There are others that fly with me...

~

Lydia

After Sage left, Fezege became very serious in an instant, which scared the shit out of me - I mean it was like a switch.

She was looking dead at me, and I felt all the good ol' fixin's of an an anxiety attack coming on.

I tried looking away, but my gaze seemed locked to her death stare.

She sighed. "I'm afraid I have only grim news to sour our lunch."

I gulped.

"It would seem one of our country's most wanted criminals has shown his face near the capitol's borders," she explained in a grim tone.

To be honest, I'm not really sure how this concerns me.

"But, I'm sure that means nothing to you, at least not yet. The real issue here is that, well, this kingdom doesn't want you here any longer. I'm not sure what's brought upon this decision, but we'll need to hasten your relocation."

...what?

I mean I guess that makes sense on one hand, but on the other, why so sudden?

There was definitely more to this, but I'm far too stupid and unresourceful to figure out what. My diagnosis: it probably has nothing to do with me and everything to do with some political agenda.

I took a deep breath. Sudden change isn't exactly my cup of tea.

"Is Lasory coming with?"

He smiled and promptly nodded. "Your training won't be interrupted, my lady."

I narrowed my eyes at him for calling me "my lady", realizing right after that he did it on purpose to distract me. Boy do I have the attention span of a goldfish.

"I guess a change of scenery wouldn't hurt," I said with the best smile I could give, trying to be positive.

Fezege nodded firmly. "Right then. We'll leave tomorrow, and I'll have the Trainees accompany you. We have things to do in the area, anyways, so it works out."

I felt that sick feeling of fear and anxiety slap me in the face, that sinking feeling making my stomach feel not quite right.

A whole trip with... them...

Shit.

"Is that... okay with you?" Fezege asked, confused about my sudden weariness.

I didn't respond and just stared at my hands in thought.

I guess it couldn't be that bad. I'll just have to scream at myself that they don't know who I am. Just a little, broken messenger-girl.

My incessant fretting was derailed when Fezege said hello to some people entering our sort of outdoor gazebo. They stood awkwardly at the end of the gazebo, and Fezege then pointed to me.

"So everyone, I'd like you to meet Lydia Sakari!" she introduced cheerily.

I tried my absolute hardest to hide the fact that I was panicking. Even just seeing them terrified me. I've spent every day since I came here cheering that I was free from them, free to live my life without worrying about what they'd think or say or tease me for.

In other words, they didn't exactly leave the sweetest aftertaste.

I awkwardly waved, and they did the same. Fezege of course picked up on the shyness between everyone, so she cheerily offered soup to the group, and things were a little better when they were sitting down eating.

She poured me another bowl, but I'd puke if I ate while I was this anxious, so I just let it sit there.

Fezege worked her charm on the silence, and had most of us making light conversation. I just huddled towards Sage, and couldn't help but feel like she was glad I did so she didn't have to.

Edgar and Yoru, twins who I knew fairly well in my past life, moved their bowls and bodies towards us while Keith and Angelina talked with Fezege and Lasory - thankfully.

Yoru cleared her throat. "I am so so sorry, Ms. Sakari."

I smiled lightly and waved. "It's okay. Thank you."

I've never been addressed formally before outside of being a Messenger. Interesting feeling.

"Well, what are your guys' names?" I asked, remembering I have no clue who they are from their perspective.

She seemed relieved that I changed the topic, clearly not used to being in a position of condolence. "I'm Yoru, and this is my twin brother Edgar."

Edgar shyly raised his hand and mustered out a grin. He's about as social as me, which is not at all.

"How are things holding up here in this crazy castle?" Yoru asked.

I couldn't help but giggle. "Crazy."

She chuckled a little with me. "Yeah things are wild here with you and the war and everything."

I could see Sage glance away when Yoru mentioned the war.

Why's everyone acting so weird today?

I wanted to ask about the war but also figured that would spawn all kinds of politics and I was definitely not down for that, so I kept my silence.

"But anyways," she changed the topic again. "I heard you made the soup, Sage."

"Yeah," she replied lightly.

"It's good! Really good, actually."

"You say that like I can't cook," Sage teased, putting her dark mood at bay.

"Nah, I just don't know what you can't do at this point."

Sage muttered something under her breath in reply, but nobody had time to ask what it was, because Fezege clapped her hands together. It's loud and jarring, quite frankly. I wish she wouldn't.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

"So, everyone," she began in her classic, overly-cheery, teacher-like voice. "We'll be taking a surprise adventure of sorts."

