Celest and Carlos sat in a peaceful silence as they both ate their cakes. Both didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere that they made so they just watched the still chaos filled streets. Carlos felt bittersweet watching the streets. Yeah, this place was a prison for him, but he also had memories here. Many were dreadful but it was the first time in his life that he was just Carlos, not just a bastard from the Cromwell's family.

Time slowly creeps on as many merchants and nobles set off for their estates or to a new bustling town. They were headed for the capital but the horrid memories of the house he was stuck in for his early years haunted him.

But this time he wasn’t alone. The presence of Celest reminded him that somehow in the town of Asin he made good friends. It felt strange to say that but the bandages on his head said he finally found some people that may just care about him.

“Well, we should find Erix,” Celest brushed the crumps of her dress. Carlos winced at the sight of dress it was ruined beyond repair. No kid should run around in that especially since she like…

“Pardon me, but how old are you?”

“Huh? Where did that come from?” Celest eyed him puzzled at the random question.

“Well, I never got your age. Are you younger or older than me?” Sometimes she acted like a nine-year-old kid then switched to a mature adult.

“Well, I’m ten and you are?”

Carlos just went blank at her statement. She was ten yet she wasn’t fazed at all yesterday like she saw similar things happened all the time. “You are ten?”

“Yeah?” She hesitated, then remembered that she was meant to be a ten-year-old human kid. She cursed at herself for forgetting that humans don’t act like this.

“I’m fifteen winters.”

Celest just facepalms herself in her mind at her own stupidity. She can’t say she is a siren; he would probably try to kill her or get the guards. She isn’t strong enough to kill multiple guards and well she doesn’t think she could hurt Carlos.

“I guess I don’t act my age?” She said with the most innocent voice she could manage. Celest’s eyes locked on green eyes, her breath hitch and smiled as large as she could.

“So how old is your father?”

“…”

Celest mind went blank and just stared at Carlos. “My Dad?” An awkward silence followed as Celest tried to figure out what to say.

“Celest!” The saving grace that was Erix's voice made Celest’s heart skip a beat. Quickly, she turned her head and was met by Erix who was hulling around a bag. He was also in different clothes now wearing white button up with ruffs and velvet pants.

 “Where did you get those clothes?” Celest question as she studies the very expensive outfit noting the shirt was made out of silk.

“Well, the nobles can’t fit all their stuff into wagons, so they were selling them.” That makes sense Celest thought as she peered over back at Carlos. Who was now standing and also studying Erix but not his clothes but his face. He was hiding his face with his hood so maybe it was his first time seeing it clearly.

“I’ve also got clothes for the both of you,” Erix stuffed his hand into the bag pulling out a similar shirt to his but smaller but with a vest and black pants. “Here Carlos I didn’t know your size but I pretty sure I got close enough.”

“Thank you, Erix,” Carlos smiled and grabbed the clothes and strode further down the street to find a place to change.

“And here,” Erix pulled out more clothes that Celest gladly took and wandered around before finding a hiding place.

Quickly, getting changed into a crimson dress with silver accents lining the edges of the dress. It was poetic that in the ashes of Asin known for their designer clothes a monster wore their symbol.  

Thinking about it, any town Erix ever enters it ends in disaster. Blood shed on the first and the one second went up in flames. Maybe it would be a good idea if they avoided villages for a while. Or maybe make sure Erix just doesn’t go near any.

Many people were scavenging for anything worth anything in the wreckage. Most were the poorer people of Asin trying to find anything so they could survive or locate their own belongings. It was a free for all, as most of the guards were more focused on protecting the weather side of Asin.

Celest was getting a lot of side eyes, more focus on her dress than her but a quick death glare made them scrambled off.  It felt weird for her to have so many eyes on her tracking her movement. As a siren her instincts were to hide in the waves of the ocean and lure only a few to their death.

It wasn’t long until she saw Carlos roaming around looking at the burnt buildings. “Hey Carlos,” She waved down Carlos until he recognised Celest. She ran down the street ignoring the glares and ran into Carlos. No, she wasn’t afraid of the people, she just wanted to quickly get out of the village as fast as possible she thought.

 “Are you Alright Celest?” Carlos kneeled down checking over Celest for any injuries. She was paler and sweat ran down her face and eyes were dilated darting around.

Carlos knew there were scum around and the thought of anything happening to Celest made his chest ache. “Did something happen Celest?”

“No, nothing happened, I’m okay,” Celest gasp out as the eyes watching made her chest heavy and each breathe burn. It felt like every person watching were trying to drag her down.

Carlos knew Celest wasn’t ‘okay’ but the feeling of eyes on him made him hide Celest from them. Slowly, Carlos led Celest away from the hungry pleading eyes to a quiet corner of Asin.

Her legs felt like jelly and each step made her body sink more into a void.  Celest didn’t even release when Erix joined them and herded them outside. Erix wouldn’t admit it but when Celest and Carlos didn’t come back he started to worry.

But the relief flooded him as he found them both safe and sound. When did he start feeling this?