“Sure you’ll be okay Herra? Shouldn’t we stay here until you take the gems to the river?” I asked Herra again.

She smirked at me and nodded. “Yes Renn. It’ll be okay. I’ve done this dozens of times,” she said.

I wanted to argue, but didn’t. Mostly because I knew she was right… and I was only arguing for myself.

I had hoped she’d ask us to stay longer, to help her, so that Vim would let us stay here longer. We were leaving already, and it had only been a few days. Days! It wasn’t fair! This place was so interesting, and the people were odd but funny and…

“You can always visit Renn!” Brianci offered.

I nodded.

“Or just stay here,” Plondi offered again.

I nodded, but smiled apologetically. “Thank you,” I said.

Plondi smiled back in a way that told me she understood what I actually meant. She and the rest had been… very nice to offer their home to me, even after hearing from Herra what had happened at Lumen. What I had done.

Yet as interesting as this place was, I had no desire to stay here at all.

Not just because I’d not be able to live underground for years, without ever seeing the sun, but because that would mean leaving Vim’s side. And something like that was not something I even wanted to consider or…

“Goodbye Renn!” a tiny voice drew my eyes down to Brianci’s legs. Behind them, hiding shyly, was a young girl. She waved at me as I smiled at her and waved back.

Kneeling down, I reached out to take the young girl’s hands. She took my hand with both of hers, and I said goodbye once again to the little girl.

She was only seven years old. Yet she was so small. So feeble. Herra had said she was so pale, because she’s never been out in the sun since her birth, but I worried for her. She was so thin and frail I doubted it was just a lack of sunlight.

“Goodbye Alexandria. Make sure you take care of Brianci for me, okay?” I said.

She nodded shyly, but smiled at me.

Giving her tiny hands a gentle squeeze, I sighed as I stood up and looked around at those before me.

There were only a few people. Herra. Brianci. Her younger sister Alexandria, and their mother Plondi who had a huge belly. An older man was behind them, leaning against the door-frame and smiling at us. He was Plondi’s husband, though I’d not ever learned his name.

A small group out of the many who lived here. Yet I knew this farewell group wasn’t small because no one else liked me, but rather because they were now busy. Half the family was back in the mines, working. Their days of rest were over, in their opinion.

“Goodbye. It was wonderful meeting you all,” I said my final farewell to them.

They waved and said goodbye as I stepped away, and went to the stairwell. Glancing one last time behind me, to Herra… I felt bad about leaving her.

She was essentially alone here. At least in her opinion. And here I was… abandoning her.

It made me feel bad. Yet I wasn’t sure what to say or do about it. No idea at all.

“Bye,” I said again.

“Bye bye!” Alexandria stepped around Brianci’s legs to wave at me. I teared up at the little girl’s enthusiasm, and waved heavily at her as I started climbing the stairs.

Kneeling and bending down as I walked up the stairs, to keep waving at the little girl, I sniffed and sighed as I finally left their line of sight… and entered the weirdly empty house on the surface.

Herra stepped onto the stairwell, and waved at me as she went to close the latches of the stairwell. I gave her one last wave as she shut the doors, separating me from the armadillo’s real home.

Looking around, I studied the weird… decoy house, as they called it. It had furniture. Rugs. Windows, and even stuff all over the place. Rags and washcloths were on the table nearby. Shoes were piled over near the exit. Chairs across the room, with a large jacket laid over it.

Yet as… lived in, as they had tried to make it, it was also empty. Devoid of life. It had a layer of dust all over it, and some of the furniture looked worn and ragged. As if they’d fall apart if anyone actually tried to use them.

Walking over to the exit, I stepped out of the open door and out into the dark world.

The sky was light blue. The sun was just starting to rise, yet I couldn’t’ see it. It was blocked by the tall mountains of boulders and rocks all around us.

“Ready?” Vim asked.

I nodded at him as I went to close the front door of the decoy house.

It latched with a clank, and I noted that the front door was… far newer than the rest of the house. It was so obviously newer, that it was obvious they had simply replaced it not long ago. This wasn’t just fixed, but something new. I wonder if they just replaced stuff once it broke completely, and then ignored it otherwise.

