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Last of the Ravens

Story Arc One: Weeping Willow

Chapter 4: Looking for work - part 3: Complications

"I'm telling you, he is fucking her ass good, mate." Julia heard from the other side, as she reached the door to leave mayor Henryk's house. The silence of the night and the absence of the traffic due to the hour make it even easier for her to hear, not just the guard outside, but any small noise: The screeching of the owls, the wind that was howling, the flicker of the candles, even the flowing of the Eerie River was audible to her despite the distance. Raven School witches may lack the ability to dilate and tighten their pupils at will, but the rest of their senses were superhumanly sensitive.

"Oh, get lost Dan. The man is still grieving his wife's passing. Besides, haven't you got tired of speaking about asses all the time?" Another voice was heard. The guards were obviously conversing.

"No I haven't. Hers was the second best ass I have ever seen in my life. Also, who's grieving? Come on now, Iwan. He killed the bitch and now he is celebrating his freedom. You can realize he's close by the stench of wine coming of a mile away." Julia's eyes went wide as she heard that. Her curiosity piqued. She decided to stay behind the door and eavesdrop on the guards for a while.

Iwan: "Mate, I was here when he called for help. No strangling marks, no stab wounds, nothing. And Henryk never raised his hand on her, not even when the woman was on her usual hysterics, and believe you me. She deserved it then more."

Iwan: Second best, you say? Which one was the first?

Dan: An herbalist's I have seen in White Orchard. Best ass I have seen in my life.

Iwan: White Orchard? Redania? When did you get there?

Dan: It was when the black ones first invaded. It was Temeria still then. The mayor wanted to strike a deal with them in exchange for their protection. It was soon after some big battle, there, somewhere and the black ones were still tending to their wounded so they called everyone that can help them, that herbalist included.

Iwan: How did you know she was an herbalist?

Dan: I asked around. Damn when she bend, I am turning crazy just thinking about it, mate. I should have fucked her bloody when I had the chance.

Iwan: Would you rape a healer? C'mon Dan, that's low even for you.

Dan: If I knew that a bunch of fucked-up zealots will burn Madam Lucile's whorehouse to the ground? I would have raped her ass rapidly till we leave White Orchard.

Iwan: You got a point there. I mean… Ok, burn all the non-humans here, nobody is gonna miss them, but 'our' whores as well. They could have spared them. Now the only holes available to stick my prick in, is my fat ugly wife's.

Dan: Hey Iwan, have you… heard?

Iwan: Heard what?

Dan: About the orphans… in the non-human district?

Iwan: No. What of them?

Dan: Well… I heard that they… started following on their gods forgiving mothers' footsteps. You know what I mean?

Iwan: Dan… They are… children.

Dan: And they need to survive. Is it better now that they steal and we have to deal with them? See it as… giving them alms.

Iwan: Ahm… I rather talk about your weird fascination with the foreign woman's ass.

Dan: Hey Iwan. Do you think I have a chance with her?

Iwan: No.

Dan: Not even if I -

Iwan: No.

Dan: Not even if I do -

Iwan: No Dan, especially if you did that.

Dan: Fuck it. I am not going to wait till the bastards come of age and I am not wasting another golden opportunity like that. I'm gonna rape this redhead in the ass till she moans.

Iwan: She is not a redhead, Dan. I have seen redheads. Her hair were more… the color of blood? They didn't seem natural. Probably a dye some village witch gave her.

Dan: I wasn't looking at her hair.

Iwan: That I realized. Sorry to tell you Dan but a woman that is over six feet tall, sporting scars, dresses in black leathers and carries a sword around may not exactly be willing to just sit and get raped. Just saying.

Dan: Oh come on, Iwan. How tough can she be? She is just a woman.

Iwan: Yeah… Hey, have I ever told you how I lost my eye, Dan?

Dan: No. How?

Iwan: From Rayla of Lyria. Ever heard of her? White Rayla? And my left eye wasn't the only thing she took that night.

Dan: Hahaha. That's fucking hilarious. You got thrashed by a woman?

Iwan: Know what Dan? Go on. Have your way with her. I will even cover for you when it's your next swift.

Dan: What? Really? Iwan you are a friend you son of a- Oh fuck.

Iwan: It's Bolo. What that faggot wants again? Does he seriously have nothing better to do than -

Julia opened the door at this very moment. The movement was so quick and sudden that the two guards at the door were both startled.

