The notes of a beautiful tune floated around the corridor. They were soft and charming to the ear and the images the notes portrayed in their sheer and smoke–like substance. The feeling that swelled in his chest was enhanced when the last rays of the setting sun made the cold boring grey stones of the castle walls a soft orange colour and made it seems like the notes were glowing bright.

He followed the trail of the notes, although not sure if that was what he really wanted or if the notes were webbed with some sort of spell he didn’t notice. He didn’t care in that moment. All he cared about was the exceptionally beautiful voice that could be heard when he got closer.

He rounded the corner of a decorated passageway. The room was void of anything except a heavy layer of dust and a mermaid statue in the middle that was overlooking the black lake trough the stained glass of a window.

The notes erupted from the ground behind the statue and the opted for a closer look. Surely a mere statue couldn’t produce this magnificent melody.

The sun had set and the notes returned to their previously white-grey colour.

He took a few steps towards the statue and noticed a sliver of light. There was a passage beneath the mermaid’s pillar. He muttered a spell to get rid of the sound stone scraping against stone made. The light that erupted from the square hole was from a well-cast Lumos Maxima. It made him squint his eyes a bit in adjustment.

There were short swirling stairs that led to the floor bellow. He made his steps soundless, as he didn’t want the music to be disturbed, but he soon stopped midway down as he finally discovered the source of the heavenly sounds.

In the middle of the wide room was girl gently caressing the strings of a white golden harp. She was sitting on a rock the rough edges, the only thing covering her was a thin white sheet and her dark curly hair that cascaded over her shoulders into her lap and down her back, over the stone and eventually on the white floor. The white dust coming from the tiles stained the ends of the black strands.

He forgot all about his quiet approach when moved next. The sound of his dress shoe echoed trough the entire room and disrupted the music that had brought him all this way.

The girl looked up and turned towards him, alarmed and the notes vanished as the music stopped.

But it wasn’t a girl. He could see clearly now that the hair had shifted and the body was turned towards him. The face was certainly androgynous, but slightly defined chest and the slim and curve-less contours of the body made it no doubt clear that the source was male.

“Come…” The voice was clear and bounced off of every wall.

He could only obey. He tried to make his steps steady, but his trembles were hard to suppress. Now that he wasn’t enchanted by the music any more, he could feel the raw magic seeping into his very bones.

“Why are you here?”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OF CUPCAKES AND CLOSETS.

Chapter One: Escalating Sweetness

Banana-Mango flavoured smoothies are yummy.

I scan the mall’s Center for interesting people. I was exploring. On adventure.

I just moved to this town with my family because of some job issue or whatever. I didn’t really care much.

I had about two friends in my previous town. Or one? Since one of them decided to go ‘super-bitch’ on me the week before I left. The other one was just a pretty shallow friend. Pfft. Whatever. I liked the internet more then hanging around doing stupid things with superficial people anyway.

The mall here has a fountain. And I just came from the food court in the east wing.

This smootie is really delicious.

I sit on a brick wall slash plant container thing. I dunno. I swing with my legs and just stare at this group of people hanging by the fountain who are probably the same age as me. The guys make asses out of themselves and the girls make noises that resemble squealing pigs. They probably think they could pass it off as giggling. Obviously not.

I spot something bright yellow in the corner of my eyes.

I want those pants.

Maybe I can steal them from her…

Or she could just turn around so I could see the name of the shop on the bag she was holding. Yeah. Probably a better idea.

Okay, turn… turn… just a little bit more… That’s it! I squint my eyes to try and make out the letters. I should’ve brought my glasses. Okay so. Um. Qua… lin? What? Qua-lin? What kind of name is that…?

As long as the clothes are nice.

I hop off of the wall and decide to ask the security guard next to the south entrance (who I only recognised due to the colours of his uniform) where this Qua-lin shop is. I know there’s a map right next to me but I couldn’t read those even if my life depended on it. Well, maybe I could, but I’m lazy.

