“I, Ryunise Emerodelle, would be honored,” Ryunise mildly twitched at the corner of her mouth and laid a gloved hand lightly over his arm.

“Aren’t you going to introduce yourself, Vin?” He smiled with knowing sparkles at the other young man.

“Not to this unruly little girl,” Vin huffed.

“Stranger danger. Elouis, please protect me from this rude little boy,” The girl’s sarcasm was dripping over every word.

“Little boy?! How dare you!”

“I dare. I got dares for days.”

“What…?!”

“Who sent you the invitation, Lady Ryunise?” Elouis asked.

“Ryunise is fine,” She ignored Vin as they trekked down the hall, “I was penned by Principle August Haviomist.”

“Oh? That’s interesting. Many request to see him, but never has he initiated a request for someone.”

“Do you know where I might be able to go?”

“Not quite. I don’t come here too often myself. What do you say that we take a stroll and find out together?”

“Yes. Let’s.”

Vin was left with his mouth open and shock blaring like a silent screeching siren. His juicy blue eyes watched the two leave him behind, before he jerked and practically ran after him.

“Hey!” He shouted.

“No running in the halls,” Ryunise said.

“No shouting, Vin,” Elouis added.

“Are you a five-year-old?” She asked with a sneer.

“Oh ho, you’re going to pay for that!”

True to his word, Elouis escorted her like the perfect gentleman. He kept his arm lofted to cushion her small hand, the other tucked behind his back, and attentive to her strides to match his own. They exchanged light pleasantries and a few laughs at the expense of a fuming Vin.

Elouis kept a close eye out. They had passed through the public space again where the adult men were still gathered. A few of the bully boys from before were there as well, but sticking close to their fathers and very silent. This time the air was voided, stepped back, if not chilled, and not towards the trio. Without Ryunise realizing, both Vin and Elouis stared down every single man with disdain so icy it felt like icebergs surged through their blood. They had seen from the second floor the behaviors these adults had displayed towards the girl, and then the incident of her being cornered.

It did matter on one hand that she was Marcaes and Anjina Emerodelle’s daughter. But on the other hand, it didn’t. To prey on a child and within the walls of the Sacred Church was an unquestionable disgrace to the kingdom and the Oath.

There were noticeably less people around. The perpetrators like Jacobson had been removed promptly from the premises by the roving Church guards, as well as accompanied guardians and servants. Ryunise also saw security presence more visibly than before, but she paid no mind.

“Hmm…perhaps we should ask someone,” Elouis pondered aloud.

Ryunise couldn’t help it and smothered a hand over her yawning mouth. Her eyes were beginning to ache, starting from the nerves in the back and gradually making its way forward. Migraine began to set in at her left temple, the usual symptom she’s been experiencing since she woke up. She wondered if the real Ryunise was a chronic sufferer of headaches and the like, or if it was because of Dark Sleep. Epsilon did mention there could be additional side effects.

“Are you all right?” The Marquis quietly asked her.

“Um…yes, I…I’m just a little tired. I’ve been up since before dawn,” She responded and attempted a small smile.

“Your funny face is pale,” Vin popped into her view.

“Too close,” She shoved her hand in his face and pushed away, and then snickered when she got a satisfactory puttering of disbelief.

“Maybe we should find a place of rest for you, Lady Ryunise…” Elouis said, “It’s rather odd we have been wandering all this time and no indication of where you should be.”

“Right…” Ryunise shuddered.

The girl had to stop, her shoulder shaking and then clamped a hand over her eyes. Her breathing was shallowed, rushed, and pain popped dark clusters beneath her eye lids. Ryunise knees buckled against each other, and softly a whimper gripped her throat.

“Ah…!”

“Lady Ryunise!” Elouis started.

His hands held her by the elbows, supporting her body, preventing her from crashing down on the floor by using his profile. Elouis felt very warm, soft, but solid against her. Soft clinks of metal twittered beneath her cheek, and she knew immediately those were medals. How is it that a young man of his age already has them?

“Hold on, let me see…” Vin’s voice sounded a little disorganized around the edges to her.

