Thief of Twilight

Part Three: Chapter 81

"Then why do you want to be part of the royal court?"

"Well...before, I wanted to join the royal court because I wanted an excuse to leave the Akadymia whenever I wanted. But now that I have met you...it would seem that you may need more of my assistance in the future."

"What makes you say that? What if I want to live a normal life after all of this?"

"Life for us is very difficult. You never know what will happen. So it is always safer to make connections and network within the world. Given your status, I think you can definitely make all of the connections that you could dream of. But will those connections benefit you long term?"

That's a good point. I mean, I can make all sorts of connections now that I am Lady Abedayo again. But if he were to be part of the royal court, he may be able to help me. Right now, I need his help to restore my core. But what if I need him for something else in the future?

"Sinopia."

"Yes?"

"Do you know other moon children? Aside from me and the one that you mentioned before?"

"Yes, I do."

"How many?"

"Five."

I lowered my eyes. "Where...are they now?"

"In hiding." he said. "But they are safe."

I leaned back on my hands. "You said we are the direct descendants of King Vayser, right?"

"Yes."

"He was the last king of Jurza, correct?"

"Yes, he was."

"So then....why don't we or...other moon children go back to Jurza?"

"Because Jurza has become a lawless land." Sinopia heaved a sigh. "There are many people who live in Jurza but don't abide by unlawful behavior. You see, there is no protection. Even the capital city is now overrun by bandits and criminals. Many factions have tried reclaiming the city and even parts of the territory. In fact, Khurut, Ainde, and Batoise have tried snatching up little pieces of land but they have never been able to do so without any losses."

"It's that...bad...?"

"It's very bad. I have spoken to the other moon children and of course, they would love to go back. But then...the idea of us living there as moon children does not have a good outcome. We realized that if we decided to do that, over time that could draw unwanted attention to us. With that in mind, our safety would be put at risk. You have to remember. Even though the royal family was masscred, over eight hundred years ago, our kind is still disliked and hunted to this day. So there would be no way for us to protect ourselves from a mass invasion."

"Which...would just push us to go back to how it is now. Living in hiding or trying to blend in with everyone else..."

"Exactly." Sinopia nodded his head. "We would be back to square one." he looked up at the morning sky. "But I have a question for you. And yes, it is about a different topic."

"What is it?"

"You are considered royalty now. Since you are engaged to the emperor, you hold the same political standing as an empress."

I nodded my head.

"If that is the case, why are you putting up with...the constant bullying?"

I looked down at my feet. "It's not that bad. Besides, I have a pretty good idea of who it is anyway."

"So, why don't you tell Yohan? I understand if you don't want to cause any trouble, but-."

"Because this is child's play." I said. "Besides, Yohan is more occupied with the current situation." I breathed. "I don't want to overwhelm him. And this is something that I can handle on my own."