"Do not cast away an innocent man for a villain's accusations."

THREE YEARS AGO
28TH AUGUST, 2000

Benecia. Delyth.

The young girl blinked, staring blankly at the plate of untouched breakfast placed in front of her. The kitchen was bare, none of her family members in sight. This was one of the advantages of not waking up early enough to join them for breakfast — peace and silence. Before he left, nevertheless, her father had demanded she finished eating quickly so she could be on her way to work, yet, the girl could hardly lift a finger.

Benecia. Delyth.

Every day of her life was the same — from the very moment she woke up to the time she fell asleep. Which was why it was no surprise when those two names continued to echo in her head without pause. Two names that hadn't been said out loud —but, still stung— ever since the poor girls who owned them passed away.

Passed away.

She scoffed at the two words, shaking her head in disbelief. Nowadays, that was the only thing the Holders had to say about the two girls. "Benecia and Delyth passed away." Only the Powerless beings cared enough to remember how the girls had left this world. Unwillingly.

They hadn't just passed away. She could still recall the day their two lifeless bodies had been dragged out to the Pits of Death, several deep holes in an abandoned area of the kingdom filled with nothing but dead bodies belonging to Powerless beings. They were executed so mercilessly, and when their families inquired why such a horrid thing had occurred, the guards claimed the girls had it coming their way when they chose to disobey one of the rules.

The vivid image of that harrowing day was still clear in her head even now. She'd been the one to find their deceased bodies first, after all, and she knew, for a fact, that there was nothing about rules that caused the deaths.

The moment she'd left the house where their departed bodies lay —her two best and only friends— she was screaming. Screaming silently to herself, and screaming at people to punish the one behind the immoral executions.

The young girl had looked foolish and crazed in the eyes of the Holders, and though most Powerless beings stood by her side and understood her intense pain, none would admit it out loud. To some of them, Benecia and Delyth were yet another story of how unfortunate life was for them.

"Ivy!"

Her eyes snapped over to the man who'd suddenly called for her. Her father folded his arms, an importunate expression etched onto his wrinkled face. "I come back from visiting a friend and you're still here? That's it! Since you're clearly not hungry, leave the breakfast aside and go prepare for work. You wouldn't want to get beaten for running late again, now, would you, Ivy? Get up, this instant."

But, the girl was hardly given a chance to heed her father's order before sudden knocks pounded against their front door.

No, they were more like banging rather than actual knocking. They were enough to pass on the feeling that the banger was in a state of anger. Clearly, whoever was on the other side was desperate to have the door opened.

The obnoxious knocks brought her mother back inside using the backdoor, her gloves filthy with dirt since she'd been gardening. Abruptly, their daughter didn't feel like eating anymore as her stomach churned with dread, already making a guess of who it could have been.

Ivy sprung up from her seat, gently placing her spoon down and was careful not to showcase an ounce of emotion. As her father rushed to have the door opened, she pondered to herself over whether it was smart to head to her bedroom now or stay and see if her guess was correct.

"Angelo Pearls!" A well-known chubby and short man in his late forties entered, his arms opening to greet her father. Yet, before he could, another figure dashed inside, pushing the man, without care, to the side as she did so.

Ivy gulped. She was, thus far, well aware of who the two figures were, a lot more than she would have liked, in fact. Right then and there, she wished she'd taken the opportunity to race to her bedroom when she still had it.

The girl had every reason to be trembling as much as she presently was, no matter how pathetic and humiliating she believed it was. After all, standing by her doorway was none other than Athena Zelda herself, currently in her usual resentful state. Her wealthy father stood beside her without a word. His cunning smile was more than enough to tell Ivy someone was in trouble, and who better to attack than the only Powerless being amongst them?

As if her morning couldn't get any worse.

For a few seconds, Ivy's eyes concentrated on Athena's neck, making quick mental notes of how the girl's Amulet was not there. Athena was constantly bragging about that necklace, so, it was quite a surprise to see she wasn't wearing it now.

None of the Pearls were given a chance to question why both of their faces were moulded like angry pigs, not when Athena had dashed forward, slamming her palms into the puzzled girl's chest and pushing her body with force. Ivy stumbled backwards, but, was fortunate to regain her balance before entirely falling to her doom. Just as she'd thought. She was the problem. She was always the problem.

Woefully, she could not walk away from the horrendous looks of displeasure her family sent her way, possibly regretting stopping by the river and bringing her to their home. Again.

"Don't behave so rashly, Athena!"

Ivy would have held her breath in stun and gratitude at the words her mother had uttered if not for the fact she understood her mother wasn't deliberately attempting to save her from Athena's claws. This was the only thing she had in common with the woman — hatred for Athena. The girl was maddening to handle.

Ivy's mother often wondered why she'd ever befriended such a girl, in the first place. In Ivy's defence, Athena's true colours were only revealed to her a few months into their friendship, and unable to speak up her mind at times, it lasted longer than she'd wanted.

