Ah, a glorious new day! After much expenditure of willpower, Benjamin had managed to get some reasonable amount of sleep. He still felt somewhat sleepy, but no matter! As a university student, he was well accustomed to nervous nights that resulted in not very much sleep. Even if some amount of sunlight was getting in through small spaces between the curtain, he would just take his time and slowly wake up... Wait, why were the curtains wide open now? Ah! The blinding light! It burns! Curses!

“Rise and shine! Come on, we are burning daylight! Chop chop, wash your face, put some clothes, gotta get ourselves some breakfast. Can't dawdle if we want to leave tomorrow.”

Benjamin was completely dazed and not entirely awake, meanwhile, Layla was all ready to go, looking quite impatient. What was going on? She hadn't said time was important like that, they didn't even set an alarm clock. Well, Benjamin hadn't. Unable to completely comprehend the situation, he mumbled something.

“Uh wash the face, clothes in the backpack. Wuz goin on?”

Instead of giving a direct reply, Layla just gently pulled him from his bed then pushed him to the bathroom.

“Yes, yes, here, now wash your face, wake up, and let's start. There's a lot to be done today.”

As they stepped outside of the room and he followed her to the hotel's lobby, from where they would go to the hotel's restaurant to eat breakfast, Benjamin couldn't help but feel something different about Layla. He really wanted to ask her something, but he had a feeling that doing so would not be a very good idea. Therefore, as they ate breakfast, he asked her a question about something else.

“So, what are our plans for today? Do we need to talk to someone, get some kind of permit? Also, I have no idea how we are going to get around. Is there a specific type of transportation vehicle? I've only ever traveled by train.”

Layla turned from the bread she was eating. Why did she look bored? Something was definitely going on. She was certainly strange. How could Benjamin defuse this situation and come out in one piece?

“Permit? Nope, you don't need something like that, although it is a very good idea to have the blessing of the person in charge of any territory you intend to visit. As luck would have it, Duke Prelestia is currently in town. Well, not exactly luck I suppose, since he's here expecting the prince and princess that rumors say are coming through the town. Depending on how late into the day we get an audience, it might not be a very good idea to depart right away. Traveling the desert during the day might be scorching, but the night might be too dangerous for a foreigner.”

She said it so flatly. Something was definitely up. But he was not going to be the fool to ask the stupid question that would make things even worse. He wouldn't, there was no way.

“Uh, you know, are you... angry by any chance?”

Fuck! No! What is wrong with you, me? Why would you ask that question? So many times before he had seen his father pose a variant of that question to his mother. It never ended well, ever. So why? It was like there was a giant invisible force that had compelled him to ask this stupid question. He was unable to resist it.

“Who, me? No, I'm not angry at all.”

There it was! The answer in the still mostly flat, very slightly sarcastic tone. So many times he had seen his mother give a variant of this answer to his father. Okay, that she was angry, he had no doubt, but why and what should he do about it, he had no idea yet. Maybe he should just ignore it? No. That was a terrible idea, he had seen what happened when his father did it. Maybe he should try subtly asking her what she is angry about? No, that was an even more terrible idea. So... Benjamin decided to leave if for future Benjamin for now, maybe that guy will have a better idea of what to do.

Once they were done with breakfast, they left the hotel. According to Layla their destination could be only one: The Sound of Beauty, a cafe located near the eastern gate of Destroia, the most likely place to find Duke Prelestia. To be more precise, they weren't going to meet with him directly, but Layla did have an acquaintance that worked for Prelestia and who might be able to get them an audience. Prelestia might be quite a busy man, but he was famous for always making time for anything that might sound interesting.

By the time they arrived at the cafe, it was almost noon. While it seemed far from packed, there were a few people, some of them humans, some of them Mutants, not all covering their faces. All of them were calmly enjoying a cup of coffee or tea. Some alone, others in pairs or groups. The waiters were also equally diverse, with humans and Mutants among them. It was a fascinatingly mundane sight for Benjamin. He almost felt like ordering a tea and sitting down just to observe people around him, perhaps have a nice chat with Layla. Perhaps something like that might help her get a little less angry at him. No, not a good idea. They came here for a reason.

“So, who's this acquaintance you said might help us with an audience?”

Layla opened the door and entered the cafe.

“Good day to you, how may I help you?”

A human waiter greeted them as they entered.

