Gem

Background

I awoke to the smell of... porridge? Porridge and Honey. Luther sat up, and I think he smelt it up because he was sniffing the air.
Altore was in the corridor outside the room. I could tell because he shouted, "up you lot! Breakfast!"
Luther got up and magically changed his clothes. I did the same and wore just a plain shirt and trousers.
We leave the room, as do the others and follow Altore to another door, and into some sort of cozy dining room with another fireplace. There's seven bowls of hot porridge on the table and bowls of fruit and cream as well and spoons.
"Everyone take a seat and dig in." Altore smiles, "hope you enjoy."
We all sit down and I dig the spoon into the porridge and then eat a large spoonful.
Lucifer clears his throat, "so... I hope I don't ruin the mood, and I know I was imprisoned for walking in the gardens, but what were you guys imprisoned for?"
He turns to me, "you first, then Percy, then Casta, then atlas, then kin, and then Altore."
"Okay. Well..." I stir the porridge, "I'm not really sure?"
"Okay. Percy?"
"I was looking for my sister in the village and some guards found me and threw me into the cell."
"Casta?"
"I... I was... the kings slave. He captured me when I ran away from my family. I was pretty much his play thing, and then... he got bored of me... threw me in the dungeon...."
"That's a shitty thing to do. At least that king is dead now."
Atlas clears his throat, "I was searching for Damien throughout the kingdom and before I could get to the outer parts, where the farms are, these guards chained me down in front of all of the villagers, some of which I had asked if they had seen Damien, and then they threw me in the dungeon. I swear some of the villagers looked at me with sympathy though."
"Okay. Kin?"
"I was with my friend, who's a saytr and the guards beat me up right infront of him, and they were pulling my feathers out and shoving them in Iver's face and laughing and then they dragged me off and he couldn't do anything. I wish I knew how he was..."
Altore comforts him, "now I shall tell you my story. I was seventeen and I had ran away from home when I was fifteen. I ran away with a... a... merman. We were travelling the seas and then his father found out and he was forced to go back home. My ship wrecked in a storm and a family took me in and cared for me, and the small village had gotten used to the fact that I was a Night Blood and they trusted me. Obviously some people weren't happy, and someone sent a letter to the man who was king at the time, and his guards came and beat me with all of these different weapons. Some had nails stuck to them. They broke off my horns, that's why they're only cracked stubs. Then they chained me up and only took the chains off when I was inside the cell."
"I remember that." Casta says, "you arrived fifty years after me, and you were in such bad shape."
"I don't get why they treat us this way, we aren't monsters."
"Why did you run away with a merman?"
"Because we fell in love and my parents didn't accept it, even though he did have legs whenever on land."
"That's stupid, if he has legs, it should be fine."
"They wanted me to marry a Night Blood."
"Why?"
"Because they were very important people, they were a lord and lady and very highly respected, so they didn't want me to bring them any more shame than I already had."
"How so?"
"Well First, I like men, so... they weren't exactly happy about that, second, I hated my father, because he was a piece of shit, and always mistreated me, and for that, I never went to any important events, third, I always hung out with my grandmother, even though she was apparently not right in the head, so that was apparently seen as shame, and I fell in love with a merman and ran away with him when my parents told me I had to break off the relationship. The running away probably brought more shame."
"Wow. Your parents sound like ass holes!"
"They were."
I clear my throat, "did any of you know each other before being imprisoned?"
"No, I don't believe so."
"Okay." I turn to Luther, "why were you in the gardens?"
"Because I used to sneak in every night just to sit in the foresty bit. It reminded me of how I grew up with saytrs. Six of them. They found me in the hollow tree, where I was abandoned at birth by my actual parents. Eventually, guards discovered me and captured me."
"Why were you abandoned at birth?"
"I... I think it was because I was born with one eye missing."
"Really?"
"Yeah, my left eye is glass."
"I didn't notice."
"People rarely do."
Altore puts his hand up, "please do not take it out whilst we are eating food."
"Okay, fine."
We finish breakfast and then sit in the living room by the fire.
"Can I show you guys my eye now?"
Casta shrugs, "sure."
Luther pops out the glass eye, "ta daaa!"
Kin draws back, "oh, that's so weird! Luther, put it back in before I barf!"
I chuckle.
Percious continues to look at his book and then asks, "is it just me, or are we all gay?"
We all nod, "yeah."
Altore smile, "yes we all are."
Percious still doesn't look up from his book, "that's alright then. I thought I might have to just stay closeted forever."
"Don't worry Percy, we won't judge you. Unless you become an ass hole, because then yes we will."
"I don't plan on it, don't worry."
"Good." He put his hands on his knees, "right! Anyone for a walk?"
"I'm tired though." Luther complains.
"Well you don't have to come if you don't want to."
"Okay, I'm going to bed!"
He gets up and goes to our room...