The Trainees looked among themselves in apparent confusion.

"What's this about?" Keith demanded, a little too snobbishly.

"Consider it a mission of sorts. One with two objectives," the teacher explained. "We need to investigate the location where Head Trainee Nuvire found the demons, and we need to escort our Sakarian guests somewhere not far from there."

"Tch. Give us something actually worth our time," Keith spat. This sickening display of high-and-mightiness was pretty typical of him, and just served as a reminder of the people I'll be taking this trip with.

I truly felt sick, and just wanted to go back up to the twins' little house and hide there forever. I'd be content staring at the rain from their window and eating their divine meals for the rest of my life.

Wait, shit, that means I'll be leaving the twins, too, huh?

I cursed a million times internally, realizing I'd found some people I wanted to befriend again, only to suddenly have to leave.

"Anyways," Fezege broke the silence with a little disgust in her voice towards Keith. "Until then, you guys could learn a lot from Lady Sakari, as could she you."

Edgar realized what she called me, and looked just as confused as I probably did.

Keith kept sneaking condescending glares at me, and I kept trying to keep conversation to a minimum so I didn't accidentally give myself away.

Eventually, we went inside as the rain died down - not that it really mattered because it wasn't as entertaining with all those people around. I made my way upstairs, where Dasmo and Defor, in all their innocent glory, were playing cards. This time betting on their games.

"Wanna join?" Dasmo invited.

"I'd love to, but I can't bet anything."

"That's okay," he chuckled.

It felt good speaking a language that nobody from my class knew. I felt comfortable and distant, even though I could hear them talking in the hall, they had no idea what I was saying. Not that I was saying anything bad about them or really talking about them at all.

Out of sight, out of mind, and out of language too.

That doesn't really work as a saying but oh well.

They ended their round early and dealt me in, teaching me a game from their childhood that kind of reminded me of goldfish, but had some concepts from rummy in it. Though it's hard to make comparisons from games on your typical Earth card deck to one from a different planet entirely.

So, until nightfall, I played games with them and we talked some, but once again it was mostly surface-level. After a while, I guess the twins could tell that I wasn't feeling up to cards and convo all night, so they decided to take me outside.

I felt a nasty headache coming on and groaned internally.

When they come at this time of day, it never ends well. Ugh.

Defor put down a giant blanket that I hadn't seen her grab, laying it over the rain-licked grass and promptly plopping herself down on it, patting the spot next to her.

I stood there looking side to side, not entirely pleased with the idea of my bubble being invaded.

Dasmo gave me a good shove, which of course I wasn't expecting, and I toppled right on top of Defor. She giggled louder than I'd ever heard her even speak, and I rolled away as fast as possible, apologizing profusely and asking over and over if she was okay, only for her to laugh more.

Eventually, the three of us lay staring at the stars.

"You know, the stars are a lot like magic," Dasmo began after a long, thought-filled silence. "They effortlessly radiate all of this light and beauty, and we use it to guide us. The sailor captains his ship and the fox finds his way home by the guiding hand of the stars."

"And that moon is a lot like you," Defor jumped in, using twin wizardry to know what Dasmo was saying. I looked up at the gleaming, radiant moon, which was just barely overlaying the much smaller second moon. "She comes out when she's ready, and shines her own beautiful light that doesn't just guide, it illuminates the correct path."

I tried to hide myself to conceal the sheepish look on my probably-pink face, but given that I was sandwiched between two green-haired cinnamon rolls, I wasn't very successful.

"Thanks guys," I said earnestly.

"Of course, my Queen," Dasmo said with a wink and a grin.

~

After that, we gazed at the stars and talked more openly as I tried to ignore the throbbing migraine I was getting. It was my last night here, though, so I didn't wanna spend it crying like a baby over a headache.

Look at me, actually liking this place. Or maybe I just like being around the twins.

Lasory found us outside - that or he was stalking me from a distance, neither of which would surprise me - and the twins got up to go to bed.

I stood up and stretched, arching my back almost all the way to the ground, which Lasory chuckled a little at.

I reared my arm back and threw a punch straight at him.

Myu used to play this game with him all the time.

He dodged it and seemed confused for a moment, but then smirked some, grabbing my arm and putting me in a choke-hold faster than I could say "wait nevermind maybe that wasn't a good idea".

