Wherever that may be

Arc I (1) - 550 AD

"What's your name?"

"I'm Lizbeth. What's yours?"

The lady blinks a few times. Nobody ever asked that question. She knows what she's supposed to answer – I am Jehanne, lady of Goguryeo, second in line after the reign of my virtuous father, Haemosu, sovereign of Goguryeo.

"I am Jehanne", she says, and her sunny companion smiles widely.

"It's a beautiful name!", she exclaims, and Jehanne tilts her head with curiosity.

She's been told that her name is elegant, royal, powerful, but never beautiful.

Beautiful is also nice, she considers, and gifts Lizbeth a slight smile.

"Do you want to eat some fruit? It's my free time".

The lady nods. The mention of food makes her stomach grumble.

She expects Lizbeth to search for food a home; to run inside one of the small huts that stand shakily along the land, but instead, the girl looks up at the trees besides them.

"An apple?"

The lady blinks a few times.

"Yes".

Lizbeth smiles again, then, the sunset starting to coat her soft features in orange, and begins climbing a tree.

Jehanne widens her eyes in panic, watching her young new friend maneuver her body between the branches.

"Lizbeth!", she exclaims, out of fear.

The youngest girl stares down at her, unfazed.

"Yes?"

Jehanne licks her lips, suddenly speeches. Why is this girl so careless?

"Don't fall, please".

Lizbeth smiles softly.

"I won't, Jehanne, don't worry".

The shortest brunette nods, and really, for the first time, takes a look at her companion.

Her knees and elbows are busted, covered by burning red, in a way it makes Jehanne feel that falling out of a tree wouldn't be the worst pain she's ever experienced. Her limbs, slim - too slim – are scratched here and there, and even her doll face is corrupted by some harsh cuts.

Jehanne was told that not all children, not all people live as she does, as a pass-by comment, something she should be mindful of here and then, but only at that moment she's beginning to realize what her mother – the Queen – means by different.

The queen has also mentioned bad people, and horrible smells, and dirty clothes.

Lizbeth does own dirty clothes, and the whole place smells horrible.

But it's hard for Jehanne to think that she's a bad person, especially when the tallest girl is handing her the most appetizing apple she's ever seen.

"I told you I wasn't going to fall".

"Thank you", Jehanne answers, and she means it for the first time in her short life.

Lizbeth sits on the spot, her legs crossed, and Jehanne imitates her.

She nips at her apple. It's truly the best she's ever had.

"Where are you from?", Lizbeth asks.

"The city", Jehanne answers.

She turns slightly to stare at the sun going down.

It's lovely.

"I have to go back home in a while", she murmurs.