ORDINARY VISAGE - 24

My decision to call the black horse I rode crazy was because he seriously displayed his madness perfectly. The black-haired horse gallops towards me, so with my mind frozen for a moment, I can only stare at the giant snake while hugging Ruel who is turning into a cat. Ruel squirmed uncomfortably, maybe irritated that I stayed silent instead of running away. He eventually broke free and left me. I realized that this was not the time to be stupid in a precarious situation like this. I ran with all my might even though Ruel and the crazy horse were left behind. I feel like they intend to make me the giant snake's prey.

"Hey, what should I do?!" I said panicked. The snake behind me quickly slithered while sticking out its tongue. I shuddered as I looked back. The large snake slowly slowed its way, as if deliberately enjoying the tension I was experiencing.

"Keep running, Abby! We can't beat him!" Ruel ran in his cat form. He jumped over the rocks, and crashed into the bushes. In front of it, the black horse kept running until its form disappeared into the big trees. I continued to pace my run, not wanting to imagine myself being torn apart by the snake. Even if it's torn to shreds. Actually I'm not so sure that even the snake likes not to eat my meat which most likely tastes tough.

"Abby, the snake is getting closer!"

I turned again, whimpering when I saw the snake only ten meters from me. I looked left and right up and down, looking for something I could use. I ran even faster, then hugged Ruel. I threw myself into a steep, slippery abyss. My body rolled, crashing into bushes and scratched by sharp branches. We finally fell into a chalky place that seemed to be the Asat River. Most likely the water is receding. I looked up, staring at the high cliff where I had fallen. There was no sign of the snake chasing here. I carried Ruel who was groaning because I accidentally threw him during landing. The skinny white cat looks pitiful. I'm sorry.

"I'm hurt too you know. Look," I showed the wound that was on both my cheek and hand. Ruel meowed. I sighed as I held her gently. I've lost the horse now. I walk towards the riverside, then sit Ruel on the green grass. I opened the map, then surveyed the route I'd marked just now. I don't know where this is so it seems I have to get out of this forest first.

"It's late," Ruel muttered. "Where are we going to rest?"

"You're hungry, huh?" I put it in the bag. As usual, slightly opened the bag for him to breathe. Ruel didn't say anything. "We're going to rest, but not anywhere near the white snake. Would you like to wake up in the snake's stomach?"

"I cannot be chewed, Your Highness."

"If you can't chew it, just swallow it right away."

Ruel laughed. The sound is cute. "Your Highness hasn't changed it turns out."

"What was your former Highness like?"

"Like Your Highness now," said Ruel. "Your Highness only changed human form. Nothing else has changed."

"What if I change completely? Are you still willing to serve me?"

Ruel put his cat's head on my neck. Apparently he came out of the bag. "I don't care even if His Highness is no longer the same. I will still serve His Highness."

I chuckled at his words. "You sound sincere, Ruel."

"Is it not, Your Majesty?"

"Just call me Abby. Do you want me to make dinner tonight?"

Ruel goes back into the bag. "I'm sorry, Abby. Does everything I say sound insincere?"

"I don't feel sincerity from anyone, Ruel." I walked following the flow of the river, found that there was a part of the river that was flowing with water. I saw some fish swimming there. I sat Ruel away from the river, then got ready to stab a passing fish with a wooden branch that I had picked up while on the way. Ruel went into the water too, his body wet. He caught fish with his sharp fangs.

"Abby?"

"You're going to say you're hungry again, hm?"

Ruel was silent again. It's getting late. The sky is now dark. But I, who had been trying to make a fire, always failed. Ruel suddenly transforms into a human. I remember he could only assume human form at night outside the Red Territory. He flicked a flame from his hand. "You can make fire in your own power, Abby."

I raised an eyebrow. "The method?"

"I see," Ruel snapped his finger confidently and a spark was born. I followed, but only empty air was created. I tried many times, but nothing.

"Okay, I'll just turn it on."