"Goodnight… gents." Julia managed to say as calmly as she could. She held her head low, using her free flowed blood red heir to obscure her eyes from the view of the guards as she walked past them. She became aware with time that each human that was about to die by her sword when on the ground was looking in her eyes, instead of the blade, so her stare must have looked more hostile when she was about to kill humans in anger… And she wanted to kill those guards. She wanted to kill them so badly. She wanted to tear their larynxes with her own teeth, stab them, gut them, castrate them, butcher them like the animals they were, and feed their body parts to drowners, just like she did to those in Lyria during her contract there… But she couldn't do it, not here in the open at least. Weeping Willow was not a city with many dark alleys, spacious sewers or gutters to conveniently get rid of corpses. She couldn't just kill humans when she felt like it and expect it will go completely unnoticed. Especially when half of the local guards comprised of fanatics that their former jobs was basically the torture and murder of some of the most dangerous individuals in this world. She had to be discreet.

"Well, well. Look who's here." Julia heard Bolo's voice. He spotted her and was coming towards her leaving the two guards on his flank behind. All of them were currying torches.

"Life is funny." Julia thought, amused at the fact that the name of the man that sexually harassed her when she first came to this town, was the reason she didn't kill two guards in a frenzy, and get herself in trouble again. It was the second time his arrival benefited her in some manner. Though this was hardly the most unusual situation she found herself in. "This is pretty tame compared to the succubus contract in Nazair: I mean, a former student of Aretuza turned serial killer that used the succubus hiding in the city as a scapegoat? That's not something you encounter every day… It was a hard lesson for me, to learn that innocence is such a fleeting thing. Anyone can resolve to murder under the right conditions." She reminisced.

She raised her head once she found herself in front of him, moving her blood red hair aside. "Small town." She said with a half-smile.

"That, it is."Bolo half-smiled back at her, from the left side, his scar served only to make it look creepy though.

"You know Bolo it's the third night in a row that I bump into you. Are you stalking me?" Julia said with her left arm on her waist, her smile wider.

"You must be reading my mind. Cause I was looking for you but you weren't at the inn."

Julia took a step closer "Really?" She started in a flirtatious tone "And here I thought you fancied grave hags and children." She moved a little closer "Ain't I too young for you… too old… Or. Maybe… Am I… just about right?" Once again they were close to each other, blue eyes meeting black. Julia didn't have any intention to have sex with a man that murdered one of her kind, but she really enjoyed messing with him, especially since yesterday night that he moved to kiss her right before the innkeeper pointed his crossbow at them.

"Sorry my Lyrian tulip…" Bolo said and pushed her, softly, above her left breast with the index and middle fingers of his right hand, creating a little space between them "…I never mix business with pleasure." He continued, still half-smiling.

"Well that's too bad. And I was feeling so grateful since yesterday night." Julia said with a rather playful smile, and took half a step back.

Bolo glanced at Julia's sword "Good. That means you have no problem with me confiscating your weapons, right?" He was still smiling as he spoke.

Julia's smile melted into a frown, she took a quick step back. "This better be a joke." She said after a moment's pause, her tone was low but there was anger in it.

"No joke, I'm afraid." Bolo said as he attempted to reach for the leather straps of Julia's sword with his right hand. Julia quickly stepped to the left to avoid it.

"Don't do this difficult." Bolo grimaced but he didn't reattempted to get a hold on her sword.

Julia didn't answer and move to leave.

Bolo grabbed her by the left arm. His grip was firm "Do you really like pissing me off or something?!"

Julia snapped. She strike him to the peroneal nerve with her left knee, strongly, there was no armor covering his leg from the left angle. He groaned and staggered. She used that opportunity to break his hold on her arm.

She acted on instinct. It all happened fast, too fast in fact. Julia didn't even realize when her sword was on her left hand, its scabbard on the ground, the guards' swords half-drawn, Bolo's snuffed out torch on the ground, he clutching his leg in pain.

"It's okay boys!" Bolo said after a while, his voice a mixture of pain and… laughter? Julia may have been two hundred and sixty-six years old (more or less), but that was still a somewhat unusual sight, even for her. "Didn't you fucking hear me, you cocksuckers? I told you! It's fine!" He continued looking behind her. It was obviously meant for Dan and Iwan. Julia won't forget their names.

Once the pain seemingly passed, Bolo took a step forward towards her.

Despite having her sword lowered, Julia kept her guard up. Her awareness of her surroundings returned. The two guards that were standing twenty paces behind Bolo were armed with swords, the left one also had a knife strapped on his belt, none of them carried any ranged weapons and as for Bolo, he carried an axe that seemed of dwarven design along with a standard issue sword of the guardsmen. Julia also remembered that Dan and Iwan only carried halberds, so no ranged attacks if things come to worse.

