Although the initial plan was just to have Arianna over for dinner, her father was thrilled by their good fortune and allowed her to spend the night. Still, when morning came, Blumiere was eager for his suitor to leave. It was not her doing, but her presence was a constant reminder of an arrangement that he wanted nothing to do with. Besides that, the past couple of days had been tiring.

After breakfast, the family prepared to see Arianna out. However, as the others went outside, Father said, "Excuse me, Arianna. I just need to have a quick word with my son."

Blumiere frowned, but did not bother objecting. He thought he was just fortunate for being let off with a warning once again. In reality, his father was putting off the rest of the conversation until morning.

"That's alright!" Arianna said. "I'll wait for you outside then." With that, she left and shut the door behind her.

Once they were alone, the chief sighed and rubbed his temples. "Blumiere, just what kind of foolishness were you up to last night?"

"N-Nothing, I was just-"

"You are an abysmal liar, my son," Father interrupted. "We both know that you were not simply stepping out for air. You were meaning to run off somewhere, doing Grambi knows what. I would have forgiven you the first time, but you were trying to leave again. Weren't you?"

Blumiere's cheeks grew hot. "No…" He scolded himself mentally; his voice sounded so small.

"Need I remind you that you are the future of the Tribe of Darkness? I will not have you putting yourself in harm's way. You're prohibited from leaving the castle without my permission until further notice. Is that clear?"

The young lord felt a rush of dread. This was exactly the kind of scenario that he tried to prevent from happening by coming back home. "I understand. I will not leave the castle at night…"

"I do not want you leaving the castle at all."

At this, Blumiere's eyes widened. He needed the smell of flowers, the soft breeze, the birds and cicadas chirping. His life was going by too fast, the ground shifting beneath him. Nature was his stability. Father couldn't take that away from him. "W-What? But...the others play outside all the time!"

"The others have not been acting irresponsibly." Father sighed, his shoulders dropping as if in resignation. He sounded almost tired, and his son would have felt bad for him if it weren't for what he was meaning to do. "Blumiere, I'm only doing this for your own good."

Blumiere didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "...How long will this punishment last?"

"We'll see. Now, chin up. You need to say goodbye to Arianna before she leaves." Father opened the door and stepped outside.

For the few seconds that he was alone, Blumiere inhaled sharply and clenched his fists. He wanted to yell, scream, or shout, if not to get his privileges back then at least let out his frustrations. Instead, he took a deep breath and put on a smile before joining the others outside.

Once Arianna had left, Grandfather approached Blumiere and asked if he would be willing to chat with him over a cup of tea. His tone was not confrontational, but welcoming. Even so, Blumiere could not shake the anger that he felt. Still, he muttered a 'yes' in response, so the elder wouldn't be worried.

Blumiere sat down on the couch in the parlor and stared at his cup of chamomile tea. Grandfather sat next to him with his peppermint tea, the smell of which was almost sickeningly sweet. "Arianna is a delightful girl. You made a good choice, Blumiere."

"Thank you…"

"I am so glad that you will be able to marry someone of your choosing. That was all I wanted for Laurie and Lucille," He said, referring to his older daughter by her nickname. "But your other grandfather was a stubborn man and very traditional in that way."

"Mmm-hmm." Blumiere took a sip of his tea.

Grandfather turned to him. "Something on your mind?"

"No, Grandfather...it's just that…'' He stopped. There wasn't much use lying. With his calm but firm demeanor, it was impossible to lie to Grandfather without the truth slipping out. He sighed. "Father will not let me leave the castle…"

"That does not surprise me, considering recent events. We were all worried about you."

"And I appreciate that, but I am almost grown! It's not even just at night. I need his permission to go, no matter what time of day it is."

"Well, this is only temporary. Did he say how long this would be?"

The lord sighed. "I don't know...It could be a day or it could be until Arianna and I are married. Father can be so unpredictable."

"Blumiere, I know you're upset but try and think rationally about this…"

"It's hard to think rationally when he does this. He is always telling me how I'm the future of this tribe and I will be of age to rule in a few years, yet he still treats me like a child! It's not fair!"

Grandfather furrowed his brows. "Yes, but-"

"How am I even supposed to lead if he has no faith in me? I can only imagine what it will be like, having supposed control of the tribe while he watches over my shoulder."

