Closed The Dawn of a New Life (Timothy)

[Sayana]

Summer 71, 515AV

The previous night was a whirl. They set sail and were shown where to store their gear and which hammocks were theirs. They were going out with the tide as Syna was just about to set. It was only now that the exhaustion of the day’s events kicked in. But just as Sayana was hoping to retire for the night, the captain strode in with a knowing smile. Despite her exhaustion, there was something comforting being able to do something she did well and enjoyed. She bid Timothy good night and promised to return in due time.

It was simple, and almost a little bland apart from the constant rocking of the ship that she hadn’t quite gotten used to. Yet it was comforting and she was pleased to see the captain enjoying himself. He was a little disappointed when she had to leave the captain’s cabin to return to the sleeping quarters of the rest of the crew, but she wanted to be there for Timothy in the morning.

She glanced fondly at Timothy and the babe with the hint of moonlight that got through, and then collapsed into the hammock. Hardly a tick passed before the young mother was asleep. The rocking of the waves swayed her gently and she didn’t wake until dawn came. The dawn of a new life.

---

Crying. Wailing. Petching hai! Her first instinct was to plug her ears and attempt to go back to sleep. But then realization hit her like a brick. No, she was responsible now. She was going to care for this baby. She was going to nurture it, love it. She was going to take care of Andreas.

Sayana blinked in the dim light as she shifted in the hammock. Far less than gracefully, she managed to get out from it and land on the slowly rocking floor boards. “Timothy, what do you think is wrong? Andreas wasn’t like this last night. He’ll wake the whole crew at this rate…” But when the Eypharian looked around, she found most of the cabin empty. Apparently sailors started their day early.

There was still the incessant crying. She had to love and nurture… oh. “Tim, maybe he’s hungry. Do you think… he still needs milk?” With little to no modesty, Sayana shifted her black dress so she could reach inside to grasp at her breasts. She had once had something. It would leak slightly yellow but it was something from her bosom. Her breasts had sometimes been painful during pregnancy. Maybe she could start just enough of it going. “Don’t mind me Tim,” was her only warning before starting to grope her breast and pinch at her nipple. Nothing much happened for the first chime and she tried to keep patient with the wailing of the baby. She was almost about to resort to her cookbook for mothers and babies when something started to trickle out.

“Here here, hand him to me,” Sayana beckoned as she held out a set of free hands to take the crying baby. It was a little awkward trying to hold him and nurse him at the same time but she managed to find a position to bring him close to her milk supply. For the first little bit, he didn’t seem to be getting it but with some encouragement and trying to squeeze some more milk for him, he managed to get the idea.

“Do you know how often he eats?” Sayana asked as she suddenly realized how little she really knew about raising a baby. “Or maybe he’ll just let me know?”

[Timothy Mered]

Shortly after Timothy had clambered into his hammock and thrown the blanket over himself and Andreas, he’d fallen asleep. There was no bed for Andreas and even if there was, Timothy feared the little one would roll over the edge and fall on the ground. Instead, he kept Andreas close and wrapped both arms around the peaceful baby. “Sleep tight little brother,” he’d whispered just before dozing off himself.

When he awoke it was to the most ear-piercing sound he’d heard in a long time. The hull of the ship had a way of amplifying the little one’s hungry cries. Yet, it took him half a chime before he realized the red-faced Andreas, kicking and crying was the source of the sound.

A slender figure approached him. Slowly, everything dawned on him again and he shot upright in his hammock. A lump the size of a log stuck in his throat. He’d gone and stole a baby, wandered off with some stranger and-

As soon as Sayana spoke, her voice drowsy, his worries washed away. Everything, down to the way she spoke his name oozed with genuine care and he knew he’d made the right choice to give with her. At least she cared for him just like he cared for little Andreas.

“Maybe he’s sick,” Timothy replied in a gruff voice. His eyes were only half open and one side of his hair was spiking like a pincushion will the other half had been pressed flat. A tingling warmth crawled over his skin and he felt the urge to splash some cold water in his face to wake up properly.

