There was no wind and the light was barely enough to identify the things around them.

Zaria looked around and found that they were in a large hall with a stone stage in front of them. There was a chair which was also made of cut rocks on the stage. The chair had a red and white cushion which seemed to be the only soft or luxurious thing in the entire place.

Clan was now seated and the guards had brought wooden chairs for Zaria and Ateel to sit.

"Can you..." Ateel's voice stuttered as she spoke. Her hands tightly gripping her dress.

"I'll tell you everything so please sit down." Clan gave a sigh looking at Ateel.

"We dwarfs have been in hiding for a long time and that rumor about the man-eaters was also for the sake of keeping people away. The only humans who ever treated us well were the people of the mark. Two boys from among the people of the mark got us out of slavery and helped us return home."

"Your highness, My ...." Ateel was getting impatient she was so close to knowing who she was. She could no longer think of anything else.

"I personally don't know anything about your family and I can't guarantee it's truth because what I am going to tell you is just a story I heard from my grandfather who worked at the previous king's castle."

Ateel nodded she was willing to even give a rumor of a fake legend a shot.

'How was the grandfather alive so long ago?' Zaria wondered but held back her doubt as she saw Ateel and smiled. Her friend was for once thinking about herself so she wasn't going to get in the way.

"The name Martin has been buried and no one dares to use it because it belonged to the closest  friend of the previous king. It's said that he died fighting alongside his best friend and his wife was killed while protecting the queen." Clan paused for a few seconds but looking at Ateel's determined face he continued.

"Before going off to war Lord Martin and Lady Erica gave their just-born daughter to my grandfather and sent him to a planet called earth. He was asked to leave the basket with the baby near a place where people could pick the baby up  and only return once the baby was in safe hands."

"So was the baby me?" Ateel asked. Tears unknowingly slid down her cheeks.

Clan gave a light cough signaling someone to get water.

"The name Ateel Martin was engraved on the basket," he said with a sigh.

"Does it mean my parents are really dead. Why did they want to leave me like that? Why did they ask your grandfather to return." Ateel asked all at once.

"I can only guess but I think they didn't want you to have any connection with this world." Clan said. "I don't know anything about your brother though they must have hidden it even from us and sent him by some other means."

"Thank you," Ateel responded in a low voice and stood up. "Can we rest for some time?"

Clan gave them a nod as the guards led them away.

They were brought to a plain room in the mansion. The room had a large bed and a table with a few chairs.

The guards bowed and left. The room felt cold and uncomfortable because of the almost unbreakable silence.

"I was found by my adoptive mother," Ateel finally spoke after some time. "My name Ateel Martin was engraved on the basket she found me in and for some reason, she did not change my name."

Zaria extended her hand and lightly hugged Ateel. To a person like Zaria who normally avoided hugs it was something that meant a lot and Ateel knew it very well so she relaxed and started crying to her heart's content.

"My birth parents ...are no more and even my... adoptive mother died... when I was 11." Ateel spoke in between sobs. "Did I commit some sin... to be punished like this?"

"Ateel..." Zaria patted her head and smiled "you're the highest ranked person alive."

"Huh???" Ateel looked at her doubtfully.

"See you're the king's best friends daughter." Zaria tightened her grip hugging Ateel tightly.

"At least you know who you are now and you know that the life you had wasn't a lie like mine," she mumbled to herself letting Ateel go. "You had problems but at least you weren't lied to or made a fool."

"What are you mumbling about?" Ateel had recovered due to Zaria's light hearted comment.

"Oh, I was thinking about how I should address you." Zaria leaned forward with a grin on her face. "You're of such high status."

"What use is it when my parents are already dead?" Ateel shook her head slightly getting depressed.

"Why should it lessen your honor." Zaria flicked Ateel's forehead. "I want to call a high-ranking noble's daughter my friend plus who asked you to think that your parents are dead. No one actually saw their corpse so they must have escaped."

Ateel nodded her head with a smile.

"Thanks for being here." She said with a low voice which was barely audible.

"Where would I go if not here," Zaria whispered as a tear trickled down her cheek which she hid as she turned away and headed towards the door. "I'll get something to eat so get some rest." 

Once out of the door Zaria shut it behind her. She leaned on the wooden door and let out a long sigh. 

"Mom, where are you?" she whispered