Against her expectations she didn't quarrel with him again, what primarily was due to the fact that they didn't spoke a lot. Kougyoku wanted to know what place it was where he lived, but he only answered that she wouldn't be happy with his answer. This didn't calm her down, but she had sworn that she would be attentive, if he would, against his promise, try to hurt her. So it made no difference to her whether he was a dangerous person or his home was a dangerous place.

Still, she wasn't pleased about the fact that he wouldn't give her an answer, but after all she knew that his name was Judal.

The darker it became, the more distance she brought between her and the strange man who walked confidently through the forest. Her subconscious seemed to signal her that she shouldn't trust him that easily and that the sombre atmosphere which slowly spread out created a fitting place for a perfect crime.

The fact that she had become so quiet and walked four metres behind him, made Judal turn around to make sure that she was still there.

"I'm not in the mood for fighting wolves, so stop dallying." he called and grinned slightly when he saw how she picked her long hair from a low branch.

The reason, why she walked behind him was not only because of her insecurity, but was also due to the fact that she didn't know how to deal with the surroundings and got constantly caught up somewhere, or she tripped. Judal obviously thought it was necessary to run along the shortest way, which led through low hanging branches that obstructed their way. It was a miracle that he didn't have the same problem with his hair, because it was also pretty long.

In addition Kougyoku was wondering about whether he was in pain, because he walked barefoot.

"Wolves?" a nervous voice ringed out behind him. She had read a lot about the animals outdoors and of course she read also about wolves and found out that they were dangerous animals. „How can you walk around so peacefully if you know that wolves are around here?!" she asked angrily, but Judal didn't seem to understand why she was afraid.

"You don't have to fear these beasts, they aren't a problem. But they would hold us back even more than you already do."

Kougyoku paused and looked partly unnerved, partly unbelievingly at him. Arrogance was one of his characteristics which she had already foreseen, but that he provoked her constantly or made her furious was something that made her dumbfound. Everything what she said or did, he always made fun of her. Because stoic silence didn't work, she again tried to ignore him. If she would meet other people, she could get rid of him easily and until then she really shouldn't care about the words of a stranger. She concentrated on the way before her and passed him quickly to demonstrate him that she wasn't slow or that she wasn't holding anybody back. At least then she could ignore the fact that she privily cared about his words. She simply went forward, thinking, that he would advise her if she walked the wrong way. Certainly, she didn't walk for a long time, because soon she saw a light that was concealed by a few leaves.

"Judal, I can see a light!" she shouted enthusiastically and pointed in the direction where the light came from.

„Finally, we are there." he answered and she suddenly seemed to be very relaxed. The fact, that the place where he led her, was a bright place, made her feel safe. She couldn't identify yet what this place exactly was; therefore she started to push away the leaves and moved to the light. After a small fight with some stubborn branches and much dishevelled hair, she could discern that the light came from a house.

"They probably already worried where I was, so let's not waste any more time." he dictated and ran back to her to grab her wrist and to drag her beside him.

It was completely made of wood and possessed a good size. It was on no account comparable with her home, but it wasn't small.

"And you live in this house?" she wanted to know immediately, but Judal hesitated briefly and scratched his head.

"Well, more or less. I'm only here at night."

"For sleeping" she guessed, but he shook his head.

"Wrong. At night a lot of people are here. Since I'm a night person, I sleep during the day in the forest. Of course only if I'm not woken up by strange people that try to build a bridge."

He left her behind and walked along on the way to the big house. Kougyoku looked a little bit flabbergasted and needed a while until she registered that he reproached her again. She knew that she still had a lot to learn about other people and the contact with them, which is why she came to the decision, that a guy like Judal was maybe a too great challenge for now.

A loud laughter sounded and ripped her from her thoughts. Her eyes were focused on the building in front of her and she could see somebody in the window who drank from a big jug. Her anticipation rose when the laughter sounded once more. Though she was afraid of the reactions of the people that were hidden behind the wide wooden door, the happy mood which seemed to fill the air gave her a feeling of safety.

"I can walk by myself!" she nagged and in an instant it became very quiet behind the walls and shortly quiet murmuring sounded. Judal rolled his eyes, gave her a look which should signal her that now she should be quiet and then he opened the door.

Kougyokus eyes hurt when the bright light met her eyes and she had to close them for a short while. She had wandered a very long time in the forest and her eyes had meanwhile adapted to the darkness. However, it didn't last long and when she could see again, she looked directly in the astonished faces of several men. Then straightaway they cheered loudly, bid Judal welcome and asked why he was away for so long and what he had done. Kougyoku noticed quickly that they all had to be quite good friends of Judal and while they were occupied with cheering and yelling, she used the time, in which nobody asked questions, and browsed around. She discovered rather fast that in this house were almost exclusively men.

