Chapter 19:

Midnights knocks on the door

“What about you two?” Queried Suisse, who had sat across from Taccilas.

“...I’ll eat when he’s done, he’ll leave some for me.” Stammered Izuchi, even though she could see the contents within the plate vanishing after every blink.

He’s eating like a pig.

Suisse chuckled as she observed Taccilas consume the plate in utter silence. “I don’t think she’ll leave even a scrap for you.” She thought for a moment, that the way in which he ate was rather educated for someone who’s ship had crashed. “What about you, Mitali?”

“I do not need to eat.” Her reply was matter-of-fact.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“Worry not, I am not”

“Here, have some!” Uttered Taccilas, a bite still stuck in his throat. He pushed the plate over towards Izuchi and Mitali.

The former observed the meal as if she were watching a bone a dog had just dropped before her.

The latter as if she were a cat that the dog was offering a bone to.

Izuchi picked up a new pair of utensils and her eyes dug into the meal. She thought it looked tasty, despite Taccilas best attempts at making a mess out of the plate. Though it couldn’t compete with the menu that her servants had offered her back home. It lacked the pomp- the spectacle that accompanied a dinner fit for a princess, a royal.

That, and Taccilas had eaten from it, which brought its desirability factor down to a negative.

Despite all of that, it had been a day since she had last had a proper meal.

She reluctantly cut a slab of the shark- or at least tried to, the meat in question hadn’t gotten any softer since Taccilas last touched it.

“No, not like th- You have to follow the fiber. No- At the edge, it’s easier there. Izuchi, no- You’ve gotta do a sawing motion, like-”

“Shut up, I know how to cut fish, you absolute mongrel!” And so after Taccilas’ nagging, a piece of meat fell onto the plate.

“See? Just how I told you.”

“...I’ll kill you.”

Izuchi pinched it, combined it with some vegetables, and took a bite.

“How is it? Do you like it?” Excitedly consulted Taccilas

Like a proper lady, she properly savored it. One couldn’t give their thoughts on food without first truly immersing oneself in the experience, for a meal was a work of art- not unlike a painting or perhaps a sculpture. Though it was true that some art could resemble a puddle in the ground-

“It’s… Quite good, actually.”

-But evidently, that wasn’t the case with Hezcann’s food.

“I know, right! It’s amazing!” Exclaimed Taccilas.

It didn’t take long at all for the plate to become empty. Even if an army of ants were to search the plate for an entire week, they would find nothing, not even the smallest, most insignificant crumb.

“...These will be your rooms for tonight.” Suisse, who had taken them to the third floor once dinner was finished, gestured towards a hallway lined with 11 different doors. 10 to one side of the hall and 1 at the end. Windows lined the opposing side, their demeanor much more banal than those that brought eyes to the clocktower.

“Can we choose the one we like the most?” Asked Taccilas.

“...Oh, no, the last three are yours.”

Izuchi’s suspicions grew in intensity. “Each one of us gets their own room?”

“Yes!” The reply came in a voice as innocent as an ignorant child’s. “I’ve gotta go now, there’s still some stuff left to do. I know Hezcann told you to be over there by 7, but I need you up by 5 at the plaza. Is that clear?” Suisse’s tone had become commanding, yet still gentle, as if she were making an offer, rather than demanding action be taken.

“Yep!”

“‘Tis clear.”

“...Alright.”

“Great! Good night then, sleep well!” And she went down the steps that brought them all to the third floor. Clacking echoing across the otherwise quiet building.

Taccilas rushed to the end of the hall, opening every single of the wooden doors that led to their new rooms. Contrary to his expectations, each room was fitted with enough furniture to earn the name bedroom.

A bed that looked somewhat old and dusty.

A dirty desk with a few cabinets.

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And some unremarkable beige walls.

Yet Taccilas’ face lit up at the prospect of having his own room- a bed even! He could stretch his arms side to side and he didn’t touch both walls!

But Izuchi could only look in horror as she was forced into a chamber that could barely fit a small mattress. She was positive she would fall off during the night, and if she wasn’t careful, the floor would surely fall under her feet too.

“I want this one!” Beamed Taccilas as he gestured towards the room at the end of the hallway.

“‘Tis clear I must settle myself within the medial chamber.” Mitali observed the room she had chosen and quickly concluded there was nothing special about it, other than its positioning.

Izuchi, being left with no other choice, stepped into the remaining room and grumbled. “Ugh, I guess I’ll sleep here.”

“Good night!” Taccilas’ cheering broke the peaceful silence that encompassed the complex.

And so all three doors closed in unison- all but one.

Knock.

Knock knock.

Night had comfortably settled in, the moon at the peak of its journey. Taccilas was unsure how much time had gone by since he first closed his door. Maybe an hour or two, he was positive he had slept, his bed had become a mess in the time he’d spent there.

