7 | Tower

It had been two nights since the day she ran away and she was currently staying with Xeryn in Dracia, living on the shingled slanted roofs—Yes, you read it right, on the roofs—of the bricked houses. Luckily, no one noticed her climbing up and down there every night. And that was something she wanted to avoid.

Killing birds and taking leftover food in rubbish bins were her ways to keep her stomach from grumbling. She learned that not all places accept jewelry as payment like this town, and what they really needed were bills and coins. A few people clad in palm purple robes had persuaded her to trade her treasures for money but she doubted they'd be honest with her so she decided to play it safe by disagreeing. And that also meant having to live like a peasant for all of her days here in Dracia. It was fine by her, she wasn't used to comfort and luxury anyway and Dracia seemed to be a peaceful place.

'But Scallon is still better.'

Even though she had managed to escape her abductors and had found a place for her, she still couldn't stop the sadness that welled up within her. She couldn't deny the longing she felt for the home she left behind. Everything happened so fast. Her heart sank as she remembered the image of the frozen shelter, the great elm, the river, and the forest itself. The place where she grew up.

'Will I ever be able to come back?'

She sighed. She knew she must not complain. A part of her wanted this, to have a glimpse of the world outside. And she wasn't only rewarded with a glimpse, she was given days. Though, she never wanted her wish to be granted this way, where she needed to be forced by a group of people she barely knew. She dreamt it to be something that she decided—if not on her own...then with her family.

She bit her cheek, knowing that the last one was impossible to happen. Her head tilted back as her eyes traveled skyward. The skies were already blanketed in darkness, to expose the twinkling stars and the entrancing pale white moon that shied away from day. The shadows of night had finally come, which could mean a lot of things. But for Zaff, it only meant one.

'Time to come out of hiding.'

Zaff stood up from the ridge and wiped the dirt off from her clothes. Her arms stretched out as a long tearful yawn escaped from her mouth, the heaviness of it could make anyone sense the exhaustion in her—and even yawn back. After escaping Senchai, she'd been very paranoid of everything around her. Was the group still looking for her? How long would they—Xeryn and Zaff—be able to hide on the roofs? Would there be food for them tomorrow? What if it rained? Would Dracians kill them when they got caught? With all these questions in mind, she couldn't even rest for a full hour. She felt drained and exhausted.

"Xeryn, guard the roofs while I'm gone. Don't go down or wander around, just stay here," she sluggishly told the wolf. It howled.

"Good."

Zaff roamed her eyes around her from above to look if there was anyone around. There were sounds of shuffling footsteps treading on the cobbles and Zaff found that they belonged to a merry looking family that seemed to had just gone out for dinner for they were all clutching on their bloated stomachs and the bubbly children couldn't stop their mouths from voicing out how much they loved the food they ate. Zaff tried to mute out the conversation as she waited for them to pass the road. She didn't like the idea that the kids were making her starve even more. When they finally disappeared, she jumped to a nearby tree before climbing down to the ground.

(Again, I don't own the picture above. Please exclude the castle from afar.)

She walked casually as she took a few rights, lefts, and straight aheads around the vicinity. She even picked up an abandoned rolling apple on the way, deciding to reserve it for Xeryn. Every street she passed by was lit by warm lights that glowed from lamp posts that were thrice the average person's height and lights that shone through the curtained windows from inside the terraced houses. She glimpsed at the tiny shadows cast on their walls and hummed.

'The people of Dracia are still wide awake.'

A few people clad in elegant attire emerged from a curb, leaving trails of their whispers and soft chuckles as they passed by. Zaff ignored them and momentarily closed her eyes as the night wind collided with her face, causing her light blonde hair to go wilder behind her as she passed another bricked house designed with intersecting designs made out of wood, just like the rest of the houses.

