The night was silent, with the wind gently breezing through. Insects chirped softly around the orphanage.
Inside, the girls ate quietly, their meals strict and minimal—meant to keep their bodies small, just as Lord Frings preferred his women.
"Xiaolan… that's kind of a weird name, isn't it?" Gela asked curiously.
"Oh, my mom gave it to me... at least that's what I remember," Xiaolan replied.
"And your eyes... your face... they're different from ours," Gela added, studying her.
"Ehh? Am I ugly?" Xiaolan asked, her voice small.
Gela giggled. "No, you're pretty. Unique, even."
"Time's up! It's time to sleep," the sister announced sternly.
The girls cleaned up and headed to bed. In one room, several beds were lined up. Xiaolan shared the room with Gela—their beds placed right beside each other.
"Ah, I'm still hungry," Xiaolan whispered, her stomach growling.
Gela smiled and reached under her bed, pulling out a piece of bread. "Here, eat this."
"But it's yours," Xiaolan protested.
"It's fine. Besides, I'm full."
"But the sister said if we eat too much, our bodies will get big… and Lord Frings doesn't want that."
"Tsk, don't worry about that. Just eat."
As Xiaolan munched quietly, she noticed Gela watching her.
"Gela?"
"Hm?"
"Why are you so good to me?"
Gela giggled, turning her gaze to the moon outside the window. "Because… to me, you're like a little sister. You don't mind that, do you?"
"Of course I want that," Xiaolan said, smiling.
"Then you should come with me," Gela whispered. "Let's escape from here."
Xiaolan hesitated, her heart pounding. "But… where would we go? There are guards everywhere."
"Anywhere," Gela said softly. "Anywhere that's not here. We'll travel, eat, and sleep whenever we want."
"Wow… that sounds amazing," Xiaolan said, eyes wide with wonder.
"And," Gela continued, still gazing at the moon, "one day I'll marry the man of my dreams. A tall, handsome man who'll take care of me… and you too. A rich man. We'll eat whatever we want, live like queens."
"You want that too, Xiaolan?"
"Yes, yes," Xiaolan whispered, eyes sparkling.
After that night, the two grew even closer. Gela began teaching Xiaolan everything she knew—how to speak properly, how to behave, and the little tricks that made life in the orphanage slightly more bearable.
But Gela's eyes were always on the horizon. She searched for any possible way to escape. The orphanage stood alone in an open field, far from any trees or cover. Anyone who tried to flee would be spotted immediately—and caught by the guards.
'Tsk. Where can we escape from this place?' she thought, frustrated, watching Xiaolan play with a stick in the dirt.
'We have to get out of here before that day comes…'
Nightfall.
"Gela?"
"Hmmm?"
"You awake?"
"Yes, Xiaolan."
Xiaolan turned toward her in the dim moonlight. "What's a sea?"
Gela blinked. "Apparently, it's a huge body of blue water. Salty, too."
"Ahh… my mom said her hometown was surrounded by the sea," Xiaolan said softly. "She told me they used to swim all day with her friends…"
Gela let out a quiet breath. "Oh," was all she could say, her voice tired.
"Gela?"
"Hmmm?"
"When we get out of here… let's go to the sea, okay?"
Gela turned her head to look at her. She reached out and gently tapped Xiaolan's forehead with a smile.
"Sure, Xiaolan. We'll go to the sea."
Several months passed.
Despite her efforts, Gela couldn't find a way to escape. The orphanage stood isolated in a vast open field—any attempt to flee would be spotted immediately by the patrolling guards.
Each day she searched for a flaw in the walls, a lapse in watch, a forgotten key. But there was nothing. Xiaolan always looked up to her with hopeful eyes, which made the weight of her failure even heavier.
"Gela?"
"Mmm?"
"Are you okay?"
Gela smiled and tilted her head toward Xiaolan, brushing the girl's hair back gently. "It's fine, okay? We're going to get out of here. I promise."
She whispered it like a prayer.
That night, everything changed.
Gela jolted awake, her body stiff and cold with unease. A strange warmth pooled between her legs. Confused, she reached down—
And felt it.
