Adelia
Moments earlier...
I was mid sentence when Bellfire interrupted me by tapping me on the shoulder. I glanced behind me and saw him standing awkwardly, running his hand through his hair.
I raised an eyebrow, "What is it?"
"Can we speak for a moment?" He asked.
I smiled at the friends I had been speaking to before excusing myself. He lead me a few feet away from the crowd, and I found myself feeling a little self conscious. Despite this, I knew not to expect much from him. I couldn't wait to hear what nonsense he came up with now.
"You're still not finished insulting me?" I felt defensive after our interaction before.
He sighed, "You insulted my honor first, Adelia. Don't act like a victim."
I crossed my arms and glared at him, "What? Do you want an apology?"
He looked away with an incredulous look on his face. He rubbed the back of his neck, "You make it so hard to like you, you know that? Regardless, I came here to apologize for my harsh, immature words. I'm sorry."
I tilted my head, "The great Bellfire has apologized to me. Perhaps, it will rain any minute now."
I couldn't help the sarcasm. I knew deep down that he believed the words he said. That he believed I was some unscrupulous woman who easily lied under any man who gave her attention. And even if that was so, what was so wrong with that?
Everyone in this town saw me as the harlot who got lucky enough not to fall with child the one time she made a mistake. Besides, nobody ever asked me what happened. When I tried to explain what really happened, they never listened.
(!) They didn't know how often I stayed awake at night, wondering if I would ever forget how he pressed the knife to my throat as he used me. His hands pressing mine above my head on the picnic blanket just before sunset. The excruciating, burning pain, and the feelings of emptiness that dawned on me. When he was finished, he tossed the knife aside, adjusted his trousers and left me on the ground.
I went there thinking he would finally propose only to be violated and find out he already had a wife lined up. He saw me, a fatherless, motherless, young woman, and decided I was a perfect victim.
That was why I never told Roselena the truth of how I got to Bermillia or what truly happened in that forest. I let her believe the stories and comforted myself in that her opinion of me never changed.
Bellfire scoffed and nodded to himself in defeat before settling his gaze on me. His eyes narrowed.
"A piece of advice, Adelia. You shouldn't insult others and expect kindness. Actually two pieces of advice," He drew nearer and made sure to look me in the eye, "Stop meddling in Roselena's marriage proposals before she figures it out, and her father leaves you on the streets. We both know you were the one who made up such a rumor just because I had asked her father for her hand in marriage."
My arms loosened at his words and he smiled.
I only did that because I was afraid for myself. Though I guess that was a selfish excuse... Roselena is my only family. Without her, I was afraid her father would feel no obligation to keep me.
"Just behave yourself and maybe then a suitor will approach you." He stepped back and looked around.
"Now, I need to apologize to Roselena. You ruined my engagement to her... Even your conscience will allow that, no?"
I looked away, "I don't know where she went."
He frowned as he looked around, "Strange..."
I looked to and fro as well, searching for a glimpse of her white dress but saw nothing.
I shifted my gaze to Bellfire firmly, "Help me find her."
He nodded and wandered off as I looked in the near vicinity. I knew she had gone to see the fruit vendors, so I approached the fruit stand and looked to the old couple sitting behind the table. An older man and his wife greeted me with polite smiles, "Anything you'd like?"
"Actually, I was wondering whether you saw where my friend has gone. She was here in a white dress a second ago but I can't seem to find her."
They looked at each other in thought, "I don't think we've seen her since she stopped by."
I smiled and thanked them before turning and placing my hands on my hips. Roselena was a smart girl, so I doubted she wandered very far at all. Maybe she had gone back home without telling me. She didn't like events like these very much anyway, but... surely, she would have told me. It was unlike her to leave just like that.
And then the deep base of drums sounding in the distance began to vibrate the ground, making all the music and chatter go dead silent.
I froze, seeing everyone look at each other in confusion and alertness.
An arrow shot across the air and sliced clean through someone's chest. I covered my mouth to stop myself from screaming and dropped to the ground, immediately crawling as the others started to scream and run in every which way. If I could just get to the house, I would be okay. That was all I could think.
Then Roselena's innocent gaze flashed through my mind and I grit my teeth. I couldn't allow anything to happen to her. Not when she saved my life all those years ago. I had lived through something like this before, and I could do it again. But Roselena... She was so soft hearted. She wouldn't last a day if she were caught.
I heard the coughs of the boy who had gone down first and felt my heart expand.
I crawled to his languishing figure and drew near to him, offering him comfort.
He was a young boy, maybe 14 or 15 years old, meaning this was his first Sun Harvest Festival. He had blood dripping down the edge of his mouth down to his neck and onto the floor. He was struggling to breathe, choking on his own blood and shaking in fear. His chest only puffed in short bursts.
I gripped his hand and smiled, "Hi there. What's your name?"
"Aronaeous." He managed to rasp out.
I smiled as his eyes trailed over my face. I thought that if he could, he would've blushed. I tended to have that kind of effect on boys. My looks paired with my naivety was what got me the reputation I had. But this boy didn't know who I was, so I would be the virtuous beauty who held his hand to the very end.
"Well, Aronaeous, I am Adelia, and I will stay with you, okay?"
He nodded like a child and weakly gripped my hand. I laid flat like him and turned my face toward him, even as others ran and cried. Some people tripped over us, but most of them avoided us in their path.
Even as fires spread on the trees, and the sound of clanging metal sounded, I comforted him, because there was nothing else I could do.
