"A— Alice", he exclaimed upon taking a glimpse. "What are you doing here?", he scratched his head leaving Alice who's still frozen in place and speechless, focusing on the tip of the knife, cross-eyed.

"Isn't that a cruel way to greet a friend?", she angrily sighed after she finally calmed down.

"Technically I just know you, you're not my friend", Nicolas sighed and retracted the knife, "Sorry"

"Apology accepted, it's my fault for startling you like that. Now I know that I might die doing so, I won't be doing it again. As for your question, I'm here to take down a bear", she proudly declared while showing her bow. It was a bit old from the discoloration and ragged strings but still looks functional.

"You know how to use a bow? I thought you can't hunt?"

"Well of course, but I never said I can't hunt. I said I can't take down a bear", she laughed. "I'd better get going then before it gets dark", she added before running off into the woods.

"Are you sure? It's almost dusk. Besides, the wolves are quite active at this time of day, unless you have a death wish, find something else to do"

Alice halted, scanned the yellow-orange clouds from the distance and the growing shadows on the forest floor. She turned around, walking back towards the boy before finally giving up the thought.

"Scoot over then, I'll just fish instead"

Nicolas had bagged his catch, "Don't you typically need a fishing rod for something like that"

"Fishing rod?", she laughed as she laid down her quiver behind Nicolas, "What do you think of me, an old man that has no better use of his time but to fish"

"If you're trying to get on my nerves, it's working," he watched as Alice tied the end of her skirt shortening it for a bit before removing her boots. As guilty as he was, he couldn't take her eyes off of her as she tied her hair.

"What? Is this the first time you've seen a girl," she took one of her arrows from the quiver and freed the bow from latching on her back then smirked, "Now, let me show you how fishing should be done"

Slowly, taking cautious steps, she went into the water. Navigating the sleepy rocks while making sure that she stays at the shallow parts to properly execute her plan. Taking a deep breath, she drew her bow, paying her attention to the movement of the water before letting the arrow plunged.

"See? Easy", she rejoiced, showing the big trout that's been shot in the eye.

The boy was once again captivated, this time not with the beauty of the maiden but how she handled the bow. Without a word, he stood up, pointing at her with the fish as he exclaimed with a sparkle in his eyes.

"THAT, teach me how to do that!", immediately removing his boots and raising the ends of his trousers, he jumped on the water.

"Wow, I never thought you could smile like that. Wait, don't step there, be careful", Alice could only brace herself as Nicolas got swept off his feet and bathed with the fishes. She immediately came to his rescue and dragged him back to land.

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She held him close, gently slapping his face, "Are you hurt? Did you hit your head? Do you know your name?"

"I'm fine, if something is hurting me it's you", he seized her hands "I just slipped, I'm not dying", he opened only to be trapped with her worried gaze, leading to a pause. The awkward atmosphere rattled his mind as both quickly distanced themselves from the other. "Anyway, would you still teach me how to fish with the bow?"

Alice could only turn around to hide her flushed face, "S— sure, if you still want to"

They burnt the last drops of daylight with fun exchanges of laughter as Nicolas struggled to catch even the slowest fish Alice had put her up to catch. Sometimes they will find themselves staring at each other but the boy was quick to divert the flow back to its course. With enough perseverance, and the girl's patience of teaching him the tips and tricks, he finally mastered the craft he was fond of.

It was a merry break for both of their problems

"You know how to properly use a bow, it's just that your timing is off", Alice sighed as they sat by the fire. Savoring the fruits of their labor dressed in some simple salt.

"Well, maybe I got rusty…" he grunted, attempting to remove his shirt when he noticed the uncomfortable look on the girl's face, "Sorry, cause of habit when travelling alone, I'll just dry them off like this"

"You mentioned that yesterday, but what are you doing here. Even though Yggdryas is a great place, it's not exactly a place where travelers like you visits often", she waited for him to reject her question when some kind of a miracle graced her.

He smiled, nudging new sticks into the fire, "I can't tell you why but If you want to hear about how I got here, I'd be most welcome to share"

The glades of Mathiola, the mountain tops of Cordiol, and the nameless wild animal infested forests of Grandel and Forleon. The times that he almost died of hunger, the nerve-wracking close calls with cliffs and old branches, his soul tormenting chase with a grizzly bear. He narrated his thrilling experiences with vigor and joy, amazing the girl with his glory and jokes to crack her up. Leaving only the dark shades and scars of his travels to himself.

As they finished sharing the fishes, they divided the rest evenly before leaving with a wave of goodbye.

"Nick, thank you again for the food. We should do this again next time"

"Next time huh…", he turned around and returned her smile, "Yeah, see you next time. Are you going to be fine by yourself?"

"You saw how I fought, be the judge"

With the absence of guards, sneaking inside and climbing the noisy spiral staircase towards the top of the clock tower was as easy as breathing. At the top, behind the clockworks, a small opening on the wall which led to a not so spacious space serves as his hideout. A room that's enough for him to crouch and lay down. It is where he had hidden some of the important possessions he has.

After putting salt on the fishes, he then hung them on a makeshift rack he built from the branches of trees he picked up along the way. He lied down on his back, using his cloak as protection from the cold hard floor as the hands of the giant clock pointed at eight. Closing his eyes, he got to his side trying to fall asleep into the dead silent night. He reminisced about the past as if it was a distant memory. Although he's certain that it's not. All he can feel is pity for himself as he remembered the time when his life was well, far from the illegal, pathetic, and always hungry situation he's in now.

"I even have a comfortable and soft bed back then. And although father was always angry, at least food was not a problem", he brooded as the tightening feeling in his chest made it hard to for him to breath as if there's a big hole that's refusing to heal. He could only brace it with his hands, holding it tightly like every time he had these thoughts, trying to at least lessen the gap.

His past was now only a fairytale, a magical enchanted once upon a time in a land far far away. But tales does not always end in a happy ending and life does not always go the way you want it to be. All you can do is deal with what you have, work hard, and hope everything will get better.

It was his lingering thoughts before at last, he's asleep. Through his silent agony, he prayed and hoped that everything would be alright on this path he decided to tread. Unknowingly that this is only the tip of an iceberg, getting bigger and colder as you take to the depths.

The worst is yet to come.