"What?!" Kristya twitched from my shout, as if scared that it might lure the soldiers back into the village.

"You heard right, unfortunately. And it happened last night, so practically the moment you fled from the castle. The king's son was supposedly kidnapped, so they're searching for him, the murderer and the young maid who's suspected of taking part in the conspiracy."

I slumped onto my bed. It wasn't easy to take on a joking tone for my next words: "I suppose Kristya and Elithia should get a sentence of at least a month of cleaning at the tavern for that then..." My parents laughed silently, not really noticing anything. It seemed that even the king's death couldn't dim the happiness they were blessed with today. But there was an unpleasant storm starting to rise in my mind... Trying to stifle it, I looked around. "Where did that other criminal go, by the way?"

"If you mean Elithia, she went to help with the feast."

"Right... Well, I hope Kristya is safe here from now on. When people check something once, they usually don't feel the need to do it again..."

I let my gaze drop to the floor, getting lost in thought. The image of that black-clad figure in the royal gardens refused to leave my mind... Did I narrowly escape death without even realizing it? What were the odds of Elithia sneaking into the castle the exact same night that someone planned the king's assassination for? And maybe not just the king's...? A shiver ran down my spine. And why would someone who was powerful enough to command the king himself feel the need to kill me, a simple boy from a forest village? Why didn't the king obey, even though he must have been aware of the consequences, should the truth come to light...?

I didn't find a single answer until evening.

The trees were already glistening with carmine and gold when we left the house. What I saw in the small open space between the cottages blew my mind a little. The pile of wood and dry leaves gathered at the center was basically as tall as me, as if it was meant to burn until dawn. Around it stood a wreath of small tables, benches and a variety of chairs from stools to rocking ones. It looked almost like everyone in the village brought their furniture outside just to be able to see and hear me well when I'll be telling my tale. A bit further from the center, bigger tables were practically bending under the weight of platters, bowls, baskets and jugs. A few children were playing lightheartedly among this delicious looking chaos, getting in the way of their busy mothers.

Elithia materialized in front of me before I could recover from the bewilderment. She grabbed my hand and pulled me to the bonfire. I soon found myself sitting in the biggest chair of all and staring into her happy face. "Don't move from here," she winked and disappeared among the other villagers again.

Kristya and my parents soon joined me, the former maid taking a seat at my left.

"You'll help me, right?" I asked.

"With what?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Telling this crazy story. I'm not sure if I remember everything correctly with that mess in my head."

"Oh, of course," she laughed silently.

"Thanks. I'm almost sure my throat won't be functional for the next few days after this..."

Once everyone gathered, I was suddenly lifted up by the four strongest lads in the village and thrown up into the air a few times, to the accompaniment of cheers way too inappropriate for a time of mourning. When I was allowed to sit again, massaging my heart, everyone raised their mugs and glasses in a joyful toast. Elithia then took her place by my side and demanded to tell them everything I remembered.

She helped me a little when I described our escapade to the forest on the day of my kidnapping. After that, Kristya took over. We told them about everything: the everyday life in the castle, its appearance from the outside, the arrangement inside, its inhabitants, about what I did when I was free to decide about it, and about the days planned for me by the king. Everyone seemed quite amazed, but to me it felt strange at best... Even though all of that was my only reality until just hours ago, right now it felt like I wasn't the one who lived that life. It couldn't have been a dream though... it was way too vivid and took away way too much of my sanity to be one...

The villagers were listening in total silence, only sipping on their drinks every now and then. When the sun disappeared completely behind the tree tops and shadows started sneaking into the village, the bonfire was lit. The wood cracked like branches breaking under the pressure of heavy wind, and I just kept talking. When we arrived at the point of my fabricated birthday, Elithia joined the story once more, allowing my already hoarse voice to take a break. My mother was already waiting with a mug of herb tea when an applause echoed throughout the village.

I was starving, so after a few questions from the villagers, I made my way to the nearest table, Elithia following me like a shadow. Kristya got caught up in a conversation with my father, probably discussing the possibilities concerning her stay. My childhood friend found a tiny free spot at the corner of the table and perched there while I pulled a plate with cheese and bread closer.

For some time, we just silently enjoyed the meal, disturbed only a few times by people who would come up to have another toast. The presence of familiar faces, the warmth of the fire and the occasional showers of sparks raising from it up into the peaceful sky... it relieved some of the tension in my mind.

