Having her meals with Ral became a frequent thing. They talked more about their time apart but gradually they started talking more about their childhood and of home. Ral missed it too but Aris found no traces of resentment in her brother, even if she knows that he understands the betrayal.

She found his reaction to life at the Academy curious as well. His admittance was around special circumstances like her and people treated him like a stranger akin to the coolness that Aris is so used to. They were different and so were treated as such save for a handful of people like Laell and Verne. But she found Ral spent little or no time thinking about how he’s treated.

“I honestly think we have better things to focus on,” he said when she pointed it out. They were picnicking by the sea side again and he seemed like he was lounging against the tree after the filling meal. Aris spent much time trying to tie what she can see to the location and positioning of people in the real world. The general location is good enough for most purposes (like fighting) but she had a difficult time discerning things like posture, poses and more importantly expression. She had to rely on tone of voice and shifts in the solute as a substitute. Now, she could only assume Ral was extremely relaxed for some reason. “Actually even without Gates or the Unseeing or Parts trying to murder us all, maybe it’s best not to focus on what other people think.”

“Easy for you to say,” Aris grumbled. “Living like a stray dog for so long makes one immune to public opinion, it seems.”

“The Somas hated me too,” his voice shifted slightly and Aris thought maybe he shrugged. “I was a stranger there. ‘Blood head’ they called me. At least here I don’t look too different although Verne was right about trimming my beard. I get a lot less looks when my hair is tamed.”

“You have a beard?” She reached out to try to poke his face but had her hand swatted away.

“Sister, men go through something called puberty and start getting something called facial hair,” he started sarcastically. “Of course I have a fucking beard. Do you not remember how hairy our father was? Did you expect me to stay nine years old?”

“You’re all grown up,” she said in a mockingly sad voice. “My dear child.”

“We are quite literally the same age.”

“Is this beard trimming what gained you a following?” she asked. “I’ve seen about three regulars stalk you over the past week. How close am I to welcoming a brother or sister in law?”

“Oh sun have mercy,” Ral muttered. “Do they actually follow me around?”

“Yes. I heard one of them is particularly fond of how you, and I quote, ‘handle your staff’,” she said with a straight face.

Ral gave a devastated groan. “Someone left a letter to me the other day. Verne told me to just dispose of it if I wasn’t interested but I thought it would be rude so I went to turn them down in person.”

“You must be the only person in the empire unhappy about having admirers,” Aris snorted. “Should you not count your blessings like any other hot blooded Gaian in the Academy? And by blessings I mean secret admirers devastatingly in love with you.”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

She felt grass pelt at her and she dissolved into laughter. Ralos really was too easy to tease. It felt good to have someone to talk to so easily, to have someone to joke around with. She felt a poke on her knee. “Why are you acting like you don’t have secret admirers?” Ral prodded back.

“What are you talking about?” Aris asked, still laughing. “I have a secret admirer?”

“Maybe not that secret.” Ral paused, as if unsure if he should continue. “Verne. Is there something going on between you?”

“You’re literally either with me or with him every day,” she said, amused. “Does there seem like there’s something between us?”

“No. But when we were still back out east, it seemed like there was. He was very concerned about your health.”

“As was Laell,” Aris pointed out. “Why don’t you think she has a thing for me? We’re also roommates. Plenty of opportunities for ‘something’ between us.”

“Believe me,” Ral said. “When we all thought you were either going to die or kill us all, I can tell there was a difference.”

She had heard the story at least twice - once from Ral and then from Camaz. She wasn’t offended that there was a plan in place to kill her in the event she lost control. In truth, they probably should have killed her because she did lose control. By some moon’s miracle it worked out. She was alive partially because Verne refused to let them kill her.

You have a debt to pay now, Aris. You can’t die.

That conversation felt like a lifetime ago. She thought about the handkerchief she still tucked deep inside the folds of her tunic every morning as she dressed, secured tightly by the belt cloth holding the fabric together. It was a habit at this point. Her day would feel wrong if she didn’t include it. She couldn’t abandon the scrap of fabric completely yet she couldn’t admit to him that she was the ‘tree’ when they first met.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a familiar greenish hued solute. She determined the physical body would be about a hundred paces away and approached them. “Speak of the sun and the dawn shall break,” she murmured. It was an old Caelisian proverb. “Your roommate approaches. Maybe you can ask the man himself?”

Aris could hear Ral stand to look around. Not long after, Verne got close enough for the two men to exchange greetings. She didn’t bother standing as it would involve Ral having to give her a hand so she didn’t tumble off the side of the cliff.

“Ralos,” Verne said. “Aris.”

“Sekrelli,” Aris said. “My brother wants to know if you’re infatuated with me.”

There was a beat of stunned silence before Verne awkwardly answered. “I… we barely see each other…”

“See? I simply think you’re deflecting your secret pride over your hoards of fans,” she said to Ral. “I’m glad we cleared things up.”

Verne cleared his throat. “Ah, well, this is good. I’m just here to inform Ral that Yepla wishes for your presence. It’s to be a department wide assembly.”

“I’ll be right there once I get Aris back to the lighthouse,” Ral responded.

There were no further words exchanged, Aris assumed there were nods exchanged and Verne’s solute showed that he walked away.

Ral helped her up and she gripped Ral’s arm to slowly make their way back to the lighthouse. Ral didn’t need to prod her to make the journey in her physical form as he would insist she does everything in her physical form nowadays. She saved herself the trouble of arguing and just started walking.

“You know, you’re not a very nice person,” Ral said lightly.

“You only realize this now?”

“Verne has been very kind to both of us. He didn’t deserve that.”

“Yeah, well, most of us don’t get what we deserve,” Aris sniffed back. Her brother was silent for the rest of their walk.