Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ My Naga Knight ❯ Chapter 27

Author's Notes: There was a death in the family, so sorry for the progress of anything. It took some time to get things in order and make sure everyone was okay. I've also been trying to wrap this story up as fast as possible. I am on my `wrap-it-up mode'.

 

I now have an editor to look over my works when he isn't busy. I have crowned the position to my boyfriend, haha. So I hope he catches up and catches all my mistakes as my mind goes faster than my fingers way too often!

 

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With the sun rising the next morning, Norris woke up at the sound of the rooster crowing. Making it out of his bedroom, he saw Jin was still sleeping peacefully on the bed he was granted. Norris still remembered the weakness in Jin's legs. Carefully he made his way over towards the slumbering redhead to wake him. His hand reaching out to touch the demon's shoulder, he was met halfway with the former wind master waking up and grabbing Norris' wrist. “Great Goddess!” He exclaimed quietly between them, jerking his hand back. “You must have the senses of a cat!”

 

“Sorry,” Jin apologized, bringing his hand to his forehead. “I am so used to sleeping on alert from time to time.” Realizing that sounded a little funny, he widened his eyes a bit hoping Norris wouldn't ask why.

Norris just found the comment rather funny, but he didn't bother probing into it. “I know the doctor said your legs aren't as strong as they should be.” Here he extended his hand to Jin again. “I am sure I can help you with it. You kind of need to learn to walk at some point.”

 

Jin smiled slightly though with a hint of embarrassment in his expression from where he was resting under the covers with his messy hair. “If you don't find me too heavy to carry.” Moving the covers from his body, he placed his feet on the floorboards to slowly rise up with Norris' help.

 

“I am sorry, but you are a lot heavier than you look!” Norris explained with a light chuckle, helping Jin towards the dinning room table. “First thing is first though, you're going to need some clothes to walk around in.” He tapped his finger to his lips as if to think. “I am afraid none of my stuff will fit you, and I am not sure where my mom put my dad's old clothes either…” His voice trailed off a bit and he seemed to frown sorrowfully at the mere mention of the man. Quickly, however, he perked right back up and waved at the redhead. “I might have an idea where though. Wait here.”

 

The former demon found the young man's reactions similar to his own when Silver died. He knew what was possibly going through his head, but he dared not say anything about it at that point in time. Jin watched as Norris disappeared into another room, leaving him to take in his surroundings.

 

Eventually Norris found the clothes and escorted Jin outside to start his walking lessons. “Just hold onto me for a bit,” Norris begged, letting Jin keep his arm behind his neck. “Just don't lean on me too hard or you might make me fall over!”

 

“Sorry,” Jin laughed a bit, trying his best to keep himself stabilized on his own two feet. “I just haven't used these things in some time.” Holding onto Norris, he took one step forward letting his feet touch the grass in front of him before moving the other one.

 

“How can someone as old as you not be able to use your own two feet?” He wondered aloud only to have Jin slip and nearly fall on him, causing them both to land on the ground. Having the big redhead on him once more, Norris threw his head back and laughed a bit. “I can't keep you up, and your feet can't keep you up either!”

 

Jin rested his head against Norris' nearest shoulder, shaking his head with a smirk. “It sure is going to take some getting used to. And I am not that old.” His baby-blue eyes looked up at the young man with an honest smile. “I am only…” The wind master paused for a moment, realizing that his actual age wasn't normal for a `human'. “Well, umm, I am only 35 years old,” he lied through his teeth.

 

“Older then me,” Norris pointed out playfully as he tried to get to his feet to help Jin once more. “Come on! We're going to get you walking before you know it.”

 

While it took a few hours, Norris was able to help Jin to use his feet and get the use of it down. Holding onto the former demon's hands, he would step away from him at times and have Jin walk towards him. When Norris felt that he had walking down, he took Jin to the shops around town to help him find some clothes he could wear, as Jin had none.

 

Figuring that a regular, stitched V-neck, white shirt would do just fine with baggy, brown pants and boots, Jin followed Norris to another section of the town to see what the humans had to offer. After their walking around, he followed the vibrant, young man carefully to an open field within the village walls. Jin watched as the he plopped down on his backside with an apple in his hand. Norris tossed one at Jin, smiling when the redhead caught it.

