Is there anything better than a good, undisturbed night's sleep?
When you drop down on your bed, tuck into your sheets, which are just the perfect temperature. You lie your head down on a pillow, that's the perfect mix of firm and soft.
To sleep soundly, without dreams or nightmares. Then wake up in the morning — or even at noon — and just lie there for a while.
Well… This morning wasn't one of those...
"Alex! Wake up!"
A loud shout, probably my mother's, woke me up.
Blinking a few times slowly, I lifted my head up, looking around.
I was in my room, alone.
Must have been a dream…
I dropped my head back down, ready to venture back into the land of sleep.
And then I heard my door slide open. Small, swift footsteps echoed in my room. Then they stopped, and I felt a weight on my back.
"Alex! Wake up!" A lively, high-pitched voice spoke, "We have a guest!" she shouted right into my ear.
Any chance I had at going back to sleep was gone, just like that.
Burying my face into the pillow, I groaned out, holding back a line of curses — otherwise I would get an earful for speaking like that to my little sister.
I reached for my linkframe on the nightstand. I grabbed only air the first few times before finally finding it.
When I pulled it close to my face, the sudden bright light made my eyes squint. But seeing the time on it was what truly hurt.
06:12.
It was still fucking morning.
Which Gods damned idiot goes to some fool's house this early? And why does that fool have to be me? It doesn't feel like I slept 8 hours at all. More like 90 minutes.
"Hey, Alex?"
A curtain of light blond hair fell to my face. She leaned over my head while sitting on my back. Red eyes, bright as little gems, and a cute face looked down at me.
Oh right. She's here too…
Thank the Gods I didn't swear out loud…
"…yes, Lily?" I asked groggily.
"Good morning."
"Good morning, Lily. Did Mother send you?"
"She promised me ice cream if I could bring you down to the kitchen." She nodded, answering with a little grin.
I bit my lower lip, my hand tightening around the device still in my hand.
"Of course she did..."
I rolled to my side, making Lily fall off me and onto the bed. She giggled. By the time I sat up, she was out of bed and standing in front of me.
She wore grey pyjamas with faces of an angry cat and a smug little mouse.
She got that from me for her 3rd birthday a few weeks ago.
"You can go have breakfast, Lily. I will be there in a few minutes."
"No!"
I raised an eyebrow, the corners of my mouth pulling up a bit.
"No? Why is that?"
"If I go without you, you will lock the door of your room and go back to sleep!"
"Do you really think I would lie to you, my dear sister?"
"Yes."
Hearing her answer, my head dropped.
"Honest as ever..."
I felt a soft hand on my head. Glancing up, Lily was right in front of me, patting my head like I was some cat.
"…what are you doing?"
"Kitties like it when I pet them. It makes them happy."
"You know I-"
I stopped before finishing my sentence.
Should I even say anything?
Not as I can convince her — never could.
It also does feel somewhat pleasant...
After a few seconds of having my head petted, I stood up from the edge of my bed and looked around the room.
The room was modest. A dresser and wardrobe for clothes sat at the back near the bed. A bookshelf and a desk with scattered papers and books were on the other side, near the door. In front of the bed, the entire wall was glass, tinted black to keep the room dark.
"Alright... I'm up. Happy?"
"Yes!"
"Good. Now, can I at least have a few minutes to dress up? If we have a guest, I should wear something more than just my pyjamas. Even if they are very comfortable..."
I was wearing loose, long black pyjamas.
Not that I wanted to change out of these. Pyjamas are the best attire in the world. Light, comfortable, easy to move in.
What else could you ask for?
But if there is anyone else here besides Lily and my mother, I need to put on my bracelet —ergo, my disguise.
Oh joy...
"You don't need to change!" Her tone was happy, a bright smile on her face.
Lily didn't like me wearing my disguise. She'd say she liked her "real" brother more. Still, she was a smart girl—too smart for her age. She understood things-
"You know I need to, Lily. I-"
"The guest is a friend of Mom's." The little girl said, adamant in her tone, " And you can come down like this!"
My hand that hovered above my bracelet on the nightstand stopped.
"Mother has friends?"
I spoke without even realising it, the sudden revelation being too overwhelming for my mind so early in the morning.