I made a stop at a trashcan on my way over. I suck mighty hard on the straw to get the last drop of my smoothie. The harsh slurping sound made an elderly woman frown at me. I frown back.

I continue my journey to the security guard, almost skipping and I hum the melody of a popular pop song that I didn’t like, but just heard on the radio at the smoothie place.

I stop behind the security guy. “Excuse me.” I clutch the strap of my small shoulder bag.

“Ah… Yes?” he turns around. He seems a bit surprised. Then he gives me a look that made me uncomfortable.

“Do you know where I can find a shop called Qua-lin?” I rock back unto the balls of my feet. I have problems staying still. I like to shift from foot to foot and sway.

He points to the left. “You see those stairs? Go right at the top and go ‘round the corner at the watch shop. You’ll be able to find it there.” He gives me a smile.

I smile back. “Thank you.”

Ha. Stairs. Like that’s gonna happen.

Elevator, escalator, elevator, escalator?

Ooh, yeah, found one. Escalator it is. I hate the top of escalators because I always fear my foot will get stuck and yeah. I’ll loose it. I’m still very attached to my feet. Both emotionally and physically.

When I reach the second floor I make my way to the top of the stairs and start my journey to find ‘The Qua-lin’ there.

“It was an ancient time, it was a dark time. The time Aiden the Great decided to embark on a quest for impeccable golden trousers. It was no easy feat, as he was well aware. The journey would be filled with obstacles. But Aiden knew he would succeed…”

A kid giggles at my mumbling.

I grin at it. I have no idea if it is a boy or a girl. Parents should stitch it into the kid’s clothes.

So… the watch shop was where? I don’t like watches. Because the watches for guys are mostly bulky and my dad wouldn’t get me a ‘girl’s watch’. Stupid fathers. It wasn’t girly or anything. It was silver with a green strap. But it was in the girl’s section so he got me a stupid boy’s watch instead, which I threw from the attic window onto the pavement of the driveway. I never got another watch after that.

Maybe I should give my father a broken watch for his birthday, in spite. He created my hatred for watches.

I go around the corner and try hard not to look into the stupid watch store.

Okay, I see big letters on a flag that say Qua-lin. There are letters written underneath it that I can’t identify.

I’m excited about the shop, because I really want those pants.

The shop is cute and colourful on the inside, and has a lot more clothes that I want to have. But I want those yellow pants the most.

The girl at the counter gives me a funny look.

Probably because this is a shop with only female clothes. I ignore her because I think I’ve spotted the yellow pants. They’re in the back, displayed on a mannequin.

They’re jeans. Skinny jeans. Yum.

I grab a pair in my size, because I’ve bought girl’s jeans before, but I get another pair that’s one size smaller, just in case. I continue browsing the store and also discover bright green skinnies. I’ll get them later after I try on the yellow ones.

Holy shi--! A Hop-Bunny Tee! I definitely need that. So cute. This shop is awesome.

I try on the jeans and shirt in the dressing room and I find out that the small jeans fit me better then the bigger ones. I lost weight again.

I can’t buy anymore stuff, because my mum gave me a limit on how much I could spent. It was meant as a punishment for stealing my brother’s underwear and burying them in the backyard. Ruining the lawn while doing so. I though it was punishment enough that I had to dig them up. But no, the witch said that if I spend more money then she said I could, she would take away my computer.

I love her, but she can be so unreasonable at times.

I take the clothes to the salesgirl behind the counter and give them to her.

“Hi!” She’s over the shock of me coming into the store, because the funny look has been replaced by a smile. She’s pretty average looking, brown hair and matching brown eyes. But she’s wearing a ton of eye make-up and looks like the type who smears on lipgloss every five seconds. “I’m Alicia.” She does the whole flip-hair-over-the-shoulder-thing.

Why is she giving me the goo-goo eyes?

“That’s nice.” I reply dryly. She seems a bit put off by my response. Seriously? Why is she flirting with me? I’m wearing flip-flops with flowers on them, holding a Hop-Bunny wallet and in a female orientated store buying the girl pants I’ve just tried on in the dressing room.