Sitting completely upright he lifted the wailing Andreas and sat him down in his lap. He still remembered fondly how his mother had pressed her palm against his forehead whenever he’d been crying, and so he did with Andreas. The little forehead was searing hot and the Syliran boy was crying his lungs out.

Timothy’s eyes opened a little further as Sayana prepared to give Andreas the breast. He’d seen it before, but he hadn’t expected Sayana to be quite so open about it. Not thinking too much of it he simply nodded. “Yeah he might be hungry and thirsty.” His stomach rumbled quietly in reply. “I know I am,” he added with a sleepy smile, “and he’s definitely on milk still, last I saw him with Aenysa he was at least.”

While Sayana fiddled with her breast, Timothy took the chance to soak up his surroundings. The space allotted to the crew was small, dank, and rather crowded. Still, he’d had a good night’s rest and it wasn’t too hot or too cold. Perhaps even better was the fact that the Captain’s men hadn’t slit their throats in the middle of the night either. It seemed they were safe for now, sailing away from all kinds of trouble.

After he’d handed Andreas to Sayana, Timothy hopped out of his hammock, his kneecap making a terrible snapping sound as he landed. “Ouch,” he hissed through his teeth. The pain faded almost instantly though and he spotted no permanent damage. Quietly he dropped to both his knees and grabbed his clothes. By the time Sayana spoke up again, he’d slipped into his trousers and boots and had his shirt slung over his neck like a towel.

The young babe happily sucked its morning meal from Sayana’s breast. His large and glowing hot forehead began to cool and his tears started to dry. The young boy had little attention for any else as his thin lips wrapped around Sayana’s nipple.

“Do you know how often he eats?”

“No idea,” Timothy said. “I guess he needs to eat as often as we do, If not more. And he’ll sure as hell will cry when he’s hungry,” he chuckled. “I wouldn’t worry too much, he’s pretty healthy I think. He just cries a lot around everyone except well…” he mulled some invisible dirt over with his feet, “except me. I don’t know why. I used to sit at his bed when I felt lonely and told him stories. I think he likes it.”

He gave Sayana and Andreas one more smile before he headed up and out. “I’ll be right back,” he called over his shoulder. Several chimes later he returned. Face dripping with water and hairs dark and glued together. He didn’t mind the sea-water dripping into his shirt, which he’d had the decency to put on by now. “You should take a plunge too,” he grinned. “It’s pretty refreshing.”

Despite the morning ablution, his cheeks were glowing red. He wasn’t going to confide his secret in Sayana yet but on his way back to the hammocks he’d come across the most beautiful girl. She was slightly taller than him, her hair was dark as a Raven’s feathers and her eyes were a piercing blue. He hadn’t spoken a word to her and he doubted she’d noticed him. It didn’t matter. He had seen her and he wasn’t soon going to forget.

“Come,” he gently took Andreas from her hands and into his own. With his hunger and thirst taken care of the little one had become quite calm and a bubble of laughter escaped the blue-eyed boy as Timothy tickled his sides.

“It’s a beautiful day so maybe we can eat our breakfast outside?” he suggested to Sayana.

[Sayana]

Sayana calmed substantially as Andreas started nursing properly. It was still a bit touch and go but at least he stopped wailing, or was unable to due to the nipple in his mouth. It would make sense that a baby would eat frequently. They probably have tiny little stomachs. Sayana smiled as Timothy explained how Andreas seemed happier around him and how Tim would sit by his bed. As much as she was glad that Tim had brought the baby boy she was glad he hadn’t stolen him just because of her. Sayana rocked Andreas gently and then switched him to the other side.

The Eypharian gave a wave with her high hand to Tim as he headed up the stairs. She was now far less worried about him going off to do his own thing. It wasn’t like there was anywhere to go and she was starting to feel that he really did like being around her and wasn’t about to run off. While he was gone she coddled Andreas and made sure both breasts would be stimulated enough to continue providing milk for the babe.

