Malia would sneak out regularly to go visit Gorken. Unrelenting, days grew into weeks, and weeks into months. The two children had become part of each other’s routine as naturally as sunlight announced morning and crickets the night. They got used to taking their furtive encounters for granted, to waiting eagerly for them as respites from a world that gave them none.

One day Malia was in a hurry, determined not to let Gorken mock her for being late. As she left the palace behind, she could see him leaning on the same tree as always.

“Your hair looks messier than ever today.” Gorken teased her.

“Shut up! Your hair is even messier, so you’ve got no right to tell me anything!” She stuck out her tongue.

“I guess you’re right.” Gorken conceded.

“What’s this?” Both Gorken and Malia turned around upon hearing the strange voice, “It looks like the rumors about a little immortal coming to play were actually true.” The one who had spoken was a young man, probably a couple of years older than Gorken; behind him two other boys were glaring at Malia. “Won’t you play with us too, little girl?” He said in a tone that made Malia’s skin crawl. She looked at him warily, but before she could respond the boy took the knife he had hidden under his clothes and stabbed. But what he stabbed was not Malia. Gorken was grabbing the knife as he stood between Malia and her aggressor.

The attacker gazed at Gorken’s irritated expression, perplexed. How could he get here so fast? I was much closer to the immortal girl than he was.

“Leave now and my master won’t hear about this.” Gorken said. His voice was composed, and yet the teen felt a shiver go down his spine. It was as if he knew Gorken could kill him; he had no foundation for that certainty, but his body screamed at him to get away. Gorken watched them flee; only when he was certain they were gone did he throw the knife on the ground, “I’m sorry this kind of thing happened, I was negligent not to notice them before.”

Malia stood with her glance on the ground, “It’s the same...”

“What?”

“It’s the same as when we met. You had to save me again. I hate being weak.”

“What are you talking about? You aren’t weak.  Aren’t you a master at sneaking out? I could never win against you.”

She couldn’t help grinning. “You’re hurt, let me take a look.”

“It’s just a shallow cut.” He reassured her, “I grabbed the knife because I knew it was dull, there’s nothing to worry about.”

She ignored him and covered the wound with one of her hands, while holding his injured hand with the other one. She closed her eyes and focused. Remember the theory. This is just a cut on external tissue. Focus.

Gorken thought her palms glowed faintly, but he assumed he had imagined it. Malia then let go of him, “There, all better.”

Gorken stared at his own hand in consternation. The wound was completely gone and it didn’t hurt at all, “What the-? …How did you…?”

“I’ll explain it later, for now I have to go back.” She ran towards the stone wall, “Too bad we couldn’t go see the flowers today. We’ll try again tomorrow. See you, Gorken!”

He waved at her until she was out of sight. She never fails to amaze me. I'll go get some training done. He rubbed his healed hand, My master can’t know about this... about any of it.

Malia came out of the bushes as usual and headed to the castle. This time however, something had been different. A guard that was patrolling caught a glimpse of her. Is that the princess? Where did she come from? She’s notorious for skipping classes, she was probably hiding behind these - He suddenly interrupted his own train of thought. The guard had been walking toward the bushes, but he couldn't believe what he saw behind them, “A hole in the great stone wall?!”

The next day, Malia woke up early and passed through the garden as she did whenever her aim was to cross the wall; she was unaware that this time inquisitive eyes were following her.

“Sorry to make you wait!” said Malia as she removed a strand of hair sticking to her sweaty forehead.

“You actually arrived on time. I’m in awe.” Gorken bowed in an overly dramatic gesture.

“Yeah, yeah... let’s go watch the flowers! I hope they really are as pretty as you said.”

“They are, trust me.” He nodded, “Let’s go, the woods are beyond the village, if we don't hurry we won't be back by noon.”

“Got it!” she answered joyously, but her whole body jolted to halt when a harsh hand seized her tiny arm. Despair filled her eyes as she turned around and recognized the guard’s armor. Before they knew it, they were surrounded; three guards grabbed Gorken while two dragged Malia away. Gorken was grappling, but he couldn’t free himself. “Malia!” he shouted, still fighting against the guards.

“Stop thrashing you little beast! Take him away!”

“No, please, wait!!” Malia yelled desperately. She remembered Gorken’s story about Luke’s parents. The guard in charge then addressed her derisively, “What is it?”

By the way he was treating her she could tell he was one of her uncle’s men. “Please...” was the only thing she managed to mutter. She didn't know what to say and she didn't know what to do. Her mind was blank.

“That’s what I thought.” The guard grumbled, “Come.”

