Archive of Our Own

The night was young, remnants of twilight clinging to the sky in bleedings of deep purple and dark blue against the inklings of black. Stars were starting to litter the sky, small drops of light in the black void of night. Nature outside was darker, yet forming small touches of colour in the painting of itself.

It was calm, calmer than usual. Most bats had stopped their flapping around to rest for the night, the crepuscular creatures filled with food and a few dreams here and there. Mothers were hiding their pups in the large span of their wings, and the pups themselves were cuddling with the body of their mothers for warmth and comfort.

But one mother was missing her child.

She had looked everywhere, and her forces were waning. She didn’t know for how much longer she could stay alive with the grief of having lost her pup, yet she continued to look for him, ignoring exhaustion and hunger, shouting the name of her missing little one in the dark. Some other people had helped her in the beginning, bringing her food that she denied, claiming that it would be more useful for her child than her. Claiming that he usually came back to her when hearing his name being called.

This time, he didn’t come back, leaving his mother worried sick for his wellbeing.

The other villagers stopped helping her when twilight came, going back to their families for the night. Some hoped she would find her child, but none stayed to help, listening to the anguished shouts of a child’s name again and again, relieved that it wasn’t their child.

And when the night hit its darkest moment, under a moonless sky, a mother died of grief for a child that she would never see again.

-_-_-_-_-_-

He was scared. So scared. The owls had started to whistle, signalling that night had fallen completely. The moon was hiding, as if she didn’t want to see what was happening.

He had just been playing in the fields, as always. But then, they came. And he woke up here, in the street alone, and scared. So scared.

His mother was nowhere to be found, he only remembered her telling him there were bad people roaming recently around the village, and to be careful. Then, there was a man, who put his hands on him with a sweet smile, offering him a lollipop. Lollipops were a rare thing around the village, the parents not having enough money to buy their children candies, and his mother was struggling even more because she was a single mother.

He shouldn’t have accepted that candy. The man’s hands on his shoulders became more pressing, patronising even, as he told him how many candies he had with his friends, and to not tell his mother.

Why did he even listen ? He doesn’t even remember anything past that moment. Maybe except that fear that started to grow, and still hasn’t left.

The man was nowhere to be found, and the street he was in was bustling with scary people.

“Mama?” He tried, his voice broken by the sobs that threatened to spill on his cheeks. He clutched his little bat cuddly toy as he called for his mother again. Some women gave him pitying looks as they followed men to a dark corner of the street or buildings lit by red lights.

No one tried to approach the child, something was preventing them to do so, a presence only the adults could feel. Eyes on the child that seemed to follow him everywhere.

His mother had told him to follow the bats if he wounded up lost somewhere, as if she had sensed that one day, he would end up all alone in a scary street. But he didn’t see any bats, the red lights hurting his eyes. He tried to listen, looking for the echolocation or barks of some bats that could be nearby, but the weird sounds of the women he saw leaving earlier were too loud for his poor ears.

He didn’t even understand where he was, and who were those people, and why the woman were dressed like that. All he knew was that his missed his mother, and hoped she wasn’t too worried.

If only he knew.

At some point in the night, when the strange sounds started to die down, an old lady approached the child. “What is a child doing here?” She asked, as if he could even answer that. He took a step back, scared of what that lady would do to him. “I won’t hurt you little one, but you have to tell me what you are doing in this district. It isn’t a place for a child to roam at night.” She added, letting the child put some distance between them.

She seemed nice.

“I…” The child started before his voice broke with a strangled sob. “Mama…” He managed to utter with difficulty as the tears he’d been holding back all night finally fell on his plump, childish cheeks.

“Your mother is here?” The lady asked, and the child shook his head, now unable to speak because of his tears and the sobs that started to shake his little form. The lady saw that and extended her hand, letting the child the option to take it or not. “Come with me, I have a warm place for you to sleep tonight. We will look for your mother tomorrow.” She declared softly, her tone like a grandmother consoling her grandchild. “Would you like that?” She added, noticing the slight tremble of the child’s hands, as if he was about to agree but was scared of another trap.

After what felt like a small part of eternity, the child finally accepted the offered hand, unconsciously knowing that something bad could happen to him if he stayed in the streets tonight. The lady’s hand was warm, like his mother’s was. This realisation made him cry harder, though no sound except soft sobs escaped him. He was a big boy, and big boys didn’t cry, that was what the older kids back at home told him.

The lady entered one of the red lit buildings, the child’s hand in hers. She guided him towards one of the bedrooms without a word, comforting his with her touch only, while he still held his cuddly toy in the other, the comfort of the bat his mother had sown for him ever present in this hard moment for him.

The bedroom was plush, with a bed big enough to swallow the child in comfort. He never had that before, sleeping in a single mattress back at home. But that simple mattress and covers had been ones he shared with his mother, and Mama was more comforting than anything in the world.