The tribe elder stared at his grandson for a moment. He set his teacup and plate down, then looked at him with concern in his eyes. "Blumiere, what is this really about?"

The young heir looked up, caught off guard. "Huh?"

"You don't usually react this way to being punished. You are still upset, of course, but you try and take it in stride. Is something bothering you, something besides your father?"

After a moment of hesitation, Blumiere nodded. "Perhaps so…"

"What is it?"

He thought, avoiding eye contact. If he was honest, the fact that he would have to put off seeing Timpani for the second night in a row bothered him. What if by tomorrow night, or however long it would be until Blumiere could reach her, she would come to her senses and grow wary of him? He didn't want much, just to talk to her. "Before I tell you, can you please not tell Father about this?"

Grandfather smiled. "I'm his father-in-law. I don't have to tell him anything."

Blumiere grinned, relaxing somewhat. "Well...do you remember how I said I dressed my wounds?"

"Ah...so it was someone else."

The younger man's smile faltered. "You knew?"

"You know little about healing, Blumiere. Who helped you?"

"It was…" Blumiere paused. How would he describe the girl he met the other night without mentioning the obvious? "A peasant girl."

Grandfather furrowed his brows. "A peasant girl? "

The heir thought for another moment, wondering how to phrase this information. He would be telling the truth, but not the whole truth. "Yes...she lives not far from the barrier. And I was so worried about getting back to the castle that I don't believe I ever thanked her properly…"

"I see. Well, if you explained the situation to your father, then surely he would make an exception and-"

Blumiere shook his head. "No, I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because even if I wasn't in trouble right now, Father makes everything a spectacle. I want it to be a private affair...and I want to do it on my own." The other man looked at him skeptically. Blumiere hesitated. "I just...want her to know that I'm thankful to her…"

Grandfather took a deep breath. "If it means that much to you, then I know a way that you can leave the castle grounds unseen."

His eyes widened. "You mean it?"

"Yes. You are more than capable of making your own decisions. But just this once."

"One time is all I need! Thank you, Grandfather!"

He nodded. "You're welcome, Blumiere. Now, meet me in my bedroom an hour before you are wanting to see this girl. I have something that you will find useful."

That night, Blumiere met Grandfather in his room. He was waiting for him, sitting on a chair with a folded article of clothing in his arms. Tock was floating beside him. Blumiere asked, "Alright. What was it you wanted to show me?

"Just a moment." Grandfather opened the door a crack and looked at his Pixl. "Tock, keep watch. Let us know if anyone decides to eavesdrop."

Tock hesitated. "Lord Nero, are you sure this is a good idea? I am meant to obey all of you, so if Count Derrick asks to know what you are up to-?"

"Tell him I am giving Blumiere an early birthday present," Grandfather said. The Pixl gave a slight nod, then floated outside. The elder shut the door again and turned to the young lord. "Now, Blumiere...just as I kept my word, I need you to keep yours. Promise you will not tell anyone about this. Not even your parents."

"I won't…"

Grandfather nodded and retrieved the clothing from his chair. He unfolded it and Blumiere realized it was a cape. Not only that, but it had a gradient with white at the top, fading to blue at the bottom. "Now, if you wear this during the evening, you will blend in with your surroundings. But I must warn you...this only works in darkness. You will be as easy to spot during the day as I am now." He put it on to demonstrate and he was as visible as ever.

Next, Grandfather took it off and wrapped it around his descendent's shoulders. Blumiere felt warm in an instant. "Oh, this actually feels nice...I don't believe I've worn anything like it."

"Ah, yes. It must be very unique to you, considering it's part Ancient technology."

Hearing this, the younger man's eyes grew wide. He looked up at his grandfather in disbelief. "It is? Then why keep it?"

"This is an artifact that my side of the family has kept for centuries. It was made during a different time, when we did not feel as much animosity towards our original tribe as we do now." His grandson must have still looked doubtful, because he added: "This generation only wants to look at one side of the picture, the side obscured by shadow. But the truth of the matter is that we need both light and darkness, Blumiere. Please wear it. It will keep you safe."

He thought for a moment. If this would help him see Timpani, then did it really matter if it was made by members of the Tribe of Ancients? He nodded. "Thank you, Grandfather."

"Of course. Now, stay quiet and avoid the light. And if you have trouble finding your way back to where this girl lives, bring Tock with you. He can help you find your way."

