They ate the "squids" fried. They tasted a little different from the skuids, but the texture was exactly the same, and that was enough for February.

"I don't know how you can like this so much." Her father poked a tentacle with his fork. He didn't seem as enthusiastic about the food.

"Mom and I used to go buy it fresh at the market. I loved the smell of fresh void catch." She took another ring of the... fish? - she knew most creatures that came from the sea were called fish - and devoured it in one bite.

"What do you expect from your bedroom? Don't have high hopes, I just have a room that could be used for it and even then, is kind of cluttered."

February noticed he had changed the subject, and very quickly. Not that she was going to say anything about it, "As long as I have space for pacing around, I'll be fine. If not, I'll just go up and down the stairs all day."

October looked at her with the curiosity of a bird, "Pacing? Why would you do that?"

She shrugged, "I don't know, I just like it. I turn and walk around and around like the balls of the Sky Halls. I think about things while I do it, too. It's fun."

"What kinds of things?"

"Many. Everything," she paused for a moment. The fork clicked against the plate. She hadn't realized she had already eaten all the squid, "Sometimes, I thought about you."

That seemed to catch him off-guard, "Why would you think about me?"

"Because you're my father."

"But I... left you," his food was long forgotten. February eyed it, "I knew she - your mother would probably keep us from seeing each other. And I never tried to haggle. I never thought about... how she would treat you."

Fast as lighting, February stole a look. The eyes they shared were blown wide open. Then, her right hand darted to the dish in front of her, caught the previously-poked-at tentacle and ate it.

That caused his expression to turn into a soft smile, "Aaand that's enough food. Let's go to your new bedroom. I have domestic goblins that clean, but we'll have to prepare a bed."

"Aw, just a bit more," she went for another piece of squid, but long fingers dragged the plate away.

After cleaning a bit and leaving the rest for the goblins - accompanied, of course, by a saucer of milk, a loaf of fresh bread and a wedge of soft yellow cheese - they went upstairs.

February saw her father summon a pair of pillows and a matching, neatly folded set of sheets and mattress, with a 'come here' gesture of his hand. They floated gently to him, before the pair began the path up the stairs, decorated with vivid paintings of scenery and only two portraits: one of a black-haired woman and another of an aged man with sun-kissed skin.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

The second floor had three doors. October pointed to the one nearer to the stairs, "That's the bathroom," he said. He walked to the next one and opened the door, "And this will be your bedroom. Although it's also the-"

"A library!" She shouted, without even realizing she was doing it. She felt her cheeks burn, but couldn't contain her smile.

The room was round and was covered in shelves. Big old tomes, light novelettes and everything in between rested on them. Flying around the ceiling like giant moths, more books made their presence known with flaps of their paper wings. An ample window let the afternoon light in. Near it, a pastel blue rug laid under a dark velvet couch, and February just knew it was perfect for reading.

October moved to its side and patted it. The couch twisted and creaked, groaned and grunted, until it had a shape more or less resembling a bed, "This will have to do, for the moment. What do you think?"

"I love it!"

He grinned at her, "You did sound excited. I can't say I understand. Do you like books so much?"

She nodded, then turned again to the books above. She noticed a particularly big one, with a purple leather cover and golden letters. It looked old, had yellowish pages, and it flew circling the center of the room slowly as if it was tired.

"Do you like that one?" Asked her father, "I was actually thinking you should read it."

He whistled a few low notes (making February jealous, as she had never been able to whistle) and the book descended, "It's a history book about the land of Elddir. Well, at least it will be Elddir until midnight," he added, leaving his daughter puzzled.

----------------------------------------

It must have been around midnight. February lay in the improvised bed, peaceful but sleepless. Curiosity kept her awake, her gaze focused on the history book. It rested - did a book need rest? - on the highest shelf.

Finally making a decision, she got up. Her light feet did not make a single sound. February picked up the glasses she had left on the carpet, a delicate thing with dark brown frames. She had liked them a lot.

Slowly the girl concentrated on her magic, pulled it from the depths of her heart... and forced it to say no to the gravity tying her to the ground.

Her hair floated like a halo around her head. Her feet rose from the ground and February felt a known lightness in her body. She then directed her weight to the shelf and twisted to land on her tiptoes on the wall. Her mother had praised her gravity dances, once upon a time.

The girl picked up the book. It was heavy, and it threatened to fall to the ground and possibly wake her father. She sat down on top of the full shelves to read, her hair falling on one side of her head.

The title was 'THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE CROWNDOM OF ELDD-'

The letters of the last word shifted, reshaping in threads of golden light, reforging into something new. Far, far away, a bell rang twelve times. The word went from ELDDIR to JOLLA.

So that's what he meant.

Still curious. February opened the book on the index and went straight to the chapter titled "The Royal Decree And The Royal Name Changers."

By decree of queen Kore the Fair And Bold in the 12th century after the Great Arrival, it was decided that every seven days the honorable crowndom of Jolla would change names. As the power of names is strong and alive, any neighboring land who declared war would be forced to constantly rewrite their documents and the information given to their troops if they wanted to attack. With this, the first Royal Name Changer, Ali the Omniglot, revealed a spell that would change every written instance of the name within the borders of the crowndom. Many Name Changers have served Jolla, some better regarded than others.

As she read with only the light of her own body, she didn't notice that her grip had relaxed until it was too late. The book fell from her arms and landed with a thud on the floor. February could have sworn the book had given her an indignant look somehow, on its way down.