I was just about to finish the pear that I crowned my meal with, when Elithia spoke up silently: "What are you going to do now?" her tone told me that she was sitting on this question for quite some time now.

"I need to get rid of this core..."

"You know that's not what I mean."

I looked away from the remnants of the fruit to glance up at her critical expression. "What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about this whole situation. I don't believe you'll just return to your old life and pretend nothing has happened. Like nobody has done anything to you."

I kept quiet for a few moments. "Of course not. Two years in captivity won't disappear just because I'm free again," I leaned back a little and folded my arms on my chest, carefully thinking about my next words. "I think... I'll go back."

Elithia twitched, causing the dishes right next to her to clatter softly. "You what?"

"Alright, I'll sneak back. Does that make it sound better?"

"Much... but what for?"

"Information of course. I want to find out the reason for it all... The kidnapping, the assassination... The mage who tampered with my head, the emissary or his employer... if I can get to just one of the three, it'll be enough."

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"It could be dangerous..."

"Yeah, but I want to know what exactly was so important that someone had to pay with their life for it..." I paused briefly, my eyes narrowing slightly. "Though for now, how about we gather some info the safer way?"

"What do you mean?"

I made a discreet gesture with my head, and she turned slightly, following my gaze. A small distance away from the others, where the fire's blaze sank into the darkness, stood a tall figure in dark clothing. Its eyes gleamed with the flame's reflection when it lifted its head, as if sensing our stares. None of us moved for a good few moments.

"I want to ask Tavris about that vision that brought you to Ioreth. Maybe there were some details that would tell us more," those words didn't leave my lips completely yet, when the young prophet turned around and headed towards his little house.

Without thinking much, I stood up and, avoiding the other villagers, followed him silently. Elithia hopped down from the table and did the same. Tavris' home stood a bit out of the way, hugging the forest at the south-eastern border of the village. A dim light brightened its window.

"Come in," came the voice from the other side when I knocked on the door and I opened it just enough to enter.

Among the slight disorder of the interior I spotted Tavris, just about to sit down at a small table by the hearth. "Come on, I don't bite," he repeated.

We made our way to the fire, meandering between dozens of strange items, the origin of some I didn't want to guess. "I assume you know why we're here," I started.

"I do," the smile didn't vanish from his face. "But I must warn you, I don't know as much about it as you might think."

"I'll be satisfied with any information," I sat down on the floor by the hearth. Elithia did the same behind my back. "Most of all though, I want to know why I was kidnapped two years ago. I already know that someone ordered the king to do it, but who and why?"

"I regret, but I don't have a direct answer to any of those questions. Though... I know something that might interest you," the prophet leaned back a little, seeming to think where to start. "I suppose you know how we, humans, came to live in this land?"

I nodded. "The mages and dragons that lived here offered us a part of their kingdom since they didn't need all that space and we did."

"That's right. And what did we do in return after just a few decades?"

"You're... talking about exterminating the dragons, aren't you..."

"I am. We hunted them down one by one, no matter where they tried to hide, mountains, forests, swamps... Some ungrateful creatures we are..."

"But... wasn't it the dragons who started it?" spoke up Elithia. "One of them burned down one of our villages in the north, right?"

"It was actually inhabited by both humans and mages, as far as I know."

"Still..."

"I know, but who said it was that dragon who started the hostility? How can we know if it wasn't humans who crossed some line first?"

We were starting to sidetrack a little too much. "Yeah, there are bad characters among every race, but what does all of that have to do with me?"

"Sorry," Tavris raised his hands a little in apology, before taking a log that rested next to the hearth and throwing it into the fire. "I mentioned it all because I've seen someone aside from you in my vision."

"Who?"

"A man... tall, black hair. There was a crest on his belt... the crest of the Caydranth house."

"Caydranth?" I perked up, the image of the royal library suddenly flashing by in my mind for some reason. "I think I've heard that name before, if only I knew where to put it..."

"That's the name of the mage who led the people in battle against the Last Dragons that took place in the plains not too far from here. I believe his name was Ered Caydranth."

"Oh, right... Still, I'm confused..."

"Well, I assume the one I saw could've been his descendant."

"So he's either the one who wanted me, or the one who erased my memory?"

The prophet's dark eyes just stared into mine for a few moments. "I'm afraid I cannot give you a definite answer to that either. The rest of my vision only showed you and the plaza in Ioreth, nothing more... Like I said, I don't know nearly as much as you would like to learn..."