A sob escaped him, loud and clear, a chocked “Mama” that somehow echoed in the room. The kind old lady placed a hand that she hoped was comforting on his shoulder, squeezing it gently.

“We’ll look for your mother tomorrow child. She must be worried sick about you. But it is too late for that. You should try to sleep, ok?” The old lady softly told the child, ushering him inside. “No one will hurt you here.” She added when she felt the child clinging to her. She patted his head, making sure her gesture wasn’t patronising or pushing but gentle. Her hands went through the locks of dark hair with the gentleness of the child’s mother, making him cling to her even more.

The old lady brought the child to the bed, tucking him in under the covers. She stayed with him until he fell asleep, petting his hair gently, lulling him to sleep. For a few hours, she kept watch over the child, making sure no nightmare took over his dreams, gently drying his tears when some fell on his cheeks.

-_-_-_-_-_-

“So this is the child you brought over last night, Ma’am?” A plump woman looked at the child peaking his little head inside the kitchen. He had smelled the scent of food and followed it across the corridors of the building. The lady was dressed – at the very least hopefully – but more or less skimpily. She wore a cropped, skinny top and a midi skirt, both pastel blue and white. The child found that she was beautiful. Less beautiful than his mother, but beautiful nonetheless. “Hello little one.” She greeted, her voice softer than a few seconds ago. “Are you hungry?” She asked immediately, showing the table where a plate of pancakes rested, still steaming slightly.

The child nodded before fully entering the kitchen. This was at that moment that the beautiful lady could see him fully. He was small, smaller than any child of his approximative age – probably six or seven. Maybe five – and purely and simply scrawny. She watched him make a beeline for the table and tentatively take one pancake with both hands after climbing on a chair. She watched him for a minute as he nibbled on the pancake. After his first bite, the child made a little sound, surprised at the taste of the pancake.

The beautiful woman approached him and took a pancake for herself before taking a bite. “They’re good, right?” The child eagerly nodded before taking another small bite, making a satisfied sound. That made the woman chuckle slightly. “You’re hungry, sweetheart.” She chuckled again, taking another bite of her pancake. “I’m Alicia. What’s your name sweetheart?” she asked after finishing her pancake.

The child raised his head to look at Alicia, stopping his nibbling on the little cake. He swallowed hard, looking for his voice. “… Lilia.” He said with a little, broken voice. He hadn’t used it since meeting the man the day before beside his sobs, and his throat hurt slightly.

The woman nodded and offered him another smile. “Well, welcome Lilia to the Red Spider Lily. The Madam took you in yesterday, right?” Lilia nodded once again. Alicia went to the pantry, coming back with a box of juice for the child. “Here, drink up. It’s orange juice, coming straight from an orchard outside of the city.”

“where are we?” Lilia croaked after taking the little box of juice and eyeing it suspiciously. He had never drank orange juice, but if that woman said it was good, maybe it was true. She seemed to be someone he could trust. But again, the man from yesterday took him from his mother and seemed kind too.

The thought of his mother made Lilia tear up, and Alicia was over him in seconds, “Hey, hey, hey sweetheart, you’re okay. Everything is okay.” She said quickly, trying to comfort the child, to no avail. She didn’t know what brought that child here, but seeing him cry so easily for a reason that she couldn’t grasp yet made her feel uneasy.

“Mama…” The child sobbed. Not knowing if his mother was alright, but knowing that she might be so worried about him made a knot twitch in his gut. Once again, the fear that had overcome him the day before came rushing in his little body, making him shake like a leaf in November wind.

“We’ll find your mother sweetheart.” Alicia promised, not really knowing what to do with the crying child in front of her. “Where do you live little angel?” She asked after awkwardly patting the child’s back.

Lilia hiccuped once, sobs wrecking his body. “The… Verdurous Moor… Black Water village.” He managed to say between sobs. Instinctively, like a baby bat looking for warmth, Lilia leaned towards Alicia, who welcomed him as best as she could, letting him lean into her, placing her hands around his shoulders.

“That’s pretty far away from here. How did a little angel like you end up in the capital?” The woman mused, and just as she was about to ask further question, the Madam entered the kitchen, her eyes immediately falling on Alicia and Lilia.

“Ah, Alicia.” The Madam greeted with a little smile before her eyes found the child nestled in Alicia’s arms, sobbing. “I see you met the child.”

“His name is Lilia, Ma’am.” Alicia introduced, noticing that Lilia was looking at the Madam. “He says he comes from a village in the Verdurous Moor.” She added almost immediately, her hand coming to pet Lilia’s hair.

The Madam nodded, almost absentminded, a hand on her chin. “The Verdurous Moor you say? That is quite far from here, but not with teleportation.” She repeated Alicia’s concern. She had quickly understood that Lilia had been abducted before being abandoned in the red-light district by his kidnappers. Moreover, bat Fae were quite rare in the capital, and not really welcomed.

