"I am the dragon's daughter, and I swear to you that those who would harm you will die screaming."
- Daenerys Targaryen, Game of Thrones
Allani let out an exhale, in the end she was still the victor of this gruesome game. No one stood out to her, the only highlight she had during the entire game was when she met Isabel, but that didn't matter much, especially not towards her parents.
Leaving the underground as soon as she was declared the winner, she entered the carriage that always waited for her after every game. On her way home, she looked out the window and watched the children playing along with each other in the streets, completely innocent of the horrible world they were born in. How she wished she was given the opportunity to play along with children her age when she was young. Most the children would avoid her before, their parents telling them of the girl she wasn't. The only person who only ever played with her would be her personal maid, Elena.
To everyone in this world, Allani was cold, her heart frozen, covered deep with snow. But in Elena's eyes, Allani was just a girl who yearned for her parent's love, doing anything just to be noticed by them and gain their false love for just a bit, only to be tortured again for the tiniest slip up.
Behind Allani's stoic face, a small smile started to appear on her lips, reminiscing the times Elena would sneak her cookies and warm milk at night. Her eyes would still be stinging from another crying episode because of her parents but her heart felt warm once she saw Elena holding a tray of cookies.
After her first victory braid, her mother wouldn't make time for her anymore and so Elena stepped up from her position to braid Allani's hair after every hunger games, and it was now their little moment. Allani would share stories of her experience in the underground and how she killed them, despite how traumatic it was just by the stories she would share, Elena would listen to them because she wasn't the one who had to do such a thing just to survive. If anything, she pitied the young woman for having to go through this every year despite the fact that the white haired girl would say that she didn't need her pity, stating that winning was the best feeling in the world. Not that these feelings were even hers to begin with.
Upon arriving at the gates of the mansion, she exited the carriage and walked towards the grand entrance. Every maid that she passed by would bow their heads as a form of greeting and continued on with cleaning the garden, keeping it presentable for the Snows to flaunt their wealth to the people who are deprived of even the smallest of silver coin just to get the food that they need.
The door opened and two boisterous laughs were heard from the large corridors filled with portraits of her and her parents as well as gold they'd show off to occasional guests. Despite the people that came to fill up the mansion, it never once felt like home to Allani, never felt the warmth of love within these halls, instead it was dark and cold. Her footsteps echoed under the chandelier of diamonds and on the marbled floor. Turning to the right, she entered the dining hall and was greeted by her parents laughing and eating all the food only the children of the underground could ever dream of.
"Oh welcome Allani. Come sit, supper has just started." Her mother said, cutting a part of the chicken and placing it on her plate while her father drank the wine in his chalice, ignoring her entrance.
Making her way to her chair, she sat down and looked down to her plate. She didn't have any appetite to eat but her parents disliked when she would skip meals and lock herself in her chambers. "How was the hunger games Allani?" She looked up from her untouched plate to look at her mother covered in bold makeup. 'Horrible.' She wanted to say. "It was good, mother. As usual, no one was on par with me." She said instead, lying through her teeth. Afraid that had she said even the smallest things that irked her parents, she'd get punished again. A small laugh left her mother's mouth as a smirk appeared on her wrinkled face. "Of course, no one will ever be on par with you Allani, you are a Snow after all."
'Right.' She hated her last name. The only reason why she was in this situation every time is because of her stupid last name. It was a curse to her and to the people who had anything to do that fought against the Snows. She was tied with chains in the neck and cuffs on her wrists that she couldn't see, all because of her last name. Her shoulders and her actions were burdened simply because she had the unlucky faith of being born into this family who's greedy with money and lustful for victory. They would do anything to win, even if it means killing someone despite being bonded with each other in blood.
Supper ended on a sour note for Allani, silence filling up the room. After she forcefully swallowed all the food on her plate, she stood up, her wooden chair breaking the silence as it screeched on the marbled floor. "Excuse me. My stomach is bloated from the wonderful food. I shall now head to my chambers." She mumbled, and without another second, she left the dining area.
