“I’m sorry that we can’t hang out anymore,” Hannah pouted. “But I guess you gotta get home, don’t you? It must be a long journey back, huh?”
“Y-yes,” Gillian nodded sheepishly, partly out of shame of lying, but also from the kind respect Hannah had shown her. It distressed her to lie, but it was the cover story her father, the king, specifically required. It felt unfair to hide this from her friend, but she had no choice. “We have to get going. I am truly thankful for everything you have taught me.”
“Of course. Still, I can’t believe I taught a genuine Princess,” she laughed. “Still, are you sure I can keep your painting?”
“Certainly, I want it to be a memento for my thanks,” Gillian bowed.
“W-wow, never thought I’d get a Princess bowing to me,” Hannah giggled. “I hope we can meet each other again someday,” she said wistfully.
“I would like that very much,” she said looking back towards the others. “Until such a time, I wish you the best in everything.”
“Right, back at you, Princess. And be sure to keep practicing out there, and should we meet again, you can bet I’m gonna ask you to show your work off to me,” she said eagerly.
“Of course,” Gillian smiled.
“Princess, tis time to depart!” one of the knights called out while carrying a crate of her new art supplies.
“I shall be right there!” she answered. “Until we meet again, fare thee well, Hannah,” she said extending her hand.
Hannah jumped into her embrace, giving a mighty hug for one so small. “Til we meet again! Good luck out there, Princess!”
“Thank you, Hannah,” she said, hugging her back. She felt a gentle wave of comfort and glee wash over her, savoring the moment. She waved goodbye as she mounted her carriage, meeting Aria and Mable inside. “I hope we get to meet again.” Aria and Mable looked at each other with a saddened look. “What tis the matter?” she asked as she sat down.
“W-well, remember what we’re seeking to accomplish on this journey,” Aria stammered. “Our purpose.”
“Our purpose,” she blinked before she suddenly realized what she was getting at. They were seeking the witch, Phordata, seeking to slay her to reverse the curse upon Gillian. They sought to return her to being Gilbert, a man that Hannah would not know. She frowned upon realizing that.
“Gillian…” Mable said sadly.
“H-hey, I’m sure it’ll all work out. You’ll be able to reunite with her. Even if she doesn’t know you then, you can still befriend her again,” Aria said trying to lift her mood.
“Y-yes, I suppose you’re right,” she smiled…authentically. But something felt off, something she was not entirely certain of, a certain…disappointment? She did her best to look on the bright side nonetheless, but she could not shake a persistent feeling of concern and confusion. Before she knew it, she felt a dampness upon her eyes. She tried to stay strong, taking a deep breath, but as she felt the damp tear, and as she breathed in, something began to stir in the back of her mind, the tears multiplying and her breath becoming heavy and harder.
A particular questioned bubbled up in her mind, one which scared her. A question which she knew perfectly well what the answer should be. A question that although obvious, she was beginning to find more difficult to answer. Was this what she truly wanted? Did she truly want to return to being Gilbert? She hid her sudden need to gag from Mable and Aria as she sat down. Of course, this is what she wanted, was it not? She tried to stop the burrowing doubt, unable to capture it as she felt it sink deeper and deeper with in her.
The carriage carried on, leaving Gelin behind, vanishing into the distance, as well as Hannah, and the children she promised to play with again. Did she feel guilty about lying to them? About promising to meet again? About who she was? Her head felt like it was spinning, defying her attempts to ground herself.
“Gillian,” Aria said, her solid touch pulling Gillian back to reality. “Are you okay?”
“Oh, uh, yes. I am q-quite alright,” she tried to smile.
Mable moved from Aria’s side and sat next to her, taking her hand within her own. “It’s okay Gillian. You don’t need to cry,” she smiled. “It’s going to be okay.”
“I…cry?” she asked as she touched her drenched cheek. Had she been crying this whole time? She took a deep breath. “Thank you, you two. I am truly sorry for worrying you, she said wiping her tears away.”
* * *
“Now one and two, left and right,” Xenia repeated, Gillian following her instructions and following her the movement of her feet, matching them in tempo and flow. “Remember to breathe,” she remarked.
“Y-yes sister,” Gillian stammered as she tried to breathe and maintain focus, her shoes floating across the ground with her swift movements, her hand shaking to maintain balance in Xenia’s grasp.
“Smoothly, easily.”
“R-right,” she took a deep breath, trying to maintain a decent pace. Xenia was moving so swiftly, it was hard to keep up.