“What’s your name?” She keeps trying.

“I don’t believe that is any of your business.” My response is flat and I give her a look. One that says please-shut-up.

“I don’t see why you have to be so rude.” She sounds angry and a bit confused. I don’t really care, but she’s clutching my shirt and getting it wrinkly. I scrunch my nose.

“I don’t see why you can’t just ring up my stuff and let me pay for it, so I can leave.” I put some emphasis on the last word and tap my fingers of the hand holding my wallet against the counter.

She frowns and huffs before she takes the tags and starts scanning them. She stuffs the clothes in a bag and asks for the money.

I take the credit card out of my wallet and pay. I want to get out of this store. I’ll come back to buy other clothes when this person isn’t working and when my mum lifts my spending limit. I grab the bag and walk out of the store.

I take a look around and decide I don’t want to be at the mall anymore. I’m going home.

It didn’t take me long to get a ride home. I called my brother to come pick me up. He only came because I told him I bought him something. I didn’t, but he found out when we were almost home, so it didn’t matter anymore.

“Dah-neh,” I maul his name. “You need clean your carrrr.” I rest my de-flip-flopped feet on his dashboard.

“Your stinky feet are not helping.” He pushes against my legs, but I don’t budge.

“How rude! My feet are not stinky.” I lift one foot up and bring it towards his nose. “Schmell it!”

“No!” He tries to concentrate on the road and on pushing my foot from his face.

“Smell!”

“Aiden, stop it.”

“No!”

“Fine!”

Ow.

Ouch.

Ew.

He did not just…

“You bit my toe! Disgusting! I’m infected! You drooled all over my foot!”

He laughs loudly and wipes his mouth and tongue on the back of his hand. I don’t know how that’s supposed to work.

I pull my knee to chest and examine my big toe. It has bite marks. “God! Do you have a foot fetish or something?” I glare at him.

“Yeah, totally.” He grins. “You should have backed out when you had a chance, mortal!”

I laugh at the TreamReid reference. “You’re such a dweeb.”

He sticks out his tongue at me.

My dad is almost done with dinner when we get home. We’re eating fried rice á la nana. It is the yummy stuff.

I go upstairs and put my bag next to my bed. I’m going to wear my ‘impeccable golden trousers’ and my grey Hop-Bunny Tee to my first day of school tomorrow. I go to Danny’s room to steal his fancy black belt and his black and white striped slippers. I put those in my room also.

I shed my bag, vest and flip-flops and then go downstairs to help set the table. That is secret code for; help eat the food before dinner officially starts.

“Aiden, you forgot the salad bowl.” My dad borderline yells from the kitchen.

“I don’t like salad! Leave it!”

“No. Get it. Now.”

“Fine!” I huff and stomp to the kitchen. I roughly grab the bowl and walk back to the table.

“You know you need them, right? You had an attack two weeks ago, so you need all the vitamins you can get. I’ll make your shake after dinner.”

“Yeah, yeah. I knooow.” I sit down and turn in my chair to look at the TV.

When dinner finally starts, my mum points a fork at me. She swallows her food. “What did you do at the mall today, sweetie?”

“I played Aiden the Great and had the best smoothie in the world!”

“You should stop playing that game in public.”

I glare at Danny and stick out my tongue. “You can’t stop Aiden the Great.”

My parents chuckle. I swear they’re laughing at me.

My mum shakes her head and reaches for the water jug, only to find out that it is empty. “Refill.” She leaves the table and enters the kitchen.

Her presence always screams ‘No, Aiden, you can’t do that.’ ‘You could get hurt.’ ‘What if--?’ So while she’s gone I reach in my pocket for a piece of paper.

"Da-ad, I wanna get a bellybutton piercing! You need to sign this sheet for me!" I whine.

"I don't think that's such a wise idea, Aiden--" He starts, but doesn’t get to finish.

"But daddy, all the popular kids have them!"

Danny snorts next to me. “All the popular girls, maybe."