People here were far too different compared to the residents of Senchai. Everything here was put in order. All buildings' structures were identical, from navy blue roofs, cream-white walls, and exterior designs. They were all the same, and every single one was built in proper alignment as though everything was all measured and planned out even before they were created. There were no beggars living in the streets that were always clean and most importantly, people here obey the rules very well. Zaff knew it from observation. She barely found any running thieves or anyone littering around. This was a very organized city, much to her surprise. Zaff was still adjusting to her environment and having seen this place, she wished she had known this first than Senchai.

When she reached the town park, she sat on one of the benches that were built for the public and quietly watched the passerbys. They smelled of tobacco and cologne, and the mixture was too pungent for Zaff's unaccustomed nose. She coughed as she tried not to inhale deeply, avoiding the risk of puking at the smell. This was the first place she always visited whenever she would climb down from the roofs. She thought that the place could help her observe more people's actions so that she could learn to adapt.

At the shift of her gaze, a woman caught her eye. Zaff squinted. She had seen her around the area before, although she never bothered casting her a second glance. But tonight was a different case, Zaff's interest had been caught by the girl. She wondered what could be her reason to come here every night. Not that she cared, the girl's reason and whereabouts were the least of her concerns, but she was curious.

Many scented people had already strode past her but the lady was still around as if she was waiting for someone.

'Well, is that person even gonna come?'

Zaff watched as the lady's mysterious-looking eyes darted around her. Even from afar she could see the raisin purple hue of her irises, similar to her hair that was tied up in a high ponytail with thick braids wrapped around it like a snake. Her upturned nose slightly moved as her tinted lips, as dark as boysenberry, curved to form a smile that was directed to a couple that passed by her. Zaff's gaze went down to her slender hands. A small black book bordered with glittering lavender lines was pressed to her stomach as she held it with her fingers.

She had on a sleeveless purple A line dress matched with a pair of knee high black leather boots which made her radiating eyes stand out more against the blackness of her attire. The aura that she held was enigmatic and strong but somehow Zaff didn't feel any fear from her, instead she felt familiarity.

'Hmm, what power does she possess?'

She decided she would figure it out some other time. There was still a significant matter she had to take care of. Zaff stood from her seat and started to walk away from the park. She was just about to turn into an alleyway when a voice halted her in her tracks.

"Excuse me, miss."

She turned around and to her surprise, it was the lady that she had been spying just a few seconds ago. Both of Zaff's brows slightly raised as she spoke. What could this lady want from her? Did she notice her actions?

"Yes?"

The lady grinned as she slightly tilted her head, making her side-swept bangs sway slightly to her forehead.

"You're new here, aren't you? You looked unfamiliar."

Zaff just hummed, not bothering to give an appropriate response. She watched as the girl held out a hand.

"I am Shei Erin, and you are?"

Zaff hesitated for a moment. She couldn't give Shei her fake name. If ever her abductors passed by, they might ask about her through that name and she would be exposed. She didn't want that to occur.

"Zaff," she replied and shook the lady's hand. It was soft and warm to touch, unlike her arctic palms. Zaff was the first to let go, quite afraid that her hand would freeze Shei, and tucked it back in her skirt pocket to keep the coldness to itself. But the lady in front of her didn't seem to be affected.

Shei eyed her face as if she had seen something peculiar about her.

"I don't mean to offend but you look like you haven't slept for days. I've met a lot of ice wielders before but they are never as pale as you are. Are you alright? Where did you come from and where are you staying?"

Zaff lowered her head at her statement, inwardly wanting Shei to cease staring at her. She knew she must look like a ghost right now due to her lack of rest but hearing it from another person caused her more chagrin. She pressed her lips as she tried to think of an answer to Shei's questions. She couldn't lie about living in one of the houses. If ever she asked where, pointing out a random building would be risky. Someone else might come out of the place and the act would be blown off.

She sighed.

"Trees. I'm from Senchai."

She mentally slapped herself when she unintentionally included the first word, that was ludicrous. Her stupid reply made Shei quirk a brow as though she had said something unbelievable—well, it was quite like that. Shei glanced down at her book for a moment before looking back at her.

