Thank You
'Where is that song coming from?' Thoughts flooded the mind of the young
black haired girl as she walked down the moss covered corridor. 'And
what is this place?' she thought as she continued to walk. The song kept
getting louder and louder until the passageway opened up into a run down
courtyard with a single tower towards the back. As the girl walked out
into the open, the strange song stopped and silence fell over the
courtyard. 'Who could have been singing that song?' she wondered as she
began to walk towards the tower.
"Who are you?" the girl called out. All was silent until she heard a
faint whisper-like voice. "Who are you?" The voice repeated the girl's
own question back to her. She thought this was strange but didn't want
to be rude to whoever this was. "I'm Saya." Saya smiled happily, as she
waited to learn who the voice belonged to. "Saya..." The voice trailed
off. "I'm..." Again the voice trailed off. "What's your name?" Saya
asked. There was a long pause before the answer came. "Name?" the voice
asked. "You don't have a name?" Saya asked, shocked that someone
wouldn't have a name. "Then I'll just have to give you one!" Saya said
happily. She began to wander around the courtyard, thinking of names to
give this girl.
The song began again and Saya sat down against a wall near the tower to
listen to it. 'The song is eerie yet beautiful, divine almost,' Saya
thought as the perfect name hit her. "I'll name you...Diva!" Saya cried
out happily, and she felt happy with herself for giving someone a name;
after all, everybody deserves a name. "It's perfect for you since your
voice is so divine," Saya explained as she waited for a response from
the girl in the tower. "Diva?" the girl asked. "I'm Diva?" The
newly-named girl sounded slightly cheerful, Saya assumed it was over
being named. "That's right, Diva. Let's be friends."
No response came, except for a lone object that floated down and landed
in Saya's hands. "A blue rose?" Saya blushed slightly as she examined
the rose. She was very flattered, nobody had ever given her a rose
before, especially one so beautiful, and obviously rare, as a blue one.
Saya took this rose to be a confirmation of their friendship and smiled
happily.
By now it was late in the afternoon and the sun had started to set. Saya
noticed this and knew Joel would be very upset if she was out after
dark. "I have to go now, Diva, but I promise I'll return tomorrow," Saya
said sadly. She didn't want to leave her new friend to be alone in this
tower, but she had to for now. "Goodbye, Saya," Diva said as Saya
hurried off back to the estate.
Over the next few days Saya found herself going to the tower to talk
with her new found friend more and more every day and learning things
about her each time. She found out that Diva had been locked up in the
tower for all of her life, and that she was always alone except for a
man that would come a few times a week, but she wouldn't say anything
else concerning the man. It seemed to be a sore subject for her and Saya
didn't push it, since she didn't want her new friend to become upset
with her. Saya wanted to get Diva out of the tower and bring her back to
Joel's estate to live happily just as she did. Saya felt a bond between
herself and Diva form as she continued to visit her every day.
One particular day, while Saya was sitting in front of the locked door
to where Diva was kept, she was telling Diva about Haji for the first
time. She then remembered something important she wanted to ask: "Diva,
my father, Joel's, birthday is tomorrow, will you please sing for him at
his birthday? I'd really love it if you would," Saya asked through the
door. The quiet reply came: "How can I... I've never been outside of
this tower." Saya had stupidly forgotten about that little fact and felt
stupid for it. "Maybe Joel has a key to this door somewhere, and I could
get it and let you out!" She didn't know why she hadn't thought of it
before: the idea was brilliant, but dangerous.
If she was caught taking something of her father's, she would be in a
lot of trouble. "If you let me out of this tower...I'll sing at your
father's birthday...for you Saya," Diva said as Saya smiled happily.
"Alright, I'll go and try to find the key now, I'll find it and let you
out Diva, I promise!" Saya said as she stood up and started to run down
the corridor and down the tower stairs. She needed to hurry if she was
going to get Diva out of the tower before dark.
