Her Silent Scream [Abandoned Project]

Prologue

The moonlit night sky stretched above her. Stars shone like shattered glass. The moon's light entranced her, entangling itself with the shadows, shifting between branches. A cold wind made her long silver hair flip behind her. She shivered, pulling her thin blanket closer around herself. She sat on the edge of her balcony, admiring the peace and serenity around her. Fera couldn't help but wonder what would happen if she fell? Would anyone miss her? Would anyone even notice? She was a nobody, so no one would have a reason to care.

She shook those thoughts out of her head and slid off the railing onto the safe confines of her balcony. Her bare feet made no noise as she glided across the balcony into her bedroom and shut the sliding glass door behind her. The soft click of the lock was not the only sound Fera heard, though. Her mother's muffled whispering carried through her open door, pulling Fera closer.

She tiptoed down the hallway to the top of the stairs. Her mother's voice was more audible, but still incomprehensible. As she walked closer, words drifted to her ears.

"Take her to... Court... tame her..." Fera wondered what her mother was talking about? Was there someone else she was speaking to? Who were they talking about?

"We will... prepare her... Matching... series of tests... '' Fera heard a man respond to her mother. They were talking about her, weren't they?

"When can... take..."

She slowly walked the rest of the way, down the stairs, and turned the corner that lead to their meek kitchen. She was faced with her mother conversing with a man. He had dark brown hair and was wearing a black suit. Who was this man and why was he here?

"Oh! Fera, what are you doing up? It's late." Her mother's surprise was evident in the way she stopped talking to the man and turned all her attention to Fera. She looked guilty, but why? Were those tears Fera saw in her eyes?

All Fera could do was turn her head in confusion and look between her mother and the man. Her eyes soon focused on one thing in particular. Everything else seemed to fade. The man had a crest on his suit. No, she had to be seeing things wrong. That couldn't be the crest of the Matchmaker's Court. It couldn't. Fera stumbled closer, her own eyes now watering. She was right, it was. Two tear drops, upsidedown and overlapping to form a heart, an arrow piercing it from a downward angle. The symbol was unmistakable.

"Babe, this is..." Her mother paused, looking uncertain. "There is something you need to know."

The man saw how her mother's posture was stiff and interviened. " Fera Meyers, I am Braedyn Nyland, a Handler sent from the Matchmaker's Court." He was a Handler. This man in front of Fera was a Handler, the people sent to retrieve those who are to attend the Court. Had Fera's mother really summoned a Handler? How had she payed for this? " I am here to see you safely to the Court."

"Babe, I'm... I'm sorry." Her mother let a tear escape one eye. "It's just... you haven't been the same. You need to move on. You can't let his death keep you from living life." By now tears were falling in a steady stream down her cheeks.

Fera stared at her mother. The accusing look of hatred that she gave her mother made the woman cry harder.

"Miss Meyers, I believe that the sooner we leave the better." Braedyn said, turning around and gently taking her arm.

Fera's eyes flashed with shock. She couldn't believe her ears. She truely and undoubtedly was being taken to the Matchmakers Court. Many girls would be elated to be in her position, but Fera couldn't muster one ounce of joy. Was this what her mother thought would help with the grief of losing her father? Did her mom really think that fancy dinner parties and attention from strangers would help with being unable to speak, due to trauma?

She was unable to argue as Braedyn walked her to the front door. "You should not need any of your belongings, but if there is anything you wish to bring with you, this will be your last chance." He said. Fera shook her head slightly, in a fog of disbelief.

The chill of cold air brushed against her skin as she walked alongside Braedyn. He led her to a carriage pulled by two horses and helped her in. Why was everything moving so fast? Was she really going to be taken away from her home without doing anything? Was she going to just leave her mother alone, sobbing until morning?

Fera looked at the pale, silk cloths serving at doors for the carriage that shiled her view of the out side world. Or maybe the cloths were meant to shield the world from her. She could bolt back to her mother in a heartbeat, but why wasn't she? Her numb limbs refused to move, despite the war going on in her head. The jolt of horses moving launched Fera forward into Mr. Nyland. Swiftly, he caught her.

"Do be more careful next time, Miss. Any injury you may acquire would be highly inconvenient for the following events. Your participation is crucial for the matchmaking process to succeed." The way he spoke, as if he had been programmed, irritated Fera. It was like he had no real emotions. There was no empathy, just apathy. She bet if she failed horribly at everything that the Court would throw at her, he would but blink an eye.

Why should she care? He was his own, bland and boring self. She had no say in how he acted. All she could do was adapt, and react.

At the moment, with the carriage jolting its way along the small, rural path, reacting was the only thing Fera could do.