Unbroken (kotlc) (DISCONTINUED)

Part 8

unedited

*3 weeks after the previous chapter*

Sophie stood in front of her mirror; she wore a dark green tunic and gray pants along with some black boots. The outfit had been set out on her bed by Edaline, as had all the ones before since she got back. 

Despite all physical injuries healed, Sophie still looked drastically different from the way she did before. Every time she stood in the shower, she saw how her ribs were visible and her limbs more skin and bone than muscle. Her hands had become pale and frail, despite smooth skin she was reminded of a skeleton's hand. 

In the bathroom mirror, she saw her prominent collar bone and more angular face. Her cheeks were no longer full and the skin around her eyes permanently seemed to be bruised from her dark circles. Her hair became thin and brittle and her finger nails chipped easier. 

What once was full, healthy, and flush had turned into a waste of what had been. 

And yet Sophie could've cared less. 

Her limited willpower was aimed towards not flinching at every little sound or sudden movement as well as keeping up with a passable hygiene and eating routine. 

The eating part wasn't as easy as the hygiene.

Having to brush her teeth, bathe, use deodorant, all gave her some little task to complete during her days of sitting in her room. 

But when it came to meals delivered to her room, Sophie would pick at whatever interested her momentarily before losing her appetite after a few bites.

The blinds stayed closed, not letting the sun light in. It got dark fast but Sophie didn't dare light a candle or turn on a light. 

Heat.

That was an invisible hand keeping her, pulling her, back to that torture chamber in front of the fireplace. 

She didn't sleep more than a couple hours each night, for heat and fire and flashes of Vespera would creep into her dreams. 

She was aware that the only reason Edaline and Grady had not dragged her out of her room was because she had gone through a very traumatic experience. She overheard them talking about it to Sandor in the living room, one of the few times she left her room. 

But today had been the day they were dragging her out to the living room to talk to someone. They didn't specify who but Sophie assumed it was someone she knew that was going to try and bring her outside. 

To get some fresh air, They would insist. We can just go to Calla's tree for a few minutes.

Sophie was prepared to go back to her room without without anymore words if that was what they had planned for her. 

But still, she came down the stairs, eyes stinging from the bright lights of the chandeliers. 

She had been engulfed in darkness for so long that the light now wounded her. 

Sophie almost scoffed at her metaphoric inner monologue. 

She froze when her vision focused on the person or rather the people gathered in her living room. 

"Sophie," One person in particular said. 

"The first person I'm to have a conversation with is you?" She nearly snarled, crossing her arms.

"Ah Lady Fos-Bos, glad to see you didn't lose your bossiness," Stina Heks smirked but it quickly fell at the sight of Sophie's much skinnier, unhealthier appearance.

In the living room was the rest of Team Valiant plus Sophie's Councillor Contacts. Sophie ignored all of them and their pitied gazes. She focused on Stina. 

 "Sophie, I get that you went through a lot of shit recently but we didn't work so hard to get you back only for you to become... this," Stina referred to Sophie's current state of being. 

"If I wanted someone to insult me, I'd just go back to the Neverseen," Sophie cut in, her voice having an edge laced with venom. Sophie from six months would've flinched if she was spoken to with the tone she was speaking in now. "Vespera loved to make sure I was completely powerless before she'd torture me."

Everyone in the room except Sophie flinched. 

"Sophie-" Dex started.

"No!" Sophie snapped, a glint in her eye. "Stina here is going on about how you guys did so much to save poor me when you did nothing!"

"Sophie that's not true!" Oralie cuts in and Sophie turned her dark glare onto the pretty Councillor. 

"Maybe you and Bronte helped me when I was on the brink of insanity," Sophie admits, making eye contact with both Councillors. "But it was me who got myself out of that cell and that prison. So don't sit there and tell me I should be grateful to everyone here when majority of you were too late to do anything to save me." 

"Sophie," Bronte stared firmly. "We had been working on a plan to get you out of there."

Sophie's laugh so sarcastic she could taste it on her tongue. "Well you guys did a damn good job! If I hadn't saved myself, you would've found my bloody, beaten body in the floor of my cell! It was a brilliant plan Bronte! IT WAS TRULY BRILLIANT!"

Silence. 

Then Sophie gained enough of her composure to tell them, "If that's all you wanted to talk about- you can go on about your merry day now."

She headed back upstairs to her dark room. 

A/N: Ayyyooo!!! Bitch I'm back. I'm so sorry for being inactive with this story for quite a while. My mental health had to come first and I was in a really bad place shortly after posting the last chapter. I'm in a much better place now and look forward to completing this story. Love ya'll and stay hydrated! ~N