If you must learn to love

Laila

I was lying peacefully on top of the cart, staring at the clouds. «Look, you can see a city,» Søren exclaimed, ruining my moment of blissful idleness.

«Really?! You say that like it’s not obvious,» I snapped back, acid dripping from my tone. I could clearly feel Søren grumbling inside.

«That’s Bekov,» Dakarai replied in that usual way of his—emphasizing an annoyance that wasn’t even there.

«At least sound happy introducing it. Now you’ll have the chance to dump us somewhere and run while you still can,» I said, inspecting my nails. Søren frowned, probably still thinking about the mess he caused with the smert jesera.

«Look, Nadia,» “Huh? He’s already pulled himself together again? He’s been doing that faster and faster lately… or am I imagining it?” «That kind of housing is called half-timbered houses. It’s a construction style where the frame is made of exposed wooden beams, set vertically, horizontally, and diagonally. The spaces in between are then filled with various materials, like clay mixed with straw, bricks, or stone. This technique gives them a distinctive look, with the upper floors often jutting out over the lower ones.»

“Neeeeeerd!” I thought with a smile. “How much I’d love to be able to say that to him again… But now I think he’d actually enjoy it.”

°°°

Once we arrived, Søren busied himself teaching Nadia again to pass the time, while Dakarai went to check us into an inn. “That’s how you say it, right? Or how would you even call it in a medieval setting? Maybe Søren would know… Damn it! Now that I have the chance, I need a change of pace.”

I wandered off, curious to explore the city. “It’s not what I expected. Sure, I haven’t seen much of either world yet, but I thought it would be more like fantasy video games—crazy oversized swords and awesome armor—but instead it’s completely different. Stupid Mandela effect! Maybe Søren would enjoy this place more, he could at least explain something interesting to me…” «AAAAAAAHHHHH! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!» I yelled, scratching my scalp furiously. People on the street stared. «Mind your own damn business!» I snapped, shoving my hands in my pockets and storming away with big strides.

The crowd thinned as I walked. I glanced up at the sky. «Where the hell did the moon go?» I muttered, throwing my arms down at my sides. «It can’t be that late.» I grabbed the shoulders of the first man to pass. «Sir, it can’t already be that late, right? Right?» He glanced around awkwardly, forcing a smile, then nodded. I shoved him away. «Thanks, random NPC!»

I slumped heavily onto a bench, melting like a blobfish. «Aaaaaaahhhh, I don’t feel like going back to the others… You!» I pointed at a guy with a bowl cut. «Where’s the nearest tavern?»

He turned and smiled. «As it happens, I was just heading to the only tavern open during the day. I can take you there, if you’d like.»

«Yes!» I shouted, springing up, back to normal.

He offered me his arm; I grabbed it and followed, kicking at the air with each step. «But you mustn’t tell anyone—it’s… clandestine,» he whispered, putting a finger to his lips.

«If you’re not supposed to tell anyone, then maybe you shouldn’t say it to the first stranger you meet. Did you feel threatened or something? Don’t worry, with this finger I can only vaporize whoever I point at.»

He chuckled, covering his mouth like some court lady from a TV series. «Then I was right to tell you.» Removing his hand, he added, «You know, I can read people.»

«Oh yeah?»

«Yeah.»

«Then what did you figure out about me? Let’s hear it.» I leaned closer to his face. “As if he’d figure anything out. After all, I’m above all things—there’s no way a mere human could ever understand me.”

«I figured out that you need someone to vent your problems to.»

«Ha! You couldn’t be more wrong! All I want is a colossal drunken binge!»

«We’ll see.» He gave me a sideways smile, as if he really thought someone like me needed to open up. I don’t need to open up about anything!

«Here we are. After you,» he said, opening the doors to a basement tucked behind a house. “He’s definitely messing with me. What, does he want to kidnap me and make me his? Who could blame him, I’m perfect!”

«Please, go ahead, don’t be afraid.»

«I’m afraid of nothing!» I shouted, striding in with a dramatic kick and a finger pointed at the ceiling. But the inside left me stunned—it was actually a tavern. “Wait… are the waitresses drag queens?!”

«Welcome to the Vesela Vila. Sadly, I must take my leave for now. It was a pleasure walking with you.»

«Same here! Bye!» I waved frantically as I made my way to the counter.

I flopped onto a stool. «Hello! Bring me something to drink!» I shouted, arms flailing.

A smiling bartender approached, wiping a mug. «So much energy. You’re new around here?» she asked in a falsetto.

«Yeah, my group and I just got here this morning.»

«Well, it’s been a while since we’ve seen new faces—especially ones this cheerful. From your unusual clothes, I’d guess you’re part of a troupe of street performers. Am I right?»

«Close enough. Let’s just say weird people aren’t in short supply.»

«Ohohoh! How charming. First round’s on the house. What’ll it be?»

«A mug of the strongest thing you’ve got!»

