The Tower is the same as it is every day.
The same octagon-shaped quarters, the same long windows, the same lighting, and the same heavy black iron shackles.
Adela sits in a corner of her sleeping quarters, looking out through the window. The shackles around her wrists and ankles are so big they look comical. Held together by a thin black chain, the combined weights are nearly a ton. The girl wears a simple white shirt tucked into high waisted baggy black cargo pants held around her waist by a belt, bound at her ankles. She wore no shoes.
Adela lifted a hand and tucked a stray piece of her hair behind her ear. It was a beautiful golden brown that didn't quite brush the top of her shoulders, devoid of tangles in the thick, wavy strands. She had bright, practically glowing cyan eyes, with pupils in the shape of a star.
There was a knock on the huge, black door behind her.
Adela didn't reply. It didn't matter what she said. Whoever wanted to come in would come whether she said yes or no.
There was a loud clicking sound, followed by a shifting sound, and then the door made a whole matter of noises, steadily traveling from the top of the door to the bottom. After about a minute, the door was pushed open by the two burly guards that stood outside her tower. They had arms as big as her thighs and were the only ones strong enough to open her door.
"Ms. Adela, I have brought you your water and food." A man called into the room.
Adela recognized him as the same man who had brought her food earlier. He was tall and burly, with long black hair hanging down to his waist and a sharp jaw. He wore a chainmail shirt and black trousers.
"Leave it on the table." She said finally. Her voice was deep and gravelly, though it was more from neglect than anything.
The man obliged and quickly left the room. The guards quickly pulled the door closed again behind him. Adela was alone. Again.
The sky was a heavy grey, like it was sad for her.
Adela wasn't sad, though. It was the same as always, trapped and chained day and night in the Crescent Tower.
☪
"Adela, where are you going?" Atticus asked.
Adela turned to her older brother with a huge smile on her face. "It's a surprise, doof."
"I don't like surprises." He said, scrunching up his face.
Adela laughed. "Too bad. I'll be back soon, silly goose."
Atticus smiled back. "If you're not back in two days, then I'm going to search for you myself."
Adela shrugged. "Sounds fair enough."
Atticus was leaning forward on the ground, arms wrapped around himself. His tears mixed with the pouring rain. His face was scrunched up in pain.
"Adela, come back." He whispered.
Adela shot up in bed, her mind scrambled.
Looking around, Adela realized she had no idea where she was. It was dark outside the window, rain hitting it gently.
All Adela knew was the weight of the manacles around her wrists and feet, glowing a bright red. Adela yelled, trying to throw them off of her. She needed them off. She needed them off. She needed them off.
They were too heavy to be able to move easily, and too tightly bound around her wrists to slide them off. Adela screamed at the top of her lungs, the sound more animal than human.
The small chain holding her manacles together shattered into dust at the sound of her voice.
Rolling around on the ground, Adela attempted to get them off once more. They glowed even brighter, almost blinding her. She spotted a glass filled with water, and snatched it off of a table. Holding tightly, she slammed it into the manacle on her wrists. It broke, shards piercing her skin and drawing blood, but her chains were completely fine.
Adela screamed again, and all the glass in the room shattered, including the window. She heard the heavy black iron door start to open, and bolted for the window.
"Stop!" Someone yelled, and Adela stopped at the edge of the windowsill. The drop to the ground was so far down she couldn't make it out in the rain and darkness. She took no notice of the glass shards sinking into her bare feet.
Just as she was about to let herself drop out of the window, hands painfully gripped her upper arms, pulling her back.
Adela writhed and screamed, trying to free herself from the grasp. "Stop! Atticus!"
The guards dragged her back, but Adela twisted and turned and bit one's neck, hard. They screamed as her teeth sank through flesh like it was nothing, and fell to the ground. Adela managed to wrench herself out of the grasp of the other one.
Running to the windowsill, Adela screamed impossibly louder than she had ever before.
"ATTICUS!"
Then, more guards grabbed her and she was taken away, still screaming his name.
In a forest made of gold with the sky as black as ink, a scream pierced the peaceful night air.
"ATTICUS!"
A man lifted his head, looking to the dark sky.
"Adela?"