That was when the realisation hit her.

The child’s kidnappers had probably tried to sell him to some man on the streets until said man realised Lilia was a bat Fae. Thus the child had probably been abandoned to his own devices by his abductors who couldn’t receive a good price for what they had hope would be good merchandise.

Truly, the world was a dark place.

“We will find a way to teleport you back to your mother, child” The Madam finally agreed with herself. “Alicia, can you go fetch Aline? She comes from the Moor, she will be able to teleport us there.” She asked, prompting Alicia to nod. The woman let go of Lilia’s shoulders, who tried to grab her sleeve – which, he couldn’t – before she left the kitchen to look for her colleague.

“I want mama.” The child sobbed again, his eyes bloodshot and his nose runny. The Madam sighed before approaching Lilia. She placed a hand on his shoulder, wanting to be comforting.

“We will find her, child. You will be reunited with your mother as soon as possible.” She promised, and Lilia nodded weakly.

Something inside him was uneasy, as if he knew something bad had happened. He hoped not but part of him knew that mother bats never left their pup alone when they were this young.

Alicia quickly came back with Aline and her, the Madam and Lilia quickly departed to the Verdurous Moor.

-_-_-_-_-_-

The three quickly arrived to Black Water village, Lilia clinging to the Madam. The teleportation had made him quite dizzy, and the world seemed to turn around him, making him cling harder to the Madam, hoping this would stop the dizziness.

They quickly made their way to Lilia’s home, the child guiding the Madam and Aline with a little voice. Most villagers were in the fields working, so the village was quite calm. Once arrived in front of the place Lilia called “home”, Lilia let go of the Madam to enter the little wooden house. It was mostly a two room house that looked perfectly at place in this little village, but would look rundown and shabby for someone living in the capital.

“Mama! I’m home!” He screamed, as if the place was big enough to prompt him to scream. “Mama?” HE repeated when no one answered. His mother wasn’t home, something strange as the clothing workshop was closed – he had seen that while walking towards his home.

Lilia looked around the room to make sure his mother wasn’t really there. When he didn’t see her, we went to the bedroom. Maybe his mother was asleep and didn’t hear him.

She wasn’t in the bedroom either.

“Maybe…” He looked back at Aline and the Madam. “Maybe mister town knows where mama is?” He said, more a question than an affirmation. The Madam nodded and let Aline took the hand of the child, letting him lead the way to the mayor’s house.

“Lilia? Is that you?” The mayor was out of his house, watering his flowers with a little tired smile. “Where have you been? We were so worried!” Lilia let go of Aline’s hand and ran towards the mayor, alarmed.

“Mister town!” He called with a hurry in his voice, clearly growing more distressed by the second. “Where is Mama?” He asked when he was right in front of the mayor, who looked torn. About something grave, the Madam could immediately tell. She too, grew worried.

“She… She left us.” The mayor replied with a heavy voice, making Aline and the Madam immediately understand. “Would… Would you like to see her?” He asked, tears welling in his eyes.

And Lilia, the Madam understood, was a clever child. Because he started to cry, louder than his sobs from the day before, clinging to the mayor’s shirt, begging, asking if this was just a joke. Beside her, Aline dried her eyes, as tears had appeared at the child’s visible distress.

He was so young. Too young.

The mayor led the three inside a new building, cold inside. Clearly, for how shabby the whole village looked, they had access to cooling devices that even some places in the capital didn’t have. The inside was dark, and smelled like bad news – literally.

A body rested in one corner, on a bed, white covers covering the whole body. The mayor went to that side of the room, crouched down and removed the covers slightly, revealing a woman’s face, eyes closed. She looked like she was resting, like nothing could attain her anymore.

Lilia ran towards the woman, a scream escaping him. “MAMA!” tears were streaming down his face and sobs were wrecking his whole body.

He had understood.

Quickly. So quickly. Too quickly.

“Mama! Please wake up! They’re lying! You didn’t leave!” Lilia cried louder and louder, his screams of anguish paralysing Aline with sadness. She didn’t know that woman, yet, seeing her son broken like that at her death made her feel the same deep grief as that woman’s son.

-_-_-_-_-_-

Lilia was five and a half when his mother died, leaving him orphaned.

He used to be so good with language, able to form complex sentences with some mistakes, and still the language of a child. So good in general, a well living child who loved to play and was a pleasure to be around.

Or so it was said.

That day, he lost his voice, broken from having screamed a grief he wasn’t even aware was there. All he remembered from that day was that his mother was gone in the stars, and that was only because the Madam told him so.

He couldn’t even remember his mother’s face.