Ruel wanted to make a bonfire, but I prevented him. "I don't want to give up yet, you know. Don't underestimate me."

I keep trying again. Ruel faithfully waits. I don't like seeing him starving, even I want to eat myself, but I want to try. Well, it looks like giving up isn't anything to be ashamed of for now.

"Okay, you go Ruel."

We ate grilled fish to our fullest in the end. I sat leaning against a tree and closed my eyes. Today a lot of crazy things happened. I remember everything I went through while planning tomorrow's activities. There are so many mystery boxes that I have to open one by one to entertain my curiosity. I also have ambitions to return home and live a normal life again. I don't want to be nobody.

"Please sleep here, Your Majesty."

Ruel tapped his thigh lightly. he smiled. I don't complain anymore when Ruel calls me His Highness, because maybe he's not comfortable calling me that. I yawn, resting my head on Ruel's thigh. "Please wake me up if there's a snake, OK?"

"If there is no snake there is no need to wake up?"

"I'm sure you won't let me fall asleep if there's a horrible creature around, right?"

"Good, Your Highness."

I close my eyes. Suddenly I feel Ruel's hand moving through my hair. He stroked my head. "Why are you with His Highness Mauve?"

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, how was your meeting with His Highness Mauve? What made you want to serve him hundreds of years?"

"That is a difficult question to answer, Your Majesty."

"Yes, if you don't want to answer."

I tilted my body, imagining beautiful things ahead. "I am ashamed, Your Highness."

"Shy?"

"I'm just a cat outcast from Heaven."

I opened my eyes, looked at Ruel's blushing face. "Why were you banished?"

Ruel fell silent. "Because of Your Majesty's blood, I can turn into a human. It happened a long time ago. I didn't force Your Highness to remember, because I too deserve to be forgotten."

"Yes, that's right. You deserve to be forgotten, Ruel." I cleared my throat. "My question that was supposed to be answered first, dong."

"There is a certain reason, Your Majesty. I want Your Highness to remember it yourself."

I closed my eyes again, looking for a comfortable position to sleep tonight. "I don't know you, Ruel. If you're not mistaken, I'm not your old Highness anymore."

Ruel didn't answer.

"I want to know you again." I felt drowsiness creeping up on me. "I hope you are sincere to be with me."

Ruel stroked my head again. I yawned, feeling myself slipping further and further into the realm of consciousness and dreamland.

"Thank you for being reborn Your Majesty."

—Ordinary Visage—

I'm going crazy this morning. My stomach wants to be filled while Ruel has become a cat, which means I have to try to make fire myself. In front of me there are some raw fish covered with leaves. I've tried many times to make a fire by rubbing the two stones together but to no avail. I'm sick of being primitive here.

"Looks like all the fish are yours now" I tell Ruel. "You're a cat, surely you can eat raw fish, right?"

Ruel shook his head. "I can't eat raw food, Your Majesty."

"Then what do you want me to do in the morning with an empty stomach like this?" I leaned limply. The morning sun had been shining brightly since earlier. "Or maybe I just eat you raw, hm?"

Ruel ran away into the forest. I gaped, holding up the raw fish. "Hey, you seriously don't want to eat this? If I'm a cat, I'll eat it right away, you know!" I shouted. Ruel didn't answer. He's gone somewhere. I can't believe a cat like her knows how to sulk.

I again picked up the two stones and rubbed them together, hoping to spark some fire even if it was only a pseudo bow. I don't understand what is lacking, maybe I'm impatient or it could be because nature doesn't want it. Obviously I want to eat now.

"Honourable!"

Ruel runs up to me excitedly. She pointed a place with her tiny hands. "I found an apple tree. We can eat it!"

"Can cats eat apples?" I muttered as I followed the excited Ruel. I don't understand how Ruel was brought up, because he's such an annoying spoiled cat. He is fond of human food. Strange.