Everybody seemed to be older than Judal and in contrast to him they also wore less remarkable clothes. They were sitting in big groups with one or two jugs at some tables and drank happily the obviously alcoholic drink. Even if for Kougyoku the whole scenario appeared like a drinking bout, everyone present still seemed to be able to think clearly. Maybe this was also due to the fact that the night was still young.

When she looked further to the right, she saw a woman behind the counter who wore an apron and dried a glass with a slight smile on her lips. If she wasn't mistaken, the woman was already aged. Kougyoku looked further and her gaze got stuck on a man that sat completely alone at the bar and stared down in his glass. She didn't know why, but she had the feeling that it wasn't alcohol in his glass and this wasn't the only point where he was differed from the other men. His clothes were conspicuously green and on his head was a big hat which was adorned with feathers. His hair was blond, almost white, and hung in a long braided plait over his shoulder and ended almost on the ground. However, it wasn't his unusual appearance what attracted her attention, but the small luminous birds that whirred around him. She had seen these luminous beings already once with Scheherazade, but never with someone else. This wasn't surprising, because the appearance of these shining lights was usual for one specific kind of people and they were the reason why Kougyoku was absolutely sure: At the bar sat a Magi.

"Yoku." Judal suddenly said out of nowhere and forced her to avert her eyes from the Magi.

"Y-Yes?" she asked confused and cursed herself for her impolite behaviour. She wanted to make a good impression and not to make a fool of herself.

"You've been asked for your name, but you were too busy to gape at Yunan." he said snidely. Immediately the strange man, who carried the name Yunan, turned around and smiled. Kougyoku blushed and some men started to laugh.

"Stop teasing her and let her walk in first." a women's voice sounded and the older lady and in her direction to welcome the princess with open arms. Kougyoku didn't know how she should react to the sudden hug; finally she decided to return the hug. It gave her a feeling of safety that a woman was present who was obviously happy about her attendance.

"So you are Yoku." she repeated smiling and Kougyoku nodded. To accustom herself to this nickname, shouldn't be difficult all to. "Would you like to sit down and have something to drink? You can get anything you want!" she continued and went back to obtain a glass, after she had softly pressed down the overtaxed girl to the seat beside Judal who already made himself comfortable.

"Please don't trouble yourself on my account." she started and kneaded, still blushing, her hands. She felt uncomfortable due to the fact that now all attention laid on her. "But if you have a glass water…"

"Don't be so modest!" laughed the other woman. „Here every guest will be served. Moreover, we didn't have such a young and, above all, female visitor for such a long time."

She was clearly glad that she had now female support.

"Anyway, where have you picked up that little girl?" one of the men asked curious and Judal just looked up from examining in a jug that was pushed over to him, before he drank a gulp from it.

"I found her in the forest." he mumbled behind the jug and Kougyoku was indignant about his utterance. It was like he had found an object in the forest which he proudly presented now.

"She was lost and I picked her up."

"As usual." commented another one and looked to a third man, who was a bit light in the head on account of the alcohol, and received a confirmed nod.

"And where do you come from?"

At this moment she faced a barrage of questions. Kougyoku didn't know whom she should answer first; too many people suddenly had questions for her. It was also not easy for her to answer the questions. Almost everybody wanted to know something about her native country, but all she could do was lying. She couldn't tell anybody that she was the princess and that her native country got nicely painted walls and a big garden. And the fabricated story that she had an accident and forgot everything, nobody would believe anyway.

In the end she decided to tell them that she had no native country, because she always wandered around since she was born and her parents passed away. The compassionated glances which she received because of her story caused a bad conscience. She decided to change the subject and started asking counter questions.

"And who are you all?" she asked everybody around and suddenly everyone became quiet. She wasn't sure if she maybe asked something wrong, which is why she looked uncertain to Judal. He only looked grinning at his glass that he rolled between his fingers. He apparently wouldn't give her an answer and waited exactly like her for the statement of the others.

"Yeah … who are we?" a relatively young man repeated her question and looked around. Some grinned, others really seemed to contemplate.

"The last remains." now somebody answered and some started to laugh.

"Yes, that hits the mark."

"The last remains?" now she repeated the question to get an explanation.

"Old people who want to life in peace until their dying day."