"You meant tree houses?" she asked. Zaff blinked before giving a nod. She was glad that the lady interpreted it that way.

"Yes, how about you?"

"Well, when you meet the end of this alleyway, you'll see my house in front." She motioned her hand to point out the directions. "It was the only one with a tower, so it's pretty easy to locate."

The girl smiled.

"Come on, I'll show you."

As they started taking steps, Shei Rin glanced at her again. Zaff could sense a hint of suspicion and interest in her tantalizing purple eyes. Feeling uncomfortable, she tugged her hood a bit lower to somehow shield her from her gaze. Not long after, Shei spoke.

"Do you know that it's very rare for a Senchai villager to move out of their place, only to live in Dracia?"

Zaff fought the urge to furrow her brows, she wouldn't want to appear ignorant. If she wanted to keep her identity as a Senchai villager, she must make her believe she knew something.

"I know, but can I be blamed?" Zaff said, "My ears couldn't bear the raucousness of the village anymore, I figured I need a more tranquil place where my mind could rest."

Her answer must be believable for the girl had responded with a laugh, the glint of suspicion in her eyes now gone. Zaff inwardly saluted herself for constructing a good lie—well, not entirely. She really didn't like how rowdy the village was.

"I see, I see. I do understand where you're coming from. Senchai folks really are loud people which was why Dracians dislike them."

They continued to converse more as they ambled through the empty streets until they reached a terraced house at the far end of the village. Its structure and design were almost identical to all of the buildings but it was much bigger in size compared to them, and there was one more thing that made it different. Just like what Shei had said, her place was the only one designed with a tower.

'How could I not notice this before?'

Zafferaine shuddered. What if the woman had seen her on the roofs? Was that the reason why she had been going to the park every night? To spy on her? She gulped.

"You told me you live in a treehouse right? That means you don't have proper shelter," Shei stated as she climbed on the small porch then proceeded to unlock her door. Zaff didn't reply and just stared at her back. She didn't know how to respond to that. When Shei had finally succeeded in opening the door, instead of entering she turned to Zaff.

"Why don't you stay here with me? I mean, it's alright. Besides, I don't have company because my friends are still out in the woods."

Zaff was ready to refuse. It was a tempting offer, considering her current situation but it was too risky and dangerous. She knew better than to accept an offer from a stranger.

"Thanks but no. I don't want to be a hassle to you and besides, I'm fine on my own," Zaff said and prepared to leave. Shei leaned on the door and crossed her arms to her chest.

"Okay, if you say so." She smiled. "But if something goes wrong just come to me, alright? My door is open to you."

Zaff pressed her lips.

"That's so kind of you, thanks. I will."

It was a half-hearted statement, and Zaff forced it out to keep polite. She wouldn't want to plant a bad first impression on someone who had done nothing wrong to her. Finally, Shei entered the house and locked the door behind her with a thud.

At the sound, Zaff swiftly turned around and dashed away back to her place. There was something she had to make sure of. As she jumped to the roof, the wolf instantly stood up from its lying position and wagged its tail as a way to greet its master. Zaff motioned her to calm down as she hurried to check the location of the tower. The lump on her throat disappeared as she caught sight of the narrow cylindrical building a couple of meters away. She realized that the window was facing the opposite side which meant Shei had not seen her and she was safe, but not too safe. Anyone from the village could see her that was why she always had to be cautious.

'At least, one threat is crossed out.'

She sat on the roof with a thud, hoping that the sound did not affect the people living under that border. If they heard it, she hoped they would think of it like a cat's noise or maybe a bird that had fallen from the sky. Either of those would be good, as long as they wouldn't think that a person and a wolf were living above them.

She leaned her torso as she searched for the apple she picked up in her bag and threw it at Xeryn that caught the shiny crimson fruit with its teeth. Then she brought out a piece of bread she luckily saw in the rubbish bin on her way back here and began to munch on it quietly. It was stale and moldy. It was probably left there for days. But she had no choice, she had to eat it to survive.