"What has Ivy done now?" her father screeched, grabbing the wrathful girl by the arm and yanking her back before she could strike Ivy for the second time. Athena's father carried on with his silence and smirking, almost as though he was enjoying the little show.

"Your atrocious daughter thought it'd be an excellent idea to snatch my Amulet!" Athena immediately accused, pointing a finger toward the girl. "You have a thief living amongst you and she must be punished for this wickedness."

So, that was why she wasn't wearing it.

"My mother called for her to clean up our new place," the enraged girl began again. "At the time she was doing as ordered, I was having tea with a few friends on the patio. I'm certain you recall, Ivy. You snatched my Amulet, then."

Upon glancing at her parents, Ivy could, at once, tell what they were thinking. What sort of a mindless person would go anywhere without their Amulet near?

"I-I didn't!" Her words came out in a stutter only because of her fright of what this could mean for her. "Athena owns a very secured chest in her room. She keeps her Amulet locked in there whenever she doesn't want to wear it, and I, for sure, do not know where she hides the key." Regardless of their suspicion of Athena, her parents still stared back at their daughter with dismay. "I promise you I'm not a thief."

Disastrously, it didn't matter how convincing her side of the story had sounded. Ivy was, however, still taken to the Royal Palace. Purloining another being's Amulet was seen as a big offence in the kingdom, alongside murder.

A significant rule had been made that if any Holder was to ever lose their necklace, they were to report to the Royals immediately, and no one ever failed to do so. The Royals fixed everything, after all, as the rulers, it was their duty to make sure the kingdom was at peace.

But, they were doing such a catastrophic job, Ivy frequently reminded herself. If they were to make sure the kingdom was safe and a tranquil place for each one of them, why then was it that people like her still lived miserably all because their Amulets never appeared for them?

Why was nothing ever done to those who treated them differently, abused and made them feel worthless everyday? Why couldn't the Holders who murdered the Powerless ferociously be punished for their crimes? Murder was still unacceptable in this kingdom, was it not?

Benecia and Delyth's slayer was still at large, roaming about the kingdom with freedom. Ivy was forced to look at his face each time she left the house. The most revolting part, she believed, was how every other Holder knew he was a killer, yet, continued to greet him with kindness as if he hadn't done such a vicious act.

Despite the Royals' promise to create a perfect kingdom, Ivy knew better. This was their idea of a perfect kingdom. The rules didn't apply to the Holders the same way they did to the Powerless.

It had been especially hellish for them when the previous Royals, King Darius and Queen Aqua, began to rule. Those two beings were more than barbaric. They truly showed Ivy a new meaning to cruelty.

"And, what do we have here?"

Athena's father lifted Ivy's chin harshly so her eyes could meet up with the face of the one who'd spoken. The current queen herself.

Attired in one of her usual elegant and fabulously expensive gowns that even Ivy had to admit complimented her body well, the queen stepped forward, her tall red heels clanking against the pristine marble floor with each cautious step she took.

"Your Majesty," Athena's father bowed, followed by the rest. "Stunning as always."

Stunning only on the outside. Ivy scoffed silently. There was something so very evil and unsympathetic about these Royals. The Powerless were free to starve and drown in the filth of the streets, free to meet their end in some freezing field with cold steel run through their intestines, so long as the Holders got their parties and fine foods. Then again, with ethereal faces and Amulets so powerful, of course, every Holder looked up to them.

"Your Majesty," Athena proceeded after her father. "We've come to you with a case."

"A terrible one, indeed," her father added with scorn, gradually turning to look at Ivy.

Queen Matilda glanced over at the indicted girl before lifting her chin, both of their eyes meeting in such a way that shook Ivy's body with terror. "What have you done?"

"Nothing, Your Majesty."

"She's a liar and a thief!" Athena bellowed with a growl. "Your Majesty, I apologize for having raised my voice but don't believe a single word this wicked girl says. My Amulet has actually been stolen by her. I think it makes sense that she'd been the one to snatch it. My mother hired her to clean and Ivy took that opportunity to commit the crime. Don't you see that she may have already planned to steal my precious necklace even before Mother hired her? I remember seeing my Amulet before I left to have tea with my friends, yet, when I got back inside, Ivy was nowhere to be seen, and neither was my Amulet. She's meant to be a maid, not go around seizing things that aren't hers."

"Hush, child!" Queen Matilda hissed. "Let's hear her side first before we get to punishments."

Athena blinked, appearing stunned that the woman was even giving Ivy a chance. Receiving a brief nudge from her father, however, was quick to make her nod her head, at once. "I'm terribly sorry, Your Majesty."

"Well, in that case,"—the queen turned her attention back to Ivy—"care to explain? This is a serious offence you're being accused of."

All the youngster could do was explain what she'd already mentioned earlier. "Athena keeps her Amulet in a secured chest. I don't know where she keeps the key, so I wouldn't be able to open it." Please, you have to believe me.

"You know how Powerless beings act." Athena's father glowered, crossing his girthy arms over his chest. "They steal what doesn't belong to them in an attempt to run away from their responsibilities. They do this to themselves."