Once the door was shut, I stepped over to Vim and smiled at him. “I’m ready,” I said.

“You sure? You look depressed,” he said.

“Probably because I am! We’ve gone to places and left quickly before Vim, but never somewhere so neat,” I said.

“It’s a giant hole in the ground. What’s so neat about it?” he asked as he stepped away, to start our journey once more.

Following him, I wanted to punch him but held myself back. “It was so much more than that. It was a home. A beautiful home, full of beautiful people,” I said.

Vim sighed and nodded, and I knew he didn’t agree with me… but it was the truth.

Or well. Kind of.

I had to admit I didn’t like at all certain… aspects, of the armadillos. But yet I was able to overlook quite a bit, it seemed.

“They offered to let me live here,” I said.

“I know.”

“But they wanted me to do so, so I could marry into the family,” I said.

He smiled and nodded. “Right.”

“That’s… weird? Isn’t it? Or is that normal?” I asked.

“It’s survival. Need fresh blood eventually,” he said with a shrug.

“It’s gross. I thought they were messing around, since they like to play pranks and stuff. But they were dead serious,” I said.

“Gross. One day you might think differently,” Vim said.

I huffed at him as we headed for the same path we had arrived upon. It was situated between massive boulders, and really wasn’t a path at all. It was littered with spiky bushes and trees, and countless rocks. I had to pay attention where I walked, less I hurt myself.

“Think Herra will be okay?” I asked.

“No. But there’s nothing we can do about it,” Vim said.

I didn’t want to hear that answer, but had expected it.

“They hate her almost as much as she hates them,” I said as I glanced behind us. The decoy house was about to leave our line of sight. It looked… out of place, amongst the massive boulders, and the red clay looking dirt.

“Hate’s a powerful word… but you’re not wrong,” Vim agreed.

“I feel so bad for her. But I’m not sure whose actually to blame, or who started it all,” I said.

“Don’t try to make sense of it Renn. Sometimes bad blood is just… something one must live with,” Vim said.

I sighed and nodded. I didn’t want to agree with him, but maybe it was for the best.

Stepping over a large bundle of rocks, I noted a weird bug that skittered out of them as I walked past. It gleamed a little oddly, as if it was polished.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“Are there any locations in the Society that are… peaceful Vim? Without all the drama and discord?” I asked.

“Not really. The few that come to mind are the ones with small populations. Tiny families, that aren’t big enough for such drama to sprout,” he said.

“Wonderful,” I stated, as I watched Vim step through a large collection of thorny bushes.

He had pants on, as I did, but I knew from experience by brushing against some of those bushes that their tiny spiny spikes were pointy enough to pierce through the thick material of our clothes.

Yet of course Vim didn’t even register any of it as he stepped through the bushes, walking ever forward.

I rounded the large collection of thorny bushes, and wondered if Vim was even able to feel pain.

Granted the spiky thorns might not… really hurt too badly, but surely he at least felt enough discomfort from them to register their poke? And why hadn’t he just stepped around it, as I had? Was he lost in thought?

“I know you wanted to stay longer, but did you at least enjoy yourself?” Vim asked as he turned to look at me.

His raised eyebrow, and calm smile told me he genuinely hadn’t noticed the thorny bushes he had just strode through.

“I did. I didn’t like how they tried to marry me off, or the way they treated and spoke about Herra… but it was fun. Brianci and her sister especially,” I said.

He nodded. “Good. Honestly here and then our next stop might be the only… fun you’ll have, for awhile. So enjoy it while you can,” Vim said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.

Hurrying a little, so I could walk next to Vim, I took my place by his side… and realized what was happening.

We were on the road again. Together. Just the two of us.

On foot. No horses. No one else. Just… Me and Vim… and the world around us, passing by slowly.

I couldn’t help it; I smiled warmly at the moment.

I missed this.

But even more importantly, thank goodness it still existed.

