Starlet

1. Scar Brackley

"Mikey come on. I don't want to miss this. Daddy said..."

"I'm coming. I'm coming. Who cares though? It's only a visit from another king."

"They have a prince." I pull my twin brother down the hallway with me while he laughs.

"Wait. I need to grab my notepad. I'll be right up."

"Ok."

I get to Daddy's office, and he smiles at me. "There's my little Star now."

"Hi daddy." I peek at the prince and he is cute.

A woman smiles. "You are precious. How old are you, sweetheart?"

"322."

"Oh my. 80 years before you can find your mate. That's quite a wait."

Daddy grabs his chest. "Oh, I can't think about that yet."

They all laugh.

Then the visiting king stands up. "Actually, we've seen a vision that your daughter will be mated to our son."

Daddy shakes his head. "That may happen in 80 years, but she is too young for that now."

I peek at the prince again. He winks, then something wet splatters across my face. I wipe it off and my hand is covered in blood. "What?"

Daddy drops to the ground in front of me. He's got a sword through his head. "AAAHHHHH!"

The prince grabs me and I feel something go around my arm.

"WHISP."

"AAAHHHH!"

They keep stabbing daddy.

My brother runs in, and the prince cuts his head off with a sword. "AAAAHHHHHH!"

I try to get to daddy. Something hits me on the face. I fall back, then crawl. "DADDY."

I reach for him as they light him on fire.

"NOOOO."

"Maybe we should let her keep the head for a souvenir."

The prince makes an evil laugh and throws my brother's head at me. "You want a souvenir, baby?"

"AAAAHHHHHH!"

"Shut her up already, Jareth."

He hits me in the face with something hard.

I open my eyes and it's dark. My head still hurts. I manage to stand up, but I can't go anywhere. I have shackles on my wrists that are bolted to the stone wall.

-Dragon?-

Nothing.

Where is my dragon? I don't feel her. I haven't had her for long, but she's not here. I don't know what to do.

I try for hours to get my hands free, but it doesn't work.

I lay on the cold ground and cry. My daddy on fire keeps replaying in my head. I close my eyes and see my brother's head flying at me. I hear that man's horrible evil laugh over and over.

I know dragons are hard to kill. Maybe my daddy and brother will be ok. I hope they come and save me soon.

It has to be days later before I see anyone. I'm so hungry and thirsty.

A blonde girl about my age unlocks the door and steps in.

"Aww. Poor baby, locked in the dungeon." She dumps a bucket of cold water on me. Then she throws a dead rat at me. "Dinners served." She slams the door behind her.

I cry and drink the blood from the rat. I don't know what else to do. I try to scoop some of the water up and drink it too.

I keep hoping daddy will come.

A few days later, the prince comes in. He never says a word. He hits me over and over with his belt until I have blood streaks on my clothes. Then he hits my face with the buckle.

"AAAAHHHHH!" It had to have cut to the bone.

He throws the bucket of water at me and walks out.

It goes like this for what seems like ever.

I lay on the floor and hope to die soon. My dragon is still gone. There's nobody coming to save me. Nobody knows I exist anymore.

-CRACK-

"AAAHHHH!" The whip cuts across the skin on my back.

I hate the days the prince comes. At least the girl doesn't beat me.

"Does that hurt my little mate?"

"Please stop."

"No. I can't believe I have such a weak mate. You are worthless."

-CRACK-

I lay my head on the ground. "Please kill me."

Months, or maybe years later. He punches me in the face. "I'm moving you to a different cell." He unhooks the shackles and drags me down a hallway.

I try to get away, but I have no strength. I'm barely a walking skeleton. I'm so skinny. I trip and fall.

"You are so worthless." I hear his belt buckle unhook. Then he beats me.

I don't have the strength to fight.

"Every time your face heals, I'm going to break it open again. Your new name is Scar." He picks me up and carries me into another room. He throws me into the wall hard. Then puts shackles on my arms.

I open my eyes and I have a tube in my mouth.

A man I've never seen watches me. I'm still shackled.

"I'm Dr. Blight, Scar. Your injuries have healed enough for you to wake up. You need to try to eat." He pulls me up to sit and takes the tube out. "The medical staff will assist you to eat. Feed her. Do not talk to her. She is a dangerous prisoner."

"Yes sir." The girl sits beside me. She feeds me some broth. It's so good.