"This hits it even better."

Kougyoku was confused. If this was a heap of people who already lived for a long time then why was somebody like Judal with them? Because Yunan was a Magi, his age was difficult to estimate, but she was sure that Judal might not be much older than herself. With an interested look she turned to the red-eyed man.

"How old are you actually?"

"Now, now, little girl. That's not something you ask a lady." a plump man with big moustache joked and got a deadly glance from Judal. Kougyoku joined the laughter of the others, which didn't please Judal at all.

"Twenty if you want to know it exactly." he answered obviously angry. "But that's not the point here. We live in the forest, so that we are left alone by the throne sitters."

Kougyoku fell silent instantly and crooked her head. Throne sitters? Did he mean… her family?

"I assume that you talk about the king."

In her stomach a disagreeable feeling spread out. She realized that she brought herself in a hazardous situation and she didn't like this topic of conversation at all.

"If the king would be the only bad one!" the first furious voice started screaming. "In the palace one is worse than the other!"

"No reliance on this nobility stack."

"I never saw people who behaved so inhumanly!"

In Kougyoku everything contracted. She was worried about the changed mood. The relaxed atmosphere had swapped to a stifling atmosphere and she could see fury and grief in many faces.

Suddenly she didn't feel welcome anymore, even if nobody knew that they just convicted her family. Even in Judals eyes she saw hatred and that frightened her the most. What was the trigger for this hatred, this fury and the grief? It wasn't difficult to recognise that everyone seemed to have bad experiences with the royal family, but that there were people in this country, which also belonged to her, who were so hurt and disappointed in her family, broke her heart. She knew that her brothers weren't perfect, and she also wasn't perfect, however that such people as they sat now in front of her, were apparently ignored was inexcusable.

She didn't hear the whole insults while she followed her thoughts, but suddenly it became very quietly in the inn that you could hear a pin drop. Yunan rose and suddenly everybody seemed to be interested in what he would do next. Only Judal remained impassive and didn't pay attention to the Magi.

"Do you want to frighten her off?" a sad look lay on the face of the blond man who made sure that some men started to scratch their chin in conscience-stricken. „You surely are furious and injured, but do you want to burden her with your problems?"

Kougyoku was impressed about how mature he behaved and how he could sway the others with just a few words. Judal constituted an exception once more, while he made a dismissive noise. It seemed that he had listened to him; however he wasn't impressed by the appearance of the mysterious man.

"Get over yourself." he defied him. "If she lives in this country, she should also know which idiots rule this country."

Yunan slightly nodded. He knew that Judal was right, but he wanted to aim on something different.

"That's all right, but don't involve her in your problems." he spoke and turned to Kougyoku to finish the discussion. „If you don't object, I would like to talk to you."

A murmur went through the crowd and Kougyoku didn't feel well. She had no notion what he could want and apparently it seemed to be a rarity that Yunan wanted to talk to somebody and this probably in confidence. However, she knew that she had no alternatives, other than agreeing. Moreover, she also wanted to know what his request was about.

She affirmed and rose to follow him. He opened the door, held it up and cleared the way for her. Before she left the inn, she looked to Judal once again, who wanted to symbolise with a gesture that Yunan was bonkers what he of course witnessed. However, he ignored the younger man, followed Kougyoku outside and closed the door behind him.

Outdoors it got quite cold meanwhile, which made Kougyoku shiver. It also got very dark so it was difficult for her to see one single tree. Yunan walked past her, a little bit back in the forest. Probably he wanted to make sure that nobody could hear them. Hesitant she followed him and stayed with a sufficient distance behind him. His look was directed upwards and she suspected that he had put on a dreamy look with which he observed the stars.

"I'm bound to say, that I'm pleased to meet you, princess."

He said suddenly, that she wasn't able to perceive the meaning of his words. She wanted to answer and tell him about how surprised she was to have met another Magi, but then it dawned on her and she hit her hands before her mouth in shock.

"How do you…" she started, but words failed her. The shock was profound and desperation crept in. The cold was forgotten, because all she felt in this moment was blazing heat. He couldn't just call her princess.

"I heard it." he explained quietly and Kougyoku didn't understand any more. He heard it? When was he nearby? He turned around to her and seemed obviously amused about her confused expression. "I can hear everything in this country."

She looked amazed. Was this something only a Magi was able to do? She remained quietly and waited tensely for his explanation. He understood that she didn't know what she should answer so he continued.

"Of course I can hear nothing from the palace, as long as he is protected by your Magi."