 

“You haven't eaten since you got up. It might be wise if you eat that,” Norris suggested with his mouth full of the apple already.

 

Jin joined Norris with a slight look of distaste at the apple he was handed. “I am sorry. I am a big meat eater, to be honest with you.”

 

“Oh, come on,” the young man said, nudging Jin with his elbow gently. “You mean to tell me you only eat meat? There has to be something else you eat. You ate my mother's soup for goodness sake.” When Jin didn't answer right away, Norris paused as well to think of another question. “And your accent is from where, by the way? I notice you accent a lot of your `E's especially.”

 

Having that question given to him, Jin was still difficult about giving the answer right off the top of his head. “Umm, I am from the eastern area of this world, mainly.”

 

Norris was wondering what the foreign redhead meant. “Do you mean from Asia? I think you're from Asia.” Finishing his apple, he tossed what was left of it off to the side. “Your name sounds like it would come from there. But I don't think Asians talk like you do.”

 

“I speak a bit differently from them,” Jin answered honestly. “But I do know that when I was younger, I ate many rice and fish. It was what was around at that time in my life.”

 

Smiling, the young boy leaned back on his palms, gazing up at the sky. His wild, black tipped and blond hair blew about in the tranquil breeze. “How old were you?”

 

Jin shrugged, not really having an answer for that one. “I was young,” he stressed, resting his forearms on his inner thighs he had crisscrossed in front of him. “I lived there from when I was born till probably…17 years of age?” It was the only guess he could throw out, given how old he really was before he left the east with his friend and brother. When the conversation grew quiet, Jin looked at Norris out of the corner of his eye before gazing back in front of himself. “So, I noticed when you mentioned your father you got sad. What happened to him?”

 

Norris' eyes widened momentarily before he smiled almost contently. “You notice a lot.” He sighed softly, gazing back up at the clouds, which passed slowly over them. “He died when I was ten. When a great war broke out over killing demons on sight, he was sent to fight them.” Feeling tears about to well up within his eyes, he closed them quickly. “It was nearing my tenth birthday when I got the news. I never really find my birthdays cheerful anymore without him there.”

 

Seeing that he was obviously in pain through it all, Jin moved in closer to the human's side nervously. “I am sorry,” he whispered, placing his hand upon Norris' cheek. “That is something we both share.” Sighing through his nostrils, Jin's heart squeezed him with pain over the thought of Silver. “I was with someone I loved and was asked to protect when it all started. She was pregnant with my babies when she was hurt in the chest with an arrow.” Jin swallowed hard with having to recall that night. “She suffered before having to die by my own hands.”

 

Hearing how upset he was, Norris turned to the redhead to rest his head upon his chest. “You loved her,” he whispered, burying his face within the white shirt Jin was wearing.

 

Jin held the young boy close to him, resting his chin upon his hair. “I did love her. She was the best thing I had in a very long time.” Closing his eyes tightly as well, he buried his nose and lips within Norris' wild hair.

 

 

 

 

The two men, under Daisy's directions, set the table. Both were quiet, but they couldn't help but eye one another from time to time. Norris seemed to be nervously eyeing Jin though saying nothing. The way he was often sparing glances at the redhead made Jin nervous deep down. He was hoping he hadn't given off any indication that he was previously a snake demon.

 

“Alright, boys,” called Daisy from in front of the clay oven, “dinner is ready, I do believe.” Grabbing a few plates, she put the chicken legs, bread, and carrots all together neatly before heading over to the table to place them down at their respectful spots before going back to grab a few bowls of the soup. With everything in order, she sat down at her chair on the northern side of the handmade table. “Now, let's thank the Goddess.”

 

Jin was confused what that meant. He nervously brought in his hands to hide underneath the table. When he looked over at Norris, he watched as the young boy bowed his head and folded his hands. Must be their God, I guess, Jin thought to himself. Doing what Norris and Daisy were doing, he listened to the quietness around them before both said `grace'. Hearing them finally speak, he looked up to see them finally eating.

 

“So from the east,” Daisy began, as she began to pull some of the meat from the chicken leg, “what all did you eat there?”