I glare at him again.

“’All the popular girls’ what?” My mother asks. She has returned with a full jug.

My dad turns to look at her. "Aiden requested my permission for a piercing, but I--"

"NO! No, absolutely not." She sit down and slides the jug further down the table. “You will not be making holes in your body!”

“But mu-um—“

“No Aiden!” She turns to my dad. “I can’t believe you were even considering this, James.” She looks at my dad accusingly. “This is why I can't leave you alone with him. He'd be bungee jumping from the roof if I did! You need to learn how to say no.” She continues her rant.

I feel a bit sorry for my dad, but he said no. So he deserves it.

Danny takes the permission form from the table and looks it over. “It’s not that big of a deal, right? It’s not like he wants to pierce his face. A navel piercing is hidden most of the time, and I’ve heard it closes pretty fast if he decides he doesn’t want it anymore.” He eats another spoonful of fried rice.

“Exactly!” I exclaim. “And I reaaaaaaally want one! Pretty please?” I pout to emphasise my point.

“I’ll think about it.” My mother is reluctant to admit that it really isn’t something to be against, I think.

I’m all smiles for the rest of the evening. Most are directed to my brother.

I’m standing in front of a desk. Behind the desk is a friendly looking woman that’s trapped in a cloud of perfume. She’s looking up my classes. My brother went before me and didn’t wait for me.

He is a bastard. Really.

After what seems like hours of waiting, I finally get my schedule. The lady explaines I need to go to History first.

This school is really big. I got a small map, but, yuck, stairs. My locker is on the second floor. They put all the books I will need inside. The people in charge are nice and good people.

Class hasn’t started yet, but the teacher is already in the classroom. I knock on the open door.

“Excuse me, sir?”

The man looks up he adjusts his classes. He is good looking, I guess. Bright blue eyes and brown with a few grey hairs. He looked friendly. “Yes, can I help you?”

“I’m new, I will be in starting in your class today.”

He shuffled trough a few papers. “Ah, yes. Aiden... Scott?”

“Yes, sir. Nice to meet you.” I smile. School Survival Rule Number One: Be nice and respect your teachers.

“Yes, yes. Pleased to meet you too. I am mister Preston. Please take a seat in the front corner. You will only have to observe today.”

The class is uneventful. Some people look at me curiously but I ignore them. Mister Preston introduces me. He is a fun teacher. Very interesting. This class has my stamp of approval.

School is pretty boring. There are some cute guys in my classes, but they aren’t that interesting.

It’s lunch time. The cafeteria is almost full. Danny is sitting with some people. Pfft, he already made friends.

My dad has made me a shake for lunch. But I want something sweet to eat. Maybe they have cupcakes.

I stand in line, scanning the tasty and nauseating looking food on display.

“Hey! So your name’s Aiden, right? That is so cool.” It’s Qua-Lin counter-girl. “I, like, totally forgive you for being rude yesterday. I mean, I totally get that you were in a bad mood, starting a new school and all.”

She won’t shut up.

I put on my meanface.

“Are you going to try the Mac 'n Cheese? 'Cause it's really good. The lunch lady says she uses special cheese, whatever that means." She’s chewing gum while she’s saying this and it makes everything she says sound disgusting.

“What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Ooh, no I'm totally fine! I'm not getting the Mac 'n Cheese because of all the carbs, I'm trying to watch my weight a little. So, I'm taking the plain salad instead, 'cause it's like, really healthy."

Oh hell no. She did not just spit on me.

I slam my tray down and leave the line.

“Aiden? Where are you going?”

Ha, like I’m going to tell you.

I walk up to my brother’s table and sit down. I open my shake and chuck it down. That girl is way to frustrating.

The people at the table look at me surprised, but my brother is used to my ’antics’, as my family calls them. I prefer ‘endearing quirks’. I glare at them and look around the table.

