The Crown Girl

1

Augustus sighed. He was not having a good day.

He'd woken up to the sound of his brother's yell. That boy couldn't go a day without causing trouble. Then he had headed to the basement to see if he could get something out of the guy bound there, but no luck. The guy died because he got angry and smashed his face with a shovel. Then his PA informed him that a man who'd borrowed money from them was refusing to pay back. He had sent his men to threaten the man into returning their money but his men had failed. So he decided to send his brother Amias this time.

†††

Amias breathed harshly as his car stopped infront of an old, almost falling down, house.

He walked upto the front door with his men behind him and knocked. No answer. This time he broke the door down.

He walked in and did a quick scan of the first floor. No one.

He ordered some of his men to check the second floor and some to check the first floor again.

A while later one of his men came back and told him that there's a little girl in the bedroom. Naked.

Amias frowned and walked into the said room. There was a girl, naked girl, sitting on the floor with her arms around her legs pulled up against her chest, choppy silver hair sticking to her face and her silver eyes wide and tear stricken with fear.

"Get out," Amias growled at his men. He shrugged his jacket off and slowly approached the girl who seemed to shrink more in fear.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just going to cover you, alright," he said softly crouching next to her. He slowly draped the jacket around her naked body, making sure nothing was visible.

"Here, come with me." He held his hand out with a gentle smile for the girl to take.

The girl looked uncertainty. Given the state she's in, he could tell she was abused on regular basis, she even had some unhealed whip marks. So, trusting him was a long shot. But surprising him, the girl held his big callous hand in her small soft ones.

He slowly helped her stand up. "I'm going to pick you up now, okay? Don't be scared. I mean no harm," he said softly.

The girl continued to look at him with fear filled eyes but didn't protest as he picked her up. Either she trusts him, which seems unlikely, or she was used to taking any orders given to her by anyone. The latter seems more likely.

He made sure to keep her entirely covered as he walked toward his car. He placed her on the car seat and got in himself. "Drive home," he told the driver before pulling up the partition.

He looked to his right and saw the girl looking at him with frightened eyes but she looked down as soon as she saw him looking at her.

He decided to turn his attention to his phone so she could breathe a little freely.

He sneaked a look at her and noticed how she was looking out the window in wonder. Almost like she's never been out of her house before, but she probably hasn't.

He didn't know what he was going to do with her, or why he brought her with him. He could've handed her to social workers or dropped her at an orphanage. That's what he should have done. But he didn't want to let her go, neither could he ignore his gut feeling.

Once they reached home he picked her up again and brought her to his room. He rummaged through his wardrobe and pulled out a clean t-shirt but he didn't think any of his pants would fit her.

"You change into this shirt and I'll get you some pants," he spoke in a low voice to not scare her. He expected her to nod or something to show him that she got it but she didn't. She remained immobile as before. He sighed and walked out to find her some pants.

Amias exhaled harshly as he found not one clean pant in his brother Arlo's wardrobe. Teenagers.

He rummaged through a different drawer, hoping to find something there but instead ended up with a pack of condoms in his hand. "Fucking shit," he growled throwing it away.

He looked rifled through the drawers before he finally found a clean pair of basketball shorts.

He took them, hoping they are as clean as they look and knocked on his bedroom door. No answer. He knocked again. Again no answer.

He poked his head in and saw the girl sitting on his bed wearing the t-shirt he gave her. "Here, wear these."

Amias' eyes widened when he saw that she was going to change right infront of him. "No stop," he yelled making the girl shiver in fear.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to frighten you," he said in a much softer voice. "You can't change here. "

The girl looked at confused. They probably made her change infront of them. Damned bastards.

"You can't change infront of others. Okay?" The girl looked even more confused. "It's okay. You change here, I'll go out."

Amias thought maybe she needs food. She must be hungry. He went to the kitchen and saw the maids bustling around, preparing for lunch. They all stopped seeing him.

Amias cleared his throat. "Make some mac and cheese and send it up to my room," he left saying that.

He knocked on his bedroom door again but no answer. He sighed and slowly opened the door and saw her on the bed right where he left her but this time she had pants on.

"What's your name," he asked slowing sitting down on the bed as well.

She didn't answer, just kept looking at him with those beautiful silver eyes.

"My name is Amias." She continued looking at him with wide eyes.

He sighed. She doesn't talk, maybe she's mute. Or has selective mutism or something. He was thinking of ways to make her communicate with him when someone knocked on the door. He was about to tell them to come in but he realized he has a little girl here and he doesn't want others to know about her just yet. So he got up and opened the door. The maid was here with the food he ordered, he took it and closed the door.

"Here, I got food for you," he said
placing the tray infront oh her.

She looked at the bowl then at him them again at the bowl and again at him. She was probably punished for eating as well, Amias concluded.

He gave her a gentle smile. "You can eat. No one's going to hurt you."

She hesitated for a moment before she lifted some of the macaroni on her fork and hesitantly placed it in her mouth. She chewed slowly as if waiting to see what happens next. But Amias gave her an encouraging nod and she quickly finished half the bowl before shaking her head.

"You don't want to eat anymore?"

She again shook her head.

"Okay then." Amias placed the tray on the bedside table. "Why don't you sleep a little," he suggested.

She again hesitated but Amias gently placed his hand on her shoulder, making her stiff, before lightly pushing her to lay down. "Sleep."