 

“We ate something called rice balls,” Jin answered, grabbing onto the chicken as well, as he found it more appealing. “We also had sushi. I ate a lot of fish and rice food when I was there. I guess living here made me get a bit bigger.” He bit into the chicken leg, pulling some of the meat from the bone. Jin had never had chicken cooked before. He was used to eating it raw. Tasting it with flavor other than blood made it more appealing. “This is really good!”

 

“You must have forgotten the taste of chicken then,” Norris pointed out with a chuckle. “I guess amnesia can choose what it wants you to forget at times. I have never seen it do that before.”

 

Jin grinned nervously before finishing the chicken quickly, placing the bone back on his plate. Taking his fork, he poked at the chopped up carrots curiously. “I remember seeing these in farms, but I have never eaten them.”

 

“You mean carrots?” Norris raised his brow slightly, finding that awkward as a majority of villagers always ate them. “They are good for you. You should eat them.” Moving from across the table to where Jin was sitting, he took one on the fork and moved it towards Jin's mouth. “Eat it,” Norris encouraged. “I promise that you'll like it. They taste better when flavor is added to them and steamed in the cooking pot.”

 

Opening his mouth, Jin accepted the chopped up carrots into his mouth. He found them to be interesting in taste, but he enjoyed it all the same. “It is really good,” Jin admitted, working on the others himself. “I guess stuff grown from the ground can prove to be good.” When he continued eating he realized that Norris was looking at him from the corner of his eye. Gazing over at the young man, Jin looked around nervously. “Is something on my face?”

 

“No, no,” Norris insisted, moving some of his wild hair out of his face. “It is nothing.” Moving back over to his seat, he went back to eating his meal for the night rather nervously.

 

Jin witnessed his behavior and found it to be quite odd. When he was finished with his plate, the redhead excused himself from the table. “I liked the food, Daisy,” he said with a smile when he tucked his chair in. Jin picked up the plate to show to the woman. “Did you need me to do something with this?”

 

Daisy nodded over towards the sink. “Put it there, Jin. I will bother washing it off later when I am finished.”

 

With the dish in the sink, Jin made his way towards the door of the house. “I think I am going to look at this town a bit more before I go to sleep for the night. I'll return soon.” Stepping outside, Jin closed the door behind him with his back resting against it with a sigh of relief. The awkward stare with Norris earlier unnerved him slightly, and Jin felt he needed to escape the house for a bit to watch other humans in action.

 

There weren't many villagers out and about at that hour of the night. He witnessed as most of them were making their rounds back to their houses or simply spending a few more moments in the company of another. Wandering to the south of the town, he found English words in iron fancily put on the brick wall nearby. His fingers touched the words to try and make sense of them, but he couldn't read some English words. It was a new word for him, and he couldn't think of how to possibly pronounce it.

 

Looking through the slight mist gathering further up the dirt road, Jin made his way carefully through the fog to follow his curiosity to whatever the place was. A majority of the trees appeared barren of leaves. Jin found the shadows that they caste in the moonlight rather uncomfortable. The further on he went, he found the thick fog beginning to slowly light up a little to reveal many stone markers made by man. “I guess this is their graveyard,” he said to himself, walking over to the nearest grave marker. His knees resting in the damp grass, he moved his hand over the wording of the stone marker to make sense of it. He could only make out a few words on the stone. While Jin was reading it, he paused when he felt as though someone were watching him in the graveyard he was within.

 

Catching something out of the corner of his eye, Jin turned his head quickly to see a shovel high above his head. Inhaling sharply, the redhead forgot how to get to his feet and fell backwards, just shy of the shovel landing in the dirt in front of his feet. “What? What do you want!” He exclaimed nervously as Jin was too frightened to move from where he was sitting.

 

The old man pulled the shovel back towards him with a toothless grin. “Sorry, stranger. I didn't recognize you for a moment. I thought you might have been one of those demons that usually sneak in here at night to rest.” He released a rather strained laugh, as he limped past the shocked Jin, dragging his shovel behind him. “I always watch these tombstones,” the old man said, as he made his way up the small hill to the other row of gravestones. “And for a few nights now, I keep catching demons in the back of the graveyard.”

