“Not coming in Oplar…?” I asked my friend who had not entered with me.

“I’ll be out here, Renn. Take your time,” Oplar said gently with a smile. She pointed to a nearby bench, a few dozen feet from the building.

Studying her for a tiny moment… I softly smiled and nodded at her. “Okay. I’ll try not to be long,” I promised.

“No worries!” Oplar said as she turned, to go sit at the bench.

Looking away from my friend who hated confrontation so deeply that she’d not even enter this supposed prison, I entered the building.

The place was made of the same brick as all the rest… but it was somehow even more boring and plain than the other buildings. It had no windows. Only a couple floors tall… and honestly seemed smaller than even the house we were all staying at.

And… There was a familiar stink in the air. Though surprisingly, not one of dirt or grime. It was one I’d not smelled in a long time, yet used to all the time amongst the humans.

It was the smell of heavy liquor. Was this place being used to store wine and spirits or something?

Walking down a rounded hallway, I eventually found a room. A room without a door, not much inside it for furniture, and two people sitting at a plain table. They were both women… but one was older. Noticeably old, too. I was a little startled to see her. It was very rare to see a non-human with such age upon her.

“Oh my…?” the older of the two noticed me, and the younger one turned around to see me. Upon locking eyes with her, I somehow knew.

She was Ollie.

“My name is Renn… I’ve come to see Rollo, if it’s okay,” I said, unsure of what to really say.

“Hm. Vim did mention you might come. I assume you want to take her, Ollie?” the older woman asked, smirking softly at her.

For a small and heavy moment… Ollie said nothing as she stared at me. And then she sighed as she scooted her chair back and stood up.

I shifted a little as I studied the taller woman. She was pretty, like Sillti, but looked a bit more mature. Not as fragile, or demure. She had a harsh glare in the eyes, reminding me a little of Nory somehow.

She stepped away from the table and up to me. I smiled up at her, and realized she was likely not just taller than me… but maybe taller than Vim too.

“I’m sorry to bother you, Ollie,” I said.

“Mhm…” Ollie hummed as she studied me, and I couldn’t help but wonder what was wrong. Her glare suddenly looked… well…

A little sad somehow.

“Well… um…” I shifted, and wondered if maybe I was imposing more than I had thought. Maybe Oplar hadn’t stayed outside because she hadn’t wanted to talk to a man about to die, but instead because she had expected this…?

But Vim had said it’d be okay… he had even asked me to do this, and…

Ollie then sighed as she looked away from me, and turned to look back at the older woman. “She is adorable… but I’m not that much worse, am I sis?” Ollie asked the older woman.

“Hm… Rather than attractiveness, I’d say she’s simply of different temperament. A predator,” the old woman noted.

Huh…?

“Think it’s because she’s shorter? But her ears make her almost as tall as me…” Ollie mumbled as she looked back at me.

“Um… may I ask what this is about?” I asked. I had a weird idea, but was hoping I was wrong.

“Oh she’s just jealous. She’s been trying to snuggle her way into Vim’s bed for decades, and isn’t taking your presence very well. Don’t mind her, she’s harmless,” the older woman said.

Oh jeez. Another one? Really?

“Geuh…” Ollie made a weird sound and flinched at me.

“Huh?” I flinched too; she just made a sound as if I had just punched her in the gut!

The older woman chuckled as Ollie groaned and sighed. “You just thought—great another one! Didn’t you?” Ollie asked.

“Um…” I felt my face get a little warm at being so readily seen through, and Ollie covered her eyes and sighed again, in defeat.

“It’s okay… My name is Ollie. It’s nice to meet you Renn…” Ollie then said, albeit a little dejectedly, and she held out her hand.

Taking it gently, I smiled softly and nodded. “It’s nice to meet you too.”

She seemed to calm down a little and gain back some confidence as we shook hands, and then she gestured behind me. “He’s in the rearmost cell. This way,” she said as our hands separated and she stepped around me as to enter the hallway.

I stepped back and nodded, and glanced to the older woman. I waved at her lightly in goodbye and thanks, and she smiled and nodded back at me.

Turning to follow Ollie, I felt a little excited. I was now more interested in talking to her than this Rollo.

Another one that has tried to woo Vim. It was starting to become obvious there were far more than I’d thought, but… well…

It was also starting to become very clear that not only has Vim been denying their advances, but likely doing so in a rather rude and direct way. Did he even know Ollie had been vying for his affection…? Or was she another Merit?

