Chapter 17: There is (no) shame in (not) knowing everything.

''Dear mister Camouflage, sir. Can you please be careful with Heiro?''

While I was painstackingly rearranging the bones in my torso, Aereistea came walking over from seemingly nowhere; she knows this place better than I do, I guess.

Camouflage looked at the maiden with a pleasant smile. She looked miniscule compared to the enormous man.

She thanked him kindly for taking care of me.

''Here, you are going to need this.''

I tried to open my mouth to ask what she meant.

Before I could utter a single word she shoved a wooden stick with a ball of hairs on the tip in my mouth. It tasted like liquorice and mint; it was a toothbrush.

I came to the realisation that I had not brushed my teeth for over a day now.. My breath must smell like a dead rodent in a garbage can during a heatwave.

I started to brush as thoroughly as I could. Aereistea was still chatting with Camouflage. They seemed to be well acquainted.

Camouflage was now looking like a rather normal person, instead of a manshaped mountain crafted out of sirloin beef and chiseled granite.

I spat out a fat glob of lightgreen foam on the grass. And smeared it out with my foot so nobody would notice or slip on it.

After I was done grinding my gums into a bloody pulp, I gave the brush back to Aereistea. She giggled and smelled my breath.

''That is much better. I don't mind the smell of fried intrails in the morning. The people we are going to visit today probably will, hihi.''

''Other people?''

I asked Aereistea. She told me that she will not tell me anything, yet. I had the feeling that the Princess was behind this. I shrugged without giving it further thought. Girls are so confusing, I am so glad I am a boy.

Camouflage grinned and said:

''Never been outside before, kiddo?''

I looked away and told him that I have been outside in my world.

Camouflage nodded slowly.

''Then I will no longer halt you from exploring this world, young Heiro.''

I reached out my hand and he shook it with what felt like 0,7% of his total power; which was still enough to pulverize my hand into bonemeal.

After this manly, and somewhat painful handshake, I said Camouflage goodbye with the hope that we will meet again soon.

He smiled cheekily and ruffled my curly hair, only a bit more gently than the first time. It must be because Aereistea was getting upset at him.

I laughed and asked Areis which was the way. She started to stammer something about the Royal Forest and the Spiral Road. While pointing at every location in the courtyard.

I was getting confused trying to make sense of her scatterbrained instructions.

Areis noticed that I stopped listening to her. I was checking out her clothes; she was wearing a light blue summer dress instead of a maid's costume.

It must be getting very warm here in the afternoon. She grabbed my hand firmly and we walked down the path.

Camouflage was waving at us before he suddenly turned around to greet someone else. I could see that a woman he was talking to had auburn hair like the princess. But the woman was much taller, like Valeneira.

They disappeared out of my sight and I redirected my attention toward my guide.

We were walking on a paved road. The road was paved with limestone tiles. The tiles were polished to such a degree that the sparse sunlight in the forest made it gleam like marble.

Areis was wearing soft leather sandals.

I trailed her legs with my eyes up to her dress, until I looked her straight in her beautiful eyes. I looked away quickly out of principle; my loyalties lie with Dyamaetreia. And no one else.

''You like what you see, Heiro''

She asked with a bit of mischief in her voice. I got a bit awkward, knowing that I was checking her out. Even though I am pretty much married to the Princess.

''Yes, the forest is very beautiful.''

I noticed that there were a lot of trees with paperlike white bark; they were Birchwood trees.

''How do your people call those trees, Areis?''

She gave it a short thought and told me that The people of the Dolovia called them Fire Trees, because the white wood and bark was very good for making fires.

And the Mainlanders simply call them White Trees, because they are White.

I told her that in my world the trees are called Birches or Birchwood Trees and that I did not know why they were called that way.

Areis just smiled and stroked the back of my hand with her thumb.

''You don't have to know everything, Heiro.''

Even though I knew that she was more than correct, I still felt a bit upset.

She noticed instantly due to my rather expressive body language. And after a moment of silence asked me what was bothering me.

I told her that in my world I was considered to be a Gifted Child. When I was very young I was always reading books; I was addicted to information and knowledge.

That way I knew a lot more than most people, even most teachers at my school.

I had skipped the last year of primary school, simply because the school had nothing to teach me anymore. Which allowed me to reach secondary education at age 11.

Which was pretty much unheard of, because the last year was considered to be the most important school year for a young pupil.

Because of my high IQ and my long periods of physical illness, it was hard to me to make lasting friendships. I knew how to get people to like me, but it was always superficial in nature.

The buddies I had at school lived too far away to visit me at home and the kids that lived near me did not have time for me.

When they were free from school, I had therapy in order to rebuild my health and strenght.

My school was in a different province, so when the boys in the South had holiday I was in school and vice versa. The town where I grew up in was almost devoid of children.

Like the Pied Piper had paid the town a visit; and my parents were the only ones with the money, and sense, to pay him off properly.

Areis was completely mindblown by this revelation. She was getting tears in her eyes, and pulled me into a warm hug.

''Well, you are here now with us. So I hope that we are enough to fill that hole in your heart.''

The two of us were all alone in the lush forest.

The surroundings were completely silent, except for a few birds who were singing their mating calls.

I looked Areis into her eyes and fought the urge to kiss her on the spot. I am a loyal boyfriend, and the Princess is my girlfriend.

Seeing no harm in bit of cuddling, I wrapped my arms around Areis and I started to feel a bit more at ease. I looked around and saw that the forest was getting less dense.

The sun was shining more brightly through the canopy of leaves above our heads. We were almost out of the Forest and I could see an enormous meadow in front of us.