New Cage (Chapter One)

"Look at her"

"I've never seen such a child before."

"It must be true then, her eyes say it all."

"She Alaina's daughter, then her father!"

"PLACES THE LORD IS COMING!"

They all scurry, I stood in the hall water dripping off my clothes. The door had shut behind me, lightning makes the ground shiver. In the bang and the flash of light the sound of the door opening was silenced. A tall man stands before me dressed elegantly, dark brown hair and grey eyes look down at me.

"You must be Roma."

"Yes my lord."

"You will behave in my home, you will not be given anything from me, and you will stay out of my sight. Understand."

"Yes my lord."

At eight my life had crumbled into a indistinguishable mess. My mother dead, my father took me in, but I would have been better alone. For these 9 years, I stayed in this cage. My cage. Locked in these walls hidden in the shadows, the dark consumed me. All I had left was my sword, my mothers sword. My only possession, my only memory of her I could continue to hold onto to remember happier days. When I wouldn't eat, sleep, or even touch the grass outside.

~~~

In the darkness of the basement only slivers of moon light illuminate my room. From the small window leveled at the ground, grass delicately held to the glass. I would remember the stories mother would tell me. Knights that come to save lady's and princesses from towers and monsters. She told me she was one one of those knights that saved her lord from monsters. Now she had to save me.

I wish she could save me now, from this pain in my chest, soreness in my throat, and ache in my soul. The loneliness, the cage I've been shut into.

Not only her, anyone, could I be fare enough to be saved?

Probably not, even my own blood hates me. I must be wrong, I must be repulsive.

~~~

"You are quite talented."

I jump in my skin, I grip my sword close to me, almost hiding it behind my back. I usually practiced in the basement, but father was down there drinking so I had to go somewhere no one would see me. Everone was supposed to stay inside.

"You look young to be employed as a knight here, tell me, who are you."

By his dress I could tell he was, clearly, a noble. I drop to one knee, I'd never learned noble educate but I had learned military educate. I lower my head, the way my mother taught me.

"I am Roma, the daughter of the Duke."

"I thought Daniel didn't have children..."

"I am an illegitimate child, I am only here because my mother is no longer here with us."

"You're father must be proud to have such a talented daughter."

I hesitate, stand, and speak," I-I must be going now goodbye."

I wasn't ever supposed to be seen, now here I was. I start to get away when he takes my hand. I turn and for the first time I look him in the face. White hair brushed neatly, blue eyes looking down on me.

"My prince?"

"Yes, tell me Roma, if I asked, would you let me come see you again?"

"W-well..."

"Prince Luca! Come have a drink with us."

I spot other men coming," I apologize."

I pull away and run towards the back door. That wouldn't be the last time I would see the prince.

~~~

The next time we meet I was meditating under the shade of a large tree. I was training my aura. Aura is a magic with an elemental affinity most nobles have such a magic though minute. And sometimes commoners will rarely have it. Mine was a fire core aura and a marshal arts combination. It was what made me so adept at the sword, like my mother.

"Hello again."

I open my eyes again with a jump.

"Greetings my prince," I say bowing my head to the ground.

"No need to bow lady Roma."

I stand," I'm no lady my prince."

"Your presence says otherwise," he hold out his hand and a man appears from nowhere next to him, "Fight."

"Fight?"

The man springs forward and I dodged to the side.

"Hold on, I don't want to fight anyone."

"I order you. You wouldn't want to disobey my request would you?"

I hesitated dodging the mans attack, I'm not letting this become a problem later. I draw my sword and parry the short sword coming my way. I began to easily push him back. His movement become stronger, the prince waves his hand, I barely catch him. The man is stronger and faster. He has to be earth, and the prince used his wind aura to speed him up. I stress my body building energy and do my best to avoid attacks. He gets around me to my blind spot. My Aura condenses into a shield, he is taken by surprise and I slash at him. He moves but to late. I cut him down the side of his torso. He jumps back and I'm done charging. Blue streams of electricity wrap around my body, clinging and quickly jumping from place to place.

"Surrender."

He wavers looking at the prince. I slash my sword pointing it to the ground. Blue lightning strikes at his feet with a bang. The ground quivers, he looks back over to me.

"Your fight is with me, do you wish to surrender? Or face me."

Bolts of lightning lick my skin and dance across the ground. He starts to sweat, I lift my arm up, pointing my sword to the sky.

"...."

"All right, that's enough, dispel Roma," the prince says.

I sigh slinging my arm to the side and quickly sheathing my sword with a crackle. I let my aura dispel, and the sound of thunder shakes the ground once more.

"I really shouldn't even be known about, I hope you know that." I turn to walk back inside, father would be outside to ride soon.

"Roma, I'll be back soon, trust me when I tell you that."

With that I didn't even have to tell him to leave or run away from him this time, he left without another word and his words lingering in the silence.