Saya managed to get back into the estate without anybody noticing her
and snuck into Joel's private study. 'I'm sure the key is around here
somewhere...' Saya thought as she began to rummage through the drawers
of Joel's desk until she found a very elegant looking key specially
placed inside a box. 'This has to be it, it looks just like the lock on
the door!' Saya was ecstatic about being so close to freeing Diva as she
made her way back to the tower as fast as she could.
Saya was panting as she climbed up the final stair to the top of the
tower and stopped to rest before she continued walking down the corridor
towards the door. "Saya..." Diva sounded more timid than ever as Saya
neared the door. "I'll have you out soon, just wait a bit longer," Saya
said, barely keeping her voice level from excitement. "I'm scared," Diva
said, her voice full of fear. "Don't be scared, Diva, I'll be here with
you, I promise you'll never be alone again." Saya arrived at the door,
holding the lock up. She fit the key in and turned it; the lock clicked
and came undone, clinking to the floor.
Saya's heart was pounding as she pushed the door open with a creak. It
was so dark inside the room that Saya could barely see, and it smelled
horrible 'How could anybody keep her locked up in here?!' Saya thought
angrily at the injustice of her friend being forced to live in such poor
conditions. "Diva?" Saya called out softly to locate her friend. She
noticed a pile of rags move in the corner of a cell towards the back of
the room. "Diva is that you?" The pile stirred more and Saya approached
the cell door.
The pile continued to move until Saya could see black hair beneath what
looked like a make-shift hood. "I'll get you out of there, Diva!” Saya
still held the key that she had used to open the door and hoped that it
would also work for this cell door. She was happy to see that it did.
Saya pushed open the cell door with a rusty creak and ran over to Diva,
kneeling down next to her friend. "Are you alright, Diva?" Diva, who
Saya could tell was now slumped against the wall, moved some then fell
face forward into Saya's lap. Saya turned Diva over in her lap and
pulled back the rags covering her face, revealing a head of black hair,
just like her own, and piercing blue eyes.
Saya felt as if she was looking into a mirror - the only difference
between herself and Diva was their eyes. "Diva...you look just like me,"
Saya said softly. Diva, who had been staring into space until then,
looked up into Saya's eyes and smiled slightly. "You really came for
me..?" Diva said weakly. She hadn't sounded this weak before, but she
never really did say much. In return Saya smiled down at Diva. "Yes, I
couldn't just leave you up here to live like this," she said softly as
her smile widened even more. She was so happy she had freed her friend.
Saya was startled when Diva wrapped her arms around her midriff and
squeezed. It was weak but it was still a hug, which made Saya even
happier.
As Saya caressed her friends head she tried to get a good look at Diva's
body. Diva looked so thin and frail that it sickened Saya. 'If I told
Joel he'd make whoever did this pay,' she thought angrily. Saya pulled
away from her thoughts and looked out one of the tower windows and saw
that it was getting very late. She knew she had to hurry if she was
going to get Diva back to her room before dark without anybody noticing.
"Diva..." Saya said softly as she gently pulled Diva away from herself.
Diva looked up at Saya questioningly. "We have to go now if I'm going to
get you back to my home before dark." Diva slowly nodded her head in
understanding as Saya got up and helped Diva to her feet. Diva had a
hard time walking, having to lean mostly on Saya to stay up, but they
both managed to get down the tower stairs and half-way towards the
estate before anything happened.
"Saya!" Haji called out as he searched around the forest surrounding
Joel's estate. 'Where could she be?' Haji wondered worriedly. "Saya!"
Haji called out again. "Oh no," Saya gasped as she stopped abruptly in
the middle of the forest pathway, causing Diva to look at Saya
worriedly. "What's wrong, Saya?" Diva asked. "I can hear someone calling
for me." Saya looked increasingly worried. Quickly Saya looked around
and saw a patch of bushes. "Diva, quick, hide there," Saya said as she
rushed to get Diva over to the bushes, nearly pushing Diva behind them
and running back to the pathway. Haji appeared out of the forest into
the pathway moments later, looking relieved to have found his mistress.
