Hello, lovelies. I have been toying with this chapter for some time because it is not my favorite and I hated writing it. In this chapter, Talia's mother is named Meslisande, I am not sure if that is correct in the fandom or not. Please feel free to correct me!

Unedited Version:

There will be grammar, spelling, and all types of errors in this chapter. I have briefly read over it.

His Song Bird

Chapter III

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Once upon a time...He Watched Me Climb

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When she began to develop, fear grew in Bane. What once appeared to be a scrawny young boy had now become a budding teenage female. Raven was no longer short, she had grown past the average height of any girl her age. A few times her hair had grown and he had cut it. He tried his best to find her the largest clothing to wear in order to hide the fact that she had breast and hips. Many prisoners had payed her no mind. She kept to herself and only spoke to Bane, just as he had instructed. No one had heard her oddly high voice and if they did, they assumed she was a young boy who had not reached puberty.

Her physical appearances was only part of the problem. Not only had she developed a new body, but also a new personality; one that usually caused her to get into trouble. From quiet and shy, she was now a spitfire, a curious one at that.

As the years carried on, her constant childhood questions became actions. She had a lust for wandering and learning. At the age of twelve or thirteen-no more than a year after she arrived- Raven attempted to climb the wall. The results of that dumb decision was her in agonizing pain after breaking her spine and hitting her head. That did not stop her from trying again.

Worried for her safety, Bane suggested she stay with Talia and her mother, Melisande, in a protective and Raven had already developed a relationship, a close one. Though a few years older, Raven was able to play with the younger girl. To Bane, it seemed to be the best thing for her; to Raven, it seemed like Bane was trying to get rid of her. Obviously, that was not true.

When push came to shove, she yielded and decided to stay with the only two other females. Of course, the prisoners did not know of either either Talia's or Raven's true gender. Most thought them to be males. When asked-though rare-why Raven had started living with Melisande and Talia, Bane would reply that a child needs a mother figure. The statement put all questions to rest.

As part of an agreement, Raven was authorized to leave the cage, but only with Bane and exclusively during the day. Every day-around noon-, Bane would arrive to greet her. The doctor would unlock the door and he would escort her around the Pit. For three hours they would talk and then she was forced to return back to the cell.

Raven did not enjoy the enclosement cell nor did she loathe it. Melisande was very kind to her and would speak to her; she was like the mother that Raven could not remember. Talia adored her and was a very helpful child. The two would play together sometimes and at night, Raven would tell her stories. Though she would not admit it, Raven pretended that the mother and child were her actual family. She liked it that way.

One day in the late of summer, Bane had awoken to the common noise of cheering and chanting. The calls happened once every two weeks or so, nothing out of the norm. When he looked to see who was reckless enough to climb, there was Raven, swinging back and forth from the ledge of a rock. If her life wasn't on the line, Bane would admit that it was a funny sight.

Baffled was probably not the word Bane would use to describe his feelings. Irritation, frustration, perhaps even concern were the true emotions raging throughout his mind. This girl was either brave or stupid for climbing all the way up there, and at the moment, he couldn't decide which one described her. Bane chose to go with stupid. Maybe it was her teenage hormones or insanity had found its way into her little brain, but she seemed to be more outgoing; and by outgoing, he meant suicidal.

Of course, this was not her first time climbing. He knew that she would last longer than others. After trying four or five times, a climber would memorize where cracker were, where to jump, when not to move. Even though she had experience, he knew that she would never get pass the largest jump. That was how everyone failed.

He observed her for a good minute in silence while she hung. He continued to stare as she hoisted herself up onto the next rock. For a split second, Bane could have sworn he saw her hand slip, but she kept climbing without a hitch. It wasn't until she got close to the top did she fall.

Her body twirled and jerked as she fell. Time seemed to become a thing of the past as she descended towards the surface. The wind in her face made it impossible to breathe, she felt like she'd suffocate before she would hit an end. For a full half-minute, she went downward at a speed that constricted her throat so that she could hardly draw breath.

