I teleport back to Destain, using my magic to hide my wings. I use my hair to cover my red eye and hide my face with my hood. I stuff my hands in my pockets and stalk down the many winding streets in the village surrounding the kingdom's centre. It doesn't take long before I reach a market place. The area is swarmed with the usual crowd of people buying food, jewellery, clothing, and other things. Others are walking around the place, conversing with others and running the little shops that are scattered around. A fountain is in the middle of the square-like area, a statue atop it.

Walking up to the fountain, I inspect the statue. It is of a beautiful woman. Long, flowing hair. Soft, gentle eyes. She wears a beautiful dress with straps that flow into a graceful V-neck. The loose-fitting sleeves of the dress reach about her elbows. A small ribbon is tied just above her waist, causing the top to have a relaxed, but elegant fit. The skirt of the dress flows outwards in the statue's frozen position, but would reach just below her knees. The statue is wearing and ornately designed tiara and necklace with a simple anklet.

The charm of this anklet is one I haven't seen before. A symbol? A hieroglyph? A letter? I'm not sure, but it's beautiful. One line used to form two circles directly opposite each other. A line that, when traced, could go on forever. A never-ending curve. I'm thinking too deep into this.

The statue is positioned with arms out, grasping onto something. A jewel. Bet you can only guess what that is. Who am I talking to? The statue's hair and skirt are being blown back by a non-existent wind. A pair of feathered wings are outstretched from her back. I wonder... if she was real...

Were her wings white?

Or were they like mine?

"You come here often?" a voice drags me back to reality. I turn to see a man, probably around the age of thirty, at my side. "You don't look like a tourist, kid." He continues.

"No," I say sharply, turning back to the statue. "My family and I moved here recently. I'm just looking around." That's one of my go-to excuses when humans see me around and about the village. It's quite small around this part and almost everyone knows each other, as I've seen.

"Ah. That explains it." He looks up at the statue as well.

"Who is she?" I ask out of curiosity.

"You don't know? Jeez what do they teach you kids in school these days?"

"Sorry Sir, but I'm not from this kingdom."

He chuckles. "Ah. That makes more sense. Well kid, to answer your question, that there is Princess Misericordia. She liked to go by Mercy though. She lived probably centuries ago. Maybe more. She was said to... guide the soldiers during the Great War? Or heal? I don't know much more kid. You might have to research the rest. But you don't look like one to read much."

I shrug. "I dapple. Thank you for the information though."

"No problem, kid."

He nods his head as he leaves to continue his daily activities.

Hmm... Interesting. I wonder where the library is...

After taking one last look at the statue, I walk out of the market place area and down one of the branching streets. It's not as busy as the market place was, but that doesn't mean it's completely empty. I notice a sign hanging out the front of one of the buildings. It has a carving of an open book on it with the word 'Library' written on it in big letters. I push open the door hastily.

Taking off my hood, I walk down one of the isles of shelves. The books are lined up neatly, some missing as the other people in the building are reading them. My finger skims the binding of most of the books I pass, my eyes quickly scanning the titles of each one before moving on to the next. Let's see if I can even find any information on this so-called 'Princess Misericordia.'

Why are you even looking for information on this woman anyway?

Why not?

Don't you have a mission?

Please! I asked for a month of time. I got two.

It's a very elaborate mission. You're gonna need all the time you can get!

I've gotten ten times as much intel as my teammates in the span of about a fortnight. I can handle a break!

You call researching some centuries-old iso-like princess a break?

Well it's a break from what I'm usually doing!

Yeah but—

*CRASH*

My thoughts are interrupted by a crashing noise, followed by someone toppling onto me.

"Ugh!" I groan.

"Ouch!" a female voice groans from on top of me. "O-oh my god! I'm so sorry!"

The female human gets off me and holds out a hand for me to take. I look up at her. She has long, blonde curls that she has tried to tame in a ponytail. Her blue eyes are framed by a pair of glasses and a deep purple scarf is tied loosely around her neck, despite the relatively warm weather.

"Uhm, are you okay? Y-you didn't hit your head or anything, did you?" she asks concerned.

Crap.

Ha ha! Sucked in!

Shush!

"U-uh, no. N-no I'm fine thanks," I stutter, taking her hand. She helps me up, despite how extremely short she is.

Oh my god! Why'd I stutter?

Ahahahahaha! Oh my god! This just keeps getting better! Ahahahahahahahahahaha!

"Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?" the girl asks quickly.

"No, no. I-I'm fine," I assure her again. She breathes a sigh of relief.

"Good. I was worried there for a second." She laughs nervously. "U-uh. I'm Sophie."

"Uh, Liam."

Crap.

Oh my god! Seriously?! Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! You're killing me right now!

"Well, nice to meet you Liam," Sophie says cheerfully, shaking my hand, "So, what brings you to the library?"

"Well, I've been rather interested in learning more about Princess Misericordia recently. Being from a different kingdom I don't really know much about her." I answer truthfully. Well... half-truthfully.

"Ah! I see. Well, here's a good volume you could start with." She turns around and starts looking through a pile of books that lies in the middle of the floor. Wait... that wasn't there before was it? Then I notice the small bookshelf laying face-down.

"Do you want me to help you sort those?" I ask.

"Huh? Oh No, no. It's fine," she responds as she sifts through the grounded books, placing the ones she's looked at neatly in an order. "I'm just too weak to lift the shelves back up. I'll get one of the other people who work here to help."

"No. I insist." I put my hand on the bookshelf, leaning down. She looks up and our eyes meet for a moment, our faces inches apart. She blushes slightly. Wait she's blushing? Her glasses fall down the bridge of her nose, causing her to become startled. Her blush doesn't fade as she lifts her hand to adjust them.

"U-uhm. Sure. O-okay," Sophie agrees finally. I laugh at her flustered appearance as she begins sorting through the books again. I grab the toppled-over bookshelf with my other hand and lift it.

Damn it's heavier than I thought it was.

Why? Are you trying to impress our new friend?

Shhhh—no! W-why would I be trying to do that?

Oh... I don't know...? Lo—

I don't feel love.

Woah shit! That was blunt!

But it's true, isn't it? I'm not supposed to feel love and stuff like that! So why am I feeling this?

Simple. She's different.

How?

You'll have to figure that out yourself.

I finish picking up the bookshelf and kneel down next to Sophie to help her with the books that still lay on the ground in a heap. I grab the nearest book to me as Sophie explains the organisation system they have. Once she's finished explaining, she asks if I know what I'm doing. I nod and begin stacking the books as she told me to, giving certain ones to her and vice versa.

After a while of sorting, the two of us pile the books back on the shelves. I notice that Sophie has set aside a certain book.

"What's that?" I ask, motioning towards the book.

"Ah! That's the volume I was talking about for you," she says factually, "The one about Princess Misericordia." She hands me the small book.

"Thanks, Sophie!" I say, examining the cover. Leather dyed a shade of pale green with gold embroideries as a border around the edge. I figure is drawn in the centre, but its is so aged that I can't make out any distinguishing features aside from a small chain anklet with that never-ending curve on it that the statue had. This image must have been of the Princess herself.

"You're welcome," Sophie smiles, "There are chairs and desks a few isles that way and to the right. I always find it relaxing to read, so, don't accidently fall asleep in the middle of your research!" She giggles. Man, why was that cute?

"Thanks again Sophie," I smile down at the short girl before me. I'm about to follow her directions when she stops me in my tracks.

"Hey, uhm, random question," she says timidly, "How o-old are you?"

"16. Why?"

"Really? Me too. Uh... You going to the school in the village? Grande Avenue?"

Shit.

"Uh, I'd have to ask my parents about that one. I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

"Oh, okay." She seems defeated. I kinda feel bad... wait I'm feeling something?

Holy crap that's new! *obvious sarcasm*

No, it feels... different.

Relax idiot. It's a phase. You'll grow out of it.

Hmm... okay?

I give Sophie a polite nod before following her directions to the sitting area. Sure enough, the area is covered in small circular desks with red sofas surrounding them. People are dotted in some places around the seemingly large room. I take a seat at an empty table, placing my book on the wooden surface and opening it to the first page. Quietly, I begin reading.

This may take me a while.

*****************

Hi again! I have no idea why, but it feels like I haven't updated in ages. Probably because I went down the coast for a week. I probably missed my deadline. Sorry if I did!

I'm surprised though. That entire chapter was in Liam's PoV. I thought it'd be in Luna's. Hmm... Welp! That's different!

I'm gonna upload a chapter of Never Meant to be a Werewolf as well 'cause I have one written and why not! So yeah.

Well! I'm gone now! Bye Crystalites!