Amidst the struggle her silver pendant fell to the ground. Her opposition was useless and the guards took her back to the castle. Gorken witnessed it all, unable to do anything himself. Damn it! How could I have been so careless!? Why didn't I notice them until they were so close!? What was I thinking? I can't take care of these guys on my own, much less go help Malia... Damn it all!

“It’s about time I got involved.” Gorken heard the familiar voice coming from behind a tree. Before any of the guards had a chance to defend themselves, Malik cut two of their throats open and stabbed the third one in the eye.

“Master Malik!” Both fear and relied seeped through Gorken's voice.

The large man looked down at the dead soldiers, “The skill of the castle guards has decreased dramatically over the last few years.”

“Master! You have to lend me your strength! We have to go save Malia, please come with-”

“Silence. Calm down and follow me.”

“But...!” Gorken saw anger in Malik’s eyes, “...Yes, master.”

xxx

“We brought the princess, Your Majesty.”

“Leave us.”

The guards left Malia in the throne room, in front of the King. The rows of torches placed on the walls barely lit the hall; the large stained glass windows were completely covered by bulky curtains, and when the doors closed the darkness became more apparent. Malia looked up to the man sitting on the throne, “Uncle...”

“Dear Malia,” the King addressed her softly, “I hear you've been crossing the border and having clandestine contact with humans. Is it true?”

“Yes uncle, but you’re wrong about humans, they’re not the beasts everyone says they are and-”

“It wounds me to hear that. I’ll assume you were deceived and we will have to deal with the humans you met during your little escapes.”

“There’s no need to do that! Please! I went there of my own accord, you don’t have to deal with anyone!”

The king discerned the panic in Malia’s voice, stared at her worried face for a few seconds, and he recalled the guards’ report. Then he replied, “That’s too bad, dear. That human boy who was with you has already been executed.”

Malia just stood there, tears falling down her cheeks. She didn’t say anything, and she didn’t move. For lengthy moments, the only thing that could be heard in the hall was her sobbing.

Then the king summoned one of his soldiers, “As much as I love my niece, she broke the rules too, and a taste of discipline is necessary. Please make sure the princess remembers why it is wrong to break the rules.”

The soldier was doubtful, “Your Majesty, she’s the Princess, I don’t know if I should-”

“For a moment there it almost seemed you were refusing to obey a direct order. How unfortunate, wouldn't you agree? I’m sure it was just my mind playing tricks on me, wasn’t it?”

“...Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Good. Now take her away.”

xxx

“Master, where are we going? We’ve been walking in the woods long enough. I’ll go back! Maybe I can still help Malia somehow.”

“Gorken, stop spouting gibberish, you’re not a little kid anymore.”

“But-!”

Malik exhaled audibly, “If entering the castle was an easy task, do you think the rebellion would be in the situation it is right now? I let you keep meeting that child because she didn’t represent an immediate threat, but throwing your life away to satisfy your own savior delusion is something I will not allow you to do. Moreover, if that girl was able to escape during several months without anyone noticing, it means her status among the immortals was presumably low, so they wouldn’t give her any special treatment; you know as well as I do how they deal with those who break their rules. Gorken, that girl surely has already been executed. So stop complaining and come with me, we need to get away from the castle. It was my mistake to leave you in charge of the children and the mission. You’re still too immature if you developed affection for that immortal. We’re heading back to headquarters.”

“Yes, master.” Gorken kept walking behind Malik in silence, his fists clenched and trembling as he struggled to hold back the tears.

xxx

“Princess, please let me treat your wounds!” Lyra talked to her little mistress in vain as Malia sat on the floor of her room with her arms around her knees, without listening, without answering, not moving. She was covered in wounds given to her as punishment, but they didn't hurt at all. Or at least, to her it seemed like they didn’t hurt, since the pain in her chest was much worse. It was as if a shadowy hand was squeezing her heart and her guts. She felt grief because of Gorken and hatred towards her uncle, but more than anything she felt anger. Anger towards herself. Anger for being too weak to do anything. Anger for not being able to say a thing when the guard had asked her: “What is it?”

She looked up at the moon from her window.

Gorken was sitting near a tree, where his master had decided they would spend the night. He had been staring at the pendant he had picked up before following his master; the pendant that had fallen from Malia’s neck during the conflict. He wanted to keep crying, but he couldn’t. He didn’t know why, but the tears just wouldn’t come out. Then he remembered how it felt to be alone. He felt like the powerless little boy lost in the woods he had long ago forgotten.

He looked up to the sky, and from beneath the leaves he could see the moon.

At that moment, a thought was born from their core.

I need strength.
Enough strength to be able to protect something.
Strength, so that something like this won't happen again.