The Dragon Empress

Chapter 1: A New Place and an Old Friend

As I limp around this city, I still didn't know where I was, or at least which town I was in. The bleeding down my back had stopped, was that good? I had no clue if that meant if I was done bleeding or if I had no more blood left. The stick I was using snapped and I collapsed on the cold concrete. "Ah!" I heard someone scream, but I was fading away I hadn't slept well in around two or three days, I couldn't remember. My world was going black, I couldn't hold on to my consciousness any longer.

I awoke sometime later in a warm bed, all my wounds were cleaned and bandaged. I was wearing some comfy, unfamiliar clothes. Sunlight was peeking through the curtains. I tried to sit up but winced as pain shot through my body. A teenaged girl with maroon hair and goggles on her head walked in, she was wearing a blue miniskirt and a white and pink shirt. She walked over to my bed and I tried to speak but only a small noise came out. 

"You're awake?! OH thank heavens I thought you were dead!" Her face was lit up with a relieved smile, "You collapsed on the street, I saw, freaked out and ran to help you, you are covered in cuts! What happened?" She asked, looking quite worried.

"I-I would rather not talk about it..." I mumbled weakly, she nodded understandingly. 

"What's your name?" 

"Madeline."

"It's nice to meet you, Madeline, my name is Madoka." She said I nodded. She walked over and opened the curtains fully, bathing the room in the warm sunshine. "I hope you don't mind but I threw out your clothes, they were really dirty and I couldn't  get them clean with three washes, and they were torn to pieces." I nodded again, slowly this time. "But I got you some new ones, I hope they fit you!" She gestured to a large bag on a chair in the room. 

"Thank-thank you." I gave a small smile, 

"No problem, when you are done come downstairs, I have some food for you, oh and I fixed up your bey, it's beautiful! I have never seen one like it!" She walked out. I got up and limped over to the bag that was on the chair, and peeked inside. It had a red shirt and a white mini skirt. I put them on along with the underwear that she bought me. The clothes fit me well, and they were very much my style, I really liked them.

I began my decent down the stairs, trying my best not to fall, a boy with red hair noticed me and came to help, 

"Thank you," I mumbled, he smiled,

"Your name is Madeline right?" He asked I nodded, "I'm Gingka, I helped carry you here." I nodded again. We reached the bottom of the stairs and I walked slowly to the kitchen. Gingka helped me sit down and Madoka put a plate of food in front of me, I thanked her and began eating. 

Ring People's voices filled the room, "GINGKA, MADOKA, WERE HERE!" A loud voice called, Madoka smiled and called everyone into the kitchen. Great, I would be meeting more people... 

They all walked in, there was a little boy,  he had bright green hair and a cute smile, he looked to be around the age of ten or eleven. Then there was a large guy, he was tall and fat, I'm guessing he was the one yelling. He had a smile on his face too. Then one other person walked in, as soon as I saw him I dropped my fork and stood up. 

"K-Kyoya?" I asked quietly, his eyes widened at the sight of me, 

"Madeline?" He whispered, then moved to hug me, I flinched as he did, he hit a sensitive spot on my back, "Oh sorry." He moved his arm to a more comfortable spot. We hugged for a while, ignoring everyone's stairs, I hadn't seen him in two years, I didn't care what people saw. "How are you here?! How did you escape?" He asked in a whisper.

"I don't know,"  I whispered back, holding back tears. 

"I missed you so much, Madeline..."

"I missed you to Kyoya." 

"Kyoya? Who is she, and why are you two hugging? You don't hug anyone!" The purple haired fat guy asked. Kyoya broke the hug. 

"Hush Benkei. Everyone, this is Madeline. She was a poor girl back at my home village." Kyoya answered. 

"Were you two a couple?" He pressed, 

"Ha! No."

"Then why were you hugging?" 

Kyoya rolled his eyes, "She has quite the past, Madoka, you were the one taking care of her, right? You cleaned her wounds right?" 

Madoka nodded slowly, "How did you-"

"have you seen her back?" He asked she nodded. "If you're wondering, I have not, only through her torn shirt. The marks and 'scratches' on her back are whip marks." Everyone gasped, 

"Wh-whip marks?!" Madoka asked, her voice quivered, I nodded.

"She was a slave to the masters of the village, they are mean and terrible people and most likely they are looking for her." Kyoya explained, "We were very good friends, I helped rescue her." I nodded again. 

EDITED