Come the next morning, I woke to Yuna sitting in the bed. She wore a plain buttoned shirt shimmering nicely with a reflective blue. Her brown hair was held back by a blue band tucked behind her pointed ears, and her tan pants hugged her legs. Hawkins wore a gold-trimmed green button shirt, the top two were left unclasped and tucked into sleek black pants. He was at the end bent over papers and books. I watched them with slow blinks, finding interest in their gestures silent enough that I heard movement but no words.

Yuna looked up at Hawkins, before I met her gaze. "Good morning," she said. "Better sleep?" I nodded. "Good, we have a surprise for you today." My heart leapt slightly. "Firstly, do you want to work on your lessons?"

"More colours?"

"Indeed, and I was thinking you could draw something." I sat up abruptly, the pain snapping up my side immediately forgotten.

"With charcoal?" I asked.

"Anything you wish for." Yuna said.

"Can you colour charcoal?"

"Yes, I'll see about obtaining some coloured pencils." Yuna looked towards Hawkins.

"Kiddo, do you want help with a shower today?" I sat back on my heel, nodding again.

I was sitting upon a stool, soaking but not shivering, wrapped in a thick towel and waiting for Hawkins to return. I stared at the stranger in front of me. Blinking when they did, I knew it was me, but seeing my features was still unnerving. It was me…but myself didn't feel like me, even when we moved in unison.

I startled when Hawkins knocked lightly upon the door. "Sorry, here, we have some clothes for you." He laid them out on the counter, offering me some under clothes.

"Are you okay with me dressing you?" I looked up at him as he knelt in front of me. "I can have Yuna help if you want." I shook my head. "Alright." Hawkins said and helped me into a pair of long, soft pants, black with the loose hem tied up and by my ankles. Hawkins gently pulled a black shirt with a high collar and no sleeves over my head, pinching at the fabric to settle it around me. Finally, he tugged on a deep red vest, slightly too large for me, but it smelled like Yuna and Hawkins.

With a satisfied smile Hawkins seemed pleased. "Now, we have a handsome little man!" He said. "Nice and fancy out of jam-jams."

My chest warmed with his wide smile, "Jam-jams?" I asked.

"Sleeping clothes." He squeezed the tops of my arms and held my hands. "We're going to be visiting someone today. They are going to help with something."

"Not my leg?" He shook his head.

"Nope, that's later." He rolled over my wrist and I sneered down at the black mark, I pulled my right wrist to my chest. "Don't like to see that mark?" I shook my head.

He hummed, not disapprovingly but in thought. "Let me see what I can find." He squeezed above my elbows, his thumbs brushing my skin before he stood. He waited for me to settle on my crutches, then walked out with me.

Yuna was rummaging through a large chest, while Hawkins led me towards the entrance. She knelt in front of me and gently wrapped a pure black cloth around my lower arm. She adjusted on her knees before she tied the blind-cloth over my eyes.

"We're leaving?" I asked.

"For lessons first, then we'll wait for the helpful-person." Hawkins said with a nod.

I found myself distracted, primarily because we were reviewing the last lesson that was already known. I didn't mention anything even when they completed the review.

"Hey Kiddo," I looked up briefly before staring at the gold bracelet and ring upon his finger, "the person we're having you meet is very special. Yuna and are going to sit with you the entire time and you can ask them anything you want. And—" I looked up at him briefly. "I must inform you, they are a guard, but a very special one who is dedicated to helping people. Are you ready?" I swallowed and nodded. Yuna elegantly stood, leaving the garden to allow in a young man.

Even through the veil, I could tell he was an older teen. He was nearly brown-haired, with half his head braided over his long ears, decorated by hanging bits of metal and rocks. A scar was slanted upon his left brow, his peachy skin tanned slightly with brilliant brown eyes keeping a blank expression. He wore a tight black shirt with gold metal hugging his chest and a long piece of yellow cloth covering his right shoulder, heavy pants were belted to his hips and tucked into black-laced shoes stopping half-way below his knee.

"Permission to approach?" He asked, I swallowed, unable to look at him, I hoped Hawkins and Yuna would answer but they remained warm beside me.

"N-No." I said and he remained vigilant.

"Permission to kneel?"

"Yes?" I whispered, and he obeyed. I glanced up at Yuna blinking with my mouth agape.

I startled when the teen spoke. "Permission to speak?"

"Yes." I answered before I wanted to.

"My name is Leo Tristee, I am eighteen years of age, and I am in my first year of guardsman training to become a High Shield, this opportunity was given to me by Baron Sigurd," he bowed at Hawkins, "due to being the best in my studies. You can ask me anything." His pronunciation felt deliberately slow, the mention of a thicker accent was buried by his quiet speech.

"Are you bad?"

He paused, "No. I serve whomever I am assigned to with ut—with my most full ability." He looked over at Hawkins and Yuna again.

"High Shield?" I looked up at Yuna who gestured towards Leo.

"A High Shield helps men, women, and people in need. But we usually only work with nobility. Or people who oversee a vast amount of people.'

"They control the bread." I mumbled.

Hawkins hummed. "No, they help give the bread out equally. People who control it are usually only looking out for themselves."

"I don't like those people." I said.

"High Shields make sure they don't take root." Leo said, "we serve the people and find the demons hurting people."

I shuffled back into Yuna's arm, trying to concentrate through the ache in my hip. "Why are you telling me this?"

Yuna leaned into my vision and spoke. "You can train to become a High Shield and help people." I froze, my heart thudded against my ribs as I stared at the threads below me.

"Will it get me in trouble?"

"No." Hawkins replied.

"Pardon me, but—I also have this…" He pushed a pad of material far towards me, with a folded cut of thick cloth upon it. I bit at my lip with major hesitation, but leaned to see the items better. I glanced up at Leo when he flicked his wrist, and a small circle with a hashed symbol flashed above his knuckles, Leo spoke again when the items. settled plainly within reach of me. "They're for you, a gift of goodwill." I backed away from it, furrowing my brow as I shook my head.

"You want something."

"No." He answered immediately, I glanced up at his eyes, finding a clarity to them, almost a plain, but expectant patience knowing I would eventually reach for the given items.

"They're for you, to have, permanently." His smile was kind, as I sat back with the pages between my fingers. The pages were lined, with letters at the top that I think spelled "date". I turned to look back at Yuna, placing it on my leg. "What is it?"

"A journal." She answered. "Something to write and draw in, to practise and for fun."

"And he's giving this to me?" Yuna nodded with my question.

"We must attend a meeting next week; and as part of Leo's job, he will be taking care of you."

"Will you come back?" I whispered.

"Yes. It's only temporary, just a day or so." Yuna said. "Leo often looks after Chike when his parents are occupied. We thought we would give your care to someone who we trust."

"I am honoured," Leo said, bowing slightly. I swallowed the rising dread settling cold behind my heart.

"Shall we go back to your room to rest?" Yuna asked, and I nodded.