It took everything in Ivy not to holler back at the man for the heartless words. It truly baffled the girl how swift Holders were to judge when, in fact, they were the cause of the problem, to begin with. How ignorant could they be?

"No worries." Queen Matilda's pink plump lips spread into a small smile as her right heel gently tapped the floor. "I'll send some guards to search your residence, Athena, along with where the alleged thief dwells — every aspect of both places. If she did steal, she will be punished severely for this crime." And with folded arms, the woman began to stroll away.

While being escorted out of the palace, Athena jolted her arm into Ivy's, playing the strike off as an accident seconds later in front of the guards.

She must have been really proud of herself. Despite that, Ivy had to remember her foe was only close to winning due to her status.

Although she walked behind her parents, the young girl could already sense the frustration and bitterness emitting from them. Why did absolutely no one here use their head and understand that it would have been physically impossible for her to commit the crime she was being accused of? As Athena's father had almost pointed out, Holders did not need a single proof to inculpate a Powerless being.

"Ivy, Ivy, Ivy!" Her father came to an abrupt stop once they were just outside of the palace. "You never cease to amaze us. Just when we think you can't get any worse, you manage to prove us wrong. Now, look what you've done."

The words felt like a sharp blade, instantly plunging into her sensitive heart and shattering it to pieces. Even the people she dwelled under the same roof with had already settled on the decision to trust her foe. Worst of all, it was Athena Zelda, for crying out loud.

Her mother didn't seem to have the slightest care as she grabbed ahold of the girl's shoulders, shaking them with wrath. "Tell the truth! For the love of God, admit you stole it."

"I didn't—"

"No one — absolutely no one — is going to believe a failure like you over someone like Athena Zelda!" the woman cried out. "Oh, we're so done for. I shouldn't have convinced myself that we could get a despicable person like you under control. Everyone in the kingdom is bound to look down upon us all because of you. We may even lose our precious jobs."

"Why can't you ever just place yourself in our shoes and see how hard we're trying?" her father added, bringing his daughter's attention back to him as he urged with a pained look.

You're not trying hard enough.

"We've dealt with you, your stubbornness, and your arrogance for years, so show some pity," the man carried on. "Repay us with the same kindness and love we showered you with when we first met you, Ivy."

"And where is that kindness now, Father?"

The words rolled off Ivy's tongue without a hint of hesitation or terror, which was a first, yet, the indicted girl had had enough. With such a disappointing status like hers, what else was she meant to say or do to prove she was telling the truth? "Please, tell me," she proceeded, "where your kindness is now. Taking a stroll without a plan of ever coming back, is that it?!"

Her mother reached for her arm again, yanking it with force. "Watch your filthy mouth!"

"My mouth is not filthy," the girl, with a new rise of confidence, shot back, "and neither are my hands. I didn't go anywhere near Athena's Amulet. I never even saw it once when—"

WHACK!!

The sudden slap took Ivy back, yet, only for a few seconds as her palm rested, pressed against her stinging cheek. The woman could no longer hold back her fury, which, for certain, was not much of a shock to her daughter. The young girl just wished she'd remembered how very little her mother's patience was, then perhaps, she wouldn't have behaved so bravely.

The sound of the hit was audible enough to draw attention to the three of them, regardless, none of those people dared to stop walking to see what was going on.

"Don't ever speak back to your own mother in that manner, young lady. It's insulting. Not only do you steal and lie, but now, you've gotten bold enough to be disrespectful towards your elders?" The woman scoffed. "Are you out of your mind? Do you want to be abandoned?"

Frankly, Ivy would have loved the idea of being left alone, but, she understood how difficult it was for Powerless children to survive in the kingdom by themselves. Being abandoned would have been just as bad as this torture.

As her lips quivered, her hands trembled with dismay. When she couldn't stand to gaze upon either of them anymore, Ivy whirled around and her legs scurried off, dashing as fast as she could away from the two devils.

At the moment, there was nowhere else to go back to except home — a place she'd been forced to grow accustomed to for several years.

Upon stepping inside her bedroom, her body froze, desolate eyes scanning the entirety of the room. She could still reminisce the day she'd been taken inside for the very first time, the wide, joyous grin on her face never leaving when she'd heard it was going to be her very own space. Those days had been her happiest — days before her new family figured out she'd passed the age of seven with no Amulet.

Her parents had been so quick to snap while Alvin mocked her, each of them wholly changing their views of her. There was not a single rule against deserting your own child, but, it wasn't a good look on anyone who did such a thing. Holders were known for turning people they didn't like into servants, rather than throwing them out, even their own children.

Since then, the young girl had felt like a pen with no ink — vacant and useless. Family was what she had yearned for before, but couldn't wait to escape now.

In the end, she vacated the house entirely. She sighted her parents approaching the structure once outside, yet, before they could come any nearer, the girl bolted off, in a flash.

Away from the house. Away from the two devious Holders who'd treated her as nothing more than a being with no feelings - as a cursed doll unable to accomplish anything in life. Away from the torturous kingdom.

And away from her life.