"Thank you for the meal!" Yilas smiled and thanked Mariem for her meal, she patted her full belly and drank some water to help with digestion.
"I'm glad you have such a good appetite after waking up." Mame smiled like a gentle mother, her eyes were filled with the genuine joy of seeing a happy child.
"Oh right! Do you know how long I have been asleep for?" Yilas asked, it looked like it was daylight outside so she must have slept for a full night.
"Hmmm... I think it's about 2 days or so." The answer surprised Yilas, her jaw immediately dropped on the ground, her hands unconsciously moved to her forehead, trying to rationalize what had happened.
"Oh no! Oh no! I have companions with me, a red fox, and a black python, did you know where they are?"
"I heard something about them escaping so they can't be inside this castle." Mame had her fingers pinned her chin, she remembered over-hearing something like that from Bryok.
Yilas sighed out of relief, at least they were safe and still alive, Yilas thought.
"Phew... Thank god they are okay! Miss Mariem, now that I am full and well, I must head back to them and let them know that I am well. So if you excuse me, I will take my leave..." Yilas stood up and was about to thank this kind lady for a great meal but what she said next stroke Yilas like lighting, burning her brain death on the spot.
"Haha... You see, even though I managed to keep you here in my room but all my spouses refused to let you leave this place." Mame looked away, she looked guilty as a puppy. Although she tried her best, all of her spouses were coming down on her with reasons she couldn't let the nine-tail fox go. "So you might be stuck here for some time..."
Mame saw the dead frozen Yilas, she reached out for her hands and held it. The tiny white fingers were smooth and cold, the nice feeling made Mame kept rubbing it non-stop.
"But don't worry sweet child, I will find a way for you to escape in due time. For now, just accompany me here and entertain yourself with those books."
After thinking for a while, Yilas nodded, even if she wanted to escape, she must learn the way out of here and planned carefully. There were so many beasts all over this place, she couldn't possibly make it out if she underestimated the enemies.
After eating, Mariem left for some work and instructed Yilas to sit tight and read whatever she liked. Yilas used the opportunity to observe the outside of the room only to find no escape route.
The room was located 30 feet off the ground, when Yilas poked her head out of the window, she got dizzy from the height. Moreover, on the ground level was a few beast-men standing guard at all times. Same with the main wooden door Mariem exited through, there were two guards keeping watch, not letting Yilas out even when she asked to use the rest-room.
After what seemed like a few hours, Yilas felt discouraged and sat down next to the bookshelf, she randomly selected a red book with swirly print on its back and decided to check it out. The book cover was bonded by hand using red tree bark, the paper inside was yellowed and stained but the drawing inside was still legible.
The book was filled with the drawing of fire and beast-men who did many poses, soon Yilas catch on to it. This book was written to instruct the use of Fire elements, Yilas remembered Viosus said something about beast-man being about to manipulate elements.
Fascinated by the idea, Yilas posed like the drawing and stood with her legs as wide as her shoulders, moving her hands in many signaling ways, copying exactly like the book. Yilas thought the moves were funny as if she was practicing ninjutsu, but she did it anyway, though the practice didn't yield her any result.
Frustratedly, Yilas got bored with the first book and moved on to another, this time pulling out a green book. To her surprise, this one was also about learning elements, the wind element. Before trying out the technique, Yilas opened many other books till it piled up full at her feet, soon she realized, this whole wall was filled with magical books, which wowed her beyond belief. She couldn't believe such collection existed, if she could learn all that was written here, she would get stronger and be able to protect Viosus and Sabal.
Thinking of the two, Yilas flopped to her knee. She missed them a whole lot and worried about them as well, though they escaped and was alive, they must be heavily injured. Yilas sat depressingly against the wall and sighed, she couldn't help them, and her existence put them in danger. Yilas could only blame herself, the guilt ate her up slowly but surely. Her legs curled up tight on her chest, forming a small white ball in the corner of the room.
Mariem stepped in the mess of the room, books laid in every inch of the floor, covering the surface almost completely. The tiny pathetic lonely white dot appeared at the corner of her eyes softening Mariem's heart. Her instinct told her to comfort the child immediately.
"My child, what are you doing over there." Mariem came close and put her arm around Yilas's tiny shoulder, pulling her close comforting the little girl who was in pain.
"I-I-I miss them so much, Miss Mariem..." There were no tears on Yilas face but her voice was cracking, the lips pouted and the pink scar of her face puff up, it looked very much painful to Mame.
"Call me Mame..." Yilas laid her head on Mame's shoulder, her palm steadily petted Yilas head.
"You can call me Yilas too, Miss Mame..."
"Sure, and calling Mame is fine." Yilas rested in the comfort of the gentle and generous woman who had to make her feel safe again.
"Miss... I mean Mame, I'm sorry about the mess I made, my emotions get the best of me today." Still had her face hidden in between her knees, Yilas apologized.
"Don't worry about it, child. Once I teach you to use them, you will naturally learn to love it like your own."
"Really?" Yilas tilted her head.
"Really..." Warming Yilas's lonely heart was a smile as gentle as the sun, Mame's eyes curled up nicely. From this moment onward, Yilas decided to trust this woman with not even an ounce of doubt in her.
The two sat there together and discussed the use of elements in this world for hours, Yilas was such a smart yet curious which made Mame loved talking to her. She didn't hesitate to answer every question patiently, as long as she saw that twinkling eyes of the little child.
"But my child, you manage to sustain full-civil even when you're unconscious, and yet, you don't know how to use any elements?" Mame was shocked by the fact that Yilas was completely ignorant from all this, she wondered if the child was just being humble.
"H-Hahaha, I really don't know how I do it. You see, I lost all my memories not too long ago so now I'm still trying to learn more about this world again."
Yilas scratched her head and laughed nervously if she told the woman the truth, she would think she was mad. Therefore, deviated part of the truth was the route Yilas decided to stick with.
"Oh poor child, now I understand, it must be something your body acting on its own muscle memories, you must have trained very hard." Mame nodded her head continuously like a woodpecker, that must be the only explanation for the girl's appearance. "But if you want me to teach you how to control elements, we must figure out which one do you possess."
Mame smiled slyly, this was always her favorite part in training youngsters, finding out their potential and future.