Knock knock knock.

He stood up and pulled the cord that turned on his desk lamp, illuminating the room and blinding him for a short moment.

Who wants something this late at night?

Wait… Didn’t Izuchi tell me to be suspicious of Suisse?

This isn’t normal, everyone should be asleep, right? If Suisse plans on waking us up at 5, then everyone on the fortress should be dead asleep right now. Unless they have someone on guard duty? But then they’d be doing just that!

Maybe I shouldn’t open the door, who knows what’s on the other side? I don’t have any weapons here, what should I do?

Silence, he could see a moonlit shadow under the door, it was clearly the silhouette of a person.

Knock knock knock knock

He looked for a place to hide, but there was none. The room was too cramped- too simple.

Argh, whatever! If they’re here to harm us, that door would’ve opened already!

Taccilas grabbed the door and swung it open-

-Revealing a girl with hair like the moon and cute, little purple rose dangling on a hairpin.

“...Mitali…?” Queried Taccilas.

“I apologize if I awoke you, my sailor.” It was as if she spoke like the reincarnation of the night, with all that entailed.

“What is it?”

“May I come in?”

“...Sure.”

The white-haired girl stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. “I appreciate it…”

“You can sit.” Expressed Taccilas as he gestured towards the bed, Mitali following his suggestion. “Did you have trouble sleeping?” He continued.

“Perhaps? ‘Tis hard to say, for I have never slept before.”

If it were anyone else saying such a thing, Taccilas would’ve laughed, but he knew Mitali wasn’t normal. There were some things about her that he couldn’t explain.

And at times it felt like she couldn’t explain them either.

Taccilas took a seat at Mitali’s side. “It’s simple, you just rest your head, close your eyes, think of something nice, and off you go!”

“I have tried, just like you said. My former sailors, once too, undertook such endeavors. And they rested peacefully. Yet my memory of that time is foggy.”

“Try remembering them, maybe that’ll help you sleep.” Taccilas voice boomed confidence. “Whenever I have trouble sleeping, I remember all the stuff I used to do with my sister and I go out like a light!”

“Shimmi?”

“Yep!”

“What is it you remember?” Mitali slid closer to Taccilas, their eyes locked on each other. Curiosity beaming from each cell in the ship’s body.

“Hm…? She used to tell me stories! There was this one about an adventurer who went to the sun, and another one about a knight and a princess that fell in love, but the king found out and forbade them from seeing each other, but then the princess escaped with the help of a fairy and married the knight! She always loved to tell love stories, I don’t know if I loved hearing them more than she loved telling them!” Taccilas chuckled. “Oh and she would tell me all about the world before the Cataclysm, about ancient cities that had buildings that stretched beyond the sky, about people who flew like birds. There was something about machines as big as mountains somewhere in there too.”

“What else did she do?”

“Oh, she’d cook for me! We never had good ingredients, but her food was always great! Oh, and we’d play hand games too! Does any of that ring a bell?”

The preamble to Mitali’s words was a long silence. “...I remember naught… For you see, I do not remember ever interacting with them. I remember them, yet I do not understand how or why.”

“What do you mean…?” Taccilas could feel the conversation growing beyond his realm of comprehension.

“I recall their names, their faces, but I am not in any of my memories! They… They were always with me, but was I ever with them?” Mitali’s expression grew wearier with each passing moment, yet Taccilas was lost in the confusion.

How was he to help her if he didn’t even understand what she needed to be helped with?

“If you remember, then you were probably there.”

A gasp, then a lull in her breath.

“I apologize, I didn’t mean to-”

But Taccilas interjected. “Are you scared…?”

“Never had I remained away from my hull for so long. I will leave now, I apologize.” Mitali stood, the door handle at her grasp-

-But he interjected again. “Nope, you should stay.”

“Why must you insist…?” She couldn’t even turn to look him in the eye.

“I just think you should.”

An answer so unconvincing that Mitali struggled to grasp its meaning, but he had spoken as if it was the most natural thing.

Mitali let go of the knob, a deep breath she did take. Even if her expression had barely changed, even if her voice had not cracked, an emotion she hadn’t felt in years past had taken hold of her.

Perhaps, one of those that had once been with her would one day explain it to her.

“‘Tis decided, then.” But for now, a voice as soothing as the ocean had returned to her.

Taccilas sneaked under the sheets once again and crammed himself against the brick wall “You can sleep with me.” He spoke, leaving as much space for the young girl as he could.

“Do not worry, I shall remain here, asleep or not. Yet you must rest, for battle will always come.” Mitali sat on the bed yet again-

Their eyes locked-

And as quickly as he awoke-

-Taccilas was asleep again.