“You must be something, Renn. I don’t know how you did it, but I admit I’m jealous,” Ollie said with her back to me.

I perked up a little, and although was excited to talk to her… I was also regretting my sudden joy over it.

She had sounded rather sad.

“I uh… I don’t really know how I did it, to be honest. So… um…” I hesitated, and felt stupid. Come on Renn, do better.

“Hm… that’s probably true. Vim’s odd. Who knows what caught his eye. It could have literally been something so simple and small, like a certain smell or something. Still it’s surprising,” she said as she thought about it.

“I’m… honestly rather surprised, myself. I had thought most here saw him as either some kind of god or devil, so…” I said honestly. To think someone here actually found him attractive, let alone a potential partner candidate.

Or well… I suppose I shouldn’t assume she wanted to marry him. That old lady had mentioned his bed, not his hand in marriage. Maybe all Ollie wanted from him was a child.

But… would she have been as bothered by me then? If all she had wanted was a child from him, why care at all about me?

Ollie chuckled a little, disrupting my thoughts. “Right? You have no idea how weird I’m considered to be in the village for even trying. But it’s fine… I don’t regret the couple hundred years of trying. At least I can say I tried,” Ollie said plainly.

Pausing, I shivered at what she had just said.

Hundreds of years.

Granted… she likely meant her efforts over the many hundreds of years as Vim came and went. So only while he was here, or maybe while traveling with him for a short time. And with his inability to come here except when requested… that could only add up to a few years at best of accumulative time between those centuries. But those short windows of opportunities didn’t change the fact she’s been trying for so long.

It was so daunting. To hear that someone has been trying to earn his favor for as long as I’ve been alive… if not longer.

Just like Merit.

Nearing the end of the hall, Ollie slowed to a stop and turned to glance at me.

“Oh my…” Ollie likely noticed my internal strife, and she gave me a very gentle smile as if to apologize. “You’re rather kind, aren’t you?” she asked me.

“I… I’m sorry. I don’t even know what I should say,” I said, unable to find the words. Once again my thoughts had been so obvious.

If I was having difficulty with this here, now… just what was I going to say to Merit when I see her again?

I already felt like crying, somehow… and although I felt for this woman… I didn’t know her well enough to really comprehend just how badly I’ve likely hurt her. My mere existence probably made her feel sad… and…

“It’s okay, Renn. I’ll just snivel and get drunk for a bit, blaming Vim. I’ve already decided on who I’m going to try and seduce later, once you leave,” Ollie then said.

Shifting a tad, I ignored my tail that was swaying wildly behind me and gulped. “Still… I’m sorry. I feel like I should apologize, or say something important… yet…” I struggled to find the words.

“Apologize for what? For your information, had our positions been reversed I’d not have apologized at all. In fact I probably would have been rather smug about it,” Ollie said with a smirk.

Although I could tell she was doing her best to make the moment as light as possible… I could see and hear the truth. I barely knew this woman, yet I could see the sadness upon her. And not just because her smirk was slightly forced and stiff.

I could see the tired circles under her eyes. The slight redness in her eyes from tears. I could smell the alcohol on her breath. She was already drinking heavily, as she had hinted at.

This building was not the source of the smell of liquor, it was her.

“Still… I’m sorry all the same,” I said to her.

“Hmph… it’s fine. Next time you visit I’ll show you how happy I can be too,” Ollie said as she turned back and stepped away.

Smiling, I nodded. I looked forward to it.

The two of us came to a thick wooden door, with a window upon it. The window had bars of metal, like a cage, and through it I could see a dark room.

Ollie paused upon grabbing the door’s handle and turned to me. “He’s behind bars… but stay on guard and don’t get near them. He broke his chair and threw pieces of it at us yesterday,” Ollie warned.

Oh…? “Okay…” I nodded, and smiled at the memory of me doing something similar once long ago. Back when I had met Nory.

“Also… make sure you let him know who you are, and who will be doing the deed. We haven’t told him yet,” Ollie said with a smirk.

Wait…

Ollie opened the door, and I frowned at her smirk. Was that smirk for me, or Rollo?

Stepping forward, I held my breath for a moment as I entered the room… but began to breathe again shortly after. I was glad to find it didn’t stink or smell weird in here, even though there seemed to be no windows.

The room felt strangely small, but only because of the cells on either side of the room. There were four, and I was a little surprised to see how nice they were. Each had a bed, a table and chair, and a small commode in the corner. The furnishings were real wood, with bedding and other things… not made of stone or without comfort. They were nothing like the cells I’d seen before.