When Timothy returned, he was sopping wet. “Decide to take a bath?” She teased. Though clearly he had enjoyed it since he asked her whether she wanted to do the same. “Nah, I’ll be fine.” She gently passed Andreas to him. “Yes, let’s,” she replied to his suggestion to eat breakfast outside.

The breakfast itself wasn’t all that exciting. A chunk of dried bread they called hard tack and some dried meat. But the company was well worth it. Outside, the sea breezes were strong and she could see the sails large and billowing. She was still getting used to the rocking of the ship and the strong smell of salt in the air but she managed to find a nice place with something to hold onto as she looked out into the horizon.

“It’s quite beautiful isn’t it?” She said to Tim as she wondered what it must have been like for her father sailing on merchant ships for much of his life. “But tell me about yourself. I want to know all about you, and how you met Andreas. I want to know where you’ve been, where you’re from. What your dreams are. Here, I’ll start. I’m from Ahnatep, if you hadn’t guessed. The great city in the desert to the south. I grew up there. And then, a little more than a year ago I wanted adventure and journeyed north. All the way north past the great plains of Cyphrus till I reached Syliras. And then I stayed there for a year. I’m a dancer too. I danced when I was back home and I danced at a tavern in Syliras.”

There were large gaps in her story that she glossed over but those were the parts she wanted to focus on and share with the boy. Expectantly, she waited to for him to talk more about himself and she chewed on a chunk of the tough dried meat.

[Timothy Mered]

Date here

Timothy took Andreas into his arms. It always surprised him just how heavy and warm the little lump was. Then again, he’d also been surprised just how much noise that same lump could make. “Come, we’re gonna go outside,” he breathed into Andreas’s ear. Not that the little one would understand, but he liked talking to him. It seemed natural.

Plopping down near the edge of the deck, Timothy crossed his legs and put the wide-eyed baby in his lap. The breakfast wasn’t exactly a King’s meal but every next bite tasted better than the last. A gentle breeze froze his darkened hair, plastering it to his forehead. For once he liked being out on the sea. The last two times he’d been on a boat had been in fetters and well removed from sunlight.
Back at The Sanctuary he had almost been tricked into believing that food and water were things to be taken for granted. Almost. The Welcome Home’s meals had been sufficient, but little more than that. So, as a pre-caution, he only ate half of the crunchy tack and stuffed the rest in his pocket.

“It’s nice,” he agreed, eyes shifting to the sea. The horizon was set ablaze by the rising sun whose light, like stars, reflected off the calm water. As he gazed into the distance, Sayana started to besiege him with questions. She had every right to ask, of course, yet he found himself retreating into his own mind as she chatted on.

She wasn’t a slaver, and she meant him no harm, of that he was certain. Though his belly was now filled, something still gnawed at him. He’d wanted to be a Squire, but the knighthood had refused him. Too young, they had said. Now he wished he would’ve had the patience to wait a few seasons until he was old enough. There was no returning to Syliras now. Not for many more seasons at least. His eyes fell on Andreas sitting happily in his lap. He shivered. I’ve stolen a baby…

Judging by the pause in Sayana’s voice, she’d asked him something. He’d barely been listening to what she had said but after wrecking his brain for a tick, he recalled at least part of what she’d said.

He was about to answer her, when he snapped his mouth shut and reconsidered. Sayana might not be bad, but that was no reason to give her his life’s story. Once too often he’d answered questions like hers, and it hadn’t always ended well.

“I’m from Riverfall,” he said eventually. It was a half-truth, a clever wordplay. Riverfall was where he’d last been before Syliras and so that was where he was from. He didn’t feel like telling Sayana he was born in Sunberth though. It wasn’t any of her business. “And my dreams? Well…” he gave a slight smile, “I just shattered one. I wanted to be a knight but…” he shrugged, “I guess that’s not gonna happen anymore.”

