The Brown-eyed Boy

Farseer was actually just waiting for us on the room next to ours. He looked bored and didn't look all that surprised that I had come back unharmed.

"Exactly why didn't you tell me we were visiting an organization like this?" I whispered to him harshly, annoyed at how he was calmly sipping at his tea. It didn't help how Janmira was doing the same as well.

Although I knew there would be a reason, it didn't mean I would be completely understanding about it all.

He looked down at me, and simply chuckled at my irritation. "I was just sure you would do alright. And I wasn't wrong. Eva might have even liked you since you were there so long."

"I don't think we talked that long..." I muttered.

"Oh, you wouldn't know."

Then, a long, wailing sound resounded all around us. Eleina, who had followed us into the room, looked plenty surprised at the alarming sound as well.

"What's happening?" Regina asked the brown-haired assassin.

"Hmmm... I'm not entirely sure but there must've been a distress call for a council meeting from the other branches," Eleina said. "Anyway, this doesn't concern you, so I urge you to come another time until you could meet with Selena."

"That is a pity," Farseer said. "... But we will come back again."

He stood up, followed curtly by Janmira. I was simply taken aback by the unfairness of it all. I mean, I just had an up-close meeting with a seasoned assassin... I would think we should have gotten something from this visit.

"Don't worry, Princess." Regina placed a hand on my back. "When we return, you'd be welcome without any more problem. After the head has met with you once, the Order would consider you as a guest."

I stood up hesitantly. "... So I really could have died if the High Monk didn't like me."

Regina laughed a bit. "Oh, I doubt that would ever happen. Now, come on."

There was a moment of silence when we followed after Farseer, walking through the corridors once more. We arrived back in the empty, black room and before I could ask how we could even get out, my mentor had taken a step towards the very emblem I first saw and quite surprised me when he knocked at the the creature's head. The whole thing twisted as though from a mechanism, and when it had made a full turn, the wall clicked from within and the room started to shake until the the emblem glowed a hot burning red and filled the room with a light so bright I had to shield my eyes with my hand. When it had died down, I opened my eyes to find that we were back at the deserted rotunda aboveground.

All four of us were present, and although Janmira looked quite shocked as well, the rest of them weren't as disturbed as I was. My stomach seemed to have ran up to my throat, and without warning, I bent over and released all of my breakfast onto the rough pavement.

"Ugh," Regina groaned. "Oh, poor dear. Well, teleporting twice at a time does take a toll on the body."

She gently pat at my back as I heaved out once more. When I was done, a handkerchief was given to me, which I took gladly to wipe at my mouth.

"Are you feeling alright?" Janmira asked, her face masked in uncharacteristic concern. "I was like this too on my first times... It wasn't so fun."

I gulped down at the water bottle offered to me by Farseer, observing how Regina had taken a wand from her cloaks and waved it at the road, and before long, my colorful mess had disappeared.

"How do you do that?" I croaked, sitting down at the edge of the praying woman's statue.

Regina looked up at me. "Are you curious?"

"Quite..." I mumbled. "I've been seeing a few unbelievable magic the past few days."

She laughed. "Oh, I would imagine. You are on the Isle of Malaya, after all."

"Oh, I doubt it is because of where I am, and rather due to who I am with." I mumbled, finding myself tired from all the adventures I have been through.

~~

We've been in the Isle of Malaya for a whole month. Farseer would go down to the Order once in a while. Sometimes I would come, sometimes I would stay behind. Truthfully, I did not learn anything new from all those visits. On the other hand, I found I had a greater curiosity to learn more about the world aboveground than the one under it. What point is it to be up so high in the sky if one does not enjoy the view?

I would steal away from the Flower House and run around Malaya's twisting streets and colorful sceneries. In a new world, I found myself acting like the child I looked like.

"I should probably go back now," I mumbled to myself as I panted into a stop. "I should know about a third of the main streets now..."

"So, I suppose you're not a local then?"

I jumped, and then twisted towards the voice's direction. At the corner of the street stood a young boy. He had brown skin and even browner hair, which curled gently around his handsome face. He wore a fashionable hat most middle class young men wore. With him being strapped in trousers and a clean shirt, I almost didn't recognize him.

"Aren't you-?" I started, but stopped myself. After all, I was clearly wearing boy's clothes, and I doubt he would remember me with my hair cut so short. But, I quickly hid away my face regardless of my swift thoughts.

'What is he doing here?' I thought with a slight panic.

"Won't you help me, though?" the boy asked. "I'm sort of lost right now."