I can't eat much. But it's something. I haven't eaten anything in so long.

I stay in the medical area for a few days. Then the prince takes me back to the dungeon. He beats me even worse. Then he leaves me alone again.

This is my life for years. Sometimes I can pretend to be unconscious for too long, and he will take me to the medical area. I like it there. I get food. Nobody will talk to me, but they help me eat and clean me up. Afterwards, he beats me even worse for being weak and worthless.

I don't know what I did. Or what I do.

More and more time goes by. Then 1 day a new girl feeds me.

"Hi Scar. How long have you been a prisoner here?" I stare at her. "How old are you?"

"322." I barely whisper it.

"What did you do? Everyone says you're dangerous."

"They say I am his mate."

Her turn to stare.

"I'll let Jareth know she can go back now. Thank you, Bell."

"My pleasure, doctor."

Time moves on. Bell helps me sometimes. She's the only person who will say a word to me.

Years and years go by. I have no idea how long I do this. I wish I would die already.

I wake up with the tube in my mouth.

Bell helps me sit up and washes my face. "They're going to sell you. They say they can get a lot of money for you because of the dragon. Someone will be buying the dragon."

"Will I finally die?" I don't have a dragon anymore, but I'm not telling. This might be my only chance to get out of here.

"That depends on what the person buying you wants."

I hope this ends. I hope it all ends.

"I don't know how, but I'm going to try to help you. I don't think you're dangerous. Please try to stay alive. I promise I'll..." The door opens and she shuts up.

Jareth pulls me off the bed. "She ate enough."

"Yes sir."

He beats me so badly, I lose the skin on half my face and my new medical gown is already covered in blood again.

I lay on the dirt floor and sob. He throws water on me and leaves.

A few days later, he does it again. I hurt so much.

A wake-up in the medical area. My face hurts, but I think the flesh is back, and I can see out of both eyes now.

He yanks me out of bed. I didn't even get to eat. He drags me down a hallway. I keep almost passing out.

"This is her. 20 bars of gold and she's yours."

What happens next, doesn't register in my brain. The prince is dead. A man with long hair is holding me. "Kill them all."

"Yep."

"Why would they do this to their own daughter?"

"No idea."

I open my eyes, and I'm in the medical area. This is different though. It's brighter somehow. I lift my arm and take the tube out of my mouth. There are no shackles on my wrists.

I stare at the red around my wrists. I think they're scarred like that.

My face hurts.

"Good, you're awake. Let's get something in your belly."

I've never seen her before. She has light brown hair and a nice smile.

"My name is Dorseti. I'm going to help you eat and get cleaned up." She sits beside the bed and sets up some food on a table.

I drink the broth. Then she gives me a bite of something solid. I don't even remember how to eat it. I start to choke.

She leans me up and smacks my back.

"UUUHHH" It hurts so badly.

"Oh my God."

I keep coughing and finally get it out.

"Good job." She runs out.

The man with long hair comes in with another man and Dorseti.

"Hi Scar. I'm Dr. Cruor. This is Dr. Marcus. Is Scar your name?"

I start to shake.

Dorseti rubs my hair. "It's ok sweetie. They want to see your back. I'm going to help you sit up again." She helps me sit up, and unties the gown.

"Why isn't she healing?"

"She is. There's so much damage. It's reoccurring. It's going to take a long time. Did she eat anything?"

"She chokes."

"Marcus, do you know how long she was held?"

"We're sorting through the medical area files over there. When we find hers, I'll bring them right to you."

"Has she said anything?"

"No. She drank some broth and that was excellent."

"I'm going to give you some sleeping medicine. You'll wake up in 12 hours."

Dorseti glares at him. "She doesn't..."

"We have to see her. It will be very traumatic if we don't."

"It'll be a nice nap. I'll put some cream on your back once you fall asleep. It'll help it stop hurting." She lightly rubs my back.

I shiver so hard I nearly pass out. Nobody has touched me nicely in so long. I forgot what skin contact felt like.

"What is your name?"

"Scar."

"Scar Brackley?"

I stare at the blankets. I don't want to give them my real name. They bought me. They only want the dragon. Maybe they'll let me go once they figure out it's gone.

"Drink this Scar."

I take a cup and sip it. It's good.

"Drink fast."

I drink as fast as I can.