The capital city of Plegia was full of people bustling around to different places. To make sure they didn't get separated, Emmeryn grabbed Gangrel's hand and held it tight. Since he had only been to the capital city once, Gangrel didn't know his way around very well. Fortunately for him, there was a large map of Plegia's capital in one of the plazas. Memorizing the location of everything, he set off with Emmeryn to the heart of the city.

"Wow Gangrel, what a great idea," he thought to himself, "bring her to the capital of Plegia, a place so large and busy anyone can get lost within seconds. This might end up bad if we get separated."

Emmeryn, seeming to know his thoughts, locked her arm with his arm that she was holding. They continued to stroll through what Gangrel called "the Main Street" of the city. Both Gangrel and Emmeryn both looked around in amazement at the large, fancy architecture of the buildings. People were running to and fro from shops and markets. Children were running through the crowds giggling and laughing as they chased each other. Soldiers guarded the ends of the streets, watching carefully. Emmeryn smiled with amazement as she gazed at everything and everyone.

Feeling his legs start to give way, Gangrel suggested they call it a day and go home. So they made their back way to the city gate and left for Gangrel's house. When they got there, Gangrel took Emmeryn's now dry garments and gave them to her. He waited outside so she could change back into her garments. When she was done, he went inside. Feeling tired, he let himself collapse on his bed.

"I have a feeling I'm forgetting something," he thought to himself. He looked up and saw Emmeryn standing in the bedroom doorway. Then he remembered.

"Oh yeah. I forgot you don't have a place to sleep."

Emmeryn shook her head. "It's not necessary Gangrel. I feel I've asked too much of you in only a couple days."

Gangrel merely stood up and walked past Emmeryn through the doorway. "You can sleep there. It may not look like much, but it's actually pretty comfortable."

Emmeryn grabbed his shoulder. "But where will you sleep Gangrel? I don't see another place where you would sleep."

Gangrel shrugged. "I don't know. I'll find a place to take a nap. There's always an empty space for me sleep in here, I just need to find one."

Emmeryn tried to find a different solution. "You can sleep in your bed Gangrel. I can just wrap myself in your cloak and sleep on the floor."

"For one, whoever is sleeping in my bed is on the floor anyway," he explained, "and I don't know if my cloak is going to keep you warm. It's gonna get really cold tonight, possibly the coldest night Plegia will ever face."

Emmeryn thought of another solution. "We could sleep together," she suggested. She already knew the answer to that. Gangrel turned around and grimaced.

"Now, let's not get crazy here. Although, if the weather does get any colder, we may have to." Gangrel shuddered at the thought. "Ugh, I hope we do not have resort to that at all."

Gangrel thought harder for a better solution, but he couldn't. He decided to go with the only plan he had left.

"Alright. You sleep in my bed, and I'll sleep on the floor."

Emmeryn shook her head. "No, come with me. I'm not letting you freeze to death. What am I going to do if you freeze to death?"

Gangrel was taken aback. He didn't think of himself as important at all, and yet Emmeryn considered him to be her everything at the moment. Not finding anything to say, he sighed. "Fine. If you want me to, I can." Emmeryn smiled at him and sighed in relief. She turned and went to his bedroom. Gangrel followed behind her. He let her get herself comfortable in his bed first, then he slid under his covers. He tried not to have too much body contact with Emmeryn.

"Oh Gangrel," she said, and she wrapped her arms around him and held him close. "I think we've known each other long enough that this is okay."

Gangrel grimaced. "Are you sure, because I'm not."

Emmeryn ignored him. She buried her face into his chest and tightened her grip. Gangrel felt it was getting hard to breathe. He let his body relax and let himself fall to sleep.

"Hmm. I can't remember a time in my life that someone was so fond of me, even if we did just meet. This Emmeryn girl must think it's normal and okay to sleep with everyone you meet. I, on the other hand, find it disturbing. It's not normal, even for Plegia and its inhabitants. We may have our weird moments, but we know where to draw the line. Maybe she was neglected as a child for a long time, and no one ever loved her or gave her any attention. Maybe she just wants to feel like she belongs to someone. She honestly reminds me…of me."

Gangrel opened his eyes. He felt comfortably warm, and it wasn't from the hot Plegia sun. He looked at Emmeryn. She was still clinging to him, but she was now nuzzling her head under his chin. Since he could not find a way to get up, he decided to just lie there and let the time pass. After what seemed to be hours of waiting, Emmeryn woke up.

"Oh Gangrel, good morning," she said sweetly.

"Gangrel pried his arms from Emmeryn's tight embrace and held her shoulders. "Emm," he said, "did you sleep well? I couldn't breathe, so I hope your night was better than mine."

Emmeryn giggled, and Gangrel wondered why.

"Emm," she said, "is that a pet name you've given to me? I've never had one before." She beamed at him. "Should I give you one as well?"

Gangrel sighed. "Whatever pleases ya."

Emmeryn looked at him with a curious look. "What? Do you not want one?"

"What, no it's alright. I don't mind. We're…friends…so I guess you can."