“What are you two doing?” Aria asked as she walked into their tent, wearing her lighter leather set of gear, sweat lingering upon her brow from her fighting practice.
“Dancing,” Xenia curtly responded.
“Why?” she asked with a slight edge of weariness
Xenia sighed. “I suppose it’s time we took a break.”
Gillian took a deep breath and sat down, panting from her weariness, a thin layer of sweat forming upon her. “Yes, please give me a few moments.”
“So…” Aria began.
“I wanted to teach her how to dance in case we stumble upon a noble’s abode. Plenty of the nobility have such proclivities,” Xenia explained. “As such, over the past several days, since we left Gelin, we have been practicing together.”
“Are you sure that’s necessary?” Aria asked.
“Although I intend to avoid contacting the nobles, I cannot deny the possibility of needing their aide. Besides, Gillian was the one who suggested it,” she explained.
“I…see. How are you fairing Gillian? You aren’t pushing yourself, are you?”
“I-I am fine,” she answered with a heavy breath. “Just tired. I am simply tired is all. I actually find it rather enjoyable, aside from the length of the session,” she giggled as she fanned herself with a paper fan Xenia supplied her with. The breeze it created was quite soothing and it helped her relax.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it, Gilly,” Aria smiled.
“That aside, was there something you needed, Aria?” Xenia asked.
“Not particularly. You did assign me to protect her is all,” she laughed. “So, I wanted to check up on her.”
“Aria, I appreciate your care for your duties, but you can relax a little while we are camped,” Xenia sighed.
“I know, I just wanted to check in on her. That and there was something else I’d like to discuss.”
“Hmm?”
“Captain, what do you make of the bandits we encountered in Gelin now that we have some distance? I can’t stop thinking about it,” she grimaced.
“I am not entirely certain in all honesty. I have sent a messenger to Aurith to alert him of the situation, so he should be attending to it in our absence. Unfortunately, there is not much we can do about the situation now,” Xenia lamented.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Aria groaned as she scratched her head.
“How are you feeling Gillian?” Xenia asked turning her attention to her sister.
“I feel I can keep going,” she nodded.
“Very well, Aria, you know how to dance, correct?”
“Yes ma’am. Father taught me for…reasons,” she blushed. “W-why do you ask?”
“I would like you to be her partner. I believe I need to study her from here to properly evaluate her form,” she explained.
“M-me, dance w-with A-aria?” Gillian stammered.
“Is that a problem?”
“N-no, w-why would it be?” Gillian shook her head, shifting her eyes to the side. What was this warmth she was feelin? “W-we are just a...” Gillian stopped short. What was she thinking? She nearly said they were both girls, and while that was true in the moment it was… Something churned in her stomach, prompting her to abandon the topic as she shook her head. “Tis fine.”
“Alright, I’m down,” Aria beamed with a sassy sway of her hips. Gillian swallowed trying to keep her thoughts and heart tame. “It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to dance.”
“Very well, if you would,” Xenia prompted them, Aria and Gillian taking their place at the center of the tent.
“Ready?” Aria smiled as she offered her hand.
“Y-yeah,” Gillian blushed. Gillian quietly began counting to herself, trying to keep pace with Aria’s elegant sway. She felt her muscles tense and tighten, her mind clenching, as her face heated. It was so very hard to maintain focus. Why was her heart beating so fast?
“Keep your eyes up,” Xenia instructed, prompting Gillian to realize she was looking down. She steadily rose her vision up, passing Aria’s bust which served to deepen her blush, and then her lips, brightening it further. Finally, she landed upon her deep blue eyes. They were like a sea, inviting and alluring, cooling her heated heart. Her mind escaped her as her movements freed up, as if swimming in her deep blue irises, a rather dotting smile shining down upon her. She felt her hand grip Aria’s, but not as tightly as before, and not as rigorously, but firmly and gently. She felt an ease blanket her, as her muscles softened and relaxed. She felt so comfortable, all sense of hesitation dissipating. She was perhaps more comfortable than she had been back at the castle. Maybe…maybe she even smiled, but she was uncertain. “Good, good,” Xenia applauded.
“Oh? This all looks fun,” another voice chimed, Mable entering the tent.
“Ah, Mable, can I help you with anything?” Xenia asked.
“Oh, I wanted to give you those papers you asked for. The extra lanterns are ready to go,” she gave a gentle nod as she handed Xenia a small stack of papers. “Plus, I wanted to see if Gillian was available to go stargazing,” she giggled.