After taking the last bite, she decided to lie down on the cold navy roof as she waited for the lights to die out so that she could go to the lake and take a bath. Even though she wanted to go there in the morning, she couldn't. There were lots of people hanging around, even at night. The only right time for her was midnight when every single glow of light—from lamp posts or from windows— would be put out.

Then her mind traveled to Shei.

"What a strange lady. Why would she invite a stranger like me to her house and ask me to stay there as if we are close?" she mused out loud. A frown formed on her pale chapped lips.

'And why do I feel drawn to her?'

Zaff had felt it earlier. Shei might be someone that was too strange to be trusted but there was a stir of emotion in Zaff that urged her to know more about the lady. Aside from that, she also couldn't help but wonder about the book that she held. The image of the glittering purple borders was still clear in her mind.

'That is not a normal book, and it makes me want to know what's inside. Maybe I could borrow it from Shei the next time we meet,' she thought.

Her cloud of thoughts puffed away as flickering movements caught her attention. From there, she watched as every single lamp light died down like dominoes. It started from one lamp then to the next and so forth until everything was covered in complete blackness, giving way for the luminescence of the moon to glitter the entire village with its faint glow.

Zaff took it as her cue to do what she had planned to do. Her palm shot out to the edge of the roof and a sloping surface of ice crystallized from the lining, glowing as it extended to the very ground. She breathed as she glided down the slope, the sharp coldness of the ice piercing Zaff's skin even through the layers of fabric. This was the easiest way to go down but unfortunately, Zaff could only do it when it was midnight. She couldn't risk leaving trails of her powers in the earlier hours.

Once her feet hit the ground, Xeryn followed and she immediately converted the slide to snow. Not bothering to look at the white substance that dropped on the floor, they made a run as they blended under the shadows of towering trees.

By the time they reached the lake, Zaff had made sure that not a single person was around. The girl was going to bathe. With that said, she couldn't let a single eye see her naked.

'Tsk! This is why I miss my home. If only I was there, then I wouldn't have to worry about things like this.'

Zaff grunted as she trod towards the still water, listening as the crickets chirped and stridulated at the background. The lake was so clear that it reflected the midnight blue gradient of the sky that held the glowing moon and stars as the spread-out branches of trees bordered the edges of the lake like a massive painting. Irritation instantly evaporated like gas as a surge of calmness flowed through her veins at the lovely sight. This had always been the effect of nature on her.

Zaff started taking off her clothes as she dipped her foot on the lake, creating small creases on the surface that slightly caused the wonderful reflection to wobble. At the contact, chillness enveloped her foot as if it had been one with the cold. It was joined by the gentle voice of the lake, whispering in the form of rippling waves. She smirked as she dived into the lake with a splash. It was the kind of invitation that she would love to give in to.

But just as she gave in, her wolf howled.

"Xeryn?"

Its body tensed and two pointing ears jerked up as its sharp eyes directed somewhere else. Zaff followed its gaze only to see nothing but trees. Her brows furrowed. What was wrong with her wolf? She looked back at Xeryn but it remained in that position, unmoving and alert.

Then there were footsteps.

Zaff's eyes darkened. She swiftly reacted, swimming towards the land as she grabbed her clothes and beckoned Xeryn to follow her. She thought she still had time to get ou—

"Oh my Gorrow! I can't wait to refreshen up!" a female voice squealed.

'Damn it.'

Zaff clenched her teeth as she decided to hide behind a thick bush that extended to the lake.

'Of all the moments, why did it have to be now? Can they give me a freaking break?'

"I know right, it's been a long day. Work's really stressing us out," another voice spoke, this time coming from a man. "Anyway, have you heard of the rumor?"

"What rumor?" a different voice chimed in. Zaff heard a grunt.

"You know? That the daughter of the governor had visited the town and even brought her royal friends with her!"

"Really?!"

