Following Rosyln up the stairs, I smiled at the patterns on her dress.

There were little ships sailing on flower petals all over it. Whoever had made it had spent a lot of time on it. It was adorable, and made me wish I could wear similar things without having to worry about my tail being seen, or it tearing and ripping while traveling.

"I wish I was strong as you, Renn," Rosyln said as we reached the top of the stairwell and she stepped aside, to let me carry the trunk past her and down the hallway.

"Hm… I'll be honest I've never felt very strong," I said as I headed for the room at the end. We passed her daughter's, Rosie's, and although it was open it was quiet inside.

Little Rosie wasn't here. It seemed she had not only grown up a little, and had gotten a little chunky as she did, but she had also gotten to a point in her life that her friends from school were more important than me.

I had at least gotten to say hello to her, but it had hurt a little to realize she had basically not remembered me at all. She had been polite, gave me a small hug but then had asked her mother for permission to go play with her friends outside.

To be honest I was used to such a thing. I had returned to Lujic's home many times to find new children or grandchildren, and only a few of them ever remembered me on sight alone… but… Had it really been that long already…? Roslyn says it's been over a year since they arrived here in Lumen, but honestly I couldn't imagine how that was possible.

I mean, it was. This winter was already almost over, and last time Vim and I had gotten here not long after winter had ended… but… My heart hurt to know that it only took a year or so for a child to forget me. Was I that forgettable? Didn't my ears and tail make me interesting anymore?

Entering Roslyn's room, I walked over to the corner where she wanted the trunk. I lowered it carefully, as to not damage it or the floor or wall, and got it situated up against the wall enough to be situated. I left a bit of room so she could open the lid and it'd be able to rest against the wall, and not fall back down from its own weight and angle.

"Thank you, Renn," Roslyn sighed in relief at the sight of it, and I smiled and nodded.

"It's all good! You know you could have asked Merit too, she's tiny but strong," I said.

"I know she is… but we all already ask so much of her. Makes me feel bad," Roslyn said as she went to start filling the trunk up.

She had wanted it up here for two reasons. One, because it was one of the few mementos left from her life as a pirate, and secondly thanks to its size and weight.

It was too heavy to be lifted normally. She said it had taken two strong men to carry it into the house off the wagon, and they had barely gotten it inside. I wasn't entirely sure how that was possible since I had not felt like it had been that heavy, since it had been empty originally, but I wasn't going to call her a liar over it.

I knew I was strong. But sometimes it was shocking to learn just how much so compared to a human.

Especially since I was so much smaller in frame to most of them. Even Roslyn, who was now healthy and no longer lacking a steady supply of good food, had more weight to her than I did. I was glad to see it since she, like most of her pirate crew, had been gangly and scrawny back when we had met them. Though unlike Lamp and her people who had been skinny from abuse, Roslyn and the others had been so thanks to a lack of food.

In fact she almost looked like a different person, as had little Rosie, thanks to how healthy and normal they now looked.

It was amazing what a year of living in good conditions could do for people. I wonder if I had changed a lot too, back in my youth? Back when Witch had found me, and I had started traveling and living with her. She had mentioned often back then that I'd looked like a feral cat in the beginning.

"I never got to ask, Renn, where do you live?" Roslyn asked as I noticed her place a leather pouch which undoubtedly had coins within it into the chest. She buried it under the clothes she was putting in there.

"Technically no-where. Vim and I travel all around, going from one location to the next. We're always on the move," I said.

"Hm… I used to not feel like anything was wrong living like that, but today I hate the idea. And I even had a home that came with me everywhere!" Roslyn said with a happy little laugh.

I smirked at that too and nodded. "Right? I've actually thought about having us get some kind of wagon or something that could be used as at least a bed, and stuff. But we travel too fast, or through places without roads, too often. So it'd just get left behind and forgotten," I said as I glanced around her room. It was clean, and she had several shelves and storage things like for clothes and stuff… but it was kind of plain. Plus I noticed something a little odd.

It smelled like her. But only her.

If Roslyn had a mate, or something like it, they've never stepped foot into this room.

Such knowledge was a little disheartening. I wanted this woman to be happy. I had invited her, and the rest of her crew, into the Society so they could have security in life. The kind of security that allowed them to not worry about food or shelter, and instead other things.

"Right…" Roslyn paused in her loading of the trunk for a moment and turned to look at me. I noticed the way she glanced me up and down, as if really looking at me for the first time. "You look… really good, you know? Last time I saw you, you were covered in bruises and had a slight limp as you walked. I'm glad to see you're all fine now," she said.

Oh my! So she remembered even all that! "I heal quickly. And haven't gotten hurt lately," I said.

