Isolated

Cerys lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. She couldn't stop thinking about Ryu Barron, the man who had saved her life and then left her locked in this room. She couldn't help but wonder about his past and how he had survived all these years, despite being rumored to have died in the battle of the Dahilaki. How had he stayed young when the people who he had fought with had all died from old age?

She had noticed the gloomy darkness that seemed to emit from him when he was close, the blank look in his dark red eyes. What had he given up for immortality? Still, it doesn't concern her. He had his troubles, he had helped her in the forest but he was still a dangerous sadist who wanted to use her for his gain. She would not allow that. She would not be used and then left battered.

Cerys has come to realize that even though she was reborn, she was still human. They have magic but they are all human. Weak and mortal. But Ryu was different. Very much different.

Cerys groaned and turned on her side, she stared into the darkness before eventually falling asleep.

As the days went by, Cerys grew increasingly restless. She tried to explore the room, but it was small and there was little to see. She passed the time by reading the books on the shelf, but her mind kept wandering back to Ryu. She wondered where he had gone and why he hadn't come back. He had not let her out, the door was always shut with a key. She wondered if this was her punishment for running away.

The maids came in to clean, there was a little cubicle that had a bathroom for her to bathe. It wasn't the fanciest but it was enough to make her clean. She ate little as her appetite was lost. She felt lost and alone. Sometimes she wakes up in the middle of the night sweating, her heart beating anxiously as she had nightmares of her time in prison. Of the drugs that she had injected into her system in the past only to fall into unconsciousness.

Cerys hated the dim room, she hated the dark, and she hated being alone. That was why she drank and drank. She was always alone and now it was no different just in a different body. She had wept, trying to forget. Trying to clean her mind from the past, from the whips from prison, from the rapes and the scars. She felt dirty. Always dirty.

One day, Cerys heard a noise outside the door. She sat up, hoping it was Ryu returning to check on her. But when the door opened, it was just one of the maids coming in to deliver her food.

"Is everything all right?" the maid asked, noticing Cerys' anxious expression.

"I'm fine," Cerys said, trying to sound convincing.

The maid nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her. Cerys slumped back onto the bed, feeling more alone than ever. She wasn't fine. Not in this dark.

Days turned into weeks, and Cerys began to lose track of time. She wasn't sure how long she had been in this room, but it felt like an eternity. She started to feel like she was going crazy, trapped in this tiny space with nothing to do but think. She had read all the books that were placed on her table. Read and read, the maids did not bring any new fictional romance books or historical books. Most of the time they just ignored her as if she was nothing but an irrelevant person who they have been told to take off.

Then, one day, the door opened again.

A lady tall and slender, with long brown curly hair that cascaded down her back in waves, sashayed in. Her eyes were a striking blue, like the ocean on a clear day. She carried herself with grace and elegance, and Cerys couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated by the beauty.

She was holding a tray with a cup.

"I believe you must be Cerys," She said, her voice smooth and musical. "I brought you some tea as a hello gift."

Cerys hesitated, unsure if she should drink it. She feared that she might be poisoned, maybe they wanted to give her a slow poison to choke her slowly to death.

The lady rolled her eyes, she took the cup from the tray and took a sip, smacking her lips together.

"See, I didn't die" She handed the cup to her.

"Thank you," Cerys said, accepting the cup.

The lady sat down in a chair next to the bed, watching as Cerys sipped the tea. Cerys couldn't help but notice how poised and graceful Morgan was. Her legs were crossed, and she wore a dress that was all too revealing but it fitted her curvy body more.

After a few moments of silence, she spoke again. "I hope you're feeling better," she said. "Ryu can be a bit rough around the edges, but most of the time he means well"

Cerys wanted to scoff, unsure of how to respond. He had locked her here for weeks, that's a sign to show he doesn't mean well one bit. It was a punishment to her. His newfound pet. A sadist. That's all.

"Oh my!" The lady said in a surprised voice, Cerys jerked her head towards her. "I haven't introduced myself yet"

Cerys raised an eyebrow. "You are a bit over dramatic about it" her voice coming out a bit harsher than she intended.

"Hmm, true. But that's me. Lady of expressions" she winked. "My name is Morgan by the way. Morgan Barron. Ryu's elder sister"

Cerys frowned. "You were proclaimed dead. You and your court." That was what Cerys had read when she was checking for other bloodlines connected to Ryu. His entire family was proclaimed dead, everyone dead.