Eager to avoid any awkward pauses, Timothy was quick to steer the conversation somewhere else. “So you dance? Interesting,” it came out rather lackluster, but he pressed on. “Please don’t make me dance though, I am horrible at it. Well, I am not really good at anything really, except for getting into trouble.”

He glanced down at Andreas again who was swaying dangerously to one side. Wrapping one arm around the lump of fat he pulled the little one closer. "I was improvising," he explained. "I just felt bad for him you know. He doesn't have any parents, and I know what that's like. I thought he might be happier with you, and if you don't want him, I'll look after him."

[Sayana]

Sayana listened to him curiously as she ate the hard yet sustaining breakfast. Riverfall. That’s where Aren said he was from. Yet he hadn’t wanted to go back to visit it. Perhaps he had seen it all and didn’t find it interesting. And becoming a knight. The Eypharian couldn’t help but smile a little at the comment. It seemed like half the population of Syliras was part of the knighthood as either a squire or knight. And then getting into trouble.

“Of course I want to look after him,” Sayana replied brightly and reached out a finger to stroke the little baby’s face, and play with his cheeks. “And I’m glad you did bring him. He doesn’t deserve to grow up without any parents or family. You’ll be like his big brother. His big big brother.”

The sea was beautiful, with the wind in her hair and the vast expanse before them. The constant rocking was a bit annoying but the sounds of the waves were comforting.

“So you wanted to become a knight?” Sayana asked curiously after a time. “Defend the realm? Patrol? Train, train, train?” She chuckled a little at the last comment. “There are good things about it. Knights and squires help people. But their laws can also make it difficult for the common folk. I couldn’t defend myself properly out of fear of getting arrested. And as fair as they like to claim to be, they aren’t always. You might be one of the better ones though.”

She grinned and reached out to ruffle his damp hair. “I don’t think it’s impossible. Even if you snatched little Andreas away like a common thief. But they’d want good morals and they like their knights trained. Squires always seem to be training at this, that and the other. Or they are on patrol. You probably need to be pretty good at a weapon and know how to ride a horse to become a knight. Just because we’re traveling away from Syliras now, doesn’t mean we can never come back.”

The Eypharian had mixed feelings about the knighthood. She had come across many good knights and squires but sometimes the way the laws and order worked seemed wrong. It had taken her a while to get used to it at the beginning and yet there was always that constant worry at the back of her mind. Still, she hoped Tim wouldn’t lose faith in his dreams. Dreams could be really important and she remembered how her own parents had lacked confidence in what she wanted to do.

“If you ever wanted to learn to fight, I know a thing or two about daggers and even something about unarmed combat. Punching and the like.” She tried to drop the hint casually and if he was indeed curious, he’d respond. However, she was also curious to see the rest of the ship and started to make her way around the edge of the deck while matching the rocking of the waves.

The ship was quite impressive with two huge masts. The sails bulged with the wind and there were ropes all over the place, presumably to secure things in place or help orient the sails. Some ropes seemed to form make-shift ladders to get to the large cross beams or the little platforms at the top of the masts.

“Or we could climb this thing,” Sayana added with a mischievous glint in her eye as she pointed to the rigging, specifically the ropes.

[Timothy Mered]

Timothy’s face lit up. Brother. The soft, round cheeks and cobalt eyes were too undefined to tell if Andreas would grow up to look anything like him. It didn’t matter. From the moment he’d seen the wailing babe he’d felt the need to comfort him, to have some company. For even though Andreas couldn’t speak a word yet, Timothy was certain the little one understood him better than everyone else.

“I just want to be useful,” Timothy shrugged. “Being a Knight seems useful. Knights help people. I want to help, but they said I would have to wait until I was thirteen or I couldn’t become a squire.” He flared his nostrils. “I think they were just afraid I’d beat all the other squires. I know how to fight!”

