The Myth Of The Winter's Child

Chapter 15

2001

The soldier and Cassidy walked the halls of the red room, the energy in the building had changed. It was more tense and every girl was on guard, and scared. Cassidy had no idea why, but she knew her papa knew what was going on.

Cassidy had a tight grip on her papas shoulder while he carried her outside where they would be watching two girls picked by Madam B fight for their life.

Cassidy suddenly turns her head when a rush of fear consumes her. A classroom of girls of all ages sat in front of a screen watching snow white. But something was off about it, some girls were whispering the words that the princess said, others cried their arms and legs were strapped to the chair so they couldn't get away and others sat numbly staring straight into the screen.

She turned her head away and the feeling slowly got further and further away. Girls were walking the same way they were, and whispered and talked about the supposedly ruthless soldier that had been training Natalia, and that her final ceremony would be in a few weeks.

When they got outside hundreds of girls were standing in a circle, Madam B was sitting in a chair right outside the circle so she could see in. The soldier and Cassidy stood in the back but the soldier towered over the girls, and could easily see the inside of the circle. Some of the girls were talking and whispering about who was going to be chosen, and others were shaking in fear from being chosen.

All the different emotions started to overwhelm Cassidy. The soldier noticed and started to stroke her head "Focus on me" he whispered to her. Cassidy closed her eyes, and focused on him and she started to calm down. He didn't have any emotions, not really at least. It had always been hard to explain what he felt, but he was scared all the time.

His fear calmed her down it always had, and she didn't know why. Maybe it's because he had protected her over the years as much as he could, or maybe it's the other person inside of him that calms her down.

Madam B raised her hand slightly and all the girls went quiet, the tensen in the air doubled when she looked around at the girls.

"This month is special for many reasons, we have had visitors helping the widows and recruiting new girls" She made direct eye contact with the little girl and the soldier while she spoke. "And like every month two lucky girls get to prove themselves to me, one will succeed and the other will be punished by death" She looked around, to see fear in their eyes. She loved it, the fear and utter submission she had beaten into them.

"The two lucky girls are Miss Romanova and Miss Kozlov" A few gasps were heard, as well as whispers. Cassidy saw Natalia push her way through the crowd to get into the circle. The other girl pushed her way through the crowd as well.

Cassidy recognized the other girl, she was still skinny but her face was more full and her arms didn't look like bones anymore. The look on Natalia's face when she saw her opponent broke Cassidy's heart.

"Papa I want to leave" Cassidy looks at her papa begging him to turn around and leave "No" he didn't even look at her, he had his focus on Natalia fighting the skinny girl. "Please Papa" tears filled her eyes "No".

The sound of a neck being snapped, made Cassidy look back to see Natalia standing breathing heavily and the girl dead on the ground. Her eyes were wide open in fear, blood dripped out of her mouth and nose, her arm was twisted in a weird way and her neck was broken. The fight had ended in a second, the girl didn't even have a chance.

Cassidy held back a sob from the sight. Natalia looked around scanning the crowd and made eye contact with Cassidy, her face fell in concern when she saw the look in Cassidy's eyes.