She had fallen enough times to know what would happen if she did not stop her impending landing. Her visit to the doctor had been one of the most unpleasant experiences of her life. After suffering from a concussion and her spine out of place, she would never complain about hunger pains again.

Raven felt her body jerk upward, propelling her high up into the air. Her torso ached with the sudden pull, and surprise could be seen on her face. She looked up to see an incoming wall. Sticking her legs out, Raven managed to brace herself upon impact. Her feet touched the wall, pushing her knees and causing them to crack. Knee pain was always better than back pain.

A strange feeling built up inside as she glanced up at the sky. She had been so close and now she was back to where she started. The feeling became overwhelming, like an abundance of water behind a dam. It caused her shoulders to shake and her belly to hurt. She laughed; it seemed to be an odd emotion to have after failing to escape, but she was hanging in the air sounding like a braying donkey as she fought to breathe and stifle the tears.

I'm never getting out of here, she insanely thought with a giggle. It all seemed so surreal. Whatever had created them, whether it was a god or higher power, must surely hate her.

That night she had received a lecture from not only Bane but also Melisandre. Their words had been in vain for everything they said went in one ear and out the other. Raven did not see the problem with trying; Bane had even admitted to her that he had tried once or twice in his youth. She found it very hypocritical that he was scolding her.

"What is this?" Melisande demanded in the middle of her rant. She was holding onto Raven's arm, bruises were scattered across her skin. "You could die climbing that wall! You could die if any of the prisoners caught you," she whispered the second part lowly so that the others would not hear.

Raven grumbled in irritation as she retracted her arm away from Melisande. "I'm fine," she mumbled.

"You could end up dead," she argued, not listening to Raven.

She rolled her eyes, "I am bound to die in here anyway; I might as well die trying to leave. I don't remember the outside and I want to see it. Don't you? Don't you want Talia to feel the sun on her skin for the first time?"

Melisande's attention was now on the child who was sleeping peacefully. A sigh escaped her mouth when she thought of what it would be like for her daughter. How would she react to the warm sand on her feet? What types of foods would she like?

"Of course I do," she answered softly, "but we can not and we will not."

Melisande moved to huge Raven into her chest. She stroked her hair lovingly as if the younger girl was her own daughter. "I know," she began, "I know you are frustrated and that this no way to live, but we have to make do."

"But we could leave."

A faint smile graced her lips, "If you keep your head in the clouds what will you do when a storm comes."

The next morning, she was permitted to leave even though she was deemed "irresponsible". Bane had convinced Melisande to allow Raven to walk around the Pit. She did her daily ritual of returning to her corner, the corner that she had spent her first three nights in. Despite not believing in a God, Raven would pray to anyone listening, anyone willing to help her. After, she would mark a line on the wall and remark the fading ones.

"I want to go again," she whispered, mostly to herself, but Bane happened to hear it. When he didn't reply she elaborated, "I want to try the climb again."

He gave a soft chuckle, an expression of amusement flashing over his facial features. This child could bang her head against that wall a million times and still say she wanted to try again. That was the beauty of stupidity.

"You have gotten older yet you act as if you are still a small child."

She huffed with her eyebrows knitted together in frustration. She plopped onto the ground, laying on her hair- which had grown from a shaven head to a few wispy curls- framed her face, creating a halo. She turned her head to the side in order to look at Bane.

"Which is worse: this or hell?" When he took too long to answer she decided to continue, "hell would be merciful compared to this; but you're here. Hell isn't so bad if you get to have an angel with you," she finished with a smile.

"You consider me an angel?"

She said nothing, only smiled. For the rest of the day, both her and Bane laid on their backs, staring at the bit of sunlight that would shine from the top of the Pit. Clouds were rare in the desert, but just before sunset, Raven spotted a single cloud floating arose the colourful sky. Today must have been special.

When the sun had made its descent below the horizon, Bane escorted her back to the cage where Talia happily greeted the both of them. Raven entered the enclosure and patted the bubbly girl's head, before turning to thank Bane.

