Silvestre Pendragon

Kiara

It was the clattering of chains that awoke Silvestre. 

Squinting open her eyes and sweeping away her drowsy dreams, she regained conscience and within moments she had rapidly assessed her new environment. Cold stone floor digged at her bony ribs and a cool gust of wind sent shivers downs her spine as she gazed in horror to her left. 

Pale with exhaustion, Milo hung in shackles, his crimson hands sore with blood and his bruised, drooping head was also speckled with ruby liquid. His muddied shirt was stained with blood, sweat and tears and when he noticed Silvestre struggling to stand, he merely shook his head in defeat. Even his beautiful cognac eyes seemed vanquished by fear. 

"What have they done to you?!" Silvestre growled, attempting to free Milo from the cold, iron clads.

"So glad you're awake Little Pendragon, although I really have no use for either of you anymore." Noirsk stated, gliding across the room with the bloody ruby in her palm, "We just found it in your pocket. Not very clever are you? Just like Alfred, your damned father." Silvestre seethed with frustration and a free flame of humiliation flared in her fist. 

"What do you mean we?" 

"I do believe you've already met Mr Rumple." There was a tinge of disgust in her voice as she dismissively gestured to the plump red man who attempted to look menacing  with a sulkyish scowl. 

"The Merchant." Silvestre sighed, remembering the worried man and his pouch of gold. "Why are you doing this Noirsk? What's so important about the damn ruby?" But Silvestre's demanding questions were simply ignored by Noirsk and a peculiarly new voice entered the conversation. 

"Mummy, is Crystal going to stay with us? She wont hurt her will she?" 

A child's voice. A little girl. 

Cautiously, a tiny hand peeled back the heavy curtains and revealed a separate room Silvestre hadn't recognised. Behind the curtain stood a little girl with huge, golden eyes, skin as pale as snow and phenomenal grey locks that trickled down her back in wisps like smoke. Ghost-like. Beside her, wrapped in a cotton blanket stood Crystal. 

"Of course they wont hurt your friend, Kiara." Replied Noirsk soothingly, "But it all depends on whether they behave politely. We wouldn't want anymore people to get hurt now would we?" The last statement, she directed at Silvestre. 

"Crystal wants her brother. I know he's been bad, but could you let him go for her?" The ghost like girl asked, 

"Please." muttered Crystal, her eyes glowing with tears as she met Milo's gaze. 

"Very well." Noirsk flicked her wrists and sent the metal chains shattering to the floor, whilst Milo collapsed into Silvestre. Pressing the ruby into the ghost-girls palm, Noirsk instructed "Take the ruby dear. You and Crystal must play in the tower. Mr Rumple will protect you whilst I discuss some matters with our guests." Obediently, the three exited the door, leaving only Noirsk, Milo and Silvestre. 

"You see, I am not truly without mercy as you may wish to believe Pendragon. And I assure you Elgido, your sister has been well looked after here; much to the delight of my daughter." 

"Your daughter?" Questioned Silvestre, her head spinning with all the events of the last few days. 

"What exactly did your father tell you?" 

"That's not an answer." Milo inputted. Silvestre's face was pained with worry and drawing up a chair Noirsk sat expectedly, a glimmer of both cunning plots and sour hatred in her eyes. With a knife-straight posture, Noirsk made the pathetic chair resemble a throne as she peered down at her bowing subjects.