The Madam had taken him in, feeling sorry for the child, and knowing that bat pups needed feminine presence to play as their mothers after being orphaned. She thus concluded with the mayor of Black Water village to take the child in, in exchange of clothes made there for her workers, for Black Water village was one of the best clothes makers in the kingdom – not to the point of servicing the crown, but enough to be known in the capital.

Lilia got taken into the brothel, and was raised by all the women there, mostly the Madam, Alicia and Aline who had formed a deep bond with the boy over the time, having seen his grief first hand. He still got his innocence for a time, not knowing what the women here did at night, dreamless sleep overtaking him early in the evening until late in the morning.

When he wasn’t awoken by nightmares he couldn’t place. Faces he didn’t remember dying again and again. Anguished screams of a woman he couldn’t name yet knew by heart.

And every time, without a sound, the child awoke, tears streaming down his face. But he always chose to stay alone in the dark, for he knew that the women in the building were working. He didn’t want to bother them with his nightmare, and he couldn’t even voice what happened to him anyway.

He was bound to be alone at night.

Until one night, when he awoke once again from one of his nightmares. The disembodied voice of a woman singing like a ghost, arms around him that were cold as death yet warm as Alicia’s arms when he was sick. Warm arms were around him, caging him in an embrace he had learnt to recognise as safe. A soft voice was right behind him, singing a lullaby he had never heard before.

Alicia was there, singing him a lullaby to lull him to sleep again.

“Sorry I woke you up little bat.” She said, after finishing her little lullaby, voice soft behind him. “I don’t have clients for the next hour, so I thought I could come check on you. You were trashing, did you have a nightmare?” She asked after a little moment. This earned her a weak nod from Lilia – his only form of communication, despite the Madam trying to have him and the women here learn sign language – that made Alicia tighten her arms around the boy. “Poor baby. I’m here now, you can rest.” She claimed softly. “I’ll chase the nightmares away.” She placed a kiss on the top of Lilia’s head, her lips in his hair calming him enough to completely lull him to sleep.

She was the best big sister he could have asked for.

And that night, with Alicia hugging him close, Lilia slept soundly, dreaming for the very first time of a woman hugging him just the same as Alicia was doing, murmuring sweet nothings in his ear.

When Lilia awoke the next day, he was alone in his bed, yet, the side where Alicia had been the night before was still warm, as if she had left not long ago.

The child rubbed his eyes and stood up, heading to the kitchen. He needed his breakfast.

“Good morning, little bat.” Alicia greeted with a smile. At the table, Aline was drinking her morning tea, staring into the void. Alicia placed a small plate with buttered toasts on the table, inviting Lilia to come to the table and eat. “Did you sleep well?” She asked with a soft voice, giving Lilia is cup of vanilla milk.

Lilia loved his vanilla milk. He knew that vanilla was a rare and expensive spice, but the brothel was popular and well-off, making it possible for the Madam to buy more expensive food for her workers and the child. He nodded at Alicia’s question, taking a sip of his milk before taking a toast and nibbling on it slowly. He was glad that Alicia didn’t bring his nightmare or the fact that she stayed with him for the night, not that he had hated that – on the contrary – but he was quite bashful at what transpired the previous night.

“It’ll be your birthday soon.” Aline piped in, finally looking at the newcomer. Her eyes were still lost in her tiredness, but she still offered Lilia a gentle smile. “!what would you like to eat?” She asked, knowing fully well that the child wouldn’t reply to her with words. Lilia showed his cup of milk, as if it was holy. He then gestured towards the toasts with his left hand. “Ah, vanilla cake.” Aline translated with ease. “Would you like strawberries with it? Like a strawberry shortcake?” A nod. Aline and Alicia exchanged a look, all smiles. “We’ll see if the Madam can make it happen. I hear a new patisserie had opened its doors near the castle.”

Lilia offered his two ‘big sisters’ a huge smile, memories of his nightmare completely forgotten at the idea of a strawberry shortcake for his birthday. He was turning eight and it would mark the two and a half years mark of his ‘adoption’ by the Madam, as well as the first memories of his life. He knew that the Madam couldn’t refuse him something because he was just too cute – Alicia’s words, not the Madam’s.

Lilia quickly ate his breakfast before heading out of the kitchen towards the Madam’s office. She would give him a series of tasks to perform for the day to keep him occupied enough to let the women present the time to rest before their afternoon and night shift. Not quite work, more small things that Lilia could do with ease.

“Would you like to learn how to dance, little one?” The Madam asked as Lilia passed the threshold of her office. The child took a minute to think about it. Usually she would give him studies like learning how to read, write and count, or basic herbology classes – “for you to not die at the first mushroom you will encounter in the wild” – but never more artistic classes. But it sounded fun, having seen dances from the women at the brothel, so Lilia nodded a little, earning a smile from the Madam. “Good. I will have Alicia teach you the basics. I will not be as useful as reading for your future, but having a physical activity is important for a growing boy like you.” The Madam added before standing up from her desk and heading out of her office, guiding Lilia with a gentle hand on his back.