"I'll let that pass." Bolo started with a frown "But this is the last time. Surrender your weapons peacefully and I -" –– "Don't touch me again like that." Julia abruptly interrupted him, her voice was low but very sharp, her accent slipped.

"Listen well sweetheart." Bolo said, still frowning "You pulled a dagger on a guardsman and a defenseless civilian in full view of quite a few people and in case you forgot -" –– "Defenseless civilian?" Julia interrupted with a laugh "Last time I checked I spared you a bolt to the brain from the crossbow of said civilian." She said with a sour expression.

Bolo smiled "You know how much people like to talk around here?" He said with his hands on his belt.

"Don't know. Don't care." Julia said with emphasis, her expression unchanged.

"But you should, because I got a lot of reports since morning about a tall, redheaded foreign woman assaulting the innkeeper yesterday night. And guess what, lieutenant Feliks also reported a very similar woman causing trouble at the Traveling Pipers around noun." Bolo had a smug smile as he spoke his every word.

"Pure coincidence." Julia said with a fake smile.

Bolo's smug smile melted in an instant and his expression turned serious. He groaned as he moved a little closer to Julia, probably still hurting a bit.

"Third stupid shit you do. And you will. Will get you to the dungeon. And unlike me they won't treat you like a lady there. So I suggest you behave." Bolo glanced at Julia's sword as he spoke, his hand on his axe. Julia heard the guards' paces behind her, their armor made noise. The guards behind Bolo were also holding the hilts of their swords, ready to draw them at any time.

Julia's grip on her sword tightened. As much as she hated surrendering her weapons, killing five guards will force her to leave Weeping Willow for good, and lose the most lucrative contract she ever had. "I am sorry Violeta. I hope I am not making a stupid mistake here." Julia thought clenching her teeth. She didn't want to lose the last memento of her dead sister.

Julia moved to pick her scabbard from the ground. Worrying about any sudden movements she didn't take her eyes off Bolo, who was way too close for comfort.

Once Julia took hold of it, nimbly and gracefully, she turned the sword upside down and slipped it back into the scabbard. The enchanted runes shone with a deep red light as the weapon found itself all the way inside.

Julia came close to Bolo and presented her sword to him in a manner that reminded her of a painting she had seen many years ago in Toussaint, depicting a beautiful woman, probably a queen, with golden hair in a white dress offering a sword ceremonially to a fully armored knight. The irony wasn't lost to her.

Bolo released his hold on his axe and reached to grab Julia's sword with the very same hand.

"Don't lose it." Julia said sharply, looking straight into Bolo's eyes.

He answer her with a small smile, interestingly enough, it was a smile of satisfaction. Julia crossed her arms as soon as the sword left her hands.

Once Julia's sword was in his hands, Bolo tried to draw the sword from its scabbard only to be met with the realization that sword and scabbard have pretty much fused.

"Well you look at that." Bolo smiled as he hold the sheathed sword sideways in front of Julia with his right hand. "You draw it." He said, looking at her.

Julia sighed but complied. She placed her left hand on the hilt of the sword, the runes shown at her touch, at this very moment Bolo placed his hand on top of Julia's, they were now both holding it at the same time as well as holding each other's hand. "He did this on purpose" She thought looking at him.

They both draw the sword at the same time. It slipped quickly and delicately as if weighting nothing. Once completely out of its scabbard, Julia released her hold on it.

Bolo checked the runes on the blade, and cut the air with it a few times to test its balance "It's a fine sword. Top quality. And that scabbard with the runes, its Ofieri rune-crafting right?" Bolo guessed looking at the scabbard.

Julia took this opportunity to lie, and create a possible traceable path in case Bolo or any of his friends felt particularly greedy "Yes. Are you familiar with it?"

"Well there was an Ofieri runewrea- runewree- runewhe- gah what the fuck was he called?"

"A runewright." Julia said in an soft, elegant tone.

Bolo gave her a bewildered look "Yeah that… in Upper Mill. That his work?"

Julia decided to go along with Bolo's assumptions "Yes. And as you probably guessed, it wasn't cheap at all, and it wound have been way more expensive if I haven't helped said runewright with a gang called the Wild Ones that attacked -" –– "Wild Ones?" Bolo interrupted Julia abruptly with a higher tone, his eyes wide.

"L-Like the ones led by Olgierd von Everec?" Bolo's voice cracked a bit as he spoke, if she didn't know better, Julia would think he was scared.

