Glory for the Thorn empire (twisted wonderland fanfic))

Memories

I dreamt of my first meeting with Lilia. The Iron chains burning into my skin. I was littered in scars as they tested what would affect me and what wouldn't. I could feel the horrible soul sucking feeling as they Ripped my magic from my very being. I remember them burning a brand into my shoulder so I would always know who my owners were. 

They had torn out one of my eyes to see if I would regenerate it. Apparently they had heard of some Fae who could do so. It was a fear filled building. Many other creatures were housed in this place. I saw Mer who were in tanks with pieces of their flesh missing. as if they had been attacked by sharks. In honesty humans had cut into them and ate pieces of the Mer to see if the Myth was true that eating one would give the person eternal youth. This was only Myth though and the poor Mer's locked in their tanks had to suffer because these idiotic humans believed it. It was like the Myth that Mer tears became pearls. This was also wrong.

I listened to the foot steps of my Owners. I do not remember a time before them. Only that I was close to 200 when Lilia found me. It was hard to keep track of time in that place. There were no windows. Only stone walls with Iron bars. It hurt to even move most days. I remember them feeding us once a day. but for all I knew it was once every three days. I just know I would wake. Be feed, Then left alone or experimented on till I passed out then wake and repeat. I had no hope of being saved. I don't think back then I even knew what Saved meant. 

The day Lilia came I remember a loud commotion behind my wall. I had woken up to it. I was bleeding on the floor. They had used one of their new Swords against me. A prototype for what had ended up killing me in the end. I had been in pain and I had thought during that Time I would die alone in my cell Only the corpses of other Creatures to keep my company. I remember closing me eyes and hearing yells.

"General! There are people down here!" It felt like the world was spilling. I felt a hand lift me up.

"We need a medic!" The next thing I knew was waking in a soft bed. I had no memory of anything soft before so I was mildly frightened to feel something like this. I was used to hard, cool and pain. Not soft, Warm and Comfortable. 

The door had opened and Lilia had walked in. I still remember the first time I truly saw him. His long hair flowing down his back. There was no Dyeing back then so it was all black. His bangs cut straight across and his eyes hard but softening as he looked at me. I had never seen someone that looked so close to what I was. I had never known till then what I was. Only that I was different. I was called a Monster by the Owners and Demon by the Royals that visited. He had red eyes like I did. Ears like I did. Only our hair was different. 

"Your awake" I had been startled. I was not allowed to speak at the place. none of the other Creatures living there were. We all had to remain silent or have our Tongues removed. 

"Tell me, What is your name" I had been asked to speak. I was not allowed to speak though. He asked for a name. I remember thinking. A name was what someone was called. and I was called Argenti by the Owners. Called that because of my Silver hair. They had chopped my hair once to see if it was true silver only to be disappointed. but the name had stuck. That was how I knew when it was my turn to be seen by the Owners.

"Your tongue is in place so I know you are most likely able to converse with me. Speak. What is your name" I felt like this was a Trap back then.  Honestly years later It was embarrassing to recall how frightened I was to speak to him. But after so many years in those walls. Never allowed to speak. I was scared. But I was more scared to anger this new person. New was frightening back then.

"The Owners..... say.... Argen..ti..." I had talked. It felt like burning rocks in my throat to speak. Lilia was satisfied and even though he had told me many times not to call then Owners. To this day I still call them that. They had been all I knew back then. They had branded my skin, Feed me and cared for me being. They had Owned me back then. I have nothing else to call them. Humans was a Broad term after all. These were not just any human either.