Lilia let himself be guided to the training grounds, where Aline, Alicia and two other workers were training, their movements graceful and just plainly beautiful. Lilia watched them dance with big eyes, completely in awe. He grabbed the Madam’s skirt, as if silently asking “I will do that too?”

The Madam petted Lilia’s hair before asking for the women’s attention. “Ladies, I bring you a student.” She said, gaining a soft coo from the four women gathered in the room. “Alicia, can you teach him the basics, please? It will be a good physical activity for him.” Alicia nodded and approached Lilia and the Madam, offering the child her hand.

“Come here little bat. I’ll teach you how to dance.” She said with a smile on her lips, taking gently Lilia’s hand in hers. “You’ll soon move like a prince on the stage.” She added, her smile growing soft at the child’s eyes on her. They were big and filled with awe and adoration, an expression that the usually quite withdrawn boy didn’t have outside of when he saw the women – especially Aline and Alicia with whom he was quite close – perform arts.

Lilia followed Alicia towards the centre of the room, where Alicia sat down crossed legged on the floor. She invited Lilia to do the same and showed him some stretches to do to prepare his body. She then showed him more stretches, full body stretches before standing up and showing the child how to safely touch his toes while standing without bending his knees. He did that with ease, his young body more flexible than an adult’s.

“Okay, I’ll teach you your first steps. Watch closely, okay, little bat?” Lilia nodded again, watching Alicia make those first few moves. They were easy, visibly easier than what Lilia was used to see her doing. But he was glad his big sister showed him easy steps to start. He imitated the dancer with some difficulty, his body not coordinated enough to move both arms and legs at the same time in two different directions.

But he tried again.

And again.

And under Alicia’s gentle guidance, the cheering of the three other women present and the proud smile of the Madam who stayed to watch the boy take his first few steps, Lilia managed to dance his fist few moves. He was sweaty and breathing heavily, but he did it.

That made him so proud of himself.

“Well done, little bat!” Alicia congratulated, Aline and the two other women following suit. The Madam smiled to herself and exited the room, going back to her office. “I’m so proud of you!” Alicia leaned down to kiss the boy’s forehead, obtaining a bashful smile from him.

As much as Lilia was used to the women’s pet names for him, seeing them being so physically affectionate with him, especially in public, always made him blush slightly. Alicia staying the night with him had been one thing, but her kissing his forehead in front of other people? It was too much. He was a growing boy, not a baby anymore! Lilia tried to pull away – and managed to do so – but the look on Alicia’s face silently broke his heart and he leaned into her touch once again. Anything to keep his big sisters smiling.

And, whatever he would say, he would stay the brothel’s baby until his old age.

-_-_-_-_-_-

“Happy birthday!” The Madam, Alicia, Aline and the women that weren’t working at the moment greeted Lilia in his bedroom with huge smiles and a cake sitting on a white plate. Lilia looked at them with big eyes. Sure they’ve been doing that for the past two years, but it always surprised Lilia to no end to be celebrated like that on his birthday. The women gathered started to sing the happy birthday song as the Madam approached the boy in his bed, candles lit up with magic on the top of the strawberry shortcake.

They had remembered.

Like always when it came to him.

“Go on, child. Blow your candles.” The Madam prompted Lilia who closed his eyes, thinking of a wish he could make for this year.

I want to become as good a dancer as my big sisters! And for them to be happy! He thought hard as he took one big breath, before blowing the eight candles sitting on top of the cake. The cake in itself was really beautiful, decorated with strawberries and cream around the whole cake. A small ‘happy birthday Lilia’ was written on top of it with eight half-strawberries, on which the candles were planted. Lilia then raised his head and smiled at the women gathered, his eyes teary. While in general he didn’t quite like being the centre of attention, being surrounded by his big sister and the Madam on his birthday made the winter morning less cold.

The first of January, for the last two years, was Lilia’s birthday, a day where the whole brothel staff tried to turn into something memorable for the boy. They all knew that Lilia didn’t remember his life before he came to the brothel, but they wanted his life to be filled with good memories, not to replace the boy’s mother – they wouldn’t dare to do that, even if the boy had no recollection of her – but to lighten his days. Because growing up in a brothel, surrounded by courtesans wasn’t the easiest life, and that, the adults knew it perfectly, even if Lilia himself hadn’t realised it yet.

And the fact that the Madam was making sure Lilia learnt all the basics in life as well as how to be comfortable in his body was a way of reassuring herself. She was worried that Lilia would try to escape this life when he would grow older and resent her for his upbringing – yes, she was pessimistic like that, but in this way of life, better be pessimistic than anything. In any case, the Madam still took care of the child like he was her own, feeling sorry for the orphan. And, the sight of Lilia screaming over his mother’s dead body was ingrained in her brain, and, for as tough as she could be, it had still broken a part of her.