«Ohohoh! Starting light, I see. Very well, coming right up.» She walked off, amused.

«Oh, right, she’s not wrong. Alcohol doesn’t affect me,» I muttered under my breath, pulling up a glowing stats window. “There it is—alcohol resistance.” I dropped it to zero. “Wait, better keep it a little higher, otherwise I’ll keel over from a glass of water.”

«Here we go!» she exclaimed, slamming a mug in front of me. «What’s that glowing sheet floating in front of you?» she asked, puzzled.

I closed the stats window between my hands. «Nothing much—just lowered my alcohol resistance.»

«Ohohoh! What a funny jester you are.»

I took a sip. My esophagus burned, and I coughed violently, clutching my throat. «Cough, cough! Damn, that’s strong! Cough, cough!»

«Best to take it slow.»

«No way! What is this stuff?»

«A house specialty—we call it the ‘rainbow vila.’»

«Very descriptive name.»

«Indeed. We tried other names before, but they just confused customers. Now, excuse me, I must serve others. I’ll be back if you need more.» She walked off.

«Makes sense—stupid solutions for stupid people. Well then, cheers!» I downed a quarter of the mug in one go. “Terrible idea!” I doubled over, barely clinging to the counter. «COUGH! COUGH! help!» I croaked.

«Here, eat this, sweetheart.»

I groped blindly along the counter until I felt something spongy, shoved it in my mouth, and chewed. After a few moments, the burning eased. «Ah, thanks!» I gasped, eyes watering.

«Don’t mention it, sweetheart. Feeling better now?»

«Better.» Once I recovered, I noticed the bartender leaning casually and seductively. «Wait, you’re not the one from before.»

«Well, nothing gets past you.»

«Don’t be sharcaaaastic with me!» I slammed a fist on the counter, swaying. «Sho, what’sh your name?»

«I’m Unicorn.»

“Of course…” «Jusht sho you know, from today you’ve earned the favor of a being above all elshhh. Hic!»

«I’m flattered,» she said with a smile, pouring another drink. «May I ask what brought you here?»

«A man with a coconut on hish head.»

«Uhuhuh! Already inventing strange terms?»

«No, no, hic! Coconut is a fruuuuit.»

«I see. Then you must come from lands even farther than those known here. In that case, welcome to the Kingdom of Spis.»

«Thanksh!»

«But you still haven’t answered my question.»

«Yesh I did!» I answered, taking another sip.

«I asked ‘what’, not ‘who’.»

«Whaaat, huh?» I tried to think, but my head was all muddled. I drank again to refresh my memory. «Right, it’s Shøren’s fault—he wouldn’t shtop pestering me.»

«Why was he pestering you? Is he your boyfriend?»

«Ahahahah! Don’t make me laugh! Him, my boyfriend?! Ahahahah!» I burst out laughing, chugging more.

«Then he’s your friend.»

«No way! I don’t have friendsh! I don’t need them!»

«We all need someone we can trust, someone who helps and supports us in times of need. So, what kind of relationship do you have with him?»

«I… don’t knooow… hic!» My eyes fixed on the mug.

«Alright then, in what way was he pestering you?»

I slumped onto the counter. «It washn’t him, not really—it wash the him in my head, hic!… Ever shince I didn’t want to be around him anymore, he kept, kept, kept… what’sh the word?»

«That you kept thinking about him?»

«… Yesh…»

«Why did you want to distance yourself from him?»

I took a long gulp. «Becaushe he made me cry…» I shot up, pointing to myself. «Me! I cried for a shtupid mortal!»

«And what did you do after that?»

«I shtarted keeping my dishhtance before he infected me even more with hish emotions.»

«But you used to get along before?» My head spun; I lost balance and fell backward. «Are you alright?!» she asked, worried.

«Of course I got along with him. Hic!»

«Good, I’m glad you’re okay.» She helped me up. «So, you cried for him and can’t stop thinking about him? Girl, I think you’re in love with him.»

My head spun wildly, my face burned, my heartbeat thundered in my ears. “What’s happening to me? Wait—since when do I even have a heart?” «No way I like him!» I shouted, pushing her and leaning against the counter to keep from falling.

«Sweetheart, there’s more than one way to love someone. Love is universal—it’s in everything: family love, brotherly love, romantic love, love for a passion. Love is what creates bonds, what keeps you moving forward, helping you find beauty around you and peace within your heart. Tell me—what’s better than peace and love surrounding you?»

“Peace within my heart? Could I really feel something too?” I looked down at my chest, took another sip, and tried to stay upright. «I think…» A surge rose from my stomach, making me double over.

«Oh, sweetheart.» The drag held my hair back and called to a colleague: «Hey Big Steak! Get a bucket and a rag!»

Once I was done, she walked me outside. «You’d better get some sleep for tonight.»

«You’re, hic, probably right.» I fixed my gaze on her face. «Waaait! You’re the guy who brought me here, are you?»