 

Jin got to his feet, dusting off the grass from his backside to follow behind the old human. “It is probably because it is so quiet here,” he explained, walking a respectable distance behind the man. “Not to mention it is a bit wet out right now. It isn't like they would intentionally attack anyone unless irritated first.”

 

Stopping in his tracks, he looked up at the dark sky before turning around slowly to look Jin square into the eye with a raise of his gray, bushy eyebrows. “You protect them so easily.” He pointed his shovel at the redhead defensively. “Not a lover of them, are ya?”

Forgetting for a moment that he was human, Jin raised his hands up in a surrender position. “No, no, not at all. It is just something that I read about.”

 

“Reading, bah!” He spat, continuing on his rounds about the graveyard. “Reading is for people who can't think for themselves. I never read a lick of a word since I was born. Damn grateful for that too.”

 

“Rather cheerful man,” Jin mumbled to himself. “So what exactly do you do out here all by yourself?” He couldn't help but glance at some of the stones to spy some words he recognized. “Being so old, I wouldn't think someone such as yourself would be bold enough to stay out here if demons are around.”

 

“You young ones are so obnoxious,” he grumbled, looking over his shoulder at Jin through his white, thin hair. “Just because I am old doesn't mean I cannot defend myself.” Taking his shovel, he moved it quickly and smashed a nearby snake that the old man caught lurking nearby. The snake making a shrill hiss upon being quickly injured made Jin cringe, though the man didn't notice. “I am the grave keeper, you idiot. I work the night shifts mostly out here to watch over a bunch of dead corpses.”

 

Jin wasn't sure of what `idiot' meant, but he knew in the man's voice it must have been an insult. “I am sure the spirits are all thankful to you then,” he put out there rather coldly in return. Shaking his head at the man, he turned to leave before being startled again by someone behind him. “Oh, dammit!” He hissed lowly, covering his forehead when he witnessed Norris behind him. “I am sorry, Norris. I didn't hear you behind me.”

 

“And here I thought you had reflexes of a cat,” he smirked, his hands on his hips. Norris took in the place around them with a somber sigh. “Can we go elsewhere to talk? I really don't like the thought of being here.”

 

Jin could understand why given that this was a place where humans put the dead. He smiled tenderly with a slight bow to Norris. “Sure.” When the young man offered his hand to him again, Jin thought it was another attempt to shake hands, but Jin found when he slid his hand into his that Norris held it quite fast and tight. Admittedly, it spooked him a bit. Jin jerked his hand back with a nervous laugh. “Sorry, I just find that to be a bit uncomfortable. Makes me feel like I am going to be dragged somewhere.”

 

“It's okay,” he chuckled briefly, as they made their way down the slight hill in the road back out of the graveyard. “I just wanted to talk to you about something, is all.” As they made their way to the main portion of the town, the marker showing Norris' father could be seen over amongst the numbers of markers in the distance before the fog gathered at the base to cover the name and date up again. It was a primary reason why the young man wanted to escape the dreary sight with knowing that his father's grave would be coming up soon enough. Pushing open the iron gate that he had closed on his way to Jin, Norris allowed the redhead through first before closing it once more. “I just wanted to talk to you about something personal to me, and you seem like someone who wouldn't mind listening and won't spread it around.”

 

“Something wrong, Norris?” Jin asked, hoping he was alright.

 

“I guess many things depending on how you look at it.” He crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at the grass beneath his feet. “Ever since my dad died, I had a hard time with it in some ways.” Norris began to nervously rub his neck thinking about it. “I changed in ways after it, and given what is considered normal in this world, I didn't have the heart to ever tell my mother.”

 

Jin smiled to himself. “I've gone through some changes as well in the past few moons; especially within the last few or so.” He eyed Norris from behind, knowing that the boy had difficulty eyeing him with whatever it was he was about to indulge. “And being normal isn't all it is cracked up to be. What is normal from where I am from may not be so here.”

 

“Well I don't know where this would ever be considered normal.” Norris admitted. Biting his lower lip, he turned around with his hands up in the air for a brief moment before slapping them down at his sides. “I find a better attraction to guys than girls, and I don't know why.”