She didn't bother listening to their conversation as she tried to find a way to escape. Their voices and the tread of their feet got louder as they neared the bush where they were hiding. Zaff swore that if they suddenly peered behind the foliage, she would pull their eyes from their sockets. She would not hesitate.

"Grrrrrrr"

Xeryn growled. The wolf trembled as if there was a tremor occurring inside its body. Yet it shook not in fright but of anger. Zaff touched the wolf to calm it down. She couldn't risk having Xeryn scare off these strangers, she knew the wolf would only be outnumbered. And as much as possible, she wanted to leave the place without making any conflicts and fights.

"Did you hear that sound?" a woman asked, fear was evident in her high pitched voice that somehow reminded Zaff of a tweeting bird.

"Yeah, I did. Wasn't it your stomach?" someone joked.

"No! Of course not. It sounded like a monster or a wild creature—ugh! I don't know but it scares me!"

A deep masculine voice laughed.

"Don't worry about that, I can take care of that quick," the guy said smugly. Zaff rolled her eyes, she didn't like the arrogance in his voice.

Snap!

The bush rustled as some of its stems were snapped away. One of them who wasn't looking to where he or she was going must have accidentally stepped on the exposed clumps of stems. Zaff bit her cheek. If they reached the bush, it meant they were just one step away from seeing her and she would be in danger.

Zaff signaled the wolf to hide behind the bush before submerging herself down to the lake. She stayed their for a while. Even underwater, she could still hear their muffled voices ringing as they immersed themselves in their conversation. Zaff squinted her eyes as she followed their shadows. They were now moving further away from the area, shifting to her left. Knowing that it was safe to rise, she slowly brought her head back up to breathe.

She pressed herself near the bush to avoid being seen as she eyed them from afar. There were two women and two men, dressed in navy blue tunics and studded leather armor. All of them were lying on the grass as they stared at the sky. Zaff clicked her tongue.

'Guards.'

Yet these guards weren't fully geared, unlike the ones she had seen around the town. She figured that perhaps these people had either left their weapons in their stations because their shift had ended or they were just irresponsible guards. Either way, she didn't care. Their lack of weapons would give her the upper hand anyway. So Zaff took that chance to slowly grab her clothes from the bush and clumped them together, letting Xeryn take them with its mouth while she swam away from the group.

Zaff arrived at the darker side of the lake where lots of trees shadowed the place. She landed one last glance at the guards, just to make sure they weren't looking before she silently climbed out of the water. Trickles of water dripped down from her skin to the ground as she trod carefully towards the fat trunks that shielded her as she put on her garments that she took from Xeryn's mouth.

'Aish."

She moved her toes at a sudden sharp jab and realized that the blades of grass had attached themselves on her bare feet and their cruel tips acted like needles on her soles. Zaff frowned as she shook them off before slipping her feet in the boots. She didn't feel right. Her damp light blonde locks clung heavily to her face like squid's tentacles that refused to let go, and even her clothes felt like they weighed double as its fabric absorbed the wetness of her skin. She sighed in frustration. Her state was definitely not something you could call comfortable but Zaff had no time to complain.

At a jerk of her head, they sprinted through the trees to reach the other side of the lake where the path back to their place could be seen. But just as they were about to turn, a cruel branch lying on the ground mercilessly caught her foot like a gripping hand, causing her to fall down headlong that produce a loud shuffling sound which unfortunately caught the attention of the group.

"Who's there?!" a male guard shouted. Zaff hoped he would think of an animal or something else but no, he initially assumed of her as someone who would steal their stuff. "That must be a thief!"

Garments brushed the grass as they stood up from their seats. "Let's go get him...or her!!"

Quick and heavy footsteps approached from behind and Zaff instantly knew that they were planning to catch her. Despite of the pain in her foot, she forcefully pushed herself up in a crouching position as she signaled Xeryn to jump on her back. The guards' voices were drawing nigh and she knew she must act quick before they could even get a hold of her.

"Hey you! Get back here!"