I didn’t notice before, but they seem ‘popular’, I guess. All relatively nice looking and a bit fashionable. A cute looking guy. Probably a jock. Dark blond, brownish-green eyes and dimples. A cute girl, Asian. Her boobs are huge. Another jock. Darkish skin and green eyes. A blonde haired blue eyed cheerleader. I don’t get why cheerleaders feel the need to always wear their uniforms. Is it a rule I don’t know of? Never heard of individuality? Screw ‘school spirit’. They should keep it to only wearing their weird costumes to actual games… Some other, less interesting kids. I like stereotyping.

And then my brother.

He’s the popular type too, I guess. He’s a funny, likable guy and good looking? He’s a dweeb, though I doubt he shows that side to people at school.

Oh my god.

A pudding cup!

I snatch it from someone’s plate. I think it was Bigboobs’ tray. I turn my back to them and open it. I eat it in three big spoonful bites. I drop the empty cup and used spoon on the table. I’m done with lunch. “Thank you.” I direct to the table in general.

Big burly mean looking jock is about to say something that’s not very nice, because his face turns ugly.

I turn my back to them and walk away.

“Hey! You—“

“Chill,” I hear my brother’s voice. “I know him. He’s a bit weird. Sorry, Belle.”

I turn around to glare at him. “I’m sooo painting your posters black for that!” I call back.

He looks panicked for a moment. I mean serious business. Better be scared, bitch.

Okay, I probably won’t. I don’t want to be punished again. I really want that bellybutton piercing.

I only draw very realistic body hair on the half-nude models with a sharpie.

But my mum takes away my computer nonetheless. For three days. She really is mean.

“Mum!” I call up the stairs. I don’t get a response.

“Mu-um!!” I hate it when she does this.

“MUM!”

Silence.

“Becca!”

“What is it?”

I knew that would work.

“I’m gonna buy some cupcakes!” Cupcakes make the world a better place. A cupcake a day keeps the sadness away.

“Ask Daniel if he wants something.”

No, thank you.

The weather outside is very nice. I love the moist air. It’s almost time for me to change from my flipflops and slippers to closed shoes.

The convenience store is near my house. I grab a pack of cupcake mix and stop at the warm bun’s wall. There is one chicken bun left.

A hand different from mine reaches it first. I grab the thumb. I clutch the mix to my side and tickle the person’s side until they let go.

“What are you doing?” BigHands laughs. Ooh. It’s dimples jock.

“Getting me food.” I poke his side again. “You,” poke. “Need to get something else,” I pause. “I’ll give you a cupcake tomorrow.” I shake the cupcake mix in his face.

He laughs again. “Deal.”

“Deal.”

My persuasion skills are the best.

The offered sugar has nothing to do with it.

“Milk, milk, yummy milk. Eggs, eggs, yummy eggs. Butter, butter, yummy butter.” I walk around the kitchen with the ingredients. “Bowl-y, bowl-y, full of power, I will fill you with my flour.”

“Beans, beans, the magical fruit—“

“Dah-neh!” I frown at him. “You ruined my song!” He gets a face full of flour.

“Your making cupcakes again?” He rests his chin on my shoulder and makes sure his flour-face rubs against my cheek. “Gimme some when you’re done.”

“No.” I push against his chin.

“You owe me for ruining my room.” He rests his chin on my other shoulder. I give up.

“I didn’t ruin you room. I improved it. It made you get rid of those horrid posters. You should hang up a poster with Aiden the Great riding a unicorn to replace them.”

He pokes my side. “You do know what I do when looking at those posters, right?”

Ew. EW.

“Daniel, you disgusting freak.” I kick backwards and hit his shin. “Go away.”

He chuckles when leaving the kitchen. “You better save me a cupcake.”

Urgh. And he calls me the weirdo. I mean, he’s the one always saying stuff like this and is going around biting people’s feet.

“Oh, wait.” Daniel the Disgusting comes back. “ You should seriously save a cupcake for Belle, you know, the girl you stole the desert from at lunch. And apologise.”

I roll my eyes. “Fine!”