I could only offer him my hope while I myself hoped that I would be reunited with Roselena. When we were both arrested, I would cooperate and teach her to cooperate as well. That's all women can do in the face of iron clad men of invading governments. That's what my mother did to spare me.
I could see tears rolling down his face as his chest rose and fell in an arrhythmic fashion.
I reached with my other hand and wiped them before turning my face toward the sky.
"My mother always said that life after death is much sweeter than anything we can imagine." I smiled. "Undoubtedly, you will be met with rivers of milk and honey. With warm breezes and the sweetest fruit known to man. The pain will be no more, and peace will course through your veins."
I turned to look at him again, "Doesn't that sound-"
His chest was still, and his face completely pale. His grip had given way. All I saw was the residual tears drying from his open eyes. One second he was here and the next moment he was gonna like a passing mist.
I was quick to close his eyes and let go of his hand, recuperating entirely too quickly.
I stayed still for a moment as I listened to the chaos. Then I rose on all fours and crawled again. It was a struggle in a dress, but I had no choice but to continued until I was under the fruit vendor's table. They too crouched in fear and quickly pulled me in.
It felt like hours before the fighting seemed to taper down to a stop all at once, and I could hear the sound of citizens being arrested.
"Surrender now or die."
I looked to the old couple and gripped their hands, "We must surrender or they will kill us."
His wife recoiled in fear as I moved to stand up. I frowned as he held her close.
"I refuse to live under their tyranny. Evil will prosper if they're here."
Evil prospers in the hearts of men regardless of the type of kingdom invaders. Dhernon invaders just find pleasure in blood.
"You don't understand. They will kill you in cold blood." I tried to reason with them but the man and his wife only looked at each other with love.
He didn't look at me, "I would much rather die with the love of my life and meet my maker than see this kingdom be torn down to the pits of hell."
I grit my teeth and pressed my hands to my chest with guilt, "I'm so sorry, but I must surrender. I don't want to die."
I said this knowing that the moment I stood up, their location would be given away.
This time his wife smiled and touched my hand, "You are but a child. Do not apologize."
My eyes watered as I looked away and nodded. This was all I could do for them. My mother taught me to be a cockroach, a survivor, and right now, I would become the most agreeable prisoner known to man.
I stood up with my hands in surrender. It took a moment for a soldier to notice me before they approached.
"Hands." He ordered. I slowly lowered them and held them out for him to grab and drag me. He turned to pull me forward, but not before he noticed the couple behind me.
He smiled and looked at me, "You made a wise decision, my lady."
He pushed me toward another soldier who proceeded to drag me away. I heard a sob of protest before the sound of a swinging sword cut through the air and the sob was no more. I heard the thump of two bodies dropping on the floor, and I could only flinch.
They chained me up in the line of women. Across the street, a growing line of men in chains stood.
The chains were heavy, and all I could hear was the sound of sniffling and sobbing around me. I looked at the two women next to me who each had pale, terrified expressions.
"Take heart, my ladies. We have survived death today. We must fight for tomorrow." I whispered to both of them. One of them only looked away, and the other drew closer to me.
"How can you be so optimistic?" Her nose was red and her eyes puffy from crying. Her voice sounded pitiful.
I smiled, "What else do we have? We must cooperate and survive. That is our only hope now."
I shut myself up as the soldier passed by and sized each one of us up. It was common practice for soldiers to choose women and take them as a wife or a whore. It didn't matter to them one way or the other. I saw the man stop in front of the woman next to me who had turned away.
"I want this one, men. Mark my words, she will be mine." He said it with a smirk as the others chuckled.
He stepped closer to her in his armor and lifted his dirty hand to touch her hair. She flinched and began to shake.
"How about that, my lady? Would you like me to take you with me?" He asked it suggestively. The girl next to me pressed closer, causing the chains to shake.
He was waiting for a response and she was too afraid to look up.
"I- I don't know you, sir." She said it weakly.
"You can get to know me." He persisted.
I wanted to barf in my mouth, and I would have if the other soldiers hadn't alerted the rest of us. I could only block the memories of my own assault to remain strong.
"The commander approaches."
As if struck by lightning, the pervert of a man straightened and stepped away.
I turned to look in the direction they all did and saw a man on a large black horse with a smaller figure clutching onto him. The white dress and flowery braid was distinctive and I found myself shouting her name before I could stop myself.
"Roselena!" My limbs moved on their own as I stepped out of the line.
Her head rose in alarm as her gaze met mine. I tried to run toward her but the chains yanked at the other women. I heard the sound of a sword unsheathing and her horrified cry when the commanding voice of the man on the horse echoed.
"Stand down. I said no more bloodshed. We've seized every town already." He glared at me, making me freeze in my spot. My eyes flicked between Adelia and the man.
"Foolish woman, get back in line." The pervert barked at me. I quickly stepped back in line, and this time the women next to me refused to cling close any longer. I only calmed down when I saw Roselena motion for me to cool down.
The rest of the conversation between the man behind Roselena and the soldiers was inaudible, and all I could do was stare at the grief stricken expression on her face.
It was moments later when they began to ride toward us, passing me with a leisurely gallop. He was going to take her to who knows where and all I could do was watch helplessly.
As she passed, she could only gaze at me meaningfully. I bit my lip and tried to watch for as long as I could until she disappeared out of view. This was warfare. They tore families apart, committed violence toward women, ransacked, and killed without remorse.
I could only hope that Jonas and her father arrived here in time for us to flee from this forsaken kingdom.