A little, he added mentally. She didn’t need to know. Nor did she need to know about his run-in with the Knights or she might have second thoughts about him. Perhaps one day he’d have the courage to tell of his trial and his many attempts at thievery. For now she didn’t need to know any of that. Being the poor, bullied Orphan boy suited him fine for the time being.

To his dismay, Sayana mention the word “thief” with a hint of accusation in her voice. But when her hand tousled his hair he knew she had already forgiven him. A small smile broke through, making his insides feel fuzzy.

“No fighting,” he smirked. “Wouldn’t want to hurt ya.” In truth, he feared she would beat and thereby humiliate him. He couldn’t let that happen. Not where the captain’s daughter could see it or where he’d become the laughing stock of the crew. The climbing challenge offered a decent escape. “I’ll race you to the crow’s nest. If you dare,” he challenged. “But first…”

Andreas hiccupped as he picked the warm bundle up, raised himself to his feet and searched the deck for a good place to put the baby. A crate perhaps? And have him slide overboard when we make a turn? Perhaps one of the crew could hold him? They’re far too rough… The hammock then? He’ll fall out…

Just when the problem appeared unsolvable, a clear and confident voice reached his ears from behind. “Need help with that?”

His heart nearly leapt out of his ribcage. Halfway through turning around he already knew his eyes were going to meet the captain’s daughter’s face. “Uh…” he mumbled.

That answer didn’t seem to satisfy the rough-and-tumble black-haired girl before him. She didn’t wear a dress, her sleeves were rolled up and her hair was tied up in a knot. Frankly, if not for the slight rounding in her face and her chest, one could’ve –from distance- mistaken her for a boy with a soprano voice.

“I can hold him for a tick.” It was more of a demand than a question. She stuck out her arms with such determination that Timothy was certain she’d kick him in the nuts if he didn’t do as she asked.

“…sure,” he mumbled. The comforting heat he’d felt at Sayana’s touch now rushed to his cheeks and he could feel them glowing warmer and warmer. Suddenly it felt like the ship was caught in a storm, the deck wobbled underneath his feet, his knees started to feel weak and he almost reached out the grab the girl’s shoulder for support. Come on! Just be friendly!
“Uh, thanks,” he struggled to say as he handed her Andreas. It didn’t matter he gave her no further explanation whatsoever. He had to get away from her or he’d melt into a gooey puddle. Not that she would’ve cared for an explanation, she was far too busy smiling at Andreas anyway.

Turning to face Sayana, he extended a hand to help her up. “Race you to the top?” he asked again, only much more weakly this time for in his mind he was flipping through every little freckly he’d spotted on the girl’s face.

[Sayana]

Sayana watched the exchange between Timothy and the cabin girl with an amused smile. One in which she promptly wiped clean the moment Tim offered a hand to help her up. In the past she had so often purposefully produced blushes and whimsical looks on boys and men that it wasn’t too hard to guess that little Tim took fancy for the girl.

“Yes, race you to the top,” Sayana repeated with a grin after she was sure that Andreas was safely in the girl’s arms. The babe seemed quite content with the exchange, and for the moment the Eypharian refrained from stating that she could have easily carried Andreas, even while climbing. She instead gave a wink to Timothy and a suggestive nod in the cabin girl’s direction. Striding over to the grid-like rigging, she readied her high hands on two upper hand holds her mids a little lower down.

“Ready… set… GO!” Sayana cried out. At once she began scrambling up. Grabbing handholds and footholds and more handholds, she swayed with the rope from beneath her. Initially it looked like it would be a pinch to climb, with all the easy places to hold onto, but the fact that the rigging wasn’t rigid and that it caved to her weight made it much trickier and more strenuous to climb. Up and up she went. A hand here, another hand there and pulling up to get her feet up higher to the next place on the rigging. Squinting she could see the crow’s next above, but the higher she climbed the more it seemed to sway with her weight and the wind. Not to mention, there was Timothy right alongside her or maybe even going up faster than she was.