“Hmm. I suppose they have been going for a while,” Xenia admitted as she flipped through the pages, surprising Gillian. A while? Was it truly that long? And why did thinking about the length make her cheeks so warm again? “Very well, you may go Gillian, but be sure to eat,” she instructed.
“R-right sister,” she nodded and hurried along. “I-I shall see you later, Aria,” she said bashfully, unable to maintain eye contact as she pulled a surprised Mable away.
“What was that all about?” Xenia asked aloud, Aria looking upon her hand, blinking with a perplexed expression and a quiet blush. She gripped her hands and shook her head, stilling her mind.
Gillian rushed away from the camp with Mable struggling to keep up. “Gilly! Wait up!” she called out, prompting her to slow down, easing to a stop as she laid down exhausted. “Gilly?”
“W-what came over me back there?” Gillian’s voice shook.
“Huh? What are you talking about?” Mable asked as she sat next to her. “What happened?”
“I…we…we were dancing. Aria and I, and something came over me. I felt, so strange, hot, confused, and…and…”
“Strange?” Mable asked.
“I…it was so bizarre. One moment I was struggling to move. My whole body felt on edge. The next, I felt so comfortable and relaxed. My heart started beating so fast, and my face was aflame,” she tried to explain. “W-what…”
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Mable watched as struggling to understand what she was talking about, before coming to a thought. “Hey, Gillian?”
“Y-yes?” she asked timidly.
“What do you think of her? Aria I mean.”
“Aria? I guess, she’s kind, beautiful, strong, and I can always depend on her. She’s a wonderful knight, always passionate and strong. I really cherish our friendship,” she surmised. “Why do you ask?”
“Only as a friend?”
“I…Wh…WHAT!?” she yelped. “Wh-whatever do you mean?”
Mable laughed. “Sorry, maybe I’m reading to much into it. It just kinda sounded like you were in a moment of passion is all.”
“A moment of passion? Whatever does that mean?” she scowled. “B-besides, I…we’re bo-…” she stopped. Her lips quivered as the rest of her body shivered. Why did that thought that nearly cross her lips again? She smothered the impulsive thought quickly and thoroughly.
“Huh? Is something the matter Gilly?” asked Mable, concern shimmering in her eyes.
What was going through her mind? She rejected what Mable had suggested, but the thought that just occurred to her, the argument she almost said, it was absolutely absurd. Was this another effect of the curse? After all, she was…
“Gilly?” Gillian folded in upon herself. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I overstepped, I’m sorry.”
“You…tis okay,” Gillian looked at her with wide full eyes, ready to cry. “I just…I feel so confused,” she lamented. “Everything that has been happening, it has…no, never mind, I am fine,” she said, burying her doubts deep within her. “But...why now…?” she asked blushing.
“What do you mean?”
“Tis...tis nothing,” she shook her head, though that did little to quiet her mind. Back at the castle, she always felt like there was some kind o barrier between her and Aria. And her feelings had not necessarily changed, but it was as if she was more comfortable around her now. If these feelings really were as Mable suggested, why had they started to appear now? And what was this strange comfort she felt?
The two sat in silence, the whispers of the night breeze holding them in their silence as Gillian’s mind tumbled. What little attempt she tried to look at the stars seemed uneasy and difficult, particularly as Gillian’s mind wandered. Mable took a deep breath. “Hey, let’s head back. I’m certain some food will help,” she tried to muster a smile.
“Yeah, okay,” Gillian smiled back.
The two rose up and began down the quiet trail back. The distance felt larger now, Gillian beginning to realize just how far a distance she had run in her panic. The magical lanterns of the camp seemed barely visible from where they were, a swollen silence separating them. Mable blinked as she looked around, and then grabbed Gillian’s shoulder to stop her.
“Mable?”
“It’s so quiet? I don’t hear any of the…” her eyes grew wide. “What was that!?” she jumped.
“Mable?” Gillian looked at her in shock. What did she mean? It took her a moment, but in due time she recalled that Mable, as an elf, she had far better hearing than her. She didn’t hear anything, but Mable’s nervousness…did she hear something out there? “Mable, what did you hear?”
“It sounded like…no…” her eyes shook, Gillian looking on with fear as a sharp clang tore through the air. Mable had heard this sound all too recently. This sharp, stinging, shaking clang. It was the sound of a sword, no, many swords, banging against each other. The Lumina Knights, they were under attack!