Finally we arrived at a big apple tree with luscious soccer ball sized apples. This is an amazing find. I could be an apple dealer in Greece if I could carry hundreds of tons of apples. There are no apples that big. I stared at the tall, towering tree in confusion. "How do I take it? I can't possibly stung it, can I?"

Ruel climbed up with his sharp nails. "Just let me climb, Your Majesty."

"Wow, so I can just watch from here?"

"Please, Your Majesty."

I laughed at that. While Ruel was struggling to get the apples, for some reason I remembered Shiloh who at that time also helped the palace people get the apples. I'm sure by now Shiloh must not have noticed I left her and she must be fine given her high level of socialization. It's also possible that Shiloh doesn't remember me anymore because she was so engrossed there. Obviously everything is my fault. If only I hadn't asked Shiloh to find out, and if I hadn't kept Mr. Grey, I'm probably already home watching movies. But everything is just a false hope. Everything has happened. I even got to the fact that I am someone's Highness. That right sounds dubious, but it cures the lazy soul in me a little.

"Your Highness, watch out!"

A large apple fell punching my face. I feel like my surroundings are blurry, and my nose feels boneless. This is what it feels like to be hit by an apple the size of a ball. Instantly died in an instant.

Ruel went down in a panic. He observed me which was no longer radiant. "Your Highness, forgive me. Get up."

"Don't think about me. Just fill your stomach," I said as I lay down, looking at the shady apple tree that shaded me. "I promised to fatten you up, didn't I? So it starts today."

Ruel nodded obediently. He ate the apple with sharp teeth. I sat, biting into the unwashed apple hoping not to get a stomachache or the biggest consequence—loss of life. I'm also not sure whether this apple is safe because of its large size, considering that there could be a genetic mutation that I don't know about, right?

My stomach is rumbling again. Yes, please, just eat.

Ruel had already finished half the ball-sized apple. I'm just gawking compared mine is still big. I pulled Ruel's body, lifted him high and watched him. He's pretty cute when he's a cat. His eyes are yellow though when he turns into a human they turn red. I cleaned the remains of food around his mouth, then pinched his cheeks. "While in Heaven, who were you raised by, Ruel?"

"Leave me first, Your Majesty."

I'm laughing. "You're embarrassed again, Ruel? Why, hm?"

"Of course because Her Majesty is beautiful."

I chuckled, put him down and stroked his head with my forefinger. "Thank you, Ruel. Everyone should know that I'm beautiful."

"Only a fool doesn't see how beautiful Your Highness is."

"Well, then please answer the question earlier," I said, "are you a diversion or what? You want me to believe you but you don't deserve to be trusted yourself. I'm confused."

"Is my past that important, Your Majesty?"

I shrugged. "It doesn't matter, really. Forget it. Don't expect me to believe you."

Ruel fell silent. The remaining half of the apple was turning brown. I continued eating while watching Ruel. He is a very sensitive cat. What made him not want to talk about his past?

"I can't tell you, Your Majesty," he said after a long silence, "I don't mind if Your Highness doesn't believe me."

"If I don't believe you, that means I dare throw you away, you know?" I said casually, not caring about Ruel's cat face looking at me with teary eyes. "Besides, I'm not a good human being. I'll leave you in the Red Territory."

"I want to go wherever His Highness goes."

"What do you get if you come with me, Ruel?" I raised an eyebrow. "If I really am your Highness, then I will declare you free, Ruel. There are no more ties. You have the right to determine your own path in life."

"I don't want to be free, Your Majesty."

I sighed. Seems like a waste talking to Ruel. I sighed. "I'm not a good person, Ruel. How come you want to get close to me anyway?!"

Ruel didn't answer. He rested his head on my thigh and smiled. "Your Highness doesn't need to be good. Your Highness is more than enough for me."

I am annoyed. I am not Venerable Mauve. I'm just someone using all of this to my advantage. I don't want to be known as someone else. I'm nobody here.

"Caviar Barnaby. That's my name, Ruel." I spoke slowly, looking at Ruel's nanar. "If you want to be with me, don't call me Your Highness anymore." []