If it were Mrs Walker, Lily would have said so. That means Mother had other friends. That makes it two at least. Which would mean...
"That she has more friends than I..."
I buckled forward, bracing against the nightstand for support.
To be outclassed by my mother, who grumbles every time she has to go anywhere...
Ah, someone please kill me...
"…wait…" I looked up, shocked, now realising what Lily just said. "I can go down like this?" I pointed to my face.
"Yes!" Lily answered with a grin.
It was…weird… to hear that.
My father. The man whom I looked almost exactly like and inherited my unique eyes from — a trait only he and I had, as far as I know.
While he was wanted in this country and two more, that wasn't the main issue.
It was the sheer number of individuals — powerful ones — that had a grudge against him. Were they to find out I was here, they wouldn't care about any law. It would likely mean the end for my family and me.
It was a funny thing, really. I don't even remember my father. He disappeared on the same day I lost my memories.
He left Mother and me behind, in a place where I nearly died, and Mother lost most of her powers.
That's why we were in this city. While living like this—wearing a mask—was tough, it was also the safest place in the world.
It took me a bit of time to process everything. I didn't know what exactly to say.
"…I need some coffee. I must still be dreaming...."
Lily raced out of my room, giggling. I followed after her, my curiosity piqued.
If there was something I loved more than coffee, it was something interesting. I could never resist things I found interesting.
Stepping outside my room, the sudden brightness made my eyes squint. I let out a yawn as I walked down the stairs.
"Look, Mom! I got him!" I heard my sister tell our mother.
Lily had her hands on her hips, looking smug. Mother was sitting at one end of the table, drinking coffee. She patted Lily's head, making the little girl chuckle.
"Good job, Lily."
"Can I have ice cream now?"
"A bit later. After breakfast, alright?"
"Ehhh?" The little girl's smile disappeared instantly, "But you promised..."
"I never said when, did I ?"
My sister sat down next to Mother, her expression looking downcast. She then stuffed a spoonful of cereal into her mouth.
"And that's partially the reason why I have trust issues, little sister."
Mother's head snapped towards me, her expression stern, though it had no real bite to it.
It was the gaze coming from the person sitting on the other end of the table that drew my attention.
Wrinkles covered her face, along with a long red scar on the right side from her forehead to her chin. Her dark brown eyes and shoulder-length hair, now mostly grey, once probably matched in colour.
She wore a plain, long white uniform coat without buttons or ornaments. Black pants and boots completed the outfit. She was tall with a tight posture.
She just… didn't feel old. I could see her spring from her seat and draw a weapon at any moment, before anyone — besides Mother, maybe — could do anything.
"Done staring, boy?" Her voice was loud with a mocking but playful tone. "Perhaps want me to turn my head so you can take a better look?"
She tilted her head a bit, showing off the scar even more.
"Nope," I replied, though a yawn made it come out weird.
Sitting down on Mother's other side, facing Lily, I took the pot full of coffee from the table, pouring some into a mug.
"Is that so?" The unknown woman asked, a smile on her face. "Then tell me. Who do you think I'm?"
How the hell should I know? It's morning. My brain doesn't work properly this early. I'm not one of those mythical existences known as a morning person.
Picking up a teaspoon, I piled it with sugar, then dumped it into my mug and stirred.
"Former soldier? Or a mercenary... guild officer perhaps."
"Why those?"
I took a sip of my coffee.
Gods, it was good.
I originally didn't understand why Mother likes this stuff so much, but it grew on me, perhaps a bit too much even.
"You don't have any medals or badges, and that's not the standard Luminisian military uniform. So I'm guessing you just got used to wearing stuff like this. A guild officer is more of a shot in the dark. Seems feasible with a background like that."
I took another sip.
"Hm... not bad, but-"
I raised a hand, interrupting her.
"I'm not done yet. The problem with these conclusions is what someone like that would be doing here. I'm quite certain that Mother wouldn't have friends in a guild. Certainly not one who's an officer. I do think the former soldier part is true, what's more..."
I pointed at the scar on her face.
"That scar... I recognise it." I glanced at Mother, "And I think I can even tell who gave it to you."