“Gillian, someone’s attacking them!” Mable nearly shouted.
“Someone’s…? How? Why?”
“Gillian, eh? As in Princess Gillian?” a voice chortled from the surrounding woods, as if to answer her queries. “Well, it would seem like we found our hit,” it sneered.
“We snag the target, and we’ll be loaded,” a deeper voice bellowed with a laugh. From the trees lining the path emerged a pair of bandits. One was of middling height and firm body and suave styled auburn hair, while the other was similar to Roz, the bulkier bandit from the other night, but with buzzed black hair. They both wore similar full sets of heavy leather armor, complete with metal guards protecting their joints, swords in hand.
“You…you’re not bandits?” Gillian asked, backing away as she realized they were too well prepared to be some vagabond thieves. They were here with a more explicit intent.
“Mercenary, thanks,” the suave man shrugged. “I’d thank you not to lump us in with those common rats. We got a bit more of a reputation to uphold.”
“Now then Princess, if you’d be comin along with us now,” the buzzed haired mercenary smirked, “it’d make this all a lot easier on all of us.”
“P-princess?” Gillian’s eyes shot open. They knew of her alias that well? She was supposed to be an anonymous girl, with a vague history and vaguer direction. Her forged existence as a princess was for simple convenience for their travels. How did they know who she was, and why were they hunting her? She looked to Mable who returned her frightened glance with one of her own. Last time Mable could barely hold back the smaller pair, and these two were much larger and decisively more powerful, and Gillian had already proven herself unworthy for combat.
“Mable, what do we…” Gillian’s voice began to quake.
“I have an idea,” she whispered, her eyes hardening with resolve. “Remember what the one knight did when we were found last time?”
“What the one…the arrow!” she tried to maintain a whisper.
“All I need to do is focus for a second,” she said as she closed her eyes, raising her staff before her. Her hair seemed to shimmer for a moment as she pulled her staff back, the jewel on top glowing a fierce fiery red.
“What’s the elf chick doin?” the big buzzed hair merc tilted his head.
“Shit! She’s trying to call the knights,” the suave one gritted his teeth. “Let’s hurry this up,” he snapped as the two began to rush toward them.
“Please work!” Mable squinted as she threw her staff skyward, the embers floating into a ball of fire which snapped into the air before exploding with a sharp bang.
“Damned elf!” the small suave man sneered as he swung his sword at her.
“Mable!” Gillian shouted as Mable did her best to protect herself with her staff, barely parrying the attack, staggering backwards. “Stay away from her!” she yelled as she ran into him, giving him as strong a shove as she could muster, pushing with both of her open palms, her eyes clenched in desperation. The man stumbled backward.
“Stay outta this girly!” he shouted at her, raising his sword at her as the bigger mercenary continued forward behind him toward Mable. Gillian pulled her hands close as she witnessed the mercenary charge at Mable, her hands clenched with fear, as she could only watch in fear.
Mable watched on in horror as the massive brute bore down upon her. She was useless, especially in a fight of muscle. Even her staff would be simply snapped like a twig by his massive power and his equally massive sword. But before she could cower in fear, a gallant white armor-clad woman emerged, her sword baring down upon the man. He had nary a moment to prepare before her sword plunged in towards him, his sword only managing to block the most severe damage blow, as the sword left its mark, a dribbling gash, dripping blood down his arm. He winced in pain as he fell back. The suave merc was quickly met by a similar force, as another knight rapidly emerged from the trees behind him.
“Throw down your weapons,” the latter barked, with a stern coarse voice. The two men were suddenly matched in number, and out classed.
“Tch,” the suave merc grunted. “Like ‘ell we’re done,” he glared, a seemingly small army of other mercenaries appearing from the woods.
“Damned, brigands, how many of you are there!?” one of the knights grumbled.
“Hah, ten little bandits? We can take ‘em on, right sis?” the other chuckled, her voice echoing out of her helmet, Gillian realizing they were two of the sisters who piloted her carriage, Rosa the tall confident sister, and Cordelia the middle elegant one. They were only missing their last sister, the short and energetic Brooke. “Just be sure to protect these two,” Cordelia said nodding her helmeted head at Gillian and Mable.
“Oh, how I’ve wanted to bring you bitches down a peg,” one of the mercs laughed. “Let’s go boys!”
