(FOL)

A few weeks later...

“Your room will be here.” Wefyu said from his spot hovering behind Deo. Deo stood staring at the closed door, one of many in the halls of the palace. Wefyu stepped around Deo and went up to the door. His loose, flowing skirt didn’t do much to hide the slight limp in his step. He opened the door and stepped to the side to let Deo enter whenever he wished. “My room is right next door. Feel free to come to me whenever you need something,” Wefyu said, pointing to the room to the right.

Deo smiled, “thank you, Wefyu.”

Wefyu looked away, into the room, the tips of his ears going red, “no need to thank me. Father told me to take care of you.”

Deo tilted his head to the side, still smiling, his eyebrows raising slightly, “right...” he said.

Deo stepped into his new bedroom. It was fairly spacious with a large bed in one corner and a cushioned seat in the back window. There were shelves and dressers and chests filled with children’s clothes and toys and books. Deo stared at it all with his dark eyes wide and full of wonder, somehow certain it was nicer than anything he had before.

Wefyu stood waiting in the doorway, adjusting his eyeglass every half second, “I tried to make it comfortable... let me know if you feel like anything is missing.”

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Deo gave him another smile and said sincerely, “it’s perfect.”

Wefyu swallowed and bit down on the inside of his bottom lip, “that’s good. I-uh-I’ll leave you alone for a bit, you need some time to rest.” Wefyu left, letting the door swing closed behind him.

Finally, Deo was left alone, truly alone, for the first time in weeks. His smile faded and he heaved a deep sigh. The stitches in what was left of his right arm, cut off just above the elbow, itched but Deo knew he couldn’t touch it without risking infection or ripping them open. Much in the way he knew, despite amnesia, that this room was nicer than any he’d ever had he knew that he was, unfortunately, right-handed.

Deo walked over to the window seat, nearly tripping over the floor length skirt he had been given to wear. Deep inside, he had an inkling of a thought that skirts were girls’ clothes but everyone he saw in Fol, regardless of gender, seemed to either wear long skirts or loose pants that were indistinguishable from skirts until they moved.

Deo raised the front of his skirt a little bit and climbed onto the window seat, leaning his left shoulder against the wall. It wasn’t the most comfortable way of sitting but he couldn’t lean on his back as the wounds on his back still hurt. The doctor had claimed they were caused by a whip.

Deo stared out the window into the empty courtyard below, feeling out of place and alone.

There was a knock at the door. Thinking it was Wefyu, he called out, “come in!” But who he saw reflected in the window was not Wefyu but was instead the younger brother, Kisee. Deo turned back to face Kisee’s wide, toothy grin, “come play with me!” He offered his hand, crossing the room in large strides.

Responding to Kisee’s grin with one of his own, Deo reached out and took his hand.