"Ramonya Regis Ramae," the guard rolled her name on his tongue. His voice had an underlying anger, a filthy indulgence that made her skin crawl. He stood behind the metal bars of her cell, observing her like a cub in a cage. Something that exuded a deadliness behind a cute disposition. She wanted to gouge his eyes out. 

 The guard who had taken pleasure in watching her suffer with no food or water for three nights and days. "She's nothing special." 

A chuckle came from a table nearby. "You should have seen her before the torture," another guard mused. "She was quite the beauty. Such a shame she had to go and try to kill the future queen."

They shared in their laughter. The sound traveled through my cell and coiled around me. I had spent many years practicing the art of indifference and made sure to not let these moments etch into my heart. After all, the royal family's name was always on everyone's lips. There was nothing like getting joy from talking about the illegitimate daughter of the king. 

But not today. 

My stomach clawed at itself desperate for a meal. I would have screamed if not for the dryness in my throat from a lack of water. My lips had also completely cracked to the point of bleeding. The open wounds on my skin burnt and bled from the chains that held them up suspended above my head, while my knees dug into the grimy stone below my feet. 

I willed my mind to go silent and soon the laughter became a buzz and then faded into nothing. I was so very tired. 

"G-general Klaus," one of the guards stuttered a hint of surprise in the way he addressed him. 

At first, I thought I had heard the name wrong. 

"At ease, soldier."  There was rigid authority in the command. A juxtaposition to his smooth and melodic voice. These characteristics belonged to only one person. 

My eyes snapped open and my head whipped in his direction. 

There he stood. 

Klaus Armalli Seigfreid. 

Dressed in a black military uniform. I focused on the crest displayed on his right torso. It was a gold crown with a blade slashing through it and represented the Remayian royal family who I was the sole survivor of. I was looking at something that should have connected me to sadness or anger upon the deaths of my father and brother. Even now, there was nothing. I did not feel anything but bitterness for the life I lived around them. I had always seen them as everything else but family. I was completely detached. 

"Yes general." The Soldier stammers to get the cell door open, his fingers fumbling as he deals with the lock while Klaus waits. Eventually, he gets it open and Klaus doesn't acknowledge him further, his gaze snaking slowly to where I am in the cell. 

We lock eyes. He does not give away anything in the moment he looks at me before stepping into the cell. 

With an energy I did not know I had, my whole face contorted into one of poor seething. I hope he could see it in my eyes and feel it seep off my body in waves. My neck strains as I watch his movements. Why did this man have to be so tall? 

He stops in front of me before leaning down onto one knee, his face ending up at eye level to mine. I find I no longer have to tilt my head to communicate how I feel about him. A little part of me was relieved, but I would not feel grateful for anything Klaus did. 

"Why are you here?" I say through gritted teeth.  "Are you going to report back to your precious little sister?" I let out a bitter laugh from deep in my chest. "Or, " I emphasize the word, "are you here to gloat." 

I wait for a response. 

Still. He gives me nothing. 

He has always been this way. Never being swayed by others' emotions or taunts. His face of impassive perfection. 

"The king has given an order," he replies. Klaus then grabs my chin in a firm lock moving his eyes over every scar on my face. I attempt to pull away from him but he holds me still and sends a warning as he continues his observation before finally releasing me. 

He grips my arm next, and even though he is the last person I want to show weakness to, I can't help but flinch as my burns rub against the metal chains from the movement. Klaus takes note of it and starts inspecting the scars that scatter over my arms from the whip torture. 

"What has he decided then?" I ask, needing to take my mind off the fact his hands are on me for the first time. 

He ignores my question, instead deflecting with his own. "Have you eaten?" 

"What?" I blurt out, taken off guard. 

"Have they been giving you food?" 

I lick my lips. "They haven't given me food or water for three days." 

"General, sir," a guard interjects, "it has been decreed that she is not to get any provisions during this time." 

He takes one, last, good look at my face before rising from his crouching position to tower over me. Klaus turns to the guard. "Bring me food and water." 

"But sir-" 

"It is an order." 

"You would really go against the royal decree for her?"  The sleazy guard is no longer situated at the table but has made his way to stand alongside the other one, clearly challenging Klaus's rationale. He makes his way towards him and leans down with an intimidating aura,  as he says in a steely cold voice. "I will deal with the consequences, soldier. Just do as I order you.  Even this woman deserves her dignity even with her fate."  