 

“Sadly, that is something that isn't normal almost everywhere.” Jin hated to admit that, but even demons frowned upon it and saw it as unnatural in most cases. “Even the damned are viewed as not normal if caught doing such a thing.” Feeling Norris' fingers on his face, Jin widened his eyes to look down at his pale lavender.

 

Norris slowly moved his hands down to Jin's shoulders. “And I don't mean for you to take this the wrong way, but I think you really are handsome.” Managing a smile to him, he pulled his hands away from Jin in hopes he wasn't making him uncomfortable. “Sorry, I just had to say that to you.”

 

Jin closed his eyes and smiled. “Your words are too kind, Norris.” He grabbed onto Norris' hands, holding them together within his own. “Back a few years ago, where I am from, we were always allowed more than one person to be with.” Jin knew using the word `mate' would be too weird. “And I had quite a few that I was quite attached to. I never had any males in my group, but I was close to some.”

 

“You had more than one lover?” Norris was a bit surprised, as he walked through the darkness of the town with Jin beside him. “That is usually frowned upon here. You take one person to love and are with them till the end of time.”

 

“Well, we were always told to love all of the ones we cared for equally.” Jin looked up at the starry sky with a soft sigh at having to remember all of the women he had from his old nest. “I loved them all. I even took some in that were starved or lost their husbands to…the world.” He knew he couldn't mention the word `men'.

 

Norris nervously massaged his hands and fingers. “When I was fifteen, I used to meet this one guy in the village after dark. He was older than me by three years, but I still found his company enjoyable.” He couldn't help but smile a bit remembering the time. “He was a sweet and charming guy. He would always leave me gifts whenever I was upset.”

 

Jin listened as Norris paused. “What happened to him?”

 

“He had a better job opportunity in another part of the world.” Norris found an empty spot on the ground to sit near a willow tree within the town. “He asked me to come with him, but I told him I couldn't leave my mother.” Resting his arms on his knees, he fidgeted with a blade of grass he had plucked from the ground earlier. “I gave up the one man I truly loved for my mother. I haven't been lucky to find another one since.”

 

“For twelve years I never bothered searching for anyone else after my lover died,” Jin admitted, as he leaned against the tree's trunk. “I just felt too much of an emptiness to even bother trying to do so. Besides, I traveled around with my best friend who always kept me company and fed me if I were ever too sick to do so myself. He is a great person.”

 

Norris looked up at the towering redhead, watching as the leaves of the tree swayed about them in the calm wind. “Do you think you'll ever find someone else?” He watched as Jin slowly joined him on the ground. Being able to look into his blue eyes calmed Norris a bit and yet, excited him at the same time too. “Do you think I will find someone else?”

 

Jin bit his lower lip, shrugging his brows at Norris. “I am sure when I feel the time is right, I will start looking again. I am sure when you feel the same, you'll start looking again too.” Here, he reached his arm over to rub Norris' shoulder from behind his neck. Jin moved his hands to place them on the young man's cheeks before moving in to kiss his forehead. Gazing back into his eyes, Jin smiled briefly. “We'll both find someone.”

 

 

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Daisy stopped stirring the stew she was working on to clean her hands upon her apron. “Now, you boys be careful at the market.” When she noticed Norris not paying attention to her, she snapped her fingers. “Boy, pay attention when I am talking to you!” She scolded, handing him the sheet of paper she wrote on last night. “Now, I want you to get all of these things, and here is some money for you to get it all with. Don't spend it on anything else, or I will find a way to make it hurt should you do so.”

 

“Yes, ma'am,” Norris said with a nervous bow to his mother. Whenever he was to go to the Eytheria Market, she always got very testy about him handling money. “I promise we'll be careful.” Taking everything he needed, he nodded towards the door when looking at Jin. Escaping from the house with the redhead, Norris widened his eyes and released the stressed sigh that he had. “She sure has her moments.”

 

“So how are we going to get there?” Jin wondered, as he was never sure of human transportation. “I used to walk to the market place, but it almost took me an entire day just to do so.”

 

“Hmm, maybe that is what happened to you. If you walk on foot, you're going to be caught by bandits. They steal everything from you.” Norris turned around, beginning to walk backwards as he spoke to Jin. “But we have better means of getting there. We have a carriage at the local stable. This way!” He waved over his shoulder and ran to the western area of the town where the stable was located.

