ADRIA AND AL HAD SAFELY MADE IT BACK TO ADRIA’S BUILDING. AL WAS HAPPILY DOZING IN A PILE OF BLANKETS AND CLOTHING, THIS TIME ADRIA WAS THE ONE UNABLE TO SLEEP. SHE WAS THINKING BACK TO SOMETHING SHE AND AL SAW WHEN LEAVING THE FORT. WELL, AL NOTICED IT, SHE SIMPLY NOTICED HIS REACTION TO IT.

IT WAS A MAP. MORE ACCURATELY A MAP OF THE LANDS CLAIMED BY THE ROYAL FAMILY. IT WAS BY NO MEANS ONE OF THE LARGEST COUNTRIES BUT AL SEEMED TRANSFIXED WHEN HE REALIZED THE COMPARABLE SCALE THE TINY DOT REPRESENTING THIS TOWN INDICATED.

IT WAS LIKE HIS OBSERVANCE OF THE WORLD HAD BEEN WRONG FROM THE START. HE’D BEEN LOOKING AT HIS ENVIRONMENT THROUGH A MICROSCOPE. TO HIM, THE WORLD WAS THIS SINGLE STREET SURROUNDED BY THICK FORESTS. HE KNEW LITTLE ABOUT THE SMALL WINDING ARTERY CONNECTING THEM TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

HE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT ADRIA’S ARDUOUS JOURNEY DOWN THAT ROAD THAT FELT LIKE SO LONG AGO.

‘NOR SHOULD HE’ SHE THOUGHT. ITS HER JOB TO PROTECT HIM FROM THAT SIDE OF THE WORLD. SHE WANTED TO PROTECT THAT INNOCENCE SHE STILL SENSED IN HIM. BUT WITH TODAY'S EVENT WAS THAT REALLY POSSIBLE?

HE KILLED TWO PEOPLE. AND NOT MERE PUSHOVERS EITHER. TWO FULLY FLEDGED ADVENTURERS. BOTH OF WHOM WERE FAIRLY SKILLED, PROBABLY ONLY A SMALL STEP BELOW KANGER’S LEVEL.

WHO IS HE?

BETTER YET WHY WAS SHE ONLY WAITING UNTIL NOW TO FULLY ASK HERSELF THAT.

AGAIN HER DEFENSES AGAINST PEOPLE FAILED WHEN IT CAME TO AL. FOR INSTANCE EVEN NOW, HE SLEEPS PEACEFULLY ON HER FLOOR. A MAN, SLEEPING IN A ROOM WITH HER, ALL ALONE. THIS IS RISQUE. SHE’S A PRI… SHE WAS A PRINCESS, SUCH A THING WOULD BE AN ENORMOUS SCANDAL. BUT NOW SHE HAD THAT FREEDOM. THE FREEDOM TO FIND AL ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND DECIDE TO TAKE CARE OF HIM.

"GIVING IT ALL UP REALLY WAS THE BEST." SHE QUIETLY MUMBLES AS SHE SNUGGLES INTO HER ROUGH MATTRESS AND SHUTS HER EYES. "YOU’RE LUCKY I’M SO NICE AL."

SHE QUICKLY DRIFTS OFF INTO DREAMS AFTER THE LIGHTHEARTED MUMBLE, SHE DIDN’T HEAR AL REPLY WITH A QUIET ‘THANK YOU.‘

AL DURING ADRIA’S INNER MONOLOGUING WAS INDEED SLEEPING, BUT HE WAS ALSO CONTEMPLATING HIS EARLIER ACTIONS. HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTIES COMING TO GRIPS WITH WHAT HE HAD DONE. THE DEATH OF THE TWO MEN SPARKED A FEW CONNECTIONS IN AL. FIRST HIS OWN MORTALITY. SECOND, THE FACT THAT DESPITE THE FACT THAT HE ULTIMATELY CONTROLS HIS BODY, SOMETIMES HE CAN’T THINK FAST ENOUGH. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN HES ALONE. THERE IS ANOTHER THING INSIDE HIM HE CAN RELY ON. THIS MUST BE THE ‘INSTINCTS’ HE HAS HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT.

HIS BODY CHOSE FIGHT OVER FLIGHT AND ACTED ON THE MUSCLE MEMORY HE HAD ENGINEERED SO CAREFULLY. BUT IT FELT STRANGE TO HAVE RELIED ON SUCH AN INTANGIBLE PRESENCE. SUCH AN UNCONTROLLABLE PRESENCE. IF ONLY THE SPEED OF THESE REACTIONS COULD BE USED FOR NORMAL PROCESSING. IF REACTIONS COULD BE CONTROLLED WITH PROGRAMMING THEY COULD BE TRUSTED WITH GREATER CONTROL.

BUT HOW DO YOU CONTROL SOMETHING THAT YOU’VE FELT ONLY ONCE?

ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS NEED TO COME. ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE NEWFOUND SIZE OF THIS WORLD. HE THOUGHT HE WAS JUST A GRAIN OF SAND ON A BEACH BUT NOW HE’S REALIZING THERE ARE OTHER BEACHES AND LARGER OCEANS. WITH A LARGER WORLD MEANS MORE KNOWLEDGE, HE WAS BOTH EXCITED AND APPREHENSIVE. BUT HE UNDERSTOOD NEITHER OF THE CHEMICALS AND BRUSHED OF THEIR EFFECTS.

