Sunlight leaked through the yellow spotted curtains that barely kept the light from shining into my eyes. I could see the light through my eyelids, and I felt a heavy weight on my bed next to me. I sat up and came face-to-face with Andrew, who merely grinned at me because...

I was mortified that I was in my nightgown, which was the same faded yellow as the curtains, and my orange bandana was off, revealing the golden stripes of hair at the top of my head. I tried to climb out of bed to shoo him out and change into some appropriate wear, but a burning in my thigh sent me back against the pillow. I felt beads of sweat on my forehead.

"Look who's up," he teased cheerfully. There was no difference in his stuck-up voice. His eyes shone mischievously. He sure had a bunch of different expressions than when in front of a crowd. He usually wore a proud smile, but I already discovered another part to him. A part of alternating feelings which often get mixed up in my own.

I tried to think of a comeback for his sneer, but I merely kept my trap shut.

He didn't seem surprised. "It's nice to be respected, don't you think?"

My stomach growled again, and I came to realize that I hadn't eaten breakfast. "What time is it?"

"You've been down with bubonic plague, well actually no, a severely cut thigh and it's been a day since you battled that devil of a dog."

My stomach nagged at me, begging for food. "Could you get something to eat?" I asked him.

He nodded, and went upstairs to the kitchen. I lay waiting for half an hour and he came back down, full of satisfaction.

I cleared my throat, hoping to catch his attention. I raised my eyebrows in question.

"You said to get something to eat, so I ate," he said innocently.

I forced tears back as my stomach practically was killing me to get something to eat. If I showed that I was sensitive to him, he would torment me for the rest of my life! I bit my lip in anger, and I could feel bitter tears forming in my eyes.

The insensitive Selkie looked startled. He started to panic as a single tear slid down my face and dropped onto my lap.

"Please don't cry, I'll get you a waffle with blueberry syrup! Just don't cry!" He ran upstairs and returned with a plate with a strawberry waffle with the purple liquid that I loved and cherished on it.

I hiccuped and thanked him. So, he did have a soft side. He was just reluctant to show it. I chewed the soft and sweet waffle and calmed myself down.

Tomorrow would be the day he left on his journey for myrrh, I reminded myself.

I couldn't refuse his offer. It would disgrace my family, my honor, and my tribe.

But the journey was filled with peril, fear, darkness, and pain. It contained a lot of honor, but in the end, Andrew didn't make it sound like he loved his job from top to bottom.

"I do hope you'll come with me," he gulped.

I sat there, eating my breakfast contently, thinking it over. I valued my honor more than anything. Perhaps I would give it a chance.

.:Later:.

I couldn't believe my eyes. Andrew must've spread the word about me joining him, for outside the house, my shy self hid behind the crowd-comfortable Andrew while they cheered for us, wished us luck, and gave us gifts for our journey. I swallowed my lump of fear. I couldn't possible disappointment. Not with my family, eyes shining and filled with tears of joy.

Andrew waved, and I wanted badly to glare at him, but I couldn't bring myself to, not in front of a terribly big audience.

The villagers put a pile of gifts for each of us. Andrew had a lot of meat and fish in his pile. I was glad he had them, because as a rancher boy he loved meat while I hated them.

He hated the food in mine. Stuff that a farmer girl would like like striped apples and cherry clusters filled up the majority of the pile. We had some milk from Andrew's family and pure water from the lake.

I took a closer look at Andrew's pile. He had plenty of money, and so did mine. In between the piles was a sacred chalice. Pale, old, but sturdy, the shimmering crystal on it was a deep blue, and the chalice itself was empty. All the myrrh Andrew collected last year was absorbed by the crystal already.

"It's about time we left this year," Andrew started as the crowd hushed. "I promise we won't let you down."

The crowd became a flurry of hands clapping and mouths opening and closing. I left the stage, relieved to get the attention off me.

We walked towards the exit of town, when Andrew stopped and whistled.

A mouse-like creature with a pair of closed eyes, a cute red nose, and lots of fur on his plump little self came flying towards us using his minute bat wings. His little tail was a red ball of fur at the end of a extra thick and strong hair.

"Long time no see, kupo! I see you have a teammate now, kupo!" it squealed.

Andrew nodded. "Mog, this is Mia, a Clavat friend I invited to come. She's a mighty fine fighter with a powerful sword. She saved my hide from a goblin with a spear yesterday!"

Mog bobbed up and down in the air, his wings beating furiously to keep him in the air. "Impressive, kupo!"

Andrew didn't seem to want to introduce Mog and me to each other, but he turned to me anyway. "Mia, this a moogle friend of mine. He helps me carry the chalice while I fight."

"But I get tired when area is too hot, kupo, or too cold, kupo! Then you two will have to carry it, kupo, until I have energy again, kupo!" Mog told me.

"We'll leave for the Goblin Wall. I haven't collected a drop of myrrh from there yet. It's near the fire miasma stream."

"Miasma stream?" I asked. I have never heard of such a thing before.

"See the crystal on the chalice, kupo? It's a certain element, kupo, called water! The element of the chalice, kupo, has to match the element of the stream, kupo!" Mog paused to catch his breath.

"In order to change the element of the chalice, kupo, you must place it in a hot spot, kupo! Hot spots also have elements, kupo!"

.:That Night:.

We had passed the River Belle Path, where Andrew had already collected a drop of myrrh, so we had to wait until next year before the myrrh replenishes and we could go there again.

I saw the river lined with all sorts of monsters, mostly goblins. I also saw a hedgehog pie, as Andrew called it. It indeed looked like a red hedgehog, but nothing like a pie.

I sat on the back of the wagon and enjoyed the scenery. Andrew was at the reins and keeping the strange blue animal in control.

Mog hummed as Andrew and I set up camp right outside of Port Tipa. We had a spicy-smelling blue tent put up and a crackling fire in a stone pit. Andrew roasted a steak and Mog and I nibbled at the cherry cluster. After filling our stomachs to the top, our fire burned out, and the true beauty of the night showed itself before my very eyes. The dark violet sky was covered in stars. Red stars that stood out and were bigger, blue stars that were minute and camouflaged with the white stars. The little rainbow of dots in the sky urged me to rest.

I climbed into the tent and took the orange sleeping bag. I didn't take anytime to feel it, because I fell into a comfortable, resting darkness.