Neoma (10)

The next day, with her half voice gone, Rachel held true to her negotiation and took Charles and Natty to Eru’s markets. With the poor condition of the town, Natty was vividly reminded of Cot. Although there was a lack of people, she still shivered when she first saw the main street.1

“Okay!” Rachel said, clapping her hands once merrily. “Um… Dmitri was in a bad mood last night so he won’t be any help to you, Charles, with finding clothes if he’s at home.”2

“It’s alright. I just need something without any holes that can last me through the winter.” Charles replied simply, unaffected by the things Natty was.3

Rachel smiled and pulled Natty off into the opposite direction, leaving Charles to find his way around by himself. Running his hand nervously through his hair, Charles remembered that he couldn’t read.4


After some tedious hours of looking for something fitting for Natty and Charles, Rachel finally led them back to Dmitri’s house. The surprise that met them there was Dmitri standing with his arms crossed and the bundles of traveling stuff the four were familiar with for the past few weeks were laying outside the front door.5

“C’mon, we’re halfway to Ce, so we better get a move on so we can get there before winter really sets in.” Dmitri said impatiently.6

Rachel’s face changed rapidly from content-ness to total shock and her mouth dropped open. “Dmitri! That’s the forbidden name! If anyone heard you…”7

“So what?” Dmitri scowled. “Ce is the truename, after all.”8

Natty and Charles exchanged confused looks while Rachel and Dmitri argued whether or not Ce was appropriate. Rachel argued against it, but every time she tried to explain why Dmitri sharply cut her off with point-blank anger.9

“What are you talking about?” Natty asked.10

Unfortunately for her, Dmitri answered while ignoring Rachel’s hopefully idealistic outbursts. “Before the downfall of the royal society and the Prince, along with the rest of his family died, the capital was called Ce.” Charles cringed when he finally understood why Natty probably didn’t tell him that story. Even though it was just a stupid folktale, he still felt like a part of him was ripped off and another, different, part had been returned. Natty scowled darkly, her eyes staring at Dmitri with the sole wish of death. “But now that word is forbidden and anyone who is caught saying it will be tortured or hung.”11

Rachel looked downcast after Dmitri finished talking, but Natty’s eyes were still alight with fire.12

“There is no proof! No proof that the Prince is dead.” She said, struggling to keep the anger out of her voice and the tears away from her eyes.13

Dmitri looked less angry than Natty and his voice was smooth an calm when he replied, “And there isn’t any proof that he is alive either. The same goes for his sister!” Dmitri added harshly as Natty opened her mouth, her fangs extending.14

Charles looked pale and shaken when Dmitri finished. Rachel noticed this and gave Dmitri a sad look before finally speaking.15

“The Prince’s story is very tragic and a sad mystery, but there’s nothing we can do now that it was happened. I believe that the Prince is alive, but that is only a belief.”16

“So what is the current name of the capital?” Charles asked meekly, his face pale.17

“Um… Dmitri won’t allow me to say it because he believes it is a disgrace to the Prince’s legacy and the capital’s truename as whole, so we should refer to it as ‘Ce’ or ‘the capital’.” Rachel
replied.18

“You look awfully pale, Charles.” Natty said, scrutinizing
his face. “Are you sick?”19

Charles shook his head, trying to clear off the sickening feeling. “I… I’m fine.”20

Taking his words a bit too seriously, Dmitri picked up one of the bags and looked at the others with blank eyes. Seeing the sign to get going, the rest of the quartet grabbed the remaining ones and followed Dmitri out the eastern gates and then northeast to the capital.21

It was well after sunset before the quartet reached the east gate because Rachel had spent a good part of the day at the market with Charles and Natty. The walk out of Eru was calming for everybody, for Dmitri’s temper had cooled entirely. Charles’s face had also regained its color and Rachel seemed less on the verge of a breakdown for the second time. Natty had shed tears over the Prince’s story while the three others weren’t paying any attention to her. She was still in a bad mood when they reached the spot for the night, though.