I passed the things to Kio - the small notebook and quill, in a little bag - and we kept wandering around the city. It was around 5 P.M. already, if I had to guess. The sun sat on its throne, unforgiving, slowly descending towards the far away horizon, towards an ocean I couldn’t picture.

Walking, enjoying the fresh bread and cold tea Kio bought from a pleasant old lady - in those simple things, the evening time turned away slowly. I remember her clearly. Old lady Nichirca, whom Kio clearly got along with, as everyone else. Her accent was different from the one I knew, and we discussed it while walking across a small street full of fabric and couture stores. Tailors, designers, it was the opening section of the fashion district - which wasn’t as small as one would expect, considering the isolated state of the kingdom. I tipped and stumbled here and there on the few uneven bricks and stones.

Excuse my trouble translating at times – the conversation went on like this:

- “So, this is… supe de choca? And she called me... mirri, I think it was?”

- “Supe de choca is just choca tea. Supe is an old way to say chupa.” - Kio was helping me understand what she said. The people in the capital normally talked pretty clearly and plain, so I wasn’t used to any slang nor accents at all.

- “…Let me… I know this, I know this... Mirri is like, something affective-”

- “Like ponberri, ponbarri and ponbirri - just add the rri-.”

- “…Oh- I know- So it’s like- Mijito…Uh…”

- “Oooh. Well, choca tea is supposedly really relaxing. I guess she was right.”

- “If that’s true, I’d like to drown in it…”

- “Well, that’s one thing you could say. I’m sure you can get some herbs at the castle’s apothecary that will help with that nervousness of yours, sir.”

- “Herbal medicine… Surely, that sounds like my kind of thing... I wonder if there are plants that work like- Oh. I wonder if I can find ingredients that taste like those back at home. I could make something…!”

- “You can cook, sir?”

- “Eh-... Yes…? Yes I can. I’m a pretty good housewife…, if I say so myself.”

The way Kio laughed was endearing, as warm as the colors in his fur. It kept amazing me, how the structure of his muzzle moved and his fangs showed. How his tail wagged. His ears twitched.

He stopped for a second, and his expression changed. I felt a paw on my top of my head.

- “Sir? Your head is really hot. Do you feel dizzy or anything?”

- “I… Yes? Actually, yes. I guess…the sun is starting to get to me. And the stares, too... People have been looking at me too much… and I’m not used to it...”

- “Oh- Let me- Sit here, sir, in the shadow. I’ll go get you something cold- Don’t move, alright?”

Kiochery didn’t take long to lay me down next to a tree. There was some uneasiness in how quickly he left, his tail now down and his ears attentive. I couldn’t stop thinking about how fascinating that was - or maybe I could, if I wasn’t dying from a heat stroke. The very few things I could focus on kept me grounded.

The fresh shadow protecting me against the heat of a white-brick city, the reflections hard on my eyes. I noticed how their life depended so much on the plants around them. The aesthetic was the very reason they could go on happily in such a place. I wondered if, before the Winged King arrived, the central region had been more desertic.

Why would I wonder such things?

Well, I was left alone for quite the time.

Sitting there, half asleep, my head throbbing, pulse echoing all over my body.

And when I looked around, still wary of the gazes of the people, who didn’t even mind seeing me half-gone like that… Well, I kind of felt the loneliest I had since my first night here.

I wasn't foolish enough to pretend to not know why they would look at me that way, but... I was told upfront anyways, so.

There’s a pattern here that followed me across worlds, looking back at it. I guess it hurts more than I thought. Well, of course it hurts - to be blamed for what was forced onto you. For the pain you were given.

I didn’t want to think about that, but gladly - well, not really - there was a more urgent matter at that moment. One I overheard.

- ‘It’s a chance to get rid of him. Koen will be happy, don’t worry.’

A shadow approached, and it sat close to me. From the corner of my eye I could see that it wasn’t alone. One on each side, and a city of strangers that wouldn’t care.

From past experiences, my anxiety spiked. I needed to leave. Even when I tried to reassure myself that things would be fine - that here, things were different... Kio’s words resonated in my mind. I shifted around, using the tree as support while I tried to stand up.

Tried, I say, since when I started to get up, my legs gave out on me. What a golden opportunity, the one that I gave them. Well done.

Hands suddenly gripping my shoulders, my arms, my neck - violently trying to grasp whatever they could. I tried to push them away with the little strength I had left. Not enough. My torso aching from the pressure, I was dragged away.

I stabbed my nails into the arms that held me in place, adrenaline’s rush allowing me to struggle against the two men as I bit them to try to get them off.

Taking me to a house by the corner, one rush to open the door.

The other tried to drag me inside. I tried to brace my feet against the doorframe, with the little strength I could muster - and I slipped.

I tried. I did try.

I couldn’t breathe properly ; everything was blurry ; I couldn’t even reach the floor.

Bitting, scratching, cutting, pushing, hitting, grabbing whatever was within reach.

The sheer struggle allowed me to slide down, thank my size.

It was hard to keep hold of a wriggly worm.

And as soon as I felt my feet reach the floor, I ran.

And ran.

And ran. To wherever my fainting body could take me.

Freezing and febrile, irregular breathing. Was it mine? I don’t know.

The scratch on my arm - was it a branch? Was it them?

I bit my tongue.

A numb body that ached in every corner, holding itself together in pure fear.

Dry throat, making me cough, while I raced against everything in sight.

Footsteps, voices, shadows.

Run from all of them.

Countless streets were left behind by the time my body gave up.

I gasped for air as my legs crumbled-. I dropped right there, holding my chest - a trembling mess of a human.

I felt a hand grabbing my arm again - a big and lumpy hand. I panicked. I tried to push away, but another hand held me by the shoulder. I looked back-

- “-sir! Sir calm down- It’s me. It’s Kio. It’s fine, I’m here- I’m here now.”

Kio didn’t let go of me. His touch was careful. Soft. Oh dear, he looked so worried.

- “Ah-”

I think I fell right into his arms, shaking uncontrollably. I probably started crying. I don’t know. Everything seemed blurry. I couldn’t process what just happened. I just-.

I was just glad he found me.

The night was already falling over us, as if telling us it was done. It was past. It was alright now.

Lanterns and fireflies to calm the spirit, the cold wind cutting the duality of time.

We arrived at the castle looking like a mess. Kio carried me in his arms, a wet towel over my forehead. As for the rest, I just heard mumblings. Who knows what else. I was too tired.

I curled up in Kio’s arms, his softness keeping me aware of reality.

He placed me gently onto my bed, and never left my side.

He just apologized, again and again, for taking too long. For not being there. For failing his duty. For failing me.

- “It’s fine. Just stay here. I’m safe. It’s fine. Just stay.”

And so he did.

- “I guess it is as much of a good time as any to start writing. Ah, I need ink.”

Kio’s ears perked up slightly as I said that, and he gently handed me the bag.

I asked Loe to bring some ink. And asked her to not inform the prince yet.

Oh dear, the prince. Arsamira was probably so mad that I didn’t show up for dinner.

To hell with that.

That’s how the night went - writing down memories of my first days there, Kio by my side.

Sharing the words that crossed my mind.

Ignoring the tendrils that crept up my spine.

For a hurricane was unfolding - and I slept in the eye of it.