Glancing behind me, I found that although Ollie had left the door open… she had not entered behind me. Instead she had stepped back a bit and had found a chair to sit in.

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“What? Lunch time already?” a man’s voice asked, drawing my attention away from Ollie, coming from the end of the room. Hidden behind the wall of the last cell.

Stepping forward, I kept myself as near the other wall of iron bars as possible as I found the only prisoner here.

Sitting on his bed, slouched forward… and looking strikingly thin, was a young man.

He glanced at me, looked away… and then hurriedly looked back at me in shock. He sat up straighter at the sight of me, his frown telling me he had not expected me at all.

“Who… who are you…?” he asked wearily.

“My name is Renn,” I introduced myself.

He shifted on the bed, and I noted the bedding beneath him. It was a mess. The blankets and pillows were all over and messy.

“Renn…?” he sounded more worried than confused, and…

Well…

I was a little disappointed.

This man was not handsome at all. In fact he looked young. Too young. Sillti had been pretty, and youthful, but this Rollo… Well…

He was likely as tall as me, but he looked as if he was more of a young boy than anything else. Although skinny he still had a bit of baby fat on him. Particularly in his cheeks. His frame was as small as my own, with maybe just his shoulders being a tad bit wider. If he had been a little shorter, I would not have considered him a man at all. Especially not one able to start a family.

It made his worried eyes look almost pitiful. I did not see a cruel man in front of me, but rather a young boy who had lost his way.

Or at least, that was his appearance. I knew better than to think he was actually a young boy, being a non-human, and I knew even a younger man could be just as lethal and cruel as a full grown one.

“What do you want…? Who are you?” Rollo asked, without introducing himself.

He was still seated on the edge of his bed… but he was antsy. His fists were clenched tightly on his knees, and he looked half a heartbeat from jumping to his feet. If he hadn’t been locked in a cell, he might have ran away at the mere sight of me.

Feeling a little awkward… I decided to just get this over with. I had thought of the few questions I had for him this morning, before leaving Vim’s side.

“Are you a religious man, Rollo?” I asked him, starting there.

“Ha…? Of course I am. Everyone knows Vita made us,” he said carefully, studying me. I noted his eyes lingered more on my tail than anything else.

“Then… Do you not regret killing one of Vita’s creations?” I asked.

Rollo shifted and looked away, but only for a moment. “Another pointless lecture, then. Go ahead. Not like I can stop you,” he said stiffly.

Hm… I wonder how many had tried to see if he’d find remorse or not. I should have asked Ollie. Maybe I will after this.

Though…

Studying the man, I looked for any signs of injuries or scars. Supposedly the fight which had ended in Ivan’s death had been a brutal one. One that had lasted for some time. Many long, struggle filled minutes.

Yet I saw no wounds. No scars. No bandages.

Either this Rollo was strong and these people were stouter than they seemed, or the incident had been long ago. Months maybe… and all of his wounds have healed and even the scars have faded.

Still…

“Feh…!” Rollo scoffed and looked away from me. His fists clenched tighter, and he went to staring down at the floor. To his feet. Yet I could tell his reaction was not one of defeat, but rather simple annoyance. He was tired of being talked to. Of being reasoned with.

He… was like Tim. In a way.

Like my brothers. My father and grandfather.

He was a man who saw no wrong in his actions, and felt the world was being cruel to him for no reason. Full of pity for himself, and not a drop of it for his victims.

I found myself not pitying him at all… but somehow his attitude and appearance instead made me pity Sillti even more than I already did.

“Do you regret killing Ivan?” I asked him.

“Of course I do. Look at me, I’m in a cage,” he waved around himself.

“So would you not regret the act if you were free?” I asked.

Rollo shook his head at me, but not as an answer. He waved me off, as if to dismiss me.

“You do know you’re to be put to death for what you did, right?” I asked further.

“So they’ve all incessantly told me. Yes. Get it over with already then,” Rollo said as he looked away. He had even turned a bit on his bed, as to better not look at me.

Hm… he was acting rather childish. Like a young boy being put in time out for neglecting chores. Lujic had not acted this way, but many of his sons had. Brats as his wife had called them.

But this was no little boy getting a slap on the wrist.

“Have you apologized to Sillti?” I asked.

Rollo finally looked at me again. He turned towards me, snarled at me and looked away. “Why the hell should I?” he asked.

“Do you not feel bad for her?”

