Manisha escorted the trio to an inn to stay the night, as she was unprepared to house them for such a length of time. The three northern-raised youngsters quickly understood that even places for lodging were different in the south compared to the north. They expected to see a stable next to the inn. Instead they found a gray patch of pavement behind it connected to a road, a clear area referred to as a car park. Anwen moved their vehicle there and entered the inn with her three companions. The innkeeper went by the name of Gulshan, a man with little hair on his head yet was only about the same age as Manisha, if not a little older. They had become friends through the years as many merchants Manisha had worked with came to stay at his inn.

“You’ve brought me an unusual crowd today, Mani.” Gulshan chuckled as he saw the guests she had brought with her.

“Someone like you should expect the unexpected at all times,” Manisha laughed, before she changed to an expression of calmness. “Listen, Gulshan. I need you to do a favor for me.”

“Sure thing. What do you want?”

“I’d like you to provided discounted rooms for my guests. I know you don’t want to hear this, but it is important.”

Rather than give up the true purpose of their stay, Manisha had fabricated an elaborate story to give Gulshan. Even though they were friends, she could not risk accidentally allowing her words to enter the wrong ears. Chitran was a town with informants who would readily give up their southern brethren to the Titanian authorities for some coin, the same scenario as many towns and cities. She told Gulshan that the trio were part of a trading crew who had offered to teach Ilias the art of commerce. Out of gratitude, she wanted to facilitate their stay in Chitran at little cost to them. Adding onto the deception, she told the innkeeper that she would be leaving town for a few months to stay with Ilias as he traveled and teach him what a master mariner did as well.

“It’s a good thing they got to your boy before the Serenity’s captain did. I hear almost a quarter of their crew became ill by the time they docked tonight and they’re scrambling to find extra hands to man their ship. However…”

Gulshan explained that because of both operating costs and the number of guests staying that night, he could only offer one room at a discounted price. One of the trio would have to sleep in the attic, which although was well-furnished did not have the same luxury as a full inn room. Ivan whispered into Anwen’s room, before she herself whispered into Stefan’s. He shrugged, meaning he agreed with hers and Ivan’s proposition.

“Stefan and I will take the room. Ivan wants to stay in the attic.” she raised her hand, flawlessly returning to speaking in her unnatural southern accent.

Gulshan nodded with a smile, and Manisha dropped a small sack of coins on the counter between them. The innkeeper handed Manisha the teenagers' room key, before leading Ivan to a way up to the attic.

Manisha pulled the children closer to her and spoke in a hushed tone.

“I will pick you up right at dawn, so be ready. Get plenty of rest. And don’t stay up thinking about Ilias—I’ll tell him about y’all right when I get back home. Helps to make things a little less… confusing.”

She winked as she patted their shoulders, and then took her leave.

The inn room was small and humble, consisting of two single beds in a room that just barely fit them, a nightstand between them and a bathroom that was equally unimpressive. Anwen changed into a comfortable set of comfortable pajamas in the bathroom, slipping off her artificial leg in the process. She hobbled on her real foot onto one of the beds, promptly tucking herself in.

“You’re already sleeping?” Stefan said, the first word he spoke to her in hours.

“Today’s been exhausting,” she feigned. “Good night, Stefan.”

“Night.” he answered indifferently.

She turned around, facing away from the boy. She was tired, but that was not the real reason she went to bed so early. It was because Stefan hadn’t spoken to her in so long, so as to avoid any awkward moments. She chose to sleep in the same room as the boy only on Ivan’s insistence, who had been strict about letting the two teenagers under his watch get the better amenities while he stayed in the shabbier accommodation.

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Stefan stared out the window of their room for a long time, watching the life on the streets of Chitran die down for the night. He wasn’t sure just how long it had been, but Anwen had fallen asleep by the time he retired to his bed. He lay down for quite some time with his eyes closed, trying to keep his lingering thoughts at bay.

But Anwen’s words kept echoing in his head, and they were incessant. They did not cease spewing the truth at him. He was half-Titanian, spawn of the very people who threaten to destroy his home, and the offspring of the very man who had the power to stop it all. He felt his humanity draining from him with every second that the truth bit away at him. What was Gareth’s plan for him that whole time? What did he wish to use Stefan for? Was he just to be a tool for the normalisation of relations between Terrans and Titanians, with no say in it for himself? Was he willing to go as far as imprint his radical ideals on his nephew who’d never stepped foot on Titan once?