"I've heard about you two, you know? We all work at the port, so it's only occasionally one of your people visit us. Usually it's Pierre or Liina, but sometimes others visit to and we get to hear them gossip with each other. Normally it's just stuff concerning the guild, like whatever recent drama is happening or what have you, but sometimes they talk about you two," Roslyn said as she slowly shut the trunk. It hadn't been completely filled yet, but maybe she planned to finish later.

"Well we're a topic, I guess? He's the protector and I'm… well…"

"From what I hear you're a trouble maker!" Roslyn said happily.

My tail twitched as I frowned at her. Me? "Really?"

"Yeah? Us for example. Or Lamp and her people. Us humans being invited must be rare considering how some of them talk about it," Roslyn said lightly.

Huh… "Merit complains but she doesn't mean it. That's just her personality," I said.

"Hm? Oh… No, not Merit! Merit's been lovely. I like her, she reminds me of my grandmother even though so tiny. No, the others make comments sometimes. Never anything rude or anything, not like that, just… you can tell they don't care for humans much. Or rather, instead of not caring they just don't understand us? If that makes sense?" Roslyn wondered as she turned to leave the room.

Joining her, I nodded. "Several here don't hate humans, but they don't comprehend why we'd go out of our way to help them either. They're just… like that. Many have good reason for being such ways though, a lot of them have lost family and friends to humans," I said.

"Oh, I don't doubt it! When we got here I had to smack a few of us around, because they had spoken out of line in ways I didn't like! It's just how people are," Roslyn said as we went back downstairs.

When we passed little Rosie's room, I paused a small moment to study it. Like her mother's it was relatively clean, but hers too had a bunch of furniture. Hers also had a bunch of little homely items too, such as plants on a windowsill and books on a shelf.

I was glad to see that they were fine.

Walking down the stairs, I smiled a little. Lamp and her people were doing great. Many had settled down, like Lamp finding people to form families with. Others had found religion or careers, such as in the Animalia Guild. Roslyn and her people seemed to be doing the same. They all lived outside of the guild proper, unlike Lamp and her people, but all lived on the same street in these multi-storied housing buildings. Some of them didn't work the port though, and instead worked in the small shops below their homes. A few worked at a small sit-down pub styled diner a few buildings down, which I was hoping to soon get invited to.

"So… You're doing well, Roslyn?" I asked gently as we reached the bottom of the stairs.

Roslyn perked up a bit and turned to nod at me. "Yeah! We are all doing great, Renn. Really. My one and only complaint would be my own people. They're all becoming fat and lazy!" she said happily.

I smirked and nodded. Yes, I had noticed. Rosie hadn't been the only one to have gained more weight than just a healthy lifestyle provided.

But was there anything wrong with that…? It meant they really were able to enjoy life and its finer pleasures. Humans that were scrawny were usually those who had to work too hard, or too long, and not able to afford proper meals.

"I'm really glad to hear it," I said.

"You should be! I um… I'll be honest Renn, I'm not really sure what to say or do…" Roslyn's voice then got a little soft, which was unlike her. Although it was obvious her speech and mannerisms had softened a bit, she was still a louder woman as if trying to still speak over the wind and waves as to be heard.

"Do about what?" I asked.

Roslyn glanced around us, who stood in the hallway near the stairs, and then she gestured at herself.

Hm…?

"How can I repay you, Renn…?" she then asked.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Oh.

I smiled at her. Lamp had asked something similar the other night. "You don't owe me anything Roslyn."

"Yes I do! We all do! No one's said it, though I admit it's been because I'm not sure who to ask… It's hard to tell who is who in your little society thing, so I figured I'd just wait to ask you when I saw you but…" Roslyn started to shift around a bit, as if suddenly worried.

"Really Roslyn, it's fine. You all work don't you? For the Society?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yeah…? We all do."

"Then that's all that you need to do. Don't worry about it," I said.

"But we get paid, Renn! Really well too! Plus you all provide the houses and…" Roslyn's voice had cracked a bit as she spoke, as if about to cry. It made me feel a little awkward and embarrassed, since I really didn't feel like I deserved to be thanked or worried about in such a way.

It wasn't as if I had earned the money that supported them. Nor had I been the one to build and prepare the jobs either. That had all been done by those here in Lumen… I… I had done nothing. Nothing more than then sent them on their way here. They and those here had done the rest.

"I'm just happy you and the rest are doing well, Roslyn. Really."

The former pirate sighed at me, in a way that told me she was bothered but not sure how to properly express it. "Well… at least let me try? Is there anything I can do for you?"

For me? I frowned and shook my head. "I just want you and your daughter to be happy. Keep yourselves safe and all… actually, why aren't you married yet?" I asked, hoping to change topics a little.

