Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #16 July 2015 | страница 19

“Given you have skin-paint, I assumed
wrong,” laughed Sandra-erai.

The girl left Aki’s grip and clung to Nisswaen’s back, obviously terrorized. A hand on her head,
Nisswa-en got her to relax enough to breathe properly.
“If you excuse me, I have to go back to my school,
Reina is a boarding student, and it’s likely that they’re
looking for her everywhere.”

“Great Lord, skin-paint is... well, what it says
to be. Paint for the skin, it doesn’t hold on the hairs,
and it would blind whomever was stupid enough to
put it on the eyes.”

“I do understand. You may leave. I am most
sorry that Aki terrorized her like that. He can come as
a bit rough to people who are unused to him.”

Morani-quinin chuckled. “My friend, how
could you not notice the only female celestial in our
kingdom?”
“Only?” asked Lilith in a voice that came as
exceedingly acute, as her eyes became wide. “Lord
of Lords, what do you mean by only?” She couldn’t
help but to question him as her composure nearly went
down the drain.

“Reina-nan’s fright might come more from the
impressiveness of the place than from Lord Fujiwarasayen. People of modest origin like us are unused
to such wide spaces and ambiances to stand it well.
Come on, Reina. Don’t you have something to say to
Lord Fujiwara-sayen before we go?”

“I would mean my exact words. There is no
other known celestial of your gender...”
***
At these words, Nisswa-en’s face became
slightly stiffer, and her aura betrayed the violence of
the feelings swarming her. Her school did a good job
at teaching her how to keep her calm and composure,
but she was not yet in control of her aura. Although,
she seemed to have rather good control of her powers
as they didn’t go haywire.
“Hoy,” said Aki arriving with a girl in tears
held like a small puppy by the back of her clothing. “I
found her before our guildhall. She says she’s waiting
for her senior. Is that you?” he asked to Nisswa-en as
she was the only one of their age around.
“Reina is my junior indeed,” she answered as
her aura quieted down instantly. “May I ask of this
Lord if he could be as kind as to release her?”
“I had to take her in because she was unable to
enter on her own.”
“Reina,” she said with a kind smile, “it’s okay,
come. You’re safe, it’s all fine.”

“For... For helping me... Thank you.”
going.”

“Now,” said Lilith, bowing gently, “we will be

“Ah... Eh...” Reina bowed too and walked
straight in her senior’s steps.
Aki went to the bar, and the guildsmen
returned to the guests. The ambiance went back to
being nearly as busy as it was before, and the evening
went on like that for the Draticornix Guild. Both
Ensiel and Sirius looked at the few women left. None
really struck them as worth the time, so they just
enjoyed some drink and conversation together.
***
Lilith, however, stayed silent, lost in her
thoughts and disturbed by the fact that she was the
only female celestial in the whole kingdom. The
only one. Hell, so she wouldn’t have anybody to ask
about all these changes she felt in her but couldn’t
understand? But those thoughts were kind of dulled
as she realized that she had addressed one of the
country’s rulers, and even had a discussion with his
second-in-power. The mere thought nearly confounded
her.

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