Julia preferred to play it safe with her limited knowledge of the situation "I don't know. There are many gangs going under that name. I never met nor heard of any man by that name." "And I would definitely remember an elaborate name like that."

"T-That's good. M-Must mean that that demon is finally dead. His followers scattered." Bolo's voice cracked even more as he spoke. It was clear that whoever that Olgierd von Everec was, must have been someone really dangerous.

"Bolo is this going to take long? I've got tired of all this chatter" one of the guards behind Bolo yelled "Since you are not going to fuck her, can we finally beat her so -" –– "Shut the fuck up Gawel or I'll beat you up instead of Dan once I remember the money you still owe me at gwent." Bolo yelled back at the guard. That shutted him up immediately.

The more Julia got accustomed to the 'refined gentlemen' of Weeping Willow the more Bolo seemed quite fetching by comparison, and he did managed to force her lips to form a smile at least two times.

Bolo removed the iron gantlet of his right hand.

"Don't!" Julia abruptly grabbed Bolo's wrist as he moved to cut his finger on the blade. Just in time.

"Trust me. Don't." Julia tried to give extra emphasis on her words and widen her eyes, hoping to completely dissuade him from testing the blade on anything living. It would be impossible to explain exactly how the blade absorbs, or more accurately speaking 'consumes', the blood once it cut flesh without freaking him out.

Her gamble paid off. Instead of cutting his finger Bolo through his gantlet to the ground. In a single swipe the blade cleaved the iron gantlet like a hot knife on a butter cube. The excitement in his face was obvious.

Bolo raised the sword and looked at it for a while. "Such a fine sword must have a name." He said, returning the sword in its scabbard "How do you call it?" He asked Julia.

Julia answered in a complete deadpan "Cock-chopper."

Bolo's face changed from excitement to the most hilarious grimace Julia has seen in a while. She couldn't help herself smiling wide "You know Bolo," she giggled "it's the third time that you manage to make me smile. Keep it up and I might just forget how you almost forced my pants down."

Bolo's face once again turned serious "Very fucking funny. Now give me the dagger you hide behind your coat." He said pointing at her belt.

"You are learning, I see." Julia said with a half-smile and pulled out her steel dagger in a needlessly theatrical manner, twice spinning it in her hand really fast. With a nimble gesture, she avoided Bolo's first attempt to grab it, before allowing him the second one. His slightly pissed expression widened her smile.

Bolo put the steel dagger into his belt "And the rest." He beckoned with his hand.

Julia hesitated but complied after a small pause, giving her dimeritium and silver dagger along with her raven school medallion to Bolo. She also took off her belt to saw him that she wasn't hiding anything else behind her black leather coat.

Bolo examined each one of the items carefully.

"Where did you find all this stuff?" After asking, Bolo put the other two daggers in his belt, it started to look really heavy now. The medallion he returned.

Julia put her belt back. "Some I paid a high price for…" she said looking at her sword, "some I've earned…" she looked at the silver dagger, "some I took from corpses…" she looked at the steel dagger "and some… are just useful to have around" she looked at the dimeritium dagger.

"Impressive. And that satchel." Bolo pointed with his eyes.

Julia hesitated. While unlikely that he figured out she was a mutant, if he saw the contract, and could read it, that could quickly change and she didn't know what could happen then.

Bolo grabbed her by the satchel suddenly and brought her closer to him.

Unimpressed this time around, Julia gave a playful smile as she spoke "You must really love your job." If he wanted to hurt her, he had so many chances already. And more excuses.

"I hate it." He said looking at her eyes again.

Instead of hitting his arm away or dissuade him, Julia came even closer to him "Will you kiss me this time?" She said in a flirtatious tone, her voice low and soft "I start to get impatient." Her guard may have been lowered, but Julia still had in the back of her head the thought of headbutting him should he tried anything not so funny.

"Say yes to everything Czsibor tells you." He whispered to her ear and released his hold on her satchel.

Not expecting that, Julia gave Bolo a questioning look. Despite originally meant it only as a distraction with a touch of fun on the side, she found herself surprisingly disappointed that he didn't kiss her.

Bolo turned to the guards behind him "All right. No problem here. Gawel get the fuck here to carry her stuff! My belt feels heavy!" He said loudly.

The guard besides Gawel laughed loudly.

"Why the fuck me again?!" Gawel barked.

"Cause I'll cut your tongue otherwise. And then you won't be able to suck captain Czsibor's cock as he likes it. Now come here you lowlife!" Bolo barked back at Gawel.