"Saya, there you are," Haji said. "Joel was starting to get worried,
since you have been going out a lot lately, so he sent me to come find
you," he said as he came closer to Saya.
Diva peered at the man and Saya from the bushes. She instantly disliked
this man yet she didn't know why, maybe it was just the way he looked at
Saya. 'So...lovingly,' Diva thought bitterly. She didn't know why but
that thought made her grit her teeth in anger. "Oh, I'm sorry Haji,"
Saya laughed awkwardly as she tried to brush off her recent absences.
"I've been out looking for a special flower to give father for his
birthday." That excuse sounded plausible "Oh... well alright Saya," Haji
bought it as he visibly relaxed. "I'll just see you back home then?" he
asked. Saya nodded as Haji turned to walk back towards Joel's estate.
Haji stopped dead in his tracks though as he heard rustling from some
nearby bushes and whirled around to see what was there. Saya just looked
at him oddly like there hadn't even been a sound. Haji assumed it had
been his imagination and turned back around to leave, but not before he
thought he saw glowing blue eyes staring at him from the bushes. Luckily
he again just assumed it was his imagination, and continued back. 'That
was close...' Saya thought as she relaxed and walked back over to the
bushes. "I'm sorry I pushed you, Diva, but I had to get you into the
bushes quickly!" Diva looked up at her from the bushes. Saya gasped and
backed away from Diva. 'Her eyes are glowing!' Saya thought, fright
evident on her features. Diva looked as if she was about to cry and the
glow in her eyes faded.
Saya realized how stupid it was to be frightened of her friend and
instantly went to Diva's side. "I'm sorry Diva, your eyes just scared me
a little is all," Saya tried to console Diva and Diva's expression
rapidly changed from hurt to smiling. "It's alright," Diva whispered as
Saya helped her back up to her feet. They both continued down the path
again. It was really starting to get dark and they weren't even out of
the forest yet, so Saya was getting worried that Joel would send Haji
out again to find her, but Diva had other things on her mind.
"Who was that man?" Diva asked as they neared the end of the forest. "Oh
that was Haji, I was telling you about him earlier, remember?" Saya
said, smiling. "Are you two together?" Saya stopped walking and tried to
hide a visible blush "Oh no, we're just friends is all, I've known him
since he was very young," Saya said as she started to walk again. "Oh,"
was Diva's reply, but her features brightened slightly. Saya didn't
notice, however.
Saya had, amazingly, managed to get Diva and herself through the
courtyards, into the main hall, up the stairs, down three hallways and
into her room without anyone noticing. 'I really should tell Joel how
easy it is to sneak in here...' Saya thought as she seated Diva down on
her bed and began to think of what to do next.
'Well, she's been locked in that tower all her life.' Saya watched as
Diva bounced up and down on the bed with a look of absolute amazement on
her face. "You get to sleep here every night?" Diva asked excitedly.
Saya smiled warmly at Diva. "Yes, and now you will too," Diva stopped
bouncing and looked at Saya with so much admiration that Saya blushed
from it, but Diva said nothing and just laid back onto the bed.
‘I'm sure she's really…' Saya surveyed Diva's body - she was still in
her tattered make-shift rag clothes, covered in dirt spots and her hair
was matted. ‘…very dirty,' Saya thought with a sigh. 'I guess I'll have
to get her cleaned up'. "Diva?" Diva's attention changed from the
colorful wallpaper patterns to Saya. "You should get cleaned up. I have
my own personal bathroom so you should take a bath." Diva looked at Saya
questioningly. "Bath?" Diva asked bewildered. "You've never taken a bath
either?!" Saya was definitely shocked - how could anyone go their entire
life without a bath!? "No I've never taken a 'bath'..." Diva said as she
was distracted by the wall again. "I guess I could help you bathe," Saya
said after a long pause. Diva reverted her attention back to Saya again.