Blumiere said he would bring the Pixl. After all, he had stumbled upon that hill by accident, so finding his way back to it on his own would be difficult. He gave Grandfather a quick hug before leaving the room and informing Tock of the plan.

The two decided to use the front entrance this time, as Father would keep his eye on the garden entrance. He walked down the steps, past the guards, and eventually found his way to the first floor. With the artifact Grandfather had given him, the young heir was able to slip past them undetected. Everything was going according to plan. This is almost too easy, Blumiere thought.

When he approached the front entrance, he stopped. There were no guards there, only Father. He held the Dark Prognosticus close to him. Blumiere swallowed hard.

Just then, Father looked up. He frowned. Shutting the book, he stood and walked toward Blumiere. The latter took a deep breath, preparing himself for the scolding that would come his way.

Instead, Father asked, "Tock, what are you doing here?"

The younger man gasped. Just as quickly though, he covered his mouth. It really works. Father can't see me.

Tock froze, as if he had been the one caught red-handed. "Well...I...um…" His minute hand started to move faster. Then, he blurted out: "I just wanted to teach you about the importance of time, my Count!"

Father raised an eyebrow. "...Time?"

The Pixl nodded, or at least did the closest he could to nodding. "Yes! Time management is such an important part of ruling! For example, did you know that most people believe that they are too busy or there aren't enough hours in the day to work towards fulfilling their dreams? These are common misconceptions! However, the real issue is not managing your time well!"

The chief sighed. "I know how to manage my time. And I know that is not why you're really here. Does Laurie want me to come back to bed? Tell her that I'll be up in just a moment."

"That is precisely why time management is so important! If you don't plan ahead and push forward even in the face of difficulty, then all that time will just slip away!" At his last two words, Tock looked to Blumiere, then to the door. The latter nodded and walked in that direction.

"Enough, Tock. This pointless discussion is wasting my time, not saving it."

The Pixl was quiet for a moment before changing tactics. "Alright, maybe I am worried about you. It is just...not healthy to spend all of your time doing the same thing, day in and day out. Even too much of a good thing can be bad. You want to set an example for Blumiere, don't you?"

Father considered these words. Taking advantage of this, Blumiere went to the door and slowly opened it. The tiny creak of the front door made him wince. Dread consumed him, as if any moment would be the moment that he'd be discovered. Heart pounding and not taking another look back, Blumiere left the castle and made his way to the forbidden woods once again.

Once he reached Moonstone Woods, Blumiere stopped and waited for his Pixl companion. He waited for a long while in silence, wondering if Tock would manage to escape. After waiting for a bit longer, the clock-shaped Pixl floated up to him. "Whew! That was a close one." He turned to Blumiere with wide eyes. "That was the first time in over 2,000 years that I lied to one of my masters! I'm still buzzing from it!"

"It wasn't exactly lying…" Blumiere said, trying to reassure both himself and the Pixl.

"Yes, it was! I withheld the truth from him! Oh, but I did it to help you and it is my job to serve you as well, right?"

He sighed. "Right. Besides, one white lie will not kill him," Blumiere said, shocking even himself. He was always honest with his parents. It had only been the past couple of days that the situation had changed. He brushed the guilt aside. "Now, let's go."

The two walked the rest of the way to the barrier in a comfortable silence. Just before reaching it, Tock asked, "Um...Lord Blumiere, can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead."

"Why are you so eager to see this girl? I could send another message along, thanking her."

Blumiere sighed. "Yes, but...I want to do it in person."

"How come?"

He turned to face Tock. "Timpani isn't like the other humans. I want to know what makes her different. Besides, she is the first person I've ever met outside of the tribe. Doesn't it make you curious, how people like Timpani live?"

Tock hesitated. "It...has been a long time since I have been outside of the Tribe of Darkness...still, I just don't want either of us to get in trouble."

"Keep watch, then. If someone from the tribe comes, alert me and we will return to the castle right away."

The Pixl still seemed uncertain, but agreed. When Blumiere reached the barrier, his limbs still felt heavy while crossing through it, but it was a little easier than the first time. Tock led him through Sunstone Forest using the quickest routes, making the walk much shorter than it would have been if Blumiere went on his own. Soon, they reached a familiar opening. The Pixl stopped. "I'll wait here for you. Stay safe, my lord."

