It was long into the night, Anabelle watched as Ezra slept. She herself never needed sleep. For as much as Ezra pleaded with her to sleep, it was urged to him to know she would be alright. She continued to stare through the window, and saw the beauty of Fayspell during the dark hours. The stone which formed their roads and walkways glowed under the night sky. Shining allows for no use of other sources to see. Some adults continued to roam around, mostly as night guards, other were couples who wanted time away from the younglings. Anabelle looked towards her sleeping companion.

“Thank you for bringing me out here Ezra.” She said.

“So you talk as well?” Nicholai showed his falseness to be asleep.

“You…” Nicholai propped himself on the bookshelf. He opened his eyes and looked over to her.

“So a talking horse and a boy with the power of Virtue. Every second i spend with you two makes you more interesting.”

Anabelle tried to look away. Yet she knew Nicholai still had his eyes on her. The next word had to be hers or else tide of the conversation would stay in his favor, and possibly get to Irene.

“You said your father left the village. Why did he not take you?” She questioned. Nicholai’s body flinched a little. His composure began falling apart. Anabelle sensed unease within him.

“Sh-shut up. He’s obviously testing me. Wanting me to come and find him.” Nicholai’s unease left. He stood up from his seat and proceeded towards the door. “Now If you don’t mine. I’m out of here.”

“If you could leave this whole time why did you wait until now?”

“The barrier Irene has on this room weakens when she goes to sleep.”

“So that’s when you make your escape.” Anabelle wanted to see him bust out of the room, just to catch a glimpse at his ability to use magic. Rather any magic at this point. She was completely unaware if Ezra uses magic. Yet the first place they find is a village of mages. This opportunity was golden. Nicholai placed his hand over the door. A red ripple formed on the barrier. As it continued his body started to strain, he began to pant and his legs gave in.

“You have to stop.” Anabelle said to him. She trotted over to him, and lifted her hoove on top his hand, pushing it down off the door. He fell on his knees. Breathing heavily.

“I always do this. The barrier is way more powerful than before. Why?” Nicholai asked himself.

“Perhaps Irene doesn’t want us to escape.” Anabelle stared at Nicholai directly with her bright glowing eyes. He tried to push himself away, yet the mare stayed within his vicinity. Yet he knew what she meant. Yet how would they even escape if they didn't have their gear. He knew better than anyone that the night guards are not the mages you wanted face, next to Irene. His escapes only works by leaving the room and hiding out in Irene’s lower quarter until morning. Some nights are tricky, as she will find him lurking about. Yet through the years he has honed his ability to move through undetected.

“Guess I’m stuck here with you two until morning. I wonder what she plans to do with him? A tall handsome guy like him. She’s gonna eat him alive.” The young mage remark about Ezra.

“What do you mean?

“Irene isn’t very popular with the guys here. So I have a hunch she will take the first opportunity she gets to grab a nice young husband.” Nicholai smirked.

“I don’t think that will happen.” The two looked over to find Ezra awake, rubbing his eyes from the slumber. “I don't mind being with a woman as fair as her. However, me and Anabelle are kinda doing our own thing for the time being. Maybe I’ll come back later and see how things turn out.”

Nicholai started laughing. The other watched as he went on. Anabelle left him to his self enjoyment, and trotted to Ezra. Where he immediately rubbed her mane.

“I was hoping to get something to eat. Is this how prisoners are treated?” Ezra asked over his laughter. Nicholais voice slowly faded.

“Pretty much.” He answered the question

The sun would not rise for the next few hours. So the atmosphere was not so silent. Nicholai's countless visits to this room made it seem he was the only one able to enjoy themself while confined to it. Currently he provided white noise for the two by writing in his personal handbook. The sound of the pencil writing and stopping as he graphed each word onto the blank page was now etched into Ezra's and Anabelle's minds. It was more akin to a song than scribbles.

"Having fun over there." Ezra asked, the pencil stopped completely. Before he looked up. Nicholai gave a small smile as he retraced the words.

"Just a little something."

"What is it?"

"A song." Nicholai put the book away.

“You don’t have to stop. I was just curious about it all.” Ezra calmed the young man. He ten saw Nicholai shake his head to himself, and then just sit back on the wall. “Go on. I’m not stopping you.”

“It’s fine. Sun will be coming up soon. I’m sure Irene will speak with you once she wakes up.”

“I sense frustration in him.” Ezra glared back at him. He wondered why he gave up on the task he clearly enjoyed.

“Why are you not allowed to leave the village? Seems like a weak idea for such a place of this size.” Ezra asked.

“And if your father left, why is Irene so against you leaving?” Anabelle followed.

“Both of you really like asking questions about people you just met. Fine, since you two want to be so chummy. How about I tell you about how I’ve been left here all alone for the last twelve years, watching as everyone else lives the life I strive so hard to get. Everyday since I was seven, all the other kids continuously picked on me for writing these stupid songs, but you know what? I bet every single one of them never thought to think how I feel in all of this. Going to sleep every single night either here or in that shack that constantly reminds that nobody in this hellhole of a village understands a damn thing about me or even cares!” Nicholai plunged his fist into the wall. Making the door shake just from the impact. Blood began to drip from his hand and stain the wall itself. They hadn’t noticed the sun began to rise. Anabeel looked through the window again and saw the beauty of night go away and return as it was when she first arrived. Nicholai also saw the sun over the horizon. He turned his head towards the door. “IRENE< WAKE THE HELL UP AND GET ME OUT OF HERE!”