"Good night," she whispered through the bars. He only smiled in response before taking his leave for the night.

During the night, Raven's mind was rushing and she found it difficult to find sleep. She had never had trouble falling asleep; it seemed so odd to her. She thought about her parents-something she had not wondered about in years. She had assumed that they did not want her or maybe they were dead, but tonight she wondered if they were looking for her.

She thought about the past and why should could not remember hers. She imagined what an ocean would feel like on her toes. How would it feel to take a shower and have nice clothes. She had heard many stories about the outside world from Bane. Of course she could comprehend what he was saying, but it would never be the same.

When she finally found sleep, she dreamt for the first time in months. She could see the face of a woman whose features were not distinct but she could tell that the person was female. She had been calling out to her, laughing and saying loving things. Her hair was like Raven's but longer and she was holding the hand of a male. The male figure have the same eyes as Raven. That was the only distinct feature on his face. His hair was dark as night and he appeared to be significantly taller than the woman.

Raven tried her best to decipher who these people were, but her efforts were in vain. The side of them seem to be nostalgic yet she couldn't remember who they were. They last for so familiar and their faces seem to be a distant memory. She felt herself reach out to them as though she wanted to be with them. Before she could reach them, a loud noise sounded cause in the picture of them to vanish and she felt herself awaken from the dream.

It was not uncommon for her to awaken to chaos, nor was it uncommon for someone to attempt a climb; but she had never been awakened by screams. She had been jolted from her dream and tossed into a dangerous reality. A man stood over Melisande's bed while others began to file in. It only took Raven a moment to figure out what was happening.

Our cage was left open, she thought before swiftly realizing what she needed to do.

Raven hopped off her bed and sprinted towards the woman who was about to be raped. She tried her best to get them away from her. Raven punched and kicked at the men but she was overpowered. One of them hit her, sending her to the ground.

She saw nothing but darkness and her mouth tasted of blood. When she regained her sight, everything appeared blurry and she saw stars. She attempted to look back to Melisande's bed. With her blurry vision, Raven saw Talia.

The young girl-who was thought to be a male by the prisoners- was continuously pounding her fist at the men attacking her mother. One backhanded her, sending her small figure flying into the wall of the enclosure.

"Talia," she screamed, scared that the poor girl wouldn't walk up from the blow.

Raven rushed over to her limp body and gasped when she say blood running down from her head scarf. She lifted the girl into her arms before transporting her away.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. A chill right upper spine for fear that she was about to be killed. When she turned she saw none other than her guardian angel himself, Bane.

"Bane," she barely whispered out.

Before she could say anymore, he was already leading the two out of the cage and away from the mob. Talia was in his right arm while Raven's hand was laced with his left. He ran forward, every second barely escaping death.

"I can't leave her," Raven screamed as she tried to pull away from him. Her eyes kept darting back towards the cage where Melisande was.

"If Talia can then so can you; we need to move quickly," he spat without emotion. bane did not have time to care about Melisande. He was too busy saving the lives of two children.

"Melisande!" Raven called as Bane pulled her along.

Before long, they made it to the wall. Bane released Talia and allowed her to walk on her own. Frazzled, Raven was still looking back, hoping that the woman that she thought of as a mother had not been killed. Bane took a hold of Raven's face and turned it so that she was looking into his eyes.

"Protect her."

Raven shook her head, tears streaming down her face. This all seemed to be too much as though her world had come crashing down. "We won't make it," she sobbed "The jump is impossible."

"You have to go now!" He demanded.

"Come with us!"

"There isn't much time!"

"I won't leave you!"

"You are being selfish."

"And you're not!" He cupped her cheeks into her hands and kisses the top of her head lightly. When he pulled away she knew that he was begging her to leave. He wasn't asking. She silently nodded, with her final tear running down her face. "go, talia," she mumbled and the two girls began to climb.

Bane whispered a faint goodbye as they continued to climb...