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She opened her eyes to the view of an unfamiliar ceiling. For a short moment, the scene reminded Chell of what had happened in the dim cell in Udlard, five days before. However, instead of the damp, hardened layer of the ground, she was greeted with an impeccably white and smooth surface. Confusion gripped her as her feeling of fear from the nightmare slowly ebbed away. She was in a place she did not recognize.
Slowly, she sat up. As the last traces of sleep left her, she realized that she was inside an enormous, grandiose-looking room. The bed where she had been laying was easily larger than any she had ever slept on. To her right was a vanity desk where a large mirror was propped, reflecting the light of the moon that streamed in from the enormous open doors that led out to a wide balcony. The soft glow provided enough light for her to see the faint outlines of a round table and two chairs in the middle of the room. Various paintings hung from the walls, depicting different artistic scenes. Meanwhile, a row of closets lined the other side of the bed.
Chell blinked, unable to believe what she was seeing. Clearly, there was a mistake. She did not know how she had somehow ended up inside a wealthy person's home.
Dimly, she tried to recall the last thing that she could remember, grasping for anything that might explain why she was there. But it was useless, however. No matter how much Chell racked her mind, she drew a blank. The memory of the nightmare was still there, just at the surface of her consciousness. Somehow, she could still feel the boy's tight grip, harrowing on her arm. Whenever she blinked, she could see the corpse of his hollow face.
She shuddered. By habit, Chell pulled out her hands in front of her. For a few seconds, she stared at them. A sense of relief came to her when she saw that the bindings were still there, wrapped tightly from her wrists to the tips of her fingers. She breathed a small sigh.
Suddenly, the soft hum of a familiar tune caught her attention. Her head snapped up, turning to the open doors where the sound was coming from. The balcony, she thought. It had been going for a while now, although it was only now that the witch had noticed it. For a few heartbeats, Chell simply stayed there, listening to the low hum that reverberated peacefully around the empty room. It sounded achingly nostalgic. Then, slowly, she decided to slip out of the bed. Her bare feet touched the cold surface of the floor as she got up unsteadily. Without making a single sound, she approached the sound with small steps.
When she arrived at the balcony, Chell was suddenly met with a cold gust of wind. She winced, feeling herself being lightly pushed back. A small worried frown morphed on her face. She had not realized how weak and lightheaded she felt. However, as she blinked and surveyed her surroundings, all rational thoughts disappeared from her head in an instant. For a slight moment, the only thing that Chell was able to do was stare in awe at the vast view that sprawled out before her.
In the realm of the darkness, the kingdom of Gisnell was a breathtaking sight. Above, thousands of stars peppered the dark sky, casting a dull glow over the continent. Below were rows of lamplights that lit up the night in a warm, orange glow, stretching on for miles and miles within the domain of the kingdom. From her high vantage point, Chell could easily see the different parts of the kingdom. However, the most impressive sight was located at the far right, where signs of life were lit ablaze. Chell could see the crowd of people making their way through the blinding torchlights of the narrow streets where gamblers, entertainers, pleasure-seekers, and the like went to partake in their nightly endeavors. The neighborhood held an air of lawless freedom, inviting in customers and wanderers alike with tell-tale signs and exquisite decorations. Chell saw an open theatre performing in front of an applauding crowd. She saw a burst of low, colorful fireworks made from swaths light that she was certain could only be the product of a witch. She saw a crowd of people cheering happily from the window of what looked like a gambling house, wobbling with bottles of alcohol in their grips. Chell looked away, once again reveling in the entire view. Everything seemed like a scene worthy of a painting.
Beside the witch, the humming suddenly stopped. Startled, Chell quickly turned around as she remembered what brought her there in the first place. Narrowing her eyes to see through the dimness of the night, she saw the unmistakeable silhouette of a person sitting down atop the concrete banister, back resting on the wall. She squinted to see clearer. Chell recognized the familiar red scarf that trailed down and almost brushed the floor.
"It's quite a nice view, isn't it, little miss?" Noct asked without looking at her, training his eyes at the view before them.
