''''
Dear Diary,
This is Aeryn again, I am turning 9 years old today.
Life has been the same for me and my brother Valen.
Ever since mom left us after giving birth to him, I've been working hard to raise little Val. I promised her I would look after him, so she should come back soon... right?
I miss my mom...
She used to comb my hair every day and feed me with her warm hands.
Now that she has left, I realize how great she was. She could make money from selling hats and use that money to buy things, then put them into a pot and swooossh! it becomes a tasty food to eat.
She was the one who taught me how to weave straws into hats and make everything beautiful with my hands.
A man from the village gives me the straws I need in exchange for 30 hats each month, but I can't eat them—they're not tasty at all. I wish my mom were here to teach me how to sell them as well.
I can't sell them well, but I try harder every day. I also can't make food as well as she did.
Life is really the same... it's very hard to survive from the hunger every day and little Val is always crying.
Please return to us, Mom. We really need you... I need you.
''''
Aeryn finished writing in her book, her only friend she could talk with. The sun was about to rise, and she needed to find a better spot to sell her hats.
"Let's go, Val, a new day awaits us," she said softly, glancing at her 1-year-old baby brother, who was peacefully asleep.
She fixed her hair, then gently lifted her brother and placed him in the casket. Gripping the cart handle, she began pulling it along.
"Ugggh!" she grunted, straining as she used all her strength to move the heavy cart forward.
"Come, come! Please, buy a straw hat to protect yourself from the cold winds, only 0.5 G!" she shouted with enthusiasm, but her voice was soon lost amidst the noise of the crowded square.
She pondered on what to do, as she couldn't raise her voice out loud no matter how many times she tried. She lacked the energy to speak any louder.
Just then, the market square grew quieter, and every person's gaze shifted toward a man walking toward the stalls. He was surrounded by three gorgeous ladies and a couple of men in black suits.
The man carried himself with a noble air, his appearance striking and commanding. His sharp features and confident posture drew the attention of everyone around him. With an aura of authority and charisma, he moved through the crowd effortlessly, as the people instinctively made way for him. There was no mistaking his importance—he was a figure used to being admired and respected.
Aeryn watched as the crowd parted for the man, his presence commanding silence. She had never seen anyone like him, his aura of power making her feel small.
One of the women clung to him, her voice filled with admiration. "Oh Lord Arkheim, your presence here has silenced the bustling market."
He smiled faintly, acknowledging her words without speaking, moving gracefully as the crowd continued to part before him.
Aeryn watched Arkheim with a captivated gaze, her thoughts racing as she observed his noble demeanor and the women surrounding him. She felt certain that he was a very wealthy man.
'I can sell some of my best hats to him and the women by his side. Maybe the two men with him will follow and buy as well,' she thought, her heart filling with hope. This was her chance to make a good sale.
The market remained eerily silent, the vendors and crowd only speaking when Arkheim or one of the women asked them something. Yet Aeryn, too young to understand the unspoken rules of fear and respect, approached the young man without hesitation.
Arkheim's gaze fell on the small girl as she stepped forward, holding a handful of hats adorned with simple ribbons.
"Good-looking Sir, would you like to buy these hats? They are only 1 G each," Aeryn said with a warm smile, holding up the hats for him to see.
Arkheim sneered inwardly. 'She expects me to buy these worthless hats? She must not know who I am,' he thought. Just as he was about to decline, one of his bodyguards stepped forward, positioning himself between them.
"Little girl, you can't speak with our master. Please leave," the man in the suit said in a professional tone.
SLAP
Arkheim's hand lashed out, striking the bodyguard across the face. "You're stepping in only now? What were you doing when she walked so close to me? Are you even a decent bodyguard?" he demanded with a frown.
The second guard rushed forward, speaking in a hurried tone. "But sir, we were called by lady—"
SLAP
"SILENCE!" Arkheim hissed, his voice sharp with anger. "Do you know who you're arguing with? I am Arkheim Von Nebulius, the direct descendant of the Great Nebulius clan. How dare you show disrespect to me?" His sneer deepened, his fury directed at the guards.
The two men cowered, lowering their heads in shame.
"Lord Arkheim, please forgive them. We had them occupied with our shopping," pleaded one of the three women, her red hair glinting in the light.
"Yes, Lord Arkheim. If they're gone, how will we complete our floor quest?" added another, her green hair swaying as she spoke.
At her words, whispers rippled through the crowd. Arkheim's sharp ears caught fragments of their murmurs.
"Is the young lord actually weak that he needs others to clear the first floor?"
"Shush! What if he hears you?"
Arkheim's teeth clenched in anger. These people dared to disrespect him, and it all stemmed from the little girl standing before him.
Aeryn staggered back, her legs trembling as Arkheim's glare pinned her in place. Before she could retreat further, his hand shot out, gripping her neck and lifting her effortlessly off the ground.