That’s the 3^rd cupcake that won’t be eaten by me. Then there’s my mum and my dad. OH! I will give mister Preston one too. That’s way better than the disgusting sandwich I saw him eating yesterday.

That leaves… Four cupcakes for me. I’m a mathwiz. Totally.

“Make sure you clean the kitchen when you’re done.” It’s mum.

“Yesh, Bekkah.” I have a thing for contorting my voice.

She hits the back of my head with a stack of papers.

“Child Abuse! I’m calling the cops.”

“Call me ‘mum’.” She sniffs. She’s writing a message on the fridge with a whiteboard marker.

“What’s up?” I lean back to decipher the words, but I try to keep stirring the cupcake batter.

“We’re having dinner at the neighbours’ house on Friday. Be home on time, and tell your brother.”

“Yah, will do.” I wave her away.

She swats my head again.

“Stop doing that!” I whine.

She laughs.

My family is evil. Evil.

Mister Preston looks surprised when I offer him a cupcake full of delicious sweetness.

“It’s really yummy.” I put it on his desk.

“Thank you.” I bet he doesn’t get much presents from people, to be this happy about a insignificant, but delicious cupcake.

I take my seat and watch him take his first bite.

“It is very nice, thank you.” He looks happy.

I grin at him. “I made it myself!”

“If you have an interest in baking things,” He wipes his hands on handkerchief he pulls from his pocket. “You should come by the culinary club after school.”

“Okay.”

These stupid books are heavy. Why don’t all schools change to the laptop-program? Way less weight to carry around.

A hand is dangling a Thermos in my face.

“A, you forgot you shake this morning.” It’s Danny. He looks like he just had PE, because his hair is still wet from the showers.

I stare at him and pull my shake out of his hand. I’m mad at him because he wouldn’t give me a ride this morning, so I had to sit in a car with stupid Becca and her business calls.

“Oh, hey.” Dimple jock is also here. Maybe I should ask his name.

“Hey.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FRAGMENT

She a woke slowly to the sweet smell of flowers and the soft sheets rubbing against her cheek. She pushed herself up using her arms and looked around, confused about where she was.

With aid of the scarce moonlight, that shone trough the ceiling, she was able to make out her surroundings. She found herself on a bed with light blue-grey sheets and white pillows in what looked like a cave with patterns made form tree roots, a few leafs a bushes along with moss decorated the walls and rocks. The bed was surrounded with sheer white fabric, whish was often used for keeping insects away. But the most alluring thing about the cave was the fireflies. It made her feel peaceful instantly. She noticed some residence in a glass bottle places on flat rocks beside the bed.

She slid of off the bed and let her bare feet touch the dusty stone floor. The cold contact to her feet made her shiver. She shuffled slowly to the nearby wall and found books. They were in an alcove that was obviously man made. She let her fingers glide over the spine of each book, collecting dust.

Waking a bit farther along the walls she found a trunk on the floor. It too had collected blanked of dust, but the decorations made from metal and leather were still visible. She lifted the lid of the trunk and peered inside. A few old dresses. She softly shut the trunk again and noticed a cracked mirror beside it, adorned with pretty pink flowers. The moonlight shone on them and the mirror directly. There was a chair shaped rock on the other side of the cave room also covered in moss. She reckoned it would be nice to sit on if she drew a sheet over it. The last thing was something akin to a fireplace. The mantle was made of stone with strange symbols carved into it.

So far she had seen two doors. She opened the one next to the bed and saw it was connected to a tunnel, and from the look of the light at the end, it went outside. She closed the door and went to the door between the chair and the mirror.

It led to a extension of the cave. A small waterfall brought water to stone bowl with a hole in the side, close to the edge, that lead the water trough a small stream to two separate shallow holes in the ground. There were several bottles in the water of one of the hole. It seemed like it was used to preserve certain food in the cold water. The other hole had a faster stream. From the look of it, it was probably used as a toilet. The water was drained to someplace unknown. There was another door in this part of the cave, but it revealed only cloths and bottles on wooden shelves. She grabbed one of the softer cloths and shook if hard to get rid of bugs or insects. When she was satisfied she wrapped it around her shoulders, to protect herself against the cold breeze seeping to the creaks of the cave. She exited the bathroom-like part of the cave and went back to the door with the tunnel attached.