Chell remained looking at him, unable to form a verbal answer. Instead, all she did was nod, unsure if the thief could even see the gesture. Noct looked comfortable in his position, one leg bent in front of him while having the other hanging from the balcony. From the way he was settled, it seemed like he had already been there for a while.
A calm silence enveloped them. Timidly, Chell found herself trying to find words to start a conversation.
"... That song you were singing..." she trailed off uncertainly. Her voice was hoarse, barely a whisper. Chell thought that perhaps he had failed to hear her. However, her doubts were assured because a moment after, the thief finally turned his head. The color of his eyes, she noted, were vividly pale in the moonlight.
"Ah, you mean 'Bones of the Sky'?" Noct offered. "The one I was singing just now?"
Slowly, she nodded again.
The thief tilted his head and gave her the ghost of a smile underneath the starlight. "It's... an old song taught by the Pierrot when I was young," he explained. "He was a friend of mine. But I forgot the lyrics though, so I'm just humming."
"... I see."
Another brief stillness. In those seconds, Chell asked herself quietly, wondering why she always found it difficult to speak with other people. Back when she was still with the dead, their silence had been something comforting. Peaceful, even. But with living people, it was always a different matter. To her, it was unnerving. Still, Chell knew she needed to say something. There were a lot of nagging questions she needed to ask, and she was certain that the thief was the only one who could provide any answers to them. Collecting herself, she managed to part her mouth, hesitating only a little.
"What... What happened?" she finally asked. "... Where are we?"
Noct slightly tilted his head. Then, he sat up straight and crossed his legs, carelessly turning his whole body around to face her. Chell was almost certain that he might fall off at any moment, plummeting down into the far ground below. However, the thief's expression hinted no sign of fear. Instead, a wide grin crept up his face.
"Well... it's actually a bizarre story, little miss," he said amusedly. "You lost consciousness all of a sudden. The princess and the other witch decided to bring you here, at the grand palace, for healing purposes. You gave us quite a fright though. You were burning with a fever, and you wouldn't wake up. I thought you were going to catch fire at any moment, carrying you. When we arrived, you were quickly brought to a witch healer. Her name's Grandma Wren, and no matter what, don't ever accept her biscuits if you want your tongue to see another day. Anyway, she told us you were in a critical state. Something along the lines of 'she overused her mana'. After that, she did this healing thing with her hand over your forehead and you seemed to settle down. Then she told us to let you rest. The princess gave you this room. You've been sleeping like a wee baby ever since," he finished.
She blinked. Slowly, Chell turned back to look at the night scene. As Noct had explained to her, the memories had flickered through her head as they were called. She remembered how the self-proclaimed Falcon Witch, Jul Orben, had stolen her satchel. She remembered how the red-haired girl had revealed herself as Yoko Agnis rex Castagne, the princess of Gisnell. She remembered the searing pain that had torn through her body moments before she had been swallowed by the darkness and ended up dreaming of the memory that had turned into a nightmare. And now, here they were, somehow finding themselves inside the grand palace of the kingdom. Chell already had an inkling before, though, when she had first woken up. After all, she had been in enough visits to the grand palace of Aurden to recognize the layout of a royal home. But the idea was simply too unlikely. If it weren't for the fact that she was staring at the full view of Gisnell before her, Chell would have believed she was inside a noble's home.
She turned back to face him. "... Have you been awake all this time?"
Noct lightly rested his hand on his cheek. "I'm a person of the night, little miss. I don't sleep a lot. No, in fact, I never sleep a lot. And I never get tired too. I guess it's a condition of mine."
Not entirely sure how to respond, Chell decided to nod to him. Another slight breeze ruffled their clothes. When it passed, the thief suddenly decided to speak up.
"Little miss, may I ask you a question too?" he asked.
Chell was slightly surprised by the seriousness laced in his tone. She answered him quietly. "... Okay.
Noct narrowed his eyes, looking at Chell with a deeply puzzled stare. "Then...," he started, "Could you tell me why we are here?"
