I heard footsteps. They didn't sound like my caretakers. Too rushed. Too powerful. Too heavy. But they were probably dangerous either way. They were probably going to kill me. I guess that was okay. It's not like the family I never had would miss me. The closest thing I had to family was my pet and only friend in the world. His name is Crispin. I heard the door slam open, like it always did when I was in trouble. I flinched backwards, curling into the smallest corner of my holding cell, even though I know that whoever it was that opened the door could (and probably would) simply drag me out. Fighting was useless. Crying was useless. Hiding was useless. The best thing I could do was accept that I was going to get hurt at best, and get killed at worst. The only thing I hoped was that they would be willing to kill me quickly. My cell door was thrown open. "Hey there, little one. Are you ok?" Said the kindest voice I'd ever heard. I assumed that they were talking to someone else. No point talking nicely to the most useless waste of space since that elven king some centuries back. Then a hand, darker skinned than any of my caretakers', extended towards me. I flinched away, 'she's going to hit me.' "Hey, are you ok?" The voice sounded again, apparently in my direction. "..I-I'm fine." 'she's probably gonna kill me. is she trying to make it easier for herself? she has to know I couldn't defend against her if I tried. and I won't try. it's better to accept these things early on.' "Are you hurt?" 'what kinds of questions are these? it sounds almost like she /cares/ about me. ME.' "no-o...? I-I am in physically optimal condition." "How could a seven-year-old even know that phrase..?" The voice seemed confused, so much so that I almost looked the speaker in the eye. I did look, but it wasn't at the woman PROPER, so much as her stooped form's heavily covered legs. The design looked as if it were of Carja make, but aside from that, it looked pretty modern. "Are you hungry?" The woman said. "n-no..." "Okay. Come on. Let's get you outta here. We're on a bit of a time crunch right now." "oka-y...." What WAS this situation? Asking would get me punished for being annoying and speaking out of turn, so I didn't pry. "Come here." The voice commanded, gentle and almost.. sad. I came out once I'd been told to. Refusing would've had my caretakers spank my feetm which made it hard to walk and got me yelled at for being slow, and I assumed this would be no different. "Oh Astra above...!" The voice sounded appaled. That wasn't surprising. My wings were the most disgusting color of grey imaginable and to be deeply ashamed of, according to my caretakers. Then I felt arms around me, lifting me up very suddenly. "G-Gyah?!" I couldn't help myself and cried out in surprise. That would probably get me shoves in the closet for a few hours at least. And then the unexpected happened. "I'm so... /so/ sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. Heavens above, I should've found you sooner.... I'm so sorry, little one." What the what? What is this woman /saying/? Whoever she was carried me out of my room, through the halls, and away to a door that I'd only ever seen locked. I had no idea why it was open /now/, of all times, but I guess that whoever was carrying me didn't wanna kill me here. I could understand that. The Fireflies always got mad when I made any kind of mess on the floor, so I guess these people wouldn't wanna have to clean up the mess. "Hey, what's your name, little one?" Said the woman carrying me. "Josephine Lily. No known surname." "Ah. My name is Vanasha, but most people call me Vanny. You can call me that if you like." If I /like/? What? I was supposed to obey and.. oh. I was supposed to obey and choose the optimal solution. I guess Vanasha would be the better name. It was more buisness-like. "And I know your surname." What? I'd always doubted what the Fireflies had told me, but now I had PROOF they'd lied to me. My parents weren't nameless and they probably weren't killed by Sir Taliesin Alaistair either. I was pretty certain my mother was dead, but I had no idea about my father's whereabouts. But then came the biggest surprise of my life up to that point. "It's Alaistair. Your father's name is Taliesin Alaistair. Do you know anything about him?" ........ My life was a lie up to this point. I'd expected they weren't being honest about my parentage, but I had NEVER even IMAGINED that the deceptions had gone that far. "I.. yes, a bit." I responded. "What d'you know?" Vanasha asked curiously. "I was told that.. that he was a mostly average man in fey nobility, until his betrothed broke their engagement off. I had been told that he killed my parents, but that would be at least half impossible if he's still alive." And then we were.. outside. This forbidden world, just outside my reach all those years.. and now I was out. I blinked because of how very truly bright it was, and shielded my face with a hand. And then I took in my surroundings. There was the sky, a deeper blue then pictures had ever done justice, and.. just the AIR was.. free-er, I guess. It smelled amazing out here, not musty or like metal or anything. Just, free. I had my beloved Crispin under my shirt, hidden from prying and potentially harmful eyes. I.. I had this odd lightness in my chest. I had never felt anything like it before, I.. I think it may have been called hope. Was this hope?