His voice ran through the halls and out into the quiet village.The mages outside looked to the headmasters home. Then the footsteps started. Ezra and Anabelle stepped back. Nicholai removed his fist and moved in front of the door. The knob turned and the door slowly opened, revealing Irene still in her sleepwear. The barrier on the room fading. Her head remained above the frame, yet they all knew what Nicholai saw.

“Boy. Do you know-” Irene didn’t even finish her sentence. Nicholai pushed her out of the way and started walking towards the exit. Com

“We do this every damn day. You have no plans to kill me so how bout you cut the theatrics and shut the fuck up for once. You won’t let me leave, so were both each others problems. Now do your duty and deal with these two already.” His footsteps became more distant. Until the front door was slammed, echoing through the halls. Irene rubbed her head, then looked back to Ezra and Anabelle.

“I’ll bring you in once breakfast is ready.” Irene closed the door back, the barrier reformed, and Ezra remained silent.

Nicholai walked out into morning town. The scouts from the night witch eyeballing his every step. He wasn’t even planning to go straight home. By now the general store was open. It was run by Garret, someone who was more or so friendly with him.

“Quite the morn eh boy.” Garret said as he approached.

“Just give me a bottle of the regular.” Nicholai threw two tokens on the counter. Garret pulled out a small bottle of Sunborn Nature, a ale brewed from pineapple and mixed with many vegetables, together with a bundle of 4 carrots. Nicholai snatched them from the counter and walked away. His home stands at the edge of the village. Near the fields where all the vegetables are grown and the farm. There was a herd of cows outside for their morning stroll. Nicholai moved to his favorite, Calos. This cow stood out as it moved slower than the others. He never grew like the others, so the others left him be and let him live out his days.

“Hey there Calos.” Nicholai rubbed the cow's head, then threw a carrot on the ground for him. “Eat up buddy. Don’t forget how lucky you are.”

Nicholai strolled back over into his home. He kept it tidy and clean despite visitors. His personal made staff lay on the table along his tome and bag. The bed was well made and the floor was laid with a red carpet. Multitude of crates littered with vegetables of all kind were stacked throughout the home. And he kept numerous book shelves laid several books he has kept over the years that has received, written, or taken from Irene’s timeout room.

“Well at least they brought my stuff back.” He sat at his table and began to eat his breakfast. At the end stayed a purple crystal. The same made from his mother's own magic staff. Not much was left here about or relating to his father. He threw the bottle across the room. “To hell with this.” Nicholai slowly walked and fell down to his bed and fell asleep.

Irene put Ezra and Anabelle into her dining room for breakfast. A small feast laid out for them. Irene’s personal assistant sat next to her .Anabelle was near the corner of the room, Ezra sat opposite of her, slowly eating his meal. However just wanting to skip it so he could retrieve his blade and walk away from this. Irene finished her food, or rather her second plate of food.

“My lady, today we must see to the breeding of new cattle.” The assistant said looking at the tablet in front of their plate of food.

“Go to Ross and make the right preparations. This pork is terrible.” Irene rebutalled.

“Of course.”

“So….can I have my sword back.” Ezra asked through the two’s casual conversation.

“Do you know what we do to intruders?” Irene asked.

“Well. Nicholai did say something about you taking me as your husband.” Ezra made Irene choke a little. As did the assistant.

“Um...well. That’s not particularly what happens. They are permitted to live within this village. You can try to escape all you want, but we can’t let our existence be known to the world.” Irene said to him. He looked over to Anabelle and grew furious. This wasn’t going to stand with him.

“Sorry. Can’t. I already have a….” Ezra stopped halfway through his words. “I have somewhere I need to go.”

“Did my words miss you?” Irene aid, her eyes showing a different emotion.

“They didn’t. You can’t keep me prisoner here. While I was in that room I thought. Just how many intruders have you had. I’m sure not everyone can cut through your barrier unless they had a weapon like mine or some magic strong enough to penetrate it. And who cares if there is just some village of mages living in the middle of the Freelands.” Ezar fiercely stood his ground to her. “And since we’re talking about it. I want my sword back. I’m not going to ask again.”

Irene and Ezra stared into each other. She turned to the assistant and nodded. They removed themself from the table and walked into the next room, and returned with Ezra’s sword. He went over and gave it to him. Ezra’s immediately unsheathed it to check for anything that may be of change to it. It remained the same as before.

“I have no use for it. I couldn’t tell just how it works. So you can have it back. However that doesn’t mean I intend to let you leave here.” Irene informed him once again as she went back to eating. Ezra, now with sword back in hand, knew there was only one way out.

“Then I’ll fight my way out.” He said confidently. Irene began to laugh. Her assistant grew scared.

“Fight your way out. Alright. But you’ll just fight me. If I win, you stay in this village and marry me. If you win, you can leave. Guess I’ll be getting a new husband.”

Anabelle sensed Ezra’s emotion. Both of them knew this woman possessed more power than they could imagine. And yet, she sensed no fear in Ezra. The possibility of victory may be there after all.