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Nine years ago.
Sinara liked her sleep, and those who knew her also knew it was always a risk to wake her. But after what Asenathe had just overheard outside the Madam's office, she was willing to risk the younger girl taking a bite out of the hand that was currently shaking her awake.
"Sin, wake up," she hissed, before lurching backwards as Sinara rolled over, an arm reaching out and smacking at the air where Asenathe had just been.
"What?" Sinara snapped, sitting up in her bunk, her hair mussed and a sour look across her face as she looked at her best friend.
"We need to leave," Asenath whispered harshly, grabbing her things and beginning to stuff them into her satchel. "Now."
"What's going on?" Sinara asked, the anger and annoyance quickly beginning to be replaced with worry. "What happened?"
"They're kicking me out." Asenathe said, continuing to pack and not meeting the eyes of her friend. "I heard Madam say that she was going to force me to enlist into the Navy."
"They can't do that!"
"The Navy is the Empire, they can do whatever they want." Asenathe scoffed, sitting on her bunk and tugging on her boots. "So, now, I've got to get out of here before the enlistment officers show up."
"Then I'm coming with you." Sinara said, shoving the blankets off of her and leaping out of her bed, pulling on some clothes at lightning speed, worry hastening her actions.
"Why do you think I woke you up?" Asenathe grinned, tossing the younger girl's bag to her.
Sinara grinned back, shoving what belongings she could into the bag, as Asenathe headed to their room's door, peeking out into the hallway. When she saw the coast was clear she stepped out, heading for the younger girls' rooms.
She shook them awake, one by one, whispering and telling them that they needed to get outside now. "Sin and I are getting out of here, okay? We're going to take you with us but you need to be really quiet. Can you do that?"
At every bed she whispered this, and each time she earned a smile at the mention of getting out from under the terrifying Madam. And then, they left the room, a bag slung over their shoulders, heading for the stairs to the outside, footsteps barely a whisper across the floorboards.