Ryunise clutched her hand like a claw, the pain pounding in her ears. She felt shockingly cold inside, but something felt velvet. Vin was using his hand to feel along her forehead beneath her hair, then her neck.

“She’s burning up. We need to get her to a doctor…”

“N-no, no doctor…” Ryunise managed to squeeze her voice through, “No…doctor…Papa said…Papa said not to…”

“Then what can we do?”

“Is this why you’re here on invitation from Principle Haviomist, Lady Ryunise?” Elouis asked.

Ryunise swallowed. She wasn’t sure she could tell them, Epsilon’s words ringing like a halo note over the screeching pain. Her mouth opened to respond, then her throat dried up. The air was suddenly on thin ice, and the pain dulled, as if ripped away on a tide created from fear. Wait, she thought. This isn’t right. What, who…no. No, it can’t be.

She could feel her eyes were open, but the world was an inked into darkness.

“Lady Ryunise…?” Elouis’ voice was hitched.

“You. What’s going on?” Vin whispered.

His hands were on her face, cupping her cheeks, and she realized he was touching something wet. Slick, thick wetness. It wasn’t the taste of salt on the air, so it wasn’t tears. But instead it was something more heady, heavier, metallic. Copper. It smelled of copper. But she couldn’t see. She was blind.

“We really need to get someone here. Now.” Vin’s voice was stern.

She could feel seriousness. A commanding will, leader-like, a heart and spirit commoners could never grasp. But Ryunise couldn’t think straight. What was going on with this body? My lungs, they’re cold. It’s cold. I’m shivering. Water. Water all around. It’s sinking into my branches, trickling down and down. It’s so deep now, it’s so dark.

I can’t breathe.

Epsilon. Where is Epsilon?

“Send out a signal to the guards, Louis. Do you understand?” Vin spoke again. His arms wrapped around her small body and lifted her in one motion up in the air. One arm was under her knees and the other clutching her shoulders.

“You have permission to use the skies if you must. And send word to Sir Emerodelle the moment you get to the palace.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Elouis confirmed.

“But don’t tell anyone of my being here. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Ryunise was fading in and out of consciousness. It was wetter, raining. Is it raining? And her head. Where was her head? Is it on her shoulders where it belongs? Or is it rolling off the table, aiming for the basket, to be nestled at home among the melons? Or was it bread? It’s raining. It’s deafening. Are those screams, hollers, jeers, shouts? It smells gross. Rotten smell. Vomit, putrid greens, blood. Blood on her clothes.

So much blood. I’m so thirsty.

So…thirsty…

They’re all so ungrateful. They’re all so very ungrateful. Full of sin, full of lies, feasting on more lies. Undeserving. Sinful. Wretches. Betrayers. I’ve done so much for them. I’ve given all to them. It was all for them. And what do they do? They stab. They punch. They cut. They harm and maim. Crucify me. Burn me. Shun me. Forsake me.

Well. No longer. You will suffer. You all will suffer.

You will suffer me.

You will suffer my thirst. My love. My pain. My anguish and joy. You will suffer all of it. You will drown in it.

You will know what it’s like to not breathe. To not gasp. To not cry out. Your lungs will fill with the blood of your lies. The blood of your filth. The blood of the sins. And then you will drown clean with salvation.

I’m thirsty. You’re all thirsty. Adults. Children. Animals. Fantasy. Nightmare. The land. All of it. All of it thirsty.

I can’t breathe. Neither will you.

I can’t breathe.

I will show…I will show you what it’s like not to…

“Stop!”

Ryunise arched her back, an inhale that could split her lungs ripped into her mouth, and white spots exploded through her brain. Tiny pinpricks like swarming insects punctured reality into her senses, but not without the chained sting of agony. Like a thousand needles multiplied by a thousand, her mind felt like it would physically shatter into billions of pieces.

“Hold her, Your Highness.”

“What’s going on?!”

“She’s going into shock. Hold the Young Miss still!”

“There’s so much blood!”

“Don’t be alarmed. Just keep her steady and don’t let go.”

“Louis! Hold her legs!”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

So much chaos.

So much pain.

So much noise. Too many words. I can’t. I can’t.