Gawel swore under his breath but did as he was told. He murmured various curses on his way towards them. Due to her enhanced hearing Julia could hear all the vile acts he wished upon Bolo's manhood. Some of them quite creative.

Once Gawel came close enough, Bolo immediately hit him in the head with the sheathed sword. He fell to the ground and groaned. Bolo then threw the sword on his left hand. In a kneeling position, Gawel crunched his injured hand, his face a mask of pain.

"Hey, watch it! This is my sword!" Julia yelled at Bolo.

"Don't you worry. It's a strong blade, it'll take way more to damage it." Bolo said while looking at Gawel.

"Are you that nice to everyone?" Julia asked, crossing her arms.

"I am nice to the ladies." Bolo said with a smile and turn to face Julia.

"Like you were to the innkeeper's daughter?" Julia smiled back, but it was obviously not genuine.

"That wench isn't a lady, she is just stupid, and don't worry about it. Gawel here gives her exactly what she deserves." Bolo looked at Gawel, still smiling. He looked back at him, his teeth clenching, though Julia wasn't sure if it was due to pain or anger. Bolo threw Julia's daggers to the ground, obviously meant for Gawel to pick them up.

"Goodnight. And be careful." Bolo stressed his last two words.

While unsure about Bolo's actions and what they represented, though she did had some ideas, Julia found herself nodding with a neutral expression.

Bolo's attention changed to the guards behind Julia "Dan you cocksucker…" he yelled and started walking towards the aforementioned guard.

"Stand still. What are you, a soldier or a Novigrad whore? The woman from Lyria stands still better than you. Perhaps I should chop off your cock, that will give you some balance you -" Were the last words Julia heard before leaving the guards behind.

As she was making her exit, she gave a few looks behind, not forgetting that she was now completely unarmed with a possible rapist at her hill. "One thing is certain. I am not getting any sleep tonight." Instead of returning to the Ugly Duckling she decided to go for a night walk, to think how to deal with it without raising any unwanted attention.

"Am I afraid? After all this time? Guess I am. But I am not simply closing my eyes and quietly suffer through it again. I am not that naïve anymore. Not when I was seven… Mother."

Last of the Ravens - Codex

Bonus story: Fun and games

"Mom, I am home." The little bastard girl said as she closed the door behind her. It was already dark outside.

Her mom was sitting on a wooden chair, her arms resting on the table in front of her with her head resting inside them. A small candle in the center of the table was all the light they have in the house.

"Sorry…" The girl apologized for being late again. She was most likely going to get spanked again, but she didn't mind a taste of Angry Leena this time. Today was the best day of her life, and nothing was about to change that.

"Come here!" Her mom ordered with her head still inside her arms. "She is angry again." The little bastard girl thought, knowing for sure she would be spanked tonight.

The girl walked slowly towards her mom. She was scared a bit and reflexively hold Mrs Tiggy-Winkle a bit tighter, causing her spikes to prickle her uncovered little arms.

Once close to the wooden table the little bastard girl spotted Angry Leena lying at the table, right by her mother's left elbow.

The girl's mom raised her head to face her "What the fuck is that?" She asked looking at Mrs Tiggy-Winkle.

"It's a hedge… -hog." The little bastard girl's voice was barely above a whisper, her head held low looking at Mrs Tiggy-Winkle.

Her mother took Angry Leena from the table.

"Didn't hear you. What the fuck is that rodent I asked? Look at me!" She repeated her question louder and angrier than before.

With difficulty, the little bastard girl tried to raise her head to face her mom. She managed, once, before quickly looked down again at Mrs Tiggy-Winkle. Last time she looked at her mom for a little bit more time, she got slapped in the face. So she figured that her mom didn't like been looked upon when she returned angry from work.

The little bastard girl finally spoke after a while "It's a hedgehog…" Her head was still held low but her voice was loud enough to be heard "…her name is Mrs Tiggy-Winkle."

"Where did you find it? Look at me gods damn it!" The little bastard girl's mom said angrily and grabbed her by the hair, pulling and twisting them upwards.

The little bastard girl groaned, her eyes already holding back tears by the pain of the forceful twisting of her hair. Fearful, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle was moving around in the girl's soft embrace in an attempt to run away. The girl's arms started bleeding as she tried to keep her in her arms. "It was a gift!" The little bastard girl cried out in pain.

"From who?" The girl's mom asked and abruptly released her.