"Do you not know what you have done? Where are your parents? Call them before I decide to kill you!" His voice boomed, silencing the murmurs of the crowd as Aeryn's tears spilled uncontrollably.
She clawed at his hand, gasping for air, but her words caught in her throat.
"WHERE ARE YOUR PARENTS?!" he roared again, his anger growing with her silence. With a sneer of disgust, he flung her aside.
Her small body crashed into a nearby stall, scattering wooden plates and trinkets. The crowd gasped, stepping back in shock. The stall owner froze, then hurriedly moved aside, too afraid to intervene.
As Arkheim turned to leave, the third woman of the group, an amber-haired woman, spoke with shock and disappointment. "Nooo! That store had a beautiful flower I wanted to buy!"
"Jez, that shop sells woodcrafts, not flowers," the green-haired woman pointed out in confusion.
"I know, but I wanted the flower attached to that cart," Jessica replied with a pout, her eyes shifting to Arkheim. "Lord Arkheim, can you get me a flower like that? Please?" she pleaded, her voice sweet and coaxing.
Arkheim sighed, turning to the shopkeeper, his gaze sharp and expectant.
The shopkeeper bowed quickly, his voice trembling. "I'm sorry, sir. The fantasia flower is rare, grown on the upper floors. It's said to bring good luck. I only managed to buy it from a traveling vendor... I don't have another one."
"Tsk." Arkheim clicked his tongue, turning back to Jessica. Before he could respond, she stomped her foot, her expression turning petulant.
"So, does that mean the little ant stole my luck? Unacceptable!" Jessica declared, marching toward the wrecked stall.
She sifted through the broken wood until she found the weathered purple flower. Holding it up, she turned to Arkheim with wide, tearful eyes. "Lord Arkheim, this girl stole all my luck! Please punish her!"
Arkheim stared at her, dumbfounded by her logic. Before he could dismiss the matter, murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"Do you think Lord Arkheim will punish the girl or admit it was his fault?"
"Of course, he won't admit it. He'll just give her a light punishment."
Arkheim's teeth clenched, the whispers cutting into his pride. Though infuriating, there was a grain of truth in their words. He found himself at an impasse, his irritation mounting.
'So annoying. Why did things have to spiral out of control from the start?' he thought, his frustration simmering.
"Bring the girl," he ordered.
The unconscious Aeryn was dragged to the center of the square, her small frame limp and battered. Arkheim's cold gaze swept over her as he spoke, his voice devoid of emotion.
"All this chaos began because she dared to speak to someone far above her status. Therefore, I order you both to punish her with
The guards froze, their faces paling at the command. They exchanged uneasy glances, their honor as knights clashing with their duty to obey. The punishment Arkheim demanded was severe—far beyond what a child could endure.
"Sir, with respect—" one of the guards began, his voice hesitant.
But before he could finish, Jessica stepped forward, her tone sharp and cutting.
"Do you dare defy your master? You, a mere guard? Your place is to follow Lord Arkheim's orders, not question them. He is far wiser than your entire family combined," she sneered, her eyes narrowing as she silenced the protest.
The guard's jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. He bowed his head reluctantly, swallowing his protest. The other guard mirrored his gesture, their sense of honor crushed beneath the weight of their duty.
Arkheim watched them, his expression unreadable, as the tension in the square grew unbearable.
Before hundreds of onlookers, Aeryn stirred awake, her lips trembling as the sharp needle pierced through them. The thread, a deep purple, glinted faintly as it was pulled tight, sealing her mouth shut.
Aeryn had already slipped into unconsciousness, yet tears continued to stream down her face, her body trembling faintly from the unbearable pain. Even in her unconscious state, soft whimpers escaped her lips, a haunting echo of her suffering.
As the final stitch was tied, sealing her voice forever, her fragile form went completely still. The crowd held their breath, the oppressive silence more deafening than any sound. Aeryn's small figure lay motionless, her cries now a memory, her voice lost to the cruelty she had endured.
******
"And that is basically how things had unfolded", Buer spoke in his usual calm, but there was a hint of something hidden beneath his expression, it seemed a bit sad.
Nathan and Dante, having heard the story, clenched their fists tightly. Their eyes were fixed on the girl, who quietly ate the mashed fruits through the small gaps in her mouth, her silence heavy with the weight of her suffering.
When Aeryn heard Buer narrating her past, a wave of trauma surged through her, her mind spiraling into a panic attack. The memories of the pain and helplessness flooded back, and her heart raced in fear.
But before the overwhelming emotions could consume her, Nathan pulled her close into a warm embrace. His voice, steady and full of confidence, cut through the storm in her mind.
"It is alright," he whispered softly, "I am here now."