Survive Or Die

Chapter 18- Housing another

Arias POV

I watch him lying on the floor in a puddle of his own blood. I block out all the shouts to save him. He failed the initiation. Why should I save him. His eyes are closed softly and blood, that may or may not be his, is smudged over his face. I keep my head held high and peer at him from under my eyelashes. His chest rises and falls slowly and shakily. His blond hair fans around his head, covered in dirt and mixed with blood. I force myself to swallow past the small lump that has started to form in my throat. His blond hair only reminds me of Jay. I have to get rid of him. "Someone take me back to the forest," I say. No one moves, only whispers nervously, "thats an order," I bark. Collin and some other guy start to drag themselves over to the small boy. Questions run through my mind; how is this small boy alive! How is he here? Why does he look so familiar? And most of all, what did he do to get here?
Then his eyes flutter open. I'm not ready for the bottle green eyes that stare back at me, pleading and scared. My mind immediately flashes to Jay and his eyes as they slowly closed for the last time. "Stop," I find myself blurting. The guards look shocked and surprised. I try my bets to compose myself. I can't let them see any weakness. I regain my stone expression. Celia said I was selfish. Time to prove her wrong. "Leave him. He can stay." People all around exhale in relief. "He will stay with me. If anyone has any complaints, they can voice them to Collin." I try to act like this has been my plan all along, when in reality, I thought of it on the spot. I slowly bend down and take off my earring. I flip te back off to expose the small needle. I gently stab it into the skin around the two bites that he has. I stand and turn away from the boys grateful eyes that look all too much like Jay's. "Mend him and send him to me." I walk past all the gawking faces and go back to my throne. I can't bare to see him anymore.

It's only been about two hours when my doors fly open. I'm seated on my vine woven throne with one leg over the other and a fresh coat of my special war paint. I keep my head high and superior as one of my guard lead the young boy through the huge doors. He must be about twelve or thirteen. His blond hair has been cleaned and trimmed so it looks almost exactly like Jay's did. His face has been cleaned to reveal bronzed skin, marked by scars and freshly stitched wounds. He wears clothes a few sizes too big that have been rolled up by the hem. His collar bone is probing from where the shirt fails to hide and his shoulder bones and arms are probably skinny enough to wrap my fingers around. His face is gaunt and his cheeks are hollowed with hunger. His bottle green eyes are weary and exhausted but also excited and cautious. He glances around the room quickly before his eyes land on me. I flinch away from his sigh and mentally slap myself for it. He looks again down at the ground. "Here he is, Heda."
"You are dismissed," I say with a wave of my hand.
He lingers by the door with a hand on the boys shoulder. Their eyes meet and the guard leaves, closing the thunderous doors behind him. The boy fiddles nervously with the hem of his shirt which only agitates me further. "Stop fiddling," I bark. He immediately drops it. "What is your name?"
"A-Archer," he whispers.
"Look at me when you speak," I order.
He cautiously looks up at me, his green eyes piercing. Despite the fear that is so apparent, I find a hint of something else. A hint of danger. And I want to build on it. "My name is Archer Sawyer." His face turns hard and his voice comes out sharp. I'm taken aback but try to contain my shock.
"Why are you here? How did you get here?"
His eyes don't waver but fear is still held there. "I could ask you the same thing," he spits.
I sit back on my throne and merely watch him. He doesn't look away. The sun is setting through the large open window, casting orange patterns on the cement ground. "Are you hungry?"
His face lights up slightly. "Yes uh... Hada."
I have to hold back a laugh at the fact that he cannot even pronounce Heda. "If you are to live with me, you may call me Aria." I don't know where that came from but it frightens me. I force my face to go hard and all memories of Jay to vanish my mind.
The kid, Archer, grins, showing dimples. I only glare at him until his face falls as do his eyes. "Thank you," he mumbles.
"Find Collin. Tell him that I have given you permission to the food shed." He nods his small head and gingerly leaves the large room.
I am finally able to slouch in my chair and let out a breath that I didn't realise I had been holding. I'm a queen, I remind myself. Queens don't have time for compassion.

I don't get much time for relaxing as the boy returns mere hours later. He shuffles through the door with his head low. I grit my teeth from snapping at his poor posture. By now the sun has fully set and the only light is the from the fire lit lamps scattered around the large room. "Are you tired?" I ask after a few awkward minutes.
He raises his head and stares at me, making me squirm. He has bags under his eyes but his cheeks look better; more full. "Yes," is all he says.
I gracefully stand from my throne. "I will take you to your room." I walk past him and through the doors before he can fit another word in. He wordlessly follows me up a few flights of stairs until we come to the steel door that leads to the corridor, lined with doors. Each door leads to a bedroom. Mine is at the very end and is also the largest, needless to say. The boy gawks at the hall in amazement, much to my amusement. I force myself to hold back a smile. "You may choose a room. And that is where you will stay," I say. His small face lights up as he narrows his eyes suspiciously at me.
"Any room?" He questions.
I nod curtly. "Except the one at the end."
He grins, dimples and all, his green eyes shinning. A stab of guilt hits my gut but I force it away. He throws his arms around my torso, shocking me frozen. I stand there awkwardly until he unwraps himself and runs into the first bedroom like a child on Christmas.
I shake him from my mind before he can really get in. Shaking the small smile from my face is harder.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hey friends!
For once I can say you're welcome!
For the record, I was never gonna kill Archer because he is crucial to everything and I love him :3
You're welcome.
Aria - 28
Celia - 26
I'm also in holiday so yeah I may be able to write a bit more often hehe
Love you all xxx