One Day More - a Sartorias-deles fanfic

Chapter 33

Vlad introduced Iris to Mellius when he next arrived at the port.  It took a week, not two days.  Iris spent the time learning how to be a new person—Eliev.  It was not easy.  Everyone seemed so suspicious of everyone else, but Iris had slowly cracked Rianna and Vlad's shells.  She had also tried not to think of what Alaraec might have been doing.  Or her parents.  Or Enda and Bren.  That life was behind her, and she would do better not to dwell on it.

Though she wanted to.  Oh, how she wanted to spend all her days in the sweet memories she had shared with Alaraec and her other friends.

For the most part, Iris actually succeeded, besides at night when Alaraec's smile slipped into her dreams.  She stayed at Rianna and Vlad's dwelling, and Rianna taught her Venn, cooking, and baking.  Cooking, she did not enjoy. But there was something about baking that drew her in.  Maybe because everything had to be so precise?  Iris could not put her finger on it, but it calmed her.  Distracted her mind.  Though most of Rianna's recipes were in Venn, which made baking far more challenging. Rianna helped her every step of the way.  Growing affection for Rianna and Vlad blossomed in Iris's heart.  Was this what it was like, having parental figures in one's life who cared?

Mellius took her to Setazhia three days later.  Iris discovered she did not want to leave, but...Setazhia was where she wanted—no, needed to be.  It had the best school.  The best library, from what Iris understood.  Perhaps she could drown herself in pages of reading to push what she'd done in Remalna even further from her mind. Because she could never forgive herself for it.  Wouldn't.

The trip was not a long one, and Mellius did not stay when they had landed.  He remained long enough for her to unload her meager belongings and gave her a name.  Just a first name, because that was all he knew—Donric.  Iris watched the ship sail away, her bag slumped over her shoulder.  There was no way to go but forward, she supposed.  She prayed Raec had the same outlook and that he would let her memory die off as a part of his past.  A mistake.  A regret.

The docks were on the east side of the island.  From afar, it looked like the entire island was one big city, white against the horizon.  Perhaps the school would be in the middle?  Iris shifted her bag to her other shoulder and started off in what she hoped was the correct direction.  She heard little of the Common Tongue.  Mostly Venn, but Iris only understood a few words scattered throughout the sentences being exchanged.  A quick study of the people revealed she was on the younger side of the population.  No children anywhere.

Her feet throbbed by the time she finally reached the center of the island.  Her shoulders hurt, too, as she kept adjusting the bag.  And her stomach was growling.  She had a bit of money, but what currency did they use here?  She couldn't pay.

That thought caused her to stop in her tracks.

Couldn't pay.

How would they let her study if she could not pay?

"I'll cross that when I have to," Iris muttered, looking around her for a friendly face.  She saw none, which was...depressing.

"You look lost, little girl." The male voice rasped in the Common Tongue, grating against her skin in a way that made her extremely uncomfortable.

"I'm not." Her voice cracked. "I'm looking for someone."

"Perhaps I can help you find him." His beard was patchy, his clothes were dirty, and his breath smelled sour.

"No, thank you."

"Suit yourself," he said. He drew out the S so he hissed like a serpent and then moved away from her. "But take it from me. A pretty girl like you shouldn't be alone here."