“Oh, just shut up would you? That stupid whore hasn’t come here once. But I’ve heard she’s spent plenty of time at that bastard’s grave and at the cliff of prayer. Plenty of proof to see where her infidelity is!” Rollo said loudly.

Cliff of prayer… So that was what they saw that cliff as? A place to pray? That explained why there were so many places to sit in front of it, and also why Sillti had been there.

And…

Studying Rollo… I wondered if this was how Tim had treated Frett. He looked agitated. His left leg was thumping up and down, and he was breathing heavily.

Odds are if the bars weren’t between us he’d be in my face right now, shouting at me.

Just like my brothers.

So many of our men were not like this. There were plenty like Thrain, or Gerald and Windle. Or Link, even though he didn’t look it at all. Kind. Gentle mannered. Unlikely to raise their voices, let alone hurt someone.

So then… why were there those like him and Tim? Like my brothers and father? Why was it one extreme or the other? Either completely submissive and docile, or quick to anger and violent? Just like this Yangli I’ve heard of.

Humans had every type of temperament in-between… so why didn’t we?

Was there possibly a way to change them…? Was it something we could remove at an early age? I’d blame the parents, but I highly doubted Rollo’s parents were like this. Most people here seemed rather docile.

Plus that wouldn’t explain me. My parents had been horrible, by all counts, yet I didn’t think I was like this at all. Quick to emotions, sure, but I didn’t think I was violent.

And how could it be bloodlines if even those like this man could act like this?

So if it wasn’t our upbringing… nor our parents, or our ancestry…

Just what decided it…?

Miss Beak had said such evil just… sprouted without reason. That even those born in the deepest peace could have black hearts. But…

“The hell do you want, woman?” Rollo then asked as he looked back at me.

“I was just wondered how we could stop men such as you from coming to be,” I said honestly.

Rollo’s eyes narrowed at me. “What…?” he asked and I could tell he had not understood my meaning at all.

No matter.

After a moment he scoffed and looked away from me in disgust. “You look at me just like Ollie and the rest. As if I’m scum. Just you wait,” he said.

“Even if you not behind bars, I’d need not fear you,” I told him.

He shifted and glanced at me. “I didn’t mean that…! I meant you’ll know what it feels like yourself, some day. You’re married aren’t you?” he asked.

Hm…? “Yes. I am.”

“Your pretty… but not beautiful enough to stop wandering eyes. One day you’ll know what it feels like to be tossed aside, and you’ll know my anger,” he said confidently.

Ah. So that was what he meant. That was his defense of his own actions. That we all simply didn’t understand him, since we hadn’t yet experienced such supposed emotional pain as him.

“That’d be interesting. Unluckily for you however, I already know jealousy very well… but that’s exactly the problem. I don’t see how you can think it justifies your actions. If anything you should have done the exact opposite,” I said.

“Opposite…? Like what? Let him have my woman?” he asked, offended.

“Well… yes. If that was what she actually wanted. If it would have made her happy. After all… why wouldn’t you want the one you love to be happy?” I asked him. I wasn’t going to go into how he should have tried harder, and been a better man. There was no point.

Rollo guffawed at me, in absolutely shock… and then shook his head and looked away. He didn’t say anything, as if my response had not just disgusted him but made me seem completely pointless to acknowledge from this point onward.

Which was fine. It wasn’t like I was actually trying to convince him to change his ways or see the error of his ways. Even if I could do such a thing, it didn’t mean anything. No matter how much remorse or sorrow he could find within himself, it would not change the fact he would die by Vim’s hands.

Plus…

Studying the man, I decided to wrap this up. Talking to him any longer would just get me angry too.

“Have they told you when you’re to be executed?” I asked him gently.

“Must be soon, what with all of you bothering me so damn much,” he said stiffly.

I wonder how much of his snarky attitude was simple bravado, as to stay the fear about what was to come?

“I’ve been told you know not who will do the deed,” I said.

Rollo shifted and turned to look at me… his eyes narrowed at me. “You…?” he asked wearily.

Me… Strangely, I could see Vim asking me to do it. A part of him so desperately didn’t want me to stain my hands, but another side of him saw me as an equal. The type of equal to share in the burdens he suffered. So…

“Not this time,” I told him.

“Hmph… who is it then? Thrain? Ollie?” Rollo asked, and then scoffed. “Sillti? As revenge? Feh!” he further asked as he stood up, and then laughed at the thought.

Studying the way he smirked and laughed as he stepped away from the bed, I saw through the young bravado… and clearly saw the evil man within.