“Ah, don't worry, I'm here looking for an acquaintance, he's probably at the bar.” Layla then turned to Benjamin. “Don't worry, he's quite hard to miss.”

Hard to miss? How hard to miss could anyone be? Perhaps he was the kind of Mutant that grabbed the attention of people? Perhaps a peacock. Or one of the many very colorful animals that Benjamin saw in the books about biology found in the university's library. Or maybe... wait... Was Layla walking towards what looked very much like a cockroach? Was that the same guy Benjamin saw at the brothel, there was no way... Right?

“Oh! If it isn't Layla? Fancy meeting you at this time of the day. Heeeey, is that the boy from yesterday? What is going on?”

For a cockroach looking guy, his face sure looked mischievous. Something really embarrassing was about to happen, wasn't it? Flame, please spare me! Now that he thought about it, since he stepped into Destroia, he seemed to have gotten much more religious and asked for more and more favors from the Flame. If he had told her that would happen, maybe his mother would approve of this little adventure?

“Hello Rick. The boy here, Benjamin, says he wants to travel the Wildlands, I'm accompanying him as a guide of sorts.”

Rick looked at Benjamin, then back at Layla. He whistled.

“Oh, wow, a guide of sorts, eh? Right. I knew you were good, girl, but that good? Color me impressed.”

What the hell was he implying? What the fuck? How was Benjamin supposed to respond to that? It felt like one of those situations where denying would just make the “misunderstanding” worse. Layla looked quite annoyed.

“Yeah, yeah, think whatever you want. Even if I say it's not like that you're just going to say more stupid shit, I know you. The thing is we are actually going to do some traveling around, and since the Duke is in town, I thought it would be a good idea to get his blessing. Think you could get us a meeting?”

Rick rubbed his... hands?

“A meeting huh, you know the Duke is quite the busy man. Although, you know, if the boy here has an interesting story to tell, I'm sure he would be delighted. You do have a problem, if the Duke doesn't get told that, he's not going to want anything to do with you. It would sure be a shame if you didn't do the right things for me and I ended up saying the wrong things to the Duke, you know?”

What was he implying? What was with the intense gaze directed at Layla? Wait, why was Benjamin feeling irritated. Damn, why did everyone treat him like he was stupid? Fuck this. He stepped forward between Rick and Layla.

“Hey, what's wrong with you? Are you trying to blackmail us? What do you want, eh?”

Huh, what was he doing? Did he just act protective of her? Wait, why were the both of them laughing? Was there something funny going on? A joke that's on him which he had no idea about? Rick was clapping his hands, looking awfully amused for a cockroach.

“Woo! Yeah, you go, you do you, lover-boy, I was just kidding. Wow, didn't think anyone would take that one seriously.”

Benjamin ignored the lover-boy part, focusing on trying to understand what was going on. He looked back at Layla, who looked just as amused as Rick. He hoped she could give some kind of explanation.

“I forget you don't know almost anything about this place. Just don't mind this asshole, he's always putting on this stupid act, because he thinks it's funny.” An act? She looked back at Rick. “Now, if you would please. You know that I wouldn't be stupid enough to ask for a meeting with the Duke if I thought he couldn't say something interesting. Can you arrange it for us?”

Rick tilted his head, still grinning, that was a grin, right?

“Sure thing. Your funeral, not mine, if he ends up being boring, though I somehow doubt that's going to happen, eh?”

Don't fall for any provocation, don't mind his ribbing. Ugh, what an asshole. Rick stood up and disappeared somewhere deeper inside the cafe. Well, at least Layla seemed to be in a better mood now? Had Benjamin found the magical formula of making an angry woman not to angry anymore? Perhaps.

“Well, with that taken care of, I suppose I should go arrange for transportation through the desert.”

That surprised Benjamin. He didn't feel comfortable.

“Wait, you're not going to be with me?”

Oh, wow, did that come out very clingy and pleading? That was embarrassing... Still, he didn't feel very comfortable meeting someone like this Duke Prelestia alone. He wasn't even very familiar with the customs of the Wildlands! But saying that was useless.

“Oh, you'll be fine! Don't worry. Just be interesting and you'll be fine.” She turned around to leave, but then considered things. “No, actually, don't be too interesting, okay?”

Don't be too interesting? What did she mean?