His words create both an ache and a warmth in my chest. I couldn't quite place the feeling. 

All the bravado rushes from his face and he gives a silent nod. "Before you go, give me the keys." He does not question him this time handing it over and leaving to enact orders. 

Thirty minutes have passed. I'm now sitting in my cell with my hands unbound, golfing down some bread before moving on to the hot steamy soup broth.  I don't test for heat, digging straight in. It does burn my tongue but I don't care. Besides, it can never be as painful as the torture enacted on me these last three nights. I eat too fast and choke for a moment. 

I see Klaus's eyes dart in my direction, showing a fraction of worry before slipping back into the famous expression I detested. He sits cross-legged opposite me in silence, unwrapping bandages as I eat. The guards have left after dropping off the food. I noticed they also placed a tray on the table outside my cell. 

We are alone. 

There is a strange comfort in this moment I did not want to ponder on further. Klaus decides to break the silence first directing a question at me with a wairy tone. Possibly he was worried I would choose not to give him an answer. 

"Why did you go through with it? You're smart, Rionya. You would have known if you failed Tyrahnn would not let you live." 

I have reluctantly come to admit that Klaus has been the only person to have given me compassion other than my grandmother for the extent of my life.  I deem that I owe him a serious answer. 

"I did." 

I swallow another spoonful of soup, while I claw for the words. 

"I have only loved Tyrahhn my whole life... and he didn't... want me." 

I had already come to terms with it in my mind but hearing the confession on my lips caused all the raw feelings to rush back. 

"And I didn't want Myra to have him." 

He watched me with intensity as I spilled out my feelings. It felt liberating to release myself from this isolated prison that locked all these feelings deep within my heart. 

"I just wanted a person for myself." I hear the crack in my voice. "Is that  too much to ask for?" My lip is trembling now, the tears welling up. 

I will not cry. I will not cry. 

"Never," Klaus replies, more to himself than to me, his mind drifting to some faraway place. "You're human," he continues, "It is only natural to strive for those things. It is precisely those things that make you human."  Hazel eyes lock onto mine, holding me in place with the intent that I pay attention to his next words. "You simply got dealt a heavier card than everyone else, Rionya." 

You simply got dealt a heavier card than everyone else. 

A key was inserted into a box and twisted. The box finally opened up after being closed for so long. It was a box made for opening but it had forgotten such a simple thing. It had only recalled how to do so at the moment the action of opening had been repeated. 

I felt the tears stream down my face before Klaus made his way to me with the bandages. For the first time, I did not resent him for merely existing around his sister. I did not feel the need to express disdain. I did not deny his touch. 

No. I welcomed it. I welcomed him. 

<<<<

Klaus had finished dressing my wounds and wrapping me in bandages. We didn't have to say anything further. Something had been shared during our brief exchange of conversation. I was noticing things about him I hadn't cared to observe in the past. Even though he had a cold outer disposition, his touch was gentle and his facial features were gentler. His hazel eyes gave no sign of animosity like I had previously imagined. 

Klaus makes his way to the table outside, returning with the tray and a single bowl of watery liquid. He stares down at it, stuck in a thought before he grips hold of it and places it down by my feet. I cup the bowl in between my two palms. 

"I want you to know- I did not want this fate for you." 

I lift it close to my lips. 

I send him a grateful smile. The first- and last- he will ever get from me. I watch as he tries to stay strong, but eventually, his expression gives way to a sort of devastation.   Is that for me? I allow myself to sit in that thought and in the moment, I come to another revolution. Klaus has made me profusely happier than I have been in a long time. 

I have never felt more seen in a long time. For me that was priceless. 

"I believe you." 

My lips meet the posion and I gulf the substance down. It is cold as it travels down my throat and infects my body. The poison works fast. It slows my heart, I feel my body start to sweat from the sudden heat that corrodes my system. Soon I am spitting blood into my hand. 

I think I hear my name being called. I can't be certain. I was becoming disorientated. 

Finally, I collapse to the ground. I blink through the sudden blurriness that takes my vision and slowly fades into black. 

One tiny thought fights its way through the collapsing darkness taking over my mind as a new yearning is sparked in me. 

 If I get that second chance. If there is a thing as a next life. 

I will devote my life to you. I will love you with all my heart.