Wet. Sticky. Warm.
Her hand trembled as she brought it up into the moonlight.
Dark red.
Her breath hitched. Her mind raced.
'No. No, please no. Not now. Not yet.'
She grabbed the bedsheet, trying to fold it, to hide the stain. Her fingers fumbled. Her heartbeat roared in her ears.
Beside her, Xiaolan stirred.
"Gela?"
"Huh?"
"You okay?"
"I—It's nothing. Just go back to sleep," Gela said, voice cracking, trying to sound calm.
But her words were too fast. Too forced.
Xiaolan sat up. Her eyes widened.
"What's that red water on your shirt?"
Gela froze.
She slowly turned her head and followed Xiaolan's gaze.
The sisters were already in the doorway.
One of them pointed. "Call the family."
Gela's eyes darted to the faces of the women. Then to Xiaolan's. Then to the bed.
She didn't cry. She didn't scream.
But her expression said everything—
A silent, terrified plea for help, for time, for anything but this.
Xiaolan sat motionless, confused and afraid.
She didn't yet understand what this meant.
But Gela did.
And she knew they were out of time.
The room was filled with sisters and a messenger from the Family.
"It looks like she's flowered," one sister said flatly as she inspected Gela.
The messenger crossed his arms, eyeing her without much interest. "Well, it's about time. She's nearly twelve, isn't she?"
The sister nodded grimly.
"Keep her clean. Ready. We'll collect her tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? Isn't that—"
"Fine. Two days. But no longer. Our lord's patience wears thin."
That day passed like a blur.
Gela was washed, fed, dressed, and taught her final lessons—emptily, without kindness, without a smile. Like livestock being readied for sale.
Xiaolan barely saw her. The sisters kept her busy.
Night fell.
Gela climbed into bed without a word. She turned her back to the room. Even to Xiaolan.
"Gela?"
"…Hmm?"
"Are you okay?"
A pause.
Then Gela turned her head. Tears streamed down her cheeks. But she didn't make a sound.
"No," she whispered. "I'm not."
Xiaolan frowned. "But you get to leave… Isn't that good?"
Gela bit her lip and shook her head. Her voice was low, trembling.
"Listen, Xiaolan… if we become that old man's wife… he'll force something into us. Every day. Something hard. And it will hurt. It will always hurt."
Xiaolan's eyes widened in horror. She trembled as tears welled in her eyes.
"But… but you always said you'd find a way… to escape…"
Gela reached out, wiping Xiaolan's cheek and kissing her forehead.
"I did," she whispered. "I finally did."
"Really?!"
"Mhm… so go to sleep now. You need your strength."
Xiaolan sniffled, trying to smile.
"Okay… goodnight, Gela."
"Goodnight, Xiaolan."
The morning light crept in through the small window, soft and golden. Xiaolan stirred, the quiet murmur of the orphanage waking up around her. She blinked, rubbing her eyes, and looked to her side—toward Gela.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Gela wasn't moving.
At first, Xiaolan thought maybe she was still asleep, but as she leaned closer, she saw it. Gela's face was pale—too pale—and her hand was limp at her side.
"Gela?" Xiaolan whispered, her voice thick with sleep. She gently shook her, but Gela's body didn't respond.
She reached out, touching Gela's wrist. Cold.
A chill spread through her body, like the world had stopped. Her breath hitched, her hands shaking, and the quiet of the morning felt suffocating.
"No... no, no, no!" Xiaolan choked out, her voice trembling. She grabbed Gela's shoulders and shook her harder, as if trying to wake her from a dream. "Gela, please... Please wake up!"
But Gela didn't wake up.
Xiaolan's vision blurred with tears. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think. Her friend—her sister—was gone.
She stared at Gela's pale face, her eyes wide with disbelief. She shook her again, this time desperately, but the weight of the silence in the room drowned out her cries.
"No! Gela, don't leave me!" Xiaolan sobbed, the tears spilling down her cheeks. She pressed her forehead against Gela's, her small hands trembling as they held onto her one last time.
But there was no answer. No warmth. No promise of a future together.
Gela was gone.