Keeping a secret wasn't a simple matter. Marcus and William, who could venture their minds into guarding, found it a little easier but...His Majesty looked really happy, while he went through a couple of memorials...They were sure, that if anyone would uncover the secret to Mahnu....It would be the King himself!

Mahnu, luckily, didn't wake until late afternoon and Marcus found himself on eggshells again.

"I'll be going to the arrested doctor, I'll return later." He said to William, who nodded.

It was stupid, he thought, while walking away.

How could you keep a secret from someone that could read minds?

Stopping himself from thinking further, just in case, he then forcefully made himself think upon business.

The doctor that they had arrested, had been taken an hour ago to a close by abandoned residence and roped up. Marcus had waited to see him until Mahnu had awakened, to drag out the time and to make sure that he wouldn't be the one to go against His Majesty's orders...Even by accident.

Being the one to tell Mahnu that she was pregnant, was not going to be him!

"Are you a true doctor?"

The doctor looked at him, scared, and he stammered through his words, declaring that he was a doctor.

The last person he had checked, was a consort of the King! Now this person seemed to have people to serve him, he was perhaps another that held power…

Marcus sat down and said to untie him. "Good, now tell me what's wrong with me."

The doctor looked happy and slowly examined him. Having been taken forcefully like that had really worried him, but his worries were for nothing!

This person must be some type of thug, probably having no other way to get a doctor…It was what they did after all, demand and take…

But, feeling like he would be fine, as the people around didn’t look as though they wanted to kill him, the doctor thought that he will just do his job and leave, hopefully never to return! There were many places for him to go here in Bena, so he will just go to the south eastern part of the town after this, just so the thugs won’t find him after he leaves.

The doctor’s thoughts were very different to Marcus’s though…

You've fallen into my trap so easily, old man!

Using the knowledge and rumors that they had gotten, Marcus wanted to see what this old man could conjure up out of thin air!

It was lucky that the doctor hadn't seen him before now as Marcus himself could use this strategy, knowing full well that he was perfectly healthy beforehand. It wasn’t even two hours ago that he had gotten the lady doctor to check him, just because of this current situation…

…Now, I can take advantage of that fact, with an easy way to find evidence against you!

In which case, the doctor was arrested again when he had tried to diagnose Marcus with something that costs a lot in medicine, even bluntly declaring for money for his inspection as well.

He truly had a lot of guts now!

In mere moments though…That courage completely disappeared!

After a swift glare, Marcus then told his men to rope him back up once again, and that the doctor has plainly lied, wanting to extort money from people.

Within seconds, things completely changed!

The doctor tried to step back, to get away from the men that were quickly closing in on him. He already he had lost the look of being a professional…Instead, the doctor looked like he did when he just came in, from being locked up quietly for a few hours…He was scared and stammered through his words…

He fell to his knees, whimpering, finally saying, "This is all I know…And they told me I passed! It's not my fault!"

His yells continued as he got taken away, leaving Marcus there shaking his head. He laughed and thought that he shouldn't rush back to His Majesty just yet, even though he had finished his job and was ready to inform the King.

Taking his time, he tortured the doctor to get more information, to find that the lady doctor…Had been telling the truth…

For so long…Doctors had been doing this to the people…

They had to get to the bottom of this!

***

Mahnu found that after she woke up, the atmosphere was strange. Richard acted busy, he tried so hard to think that he was busy, that Mahnu laughed.

"What?" He asked.

His thoughts were worried, wondering if she had found out.

Mahnu stopped laughing and asked, "What is going on?"

"Nothing!" His response was adorable and Mahnu walked to him and smiled.

He looked uncertain. Should I hug her or do my work?

Mahnu laughed again.

"What?" He asked again.

Taking him into her arms, she hugged him. "You are an idiot."

King Richard smiled and responded the same as he did always, "Yes, yes, I'm an idiot!"

Looking up at her, he kissed her, already getting taken away from her shining eyes and smile.

Just as she started to kiss him back, he pulled away suddenly, and thought, work...Work! I have to Work!

"Okay, I'll let you work!"

As Mahnu walked towards the door, she heard his thoughts of regret and wanting to kiss her again…

Laughing, Mahnu walked outside and saw William. "Good afternoon." She said.

He replied and stared at her.

Mahnu turned to him again, and asked, "What?"

She was sure that something mysterious was going on…Especially with the way Richard was acting!

William thought of their last conversation, at Governor Sedric's home, and asked, "Mahnu...Will you tell me some more?"

If Mahnu wasn’t able to read thoughts, she probably wouldn’t understand what he was asking for, "It's not a fun thing...Learning about the bad things of your own race."

William squinted his eyes at her, "Does that mean you still think yourself as a God or that you've accepted that you are a human?"

"No, I'm not a God now...But I was not born like a human. I was created." Stating this fact, Mahnu frowned.

"But you aren't putting yourself like us...?" He asked in confusion.