It could have so easily been lost to me thanks to the recent events. I could have so easily lost my place here, next to him. And there wouldn’t have been anything I could have done to stop it.

I wasn’t sure if it was Vim’s mercy or his kindness I had to thank for this… but I was going to do all I could to prove I was worth it. That I could earn it. One way or another.

“After the camels, our next stop is the Nation of Stone. There are only two members there, and… well… it’s not the most pleasant of places to visit. I expect it to be difficult for you,” Vim said.

“Oh? You mean the Queen of Stone? I heard about her,” I said.

“Did you?” he asked.

I nodded. “From the armadillos. She comes here sometimes to get gems I guess?” I said.

“Right. She hasn’t needed to lately… She’s a predator. A real one. One of the great ones. A badger. We’ll see if you and her get along or not. I’m betting you don’t,” he said.

“Well just for that I’ll make sure to do so,” I said stiffly.

He smirked and nodded, telling me he had expected such a response.

“What’s a badger?” I asked.

“A smaller animal, but ferocious. They’re rather solitary animals, kind of like what you are. It’s why she doesn’t let any other members join her. I look forward to the two of you meeting. You’re… different, yet in certain aspects very similar,” he said.

How interesting.

“Is she that bad? You say you’re looking forward to it, but at the same time that I’ll not enjoy it… why?” I asked.

“Because of who she is, and who you are. And she’s not bad. Not really. Not to me. But to many others… yes. She is. For reference, you’ve been banished from three locations right? Or well, really only two, I guess,” Vim said.

I groaned. “Why remind me Vim? Yes. Three locations.”

Ruvindale. The Bell Church. And now Lumen.

“She’s banished from every location. Basically,” he said.

I blinked and paused… and couldn’t believe what I had just heard.

“You’re kidding…?” I asked.

He shook his head, and then noticed I had stopped walking so he stopped too. Once again he stepped into a bush of thorns, as he turned to look at me. I noted the way his pants clung to the thorns, and was pulled by them. The spiky thorns were definitely digging into his leg.

“You’ll meet her soon enough. I suppose this is where I shut up about her, as to let you form your own opinion once you do,” he said.

“Oh. Right. Yes… I’d rather do that,” I said, agreeing. He liked it too, when I did.

He nodded, and seemed glad to hear me say so.

“She can come here even though she’s banished?” I asked.

“As you know, not all banishments are pure. Just as you can visit Lumen, so too can she visit a few locations as well,” Vim said.

Ah. Right. True.

Returning to walking, I paid close attention to Vim’s leg. The one that had been sitting in the thorny bush.

Some of the thorns stuck to his pant leg, yet he didn’t even seem to care.

He was so strange sometimes.

We walked along in silence for a bit, until we left the small… path area. Exiting the section, we came to a spot I didn’t really remember. To our right was a massive hill, covered in boulders and stones, and to our left was a similar hill. Though the other one was more covered by plant life than it was rocks, somehow.

It was as if the two hills were battling. Stone and plants. One type of life, facing another.

I frowned at my thoughts, and wondered if stones were a form of life at all.

Something told me I didn’t want to know.

Walking next to Vim, we headed along the two hills for a short distance. Eventually we reached another path, one that was definitely a path for real. One could see the different colors in the ground, telling where feet and hooves have made a difference. This path had far fewer bushes and plants within it, and didn’t have any large rocks to trip on.

Heading down the path, I couldn’t help but smile happily. How wonderful. I wasn’t really sure what to think of what Vim had just said, about the Queen of Stone, but I’d worry about that later.

Right now… right now this was all that mattered.

These moments. With him.

Glancing over at the man I was walking next to, I noted the tired look on his face. Once again it was showing itself.

Was he actually tired? It was such a strange thing to see on him. Emotions were one thing, but… exhaustion? Tiredness? Pain? They almost looked as if they didn’t belong at all upon his demeanor. So to actually see such things on him… well…

Vim then slowed to a stop, and I worriedly stopped alongside him. Had something happened?