"You can't?" she asked surprised. "You should be able to pass through the rampart!"

Yunan sighed. He thought that he could calm her down with his words, because he assumed that she now suffered from paranoia. It unusual that somebody disclosed that he was able to spy on everybody and normally one doesn´t likes to be overheard. But she wanted to know, why he didn't do it.

"I could do this, but …" he answered hesitantly and suddenly put on an ashamed expression. "People don't do that."

Kougyoku blinked once. And then she blinked twice. He had the chance to eavesdrop on the rulers of this country and to find out all secret plans, but he didn't do it because it wasn't proper. She had to smile. This mindset was rare and it made her even happier. Yunan really seemed to be a good person.

"Are you surprised to hear this? Do you think I would use the chance and help the others to proceed against your family?" now he asked amused and looked to Kougyoku who reflected. To tell the truth, this would be the best opportunity to retaliate. Because when she didn't answer him, he continued.

"As you already know, these people are very hurt."

He looked past Kougyoku to the house which was behind her now. She followed his glance and observed a silhouette in the window.

"What happened?" now she asked the question she wanted to ask so bad. She didn't want to be inconsiderate, but she was sure that Yunan would give her an answer without condemning her.

"Beloved people were executed and whole villages were razed. They have lost their existence, by the hands of your brother."

Again she looked at him unbelievingly. When did such things happen?

"It wasn't only Kouens fault. The former king, your father, was involved in such actions, too. I'm sorry that you are now getting involved, even though you haven't done anything wrong."

Now he had put on this sad look again that he also put on when he made the other men accountable.

Kougyoku looked down. She didn't know what she should think. What Yunan had told her was something she didn't know. She was terribly sorry for the others; however she wasn't in the position to give her brother instructions. And even if she could do something against the men's grief, she wasn't sure whether or not the wounds were already too deep.

Furthermore it was impossible for her to talk to her brother, because otherwise everything would get busted. Apart from that, there were things that shouldn't be ignored. Was she the only one who had a bad conscience towards persons that got injured because someone made selfish decisions?

She thought her brother was a god, somebody could arrange everything and who was worshipped by everyone. But then there was this group of people who lived in hatred.

"Please don't worry about it." Yunan said who obviously noticed that Kougyoku was concerned about past events and that she wasn't sure how to handle the situation.

"It's not your fault and actually they got over it. You simply reminded them."

He smiled again and Kougyoku sighed. So much about, 'Don't worry about it'.

"You are here to see the outer world, am I right?" he changed the subject and waited for an answer. She looked up to him and nodded slightly. He had already known the answer anyway.

"I'm not here to hurt anybody and I'm not here to report my brother about your way of living either." she asserted and firmly looked him in the eyes. "You can take my word for it. I really just want to know how it is to live a normal life."

His friendly smile didn't disappear what gave her the confirmation that he believed her. She wasn't here to cause a disturbance and no one should think that.

"People come and go. In my life I have already met many people and also magicians, but I have never appreciate the presence of somebody as much as I appreciate the presence of these people." he started and nodded briefly in the direction of the house. "I'm actually a loner and live alone."

His smile was unsure, but honest and Kougyoku was glad that he told her something about himself.

"They deserve to live a quiet life." he said firmly and directed his glance again at her. "I won't tell them anything, as long as you do nothing wrong."

Her eyes widened. Did he possibly still not trust her yet? She didn't know how she could assure him that she had no bad intentions.

"Calm down, I just want to be on the safe side." he clarified and his smile was kind. He confused her and he obviously enjoyed it. At the moment she didn't know at all how she should act or what she should say, but she was glad to get his support.

"How should I behave now?" she wanted to know and Yunan walked along her to the timber cottage and made a gesture which symbolised her to follow him.

"Like usual. They like you."

She had put on a dumbfounded expression, while she looked after the young looking man. It wasn't clear whether he was sure of his statement, whether he heard it or he knew it because of his knowledge of human nature. She decided to believe him and followed him with a little bit more self-confidence.

Inside it was pleasantly warm; however the stench of alcohol had increased. Kougyoku had to screw up her nose for a short moment, because she hadn't expected the strong smell. Yunan was directly on the way to his place at the bar and left the princess lost in the door. After she had closed the door, she searched instinctively for a place beside Judal who looked like all the others tensely to the door when the both had entered. Like everybody had expected a stranger in the threshold.

"Miraculously she survived it." he commented immediately, but Yunan seemed to be able to ignore him masterful. Kougyoku noticed that there were one or two things the Magi should teach her.