Emmeryn brightened. "You…you consider us friends?"

"Okay Gangrel, just say yes," he thought, "it will brighten her day, and she might become more happy as the days go by. I know, it's only been a couple days, and it's like we've just met, but just do it and get it over with."

Gangrel nodded and grinned. "Yeah. Wouldn't you?"

Emmeryn hugged him tightly. "Oh Gangrel, you're the best. I don't know if you think so, but it's like I've known you for a long time."

"Really, because I've only started to get to know you."

Emmeryn then let him go. "Hey wait. There's one place you forgot to show me."

Gangrel looked at her in disbelief. "What are you talking about? I've showed you literally every inch of Plegia."

Emmeryn shook her head. "No, you forgot here. The slums. You've never showed me around these parts of Plegia."

Gangrel slapped his hand to his face. The slums. How did he forget? Of all the places in Plegia, he had forgotten the slums.

Emmeryn grabbed his hand. "Well, now that you remembered, shall we head off?"

Gangrel smiled and shook his head. "Ah, the slums. How did I forget? Well, now I remembered. Whenever you're ready Emm."

Emmeryn giggled again at the use of her new pet name, then dragged Gangrel out from his house. Emmeryn seemed to be even happier than usual.

There was not much to look at in the slums. The place was a dump. Run-down houses marked the sides of the streets. Old ruins of homes were around every corner. But there was something out of place in this dump of a place. In the very center of the slums was an old, yet still standing and beautiful sundial. In days where sandstorms kicked up and blew fiercely, the area around the sundial was the only place where the sun still touched the ground.

Gangrel and Emmeryn rushed up to the old sundial. Emmeryn gazed at it with awe and fascination. Gangrel, who had seen the sundial many times, merely looked up at the sky. There were usually no clouds in the sky, but today the sky was full of clouds.

"Yep. We can expect cooler weather to come for the next few days or so." Gangrel looked at Emmeryn, who was still gazing upon the sundial. "You know one of the things that makes the sundial so interesting," Gangrel said, "is the fact that no one knows how it got there. It just appeared there one day, and us Plegians had no idea where it had come from."

Emmeryn turned to face Gangrel. "Gangrel, can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah, I might have an answer."

"Are you a Grimleal?"

Gangrel laughed hard and shook his head. "Pah, those old, wrinkled warts with those dusty tomes? No, I'm Grimleal only by name, not by faith."

Emmeryn looked somewhat relived when he said this. "So you don't worship Grima? Oh, that's a relief."

Gangrel waved his hands in the air, as if to point out the fact was obvious. "Well yeah. Do you honestly think I'm going to worship a demonic, dragon of destruction that wants to kill everybody?"

Gangrel then fell backwards into the sand and started laughing. "HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! Now that I think about it, why do they worship a dragon that wants to kill them all? It makes no sense! BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!"

Emmeryn started to laugh with him. The two of them laughed uncontrollably for a few minutes. Then Emmeryn helped Gangrel to his feet, and they headed off back to Gangrel's house.

"Well, that's the slums," Gangrel said to her. "So, now what do you want to do?"

Emmeryn seemed already prepared to answer the question, because she answered him immediately after he was done talking.

"I was wondering, Gangrel, if I could stay in Plegia for a few more years. I want to live the life of a Plegian, walk in their shoes, and see life from a different angle."

Gangrel thought he had never heard such crazier words in his life. It was one thing for somebody to sightsee in Plegia, but it was a weirder thing to hear one say they want to live in Plegia.

"Are you sure? I'm warning you, it's not pleasant living in Plegia."

Emmeryn nodded. "Yes. I have made my choice, and you aren't changing it."

Gangrel grinned. "I like your attitude, Emm. Very well, if you want to stay in Plegia—and I've never heard of anyone that ever wanted to—you can."

Emmeryn beamed and embraced Gangrel tightly—again. "Oh, thank you Gangrel! You're the best!"

Gangrel felt he might regret his decision sometime soon. "Alright, alright. You can let go now." Emmeryn released him, still smiling at him. Gangrel started to pace. "Okay, now that we solved that matter, what do we do now?"

"You can find me a change of clothes that more—suitable for living here."

Gangrel opened up the cellar door and slid down the ladder. He opened a chest that was full of clothes that were too small for him. He dug in there for a few minutes.

"Do these work?" He called up to Emmeryn, holding a sleeveless shirt and slightly torn shorts. Emmeryn came down to get a better look.

"Yes, those will do," she said to him. He handed her his old shirt and shorts, then turned back to the chest.

"What are you doing?" Emmeryn asked.

"Finding something that's a suitable blindfold," he answered. He pulled out a ripped pair of pants and wrapped them around his eyes.

"Alright. Hurry up and change, so I don't have to wear old pants over my eyes."

He reclined on the chest that had his old clothes on it and waited for Emmeryn to change.

"Wow Gangrel. These are a perfect fit!"

