The Knights of Aragon

Chapter 15

"Enough!"

I jolt awake from my slumber, scared at the scary people around me. "You cannot make this rash decision by yourself, Yore!" Chiara yells, red-faced at Elder Yore with Elder Mikel leaning against the doorframe uninterested. "Do you have any idea what could happen if we open those doors and let," she points at me, "this out? They will never trust us again!"

I scoot into a corner scared at the angry lady. "We can't keep her in here any longer, Chiara! She's growing and there will come a time when we won't be able to keep her here," he argues. Elder Chiara scoffs at him and turns to Mikel. "Say something, for gods-sake!" He raises an eyebrow in response. "Enough, Chiara. Enough," Yore pinches his eyebrows.

I cautiously take in the room. A small table occupies the opposite side of my room. It has small toys and pieces of paper that has been colored wildly. Only two wooden chairs are nicely pushed in, one bigger than the other. The stone walls are covered with drawings and words that I feel like I still can't pronounce. The cot that I am currently sitting in is small, but it is filled with bedding and blankets. I feel like hiding under them right about now.

"She's learning quick for a child her age," Yore calmly speaks to Chiara, "If she comes to learn that we have kept her here by force, she will find a way to break out. And that would prove more devastating than introducing her to the village now." Yore looks much younger than how I know him to be now. He doesn't have the frown lines framing his mouth or the grey hair that I'm used to.

His face is smooth and his skin glows, even in this dark room. His youth is easy to see as well as his confidence. What surprises me the most is the color of his hair: dark auburn. How can a person change so much in just one decade? He feels my eyes on him and looks over at me. I give him a shy smile-which me returns with a small wink.

He's on my side. I feel it deep in my bones. "No," Chiara shakes her head profusely, "No, we cannot do this! You know the consequences of defying the order. We all made a vow!" Yore sarcastically laughs. "What orders, Chiara? What vow?" He gestures outside. "Do we even know what exactly we are doing? Our Elders are preparing us, but have they told us what for?" He takes his time to give each of them a hard look.

Chiara hasn't changed much. Her eyes are the same stone-cold brown eyes that looks down at everyone. Her hair is blond and shinier than they are in my present. Chiara's skin is still as pale as the snow on a winter morning. "Does it really matter? They finally gave us an ounce of power and you want to risk it by taking her out of here?" Chiara says, disbelievingly.

I hug my knees close to my chest. "It isn't right to keep a child locked up in this dank room," Yore runs a hand through his long hair. Me. I'm the child. They're talking about me? I look down at myself for the first time. My hands are tiny, and pale. Tiny knees, tiny feet. Tiny me. My red hair is short, almost chin-length. I've never felt so out of control of my own body.

"Alright, enough arguing," Mikel finally interjects. He finally walks further into the room, where the light can fully reach him. His brown skin is great contrast to Yore and Chiara. Mikel's hair is shorter and darker than the salt and pepper that I'm used to. His face hold a sort of detachment that would scare any kid at any age.

Chiara and Yore snap their attention to him. They probably forgot that he was still here. "We will vote," he pushes himself of the doorframe, "Aye, on integrating the child to the village; Nay, we keep her in here and decide on releasing her at a later date." Yore shakes his head at Mikel with a humorless smile.

I squeeze my knees tighter. My child mind doesn't understand what's going on or why they're all angry. "All those in favor for integrating her into the village say 'aye'." Only Yore says aye. "All those opposed." Chiara and Mikel say 'nay'. Yore scoffs and looks over at me with sad eyes. "It's settled!" Mikel grabs Chiara's arm. "Let's go, Chiara. We have our own duties to attend to. Yore, keep the girl in control and we'll talk about this later."