14: Salkatar Prison Sarania

Day 10

The sun was slowly setting. The air had become cooler and the sand beneath their feet cold.

"Times up!", the guard shouted, "Put your tools down and proceed to the canteen for dinner!"

The prisoners put down their tools along side their legs. The guards went round collecting them.

Alora and Walna put down their tools and stood waiting for a guard to come collect them.

"My hands have blisters.", Alora said.

"That's what happens when you spend your entirely life in a palace and come down to reality." Walna said, "Isn't pretty is it?"

"It's funny because I've always heard gruesome stories from father about this place. I guess he was right."

"Accurate description of hell."

A guard had come to collect the tools.

"No talking you two.", he said, "Go to the canteen now for dinner."

Alora and Walna walked away from the guard and headed to the canteen.They walked in a herd of chained prisoners. Alora kept her eyes on her blister filled hands, they caused her uncomfortable pain. She couldn't stop staring at them.

One of the other prisoners bumped into her.

"Watch where you put your feet before I put them up your ass.", the prisoner said.

Alora turned her head, the prisoner was a human. She had short dark hair that had been terribly cut along the edges. She was much older than Alora judging by the wrinkles on her face and she was an inch taller than her.

"I said watch where you step before I put them up your a-", the prisoner stopped and took a closer look at Alora's face. She had recognised her from somewhere but couldn't put her finger on it. She looked deep into Alora's eyes, Alora shrugged back in discomfort.

Then it hit the prisoner.

"Hey I know you.", the prisoner said with deep gritty voice, "You're the princess. Well I thought they killed everyone of you shitty ass royals."

Alora faced forward and continued walking, ignoring the prisoner.

"To be honest your family deserved nothing but death.", the prisoner said "The monarchy was nothing but an evil generation of uptight bastards and I know something about being evil and diabolical, I killed thirteen children to get here.", the prisoner laughed sadistically.

They reached the canteen, the prisoners formed a straight line that was leading to the serving table.

"A disgusting child murder.", Alora said softly, "Taking the lives of children isn't evil huh?"

"Don't get me wrong princess, I enjoyed what I did but your family damn.", the prisoner said, " Sending innocent people to their deaths, watching people starve to death and mentally and physically tormenting your people really outweighs the death of thirteen kids no one gave a shit about when you think about it."

Alora went up to the serving table and handed the serving guard her plate. The guard slapped onto her plate a steaming hot pile of slimy food. Alora looked at the guard in disgust.

"I know you be wanting seconds but move it along.", the guard said.

Alora moved to the side. She looked around the canteen looking for a place to sit. Hundreds of prisoners were eating, it was nearly packed. She saw Walna waving at her.

She walked over to Walna and sat right next to her.

"You are finally eating.", Walna said.

"Starving doesn't seem like a bad idea looking at this now.", Alora said, "How do you even eat this stuff it looks repulsively uncomfortable."

"Looks are deceiving Alora."

Alora stared at her plate. The food was steaming hot, it was barely solid. It was watery and had a greenish colour, it had brown tiny chunks floating around that resembled roaches. Alora reached for her spoon and stuck it in. She put the spoon in her mouth and her eyes widened in shock. It was delicious and flavourful.

"This stuff is great.", Alora continued having a go rapidly.

"I told you so.", Walna said, "Vallathians do know how to cook though. Terrible people but great cooks."

Alora stopped eating and turned her attention to the prisoner she had an encounter with. She was walking by with her food in hand and sat down with her gang.

"Who is that?", Alora pointed out.

"Which one?"

"The one with the short hair.", Alora pointed at her.

"Oh that's hmm Cecilia but people call her Orphan."

"Because she killed Thirteen kids?"

"It's actually twenty. Went through her file one time.", Walna said, "She is also not great at counting or anything in general but she's a good killer I will give her that."

"I hope she's good at dying though."

"That has to be one of the stupidest things I've ever heard.", Walna looked at Alora, she couldn't keep her eyes off Cecilia.

"Oh you are serious.", Walna said.

"She disrespected me and my family."

"You don't want to get in a fight with her trust me. She will have your hand as a trophy, she's a senseless brute."

Alora stood up and grabbed her plate.

"Alora sit down, this is a bad idea.", Walna clinched onto her arm. Alora shrugged off her arm and continued walking.

She walked up to Cecilia and her table. They all looked at her in anticipation.

"Haa her royal highness has graced us with her presence.", Cecilia laughed and the entire table joined in on the laugh.

Alora had a dead gaze in her eyes, her face didn't express any emotion not even anger. She gripped onto the hard clay plate tightly, she lifted it over her head and smashed onto Cecilia's head. She dropped face first to the ground.

Everyone on her table went to attend to her quickly. She wasn't moving. They tried waking her up, she was unresponsive. They turned her over and there was blood all over her face. She was busted open like a faucet. There was blood all over the floor.

"You bitch!", one of them shouted, "I will have you dead you royal bitch."

She stood up and charged fist first at Alora. Alora slid out of the way and landed a hard right across her face. She was staggering and charged right back at Alora. She hit Alora with a hard elbow across her jaw. Alora fell on her ass and whipped her mouth, her finger tips were covered In her blood. Alora stood up and charged at her. She threw a hard right across the girl's face and threw a stiff left hook after. She kept on throwing rights and lefts, the girl was staggering and couldn't land a hit. She fell to the ground and Alora mounted on top of her.

Alora pounded her face with vicious lefts and rights. Everyone in the canteen watched in excitement, people were cheering and stomping on tables in amusement.

"Fight! Fight!", the crowd chanted.

Alora kept on pounding and pounding, the chanting grew louder. Her fists were covered in the girl's blood.

The guards came rushing trying to control the situation. They beat the roaring crowd with their bats. Two guards pulled Alora off the girl and put cuffs on her. They dragged Alora out of the canteen.

They took her in a very dark wing of the prison, she could barely see a thing but what she did see was a small metal reinforced door at the end of the long cold corridor.

They reached the door and one of the guards opened the door wide open. They threw Alora inside.

"Welcome to the box.", they said.

They slammed the door shut. There was nothing but complete and utter darkness.