I glanced around, and was glad to see nothing too out of the ordinary. Some weird bushes and trees. Some purple flowers to our left, which were blooming from a weird gangly tree. The rocks and ground were darker than the reddish hues earlier. As if the sun had burnt the ground here.

“You okay Vim…?” I asked after a few moments passed, and nothing happened… and he said nothing.

For a long moment he said nothing, and then he took a deep breath and sighed. “No. I’m not.”

At first I panicked, and looked down to his legs. I worried he had actually gotten hurt somehow, or maybe poisoned or something by the barbs… but after a few quick heartbeats I realized something obvious.

He didn’t mean physically.

Calming myself down, I forcefully kept myself from stepping over to him and grabbing his hand. “Is there anything I can do for you?” I asked carefully.

“Can you change hearts, Renn?” he asked.

“Do you really want me to, Vim?” I asked back.

He opened his mouth, to say something… but then smiled at me and shook his head. “You know me a little too well, don’t you?” he asked.

I smiled back and nodded; glad he understood what I had meant. “I’d like to, you know? Really.”

Vim nodded. “We’ve much to talk about, don’t we?” he said.

“You have no idea!” I shouted, startling myself. I heard my own voice echo a little, rolling along the hills of rocks and dry plants. I had even stepped towards him, and with balled fists I had shook oddly. It was such an odd thing to do, even I felt silly. I probably looked like I was getting ready to get into a fist fight with Vim.

Undisturbed by my outburst, Vim shifted on his feet and smiled at me. He pointed down our path, the one ahead of us. “About two days from here is a river town. The same one they take their gems to, as to deliver via the river. If able, we’ll catch a boat and head south until the Ocean City. We’ll stop at the Camels, then head east to the Nation of Stone,” Vim told me of our upcoming journey.

I nodded, excited… and then frowned. “I rather wanted to talk about other things, Vim.”

“I know. That’s why I brought it up, before we got focused on other things,” he said.

“Oh. Okay.” I nodded quickly, that made sense.

Gulping as I stared at Vim, and he stared back… I felt oddly apprehensive.

What would he say first? What would we talk about first?

We hadn’t actually spoken, for real, since before the chaos in Lumen. It’s been so long. It had only been maybe a month or two, yet it felt like an entire lifetime.

Yes we had spoken since then, of course. And I had even cried, and had a heartfelt conversation with him a few days before leaving Lumen. When he had given me the news that I had been the focus of a vote. A vote I had not been invited to. A vote that had determined I didn’t belong in Lumen, and wasn’t allowed to settle down there.

But we hadn’t actually talked much. At least not about anything serious. I had been wondering if I would ever be able to. Or if he’d expect me to just… let it be. To forget it all. To bury it down, and ignore it. I had dreaded that, and worried about it, but hadn’t been sure how to face such thoughts.

After all it wouldn’t have surprised me if Vim had simply… continued onward. Acknowledging what had happened, but not really thinking about it. Since he was so old, and who he was. It would have been expected, in a way. For him to have simply moved on, without a care.

Yet that wasn’t something I could do. My heart was so heavy. My soul burdened. My mind wheeling.

There was so much I wanted to ask him. To hear from him. How had he fought that giant thing? What had he done? What kind of deal had he actually made with Lumen’s rulers? When had he met Wool, and what was his opinion of her? Why had Brandy and the rest banished me in such a way? So much I wanted to know, so much I needed to understand…

I wanted to tell him of what happened in the sewers. After Fly and I had left him behind in that room, with that monster. I wanted to tell him of what happened while I was at the Clothed Woman’s home. And then the trip to and from. Then of my last days in Lumen… and all the thoughts I had of them and the people there, and…

I had so much to say. So much to express. So many worries, so many sorrows and hopes and…

And I needed to say it all before I started crying. Before my soul became feeble and bursting.

Vim’s soft smile became even gentler as he stared at me, and then he finally nodded.

“I’m sorry Renn,” he whispered.

Blinking at him, my whole world went blurry as tears filled my eyes.

Before he could say anything more, I rushed forward.

Wrapping my arms around him, I broke.

Seems I hadn’t been able to say a single thing before it happened.