«§»

THE FOLLOWING MORNING, AGAIN ADRIA ACTED AS IF NOTHING HAD CHANGED. SHE FELT IT WAS THE BEST OPTION. SHE DIDN’T WANT HIM KNOWING ABOUT HER NIGHT FULL OF INTERNAL STRUGGLING. SHE JUST WANTED TO CONTINUE AS THEY HAD BEFORE. SHE WANTED THOSE HAPPY FEW DAYS BACK, BUT SHE KNEW THINGS WOULD CHANGE NOW. SHE DIDN’T KNOW HOW SHE KNEW BUT SHE COULD FEEL IT. THIS WOULDN’T GO UNNOTICED.

AL ALSO ACTED AS IF NOTHING HAD CHANGED. AS FOR HIM, IT BASICALLY HADN’T. OF COURSE A NEW OPERATING SYSTEM WAS INSTALLED AS WAS DONE MOST NIGHTS. BUT HE HAD ALSO DECIDED TO SOFTLY FORGET THE EVENT. IF REFERENCED HE COULD OF COURSE RESPOND WITH A CORRECT CONVERSATION CHAIN BUT THE EVENT ITSELF WOULD BE REMOVED FROM CORE MEMORY. THIS WAS IN ORDER TO REDUCE LIKELIHOOD OF OVER-RELIANCE ON THAT PHANTOM PRESENCE CALLED ‘INSTINCT’.

NOT UNTIL IT COULD BE CONTROLLED. FOR NOW THAT WILL BE AN INTERNAL PRIORITY, BUT THERE’S NO TELLING IF IT IS EVEN POSSIBLE.

"SO AL, I GET OFF EARLY TONIGHT HOW ABOUT YOU STAY AT THE LIBRARY AND I’LL PICK YOU UP WHEN I FINISH. WE CAN GO GET SOME STEW AT THE INN." ADRIA BROACHES THE SUBJECT CAREFULLY. SHE DIDN’T EXPECT AL TO OBJECT BUT SHE STILL DIDN’T WANT HIM KNOWING IT WAS TO PROTECT HIM.

"SURE." AL ACKNOWLEDGES, AMENDING THE ITINERARY FOR THE DAY TO MATCH ADRIA’S SUGGESTION.

ADRIA EXPECTED AL WOULD BE SAD NOT BEING ABLE TO GO TO THE YILKINS TO TRAIN AGAIN, BUT THEN SHE REMEMBERED, THIS IS AL WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. HE HASN’T SHOWN MORE THAN A HANDFUL OF EMOTIONS THE ENTIRE TIME SHE’S KNOWN HIM.

NO, AL TOOK IT IN STRIDE. IN FACT HE WAS RATHER EXCITED TO HAVE LONGER TO READ. HE QUICKLY CALCULATED THE NUMBER OF WORDS HE COULD READ IN THE TIME. THE NUMBER SATISFIED HIM GREATLY. THEN HE WORRIED WEATHER HE WOULD GET HUNGRY DURING THE TIME. ADRIA HADN’T SPECIFIED WHEN EXACTLY ‘EARLY’ WAS.

"I’LL WALK YOU TO THE LIBRARY SINCE IT’S ON THE WAY. AND LETS GET A FEW APPLES FOR YOU TO MUNCH SNEAKILY IN THE LIBRARY." ADRIA SAYS THE FIRST PART WITH A HINT OF DECEIT HOWEVER THE SECOND LINE FELT PUREHEARTED AND CASUAL.

AL NOTICED QUICKLY FROM HIS MENTAL MAP OF THE TOWN THAT THE FORT AND LIBRARY WERE IN FACT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS BUT HE LEFT IT ALONE.

WITH THE DAY PLANNED AND THE MORNING SUN WELL RISEN IN THE SKY THE TWO DEPARTED. ADRIA WATCHED AROUND EVER CORNER BUT AL SIMPLY LOOKED STRAIGHT TOWARDS HIS DESTINATION AS ALWAYS.

THE TWO, AS ALWAYS WHEN WALKING TOGETHER, GATHERED GLANCES. RUMORS WERE LESS PRONOUNCED THOUGH. SOME EVEN HAD FOND EYES, THEY WERE HAPPY THE GLOOMY PRINCESS COULD FINALLY SMILE. BUT MOST HAD ALREADY HEARD A DIFFERENT MORE FRIGHTENING RUMOR, AND IT SHUT THEIR LIPS.

IT SHOULD BE MENTIONED THAT ADRIA’S IDENTITY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SECRET WHEN SHE CAME TO THIS TOWN, BUT WORD SEEMED TO SPREAD ANYWAYS. THE FACT THAT SHE LEGITIMATELY HAD NO CLAIM AS ROYALTY ANYMORE MEANT LITTLE TO THESE PEOPLE. ‘ONCE ROYALTY ALWAYS ROYALTY’ THEY ASSUMED.