When she paused a tick from the exertion, a couple sailors called out to them in warning. “It’s okay! We’ll be down soon.” She replied with a shout and then carried on upwards. There seemed to be less swaying as she neared the crow’s nest but she had also substantially slowed down. At last she tapped the wooden structure with a free high hand. “There!”

Still panting heavily she hauled herself over the small railing and grinned at Timothy. “You know, I could have held onto Andreas even while climbing. But then you wouldn’t have met that pretty young lady.” She teased and looked out over the wide expanse of open sea. It was windier up here and the crow’s nest swayed perhaps even more than the ship’s deck.

“Have you asked her what her name is? Or that you think she’s pretty?” Sayana continued. She was pretty sure they were out of ear’s reach from up there and she was more than happy to intrude on the sweet little romance.

[Timothy Mered]

Sayana’s grin was almost unbearable. He knew what she thought…and how wrong she was! As if he would ever fall for some stupid girl! The wink that followed made him want to tie an anchor to his legs and throw himself overboard. Why did she have to wink so plainly? Did she want the entire crew to know that has face had turned red as a cherry at the sight of the girl? Whatever it was about the situation that amused her, it only served to irritate him and strengthen his resolve to beat her to the top.

So when Sayana leapt forward and started ascending the ropes like a spider, he followed with just as much pace and twice the determination. The first few feet up were easy. But the higher he got, the more his feet sunk into the rope and the more his legs began to tremble.

About halfway through, the ropes were swaying so much that he glanced down to hook his left foot in the net. Instantly his stomach turned. The girl, down below, was but a tiny doll. Suddenly this didn’t seem such a great idea anymore. One misstep, one powerful blow of the wind and he would plummet down and break all his bones. While he hesitated, Sayana climbed on and gained a significant advantage.

Gritting his teeth he decided that, if he was going to lose, he was going to lose with some dignity at least. He certainly didn’t want Sayana to think him afraid of heights, even if he was. Keeping his gaze straight ahead, he reluctantly proceeded upward. His knuckles where an icy white as he clutched the wiry ropes tighter and tigther until, at long last, his hands found the wood of the crow’s nest.

While Sayana climbed over the railing, Timothy didn’t dare to move an inch further. Instead, he resolved to gripping the railing with both hands and pulling his chin just above the floor of the crow’s nest.

“Okay, you won,” Timothy admitted, now looking rather pale. Brows furrowed into concern as he glanced down once more. Bad idea, he reprimanded himself immediately. Even the faintest breeze could send him tumbling downwards, or so he thought.

“I don’t know what she’s called,” he confessed. Now that Sayana had mentioned it, a fierce curiosity arose in the pit of his stomach. He’d have to ask when he’d get back down. “But she is…” he averted his gaze down again, before deciding that meeting Sayana’s gaze was much less terrifying than staring at the deck, “…she’s…interesting.”

Never before had he offered such a shallow answer. The girl was far more than just interesting. Sayana was right. She was pretty, though not in the traditional sense of the word. Exotic, rather. Unusually fierce too. With a sigh, he conceded to Sayana’s suspicions. There was no use in trying to hide his heart’s fluttering upon looking at the cabin girl.

Voice low and with a concerned glint in his eyes, Timothy leaned forward a little and whispered, “but what is it supposed to feel like to be in love? Do you know? Do you think she likes me? She didn’t see my mark, right? What do girls li-?“
He cut himself off there and mustered the courage to clamber over the railing. Once in the crow’s nest, he stared up at her with pleading eyes. “I could use your help…”

[Sayana]

Sayana was grinning having won the race, yet by Timothy’s tone she knew not to rub it in his face. “Interesting,” she repeated after Tim had given his ‘description’ of the girl. All signs pointed towards his curiosity and ‘interest’ in her and especially as he started asking questions of the Eypharian.