No child that young should have to go through that.

Especially not someone as dear as Lilia was.

The Madam petted Lilia’s hair once the cake was placed on the bedside table. “Happy birthday, boy.” She said, a soft smile drawing itself on her lips. She tried to act tough with him but she always failed. That kid was just too cute. Lilia blushed and smiled. When the Madam was about to remove her hand to cut the cake, Lilia’s smaller hands came to grab hers and place it again on his head, his blush intensifying. The Madam smiled at Lilia, softer still and more gentle. “Happy eighth birthday, dear child.” She repeated before caressing gently his head. Lilia didn’t make a sound, as usual, but the expression on his face showed deep contentment, the child nearly purring from the action of the Madam. He rubbed his head against her palm, a huge smile drawn on his lips.

He opened his mouth, and everyone thought that, this was it, Lilia would be able to talk again. That today would mark the first time in the two and a half years since Lilia lost his voice and memories where Lilia would finally talk.

Yet, no sound came out of his mouth as he mouthed a ‘thank you’, silent, as always.

No words today too.

Everyone exhaled, saddened by that fact. Surely the boy didn’t break his vocal chords the day he saw his mother’s body, the same way his mind broke? Yet, as Lilia was watching the Madam cut the shortcake with rapt attention, the other women shared a look. They knew it already, considering Lilia as their little brother, or, at the very least, a dear child, but they needed to protect that child at all cost, just to keep seeing him smile like that for as long as possible.

Alicia took a few steps closer to Lilia, who was still watching the cake with big eyes. It was exactly what he had asked for, even better. “Are you ready to taste it, little bat?” She said as she crouched down to Lilia’s level. The child finally tore his eyes from the cake to look at Alicia in the eyes, his raspberry red eyes shining with mirth. He nodded once, then twice, a huge smile on his lips. Lilia then took one of Alicia’s hand and brought it to his face, nuzzling it, like a cat looking for affection. It was his way of thanking her for remembering and understanding what he wanted. And that made Alicia’s heart burst with love for the child. She caressed Lilia’s cheek softly, the boy’s skin soft under her hand. That hand that had held things a child shouldn’t know; she kept her nightly activities a secret from the child. Child who somehow managed to tell her everything, even without words. She had started, in turn, to confide herself in the child – without telling him everything of course – after long nights where she did entertain men – in more ways than one.

The Madam gave the first bite of the strawberry shortcake to Lilia who bit down eagerly. The second the strawberries hit his tongue, Lilia closed his eyes to savour the taste of the cake. It tasted like heaven made real, an explosion of deliciousness on his tastebuds. If he could, Lilia would have hummed in pleasure from the entire situation: a delicious cake, surrounded by his big sisters and the Madam, for his birthday.

What could he have asked for more?

In his mind, a small voice, the one of a woman he had no recollection of, wished him a happy birthday too before disappearing. Part of Lilia knew that he knew that voice, but he couldn’t determine where he knew it from or where it came from.

Lilia, after taking another bite of the cake, extended his plate to Alicia, silently proposing her to taste it too. The lady of the night smiled and took a bite of the shortcake, humming at the taste. “It’s really good!” She purred, deeply satisfied that her idea of patisserie for the cake had been the right one. “Tell me, little bat, what do you want to do today? I have my whole day off to spend it with you, if you want me, of course.” Alicia finally said, a smile stretching on her lips. Lilia nodded eagerly, as if telling his big sister of course I want to be with you!

Alicia patted Lilia’s hair gently, standing back up. “Finish you cake and go clean yourself. We’ll be together after, okay little bat?” she declared gently. Lilia lowered his gaze on the cake on his lap. He wanted to spend the whole day with Alicia, and not spend a single second without her. Alicia seemed to feel this little fight in the child’s mind and turned to him again. “You want to stay with me.” She declared, matter-of-fact. Lilia nodded weakly, not daring to raise his head. “You’re a big boy now, you should be able to bathe alone, little bat.” She added with a soft voice.

She knew that it would be like that. Lilia was stuck to her hip when she wasn’t working, always asking silently for her to stay by his side every time she was able to. The child even had troubles bathing by himself, having panic attacks if no one was around him during this time, and it had always hurt Alicia to see him like that. The Mayor of Black Water Village had told them that Lilia had been in a nearly symbiotic relationship with his mother, but that was explained by his young age and how mother bats were really close to their pups. But after Lilia’s mother’s death, the child had grown scared of many things, and water was one of those things. Usually it was Alicia or Aline that helped the little one bathe and clean himself in general, but the Madam took that in charge when the two women were working early.

