Oaths of Grecia

NO. 25

Cia arrived to the hotel at half past five. Kim dropped her there, saying that there's no need to meet, since they already discussed everything in the car. She still had about sixty hours left to the event.

Cia got to her room, showered and bandaged her wound again. Then she went to bed. She was horribly tired, so she felt asleep in a few minutes. Luckily, boys won't be up before ten o'clock, so she had at least four hours left to sleep.

"Cia!" Someone was knocking on the door. Cia looked at the clock at her phone. It wasn't even nine. "Hey! Wake up! We should go for breakfast! C'mon! Hurry!" Cia sighted and got up from bed. She walked towards the door, opened them. Niles was standing there, looking excited. Cia yawned.

"What were you doing at night?"
"You know, I went out for a secret operation, to catch a spy with soldiers." Niles laughed from his heart.
"Yeah, sure little one," he said, smiled and ruffled her already windswept hair. Cia smiled back at him. Of course he took it as a joke.

"I'll be down in ten minutes OK?"
"OK. We're going out afterwards. Without dad, he needed to go to work." Cia nodded and closed the door. She quickly brushed her hair and cleaned teeth. Put on some long-sleeved shirt to cover the scratch and in ten minutes headed down to the breakfast.

Boys were already there, looking tired, as if it were them catching the spy instead of sleeping. Cia smiled for herself, they were cute, sitting there with closing eyes. It was a pity she'll need to leave once she's eighteen. She had too many enemies snd staying with Perxons would only put all of them to danger. Including herself.

Cia sat next to Jin and took an order. She asked for cereals, which came with a lot of weird looks from everyone. Such a noble hotel and she wants cereals. Boys weren't sure if it's funny or embarrassing.

"So where are we going today?" Cia asked while taking a spoonful of cereals.
"Amusement park." Said Raven and smiled. Cia's eyes sparkled. She was so excited, she has never be in one. Only saw them, or track someone there. But she never rode any atraction.

"Cia you look like you've never been there in your life," said Keane as a joke. Cia smiled and looked on her palms. She never did what normal kids did. Not even once. If she did, she'd be punished. And only fool would do that.

"You have never been in Amusement park?" Mace asked, sadness filing his voice. Cia shook her head, not looking up, because she knew, what they were looking at her like. With pity. She didn't need that.
Someone held her hand. She looked up to meet Mace's smiling face. "Well, let's fix it today."

Amusement park was huge and amazing. And also crowded. Perfect place for crime, if person is not an amateur. Cia looked around, perceiving every colour, every sound and smell. And also every person around and potencionall danger.

Boys were watching Cia, who looked absolutely amazed. And they were happy, because she was happy. But there was a bit of sadness too. What kind of life did she live before coming to them? She wasn't even in an Amusement park.

Cia was happy. They tried so many in just one afternoon. Currently they had a break for lunch. Cia got a hoddog and cola. Her sight went to rifle range. Jin followed her gaze and smiled. "You want to get some teddy bear?" he asked and smiled even more when Cia nodded. "Then how about going there after the lunch?"

"What are you talking about guys?" Came Octavius and Keane with some pizza and lemonade.
"We'll go to rifle range after the lunch."
"Really? And who's shooting? You Jin?" asked Niles with amusement in voice.
"Why not?"
"Because you have no idea how to do it," said Leyton, stealing a piece of pizza from twins.
"Who don't know how to shoot?" asked Mace.
"Jin," answered Keane.
"That's truth," smiled Raven. "But don't worry Cia. We are not as bad as he is." Everyone laughed.
"Oh, C'mon guys! I'm not that bad!"
"I bet you won't win any prize!" yelled Octavius.
"Challenge accepted!"

In next few minutes of lunch, they were betting. Cia was watching them, smiling. She felt happy.

Boys were shooting. Except Jin, everyone was quite good. Jin really did not win any prize. But everyone else did. Cia wondered, where they learned to shoot. In the end she had six teddy bears. Two bigger from Niles and Raven and four smaller from others. Just Jin felt upset, that he was the only one not winning her one, so he left to buy her a cotton candy.

"Wow, you have so many teddy bears, that you won't even be able to bear them all. Should we put them to the car?" asked Mace.
"Can I try it too?" she asked.
"Sure. Once more please." Cia stood there, she was so much shorter and looked a bit funny, with her brothers around her. But she was confident.

Cia aimed.
And shot.
Every shot found its target. Everyone was watching her in disbelief. They finally started to understand everything. How Cia grew up. Shooting gun like that, her life must have been so hard. But they had no idea how hard it actually was.

Cia got the biggest prize. It was a bear, which was even taller than herself. "We can go now," she said, tried to take all bears and walked off. Boys exchanged glares and followed her. There was a quiet agreement between them. Whatever life Cia was living before, they will never let her go back to it. Never, she belonged to them now. To their family. They will not let her go.
Never.