Ryunise sat in the cushion and quiet space. Her fingers and palms a pedestal for Caelus’ hilt. It tingled along her outline through her gloves. Why? Why does this all not bother her? She wasn’t Ryunise, but acted instinctively as if she was; effortless, intuitive, as if she was the girl, the daughter, the name. But she wasn’t.

How am I not caught? She troubled in her mind and frowned. How is it that these Gods and Goddesses, all their wills are surround me in this world? Shouldn’t deities know? Aren’t they all-seeing, all-knowing? What is it that she’s missing? She may not have been put here willingly – as far as she can tell – but at the core of it all: am I not deceiving them? Am I not a liar? A phony? A big, fat phony?

She looked at herself in the glass of the window. It’s amazing that this world also has glass, and it was reflective and transparent as the mirrors back home. What home was it though? Why can’t she remember the year, the time, the era, faces? Family? In her dreams and fractures of realities, why are they such a mess and so inconsistent? Like a fun house of mirrors in seemingly countless shapes and sizes, decorations, purposes, all shattered onto the floor under the guise of a lightless void.

There would be no answer. She can’t even find in all the prickled mess just one. This was not her body, yet she can’t even remember a single consonant to her real name. Why is it so complicated?

“Why am I even making it complicated…?” She muttered to herself.

“What was that, Young Miss?” The elderly driver asked up front.

“Nothing!”

Ryunise looked down at herself. Her right hand clasped the hilt against her beating heart, and squinted in the face of the pocket watch in her left. No good. The girl could barely make out the numbers with her compromised vision.

“You know…you need to be more aware.”

Who said that?

“AA-!!” She was about to screech but a hand clamped over her mouth.

“Shh, shh, shh! Gods, woman, don’t scream, it’s me…! Shh!!”

Ryunise scowled severely up at the tall person invading her space, the torrent of flowing dark crimson hair and green glowstick eyes.

“Oh man, if looks could kill,” It sounded like he was snickering, “You’re the Order Knight’s daughter all right. Your eyes could slay an entire street.”

She slapped his gloved hand away, keeping her voice a hushed shout, “It’s the grunger!”

“Hey! I said to call me ‘Epsilon!’”

“I’ll call you whatever the hell I want, Stalk-a-tronics!”

“What the hell, what does that even mean?” Epsilon frowned at her.

“It means get off my carriage!”

“Nah,” He sat back, looking well at home and lounging like a king. He even had his knees parted to splay, “I think I’ll stay.”

Ryunise gawked and wanted to throttle him, “Wait, why isn’t the driver and coachman doing anything about this?!”

“Oh,” The man simply said, “Because I put a Mute spell in the walls.”

“What?!”

“And I’ll use it on you if you don’t take down your decibels, because, damn.”

Ryunise sat, stunned, her mouth gawking like a fish. What the hell? What the actual fuck? Her teeth ground and bulged the muscles all in her right arm, clenched as if to shred, and slammed a seat cushion into his face.

“Papa said there’s trash everywhere,” She grinned like a wild banshee, right eye twitching, “And this trash talks. Allow me to manifest a Mute spell with my fist!!”

“Mmph?!” And other muffled vocals were all Eplison could afford. How was she suddenly so strong? Someone actually dared to do this?

“Trash?!”

“Yeah, trash! I hope I can get a Helios affinity so I can light your creep trash-ass on fire!!” She pounded him over and over loudly the pillow on his head and face.

“You have no permission to be in here—ah?!” She squeaked.

“Damn, you’re one noisy brat,” Epsilon grumbled. He had grabbed her around the waist with his hands, lifted her up high, and very much well out of reach. The pillow also floated in the air to the other pillows to the top corners of the cabin, “Relax. I’m not here to fight you.”

“Then what the hell are you--?!”

“Again. Your decibels.”

Ryunise puffed angrily, “Then why ARE you here?”

“Hmm…” Epsilon let her go as he sounded.

She could feel her stomach in her throat, but blinked. Ryunise was suspended in place, as if drifting in water. Even her hair waved back and forth like they were being caressed by a current. Her hands scrambled quickly when she realized her dress was inching up her curled legs.

“Really? A little bit of Parafloat is all it takes to shut your mouth?” He scoffed.