He waited for hours at that bar, fidgeting and thinking about things. Eventually, his paranoia started to creep up once again. Had he been set up? Was he going to get attacked then inprisoned and sent back to the Empire? He didn't truly believe that, but it was like the worries just hada life od their own and wrested for his attention. Sometime in the afternoon, Rick came back.

“Hey, the Duke will see you now, are you ready?”

Never before had Benjamin been so relieved and happy to see that guy, so he hadn't been set up after all. He hoped he didn't show it on his face, including the fact, to be quite honest, he wasn't all that prepared. Assaulted by his own worries, he didn't really think through what he was going to say or seem interesting.

“I... Think I am.”

At least he wasn't stupid enough to say he wasn't. Refusing to go see that Duke at this point would be extremely stupid. So Benjamin just did his best to calm himself and try to appear somewhat confident. He followed Rick to a door, which likely led into a private room. He knocked twice on the door.

“I brought the kid I was told you about, Duke. May we come in?”

Oh Flame, what if he responded no?

“Of course, come in, you know I'm always after interesting people to meet and talk with.”

That... voice. Benjamin couldn't really describe, but how clear, how beautiful it was, and how soothing. For some reason, he felt much calmer now.

“Okay, coming in.”

Rick opened the door and Benjamin followed him into the small room which contained a small-ish round table, at which three, perhaps four people may be able to sit. Two chairs were present. The two chairs were of a simple but elegant craft. At one of them sat the Duke Prelestia, who was... a bird. Benjamin knew about it, but it sure looked weird, well, no more weird than some things he had already seen, so, it was fine.

“Good day to you, mister Benjamin. I am afraid I wasn't told your surname so I would you hope you don't mind me treating you on a first name basis.”

As he spoke, the Duke gestured towards the chair opposite of him, likely wishing for Benjamin to take a seat. He obliged. It was good manners to be courteous with one's host, also a good way to stay alive and obtain favors.

“Of course not. I apologize for withholding my surname, but it's not something I am comfortable with. After all, one of the reasons why I have come here is to get out from under the shadow of my family's influence. So, I hope I dot not offend you in any way because of that.”

Benjamin hoped that this would be enough to satisfy the Duke. It was really unsettling really, since he didn't really show anything on his face. What was behind that penetrating gaze? Judgment? Hopefully not.

“Hmm. I see. Good manners, respectful. I like that, as far as first impressions go, you've done a good job. However, not to be hard on you or anything, but I am a very busy man. Honestly, I don't have the time to deal with every Tom, Dick or Joe who wants to come through my lands. I do, however, really love interesting stories. Yours might not be complete yet, but I was told it might have potential. Convince me: Are you worthy of my favor, Benjamin?”

Well, that was some good amount of pressure. Just what Benjamin needed not to be reduced to nervous wreck, doubting every word that came from his mouth! Breath in and out! Not too deep though. He didn't want to give it away that much.

To his surprise, Benjamin was able to tell his story, little by little: How, unsatisfied with the safe but boring life he had, Benjamin decided to abandon everything, going as far as to risk his life by deserting Prince Charles' forces. He did so anonymously, taking advantage of the recruiting officer's not great standards: He had only wanted a Recorder that could write, that was all. No background checks, no need for skill in literary writing or anything. It was easy, but nerve-wracking. Benjamin obtained passage to the gateway to the Wildlands in exchange for a pledge he had never intended to honor. Would the Duke not like that? Benjamin didn't know, but he had not come up with a good enough lie to substitute the truth.

The Duke did not seem to mind, instead urging Benjamin to continue his story. At the very least the start wasn't so boring that the Duke refused to listen to the rest. That was good. He talked about his fascination with the city of Destroia as he arrived, he talked about his fears and worries. He even, embarrassing as this was, narrate his little “adventure” in a brothel that clearly hadn't been intended for him. Well, he didn't tell the Duke everything, obviously, just enough to make him seem like an interesting enough fellow. He thought he wasn't, to be quite honest, but he hoped the Duke thought otherwise.

“So. What I want to ask is...”

Shit. Now that he thought about it, Benjamin hadn't really thought of what he wanted from the Duke. Was that a problem? Of course it was. Think fool! But an unexpected relief came, as an completely clothed Mutant opened the door, looking slightly nervous.

“Duke! Princess Lia and Prince Charles have just entered this cafe!”