"Married!?" Roslyn stood up a little straighter, as if shocked I'd bring it up.

"Well, I guess you don't have to get married… but at least get a partner, right? Have you got one?" I asked with a smirk. My plan to switch topics seemed to have worked. She looked absolutely flustered. I really liked how she was blushing, it felt nice to not be the only one who got so red like that!

"No! No… am I supposed to? Is that a requirement? To have kids or something…?" Roslyn asked, suddenly worried.

"Huh? No?" I said. Did others think that…?

Roslyn sighed at me. "You and the rest of them. Really!"

"Rest of them?" I asked. From what she had said before, she spoke very little with other Society members. Especially the non-human ones. She normally only associated with Merit, or those who worked at the port alongside her. So… was she saying they bugged her about getting into a relationship or something?

Roslyn crossed her arms. "My crew. They keep trying to make me go on dates and stuff too," she said.

Oh. She meant her own people.

"Well why don't you?" I asked.

"How could I, Renn…? People here are too happy. Too nice," she said as she turned to head back to the front of the house.

I followed her while frowning. "Too nice…? Isn't that a good thing? Shouldn't you want your partner to be nice and happy?" I asked.

"I guess. But what I mean is… well…" Roslyn seemed to struggle with explaining as she and I entered her kitchen area. She didn't have a full kitchen like Lamp and others did, but instead more of a pantry with a large sink and storage for water. She didn't have the kind of plumbing the guild did, and she didn't have a stove or furnace. Those were outside, behind the house, where she and the other houses around here shared a larger cooking area. In fact I could smell in the air that someone was using it right now.

Roslyn rummaged in a cabinet for a moment, and then pulled out a couple wooden cups. She sighed as she put them down onto a table, and turned to look at me. "You and Vim. You've been through a lot, right?" she asked.

I perked up a bit, and then nodded. "Yeah?" I felt we had at least.

"You trust him. Because he's proven himself," she furthered.

I slowly nodded as I kind of understood what she was hinting at. "Yes…?"

"How can I do that with anyone here, Renn…? Most of the men here grew up here! They've never starved! Or have had to kill just to survive! Even the soldiers and sailors! They may have thick skin from hard work but you can tell their hearts would rip with the lightest breeze!" Roslyn said loudly as she walked away from the table and opened a latch in the ground. It was likely her cold storage, since a bit of frosty haze came out of it as she reached in to grab something. She pulled out a large pitcher and closed the latch, returning to the table as to pour its contents into the cups.

Once she filled the cups she went and handed me one, which I took gratefully. I gave it a small sniff before taking a drink and I was glad it didn't seem to be alcohol or anything like it. It was just some kind of thick juice, some kind of apple.

"You're… saying the men here are weak? Weak willed I guess?" I asked, trying to fully understand.

"No… I'm saying a hardened man, who had endured real hardship, still broke down and was about to sell my daughter just for food. If I can't trust a man born and raised in such hardship, how could I trust any of the ones here? Raised in soft beds and coins in their pocket before their first day of work?" Roslyn asked me.

My gosh! What an interesting way of looking at it!

So she wasn't really bothered by the men here, or finding them ugly or something, but instead she was worried that the men here in this city would… what… Betray her? Down the line? As her former husband had?

"In theory such a problem wouldn't arise, since this place is too nice for such a scenario to even come into existence," I said softly as I watched her take a drink.

"Says who!? Before we got here huge monsters attacked the city, Renn! Anything can happen!" Roslyn said.

I flinched, since she was right. Anything could, and did, happen.

"So you'd want someone that you could trust, and know for a fact, that wouldn't betray you in such a way… no matter what," I said as I understood.

"Duh…? And how will I find someone like that here, Renn? Really. So it's fine. It's not like I actually need anyone, I've experienced it, plus I have Rosie, so I'm fine," Roslyn said.

It hurt a little to hear her say so, especially since she sounded so serious. That hadn't been someone just… giving up, or abandoning a dream or idea, that had been utter finality. She truly didn't seem to care if she ever had a relationship again or not, by the way she had spoken.

A little unsure if I should push the matter or not then, I decided to just let it be for now.

I wanted her, like Lamp and the rest, to have many children. So they could have children. So that over the years I could keep coming back and visit them… as I'd not done with Lujic. Or at least, not done enough or as often.

I wanted to never make that mistake again. I planned to visit everyone often, even if only once every few years. I wanted to watch Rosie grow up. To see her fall in love, and if able have children too. And then their children, and so forth.

It was too bad Roslyn's daughter was so old already, else I'd try to set her up with Lamp's son. But that was one of the reasons I had hoped for Roslyn to have already been in a relationship too.

Yet I understood her reasons for not wanting to, I guess…

She had loved someone. Trusted them. Utterly. And then found him conniving and scheming to do something utterly despicable.