Entering her room, the smell of milk and lavender soothed her nerves, knowing just who prepared her bath. "Good evening Elena." She said, a smile slowly forming on her face. The smile was rarely seen, because this was the type of smile that showed in the eyes. Not like the practiced ones that she would show to the people of the underground where it would only stop by her cheeks.
"Oh m'lady! Are you hurt in any way?" Elena said in worry, dropping the oats in hand to the bath and briskly walked to check Allani for any injuries. "Just a small gash here and there, nothing severe for you to worry about." A sigh left Elena's lips and her shoulders relaxed. "I shall call the medic then to get it treated." But before Elena could leave her chambers, Allani stopped her, saying that she could handle it herself. Despite the maid's worry, she understood and left to give the young woman some privacy, going down to the kitchen and getting Allani her favorite snack.
Stripping off the black, tight, and ruined clothes, Allani slowly went inside the tub. Her muscles sagged at the feeling of the cold bath surrounding her nude body. The water ripples were the only thing heard inside her room as she stared at the caved ceiling, deep in thought. 'Isabel Magnolia. What a beautiful name, may she and her two friends finally live to see the world beyond the soils of the underground.' She didn't know why this girl seemed to be in her mind after they met. It wasn't like Isabel showed any noteworthy skills to Allani, she just stood there, supported her, Isabel Magnolia was just a spectator. So why did she make such an impact on Allani?
Perhaps it had to be the brightness and the smile that reached her eyes even after seeing the cruelty of the earth, one Allani will always be jealous of. Will they meet again? She hopes that she could get close with her, and maybe even her two other friends. Allani let out a small chuckle, knowing damn well that all these thoughts were useless because she'll never be able to become friends with Isabel, her mind was just in a haze of delusions to keep her from succumbing deep into her paranoid mind. But who could blame her for all these thoughts? After all, she was just a little girl in a young woman's body, deprived of the joy of childhood.
Once she had finally cleaned herself from all the blood and dirt that clung to her hair and body, she exited the tub and dried herself up with a towel, wrapping herself with a silk robe right after.
Changing into her sleep wear, she sat in front of her vanity mirror and wringed her white hair dry. The room was silent, it was only Allani and her thoughts. A knock interrupted the deafening silence as the door creaked open, the sliver of light from outside entering her room. "I have brought you your favorite snack, m'lady." Elena said, showing the tray of freshly baked cookies and warm milk.
"Thank you Elena, come sit." The two made their way to Allani's desk and there she enjoyed the cookies. "I met this girl today. She was a spectator who supported me." Allani placed her elbow on the desk and rested her chin by the palm of her hand. "Really now? Do tell, m'lady." Elena was intrigued, the young woman never met many people all throughout her 19 years of living, especially not during the annual hunger games.
"It wasn't much, she yelled out my name and a runner aimed for her because of that. Luckily, I found a weapon fast enough and went straight to them. I didn't want a young girl to be victimized for simply expressing herself."
"I see." Though Allani didn't show it much, she cared for the people, choosing to do anything for their safety over her own, and it worried Elena. If she wouldn't look after herself, then Elena would have to step up and be the one to care for Allani, she was simply too young to die a horrible death. All the runners were. "How about your wounds? Did you clean them already?" Guilty, she avoided contact with her maid and continued chewing on the cookies she had in her mouth. Letting out an expectant sigh, Elena stood up from her seat and took the medical supplies from the cabinet and kneeled before the woman. Before Allani could protest, Elena stood firmly and demanded she show her the wounds she got from today.
Defeated, Allani showed her every open wound and sat there like a child as a small pout made its way to her lips. "Must I always remind you to look after yourself? You are too young for anything to happen to you!"
"Yeah, but-!"
"No, I will not take any excuses. You are a beautiful and strong woman, you must learn to prioritize your safety over others."
"But I am fully capable of protecting others, so I must protect them over anything!"
Focusing on the dried up wound on Allani's stomach, Elena continued cleaning the stubborn girl's cuts. 'When the day comes for when I am no longer here in this world, may there be someone who will look after her and love her for who she is.'