Zaff ignored the command as she climbed up the nearest tree and used its branch to jump to another then to the next until she reached a street. The group was trying to keep up from the ground so she had to be clever. She jumped down to the ground as she concealed herself in a dark corner. Her heart was racing loudly in her chest at the adrenaline rush. She breathed. Anytime soon, the guards would show themselves up and Zaff would be chased again. She exhaled some air as her eyes looked at the narrow alleys around her. As if a bulb had lit up from above her head, an idea came to mind.

"There you are!"

Just as she expected, the guards had found her and that was her cue to run. She ignored their shouts as she prepared to instigate her plan. Her boots stomped hardly as she made hasty turns in every direction, smirking at their grunts and curses as they struggled to catch up. It was a good thing that she had all paths memorized from her few days stay. Her night strolls had paid off.

After a lot more confusing alleys and deceptive curbs, the number of pursuing footsteps had finally decreased. Even without looking from behind, she knew that there was only one guard left that was hot on her trails. With a gliding turn, she came face to face with a dead end. Its wall stood before her, bricks glimmering against the moon's glory. She smirked at the sight of it.

'Finally, this chase would end.'

It only took one massive leap for her to grab a hold of the wall. Living on the roofs had required her to climb much higher and difficult things, and the 'training' had rewarded her with muscles that were tougher than before. With her upper body strength, she pushed herself up before throwing her legs to the flat roof.

"I guess we're safe here. That was close," Zaff whispered to Xeryn that was now standing beside her.

"Not too fast you thief!"

Her head turned at the voice. In instinct, she used her powers to attack the approaching person. Frost crisped in the air as it successfully hit the man in his eyes. She just stood and watched as the guard fell on the roof from the strong impact of her attack. His hands were trembling as they reached for his eyes. Zaff flinched and felt a slight crawl of guilt as she watched tears streamed down his face like waterfalls that refused to cease until he had shed every drop as if his tears could melt the ice crystals that had blinded his eyes. And if they could, his vision would still not return. Zaff sighed, she didn't intend for that to happen. She only wanted to keep him away.

'If only you have stopped your pursuit, this wouldn't have happened to you.'

Zaff tore her gaze away from him and she turned around, not wanting to see him anymore in his misery as she made her way to the roofs.

As if the man had heard her departing footsteps, an ear-shattering scream tore out of his throat, piercing the air as it echoed all around the town. The act was meant to catch the attention of his other mates, to show that he wouldn't go down without getting his revenge. Zaff gritted her teeth. She hated the fact that the man still had not learned his lesson.

Soon enough, she heard boots treading and sounds of clanking metal from below. Zaff glared at the guard that had caused a scene. First, he accused her of being a thief when she had stolen nothing. And now, he had not only brought his friends, but he had also called the attention of other guards—that Zaff could picture—were all equipped with their armors. She clenched her jaw. Blindness wasn't enough for him, she wished she had frozen his tongue instead or maybe she should have killed him. Right, that'd surely shut him up. But maybe that was just Zaff's anger speaking for her right now.

'Damn this man a seven billion-fold.'

Zaff clicked her tongue as she thought of the only way to get away with this. A frustrated sigh came out. A solution appeared as quick as lightning but she wasn't a fan of her own idea. She even hated that she entertained it, but it was the best option. It was a risk she must take.

Zaff immediately lifted up her wolf and carried it on her back as she sprinted and jumped from roof to roof, not bothering if she had caused a disturbance to the people below. She didn't even waste a second to look behind her, for she knew that the guards were still not able to climb up.

'With their metal armors, it would probably take them a lot of time before they could even get here.'

Zaff continued to run until the tall building was near in sight. She trod faster. Shei's tower gleamed at her, its gigantic windows were opened wide as though welcoming her like it had been waiting for her to arrive. Holding Xeryn's paws tightly, she took a massive leap and plummeted down to the cold stoned floor.

"Uhm hi?" Zaff greeted as she saw Shei's shocked face at their sudden entrance.