 

Jin followed quickly behind the human to see all of the barn animals he usually ate in the past. Having to witness them right there without any humans nearby wanting to pitchfork him to death, he felt his stomach growling a bit. Old habits die hard, he grumbled to himself, knowing he had to regain control.

 

“Come here,” Norris called from further down the stable. At one of the opened stalls, he was petting a beautiful brown and white horse while holding onto the leather reins. “This is Angel. She has been my baby for some time now.” Unlatching the rope that kept the horse from breaking out of the stall, he guided her out slowly. “She'll be the one to pull the carriage into town for us.”

 

“I've been on one of those,” Jin said, remembering when he road on one with Lily many years ago. “It is a very nice way of travel.”

 

“Convenient too,” Norris chuckled, as he made it out to the family cart they also kept near the stables, as their house had no place to stash it without it being stolen. He began to work on harnessing Angel up to the carriage carefully while Jin watched.

 

“Con-vent? What was that word?” Jin inquired curiously, as he had never heard it used before.

 

“You know, convenient—it means handy basically.” Norris could still see Jin was confused. Clearing his throat, he tugged a bit on the harness he was putting on the horse to make sure it was in place. “Anyways, I am ready when you are.” Stepping up the wooden steps to place himself in the driver's seat, he grabbed the leather reins. “Afraid there is only room up here for one, but you can step in the back.

 

Jin did as Norris suggested, stepping up the back steps to get inside the back of the cart. Moving the fabric up front, he smiled up at Norris. “I am ready now. Let's get to the market. I cannot wait to see it all.” Seeing the funny expression the young man gave him, Jin hid his embarrassment. “The times I used to go there, it was usually quiet. It was always late at night whenever I went.”

 

“Well, you'll get to see it early in the morning this time! Best time for us to go.” Snapping the reins, he got Angel to trot off towards the Eytheria Market Square.

 

The ride to the market town was just as rocky as Jin last recalled. It did beat walking, if anything. The drawbridge soon coming into view, Jin couldn't help but get nervous knowing that the place was going to be swarming with knights. Seeing the two knights already there at the bridge, he hid slightly in the cart only to feel it suddenly stop.

 

“Don't worry. We don't have anything important on board,” said Norris up front. “It is just my friend and I. Hey, Jin!” He called, hoping to bring the redhead up front so the knights could see his words were truthful.

 

Hearing his name, Jin moved up to the curtains to let the guards see it was just him. He couldn't help but feel a bit nervous seeing the men in armor. Just pretend you're one of them, Jin, he thought to himself after taking a deep breath. Jin waved down at the guards to show that there was nothing in the back of the cart but himself.

 

“Let them through,” one of the knights said with a nod to the other. The end of their weapon striking the ground, they allowed the two to travel on within the market square.

 

When they were out of view of the knights, Norris looked curiously over his shoulder at Jin. “You act rather nervous around knights. Is there any particular reason why?”

 

Sweating nervously a bit, Jin laughed faintly while rubbing the back of his head. “No, no, there is no big reason for it at all. The men just happen to make me nervous a bit. I just don't like higher figures in terms of the law is all.” His attention diverted to the path ahead of him, he watched as the buildings on either side of the road led up to the center of the market area where all of the major trading was going on. Seeing all of the humans, Jin's eyes widened excitedly. “Wow, so many people here. I never knew.”

 

The market was so much more lively and full of people and things. It excited Jin to see so many interesting items while it was all the same to Norris. Pulling himself out of the cart, Jin hopped down beside it even when Norris was still steering it. “Whoa,” he called out to Angel, pulling back on the reins. “Jin, what are you doing? We still have things we need to get for my mother.”

 

“Your mother can wait just a little bit, I am sure! Besides, her only rule was we had to buy the things on her list and get them back to her,” Jin insisted with a wave of his hand. “She didn't say anything about a time limit!” Wandering away from the cart, Jin continued to look around at the lampposts and the many children, men, and women of all kinds who were out and about. The sound of so many people talking made it feel like he wasn't alone anymore after he was torn from his clan. “Wow,” he spoke softly in amazement. Seeing the large castle resting in the distance of the walls, Jin's mouth nearly dropped further when he pointed at the building. “What is up there? What is that?”

