It's not very promising to sit in a shell-shocked and cold cell for sixteen years, but Naomi Shurgen didn't give a damn about it.

Today, she usually lay on the icy floor in her lonely cell and thought about all sorts of nonsense that she didn't really understand. «I wonder how my mom is doing? And what does she look like»? the girl thought.

Naomi rolled over and continued her thoughts. «I was told that I have a brother. He must be so handsome... will he save me, this unfinished knight, or will he leave me to die here»? she thought irritably. Thought, in other things, not without longing. She had never seen guys. Unless seen a tyrant a couple of times, but that's a man!

However, the next thought made poor Naomi shudder. «What if my brother doesn't even know he has a sister? In that case, he won't save me by the very fact». At such a thought, Naomi quickly turned over to the other side, as if in a frenzy repeating that her brother would come and save her. It will save!

With such a desperate thought, the girl fell asleep.

***

«Hey, youngster, get up! Breakfast is starting»! The guard growled menacingly and kicked the bars with all his might.

Naomi opened her eyes. She saw the black shoe of this cute guard. Then the man could not stand it and began to beat her bars harder, almost hitting the girl. Finally, Naomi sat down on the cool floor.

The guard grinned contemptuously and put a piece of bread, an apple and a glass of water next to her. Left a blanket nearby. Then he went to the next cell and started shouting again:

«Wake up, lazy women! You still have to work today»!

Naomi sighed sadly and took bread and water. A fun day was waiting for her!

After breakfast, the captives were taken to the plantation, where for days young girls planted trees and sprouts, plowed the land, watered the flowers. While the girls were sneaking around the fields and meadows, girls in light sundresses were sitting on the nearest chairs and benches and sewing clothes. Someone was darning it; someone was filling up huge holes. Other girls measured the fabric and cut off the right amount. Then he gave these pieces to his other colleagues and they already sewed the pieces.

«In principle, it's not so bad! Sitting at sewing all day is still not going anywhere», Naomi thought, walking down the hill with other girls in thin trousers and a white shirt.

Naomi was walking and admiring the views. Over there, near the benches, there is a stream with swans as black as gasoline and (!) geese. The grass shone in the rays of the sun, which had not yet really come out of the horizon. The trees (mostly firs, pines and birches) were like a fortress wall separating the forest of normality from the plantations with working girls.

The guard shouted:

«Well, get to work quickly! Get your feet in your hands and march»!

Naomi sighed and picked up her braid. «No, it's still bad. We work all day and eat only apple and soup. And we only drink water once every two days. Although I'm already used to it»! she thought and began to mow wheat and other herbs that I have no idea about.

«This is the exploitation of women's labor».

Naomi wiped the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve and tossed her head.

Next to her, a beautiful creature of about fourteen was mowing wheat, with pink strands shining in the sun and in a long shirt almost to her ankles. The scythe she held in her hand was outrageously large compared to her height. The girl was whistling something under her breath. When she felt Naomi's eyes on her, she turned around.

«Oh, did I say that out loud? Excuse me»!

«Yes, it happens. We've already taken everything here alone, so talking to ourselves is the norm here».

Naomi lifted her braid and adjusted her sleeves. There is at least one living soul on this plantation. And then you can die like that. She held out her hand to the little girl and said:

«I'm Naomi Shurgen, let's get acquainted. And what should I call you»?

The girl winced, seeing the obvious resemblance to kings and nobles. But she held out her skinny hand and nodded:

«Ludmila. Although I'm just Ludа. Call me that».

Naomi smiled, realizing that she now had a friend. It means that she will spend the remaining days at least not alone.

«Luda, listen… Have you been here long»? not finding a normal reason to start a conversation, Naomi began.

«Nope. Two or three months. But to be honest, that was enough for me».

Naomi raised her eyebrows, surprised at this figure.

«It's just that the monarchs sheltered me the rest of the time, but when they realized that I was hopeless, they handed me over to the guards. How long have you been here»?

«All sixteen», Naomi sighed and let the scythe fall to the ground. It was already very painful for her to work with one hand all the time. And the braid was heavy and 25 kilograms could hardly lift it.

Luda's face expressed the deepest regret, as she suddenly gasped and dropped her braid. Naomi turned to her.

«What happened»?

«Yes, I even remembered the times when I dripped caves with my father with a pickaxe. And accidentally began to slash the ground with a scythe».

«It looked strange».

«I know. But that's why schizophrenics are schizophrenics, in order to seem strange», Ludmila answered mysteriously.

While Naomi was realizing the meaning of this phrase, Luda found something that almost broke her braid. Something golden glittered and desperately called from under the ground. Ludmila poked her bare foot on the gold. The leg responded with a dull pain.

«Naomi… I found a treasure»!

Shurgen looked at her in bewilderment.

«What kind of treasure? Here in the jail»?

Luda just snorted and grabbed Naomi by the sleeve of her shirt.

«Look, do you see something golden sticking out of the ground? It's probably gold. Lots and lots of gold! You and I will take this gold and bribe the Tyrant. He will take the gold for himself, and let us go, eh»?

The girl just shook her head. Luda was offended and shoved her braid.

«If you don't want to believe me, then find out for yourself»!

Naomi tapped her scythe on the gold. The scythe almost fell apart at the same time.

«I'm telling you. There's gold»! jumping around Naomi, Ludmila was saying.

Naomi forcefully hammered the golden thing and it visibly cracked. Naomi squatted down and began to dig the ground with her hands. The earth, raw and slightly fried in the sun, flew in all directions. But Naomi was still watching it with surprise. This thing she pulled out of the ground was... her own portrait!

«Oh, my God, Naomi, is that you»? Ludmila gasped, looking at the find in her friend's hands. «So that's what the gold was there».

«I.. where in the fields, in the jail, did the portrait of some left-wing girl come from? I don't understand anything».

«You know, I'm more concerned about the question of who painted you, because you've lived in this dungeon all your life», said Luda.

Naomi looked wildly at her portrait, not believing that this beautiful two-piece on the canvas was herself.

«Hey you, from the 59th plantation! What are you standing for, mares? Sunset is coming soon! We took the braids and go ahead for dinner»! The guard shouted at them and threatened them with his fist.

Luda sighed in confusion and took her braid. She sadly took one last look at Naomi, who was still standing with the portrait in her hands, and wandered towards the dark towers of the Dungeon, where she would have to live for the rest of her life because she couldn't just break that damn glass.

And Naomi was still standing with the portrait in her hands. An unexpected thought occurred to her.

Why have the paints not been smeared for a long time, if they were in the ground all the time?