Ariel was grateful that he ate quickly and escaped the breakfast nook without any incident. He couldn't believe that he warned the Governess like that.

She was more than likely going to ask Marriot about it and that would surely lead to trouble.

He sighed, hurrying out the back door where the treeline began. The warm summer sun embraced his presence and he inhaled the crisp air. The wind had begun to pick up ever so slightly, rustling his hair and flowing through his clothes.  

The forest welcomed him with open arms, its towering trees creating a canopy that filtered the sunlight into a mosaic of dancing patterns.

The ground beneath his feet was a tapestry of fallen leaves and soft moss, a natural carpet that muffled his footsteps.

He glanced back at the mansion that was shadowed by the passing clouds.

With an excited heart, he dove deeper into the woods, his senses alive to every sound—the distant songs of birds, the gentle babbling of a hidden stream, the rustling of small creatures in the underbrush. His path was familiar, yet today, it felt different, charged with energy. 

“It must be the lightning,” his thoughts drew back to last night. 

His heart quickened at the memory of its ethereal violet hue and the certainty that a life had been claimed. He wondered what had transpired beneath that luminous bolt—what soul had been taken by the gods. 

Suddenly, the woods seemed to exhale a raspy cough, jerking Ariel’s attention. His steps faltered, and he turned towards the intrusive sound. Another cough came, intertwined with a gasping breath. Ariel moved closer, each step cautious. 

A figure shrouded in shadows lay beneath the boughs of towering oak. A dark-skinned boy emerged, his skin rich in contrast against the verdant surroundings.

Bandages, stark white against his dusky complexion, wrapped his hands and traced intricate paths across his face, concealing one of his eyes. The other eye, a brilliant sunbeam captured within the depth of his gaze, held Ariel captive for a moment. 

With an uneven breath, the boy's chest rose and fell, the gentle rise marred by the bleeding wound adorned in his torso. The woods held its breath as Ariel took in the sight before him, his heart pounding. This was no apparition; this was someone who shared his world yet remained a world apart. 

Ariel didnt know how to respond to the boy, so with a soft tone, he called out, “Hello?” 

The dark-skinned boy turned, his golden eye fixed on Ariel, making his heartbeat. “He has a beautiful eye,” Ariel thought, the warmth of his gaze reminding him of the sun. 

A weary but genuine smile emerged on the boy's face, partially obscured by the white trails. “I thought I’d never see another person again,” his smooth voice resonated through the forest. “It's nice to meet you under these strange circumstances,” he nodded slightly.