I had told Asthia that I had just discussed a few things with the two adventurers, I didn't really want her to know I was a murderer. Whether she believed me or not, I honestly couldn't tell. I was extremely good at reading people, but this girl was on another level. Were all dragonkin this good at concealing what they thought?
Considering I had nowhere to go, I decided to help Asthia return home. I probably would've helped anyway, because even I wouldn't leave a five-year-old alone in the middle of the woods, but the fact that I was just as lost helped me make a quick decision.
Decisions were what preceded every action, whether it be moral or not. Some people liked to act on the first decision that came to mind, but I never liked that approach, or rather, it had never worked for me. I always preferred to list all my possibilities and then eliminate anything that would bring unnecessary consequences.
In this situation, helping Asthia would actually benefit me. There was still so much I didn't know about the dragons, and she was a direct link to that entire civilization.
Traveling through the woods towards the south, I learned a lot about the girl and where she came from. How the Dragonkin had adapted to post-war conditions, and how they had been concealing their location for centuries. The girl, at least I think, had finally started to open up to me after a few days of traveling.
"How did you get separated from your people?" I asked one night while we were both sitting, backs against each other under a cave to preserve heat. I didn't find anything about our situation romantic, and I don't think she did either. Plus, she was five. I would've never forgiven myself if I found this situation to be romantic in any way.
"Hm, I can't remember," she said finally after thinking for a bit. She looked up at the damp ceiling of rock and lime before speaking again. "I was eating with Mom and Dad, then I went outside to play in the garden, and then... I forgot what happened after," she explained calmly.
"I see, and how's your family?" I asked, trying to change the subject of discussion. I remember seeing people do this when talking about an uncomfortable subject, was this the way to do it?
"Good. Mom is really caring and Dad is strict, but I love them both just the same," she said, a hint of glee in her voice. I smiled. I sometimes forgot that Asthia was a five-year-old, and it was refreshing to see that she did act like a kid sometimes.
"What about yours, Jay?" she asked, shifting around to look at me.
I sighed at the question, thinking about how to answer.
"They're both really hard-working, honest, and loving people, and when I'm with them, I feel really happy. Happier than I've been my entire life," I responded, being completely honest with myself.
"Your whole life? You're younger than me!" she said suddenly, giggling.
"That is true," I said, laughing. I definitely needed to remember that I was a four-year-old child in Auroria, well, almost five now if I remembered correctly.
I could feel my eyelids growing heavy, the warm embrace of sleep slowly wrapping around me.
Ugh, maybe I overworked myself these past few days, I thought. I had been keeping watch over Asthia every night, making sure she was okay and guarding our makeshift shelters. We had gotten lucky today, finding a small cave where we both easily fit inside.
I was never allowed outside the shelter though, considering Asthia always wanted to hold on to me while sleeping. Whether it be my hand or just a piece of cloth, she just needed a constant reminder that I was with her, even while unconscious.
I tried fighting the urge to just slump dead and sleep, but Asthia seemed to notice something off about the way I was acting.
"Jay, have you been sleeping?" she asked, looking right at the huge bags under my eyes, her eyes staring right into my very soul.
"O-of course," I stuttered. This girl was just as scary as Jane! Why were all the females in this world terrifying, I thought.
By now it was completely obvious I was lying. We had spent the last eight days traveling around, hunting food, and surviving together, and both Asthia and I had become accustomed to each other's behaviors and reactions. Lying was something both of us could easily see through the other.
I didn't know if this kind of bond was normal after only eight days, but maybe the fact that we were stranded and fighting for our lives impacted it somehow?
"Go to sleep," she commanded after clearly identifying my lie. I knew how scary this girl could be, and I wasn't trying to start an all-out war with her just because of sleep. I merely nodded and closed my eyes, leaning against the cold rock and feeling myself drift off into a peaceful slumber.
ASTHIA DARCK'S POV:
What a strange boy, that Jay. He doesn't talk much, but in doing so I feel like he expresses more than a talkative person ever could, or maybe I just understand more. He hasn't been sleeping these past few days, and I feel guilty. I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night, just to see him sitting there looking at the sky, his hand never letting go of mine.
I wanted to tell him about my family, but for some reason, the words didn't come out. Hey Jay, I'm part of the royal family, was what I wanted to say. Would he be scared? Would he no longer stay with me? I didn't want that.
I looked at the sleeping boy, his brown hair covering his face. I furrowed my eyebrows in determination and approached him slowly. A sudden brushing of leaves from the outdoors made me squeal ever so slightly, but I just put my hand over my mouth and continued.
I grabbed his hand and brought it up to my mouth, touching his wrist with my lips. A small cyan light glowed on the point of impact, leaving the mark of the royal family.
I was a princess, and I knew what awaited me back home. I would get lectured about not having protection from Dad, and he would choose a royal knight to keep my company at all times. I didn't want that!
I smiled at the mark fading into Jay's skin, small bursts of power pulsating throughout his arm and spreading through his body. I could hear his breathing slow down as his body reacted to the changes, I hope he wouldn't be mad at me when he woke up.
"Thank you for scarring yourself for me, my knight," I whispered as I lay next to him. Killing was something that my kind knew very well, and those who committed it were never the same. I just hoped Jay would stay the same forever, so we could be friends forever.
I smiled, closing my eyes.
Mom, Dad, I can't wait until you guys meet Jay, I thought as I fell asleep, my small hand gripping the back of Jay's shirt.