Alicia had thought that Lilia would start bathing by himself as he would grow older, but it seemed it was still too early for him. She sighed softly and came back towards Lilia, patting his head gently. “Okay, we’ll bathe together sweetling. Just finish your piece of cake and we’ll go bathing.” She conceded with a gentle smile, her tone just like the one of a mother to her young child. Lilia finally raised his head, eyes teary with the scare he had of bathing by himself, and nodded quickly, a wobbly smile of his own on his lips.

The child quickly finished his piece of cake and stood up. He extended his hand to Alicia, silently begging her to take it, which she gladly did with a smile. The two then exited the child’s bedroom, the other women – and even the madam – cooing gently at the sight. Alicia truly was Lilia’s favourite.

Lilia and Alicia thus spent the day together, Lilia playing with Alicia all day long, going out to play in the snow that had coated the red light district a few days ago in its white sheen. The surrounding inhabitants of the district all watched that child play with a courtesan, some with small smiles on their lips. It was a well known fact that this specific brothel had welcomed a child two and a half years ago as part of the Madam’s family, and usually the inhabitants of the red light district kept their hands to themselves, not wanting to incur the wrath of the Madam or some of the courtesans who were said to know self-defence.

When the day finally came to an end, Lilia fell asleep in Alicia’s arms, a soft smile grazing his lips as he clung to his big sister. Alicia watched him fall asleep with a smile of her own, caressing gently the little one’s hair.

She would never want to replace the boy’s mother, never. But seeing him so happy to be around her and so dependent on her made her realise that maybe she was made to be a mother, or at least a motherly figure for children.

Alicia had never wanted children of her own, thus always protecting herself against unwanted risks, but seeing Lilia like that with her, she just wanted to protect him forever, even when he would grow up to be a lanky and rebellious teenager, she wanted to be there for him. To love him like a mother would, like his mother did.

She fell asleep hugging Lilia close to her, imagining her days with the boy, when she would have enough money to buy her contract and would be free of this way of life. Or maybe she’ll take the role of the Madam in some years, staying in this way of life. Either way, she imagined Lilia to be by her side, her baby brother always by her side.

-_-_-_-_-_-

It happened at the start of spring. The whole capital just celebrated the equinox with festivities that lasted the whole day and night. The brothel had received customers for the entire day, slowing Lilia’s teachings by far, the boy holed in his room drawing silently with the new pencils that one of his sisters had gifted him for his birthday. He was supposed to go find Alicia and Aline for his dance lesson, but was scared to bother his sisters while they were working, so he stayed in his bedroom, drawing and studying sporadically. He still had to study for his foreign languages test that the Madam gave him every two weeks, but the desire to do so was completely absent. He was too absorbed by his drawing to care for anything else.

Alicia’s birthday was coming and Lilia wanted to draw a portrait or her and Aline as the two were really close – he even saw them kiss one night, but that’s a secret! – with his little skills in art, as the Madam had asked one of his big sisters to teach him how to draw.

Lilia erased once again the top part of the drawing. He wanted it to be perfect for Alicia, but couldn’t get the hair right. And the eyes were uneven. And the nose slightly crooked. Groaning silently, Lilia crumpled the paper in his hands and threw it in the little bin under his desk, already overflowing with pieces of paper.

He started again.

That was when someone knocked on his door.

The Madam entered, careful to not make too much noise after she saw Lilia being engrossed in his little activity. She approached the child and leaned in, looking at what he was doing. The first lines of the sketch were done, creating the base for a face that was recognisable for the Madam. Without having drawn the rest of the face, just with the structure of the head, the Madam recognised Alicia. The kid, truly, was gifted in that domain, and she was happy to see that Lilia enjoyed drawing as much as he did.

That was when Lilia saw her. He tried to hide his attempt with his hands, the paper crumpling slightly under the pressure. He mouthed something that the Madam didn’t understand, the child still being dead silent, but she saw the look in his eyes, the shame of not being perfect. She patted his head gently, caressing the soft black hair and leaned in a little more. “Are you drawing Alicia?” She asked, knowing the answer already. Lilia nodded weakly, a deep blush rising on his cheeks. “She will love it.” The Madam added with a gentle smile, deepening the blush on Lilia’s face.

The child tried to say something more, something akin to it must be perfect, but, as always, no sound came out of his mouth. Resigned, Lilia closed his mouth and turned his head back on his drawing, removing his hands and picking up his pencil once again. He tried to draw the eyes, just like his big sister had taught him, but once again, they weren’t right, so he erased. Again and again.

