The People of Rurein

Ui awoke in what she thought was the next day, but quickly realized it was the noon of the same day. The sun rested straight above the inn, and with it, a special warmth that was pleasant during the winter. She looked at the town through her window and saw the people of Rurein flowing freely in its streets. With renewed energy and a smile, she left her room only to find a large crate, right outside of her door, blocking her way out. There was a note on top of it.

My sister's old clothes. Pick whatever you like. -Ruitt

The thought of Ruitt putting together some clothes for Ui made her feel uncomfortable for a bit before realizing he was sweeter than she had imagined. She dragged the whole crate into her room but walked down the stairs without changing anyway.

The brothers were having breakfast—or perhaps it was lunch, she couldn’t know. Aro had a much more casual look than the day before, with clothes that were a lot messier. Ruitt on the other hand, retained his stylish, almost formal attire he used for work.

“Good morning!” Aro’s friendliness was of big comfort to Ui. Not having to initiate every conversation was a relaxing feeling. Ruitt waved in his usual dry manner, not even looking in her direction, while standing behind the bar.

Ui bowed her head. “I’m sorry about the—”

“Don’t worry.” Aro stopped her before she could finish. His radiant smile was a lot more effective than any of his words.

“They’ll find something to fight over.” Ruitt briefly addressed her before getting back to his usual work behind the bar. “Still. Your hair color does stand out, how do you manage to get by in the capital? It’s almost like you’re asking for trouble.”

Ui smiled nervously, grasping for an answer to a question she’d never really had to deal with. She had hid it away all those years for a reason. “You’re right… it is… trouble.”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have gone that far.” Ruitt seemed regretful, and to Ui’s relief, neither of the brothers pressed her further. Aro served her some food with the same energy he usually had and they both ate in silence while Ruitt worked the day shift.

But Ui was having trouble enjoying her meal. There was just too much in her mind to allow the silence go for too long. “What do you two think… of Lullaby?”

“Still worried about last night?” Aro asked, and it was exactly what Ui felt.

To her surprise, Ruitt answered first. “If you didn’t notice, it’s a sensitive subject around here…” Ui kept looking at him, waiting for an answer. “She was efficient in what she did, but how could I support her after what happened to our mother—”

“Ruitt, already so dreary in the morning…” Aro looked at him sternly. “Don’t think about it too much, Ui. It’s just some drunkards saying whatever came to their mind. It happens all the time…”

“I don’t believe in dishonest answers. What do you really think brother?” Ruitt asked.

While waiting for an answer, Ui felt a sharp pain inside when she heard her actions had hurt others. She could only imagine the worst.

Aro eventually answered Ruitt’s question. “Even if our mother never woke up, I know that what Lullaby did is what she would’ve wanted…”

Never… woke up? The words echoed in Ui’s mind, erasing every sign of voice, sound, and even the presence of others. She knew these things could happen, but…

“Ruitt, you shouldn’t just think about the bad parts. Think about all the good things that happened after,” said Aro.

“Still. I still find it deeply disturbing that the Udari used a child to fight.”

“Yeah… Why is it children?” said Aro, who was still enjoying his breakfast, even if he slowed down for a bit.

There were reasons why songmagic was like it was, even if Ui avoided thinking about it. “The songmages we—” she blurted out. “They… the children are more connected to the land.” Ui couldn’t hide her dejection. “We lose that connection as we grow up… and songmagic becomes weaker.” Her energy disappeared as she explained the magic. “And at some point, they stop being able to use songmagic completely. So that’s why children…” Ui’s explanation trailed off, unable to say it out loud. She noticed her words left the brothers dumbfounded.

Ruitt broke the awkward silence with his usual dry tone. “Well, there’s no Udari or elders or songmagic here… so that doesn’t matter.”

Even if it wasn’t enough, Aro’s smile as he picked up their dishes helped calm some of Ui’s nerves. “And all of that is in the past, we’re at peace now,” said Aro, who scrubbed their dishes quickly and offered a hand to Ui. “Would you like a tour around town?”

◆

The change of scenery helped lift Ui’s mood, even if it didn’t fix the events weighing on her mind. After all, no matter what others thought about Lullaby, she was surrounded by evidence that her songmagic had brought happiness. Was it wrong to only think about the positive? She could see the children running along the streets with their parents. Udari and Umans lived side by side, building and collaborating to create the city of Rurein. Every business greeted them with a smile, and the inn that Aro’s family built was well known and loved.

“I see you didn’t want to use my sister’s clothes… That’s fine. I know her taste can be peculiar.”

Ui didn’t know what Aro meant by that, since she hadn’t yet unboxed the clothes. “These clothes are… important to me. They’re my culture.”

“Well, at least let me wash them for you whenever you feel like it.” Aro smiled, and Ui was happy with that response. “I’m going to go see my mother… so you can stay here…” Before she realized it, their day running errands was over and they were standing in front of the inn. Aro smiled and turned around and started walking.

Before he could blend into the crowd, Ui ran up to him and grabbed his shoulder to stop him. “Let me come with you.” Ui’s earnest face was more than enough to convince Aro.

During their walk, she urged Aro to stop at a flower shop. There were no pink flowers during the winter, so Ui had to settle with a white one instead. Despite Aro’s confusion, he agreed to let her pay by working with him at the inn. With a flower in hand, both of them kept walking and eventually reached the edge of the city, where there was a large Udari burial site. The site was lined with carefully adorned rocks and plants; each family member picked something from the land to honor their dead.

“You know, you’re not supposed to grieve other people’s parents.”

But Ui’s expression didn’t budge. She wasn’t looking for his reassurance or comfort, not for that. Aro understood the message.

“It’ll take me a while, then you can leave your flower, Ui.”

Aro spent a good part of the afternoon sitting next to his mother’s grave, with Ui standing far enough to not intrude in their private conversation. But every now and then, she did notice signs of sadness and of laughter.

At some point, Aro walked back to Ui and tapped her shoulder. When she turned around, he smiled, as if completely reinvigorated from the conversation.

“I only need a minute.” Ui asked Aro to show her where she could place her flower. She crouched, touched the ground, and laid her flower down gently. She closed her eyes, and chanted. “Ul maes nouirs lus etregs.”

Aro stood by her while she closed her eyes, and eventually, she stood up and rejoined him. “What does that mean?” he asked, full of curiosity.

“It means… The land gives back what’s given.”