In an instant, the path was filled with the crashing clangs of swords, as the two knights fought valiantly to protect Mable and Gillian, doing their best to catch and return the blades. As fortune would have it, the mercenaries had gotten overeager, attempting to rush the two. While they could easily overpower them, their spacing proved to work against them, as their feet became a tangled mess. All it took was a swift kick from Rosa to send a batch of five onto their backs. And then, with a swift twist of her sword several of the others pinning Cordelia were forced backwards to dodge certain death.
“Dumbasses, don’t you know how to coordinate!?” the suave merc bellowed again, landing on his feet.
“Oh, shove it, like you were doin any better!” another barked back.
“The fuck did you just say!?” he glared back.
“You fuckin heard me!” the two came seconds away from punching each other as the other mercenaries all yelled their own insults and frustrations at each other. The knights could only chuckle.
“Bunch of loose bastards, ain’t they?” Rosa chuckled.
“Come now, such oafs are clearly overexerting themselves. Let’s teach them what a good nap can do,” Cordelia laughed in response.
“On your mark.”
“Oy, you dumbasses, they’re about to…DAMN!” the big man from before shouted as he barely dodged one of their blades. The others were forced to scatter similarly as they dodged their blades. “What the hell, we got ‘em outnumbered and we STILL can’t beat ‘em?” he moped, before his eyes drifted back towards Gillian, who was watching, entranced alongside Mable. “Well, at least one of us can still do a job right,” he smirked as he quietly snuck behind the two knights who were busy with the others.
“Hello again, Princess,” he smirked. Gillian looked up, terror suddenly consuming her gaze as she realized she had become too distracted.
“Stay away from her!” Mable tried to tackle him, only to be swept aside by his massive arm.
“Mable!”
“Now, there’s no more dis…”
“CAPTAIN!” one of the knights called out. The man looked over to see Princess Xenia, in her iconic red armor step from the shadows, a legion of other knights among her.
“Damn, the others failed to off ‘er too, then!? Then I just gotta…” he stopped suddenly, as Gillian gave him a shove much like the one from before. In his split attention, he had failed to keep stable footing, causing him to topple to the ground.
Gillian stepped back, panting from the sudden burst of force she delivered, pulling her hands back to her frilled chest, a slight shimmer catching her attention. She looked at her hands. They were...glowing? What was this? She felt as if she had seen this before. Was this mana? Like the mana that floated around Mable’s lab. Did it help her push the mercenary just now? Before she could question further, the glow vanished. She blinked, as her thoughts were halted by the loud bangs of the metal around her.
She looked around, startled. She was at a loss of what she was supposed to be doing, only moving out of her immediate panic. She glanced at the mercenary and briefly thought about her role. Her role was to stay behind the knights, correct? She was after all just a defenseless… She shook her head. She tried to recall that she was a knight before all of this, no matter how far away that seemed now. She was not a damsel. She looked again at the mercenary, but the confident gaze she tried to muster simply would not come. He was so immense, and she was so small. She could only whimper in place as fear and powerlessness seized her.
“Damn,” he glanced back at her, causing her to jump as he got up. “Even if I got her now, I’d be stuck with no way out. Screw this, that white haired shit’s money ain’t worth this. Best to just break for it,” he gritted his teeth, as he dashed into the woods.
“Dammit Phil!” the suave one yelled. “Fuck it! Everyone, scram!” he barked, the other mercenaries breaking away from the swords of the knights baring down upon them, and fleeing into the forest through all directions, the two knights who arrived first, making sure to deter them away from Gillian.
“Gilly!” Mable rushed to her. “Are you alright?”
Gillian smiled. “I...” she looked to her hands again before shaking her head. “I am fine, but what about you?” she frowned.
“I’m fine too. A little shaken, but I’m okay.”
“Gilly! Mable!” one of the knights ran to them, revealing herself to be Aria as she removed her helmet. “Thank goodness you’re safe.”
“Thank you, Aria,” Gillian said hugging her.
“What rotten luck. I was under the impression that there weren’t bandits out this far,” Xenia grumbled as she approached. “There’s nothing near here for days,” she shook her head as she turned her attention to Gillian and Mable. “I am sorry for not protecting you two effectively,” she bowed.
“Tis not a problem sister, but…”
“Before we talk, we should head back to camp,” Xenia interrupted. “Fiona, you and your squad survey the area. If you find any of those brigands, bring them to me. Understood?” she instructed one of the knights accompanying her.
“Yes ma’am,” the soft-spoken knight answered. She waved her arm to bring her unit together before directing them into the woods.