Admittedly, I was a little disappointed. I remembered his little prophecies leaving me and all kids in the village jaw-dropped in the past... But I suppose this was different from foretelling where we could find deer in the forest or what the weather would be the next day. Still...

"It's fine," I smiled a little, telling him not to feel guilty. "I might find out more on my own soon."

"Oh?" Tavris' eyes sparkled with curiosity. "How?"

"I've decided to sneak back into the castle... to the king's chambers, if I get lucky. He got visited regularly by an emissary, and then called for some mage to take care of me. I doubt it was all just verbal communication... Maybe there are some letters, anything."

"I see..." the prophet leaned back again, his eyes fixating on the fire. He seemed to be debating something, or maybe he was trying to see the future in those flames again, looking for the best advice for me... "I think it's a good idea. If there is some sort of information out there, this might be the path that leads you to the answer you seek. But you need to be very careful..."

"I will be," I smiled, getting up and dusting off my trousers. Elithia followed my example, whining at some small stain that appeared on her dress all of a sudden. "Thank you for your time, I hope you'll enjoy the rest of the evening."

"You too," he smiled, bowing his head a little.

We left quietly, leaving him alone with his mysterious thoughts.

"He's... kind of fanatical," I stated awkwardly on the way back to the celebration site.

"Well, he is a prophet," commented Elithia, glancing over her shoulder one last time.

"Even so..."

"You don't believe him or something?"

"I don't know..." I sighed heavily. "In the past, I just thought his prophecies were some really good trick that no one ever managed to crack. If back then he told me what he did today, that would probably be the first prophecy I wouldn't believe from the get go. But after what I've been through..."

Elithia gave me a concerned look, her delicate hand softly grabbing my sleeve to stop me. "You look tired... maybe you should go to sleep and think about it tomorrow?"

"No... this whole party has been prepared mostly for me," I glanced in the direction of the villagers, still happily chatting and drinking by the fire which cast a dull gleam on the occasional clouds above. "It would be inappropriate if I just left like that."

For some reason, a hint of sadness danced on Elithia's features together with the flame's glow. "You've changed..." she said, almost inaudibly.

"Sorry?"

"You've changed," she repeated, looking me in the eyes shyly. "Ever since I saw you there, in Ioreth, I had a feeling that your behavior, your presence was so much different from what I remembered. Even now, when you talked to Tavris... the way you speak, the proper language... You're not the ever cheerful and fickle Sig that was taken away from us... You've become more revered, dignified, and your eyes show so much nobility now..." She cast her eyes down, as if feeling that she unintentionally went far beyond what she intended to say. It took me a few moments, but I realized the hidden meaning behind those words. And it made me smile.

"Elithia..." I took her hand that still held my sleeve and embraced it with both of my own. "I know that the two years in a royal castle have probably left their mark, but that doesn't change who you are to me. Or who I am to anyone in this village. Nothing has changed between us, I promise you. You'll always be my most precious friend, even if dragons should come back to life and burn Earlindon to ashes."

Relief melted the worry in her eyes in an instant. She smiled beautifully, the sweet little Elithia who believed any of my words in an instant returning. "Well then... you want to celebrate you say? I think the others are at the stage where they would start dancing."

"Then maybe we should join, if you would give me the honor."

She happily locked arms with me and led me back to the center of the gathering.

A few hours later, the bonfire was reduced to warm embers, and the village fell silent.

When we returned home, I was completely exhausted, but happier than ever in my entire life. I wanted to immediately flop onto my bed, but noticed a small bulge under the blanket on the side. Frowning, I poked it carefully. It moved and mewled at me in a lovely, muffled way. I lifted the blanket to reveal Shia, showing her white little fangs in a yawn.

"Oh right..." my mother said, peeking into the room. "This cat snuck in while I was changing the bed sheets, and I couldn't scare it away..."

I laughed heartily. "It's alright mum, that's my cat. Her name is Shia," I explained, stroking my spoiled friend. "I got her a year ago as a present at the castle. She must have followed my scent."

"I thought she was some stray from the forest," my mother smiled. "In that case, she can stay. We can afford to drink less milk ourselves."

I forced Shia to shift more towards the edge of the bed and laid down, closing my eyes contently. Sleep quickly started to tug on my consciousness, but I still felt it when my mother made sure I was covered properly and gave me a feather light kiss on the cheek.

"I love you mum..." I whispered.

"I love you too, sweetheart."

The last thing I heard was the silent crackling of the hearth and the muffled mumbling of Lisiel in the next room, before I fell into a very deep and very peaceful sleep...