“Try to centre the pupils.” The Madam recommended, lending her hand, silently asking the child to give her the pen. “Can I try?” She asked with a soft voice. Lilia gave her the pencil, and she drew the guidelines of the eyes on the paper. “Here, you should be able to draw them accordingly. And do not forget that Alicia has droopy eyes.” She patted Lilia’s head again, giving him back his pencil before straightening. “But I did not come for that.” She declared with a sigh. “The Queen will be coming tomorrow to visit. I heard she wants to borrow some of our courtesans for a reception,” the Madam explained as Lilia turned to look at her. “I want you to be on your best behaviour in front of her tomorrow.” Lilia nodded, placing a hand on his heart in sign of a promise.

He had never seen the Queen before, always heard of her in hushed voice when he went to fetch herbs at the local apothecary with one of the helpers. Hushed voice about her supposed temperament and how angering her was really easy, even if she had calmed down with age, and had become wiser. The true Fae Queen the people had waited for long. But the prospect of meeting her for the very first time unnerved Lilia slightly. He was still weary of Her Majesty and didn’t know what tomorrow would bring.

“I let you back on your little activity, do not forget to study for your test, little one.” The Madam said as she closed the door behind her, leaving Lilia alone in his room once again. The child went back to his drawing, finally finding that the eyes were perfect after a few more tries.

The following day, Lilia was put out of bed by Aline, who helped him dress up well for the Queen’s arrival. She put him in his best attire, tying a small bow-tie around his neck. “All done sweetheart!” She exclaimed with a huge smile. “Look at you all formal and cute! I’m sure the Queen will love to see you.” She said as she turned Lilia towards the mirror one of the men she entertained had gifted her. Lilia looked at him, truly looked. His long hair had been pulled in a half ponytail, long strands framing his face. He had wanted to dye it to look like Aline, who had peekaboo strands of hair dyed a soft lavender, but the courtesan had forbidden him to do so, claiming that he was too young to dye his hair, but that she’ll be happy to help him once he reached teenagehood.

Aline had dressed him in loose fitting brown pants that were perfectly his size and a white shirt that hugged his small form, the brown bow-tie complimented his white skin, giving him the looks of a small treat. He knew he was smaller than children his age, but standing in that attire, he felt tall. Tall and pretty.

Feeling tall stopped the second the Queen entered the brothel. She wasn’t tall. She was gigantic. Lilia had to raise his head so much to look at something other than her legs, it strained his neck. And beside the Queen was a girl. She was tall too. Too tall to not be a Draconia, as they all seemed to be gigantic Fae, especially compared to his small form. The girl still had her wings and tail out, signifying that she was still young. He horns were small too. She looked at everyone standing there with a high and mighty look on her face, like she knew she was the big deal, the Princess, the next one on the throne, and it unnerved Lilia, who hid slightly behind Alicia’s leg. The courtesan put a hand in his hair, calming slightly his nerves, and pushed him to stand back correctly with a gentle hand. Lilia did so, to make his big sister proud, but he was still scared of the Queen and her daughter.

“I see you have brought me your best courtesans, Madam.” The Queen said, her voice a low yet powerful purr. “I will take these three. They should make great entertainment for my daughter’s birthday.” The Princess nodded, her eyes gliding over Alicia, Aline and Lune. The three women bowed deeply, thanking the Queen for this opportunity. “What do you think, Princess?” The Queen asked her daughter, who was still looking at the three courtesans.

“They should do the job. I like their physique, and their dancing skills are decent.” The Princess said, half bored.

Lilia got outraged at that. His big sisters were the best dancers of the whole red-light district, not some mere street dancers! He clenched his fists, trying to stay still as much as he could to not attract attention on himself. He promised the Madam that he would be on his best behaviour, so he ought to be.

But the Princess’ eyes fell on his anyway. A light lit up in her eyes as she eyed him up and down, a small smile drawing itself on her lips. When Lilia caught her gaze, he lowered his head respectfully, trying to be as polite as possible. In any case, he didn’t have any voice to object to anything the Princess would say to him.

“And who is that? You’re having children work here?” The Princess asked, weary. This was supposed to be the best brothel of the red-light district, and children shouldn’t work in the capital, unless from deep poverty.

“Ah, no,” the Madam replied, her head bowed, “this is Lilia, a child we take care of. Outside of studies in the arts here, he doesn’t do any courtesan work, you Highness.” She explained, gesturing at Lilia who nodded, his head low. “He is mute every since we took him in, but he is the bravest and most polite child I could have asked for.” The Madam praised him, making Lilia blush slightly. She wasn’t one to praise him outwardly, so hearing those compliments from her felt good.

The Princess still stared at Lilia, a glint in her eyes. She approached the boy with steps that made it look like she was floating and raised his head, so that he looked at her directly. The Princess studied his feature, looking at him from head to toe. Beside them, Alicia seemed to start fidgeting, her hands clenching again and again.

That’s when the princess let go of Lilia’s chin and turned towards her mother. She extended a finger slightly, pointing at the child and with the impetuosity of any Princess exclaimed:

“Mother, I want him.”