Morgan chuckled. "Your stories are very interesting down there in the Crystal Region isn't it?"

Cerys shrugged. "I recently gained my sight and still taking in as much information as I can"

"Well, as you can see Ryu and I are very much alive. Our court is alive." She ran her hand through her hair "We are just stuck in between times" Morgan murmured but Cerys heard making her frown deepen.

"Most people spread rumors about his estate crawling with cockroaches and rats due to the absence of people. That his kingdom was in anarchy and very dangerous. That most people have traveled here and never came back. Messengers, traders, none came back"

Morgan shrugged. "No one has stepped foot into our lands in centuries. You are the first. Pirates spread rumors. People talk nonsense when they are bored. You are here, have you been bothered by any rats and cockroaches?"

"Not really. Surprised though. It was also written in the books that your kingdom no longer existed"

"Well…that might be true. Who knows?"

"You are making me more confused," Cerys said, dropping the empty cup off the shelf beside her bed.

"Somethings does not concern you Lady Cerys, daughter of the snow"

Cerys coughed. "Daughter of the snow?"

Morgan nodded. "Just as you have your rumors, we have ours. Just a little gossip to keep ourselves entertained. We assume that the family from the Crystal house are children of the snow. Since ice and crystals were their power. Can you create snow?" She asked innocently.

Cerys shook her head. "No. It seems I have lost my power" Which is the truth. Cerys lost her powers when she died and Eloise does not know how to wield magic.

"I see. Was expecting to see one. We heard about your sister pushing you off the stairs. Must have stung"

Cerys looked at her incredulously. "How do you know that if you do not have messengers coming here or out? I am still a bit confused"

Morgan chuckled. "All in due time"

She stood up from the stool she had sat on, her eyes lingering on the books on her table. "I heard you needed some new books. I would let the maids bring you some. Do you have a specific one you would like?" Cerys shook her head. "Alright. It was nice meeting you, Cerys. Hope to see you soon, maybe out of this room"

"Why can't I be out of this room now? Am I a prisoner? I need fresh air and that little window is not enough in this darkness"

Morgan smiled. "He will be back soon. I hope I can help you. Just exercise a bit of patience"

She turned and left.

Mystery upon mystery. Truth, half-truth, lies. Everything mixed. Cerys hated this. Hated the silence.

That was until she heard the noise, in the dark and quiet room she heard a faint shuffling noise coming from the corner of the room. She froze, her heart racing with fear. The noise continued, growing louder and more persistent. Her imagination ran wild with thoughts of monsters and intruders lurking in the shadows. It wouldn't be hard, anything can happen in this God-forsaken kingdom she had landed herself in.

As she sat there, paralyzed with fear, the shuffling noise suddenly stopped. After a few moments of tense silence, she took a deep breath and summoned up the courage to investigate. She slowly turned her head to look in the direction of the noise, her eyes straining to see through the darkness.

To her great relief, she saw the source of the noise - a small, black cat had been slowly and quietly walking across the room. The cat had now stopped and was looking up at her with its big, curious eyes. Cerys let out a deep breath and smiled, feeling silly for having been so scared.

"I wonder how you got here, you cute little thing. Can't believe I was scared of you. Did you sneak in through the maid's laundry basket?"

She reached out a hand to the cat, and it tentatively approached her, purring softly. She picked the cat up and held it close, feeling its warmth and soft fur. As she sat there in the dark room, holding the cat, she felt a sense of comfort and companionship that she had been missing.

It was short-lived. The cat suddenly hissed at her and used his claws to cause a scratch on the back of her hand making her let it go. Cerys watched as the cat darted out the window, her heart sinking with disappointment. She had been so excited at the thought of having a pet to keep her company in this lonely room, but the cat had dashed her hopes.

She looked down at her scratched hand, wincing at the pain. The wound wasn't deep, but it stung nonetheless. Cerys felt the pain straight to her brain.

She looked down at her hand, the wound was festering. Different from a normal cat's scratch. She saw the way it darkened, and the dark pus that flowed out.

Cerys' eyes widened. She rushed towards the door, she felt dizzy. So dizzy. Weak. She needed to sleep. She lazily knocked on the door before eventually giving out to whatever darkness that reached to her.