'Did you sneak away from your mentor once again?' I thought.

"I got a bit too excited about seeing the Isle, so I sneaked out from our carriage."

'I knew it! I should really call you Sneak!'

"Don't you ever just stay put?" I muttered in annoyance, wondering if I still had time to spare. After all, I had gone a long way from the Flower House this time, and if I don't go back now, I would probably get an earful from Regina about being late again for lunch.

"Hm? What is it?" the boy asked, his head tilted cutely to the side.

"Ugh," I said. "Little children should just stay put, I said."

"Well, that doesn't seem right," he uttered. "You seem smaller than me, little brother!"

I huffed in annoyance, but decided to help him out in the end. Anyway, as an adult from the inside, I couldn't just leave this child alone. And, he even helped me out back in the Black Cave. I would just see this as an opportunity to pay him the amount I wasn't even able to give him last time.

"So, where did you last see your mentor?" I asked him.

"Eh?" he looked at me in confusion. "Did I ever tell you I was with my mentor?"

"Uh, no!" I muttered. "I mean... I just assumed-"

He waved his hand at me. "Oh, no. I was actually here with my parents. But... I don't really recall where I lost sight of them."

"... Seriously?" I asked, wondering if I should really just leave him here for others to find. The Isle did have some helpful and kind people, after all. Ah, but my guilt would follow me all the way to my house. So, I decided to keep my impatience in. "... Which direction did you come from?"

The boy looked around. "I-I'm not sure. The buildings are a bit too much to place, and the streets just twist and turn around... Even the sky looks different."

I looked up, and didn't really feel it was different from when I was back on level ground. I sighed. "Let's just walk around then. Keep your eyes open. You might see something you remember."

"Alright!" he shouted, a bright smile on his face. "Anyway, if I don't find them, I can just crash at your place, right?"

I looked at him with a sneer. 'Who does this kid think he is?'

After that, we went around the Isle, while he talked jovially about this and that. I took him towards the few large and memorable spots I knew, but he still seemed to be utterly lost. Seeing his unperturbed expression, I wondered if he was even trying to find his way back home.

"Woah!" he shouted, picking up a wickedly sharp sword from a stationed peddler. "Look at this! It's glowing... and hissing!"

"Ah, I wouldn't want to touch that, kid," I said, ceasing from my walk. "That seems to be an enchanted sword from the desert continent of Ashkarid."

He dropped the sword back, while the peddler simply smiled at us with his yellowing and sharply pointed teeth. Of course, I wouldn't tell the boy about how I had picked up the same sword as well a few days back, to which I was rewarded with an artificial snake's bite on my wrist. I was screamed at by Regina quite a bit once I had asked her to heal it.

"Come on, and look around seriously," I grabbed onto the boy's arm, pulling him onwards. "Don't you want to find your parents?"

He was silent for a while, before replying, "They're probably busy doing official stuff, anyway... We still have time to look around."

I stopped harshly at that. "What do you mean? Are you saying you weren't even lost?"

"Umm..." the boy looked embarrassed and a bit guilty. "I really was lost... but honestly, I already found where my parents would probably be... a couple of minutes ago."

"Then-"

"No!" he shouted, inviting curious stares from a few passersby. "I mean, could you show me around the Isle more? If I go back now, I know they won't let me go around anymore."

I stared at him as he looked at me pleadingly, his large brown eyes blinking at me roundly, his lips pouted, his fingers interlocked as though praying...

"Bah!" I conceded. "Fine! Just a few more minutes, and you have to go back to your parents. Where do you think they'd be anyway?"

He looked towards his right, where in the far horizon stood the largest building in the Isle. The dome of glass. It looked exactly like its name, and its stained glass walls filled the whole Isle with a colorful, sparkling view. "The Dome?" I asked doubtfully.

After all, I had heard from my mentor that the Dome was only used for great gatherings. Not to mention that its primary purpose was to house the ancient artifact that kept the Isle afloat.

"What would your parents be doing in the Dome?" I asked.

I found him scratching at his head, his face scrunched up, as though torn about something. "Oh, alright! I'll just tell you! Anyway, you did help me, so it'll probably be alright. But don't tell anyone! Not that anyone would like to know about it here in the Isle anyway..."

"Oh, get on with it, boy!" I shouted. "Just say it!"

He smiled anxiously and looked around before leaning in towards my ear. The warm air from his breath tickled my skin.

"I'm the Empire's crown prince!" he whispered, and quickly jumped back. He stood on the heels of his feet and smiled at me cheekily, dimples showing on his cheeks.