Blumiere thanked Tock and went ahead. Mentally, he brushed aside the notion that he needed to 'stay safe' around Timpani. It was hard to believe that not long ago, he assumed the humans would kill him if he ever went to their side. If only he knew back then that not all humans were dangerous.

As he got closer to the small hill, the shape of a girl became more and more apparent. She had her hair up with the same ribbon as before, her dress swaying in the wind. Blumiere took off his cape, becoming visible once more. He walked up the hill, offering a smile when he reached her. "Hello, Timpani."

Her eyes lit up. "Blumiere!" With that, she gave him a hug. He jumped, too taken back by her sudden embrace to return the gesture. Timpani let go to face him, her smile faltering. "You're late. Did something happen?"

Blumiere nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yes, my father caught me. Sneaking out of the castle wasn't easy after that."

Timpani nodded. Quietly, she added, "I was worried you wouldn't come…"

He furrowed his brows. "You are a strange girl...You know what I am yet you do not seem afraid."

"I don't care what you are! I just wanted to see you. Is that...is that so wrong?"

His eyes widened. "No, no of course not!" He blurted. "I wanted to see you too."

There was a moment of silence. Timpani looked at him with a furrowed brow, as if trying to read his thoughts. Blumiere gave a nervous grin, then sat down in the grass. He looked up at the night sky and listened to the cicadas, feeling peace wash over him.

Timpani hesitated. "Blumiere...Do you mind if I sit next to you?"

He nodded. "Please do, Timpani. Let us return to our conversation. I must know more of you."

The girl next to him, holding her knees close. "Well...what would you like to know?"

Blumiere thought for a moment before realizing something. During their first meeting, he was so preoccupied with getting home that he forgot to mention one little detail. "How did you learn my name?"

"You wrote it in your letter," The girl replied. "Am I saying it correctly?"

He recalled ending the letter that Tock sent out with a hasty signature. "Yes, you said it right. I should have told you my name before, but getting back to my family was all I could think about. And...thank you for helping me. It was very generous of you."

"Of course. I'm just glad you're okay."

"You must have been frightened. You had never seen one of my kind, and then suddenly you had to bring me into your home to tend to me..."

Timpani chuckled. "Technically, it wasn't my home. I'm from a village many miles out west. I brought you to my mentor's home."

He scooted closer to her. "Really? What brings you here?"

"I'm here to study magic. Officially, my passport says that I'm here to learn healing. Lots of people think that's the only kind of magic that women have any business knowing. But...I really want to do more than just that. I want to learn the four elements, and everything else there is to know about it!" She said, eyes lit up. "Or at least, as much as I can learn in a year…"

He grinned, her enthusiasm contagious. "Well, if that's so, then learn as much as you can and don't let any of those close-minded men in your village tell you differently." Blumiere couldn't understand why they would want to keep their women ignorant. Roselyn was a girl and she had to study the elements, just as her brothers did when they were her age. Hearing that made him realize how little he knew about the outside. "Tell me...what is the world like outside of here?"

The human turned to him with furrowed brows. "The world? You ask that as though you've never been anywhere else."

"That's because...I haven't…"

Her eyes widened. "Never?"

"Never."

She thought for a moment and her disbelief turned to sympathy. "Oh...that's right. You said no one has left the group in 16 years."

"Yes, but that was when our last defector left. My people have isolated themselves from the outside world for over 1,000 years."

Timpani was stunned. "Oh, wow...Well, to answer your question, the world is full and complicated and beautiful. There are some who aren't so nice, but you'll find that most people want to do good. And I believe that all living things have a heart; they're all priceless. Maybe one day you can see it for yourself."

"I doubt it, but thank you."

Her smile grew. "Tell me about your home."

His eyes widened, taken back. "My home?"

"Well, I told you about where I live, didn't I? Come on. What's it like to live in a castle?"

"It is all I've ever known...I do not know how to describe what it is like to you…"

"Then, what does a day in the life of Blumiere look like?"

He thought about it and then began describing it to her. He and his family rose early in the mornings. Blumiere studied during the weekdays, at least a few hours a day. The subject differed depending on the day of the week. When he wasn't doing that, he was expected to watch over his younger siblings, mostly Ben and Roselyn since Erik was getting old enough to take care of himself. Otherwise, there was some kind of social event at night that the family went to every few days.

