Snow lay down for a long time, long enough for his shivers to stop and thoughts to quite but he didn't dare to go close to the small, dirty bed Master give him.
He cursed his body and failure, the image of his Master disappointed face, filled with anger and disgust as well, made him shiver in fear this time, closing his legs with difficulty. He didn't like punishments, they always made him feel like he was eaten from the inside and bile would always rise up in his throat.
He was filthy. Despite his white skin and smooth body, he was so, so dirty.
Snow curled up further, knees closer to his chest, the costume he wore stuck to his body from sweat and dirt. The tingle of coins made him exhale easier before he closed his eyes, remaining still for a long time, waiting for his Master.
He needed to come, right?
----
Master didn't return for a long time and Snow didn't dare to move from his spot. The door opened letting inside people he was familiar with and people he couldn't, wasn't allowed to talk with. It was a shame really, because their eyes were so warm and sad that the only thing he wanted to do was hug them.
Somehow Snow know that hugs were a good thing. Even though he was never hugged before.
The woman that come in, together with a couple of young girls that must have been her nephews, had her hair covered with a grey cloth. The girls behind her were carrying a large chest, boring looking and heavy by the thud it left behind. They were dressed similarly with the woman they come with but unlike her, they were quite talkative.
Their slightly high pitched voices were soft in the large room (cell) but they were comforting for numerous reasons.
The most important would be that they were the ones that would bring his meals after doing good work. Snow would make sure he would clean the plate at each meal, he was never sure when the next one will come.
Another reason was because they were the ones that would dress him up for his dances, which means Master give him another change. There was another crowd waiting for him! he can do better!
Much stronger than he thought he would be, Snow uncurled himself from his position and tried to get up just for one of the girls to hurry at his side.
'' Stay there, Snow, it's okay.'' she said, hand wavering above his head before retreating and going back at the other girl side
'' There's is time, child.'' the older woman said and not for the first time, Snow wished he could know their names. He wished they could have told him their names at the beginning or any other time, just so he could put a name, a title for their faces.
But they never told him and he never....asked it himself? Why didn't he though? He could have just...ask.
'Right?' Snow thought to himself, shifting his body on the ground so he could see them better
'' Name?'' Snow leaned back startled at the foreign voice, deep and gravel that it made him cower away before he realized, foolishly, that he got scared by his own voice. Ashamed at the sound, so unlike how he needed to be, not soft and delicate or even mellow like honey.
The girls shocked hiss made him look up again, white hair stopping half of his vision till he glanced at the older woman, breathing shocked as well.
The woman looked sad, beyond sad, shocked and teary eyed with something unfamiliar for Snow behind her eyes.
'' My name is Anaya, child.'' warm brown eyes looked at him before the woman smiled thinly when Snow stopped hiding behind his hair
'' And I'm Aleeza, her older sister.'' the brunette with bluish eyes said smiling brightly at him, shifting in her place, knocking her elbow on the other girl side
'' Olivia.'' with hair similar with her sister and eyes the same as her possible grandmother, the girl smiled shily at him, a soft smile tugging on her lips
'' Let's begin then.'' Ayana said making the girls look at her startled
'' But-'' Aleeza begin looking from Snow to the woman in disbelieve
'' We will begin now.'' Ayana repeated making Snow tilt his head confused at them. Maybe his abnormal voice made them startled, made them afraid? It's no wonder he didn't talk before, his Master must have been the only one that could bear with him.
Hesitating and with trembling lips, Aleeza and Olivia opened the wide chest and Ayana approached him to take off his clothes. It was a routine, calming despite his naked state before them and Snow didn't stop Ayana from lifting him off the ground with a barely there touch and begin stripping him of his last, now destroyed costume.
'' Here it is.'' Olivia toke out a white costume, see through like all the others he wore before, though a single detail made him look uncertain at it.
There were no coins where the waist or his chest should be. While Olivia and Aleeza worked the costume on him, barely there touches on his skin, Snow tried to convince himself that the lack of coins didn't bother him.
That it didn't make him uneasy the absence of the familiar, comforting sound.
Swift movements and soft chatter made him stay relaxed though the frown on his face when he moved his hips and no sound come was clearing noticed but not pointed out.
'' Master said that you should stay on your bed till he comes to get you, Snow.'' Olivia said in a quiet, soft and slightly trembling voice. Her voice was perfect, delicate and not at all how Snow voice come out when he tried talking. He wished for a voice like that.
Her statement though, made him look at the room (cell) corner where a small, round bed was leaning on the wall. While he walked to it and carefully took a seat, he didn't even notice Olivia and Aleeza walked out of the room (cell) and were waving at him.
'' Be strong, child.'' Ayana said in a firm voice making him look up at him. His next crowd must be big then, though she never said those words before.
The door closed behind her and Snow remained in his room (cell), waiting for his Master to get him for the next crowd.