Alice's eyes fluttered open, and she found herself in a dimly lit dungeon cell. The worn and damp bricks sent a chill through her body, causing her to shiver involuntarily. Confusion and fear swirled in her mind, and she couldn't make sense of her surroundings. She approached the cell bars and tried to take a peek at her surroundings.

A voice, unfamiliar to Alice, broke the silence. "Don’t worry... it's all right," the voice said, attempting to offer comfort.

Alice turned her head, her eyes landing on a young woman in her twenties. The woman had dark skin and abundant brown hair, dressed in blue marine trousers and a red puffed-shoulders shirt.

Alice looked at her while trying to stop shivering. Although she wasn’t sure if it was fear or simply cold that she felt

"Please, don't be scared," Gisèle said softly. She approached Alice with a gentle smile, her eyes filled with empathy.

Alice frowned, her body still trembling. "Who are you?" she stammered.

The young woman reached out and patted Alice's head. "Nice to meet you, I'm Gisèle."

Confused and frightened, Alice couldn't help but ask the question that plagued her mind. "What am I doing here?" Her voice faltered, her agitation bubbling close to the surface.

"You are in the castle of Lady Habondia. We are floating above the clouds," Gisèle explained, her voice soothing. She hoped her words would alleviate Alice's distress.

"Lady what?" Alice's voice trembled as she pushed herself away from the cell's iron bars.

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Gisèle smiled, backing away and trying to keep her distance. "Lady Habondia doesn't want to hurt you. We don’t want to hurt you. She'll let you go soon."

Tears welled up in Alice's eyes, and she couldn't hold them back any longer. She began to cry, her emotions overwhelming her. "Why am I here?" she sobbed, her voice laced with pain and confusion. She flattened herself against the wall, staring at Gisèle with desperation. "Where is my dad?"

Gisèle tried to calm Alice, offering words of reassurance. "It's okay, no need to be afraid."

"Where is my dad?" she yelled. “Dad, Dad!”

Frustration and fear consumed Alice, and she couldn't contain her emotions any longer. "Why am I in a cell?" she cried out, her voice cracking.

Gisèle sighed, realizing the need for a more detailed explanation. "It's fine, just quiet down, and I'll explain everything," Gisèle said, her tone gentle yet firm.

Alice's anger simmered beneath the surface as she glared at Gisèle. Her voice crackled with intensity. "Let me go," she demanded.

Just as Alice's desperation threatened to consume her, another young woman approached. She held a wooden tray, filled with comforting food. However, when she noticed Alice's tears, her expression shifted to one of concern. "What's the matter?" she asked, her voice filled with genuine care.

Alice's anger flared as she lashed out. "How do you expect me not to cry? I'm being held hostage!" Her voice reverberated off the dungeon walls as she pressed herself against the cold stone.

“We’re not here to hurt you,” the newcomer said. “Let me introduce myself, I’m Maaya.”

Maaya, the newcomer, wore a gray shirt. She approached the cell's iron bars; her eyes filled with compassion. She placed the tray on the ground, just within Alice's reach. The scent of scrambled eggs with bacon and sweet bread with strawberry jam wafted through the air, tempting Alice's senses.

"Please, eat something," Gisèle and Maaya said almost simultaneously.

Alice's anger slowly subsided as hunger gnawed at her stomach. She wiped away her tears, her trembling hands reaching for the food. She hesitated for a moment, her gaze shifting between the two women who had brought her this small comfort.

Finally, her resolve broke, and she decided to trust them, if only for a moment. With cautious movements, she began to eat.