Gangrel sighed in relief. It was hard to find a suitable piece of clothing that would actually fit her. He heard Emmeryn approach him. "Here, I'll take your blindfold off." She gently and slowly took off his blindfold. "Well, what do you think?

Gangrel couldn't find anywhere to start. If she looked pretty with her royal garments on before—and she did—she looked even more beautiful now. Gangrel couldn't figure out why. His hand-me-down shirt and shorts were far from good-looking when he had them in his hands, but when Emmeryn put them on they seemed almost brand new or as if she had been wearing them her whole life. Gangrel was stunned.

"I—I…wow…I don't know what to say. You're…perfection in every way possible."

Emmeryn blushed. "Oh stop. Wait…you mean that?"

Gangrel nodded in reply. "I ain't kidding you, Emm. Such beauty has never been found anywhere in Plegia."

Tears formed in Emmeryn's eyes. Gangrel got up to comfort her. She let herself cry into his shoulder. "I'm so glad you think that. I feel like so much better hearing that. No one has ever said that to me in my life."

Gangrel wondered what kind of sad life Emmeryn was possibly living before she came to Plegia. Not that he was any better off. Emmeryn was right. They've only known each other for a few days and yet it feels they have been friends for a long time. But now it was going to be a few years with Emmeryn, and Gangrel sensed their friendly relationship would strengthen over time. He stroked her hair gently.

"Don't cry Emmeryn. Everything is going to be all right. If you didn't feel you belonged anywhere before, you belong here with me. And if I must add, I need to go to the markets."

Emmeryn let go of him, wiping her eyes dry. "Okay, but I'm going with you. If I want to live like a Plegian, I must learn the daily routine of one as well. Lead the way Gangrel."

Gangrel took her arm, and they went off to the Plegian markets. Here, Gangrel needed to stock up on more provisions to support two people. He went to the Plegian Tavern to gamble with the other Plegians, who considered him a regular visitor of the bar and a new friend. (He told Emmeryn to wait outside the Plegian Tavern, as it reeked of liquor and a girl like her was not safe around drunken Plegians. Emmeryn didn't mind having to wait outside, she just told him to come out with his mind intact.) When he was done, he collected his winnings and left with Emmeryn. As they were walking, Emmeryn asked him a question.

"When I look at all the passerby, I can't help but notice that none of them are carrying weapons. Back at my country, almost everyone carried some kind of weapon with them. Why don't the Plegians carry any weapons with them?"

"We Plegians don't like fights and war. We have weapons, but we leave them at home. We settle things peacefully, and only use our weapons in war or to stop thieves trying to rob our homes. The only Plegians that don't care about violence or peace would be the Grimleal and our crazy king. Most of us actually forget that we even have a king, and people attend the Grimleal rituals halfheartedly."

Emmeryn nodded in understanding. "I wish the people in my country would do the same. They always get in fights and try to kill one another."

Gangrel raised his eyebrows. "Oh really? Wow, I could never imagine such a place that even existed. I've heard of hostile nations, but that sounds ridiculous."

"Well, that's what it is. I know you don't prefer Plegia as your home country, but I would prefer it over my home country. In fact, with you I already feel like I've lived here for my whole life. Ah, I wish that were true."

Gangrel was still trying to work out in his mind a violent, war-loving country full of barbaric people. Before, he thought the only person crazy enough to love war and destruction was the Plegian king, but now he was having second thoughts.

"Emm, I think I'm going to head to the Plegian springs to wash myself off."

"Okay. I'll wait for you here."

Gangrel headed to the springs. He felt he had not bathed in a long time. He stripped him self of his clothes and jumped in the spring water. The spring water was moderately hot, but it was a relaxing kind of hot that loosened the muscles. The spring was up to his chest in depth, and Gangrel swam about in the water for a few minutes. He then jumped out of the spring and put on his shorts first to let his body dry. After he was done drying, he put on his shirt and left to meet up with Emmeryn. He found her waiting where she said she was going to wait.

"Ready to head back home?" He asked, offering his arm.

Emmeryn took his offered arm. "Yes, I think I'm ready."

They headed home, where Gangrel was ready to pass out from today's activities. When they got there, Gangrel headed to his bedroom and dropped on the bed. He groaned from exhaustion.

"Ohhh, I'm so tired. I'm glad I went to the spring, it sure helped to rejuvenate some energy."

Emmeryn looked confused about something. "Gangrel, wouldn't the springs burn you excruciatingly hard?"

"No. There's something special about the springs here in Plegia. People say it was blessed by—what was the name of the Divine Dragon that the Ylisseans worship? Oh yeah—Naga. They say Naga's blessing on the springs makes them painless despite the heat and rejuvenates your energy. It also soothes any muscle cramps I may have."

"Do you believe that? That Naga really did bless those springs?"

Gangrel looked up to her. "Yes, yes I do. In fact, Naga is whom I put faith in instead to Grima. I wouldn't be surprised if the other Plegians did the same."

Emmeryn went and lay beside him. She brought her arms around him and brought him close. She also seemed unusually relaxed after Gangrel had said this.