Yes… I had absolutely no reason to not agree with her decision… even if it kind of hurt to do so.

"You're lucky you know, Renn," Roslyn then said.

I looked up from my cup, frowning at her. "Hm?"

"Vim. The Protector. I've heard the others speak of him too, though not lately. Heard most about him while we all lived in the guild building. They all have stories and stuff about him, how he's so loyal and protective… I'm jealous," Roslyn said gently as she ran her thumb across her cup's lip.

Gosh! "I am lucky," I admitted gently.

It was interesting to hear that even Roslyn, a human who was kept somewhat distant from our non-human members, had heard such gossip and rumors. Why was it that even someone like her had heard of and knew of Vim's loyalty yet they still found doubt in it?

Roslyn nodded, and then sighed. "If there's someone like him you can find me, I'd take that I guess."

I giggled at that. "You know he's pretty rare! Even in the Society! Which is really sad when I think about it," I said.

Even the men in the Society who were good men, like Windle, were… not like Vim.

"Of that I no doubt. I've met a few of your males, Renn, and I must say I'm a little disappointed. I met Gerald, Wynn and of course Pierre… honestly I was kind of hoping they'd all be like Vim. Not that I thought I could catch any of their eyes, or anything, but it would have been fun to have a few nights with one of them if they had been!" Roslyn said happily.

I groaned at her. "Roslyn…"

It was too bad Brom was gone. He had supposedly been rather… prolific, from what I had heard. But he had liked them older, hadn't he? Roslyn wasn't young, but she wasn't necessarily old either. Not yet, anyway.

"What? I'm just saying!" Roslyn teased me a bit as I took a drink.

Before I could say anything else, someone knocked on the front door.

I put the drink down and hurried out of the little pantry-like kitchen and went to the room opposing it. I grabbed my hat, as to put it back on, and went to hide my tail too.

As I did Roslyn slowly opened the door, and I heard her happy greeting at whoever she had found.

Smiling a little as I finished hiding my traits, I walked out to also greet the newcomer.

"Hey Merit," I greeted my small friend who walked into the house without even looking at either of us.

Merit waited until Roslyn closed the door behind her, and then glanced around a bit… likely to make sure we were alone in the house. I noticed she wasn't really looking, but instead smelling and listening instead.

Once she was sure we were, she glanced at me and nodded. "Sorry Renn, but we need to go back," she said.

Oh? "Okay," I said. If Merit actually came and got me, it had to be for good reason. She had let me spend nearly all night with Lamp the other night without bothering me, so I knew she'd not do so otherwise.

"Hmph. I knew you were busier than you were putting on!" Roslyn said happily.

Feeling a little rude, I tried not to get too bothered. "I'll come see you again before I leave, promise. We still need to eat at your little restaurant down the way," I said as Merit headed for the door.

"Right! I'll make sure Rosie comes with us, the little snot she is," Roslyn said with a smile.

I gave her a hug as Merit opened the door. "Let her live her life, Roslyn. It's what this all is for, after all," I whispered gently to the pirate.

"Mhm… true words, Renn," Roslyn whispered back.

Leaving Roslyn's home, I waved gently in goodbye as I followed Merit out of the house. It didn't take long for us to walk a few houses away, leaving the area.

"What's wrong?" I asked Merit.

"Light showed up. She wants to see you," Merit said.

I groaned and slowed down a bit. "That's not enough reason for me to leave, then," I said, a little upset. I'd only gotten to spend a few hours with Roslyn!

Merit snickered at me. "I warned you about her! And you're right, I'd agree, but if I didn't come get you they rest would just become all annoying and stuff. This is what you get for not biting her throat when you had the chance," Merit said.

"I'm worried that I'm starting to agree with you…" I groaned as we headed back to the Animalia building.

I wasn't sure what Light wanted, but it had better be important.

There was a chance the moment Vim got back that we'd leave. For one reason or another. So I had wanted to spend as much time with those I rarely got to see and although Light was interesting and of course a focus point of my worries lately…

I weighed those like Lamp, Roslyn and Merit over her. It was just how I was.

"Also Reatti wants to have dinner with you tonight," Merit said.

Oh! "That's great!" I said excitedly. I'd only gotten to spend a few moments with her on returning, so I was glad to hear she wanted to spend time with me. I had been so worried she was going to try and keep a distance from me.

"For you maybe…" Merit said with a sigh.

"What? You eat with everyone all the time, Merit."

"Not happily! Reatti's fine, though. We work together usually. But that's just it; I spend more time with her than most so I want to spend even less!" Merit complained.

I laughed at that, and her silly train of thought, as we headed back home.

At least… my temporary one.

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