THE TWO, AFTER SEEING A VARIETY OF RESPONSES EVENTUALLY ARRIVED AT THE LIBRARY, APPLES IN HAND. ADRIA GLANCES AROUND THE LOBBY FIRST AND THEN WAVES AL IN. SHE HIDES THE APPLES IN A NOOK BEHIND THE DESK AND NODS TO MR. FRED AS IF REQUESTING HIS SILENCE.

THE CAT BOBS HIS HEAD AS HE LEAVES, AS IF ACCEPTING THE RESPONSIBILITY. BUT WHAT HE WANTED IN RETURN WOULD REMAIN A MYSTERY.

A LAP TO SLEEP ON WOULD PROBABLY SUFFICE AS PAYMENT THOUGH.

ADRIA QUICKLY LOOKS OVER A FEW BOOKS ON A FAVORITE SHELF OF HERS AND GRABS ONE BEFORE GLANCING AT THE WINDOW CAUTIOUSLY.

"I REALLY SHOULD GO THOUGH. IF YOU NEED ANYTHING…" ADRIA BEGINS BUT STOPS HERSELF TO THINK OF A BETTER OPTION. "ASK THE PRIEST. HE CAN HELP. JUST… DON’T LEAVE UNTIL I COME GET YOU."

ADRIA TAKES A LONG LOOK AT THE METICULOUSLY KEPT SWORD ATTACHED AT AL’S WAIST. SHE FROWNS LIGHTLY TO HERSELF IN THOUGHT AND THEN TURNS FOR THE DOOR.

"BE GOOD."

"I WILL." AL AFFIRMS WITH A NOD BEFORE TAKING A BOOK FROM THE SAME SHELF AS HE HAD YESTERDAY.

ADRIA TAKES ANOTHER LONG LOOK AT AL’S BACK BEFORE OPENING AND SHUTTING THE DOOR BEHIND HER.

WITHIN A DOZEN STEPS SHE DECIDES TO INFORM THE PRIEST OF HER INTENTION OF KEEPING AL INSIDE. SHE DIDN’T HAVE AN EXACT PLAN FOR EXPLAINING THE REASON BUT SHE WOULD CROSS THAT BRIDGE WHEN SHE CAME TO IT.

QUIETLY SHE STEPS INTO THE CHURCH AND PEERS AROUND FOR THE HOLY MAN. SHE FINDS HIM LIGHTING CANDLES IN THE BACK AND INSTANTLY BEGINS DANCING AROUND THE SUBJECT.

"I COMPLETELY AGREE." THE PRIEST SAYS WITHOUT EVEN AN EXPLANATION. "I UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION. I’VE ALREADY BEGUN PREPARATIONS FOR THE TWO’S SERVICES."

ADRIA IS SLIGHTLY TAKEN ABACK BY THE SUDDEN ACCEPTANCE, BUT EVEN MORE SO BY THE SUDDEN REALNESS OF AL’S ACTIONS. EVEN IF IN SELF DEFENSE, HE HAD KILLED TWO PEOPLE. TWO CITIZENS OF THIS TOWN THAT SHE HAD MADE AN OATH TO PROTECT.

"HE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION." THE PRIEST SAYS WITH A NOD TO THE TWO CANDLES BURNING ON THE LONG STAND.

"PROTECTING HIMSELF?" ADRIA ASKS NEEDLESSLY.

THE PRIEST LOOKS AT HER STRANGELY BEFORE UNCEREMONIOUSLY BLOWING OUT THE TWO CANDLES. "NO, I MEAN KILLING THOSE TWO. THEY WERE ASSHOLES. I’M JUST SAD A FEW MORE DIDN’T GO WITH EM."

ADRIA LOOKS AT HIM WITH A SLACK-JAWED EXPRESSION. "THAT’S NOT VERY…"

"OH WHATEVER, YOU AGREE WITH ME YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO ACT MAGNANIMOUS."

"I AM NOT!"

"YEAH, YEAH. I WILL KEEP A WATCH ON AL, YOU GET TO WORK ALREADY." THE PRIEST CHASTISES WITHOUT WAITING FOR ADRIA’S EXCUSE.

"THANKS," ADRIA SAYS WITH A POLITE BOW BEFORE TURNING BACK TO THE DOOR AND HEADING OUT FOR REAL THIS TIME.

SHE WASN’T PARTICULARLY THRILLED ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF GOING TO WORK. IT SEEMED POINTLESS, LIKE A WASTE OF TIME. NOT TO MENTION SHE DOUBTED THE TROUBLE WITH KANGER AND THE GUILD WAS ENTIRELY OVER.

SHE WANTED A DAY OFF, A DAY TO READ LIKE AL. YEARS AGO IN THE CAPITAL NOTHING IN THE WORLD COULD STOP HER FROM READING IF SHE DESIRED, BUT HERE AND NOW SHE HAD RESPONSIBILITIES. BUT SIMULTANEOUSLY A FEW OF THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES WERE WHAT CALLED HER TO STAY.

SHE SHRUGS IT OFF WITH A POUT AND BEGINS WALKING TOWARDS THE FORT.