The witch blinked once in confusion. The thief continued on, however.
"We've been together for four days," he continued. "You never told me your purpose for suddenly hiring me, why you decided to visit this kingdom, why you are traveling in the first place, and what will happen to us from now on. Until now, I'm extremely confused. I know this sounds rude, having you as my benefactor and all, but... I feel like I'm missing something important. If you're too sensitive to reveal anything, at the very least, tell me what you're aiming for... I'd really appreciate that." He tugged at the scarf on his neck, seemingly done in saying his piece.
Chell did not respond to him right away. For some reason, there was something different about the Crow Thief that night. In contrast to the usual kind and happy facade that he showed most of the time, there was a deep, hidden look in his eyes. Chell could not glance away from them. In the darkness and silence of the balcony, they merely stared at each other and said nothing.
Noct was right, however. Chell knew that she had not been explaining anything to him for the past few days. All she ever did was suggest the deal. When the thief had accepted, she had not considered in telling him any details. It was not because she had forgotten, however. It was because Chell had chosen not to. She had intended to hide her reasons, hoping that he would continue to follow her without questions. But the thief was clearly someone she could not easily keep secrets from. Perhaps this was because of his occupation. She knew that it was only a matter of time before Noct would find out. The only question was when.
In that sudden moment, Chell found herself yearning again for the guidance of the dead. If they were still there, they would know for certain what to do. They would tell her what to say and how much to reveal. In fact, if they had not disappeared in the first place, then Chell would not have to go through this ordeal at all. Yet, they had been the ones who led her first to Noct. Surely, she thought, they must have done it with a reason. If Noct had been the person they deemed worthy to replace them in Chell's travels, then there was no room for doubt. Despite being a thief, a liar and a convincing actor, the young man sitting before her with an expectant look on his face had been the one they had decided to choose to accept.
She glanced away from his gaze, her mind reaching to a final decision. She clenched her fingers weakly.
"I'm looking... for a person," Chell finally murmured in a whisper, choosing her words very carefully. "I'm... looking for a witch."
When she had said that, Chell noticed a shift in Noct's behavior. His eyes widened slightly and there was a small crack in his expression. The Snow Witch shook her head. She had failed to hide the hatred and malice coated in her tone.
The thief's voice was low, serious. "... Why?"
A shadow crossed over her expression. Before Chell could reconsider her words, she had opened her mouth to answer him.
"... Vengeance."
A cold, still air hung around them once the word reached their ears. Silence descended once again, this time more pronounced. All that they did was exchange unblinking stares. The look on the thief's face told Chell that he had chosen not to ask any further. He turned away and looked at the night sky above them.
"I see...," he said. There was an edge to his voice. "Guess I'm not the only one with a bone to pick with witches."
An entire silent minute went by, and another breeze passed through them. Chell decided to rest her back on the wall, feeling the cold seep in to her back. She ignored it.
"Can you... hum the song again?" Chell asked suddenly in a small voice, startling herself. The thief turned back to her. He blinked once, looking thoroughly surprised in the semidarkness.
"... You mean 'Bones of the Sky'?"
Hesitantly, she gave him a small nod.
In that moment, Noct suddenly formed a wide grin, a gesture that took Chell aback. The familiar light of mischief in his eyes had returned. "Ah, of course, little miss. Ask, and I shall follow."
He leaned his back on the wall again, positioning himself to his original pose. He breathed in quietly, then exhaled. After a second, Noct tilted his head and began to hum the song; a quiet, peaceful lullaby. His voice was low and comforting, and somehow, Chell found herself feeling at ease. A wave of calm washed over her. She closed her eyes.
By then, she had already long forgotten about the scene from the nightmare. Instead, she remembered the boy again, alive and smiling. He was holding her hand in a firm grip. It was warm.
Chell did not know how long they both stayed there in the balcony, overlooking the picturesque scene before them. The thief continued to hum as she stood there by his side, silently basking in the familiar, nostalgic tune.
----> thank you for reading!