for her ragged appearance.

"Please, please......."

Her entire body began to shake. There was only one chance.

"Take me with you."

****

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