“Now, let us be off,” Xenia said turning her attention back to Mable, Aria, and Gillian, the lattermost frowning.
The walk back was one filled with a somber silence. Xenia and Aria clearly frustrated at their failings, Mable was most likely still calming down after the danger she faced, and Gillian’s mind was jumbled with all manner of difficult thoughts. Concerns of the curse’s progression, anguish at the near loss of her friend, the strange glow from her hands, and most of all the evident threat now placed on their lives, all because of her, because of Gillian… wait, Gillian? Her eyes grew wide with consideration as they entered the campsite.
“Xenia,” Gillian called out to her sister, breaking the silence, “I wish to speak my mind about something.”
“What tis the matter Gillian?” Xenia asked.
“I...I believe it wise if everyone ceased calling Gillian,” she said hesitating slightly as she spoke. She felt like it was asking a lot, but she needed to address it.
“What has brought this on all of a sudden. I understand your desire to use your original name, but…”
“But they already know my alias, sister,” Gillian interrupted raising her voice with an edge panic.
“They what?” Aria looked at her surprised. “How?”
“I do not know, but I am being hunted by that name now. Word must have gotten out,” Gillian stated with lament. “I am certain they know though. One of them even called me ‘Princess Gillian,’ explicitly.”
“She’s right, I heard them call her that as well, and specifically saying she was their target,” Mable stated in support.
“Target?” Aria echoed questioningly.
“Yes, they were rather direct with saying they were mercenaries,” Gillian explained.
“Hmm, perhaps one of the nobles learned of your identity and is seeking leverage. I would not put it past some of them. Even so, you cannot revert to your original name, that would likely worsen the situation, or do you have another suggestion,” Xenia said with an almost cold confidence. Her stern knightly nature as captain of the Lumina Knights shining through. Gillian knew that she would need to be decisive with her argument to convince her.
“I do,” she said with determination. “My original name is unusable and using it could bring the danger of outing our family’s situation. ‘Gillian’ is also being targeted,” she took a deep breath as she dedicated herself to the option before her. “Therefore, I propose I adopt another name, a new one fully distant from the other two,” she made sure to be as clear and overt with her intentions as possible.
“A new name?” Xenia quietly mumbled to herself. “I am uncertain if that will be enough, but it could throw off anyone seeking you by name. Your visage has changed dramatically from when we initially left after all. They may be more reliant on the name than one would suspect. Very well, do you have a name in mind?”
“Yes, I would like everyone to start addressing me as ‘Saya.’ I find the name rather appealing personally,” she said trying to dull her smile with her confidence. The name of the girl from her favorite story, she always liked it for that. Besides that, there was just something comforting about that name.
“Saya, huh?” Aria considered. “I think that’s a rather fine and elegant name. It’s rather fitting if you ask me. Although, where did you get it from?”
“It kind of came to me when reading one of my tomes,” she explained, nervously playing with her fingers. “It has stuck out in my mind as charming and lovely, if I do say so myself.”
“I agree,” Mable said happily. “To be honest, I thought ‘Gillian’ was a rather unfitting name for you, too stuffy. Plus, it was a little too similar to Gilbert for my tastes. I wouldn’t be surprised if they sleuthed that bit out on their own. I think Saya is a much better fit for you and for a princess.”
“Alright,” Xenia nodded. “I have no objections and agree with your argument. I shall inform the rest of the knights of the change later. Welcome, Saya,” she said, extending her hand to her.
“Thank you, everyone,” Saya smiled as she accepted Xenia’s grasp. She could not admit it, but for some peculiar reason it made her very happy to be called that. She could not quite connect with the name ‘Gillian,’ but ‘Saya’ was a much more appealing name and felt quite perfect for her, natural even.
“Very well then. As an added precaution though, we shall try to make haste for the Northern Territory as quickly as possible. The situation with Saya’s name change may throw off our pursuers, but we can be certain they’ll be further discouraged to pursue us so far North,” Xenia explained.
“Understood Princess,” Mable nodded, with Aria giving a salute in acknowledgement.
“Very well, head to bed then. We set out at first light.”
Saya and the others nodded in response and began to split off from Xenia. Saya tried to suppress her newfound satisfaction as they returned to the carriage, finally laying down to sleep upon the pull out bed within, after her nightly procedure. She thought of her joy as she snuggled up in bed and followed the siren of sleep into the land of dreams. Her heart overflowed with a certain happiness, even greater than the joy she had experienced over the past many days, perhaps greater than she could even recall.