She went up the small stone stairs and through the small door. The only light here came from the end and the hand full of fireflies flying about. She couldn’t see well with the sudden absence of the moonlight, so she stabilised herself against the damp walls of the tunnel, to feel her way out.

She assumed that the noise of the forest at night-time would increase the closer she came to the end of the tunnel, but she was mistaken. The normal chirping of nocturnal birds and rustling leaves was disrupted by the jolly sound of singing.

When she reached the end she slowly peaked around the edge of the opening and could see the faint orange light that indicated a fire. The singing also came from that direction.

She hugged the cloth closer to her body and slowly made her way towards the sounds. She tried her best to avoid branches on the forest floor. The edges would hurt her feet. She crouched as she got nearer. She hid behind a big tree when she got close enough.

There was a handful of young men, mostly dressed in black tunics with chainmail-like ornaments, drinking and eating, having heaps of fun.

She had heard stories about rouges in forest, and they weren’t pretty. She clenched her hands tightly around the fabric she was holding close to her body. She needed to wait for daylight to come and these men to leave before she would explore her surroundings.

She backed away from the tree and turned to get back to the cave immediately.

When back in her new safehaven she turned to one of the books she found in the wall before.

They were diaries. Written by a woman named Felishia. It was about her life here in the cave. About how she survived by befriending the animals and growing her own food on a fertile patch not far from her new home. She wrote about strange things. Magical things. Spell, and how to perform them. It was how she constructed the cave.

The first diary was very interesting. By the time she finished it, sunrays pierced trough the ceiling. She had wanted to look around are soon as daylight broke trough, but was now too tired to explore. She decided to take rest, before leaving the cave again.

When she woke up she was well rested. Her eyes felt glued shut and she needed to freshen up in the bathing area.

Back in the main area, she went to the trunk. The first dress she pulled out of it was white, adorned with pearls that gleamed in the sparse light. She changed into it.

She took the first diary with her when she went outside. It held instructions on how to find edible berries, as she was quite hungry.

When she found the area of what berries that Felishia had described as most tasting she placed the red bound book on the grass. She crouched down and held the hem of her dress in a way so she could carry the berries in it. The berries were dark red of colour and were sweet with a zing as after taste. She filled the makeshift carrier with a lot of them.

She clutched the diary under her arm and rose from the ground. The dipping in the fabric caused by the weight of her food barely covered her upper legs.

Carefully walking back to her new home, so the time being at least, she didn’t notice pale blue eyes watching her carefully.

When she got back she filled a few bottle from the cabinet in the water area with the berries. The diary told that the berries would last longer when preserved in cold water.

She went back to sit on the bed to observe the diary more. At the end of the book it said not to read the next one until she finished studying this one. Apparently, Felicia expected someone to reside in the cave a long time after she was gone.

The book explained the basics of survival. And provided her with magic to create fire for the hearth, magic to edit materials like stone and wood, and simple healing spells. It also stated that as soon as she learned all these by heart, she could proceed to the next book where she would learn how to form and re-strengthen barriers, so no intruders could hurt her.

She practiced the fire spells first. There was one for a simple fire ball, to light something, but also creating a small light in ones hand for when she didn’t have a torch in hand. She had trouble with the hand-torch, because of the constant heat in her hand.

The healing spell she learned first was a for healing scrapes and burns. She immediately practice with healing he zinged finger.

She was so immersed with the teachings that Felishia had left her that she didn’t notice the footsteps in the tunnel. She did notice when the door creaked open and shot back as far from the door as fast as she was able, and tripped over the corner of the trunk.

