Steel Butterfly

20

Kalia's POV

I was pacing back and forth in my prison cell. Lizin was sitting with her back on the wall in her cell and her head between her knees as she was crying. Part of me was wondering about what happened when the Beast King had tried to snatch me away. I had lost control of myself for a moment and had another surge of power.

"It'll be okay, Lizin." Aetnara sat next to her.

"No, I won't be okay. I haven't been able to see my husband and children in a few days." Lizin spoke.

"You must stay strong for them." Aetnara gently spoke to Lizin, staring at her from their adjacent cells. Lizin had pulled her hair so much that she had ruined her hairstyle.

"I'm trying to but I'm not doing well at it!" Lizin snapped. She looked like she hadn't slept and she hadn't been able to eat or drink well.

I wasn't going to lie, I felt like crying too, but I refused to give them anything, including my tears.

"I command you to let me in!" It was Lady Rosanna's voice.

"Isn't that your stepmother?" Aetnara asked me. I nodded.

"Ma'am!"

"I have a letter from the governor himself on this matter! Let me speak to her!" The door opened. It was Lady Rosanna in a beautiful baby blue gown.

"My darling!" My mother started running to my prison cell. "Are you alright? Have you or any of your friends been hurt?"

"No, my Lady." I sighed, shaking my head. "I'm...as good as I'll be."

Lady Rosanna hands me her kerchief so I could wipe my face.

"I wish we could get you out. All I could do was visit you on my own. Valeria and your brothers are worried." She grabbed my hand gently.

"What about Father?" I wonder what he's feeling after my failure of a marriage and finding out my fiance was in league with my current archenemy.

"He's been jailed in the castle walls for treason. Lord Wilshire is set to get executed in a few days." Lady Rosanna sighed. "We're at risk of losing everything. I've been trying to see how I could secure our home and your safety."

"Thank you, my Lady." I sighed. "I'm sorry."

"This was not your fault, love." She gently cupped my face. "You did what you did for love. I couldn't imagine your father risking himself for me like you did for Ronan."

"Did you hear anything about him?" I asked her.

As far as I know, he's being held in the castle as well. I wish I knew more." Lady Rosanna sighed, shaking her head. Great,now I wanted to cry and scream and tear my hair out but I needed to be strong.

"I hope he's alright." I sighed, trying to shake off the tears.

"Well, I have to go but before I do," She handed me a warm roll with ham and cream cheese, topped with sesame balls.

"Thank you." I told her. I watch her hand one each to Aetnara and Lizin before we leave. After bowls of broth and stale bread, it was heaven. I scarfed it down, tearing into it like a hungry wolf or something. The other women do the same. I'm almost done with my roll when I see our guards coming back in. I quickly shove the remaining piece between my stays and my shift.

"That woman...Judge is not going to be impressed by any of this." One of the guards sits in the stool between Aetnara and Lizin's cell.

"Of course not. Nobles think they can do anything they want." The other guard said. He looked up at me. "What are you looking at?" He snapped. I shrug, shaking my head and going back to sitting on the hard stone slab that I have called "my bed".