Life In The Town

Nir and Rain are cuddling in bed.

It’s morning. Nir and Rain are still asleep. Suddenly, the empress enters their room, moving the curtains of the left wall’s window to the sides, then the same with the right wall’s window. Each time - light comes into the room.

As Rain is currently facing the left wall, being on Nir’s side of the bed - it interrupts her first. The light shines straight on her face, waking her up. She manages to see the empress attending to the other window as well, shedding some more light on the room.

She is blushing, realizing she is being seen by the empress as she is hugging Nir in bed. The empress looks at her, saying nothing, not really minding. Rain looks at her, being very embarrassed.

The light from the other window finally interrupts Nir. He wakes up, not sure what’s going on. It takes him a few seconds to understand the situation they are in, then he starts blushing too, and immediately says to the empress: “Wait! It’s not what it looks like!”

-”I know, you idiot… I can see your heart count…” - She replies. “I need you to come to the main hall as soon as possible. You need to hear this”.

Nir and Rain get immediately out of bed and prepare. The empress leaves while saying: “We start in a few minutes”.

-”That’s right… She can see our hearts”. - He confirms. “I forgot about that”.

-”Did you notice how many hearts she has?” - Rain asks.

-”I… didn’t, actually. In fact… Wouldn’t I definitely notice some huge number out of nowhere?”

-”Maybe your skill doesn’t work on everyone? Or takes time to control?” - Rain suggests.

-”Yea, maybe…” - He replies.

Nir and Rain leave the room and walk down the hallway. They reach the main hall and see it is filled with entire squads that are surprisingly all present there. The grand size of the hall is now much more comprehensible to Nir and Rain, as they see the amount of people it can accommodate on the occasion that it’s required. They are a bit surprised by the sheer amount of people they observe standing and talking to each other, as the hall is usually relatively empty.

-”Here they are”. - The empress says loudly, looking at Nir and Rain. All of the soldiers stop talking, making all of the noise cease immediately, showing respect to the empress. Many soldiers from different squads are turning their eyes to them because of the empress’s statement. Nir and Rain notice it, looking around the different gazes. Some stare at them, while others just check out who the empress addressed and then look away. Some soldiers that stand closer to the empress seem pissed off at them, giving them murderous looks. Then, they see Ranmei’s squad, with Ranmei himself smiling and waving at them, positioned in the edge of his squad’s line, making him very visible to Nir and Rain.

“We are supposed to start in a few minutes but I assume everyone is here, yea? Let us begin”. - The empress declares, as the soldiers move their attention to her. Nir and Rain look at each other, as they both feel the pressure from the attention they got. -”Well, at least we aren’t late…” - Rain tells him with a smile, somewhat breaking the ice.

-”SOLDIERS! AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE RECEIVED WORD FROM OUR SPIES OF AN INVASION THAT WILL TAKE PLACE TODAY! WE WILL NOT STAND IDLY AS THEY DO THEIR BIDDING! WE HAVE AN EMPIRE TO PROTECT! WE HAVE THE MODESTY OF OUR WOMEN TO PROTECT! WE HAVE OUR PEOPLE’S LIVES TO PROTECT!” - The empress yells loudly, inspiring them. She then raises her left hand slightly above her shoulder as every soldier raises a right fist.

-”And so we vow to fight!”

-”FIGHT!!!”

-”Protect!”

-”PROTECT!!!”

-”And die!”

-”DIE!!!”

-”...For the empire”. - The empress lists the vows, while the soldiers raise their right fists proudly as if punching the sky for every vow they answer to, yelling so loudly the echo challenges the very steadiness of the castle. “And that’s because…” - She continues, “...That’s our way to LIVE!”

-”YEAAA!” - “YES!!!” - “Long live the empire!” - Soldiers yell in the background.

-”Commanders, go to your posts. Soldiers, follow your commanders. Their words are my words. Your swords are my swords. You are now dismissed! I will follow you shortly”.

The commanders lead their soldiers outside, and all of them leave the castle in an orderly fashion. Only Nir, Rain and the empress remain.

Nir looks at the empress and tells her: ”I assume you wanted to ask if we are going to join…” - “Yes”. - Rain cuts him off, looking at him. “We will join together!” - She says with hype. “I won’t let you pretend like you don’t need me anymore”.

Nir looks straight into her eyes. They are full of conviction. He smiles and says: ”Yes, I’m counting on you. I think we are ready”.

-”Here are your orders…” - The empress begins to address them, as they look at her, filled with expectations.

“You are herby…” - Nir and Rain listen closely, waiting to get their first official orders to action.

-”...Forbidden from participating!”

-”WHAT?!” - Nir and Rain shout together.

-”You are still inexperienced enough. Why would I get the two of you killed for no reason?”

-”I thought you didn’t need us…” - Nir says, teasing her.

-”There is a difference between being able to do everything I want even without you, and sacrificing the two of you for no merit”. - The empress explains.

-”You mean, since we are still useful? A special type of pawn to be used?”

-”Because you are still two of my soldiers”.

Nir realizes he may have not given her enough credit even by his own standards.

-”Empress…”

-”What?”

-”I apologize”.

-”You are an honest one, aren’t you? Anyway, you should use this time to train yourselves, and to live some of that town life we are here to protect”.

Nir and Rain look at each other, and smile.

-”Besides…” - The empress adds - “...Your eyes… Are my eyes. I need you to stay sharp even inside the empire, pay attention to anything suspicious”.

Nir and Rain get a bit excited to hear that.

-”Good luck, empress!” - Rain tells her.

The empress starts walking outside with her eyes looking forwards, then without stopping she says: ”Luck… Will have very little to do with this”.

She exits the castle, leaving Nir and Rain as the only ones who remain at the main hall.

-”Do you want to go to the market?” Nir asks, reaching with his right hand to stroke her long hair from above her shoulders and onto her back. He then gets his hand towards her shoulder, pulling her softly in his direction and starts walking towards the exit.

-”YES!” - She replies and starts walking with him. “I have some allowance the empress gave me. We can use it!”

-”That is, if they won’t just throw gifts at us, making it unnecessary to buy anything. Although they already threw gifts at me. Physically… It really hurt”. They exit the castle and walk towards the market.

-”Wait… They actually threw stuff at you?”

-”Yes. I wonder if we should get some empire-armor for extra defence… That way they could also easily recognize us, although if I’m with you they will definitely recognize us right away anyway”.

-”Is that so?” - Rain asks.

-”Yea, but it’s possible armor will slow us down too much in combat. We rely on swift hits and on speed. Not worth it in my opinion. I should just always go to the market with you”.

-”But why were they throwing their own things at you, anyway? How did the town’s people not recognizing you - become such a problem?”

-”They thought I was a villager”. - Nir replies.

-”Really? Was that all?”

-”Yea, that’s all it took. They even apologized once they realized who I was, but then I was too angry to give them any more time of day”.

-”Do you think that’s what the empress meant when she wanted our eyes in the empire?”

-”That’s a good question… I have no idea”.

Nir and Rain reach the market and see there is a ruckus around something.

They get closer and see there is a soldier arguing loudly with one of the merchants. The soldier seems to be one of the aggressive ones, who gave them a murderous look and may antagonize them.

As they recognize him, they reach to each other’s hand, holding tightly.

-”No! They were sent by the two gods! At our empress’s own will, mind you!” - The merchant yells at the soldier.

-”You are foolish! They have already killed two of our own! They will bring about our undoing!” - The soldier answers with anger. Then, he notices Nir and Rain.