She stared and gaped at the intruder for a while. He stared back. He stepped forward, towards her. She let out a squeaky sound and scrambled backwards until she hit the frame of the water-door. She didn’t realise she could’ve hurled a fireball at him at first, but when she did she lifted she hands and arms shakily. She couldn’t concentrate on her first try, so it came out as a puff of smoke, but she created a small ball the second time and threw it at the stranger.

It hit the rock wall behind him.

“Wait, wait,” he held up his arms in defence. “I’m not gonna hurt you--” he was cut off because the third fireball grazed his arm. “OW.”

She paused when she realised his words. “What…?”

The young man cursed and favoured his burned forearm. He looked in pain.

She slowly crawled closer to him, apprehensive about whether she should help him or not. But she had hurt him, and he said he meant no harm. She rose to her knees, when she reached him and carefully took his damaged arm into her hands. She blew on it, like she had learned to. Then she grazed her fingertips over the wound.

“What are you doing?” he voice was nice. Soft but deep.

“Shhh,” she responded.

The wound was slowly fading. To finish the process, she kissed his bare skin with her soft lips.

“How did you-? What?”

She looked up at him, her eyes as big as his blue ones. They stared at each other again.

He carefully took her hand still touching his arm and helped her up.

She noticed how close he was and smelled his scent. Wet grass and pine.

She quickly stepped back. “What are you doing here?”

“I followed you.” He looked around the cave.

“What? When?!” She looked

He looked back at her. And stepped closer again. “You were picking berries close to the New Border. I was wondering where you came from. Nobody is supposed to be able to live here. People who’ve tried all ended up fleeing back to our towns.” Another step. “So, what are you doing here?” He fired back her own question.

“W-would you like some tea?” her voice was shaky. “I found some dried leafs and—” She half turned when he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

“Answer me.” He applied pressure on her wrist.

“I will,” She turned her head to look at him. “But please sit down first.” She pointed at the chair shaped rock next to the fire place.

She watched him from the corner of her eyes as she knelt down before the fire she made earlier and made sure it was still burning nicely. She rose and grabbed the kettle resting on the mantle. She turned to the door as the water area.

“Where are you going?” He rose a bit, alarmed.

“Calm down, I’m getting the water and tea leafs.” She opened the door.

He followed her trough the door and watched as she head the kettle under the stream until it filled up. She handed him the water, as it was a bit on the heavy side with the water. She turned to the cabinet and reached for the dried leafs she had tried out earlier.

Back at the hearth she took the kettle and hung it on one of the hooks. She said on the ground near the fire, figuring that her dress needed to be washed of dust and she didn’t want to dirty the sheets.

“I am Aishlin. What is your name?” She asked him.

“Zeren, son of Kelath.” He sat back down in the mould covered chair.

Aishlin worried the jar of leafs in her hands. “I woke up here not long ago.”

The fire crackled.

“How did you learn to shoot fire, and heal my burn?” He seemed sincerely curious.

Aishlin gave him a fleeting glace before turning back to the fire. “Felishia.” She didn’t want to tell him about the books.

“Who or what is Felishia?”

“The person who created all this.” She gestured around her.

“Where is this Felishia?”

“I do not know.”

The water stared to boil. Aishlin leaned over and dropped a portion of the leaved in. She took the cloth of her dress to protect her hands against the heat. She took the kettle of it’s hook and put it on the floor. She realised she only had one cup. She poured the tea and put the kettle back and made the flames smaller, although it took her a bit of extra concentration.

She picked up the cup and blew on it a few times. She took a careful sip and smiled. It tasted nice. She offered the cup to Zeren.

He took the cup in both glove covered hands. “How did you get here without the Gradins spotting you?” He took a sip and held out his hand to give it back.

“What are Gradins?” She scooted a bit closer to his legs, and took the tea back.

“W-They roam the forests during the day and set up several camps at night, staying close to the village, to warn the people if danger is nearby.”

“Ooh.” She took a sip. “I don’t remember how I got here. Everything from before my arrival is a bit hazy. But I still remember important things about life.” She gave him a small smile.

They didn’t talk much more after that but shared three cups of tea.