The Fall of Vequera

Chapter ten | Valia

A/N at the end of chapter.

LOCATION: EASTCLIFF, ELER

YEAR: 620 C.E

THE ONLY THING SHE COULD SEE WHEN HER EYES CLOSED WERE THEIR DEATHS.

Midori. Sir Gareth. Ser Hayden. Dame Nidia. Daefier Harold. They all plagued her mind. She had nowhere to go. She couldn't even escape her own mind let alone this cage that boy threw her in. His face was just a blur in her mind. She tried to sleep but it was no use. She felt helpless. Her body was exhausted, it had reached its limit. She felt the cold floor of the dungeon on her face, and she hated it. Rolling flat on her back, she stared up at the ceiling. Her mind wandered to a different time.

A time when she did not know how cruel the outside world was. Valia never left the confines of the palace. She tried to think of Midori, but everything hurt. She didn't know how long she had been stuck in the cell. Every time, she tried to remember her mind went blank. Her fingernails dug into the dirt floor as she breathed in and held it.

"That won't do you any good." Her head snapped to the voice, and she quickly sat up. Light shined from the window above her, and she squinted her eyes, but she could find where the voice had come from. It didn't sound like the witch that put her in here.

"You must be so confused." The voice continued as it stayed in the darkness. Valia held onto the wall as she struggled to get after laying down for so long.

"Why am I here? Why did he take me?" The words rushed from her, and she held onto the wall as she made her way to the front of the cell.

"Please, let me out. If it's money that you want then my mother, she is the Queen of Vequera. She...She'll give you anything you want. Please, just let me out." She pleaded; her throat dry from the lack of water.

"You must be starving." They ignored her.

Stepping out of the shadows, a boy appeared no older than she was. "Hello?" His eyes stared down at her with worry as she noticed he had a tray of food in his hands. He bent down and slid the tray and moved away from the cell.

"You've been in here for three days." He muttered before he turned to stare down the empty hall. He wore a long-sleeved black tunic with golden specs lining the hem and the collar of the shirt. A brown leather wrapped around his waist and his trousers were the same brown color. A quiver filled with bows peeked over his back. He had a smooth beige complexion, but it held a warmth to it. He had the same pitch-black hair as the witch and the same soft eyes, but the witch had anger in his, and the boy had curiosity and held youth.

"Why am I here?" She repeated but it pained her throat.

The boy flinched before facing her. He went to speak but a loud crashing noise startled him, and he took off down the hall. Another voice filled the air and the boy argued back in a hushed voice. It was quiet before the only thing that could be heard was his retreating footsteps. Valia sighed as her eyes fell to the tray. It had a slice of wheat bread and a bowl filled with yellowish pottage. A small cup of water accompanied it. Valia's nose lifted in disgust as she reached for the tray and sat down. She gulped down her disgust as she began to eat the food. This food wasn't like the food she had at the palace.

The bread was burnt, and the pottage had boar meat which was the only thing she seemed to enjoy. She stuffed her mouth as quickly as possible and soon enough the food was gone. 'foolish girl' The voice mocked in Diethian. That was the only time the voice spoke to her while she was stuck in the dungeon. She tried to entertain herself by counting the drops of water that fell from the roof. She would count them; there were 156. It had rained heavily one night.