On Friday afternoons, Father and his council held tribe meetings. For most people, you had to be 16 years of age to attend. However, since Blumiere was being groomed to rule the tribe, he had been going to these meetings since he was 14 years old. Erik was allowed to come too, even though normally he would have to wait a year to-

"Wait," Timpani interrupted. "You're being groomed for what?"

The lord faltered. He was so used to everyone already knowing his role that he never had to explain it before. Still, she wasn't of the tribe. "My father is the chief of the Tribe of Darkness, and I'm his oldest son. That means in about three years, I will be eligible to take his place."

"Oh...so, you're a prince?"

Blumiere blinked. "A prince?" He shook his head. "No, no. I'm the son of the chief."

"Are you sure? Your situation sounds a lot like royalty."

He sighed. "It's...complicated." He knew what Timpani was talking about, but the Tribe of Darkness didn't use titles like princes and princesses for the leading family in honor of the Pixl Queen. Still, he didn't feel like explaining the story if she didn't know it, so he decided to change the subject. "Any other questions?"

The human nodded. "Do you think I could maybe see a picture of your family?"

The blue-skinned man furrowed his brows. "A picture? I don't have one with me..." He thought of the photographs at home, black-and-white and expensive to produce. He wondered why she expected him to bring one of those with him.

"That's okay. I left my photos at home too. I'll bring one next time we meet!"

He nodded. "I'll see if I can find one to show you…" Some human behaviors were strange indeed. "Do you have brothers or sisters?"

"No, I'm an only child. For as long as I can remember, it's just been my parents and I. Though my mother has been wanting me to settle down and marry lately, which obviously will never happen," Timpani said, finishing that thought with a nervous laugh.

"Why not? Do you not want to get married?"

She shook her head, stroking her hair. "No, I do. It's just that...who would want to marry me? I'm not like you, Blumiere. I don't have much money to my name and there's only so much I know how to do...And I'm not that pretty…"

Blumiere frowned. "Timpani, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. One day, you will find someone."

Timpani gave a small grin. "I hope so…"

After that, the two continued sharing basic information about themselves. Blumiere asked Timpani more about her home and the village that she was staying at now. It was strange but exciting, having someone to talk to who knew next to nothing about his status and family. Not only that, but she was a human, with different ways of doing things and thinking about the world. It was like talking to Arianna again, but much more thrilling.

In what seemed like no time at all, Timpani yawned. "It's getting late. I wish we could talk more, but I should really go back home."

Blumiere nodded. He forgot this was supposed to be his last visit when he asked: "Could we meet again sometime?"

She grinned. "Of course! Same time tomorrow?"

His smile faltered. "Timpani...we shouldn't see each other like this every night. I have enjoyed this conversation immensely, but I don't think I will be able to do this nightly without getting caught again."

"I guess that's fair…" She thought for a moment. "How about once a week? Today is Sunday, so...every Sunday night? Same time, same place?"

"I-I can do that!"

"I'm glad." Timpani stood and he did the same. She waved. "See you in a week, Blumiere!"

"A bientôt, Lady Timpani," Blumiere replied. Without thinking, he reached for her hand and softly touched her knuckles with his lips.

The girl's cheeks turned pink. Laughing, she pulled her hand back. "Bye…" She walked away.

Blumiere stared at her retreating form, wondering why that made her so nervous. He had always extended that courtesy to noble women, as a sign of respect. Maybe humans didn't have that gesture. He shrugged and went back the way he came, ready to sleep himself.

A bientot just means 'See you soon.' I have a headcanon that Blue and his family know both English and French fluently.

Guess who's back from hiatus? Long story short, I needed to take a break from writing for awhile for my mental health. I'm glad I did it, but I still missed writing the whole time. I didn't start up again until September. I'll try my best to get back in the swing of things, updating a fic of mine once a month at least, but I can't make any promises. (For one of my fics, I've had writers' block for over a year. It's also my most popular fic, so getting back to it will be tricky, but that's something I want to do.)

Sometimes, I lose hope of finding someone to settle down with and marry. My first relationship was not healthy to say the least, so there's the trauma of that, but I also suffer from low self-esteem. But as Miss Timpani shows here, you should never say never. In fact, I'd say her future husband is closer than she thinks. ;)

-Free