 

“It is the castle, silly,” explained Norris, as he dismounted from the cart to get to the stone ground. “That is the ruler of our land who lives there.”

 

Jin widened his eyes in shock. “You actually have a God here on earth?”

 

“No, he just rules over Eytheria, not the entire world!” Norris went on to say with a light chuckle at Jin's enthusiasm. “For hundreds and thousands of miles, he controls and rules over just about everything you see. His word is law.” He paused when looking over at the marvelous sight of the white and golden build castle. “His name is King Alexander and he rules with only his daughter, Princess Demelza, by his side. He used to have a wife, but I heard due to a fierce war that happened thirty years ago, when it came to the struggle over his rule on Eytheria, he lost her.”

 

“What do the king and princess look like?” Jin asked, resting against a nearby lamppost. “What does the inside of the castle look like?”

 

“Jin, relax.” Norris placed his hand on the former wind master's shoulder to guide him to the nearby booths, so they could find what they needed. “Hardly anybody sees the king or princess. You will be lucky if you ever get to catch a glimpse of them.” Norris stopped just outside of a booth selling assorted breads. “But, there is an annual festival that the king holds every year during winter just for the sake of getting the townspeople, or those who can afford to go, to come and spend time in the ballroom of the castle. I went once, long ago, when my dad was still alive. I was only five, but I do remember some of the beauty of the castle.” Trapped in the remembrance of the glittering dancing hall and the beautiful paintings that hung in the ballroom, Norris eventually snapped out of it and continued his shopping for his mom. “But I don't remember what the king looked like, because that was long ago. However, you might be lucky to go this year if everything works out. He always changes the date of when he holds it. Don't know what day or time it will land on this year.”

 

Jin couldn't help but look back over his shoulder at the dazzling castle. “It sure would be interesting to go if he sends invitations out then.”

 

Norris handed the sheet over to Jin to let him read the English writing on it. “I need you to get a few things on this list. Just get the wool, fish, and the potatoes. I've got everything else.”

 

Examining the words on the paper, Jin admitted that he could only read some of it. “Alright, sure, I will see if I can find some of that around here.” Walking away from the booth Norris was at, he made his way to the other nearby ones to check to see what they had for sale. “Fish…I think I remember fish being in this direction.” Just as he took a step to the left, he ran chest first into someone, causing him to nearly be knocked off his feet from the force of it. “Ouch, my God!” He swore to himself, rubbing his chest where he got smacked. “Sorry, I didn't mean to—.” Jin paused upon seeing the young female on the ground with her basket beside her. “Neda!”

 

Neda shook her long, fawn colored hair from side to side when trying to bring herself back to reality. Hearing her name being said made her come back a lot quicker. “I am sorry? Do we know one another?” Getting to her feet, she brushed her long, blue dress off with her palms before picking up her empty basket.

 

“Uh—no, I mean, well, yes. It was long ago though.” Jin took in a deep breath with his hand extended to Neda, as he was getting used to shaking hands. “I am Jin, and I was the guy who was asked by your mother to watch over you.”

 

“You're the `J' in our old letters?” Neda asked in a bit of shock. Her shock went to almost anger, as she backed away from him. “What happened to you then? You only showed up that one time, and it was in letter form!” She looked at him rather sadly through a few pieces of hair that almost reached down to her eyes. “Where were you when I needed you?”

 

“That is why I sent Lily to you,” Jin insisted, placing his hand upon his chest. “A lot of things happened during the past few years. I am sorry I couldn't come by as often. Also, I am sorry about your parents.” Even if he was saying that in general, he really meant for it to be a way for him to apologize about the fire. He always felt that Neda and Blythe deserved that.

 

“Thank you…” Sighing sorrowfully, Neda shook her head at Jin. “You could have been around more!” Her grip around her basket tightening, she nudged her way harshly past Jin to storm away from the redhead, furious that he was gone for so long.

 

Norris overheard the conversation, causing him to sneak up behind Jin slowly. “Is that someone you know?”

 

“It is a very long story, Norris,” Jin expressed, waving the thought away, as he continued onwards through the market square to get what they were there for.