36. Confidential Truth

Back in the Frozen Crescent, Akshara was heading to the room of the Chief lady in charge of the Ice Cave Bar. Chaos accompanied Akshara to meet Madame Anura. When they were about to enter, guards of Madame Anura stopped them.
After a little fight with the guards, Akshara burst open the door of the room of Anura, the Chief Lady of Frozen Crescent. Chasing Akshara, the guards entered the room followed by Chaos.
“Madame Anura, please help me…I need to know…” Akshara stopped her conversation to find her roommate Ruko who was already having a conversation with Anura.
“Ruko??? That’s why I can’t find you in the Cave Bar,” Chaos confessed.
Ruko turned to Akshara ignoring Chaos, "Axe, we were expecting you..."
Madame Anura was seated on her Icy etched chair specially made for Chief and adjusted her throat to dismiss the guards from her place. The guards returned to their position by closing the door.
Madame Anura eyed Chaos, “Get back to your work.”
Chaos hesitatingly left the place since she can't overgo the words of their Chief. She looked at Akshara and Ruko for a while and inhaled deeply to get back to her work of serving wines in the Cave Bar.
Akshara still hooked in the state of surprise about the welcoming words of Ruko, "Expecting me... But, Why...How... Madame Anura, can you explain how did I end up here?"
Ruko placed her hand on the shoulders of Akshara to calm down her fretfulness and asked her to take a deep breath, “I can understand what would have happened to you. I know. You need to learn a lot to adjust with our visitors. Bear this for a while, I don’t think you would stay here for a long, since your virginity test turned to gold...”
Akshara listened to Ruko with furrowed eyebrows, “What...?”
Madame Anura interrupted Ruko, “I don’t think it would be appropriate for you to mention the virginity test to her.”
Ruko turned Madame Anura to imply her point more strong, “How can you even say this? Don’t you think, she deserves to know,” Ruko completed with a loud voice that echoed around the closed walls.
“I have my laws to follow,” Madame Anura turned her head to face the walls ignoring the girls.
Akshara transferred her looks from Ruko to Madame Anura and vice versa. They both were facing opposite walls of the large room and Akshara was draining from her endurance of holding her temper, “You all have your laws to follow, baiting my virginity to attract more visitors to this sinful place. You are all non-human beings to behave mercilessly to the fragile girl who lost her memory.”
“Then, Why are you still fragile, enlight you to be a better version of yourself,” the splashing words of Madame Anura triggered the temper tolerance of Akshara.
“I wanted to know my identity. Who am I? I don’t remember anything since I wake up and you people confirmed my suspicions. If I belong here, why would you perform such an insanity test that is meant for only newcomers?” Akshara posted her arrows of questions tirelessly.
Anura didn't reply anything but maintained silence in her voice. Ruko hurried and pleaded for Akshara.
Ruko opened her mouth, “Mother, please tell her what do you know about her. She is suffering a lot from her memory loss. She couldn't remember anything from her past, she looks so miserable. Please help her”.
Akshara was shocked to hear the word MOTHER from the mouth of Ruko. Akshara asked Ruko, “Did you say, Mother?”. Ruko closed her mouth tight and maintained her silence.
“Ruko! Oh my god, you are her daughter and is she your mother? What the hell is happening here? Did any mother in this world allow her daughter to be a barmaid? I never heard of this…” Akshara surprised.
The teasing words from Akshara wounded Ruko, “Axe, you got no memory, how can you say that? You better watch your tongue before you talk. No wonder men ruin you.”
The verbal fight between Ruko and Akshara was about to burst out, Madame Anura quickly interrupted them both to stop their fight, “Axe, Ruko, stop. Axe, I don’t know about your past and territory. A reputed man left you here under my care and I too promised to conceal his identity. But the test result did mesmerize me.”
Ruko asked her mother in a stern voice, “What? A man? Until when he asked you to take care of her?”
Madame Anura lowered her voice, “I am not aware of until when.”
Akshara was curious to know about her and her past, “What’s wrong with my test results?”
Anura replied with haste, “That is confidential.”
Ruko pleaded with her, “Mother, please… You have to say, look at her, Look how she is abused by filthy men out there. She deserves to know that since she got all the rights to know. You can’t deny it, mother. Our life is destined to be her, in this cave. But she got a different destiny to live on. Reveal the person, just in case…”
Anura talked, “I pity your roommate. But I am sealed to reveal the person. I can’t help you. Don’t force me.”
Akshara looked at them both with tears filled eyes and was struggling to pull the words from her dried throat. Akshara was taken by Ruko who was angry with her mother. Before they shut the door, Madame Anura called, “Axe!?”
Akshara stepped forward to lower her head in respect. Madame Anura hoisted the lowered face of Akshara with her right index finger, “Listen carefully….” and uttered something in the ears of Akshara.
Akshara rolled her eyes to look at Madame Anura in emotionless eyes and left the room with Ruko as quickly as possible.
Ruko looked at the face of Akshara while they were heading to their room, as Akshara was indulged in her thoughts about Madame Anura’s statement, Ruko asked her, “What did she say?”
Akshara reminisced the words of Anura just spoke, “She said…She said… She asked me whether I will be comfortable cleaning the bar after all the men went out.”
Ruko asked her with doubtful eyes, “Is that it? Are you sure?”
Akshara replied by hiding her face in her messy hair, “Yes. I am sure. She gave me a promotion from serving department to cleaning department. And the offer is exclusively for me.”
Akshara adjusted her clothes, covered herself with neat cloth, combed the messed hair; feed some food to her bird, Sun and Shine. She wiped the fear and panic in her face and took a waste cloth from the dungeon and marched towards the bar to clean the place.
Akshara to herself while cleaning and picking up the empty glasses,
“Axe… You categorically need to work hard. I thought I will be accompanied in cleaning. But now I have come to know that only I am employed in the cleaning department. Congratulations, Axe. You are promoted to cleaning department.
Clap! Clap! (She was addressing the empty room and empty glasses. She stood in the centre of the place where Alaso danced) but, it’s fine. Fine to work, when no men around. No one will lay their hands on me.
If anyone dares to touch me, Then, (She arranged the empty glass in order, one above the above) They have to face the consequences. Will not get any mercy from the wrath of Axe...”
While she finished her speech, the merciless glasses fell one by one to shatter into pieces due to less gravity and in turn echoed at every corner of the Cave Bar.
Akshara heard a coughing sound and scared a little and searched every corner for any signs of men, “Oh my god! Did I wake any beast?”