Locked

Ahma didn't say a word as Eishi guided her back to her room.

The scene of the man hitting her mother kept replaying in Ahma's mind as she slowly stumbled along the long corridors of the white manor.

Ahma had never been allowed to call him father in any form of the word, which had led her to fear him with every fibre of her being.

Sensing something off Eishi looked back at his younger sister, and seeing her dead gaze pulled her closer.

"It's going to be okay," he said, stroking her short, heterochromatic hair.

They soon reached her room and, swinging the door open, Eishi guided her inside.

A sigh escaped his lips and he started removing the small pieces of jewellery she was wearing.

Ahma stiffened as she heard a door somewhere in the mansion slam open.

A frown creased Eishi's face and he quickly strode over to the door locking it before helping his little sister over to her bed.

Sitting down next to her he started stroking her hair, "Sleep, I'll watch over you."

She didn't react but after some time her eyelids began to flutter and eventually closed completely, sending her into a deep sleep.

It was a few hours later when the sun had gone down that Eishi stood up and stroking his sister's hair one more time, exited the room.

***

Ahma's eyes slowly fluttered open as sunlight warmed up her face.

She rubbed her eyes and sitting upright looked around her room.

A shiver wracked her body as the memories of yesterday returned.

She didn't want her mother to be hurt any more than she already was, so stealing herself she decided to go apologise to Tsukasa-sama.

The first thing she did was head to the bathroom where she took a shower and brushed her teeth,

After that, she headed over to her closet and changed into a yellow summer dress with little flowers on it.

Stepping in front of the door she took a deep breath and opened it.

Or so she thought she would but when she pushed the handle down the door didn't budge.

Aham frowned and pulled harder, but again it didn't move.

She was starting to panic and her breathing began to quicken.

Raining her fists she banged against the door, "HELP, HELP, NII-CHAN, OKA-SAN!"

She kept doing this for nearly five minutes but no one came to help her.

In the end, she just curled up into a ball in front of the door waiting for someone to come.

It was about an hour later when she heard footsteps approaching her room.

Her eyes widened and Ahma startled upright ready for whoever entered.

The door slowly swung open and one of the maids carrying a tray with some food on entered.

Striding over to the one table in the room the maid placed it down, not even acknowledging Ahma's existence.

Turning around, the maid was about to walk out of the room when Aham stepped between her and the doorway.

She thought that would at least force a reaction out of the maid but she just walked around Ahma and exiting the room locked the door behind her.

The little girl blinked, she had never been ignored, all her life she had received attention from the servants, cooks, her brother and her mother but now no one seemed to even acknowledge her existence.

Stumbling over to the tray she gazed at the simple meal, a bowl, some cereal and a bottle of milk.

She didn't usually like cereal but since she felt hungry Ahma decided to eat it.

***

It was a few hours later and the food had already been taken away when she heard a knock at the door.

"Yes?" Ahma called out trying to sound confident even though deep down she was crumbling apart.

"Ahma-chan, are you okay?"

Her heart began to race hearing her brother's voice, "Nii-chan?"

She heard a chuckle from the other side, "Yes, it's me."

Ahma sighed in relief, "I'm fine, what's happening, why am I locked in my room, and why is everybody ignoring me?"

Eishi sighed, "I don't fully understand it either, but from what I've heard father's forbade them from interacting with you."

She blinked, in total shock, "Why?"

Eishi sighed again, "I don't know but if I had to guess I'd say it's because of yesterday."

***

I hope you enjoyed the chapter and please tell me if you see any mistakes.

How're you feeling?

Then I hope you have a nice day or night depending on where you are, goodbye ;)