Chapter 16

Every time a jade boy or for the matter of fact, anyone who came in The Jade Paradise had to be looked through. You weren't supposed to bring anything in. Or even out of the place for that matter. That could be a problem later when the sister will visit me. If she's gonna visit me.

Tivon laid down on his bed, waiting for the bell to ring. This stupid plan better work. He reached for his bag and took out the wooden carving of the ohil. He moved it in his hands. For some reason it made him calm.

The rang of the bell disturbed Tivon. He sat up and put the ohil back in his bag. He quickly fixed his dress and rushed out of his cell. Suddenly a boy bumped into him. He was about the same height as Tivon, but he was much younger. The boy fixed his light brown hair.

»S-sorry.«

Tivon helped him get back on his feet.

»Don't worry.« He pulled him on his feet. The boy smiled and quickly continued his way, as did Tivon. A shame that a boy at this age has to be here. He speed up his pace.

This time he didn't need to go to The Green Womans office. Right by the stairs leading to the pleasure house, there was a board with the number of a room and time of your visit. He quickly glanced at it and saw that his costumer was waiting for him in room six. He went up the stairs and straight to room six.

The old woman that Elias found for him, was sitting by the window. She was wearing a plain white dress and her shoulders were covered with blue embroidery scarf. She had long grey hair tied up in a bun. She looked at him with green kind eyes. She smiled.

Tivon bowed and walked to her, and sat down on the chair.

»Elias never told me what your name is.« The woman only nodded. Oh, I forgot she can't talk. »Oh, right. It slipped out of my mind.«

Tivon felt embarrassed, but the woman just kindly smiled at him. She pointed at the flowers sitting in a vase behind Tivon. He turned to see what she was pointing at. The flowers in the vase were Winlies, small violet flowers.

»Violet?« asked Tivon. The woman happily nodded. »Violet is your name?« The woman nodded again. »That's a pretty name.«

Tivon smiled when he saw Violet blush happily.

»Do you know how to write?« Violet nodded off sadly and looked down. »What about drawing?«

She looked at him and nodded slowly. Tivon got up and opened a drawer. There was a notebook and a pen. He grabbed them and went back to Violet.

»Maybe we can talk through drawings.«

She smiled and took the pen. Tivon waited for her to finish her drawing. When she was done, she pushed the drawing towards Tivon. She drew the mask that Elias wore.

»The Masked man? What about him?« Asked Tivon. Violet pointed at the picture, at Tivon and then she shrugged.

»Do you want to know how I met him?« Asked Tivon.

She smiled and nodded.

Tivon took a breath. »I was traveling with a merchant ship and The Rose Sparrow invaded us. They killed the whole crew, but if it wasn't for him I would be dead as well.« Violet touched the drawing and then put the hand on her chest, over her heart.

»You're right. He is kind. Have you ever seen him without the mask?«

Violet nodded and pointed at the mask drawing again and then moved her hands gesturing that she was making something.

»You made this mask?« Asked Tivon surprised. Violet approved with a smile. »It is really beautiful.«

Violet blushed again and Tivon smiled. »Why does he wear that mask?«

Violet looked out of the window, thinking about something and then she looked back at Tivon. She shrugged.

»It's okay. I'll ask him when I see him tomorrow.« Smiled Tivon. »So you make things?«

Violet removed her earrings and her bracelet. She pushed them in Tivons hands. Tivon looked at them. They were made with colorful stones stuck together with wire. The earrings were made out of turquoise rocks and the bracelet was made out of red rocks.

»You made them all by yourself?« Asked Tivon while examining them. She nodded. »They are marvelous.«

He gave them back to her. »Is this how you earn money here?«

She nodded again, putting the bracelet and earrings back on.

»You have to earn money somehow.« Said Tivon quietly.

Violet looked around the room and then meet Tivons eyes. She nodded off, her face turning sad.

»I know that this place is not the best, but we need it because of a job that Sabur gave us.«

She stood up and went to him. She grabbed his hands and bowed. »Are you already leaving?« Violet smiled. »It's okay, I don't like being here either.«

She laughed. Violet took the drawing from the table and gave it to Tivon. She pointed at it and then put her hand over Tivons chest. Tivon didn't know what she meant by that, but he just happily smiled and said. »Thank you Violet.«

She smiled and left the room.

Tivon looked at the drawing of Eliass mask. Why do you wear a mask? He folded the paper, hid it beneath his dress and headed outside.

While he was walking down the hallway someone shouted behind him. »Hey!«

Tivon turned around to see the boy that ran into him earlier. He looked distressed. The boy ran to him and grabbed his hands. »Can you read?«

»I can-.«

Before Tivon could finish, the boy continued. »Please help me. My client wants me to read, but I don't know how. Please help me, please.« His eyes were filling up with tears.

»O-okay. Calm down. I'll help.«

The boy hugged him. »Oh, thank you, thank you! You won't have to do anything, you'll just read.«

He took Tivons hand and pulled him into the room. There was a woman in a big red dress lying on the pillows on the ground. She had red long hair. She moved the lock of the hair from her face. »This boy better know how to read marily, otherwise I'll need to talk to The Green Woman.«

»N-no, he can. He's the best reader in The Jade Paradise.«

This boy is really putting everything on me. He's lucky I can read. The woman pointed at the book on the ground. Tivon sat down, opened the book on his lap and started reading.

After some lines he looked up to see if it's okay and if he should continue.

»Mhmm, you have a soothing voice. Continue.«

Tivon looked at the boy, who looked relieved and he continued reading. In the corner of his eyes, he saw the woman pushing the boy onto the pillows. She slowly started undressing him, the boy didn't resist.

Tivon moved away and continued reading, trying not to think about what was happening next to him. He moved the book closer and started to read louder, trying to drown out the moanings and other sounds. When he came to the end of the book, he closed it quietly and sneaked out of the room.

As he was walking down to his cell, he tried not to think about the scene stuck in his head. This is reality Tivon. This is the only life these boys know. This could happen to you if you lose your focus. When he came to his cell he threw himself onto the bed, putting a pillow over his head. I mustn't get stuck in here.

He didn't know when, but he managed to fall asleep. It didn't last long though, as he got woken up by the ranging of the bell. Another customer? Tivon fixed his dress and headed up the stairs. He glanced at the sign, but no visits were arranged for Tivon till tomorrow. That doesn't mean anything good. He knocked on the door of The Green Womans office, scared of what he might have done wrong. The door opened. The Green Woman wasn't facing him. »Take a seat, Tivon.«

Tivon quietly sat down on the chair in front of the table. She turned around, her hair loosened, makeup still smoky black. She put the cigarette in her mouth and let out a puff.

»You did extremely well for your first day.« Tivon felt a huge relief. »And I heard you helped Adrien.« She leaned forward. »You're lucky that the customer liked you, if it didn't you would have problems. If a customer wants to see someone and they get someone else, that could be bad for my reputation.« She leaned back and closed her eyes. »When Adriens customer came to pay, she was nice enough to rank you and pay for you too.«

She looked at Tivon. »If you'll keep up this pace, you might get to visit my sister.« She moved her hand. »Now go, I need to close this place.«

Tivon went to his feet and bowed. He rushed outside happy that his plan just might work. As he was walking back to his cell, he saw Adrien waiting by the cell. When Tivon approached him, he bowed. »Thank you so much, I don't know what I would do without you.« He looked up.

»Tivon.« Smiled Tivon.

»Thank you Tivon.« He blushed and ran to his cell.

Tivon smiled and turned to his cell. There was something lying on the bed. It was a red bracelet. Tivon removed his blue bracelet and put on the red one. Just three ranks up and I'm out of here.