It seemed like a new experience for the boy. Love, attraction, lust. Though she rather doubted it was the latter. He seemed too innocent for that yet. As he spoke she stretched out her aching arms. She wasn’t used to doing that sort of climbing and working her arms in that fashion but perhaps she’d get around to doing some more and strengthen the muscles in her arms.

Sayana smiled when climbed over the rail and asked her opinion. Although she had rarely attempted to charm a girl, and when she had it was merely for laughs and giggles, she certainly knew about casual flirting and sly seduction. “If you’re in love, you might feel your heart flutter when you see that person. Or your eyes are drawn to them and you can’t seem to pull them away. Or conversely, your eyes keep darting towards them but then looking away because you’re too shy to let them know that you can’t take your eyes off them.” Sayana smiled and glanced down over the railing at the girl below. They were quite high up but it was clear that she was enjoying coddling the babe.

“As to get a girl’s attention, there are a couple things you can try,” the Eypharian continued as she looked at Timothy. “Talking to her is a good way to start. Ask her what her name is and then say that you think it’s a pretty name. Or compliment her features. Tell her how nice her dark hair looks.” As Sayana spoke the last piece of advice she reached out towards Timothy with a high hand and mimed stroking imaginary long hair.

“If she likes you, she’ll like any sort of touch or caress no matter how brief.” She gave a soft smile and looked down at the girl again. It was sweet that young Timothy might be interested in her. But Sayana also knew that their trip on board the ship wouldn’t last forever and was actually rather short. And then the girl would likely stay aboard and set sail for somewhere else while they landed in Alvadas.

“But the most important thing to have is confidence. Even if you don’t feel it, pretend a little and let her know that you’re sure of yourself and proud of who you are. And if she doesn’t like who you are, then she’s the one missing out.” Sayana finished and tried to instill some self-pride in the boy. He seemed quite capable but she didn’t want him to develop a shyness and uncertainty around girls just because they were girls.

[Timothy Mered]

Timothy soaked up Sayana’s words like a sponge. Had she been his mother, he would’ve never dared to ask about love, much less seek her advice. Sayana had plenty of the motherly traits he’d been yearning for, but he knew she could never replace his mother. She was more like an aunt. Sometimes a distant one. Close enough to care for, and far enough removed to entrust her with his most secret thoughts and feelings.

It wasn’t until Sayana spoke of the girl’s enchanting dark hair that he finally snapped out of his mesmerizing daydreams.

“I don’t want to talk,” Timothy. Facing the abyss below was less frightening than the prospect of talking to the mysterious girl. Fear of heights was something that not even her magical charm could cure. Shaking his head, he carefully sat down, pulled his knees close to his chest and stared furiously at the rickety floor. His lips barely parted as he muttered quietly to himself.

“What if she doesn’t like me? I know she doesn’t. It’s no use. I’d better just let her be.” There wasn’t a shred of doubt in his heart that Sayana would try to convince him otherwise, and so he continued before she could get a word in. “It was just a silly thought,” he smiled weakly as he glanced up at Sayana.

“I don’t really love her anyway. I just like her, similar to how I like you, because you’re friendly.” His lips pressed together into a frown as he continued his train of thought. For a moment, he was quiet and just observed Sayana. She would never catch him admitting it, but he liked looking at her smooth, bronze skin. Her multiple arms were still a bit weird, but a little imagination could do magic.

Catching himself staring, Timothy quickly averted his gaze and switched topic. “It’s pretty high up here huh?” It didn’t really help to cure the unease in the pit of his stomach. “Maybe we should go down, I am not sure if we’re allowed up here.”

Just before he rose to his feet however, another thought hit him. By now, Sayana would probably recognize the dangerous glint in his eyes, hinting at mischief. “You won the race,” he started, his voice rapidly growing confident. “So now I’ll get to pick what we’ll do next.” His digits curled into fists. “You may be bigger, but I know I am stronger.” With a bit of luck the girl would be watching as he would demonstrate his superiority over Sayana in combat. After all, what were the odds that she knew how to fight?