Bravery

When I regained consciousness, I realized that I was inside a cold empty cell. Wet muddy floor, my wrists are chained, and a tape that's covering my mouth.

"Hmph!"

Sh*t! No way!

I can't call Io or Callisto if my mouth was taped. Alphonse knew that I could summon my demons if I mention them. This is bad.

"Pyu..."

Pyumo!

Pyumo is lying on my lap, looking up at me with teary eyes. He must've been worried about me. I can't even pet him; my hands are chained behind my back. Pyumo snuggled onto my stomach.

I looked around the cell.

There's a barbed window. Moonlight shines through the bars.

It's night time already. Am I not at Calderon's residence? I guess if I'm still at Calderon's house, my brothers and father would've come and picked me up because I'm supposed to be home before sunset.

What should I do now?

I'm scared.

"Shh,"

I widened my eyes when I looked up at the window.

It's Arden!

His face, it's filled with bruises. He put his index finger in front of his lips, signalling me to stay quiet.

Is he trying to help me?

But he's his father's accomplice.

I felt hurt. I need his explanation.

Arden seemed to understand me. He quickly furrowed his eyebrows.

"... I-I'll explain once I can get you out of here," He whispered quietly.

I have no choice. He genuinely seemed scared when he saw me choking. And the way he's trying to tell me something during dinner.

I have to know his reasons.

I nodded slowly. Arden grabbed the barbed bars with his bare hands. I widened my eyes in shock. Did he grab them with his bare hands? Those are barbed bars! His palms started to bleed.

He bit his bottom lip and pulled the bars with all of his might. The bars did look rusty; it must be easy to break them.

I couldn't look away from the sight. His arms, his face, it seemed that Alphonse tortured him. And despite all of those wounds, he's willing to get hurt by grabbing those barbed bars?

I stood up from the ground weakly and walked over to the window. Arden, with his bloody hands, grabbed my waist so he could pull me out of the cell.

Arden looked around cautiously, making sure he's not being followed. Arden carried me with his two hands (𝘈/𝘕 : 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺) and started to run.

I looked up to him, then to his legs.

Barefoot. I saw one or two pieces of glass shard on his legs.

What did he just go through before coming to save me?

We ran inside the forest. The sounds of wild animals are eerie. It's so dark; it's like something or someone could pounce on us at any second.

"Argh!"

Arden accidentally stumbled on a rock. Causing the two of us to fell into the grass.

"Mmph!" I saw Arden's ankle sprained. It's quickly getting redder and redder. I looked at him worriedly.

Arden smiled weakly at me. "I-I'm fine. You have to run,"

His weak voice caused my heart to crack. I struggled to get closer to him. But I kept falling because my hands are chained.

The sound of the sky grumbling made the two of us looked up. Water drops fell onto my face. Then it started to pour very quickly.

I need both of us to get in the shade. Arden, with his spare strength left, carried me to the biggest tree in front of us. Luckily there's a hole on the tree bark. He gently put me down on the dirty ground, and he sat beside me.

He's breathing heavily.

Those pain from the beatings and the glass shards must've hurt him so much. And his sprained ankle...

He's done so much for me.

After a minute passed, Arden finally spoke,

"... My father will kill my mother if I defy his orders,"

"!"