Mahnu looked at him, then away, "Living for thousands of years, would not make anyone feel human, William."

"But if you are hurt, you don't heal straight away. So now, you are human..." William’s determination echoed in Mahnu’s head, not just his words were stating this, but also his thoughts.

"Then, you classify somebody that can read minds a human?" Mahnu questioned stubbornly.

William breathed in angrily. "Till this day, from the first day I met you. You were human!"

…Mahnu was taken a back from his words.

She regained herself and responded. "I was a God the first time I met you!"

"No! God's make slaves and make human's call them their master's...You are human! Always have been!" William’s determination seemed to clash offensively against the stubbornness of Mahnu, as they glared at each other!

Mahnu was getting red with anger to his stubbornness, "Humans don't live for over a thousand years!"

"But they feel things Mahnu! You were the odd one out! Because of what you felt! Maybe you are half human all this time and you didn't even know it!"

Mahnu put her hands into fists, "It's not how it works William! I wasn't born from either a God or human. I was created! When you saw me the first time...That was me on the first day of my creation!"

Why does he keep questioning me!?

William took a step closer to her. "We, humans, accept you, just as you are. You are a little evolved, but you can think you're one of us now."

Why was William so daring? Why is he thinking about her like this?

"Stop it, Stop it!" She loudly said, putting her hands to her ears.

William took her hands away by force, reminding Mahnu of her puny womanly, human strength.

"Don't be mad." Looking up at him, she saw him smile. "I would be honored to think you were human. I would think of you as my sister."

...Mahnu was so surprised that she let out a breath and looked down. Her arms fell down by her side and William put his hands on her shoulders.

"I've decided." He said, to what seemed to feel like a huge decision.

Mahnu looked up at him.

He continued, "I’ve decided…It doesn't matter."

Living for a long time, can hear thoughts, it doesn’t matter because…To me, you’re my sister!

Mahnu put her hand to her mouth and tried not to cry.

William hugged her and said quietly, "I'd prefer little sister, but I think big sister would be more appropriate."

Mahnu let out a whimper. William was the second person that completely accepted who she was.

For so long, she had been alone, and now two people wanted her to be a part of their life!

Remembering the jealously from what Eliza and Thelmos had, Mahnu was having a hard time accepting this…She had been the opposite and accepted that she was alone. Now…It looked like she could actually depend on having someone to share her life with!

It really was…A great feeling!

Trying to keep calm, she said, "Thank you."

Not knowing how to react, she just stood there, trying not to cry…And to William’s eyes, she looked pitiful. He wanted to hug her and tell her that there was no ‘Thank you’ needed, that he truly would feel grateful to call her his sister…

The King didn't like the look of their embrace...He wanted to snatch her away from William and declare Mahnu his! Knowing their subject of conversation, and that William only saw her as a sibling, prevented King Richard from moving. He clenched his fists in irritation but stayed silent and hoped that Mahnu would stop the tears that were showing up on her face...In the future, though, he had already decided that he will have a talk to William, to make sure he kept his distance from Mahnu!

No one but him should touch her!

…Even if they are her brother!

William continued to speak to Mahnu, not knowing of the jealous King's thoughts, "I have to admit, I am a little...Fascinated...In you as well. I mean…I’m fascinated with your history…I want to know what you've been through in the history of Kralaide. I want to learn from you...So that us humans might be able to learn something. To be honest, I have always been interested in the history of Kralaide. As you see though...I was born in Havlish and becoming a knight is what most of the men do from there."

Mahnu wiped her eyes and smiled at him, "Then as your older sister, I will tell you my stories."

He looked so happy that Mahnu laughed, and the King sighed from his place inside the room.

…At least she wasn’t crying anymore…

"Oh! Please would you? Really?" William put his hands together, his eyes shining with his plea.

Mahnu nodded again and William started to chatter on about needing lots of ink and parchment, so that he could write it all down…

***

"Do we have enough time now for a story?"

Mahnu knew they were leaving tomorrow but they had some free time, now that they had finished eating dinner.

She watched the King try to look busy, but she knew he wanted to hear her talk as well. "Okay, but where do I start?"

William sat down like a child, and said, "Something happy!"

Mahnu could only stare at him silently.

Something…Happy?

…Do I even have memories of being happy?

"What's wrong?" William asked.

She sighed, then said, "I don't have many happy memories."

She heard the King silently say her name in sadness…

Again, she sighed, wanting to cheer Richard up, "I do recall helping a little girl grow up and get married though."

They stayed quiet but were confused, trying to picture it.

As they knew her of being stubborn and obstinate, both men in the room saw Mahnu as someone that wouldn’t play with a little girl, however much the little girl would try!

Mahnu laughed, "It's not like that! Truly, am I that bad?”

Luckily no one answered her and Mahnu finally started to speak, after narrowing her eyes at both of the men in the room.