Safeguard

Red Robes

Bettina didn't return the following evening. Or the next. For the rest of the wek, my sector waited, going about our duties as if we didn't notice. The gap between myself and Cindy - where Bettina was supposed to stand during meetings - grew emptier and emptier until one day a member of the Valvur sector came up to me. I knew this one well; Blaike had been a close friend of mine until his appointment as a head guard.

"Alyssa, I need to talk to you."

"About Bettina?" I frown; Blaike had been part of the group that had led Bettina into the Outside. He had returned, the other guards had returned, but Bettina had not.

"Yes." Blaike sighs, looking at the tile ground between us. He wore his grey tunic and red arm band so everyone in the family knew of his status and sector. He shouldn't even be speaking to me. "Alyssa, look, about her-"

"She's dead."

"No, no." Blaike grabs my hand, but I yank it out of his grasp quickly. "We...Bettina ran off after she attacked Kena. Something came over her and we couldn't find her."

"You lost her?" 

"She ran away. She didn't want to be with us anymore. She is with the Outside."

My heart drops and I feel my knees buckle. Luckily, Blaike catches me, holding my sagging form against his tough chest. "Hey, hey...it's okay. It's okay, Lyssie."

I shake my head, closing my eyes as I start to cry. The Outside got to Bettina, just like in the tales my caretakers told me since I was a child. I knew it was a bad idea to ever go out there, where the Sun causes madness and the people are corrupted. I should've stopped her, I should've...

"Elder Kan," I whisper, my hands clenching into fists. "Elder Kan sent her out there! This is her fault."

"Lyssie, you can't speak of her like that." Blaike hushes me, tilting my chin up to look at him. "This is not her fault; she couldn't have known Bettina was susceptible to the madness. This is no one's fault, okay?"

I nod, sniffling. "Okay," I manage to say.

"Good." Blaike smiles. "Let's go and get you some tea, okay?"

No, I couldn't do that. I have duties to attend to. "Sorry," I apologize as I shake my head. "I have things I must do. You can go and get some tea." I remove myself from his arms, dusting off my tunic and taking a deep breath. "Goodbye, Blaike." I turn, but he calls out to me.

"Tonight. Will you meet me at the Bridge?"

Letting out a small sigh, I look over my shoulder. "I suppose. I'll come after supper."

I can't stop my heart from feeling full at the grin that breaks across his face. "See you then."

My feet patter softly down the tiled floors as I hurry towards the dining room to help clean. No matter what Blaike had said, I am fairly certain Bettina is dead by now. That's what happens to girls in the Outside: they die.

My best friend died at the hands of the Outsiders; I wouldn't let them do the same to me. The Mistress would take care of it all once she arrived. For now, I will stay quiet and attend to my duties.

"Girl, get a mop and start cleaning!" Elder Lin. My least favorite Elder, though I shouldn't speak of him like that. He's a kind Elder, one of the 26 leaders of the Safeguard. I respect him, but he does not respect me, which is understandable. I'm the lowest sector and he's the highest. So, obviously, I grab a mop and get to work.

I glance up at Elder Lin to see him nod and walk off, red robes billowing out behind him. I have to resist the urge to stick out my tongue - that would be rude.