Finding the Dungeon [publishing]

Chapter 15

A small girl was sprawled across the floor.

"Ada. Get up."

She whimpered on the floor. An older girl was sitting near her, her hands wrapped around her knees. She was shaking ferociously, and the young girl was forced to her feet.

A middle-aged man with an unkempt, greying beard took hold of her chin and inspected her facial features. He checked out her body, before throwing her back on the floor.

"You said she was good-looking!" he called up the hatch. He kicked Ada towards the older girl. "At least Lilian has a better figure..."

The older girl looked away, holding herself tighter. Ada scrambled back into the shadows, huddling beside Lilian. After the man climbed the ladder, and shut the hatch, she gave a bitter laugh.

"I'm not even surprised that they went to get someone as young as you," Lilian ran a hand through Ada's hair. "How old you, anyway?"

"I'm 11."

"Oh, gosh!" Lilian gasped. "That young? You look at least 14!"

Ada shrugged sheepishly.

"18."

"Hm?"

"I'm 18 years old," Lilian scratched the back of her neck. "Kind of unfortunate. At least you have a chance."

"What? Why?"

She sighed. "Do you even know who that man is?

Ada shook her head. All she remembered was that her family had been suffering, and then they sold her off somewhere to help with their bills.

"He is Eduardo Shimizu."

"Shimizu? The Leading Clan?"

"Yeah. And he's the ruler of it."

"Oh," Ada paused to think, "he doesn't look the part, does he?"

"Hell no! He looks like a homeless nonce, in my opinion."

The girls laughed together.

"But... Ada?"

She cocked her head, and Lilian continued cautiously. "He is a nonce though... He's known for child molesting, but he is the most powerful person in the Water Realm, and there isn't much anyone can do about it."

Ada swallowed, and she felt a lump in her throat. This man was going to molest her?!

"He is a polygamist, as well. He was looking for young girls, and he picked us two. You might not know, judging from your upbringing, but the legal age of consent is 18 years of age. So if he... you know... then you could file for rape, and he could be imprisoned, but for someone of my age, it's much harder."

"Oh," Ada's hand was over her mouth. Stop it! She felt like she wanted to vomit.

"There will be a ceremony soon. He's going to make both of us his legal wives, but only one will be shown as his official wife, and First Lady, by the realm. He is probably going to pick me, since I am 18, and he won't have to cover up my age. You won't have to worry, because if he picks you, he will have much more trouble with all that fake ID stuff."

A small nod.

"Sorry, I must talk a lot..."

"No, it's okay. I like listening."

"Really?"

"Mm hm!"

"Well, do you want me to tell you a story then?" she asked.

"Yeah!" Ada replied enthusiastically.

Lilian smiled, but before she could start, a bang came from the hatch. The pair shrunk into the corner as Eduardo came down the frail ladder that couldn't possibly hold his weight.

"Ah, Ada!" he smiled mischievously. "I've decided. You will be my First Lady. Lilian, come with me. Let's have some fun in the meantime."

Lilian exchanged a horrified look with Ada before she was dragged into the light of the day. Ada sat alone in the dark, thinking about it over again. She couldn't possibly be the First Lady! Everyone would know she was underage the moment they laid eyes on her, right?

Her thoughts were drowned out by the muffled, high-pitched screams coming from the room above.