He wasn't letting up, either. I could feel the blood beginning to trap in my head and my vision pulsing as a result. I clawed at his arms but I'm probably half his height and frail.

But, because I was so much shorter compared to him, I was able to smack the back of his knee, which caused him to buckle.

He let me go, then stood and bowed. I was already out of breath and trying to gather my bearings.

"Everything okay, Lydia?" He invited me to vent.

I sighed. "I'm confused."

He was silent, which was comforting to me.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to feel about His Majesty, or how to react or what to do about it or anything. I don't know what we're going to do with the rest of our lives."

He continued to be silent.

"Really I just feel like I'm back to square one."

He rubbed his hand on my back.

Listen man from your perspective I'm 37. Sometimes you treat me like a child.

But, it was soothing nonetheless. I hate to admit that it reminded me of when I was really little and I'd come home with scrapes and nicks from playing outside for hours and bawling my eyes out, and my dad would do the same thing and tell me it would all be okay.

"We'll be alright. You are my Queen, and I have every last faith that you're the only one fit enough to wear that title. Even if you don't see it now, you will someday. And I'll always be here. Still as your friend just like we were in Sakari before this... crazy mess, and as your servant, loyal only to you and you forever, and as your mentor and teacher."

I looked down.

"Whatever you need, whatever you want, anything I could possibly do for you to help you or teach you or comfort you, I'm here."

The grass, illuminated by the moons at their fullest light, began to blur and distort as I felt a cold tear run down my cheek, feeling it slip off and drop to the earth and blend among the many millions of water droplets just like it.

Then another came, and another, until my lips and chin twitched into a sadness that betrayed only pain and agony, and I threw my arms around Lasory, beginning to shake and convulse and wail uncontrollably.

It felt like I was on fire - the same flames that consumed the castle now consumed my every waking thought and breath, and I felt like no matter how hard I screamed and cried, I just couldn't get it out of me, I couldn't take away the void that King Lockwood and Ayami and Myu left inside of me because I can't get rid of what already isn't there.

I sobbed until there was nothing left to cry, and then began to sway in Lasory's arms. When we finally got a good look at each other, even though I'm sure I was a mess, he sure as hell wasn't much better. Turns out he'd shed a few tears too.

We cleaned up a little and smiled. I guess I needed a reminder that Lasory Kyur is not just my servant and teacher, but very much my friend. And at this point, dare I say my family.

We'd both been through hell together, and in my own depths I forgot that he was closer than anyone to Myu and Lockwood. He helped raise Myu from the moment she was born, and built the home they lived in.

Sobbing that hard made my head far worse, to the point where I was nauseous, but at the same time now seemed like a bad time to complain about it.

But, you can't hide anything from a man as keen as Doctor Kyur, and he narrowed his eyes.

"Lydia, what do you know of Scar Sickness?"

"Everything," I replied softly.

He didn't seem to have a response to that.

"But anyways," I changed the topic with the might of zeus and the brains of a gnat, cringing inside as I realized how stupid that was. "Tomorrow is a big day. We'll have some time to ourselves soon, which is a good thing, I suppose."

He sighed. "My Queen, please know that the kingdom doesn't just 'not want you here'. They probably don't want you anywhere. Be careful who you trust."

I gave him a blank, deer-in-headlights stare. "Does that include Fezege?"

He scratched his head. "She's not like that. Unless there's something in it for her personally. Truth be told, she's older than this kingdom, and this kingdom's damn old. Don't count on her playing against you, though."

I nodded.

"So, I guess we'll just have to consider this our first adventure together. You promised me you'd take me on one someday after we got some vacation from our job, so let's just call this a sort of surprise adventure."

I felt... secure. Knowing that I could talk to someone with more strength and knowledge than I'll see in a lifetime, and that he'll be there for me. Maybe this is just what some people call friendship. I call it something I haven't had in more than a few years.

Sakari left a deep wound in the both of us that bleeds with no sign of stopping, and my Scar gnaws at me further as the days go on, but I think in some right I'm on the road to peace.

Someday I'll realize my vision. Someday. But until that day comes, I have to see who is right in front of me, and actually do something with my life and the trust I've been given, or else I'll just keep being this messy emotional wreck incapable of doing anything for herself.

Lasory laughed a little. "Surprise Adventure it is."