Saya walked over to the bed and sat down next to Diva. "Ok, Diva, I'll
go get a warm bath ready for you, you get out of those rags, ok?" Diva
nodded her head in understanding and Saya got back up and went into her
personal bathroom and got a warm bath running.
Saya put her hand under the water flow and to her satisfaction it was
nice and warm. 'Diva will love this,' Saya thought happily as she turned
off the taps and called her in. Diva appeared in the doorway -
definitely out of those rags, she was stark naked! "Diva!" Saya cried as
she turned away blushing. "What?" Diva questioned, not understanding
what was wrong. 'I didn't think being locked in a tower for so long
could do this to a person...but she obviously doesn't understand this is
indecent,' Saya thought, saddened. "I'm sorry, it's nothing," Saya said
as she tried to look towards her friend but couldn't. "Uh, just call me
if you need anything," Saya said as she got up from the edge of the tub.
"Soap is there and towels are over there." She gestured towards the
various items as she walked past Diva, still looking away. As she closed
the bathroom door she could hear Diva splashing around in the bath. Saya
went over to her dresser and started to take off her dress in
preparation for bed. She thought happily of how much fun it'd be to have
a female friend now. None of the maid servants were her age so besides
Haji she didn't have any friends. 'But she acts so oddly, like a child
almost,' Saya thought as she slipped into the night gown she had laid
out.
Saya's thoughts were interrupted by the bathroom door opening, revealing
a still naked diva smiling brightly at Saya. "That felt so good!" Diva
said happily as her eyes literally brightened from joy. Saya however was
doing her best not to blush again as she looked away from Diva. She
looked at Saya oddly, still not understanding what was wrong. Saya went
to her dresser and pulled out an extra night gown and threw it to Diva.
"Put that on," Saya said simply as she continued to look away. Diva eyed
the garment strangely as she tried to figure out how to get it on;
finally she managed. "It feels so nice..." Diva said wistfully as she
rubbed the fabric. "It's silk, very nice I know," Saya said brightly as
she could now look at her friend again. "We should get to bed," Saya
finally said after a moments pause. Diva nodded as she followed Saya
over to the bed. "It's a big bed, so we should both be able to sleep in
it no problem," Saya said as she pulled back the covers and let Diva
crawl in first, getting her to scoot over to the far side of the bed as
she laid down herself. "Goodnight Diva," Saya said as she extinguished
the oil lantern on her bedside table. It was very quiet as Saya laid on
her side, unable to sleep. She could hear Diva moving around a lot.
'Probably just enjoying the comfort of a bed, I don't blame her, this
must be a lot of nice new things she's experiencing,' Saya thought with
a smile.
"Saya?" Diva's timid voice reached Saya's ears; she sounded almost as
timid and scared as when Saya had let her out of the tower. Saya hoped
nothing was bothering Diva and rolled over to face her. "Yes Div-?" Saya
was startled into silence as she came face-to-face with Diva; somehow
she had stealthily gotten right up next to Saya without her noticing.
Diva's eyes were glowing blue again but it wasn't as eerie as before, in
the dark it looked kind of nice. "Saya..." Diva whispered as she moved
closer to Saya, wrapping her arms around Saya in a loose hug. "Thank
you..." Diva whispered, her cheeks becoming increasingly redder as she
moved her face closer to Saya's. She was completely stunned, as if her
brain went on vacation. She knew what Diva was going to do but didn't
try to stop her.
"...For everything," Diva finished as she closed in and kissed Saya with
as much passion as she could. Saya was further stunned and didn't
respond at first but when her shock wore off she began to eagerly return
the kiss. When they finally broke apart Diva laid her head on Saya's
chest, hugging herself to Saya tighter. 'Yeah... having a female friend
is going to be nice…' Saya thought as she laid her head on top of
Diva's, neither willing to move from their position together they both
drifted off to sleep in each others arms.
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