“You are seriously asking for it,” She glowered.

“Oh yeah? What you gonna do, princess?”

Epsilon’s eyes stared wide in shock as soon as he uttered the last word. Her leg was dangerously close to his face. Ryunise had kicked out her foot and shot it faster than a heartbeat and slammed it into the back of the seat. He could feel a depression behind him and knew she had broken through the fabric.

“…don’t ever. Call me. Princess,” Her tone was very dangerous and the weight of her eyes kindred to a gravity well.

The adult man was quiet. He wasn’t afraid, but rather regarding her, and regarding her with seriousness. His eyes noted how she defiantly met his; no flicker, no waver, and unobstructed.

Epsilon lifted his hand and touched the floating tip of her Emerodelle Cobalt Nobelle crest around her neck. Come to think of it, she thought, why aren’t all the wards working?

“So, this is the Cobalt Nobelle…” He softly said.

“Hey, hands off!”

“Tch, you’re still so noisy. Hey, take your foot away, will you?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Why? I can see up your dress.”

“I don’t give a fuck.”

“What a mouth,” He chuckled then, amused.

“Taking your eyes off me to look up a child’s dress is a mistake you seriously want to make?”

“Interesting. Is that a threat?”

“I made good on all of them. I don’t make empty threats.”

“Yeah…you mean what you say, alright,” Epsilon agreed as he turned the medal a little to study all of it.

“Why are you here?” She growled. She was frustrated and getting hot with it.

“Checking on you.”

“I don’t need to be checked on someone who isn’t certified.”

“Still snippy?”

“Fuck straight.”

“That’s not a phrase.”

“Next you’ll say how many fucks I don’t give.”

“I’d rather not,” He mumbled lightly and rubbed against the crest. A cool feeling shuddered her nerves in waves through her body, “You should know by now.”

“About what?”

“That I’m in control of the entire situation.”

“So?”

“And that doesn’t concern you?” He looked at her with his eyes again, “That I could silence you for good right here and now. No one would know. And your father would only see the soulless shell of his daughter when he returns.”

“Just because you’re capable of doing it doesn’t mean I’m going to balk in fear. I’m not a helpless girl, and I’m no damsel that needs rescuing,” She hissed, “I am, however, going to fight you every second I have right down to the last split moment on the clock until someone comes.”

“Is that so? So, you’re saying you’re no princess in distress that needs to be whisked away on a white horse?”

“No. My name is Ryunise. And I can save my own damn myself.”

Epsilon watched her. His hand still strangely held the bottom of her father’s meal. Her words, like all her words, carried a promise that spanned more than this life and time will ever know. The man seemed to smile a little beneath the mask over the bottom half of his face. He waved his right hand then. She was released from his power and slowly, softly seats her down across from him. Even her dress was eased into proper place.

“Are you always treating every moment with someone as if it would be your last?”

That question caught her by surprise for some reason. It made the strings of complaints die in her throat and widen her eyes. Why? Why did that hit so hard?

“Never mind,” He looked at her, “Anyway, I really am here to check on you. You seemed to be alarmed about something.”

Ryunise furrowed her brows at him, “What are you talking about?”

“Your anxiety was singing my praises.”

“I will bitch kick you in the shins.”

“Also, the Order Knight isn’t here. He was escorting you, wasn’t he?” Epsilon continued.

“You’re asking me questions that you obviously have answers to.”

“Marcaes Emerodelle isn’t one to just skirt his duties for something minor. He could’ve had that nomad boy and his assistant puppy check it out.”

Ryunise blinked.

“Yeah. Didn’t you know there were other guards?”

“I’m getting real tired of your veiled patronizing, Epsilon.”

“Oh? You actually said my name,” He cupped a hand under his chin.

“Gimme a pillow to either rest my weary head, or stuff it down your throat. I’m exhausted,” She ran a hand down the front of her face, slouching back.

“Now, that’s all your fault. Your body isn’t back to full strength yet,” Epsilon said, “Dark Sleep isn’t something you can just wake up from without scars.”

“What? Scars?” What on earth is he going on about? Scars? Like actual markings? As far as her hazy site could she couldn’t see them. What scars?