What am I? Stefan thought to himself, lifting his hands before his eyes. What am I supposed to do? What were these hands meant to do?

He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles becoming pale--a state his entire body would become once he reached adulthood and appear overwhelmingly Titanian, but in a reverse course of action from Gareth who was born with mostly Titanian features.

He squeezed his hands against themselves until it became tiring, causing his body to relax into his mattress and pillow. He let his head fall to the side with a sigh, which allowed Anwen’s sleeping form to appear in his vision. He saw as her chest rose and fell composedly underneath her blanket.

How? the voice in his head questioned sharply. How is she sleeping so well after what she told me? How is she able to sleep at all after that? Hiding the very truth of my existence for months? How was she able to say it so calmly? Did she… not feel anything, hiding the story of my life for that long?

Labels for Stefan to give his feelings towards the revelation began to surface from the deep crevices of his mind.

Anger, rage, pain, disappointment, being let down? Those were some of them. But the one he felt the most…

Disgust.

You disgust me.

He threw his blankets off of his chest and climbed over onto the girl’s bed. He sat with her waist between his knees and didn’t hesitate to wrap his hands around her throat. Her small neck was completely enveloped by his hands as he pressed down against it, driving forward with his elbows.

Will you feel my pain now? Will you regret not telling me earlier?

It only took a brief amount of time for short, crude gasps to escape Anwen’s lips, her body still unconscious but reacting to the attack on her.

Then her mouth went agape. A scream escaped her lips as she threw her arms out and thrashed them about. Before her hands hit the boy’s face, he jumped away back to his bed. She tossed and turned, flailing her arms around like a madman. Her shrieks were horrible to hear, the true sound of someone in raw agony. Stefan stared at his hands and realized what a stupid thing he had done..

What have I done? Why did I do that to her?

But was it really he who was in control of himself at the time? Or was it his Titanian side, angry at him for being hidden for his entire life? Were his paternal ancestors somehow trying to decide his actions from deep within his soul?

There was no answer needed. He had to make it right, no matter what caused him to try and strangle her. He timidly approached her again and sat on the edge of her bed. He caught one of her arms and held it firmly. He rubbed the back of her hand gently until her eyes fluttered open, and she saw his face hovering above her.

“Another night terror…” she groaned, sitting up. She didn’t remember what she had seen, but she knew she had experienced such visions due to her elevated heart rate. “Why are you here?”

He let go of her arm and looked at her with a straight face.

“You woke me up with your screaming.” he said in a neutral tone. He couldn’t muster a smile as he used to when she still had her regular terrors living in Gareth’s base.

Anwen frowned. She pulled her blanket to her chest and held it close.

“I don’t ever mean it, Stef,” she admitted. “My terrors bother you a lot, don’t they? I’m sorry. I- I wish I could control them. Even all these years later, they still won’t go away. Damn it.”

Stefan sighed, but he understood that at the moment, she needed consolation, not berating. Wordlessly, unable to think of a word to say after he senselessly attacked her, pulled the girl into his embrace.

Guilt and regret quickly replaced whatever he was feeling as her body was flush against his chest.

“Just… go back to sleep, alright?” Stefan’s tone was much like that of a disappointed parent. “We have to leave early tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” Anwen nodded slowly, pulling away from a hug she needed. “I’m sorry for waking you up.”

The boy promptly laid down in his bed and turned away from the girl. His heart was so heavy that he continued to even face the direction she was in, there was no chance he’d be able to sleep at all.

I’m her friend, and I hurt her. For no good reason. She was having a nightmare and instead of comforting her right away, I hurt her. I can’t do that. I can’t be cruel. I can’t let myself become like my father’s people. I have to be a good friend—no. No. I can’t just be a friend to her anymore. I have to protect her. I’ll have to use everything in my power to keep Anwen safe. I can’t be a Titanian. I can’t be heartless.

I can’t be a monster. I can’t be like them.