13 The performance

They walked on the same street again and Eris felt some sort of guilt. She could have been just like them. Out in the cold, death being closer and closer.

"You have to see this place. They have so many exotic women in there. And they keep expanding. It's totally different from the women at the village." Eris overheard a conversation as they passed by two men. Their voices were filled with hunger and lust. Their laughter echoed in her. They just walked past her yet she felt so weak and small.

"Don't mind them" Edeltria whispered as she placed a hand on Eris' shoulder. But it didn't feel comforting. The thought that they were on their way to that place, using others as they please. As if they are just toys. The fire within her burned but it wasn't enough for her to fight back. Her gaze softened as she watched the people on the street, trying to warm themselves. Eris made a small hand gesture and a small campfire appeared in front of them. Hopefully she was able to help them slightly…

Back at the tavern, Eris and Edeltria got changed. Edeltria's dress was beige and brown with green details while Eris' was white with red details. Eris couldn't help but do a twirl, the skirt spread out with the spin and then fell down when she stopped. The sleeves were long as well.

"Zeena has always been good at making dresses. It's a shame she's stuck making dresses for the brothel. They keep getting ripped so it's a waste of fabric and money to try and make anything fancy" Edeltria sighed as she began to paint her face. Eris bit her lip and clenched her fists. It didn't feel good thinking about it. It didn't feel right how casually Edeltria spoke about it either.

Brem stepped inside and had a warm smile. He made a brief summary about what he spoke about with the owner before he began to braid Eris' hair.

"He won't lend us any rooms? Or give us food? Nothing?"

"Nothing… I tried to come up with a compromise but nothing worked. He heard from a noble that he was tricked and you know. The usual. News spread fast" Edeltria sighed the groaned.

"He also mentioned that if we weren't good performers in the first place, he would send the guards at us" Brem added and was soon finished with Eris' hairdo.

"So what he is doing us a''favour ``?'' She rolled her eyes and made a simple braid with her hair. Eris was silent for most of the conversation. But the fire within her only grew bigger.

"Nobles and people with more wealth think they can just control us like puppets. I am tired of that." Edeltria stood up and adjusted her dress.

"Let's give them a show then"

The three of them stood on stage. Brem was playing the lute and Edeltria was singing. The melody was relaxing and their voices together sounded like harmony. Eris felt like an outsider. Standing at the back of the stage, the audience staring at her. She felt disgusted. Watched by hundreds of eyes, who knows what they are thinking of. The hunger in their eyes. Piercing through them. Eris felt like she was slipping away from reality the more she watched and observed, feeling uncomfortable and unnatural.

"Relax~ Let me handle it" Evodine's soothing voice echoed through her ears and she closed her eyes, letting go of her body, letting go of her control. Her body became a puppet, a puppet to Evodine…

Time passed by, how much she didn't remember. She regained consciousness after the applause and cheer began to die down. Edeltria and Brem bowed one last time before leaving the stage.

"That was really amazing Eris, I didn't know you had a talent for that!" Edeltria had a large smile on her face but Eris didn't say anything. She looked at her mark as she felt aching in her heart. Even Evodine treated her like a puppet even though they have vowed to each other that both of them serve and both of them rule. Eris looked to her side where Brem would be but he wasn't. She stopped and tried to search for him. He was surrounded by women in pretty dresses, their hands roaming around him. They hugged him, held onto his arm and whispered into his ear. But he didn't seem to enjoy it, his expression showed discomfort.

Eris turned to Edeltria but she also disappeared from her side, talking and flirting with a man. She felt like a prey, waiting to be devoured. She quickly tried to get back to their dressing room but someone grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer to them.

"I haven't seen you around her before. Where are you from?" The touch from his hand made Eris' wrist burn. No matter how good Edeltria was at disguise, up close this man probably has noticed all of her ugly features... But the man kept pulling her closer. His hand moved towards her cheek, his thumb stroking where her scales are.

"What are you? A siren? Or some sort of dragon born? No…" He took a deep breath, his smile grew more and more twisted.

"It must be something with the sea…" Eris clenched her fist, her mind becoming blurry. All she could think about was to get away, run away. She kept clenching her fist until the man moved even closer, his lips only a few inches away from her skin, that was the last drop and her fist soon met the man's face. She felt power as she watched the man stumble back and fall down. She regained some of the control she has had. But the fire inside of her was still raging. This wasn't enough… Taking a step closer, she summed a flame in her hand. Soon all that would be left of him would be burnt flesh.

"Eris!" A voice called out to her. Unsure whose it was but for just a second, she looked around for Cashimir. But she only met the fearful eyes of Brem. The flame vanished and her body began to feel shaky and weak. Her eyes moved around the tavern. Everyone was watching once again, judging her and having unknown thoughts. She looked at the man on the floor who only had a playful smirk on his lips but no one paid attention to that. No one sees the hidden monsters among them, only ponting at Eris.

She couldn't take it, the thoughts, the burden. So she ran out as she was questioning herself. Was she really the monster? She imagined and fantasized about burning the man, taking his life. If Brem didn't call out to her, would she have done it?

Her legs didn't manage to take her too far, her body already felt weak and shaky and the cold didn't help either. Looking around she was surprised that she recognised where she was. The same street where the poor souls were. In the cold, in front of the brothel. Eris wandered, looking for them but she didn't see any of them. Not yet…