Moonlight

5

"Here we are." Varian announced. 

We had just crossed the bridge and were faced with a very bright village. It was very lively, too. Almost like Old Corona only way bigger.

At the back of my mind, I recognized the lack of enthusiasm in Varian's tone. I turned my head to face him and saw that he had a slightly pensive look on his face, lost in his own little world. He was nervous but it was easy to tell that he knew he had to be here. He knew he had to have come. He didn't have a choice but to face his anxiety head on. 

I tried to follow where his gaze was but didn't see anything particularly special. The town looked almost exactly like it did when it was dark. Only this time, the sun brightened everyone's mood. Villagers were walking around town with genuine smiles on their faces. Their optimism and laughter could warm anyone's day. 

And then there were the occasional few who glanced Varian's way and did a double take, giving the guy some pretty nasty looks. 

Varian looked like he regretted coming here, despite him being the one to insist the visit all this time. But his remorseful looks only lasted for a second before he took a breath and seemed okay. 

Looking at me with a warm smile, not a trace of worry was apparent now. 

I tried smiling back but it was probably a weak, lame and pathetic one. So I turned to see if anything I caught sight of could successfully change the topic. 

Up ahead, I caught sight of a beautiful fountain right in the middle of all the commotion. Though, there's not much you can say about a fountain. 

Taking a second to breathe myself, I remembered. I was doing this for him. I needed to encourage him, too. "Okay, let's go." I declared, my steps carrying a newfound purpose. Yet, in the next breath, the sight at the fountain rooted me to the spot.

A shiver ran down my spine. Circling the fountain were seven vigilant guards, their presence a silent warning. Accompanying them were three regal-looking horses, their coats gleaming in the sun. "On second thought," I chuckled with a swift pivot, "Let's admire the charm of the village for a few more hours." The safety of distance seemed even more appealing than before. 

Varian let out a soft laugh, his hand gently grabbing my shoulder before I could do anything else. "Not so fast," He said with a grin. "We've come this far so we can't turn back now."

His words, light yet determined, cut through my hesitation like a knife. There was no room for escape in his stance, only the silent promise of his role as a companion no matter what happened. 

With a sigh, I relaxed my tense posture. I wasn't usually one to just run away at the sight of danger. I was always somebody determined. It's just that in this case, I was determined to avoid getting caught or captured. 

It didn't make me a wimp. This situation was different. I didn't know or remember anything from before meeting Varian other than the fact that I woke up in this place. I was curious but I could feel it somewhere in my body that the answer to the reason I was here was deeper than I could ever imagine - and unlike any other time I didn't know if I liked that. 

Varian stepped up and walked in front of me. "Come on," He said, still grinning. "We've got a few hours. I wanna show you around!"

I ended up staring at him for a little while longer before letting him lead the way. 

"That right in the centre of everything in the fountain. Everyone kind of gathers around there at the start of the annual festival that was hosted in memory of the lost princess. Who is now the Queen." Varian told me.