He had the same smirk on his face that Tim had, when Vim had confronted him of his deeds.

Yes. He was not worth my time at all, it seemed.

“Goodbye Rollo…” I said as I turned to step away, but then remembered I hadn’t told him yet. Glancing back at him, I found he had stepped up to the bars… staring at me intently. He had been about to say something.

“You…” he started to speak, but I ignored him completely.

“I told you my name, but not who I am,” I said.

He frowned and grabbed one of the bars.

I held his gaze, and instead of seeing him I saw Sillti. That poor woman who he had scorned. In more ways than one.

“My name is Rennalee. I’m Vim’s wife,” I told him, and left.

“Wha…!” Rollo’s stunned shock echoed a little in the stone room. But I didn’t wait to hear or see his realization of my meaning, as I stepped out of the room and nodded to Ollie.

She smiled lightly at me as she shut the door behind me. It latched a little loudly, and through the small window in the door… I heard a strange groan. One of utter despair.

“Good. Maybe he’ll actually think about what he did, knowing who’s waiting for him,” Ollie said, a little loudly. Likely on purpose.

“Hm. In my experience few do,” I said as I thought of Tim.

“That’s a scary thought…” Ollie said as we both stepped away.

Leaving Rollo and his prison, I glanced at the tall woman who now was walking a little brisker. She now had a weird grin on her face, as if pleased. Maybe she had enjoyed my conversation with Rollo. She had definitely heard it all, being so nearby.

“You meant what you said to him, didn’t you?” she asked, not noticing my look.

“Hm…? About what?” I asked.

“That if you love someone, truly love them… you want what’s best for them. Even if it hurts,” she said.

“Well… yeah? Isn’t that the point? You want them to be happy,” I said.

Ollie sighed at me, but her smile remained. “Yes. That is the point.”

Hm… did she not agree…?

A loud bang startled me, and I turned around. To look behind us. The hallway looked fine, as did the door we had just come from…

“He’s breaking stuff,” Ollie noted as we heard another loud crash. It made my ears flutter, thanks to how the sounds shook the air in the stone hallway.

Yes. That was indeed the sound of something heavy and wooden crashing into stone. Likely the chair in his room. Or his bed. Being banged and tossed around.

“Hopefully he does not throw anything else at you guys,” I said worriedly.

“I had suggested we not give him another chair,” Ollie said with a sigh.

Ah. Right. Why do that if he had already proven not trustworthy…?

Was it an attempt to be humane…?

“Still… Did you get what you wanted, Renn?” Ollie asked as we left behind the man violently throwing a fit.

“I’m not sure. I think so,” I said. I had simply figured out he wasn’t worth even trying to help, even if there was a way to.

“Hm…”

Nearing the end of the hallway, we paused in front of the open room. The older woman was still sitting at the table, but now had some cups on the table. The light steam coming from them told me she had just made tea.

There were four of them, which told me she likely thought I’d join them… and also maybe Oplar.

“I’m afraid I’ve made him get violent again. He’s breaking stuff,” I told the older woman, apologizing.

“I can hear it. It’s fine. Let the boy waste the end of his life breaking chairs and tables that will simply be used as firewood,” she said.

Hm… I nodded, agreeing with that perspective. Yes. Let a worthless man’s final deeds be so insignificant.

“Oplar’s out there right? Why not invite her in, so we can have tea. I’d like to hear about this vote, anyway,” the older woman then said.

Oh…?

“Oh. Right. Yes. Do you mind if we sit and talk about it Renn?” Ollie asked me.

Tilting my head at her, I was about to ask why she’d even ask such a thing… I didn’t mind at all, of course, plus I wanted to hear other people’s opinions about it too… but then I realized the obvious.

I was Vim’s wife. Or at least, that was what I was projecting myself as.

So…

Smiling softly at her I nodded. “It’s fine. If he doesn’t stop breaking things though she might not come in, she hates violence,” I said, a little happy to hear that even if she didn’t like me much because I had taken Vim from her… she was still kind enough of a person to worry I’d be hurt or offended over hearing of the vote about Vim.

“Well, then let us simply go sit out there shall we?” the old woman said as she stood.

I nodded. Yes. A much better use of my time.

“She always takes up the whole bench, so let’s grab a few chairs…” Ollie mumbled as she stepped into the room.

“Oplar does like to laze and relax,” the older woman said as she grabbed a chair too.

Smiling, I giggled as I went to help her and join them outside.