The girl started whimpering. She was holding Mrs Tiggy-Winkle too tight before and was now bleeding badly. She knelt and released her from her embrace. The girl's mom gave an angry look at Mrs Tiggy-Winkle as she started walking around.

"Who gave you that?" The little bastard girl's mom asked and hit her with Angry Leena once in the left arm. The girl moaned and clenched her arm. "You remember the game my stupid little bastard? No? Then I'll remind you: I ask and you answer. If you're late to answer, I hit you." The girl's mom said happily and with a touch under her small chin raised the girl's head, forcing her to look at her. "Did you understand?""he asked looking the girl in the eyes.

"Yes mom." The little bastard girl answered immediately. She knew how the 'game' went and didn't like it. She hoped her mom won't pick many words she didn't know.

"So who gave this to you?" The girl's mom looked at Mrs Tiggy-Winkle as she spoke.

"Erick." The girl was looking at her mom as she answered.

"And who is that?"

"My friend." The girl looked down for a moment only.

"Your friend?" The girl's mom laughed "You have friends?"

"Yes mom, you see them. Violeta, Erick, Goile, Verina -" –– "The black haired one, it is?" The girl's mom interrupted.

"Yes."

"That good for nothing peasant's son?"

The little bastard girl didn't know how to answer this question and started murmuring something in fear.

Her mom hit her in the same arm as before.

The girl moaned, very close to tears. The pain was worse this time.

"That good for nothing peasant's son?" The girl's mom angrily repeated her question.

Her mom hit her in the left arm this time.

"Sorry, I don't know!" The girl howled.

"Tall, brown hair, black eyes, tattoos with knives in his left arm, working lord Albert fields. The black haired mongrel is his son?"

"Yes." The girl scarily answered. She forgot to ask Erick about his father's name, but he did tell her about the tattoo in his father's left arm.

"You won't see that little mongrel again." The girl's mom stood up from the wooden chair "Understand?" She said and left Angry Leena on the table.

"Wha… why?" The girl whimpered.

"Because I don't want your 'friend's' bitch mother coming here asking about her man. That's why!"

The little bastard girl didn't understand what her mom was saying or why she was so angry with Erick and his mother. The only thing she knew was that she didn't want not to see Erick again.

"You ever went to his house?"

"Yes."

The girl's mom slapped her suddenly. "You that fucking stupid?!" The girl's mom yelled angrily.

The little bastard girl caressed her left cheek in a feeble attempt to ease the pain. She couldn't hold back her tears anymore and started sobbing as she spoke "Bu…but…I…I…I…" "But I answered your question fast, why you hit me?" She wanted to say, but the words weren't coming out.

The girl's mom kneeled and grabbed her small upper arms, firmly enough to cause her pain "Listen and listen well my stupid little bastard…" She stared at her, her matching blue eyes more angry than the little bastard girl has been used to, the little bastard girl was so afraid that she closed her crying eyes "You are not going to see that Erick boy again, or go to his house, or speak to his parents ever again! Not now, not tomorrow, not in two years. Hell! Not even in five years that you would want his prick inside your tight little cunt. And that bitch Violeta? Your 'friend'. Did you know that her mother is the reason we are rotting here? If it wasn't for this two-faced whore we would at least have a place at Red Orchid. She will betray you just like her mother did to me, so wake -" –– "No!" The little bastard girl shout out, her eyes still closed tight with tears running down.

"What did you say?" The girl's mom asked and let go of her arms.

The little bastard girl didn't answer. The 'No!' came out without any thought…

Deep down though, the girl knew why she said it. "No! I will see Erick again, I love him and I want to marry him once I become a woman. No! I will see Violeta again for she is my best friend and she would never betray me. No! I don't like playing with you mom, because you are always hurting me and you always cheat to make me hurt more. No! I don't hate this place, I don't hate the rats, I don't hate the women that you hate, I don't hate you for not bringing food home, I know you try your best, and I don't hate dad for leaving us." Were all the things her 'No!' standed for and the things the girl wanted to say to her mom but was too afraid to say.

"What the fuck did you say?!" The girl's mom slapped her again on the same cheek, stronger than any other time she slapped her before. The girl fell to the ground and started crying.

"You know what? Let's play a different game." The little bastard girl heard a sound, and she knew it was Angry Leena being picked from the table "Rules are simple: You stop crying, I stop hitting you."

The little bastard girl curled into a ball, preparing for the beating she knew she won't avoid. She just couldn't stop crying.

The day she thought was her best, turned out to be the worst. The last thing the girl saw before felt Angry Leena's sting was Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, hiding under her bed.