Sunset of the Wandering Souls
Chapter 6

Innin came to collect my mother once she finished eating, soon returning to collect Pili and me with a butler in tow. Innin kept me from running off, from trying to walk ahead next to Pili, by keeping a tight grip on my hand. I wasn’t able to tell him good night or goodbye before the butler and him turned a corner and we continued ahead. We passed the door to my room, I was a little confused as to where we going.

I wasn’t shoved into the room when we got to our destination, Innin joining me to stand in front of the door. He had me undress behind a solid screen where I threw each article of clothing to rest on its top, then had me get in an already drawn bath filled with rose scented bubbles. There was a small window by the bathtub, and I took to watching the sky darken while Innin settled himself by my head. His hands were gentle as he undid the messy braids, promising me he could braid my hair once more for bed if I so wished. Each time he poured water to wet my hair, he placed a hand above my brow to catch any large pools. He moved his hands in a rhythmic way, applying the right amount pressure as he rubbed soap into my scalp. I couldn’t help but ask him if he’d done this before.

“I’ve bathed you since you were just a fledgling.” He titled my head up ever so slightly to pour more water. He placed his hands back on my head, coating every strand this time. “Let me see your wings.”

I shifted my sitting position to unfurl my wings. “Are you really…going to clip them?” I asked.

He started rinsing and scrubbing the grime, sand, and sea from my wings as he answered. “I don’t want to,” he said, standing to wash the inside, “but you’ve left me no choice, Ezollen. It’s for your own good, and we’ll figure out an explanation to keep your reputation intact.” I asked him what he meant when he switched to the other wing. “You don’t remember, then.” He paused his cleaning a moment. “The wingspan and appearance of one’s wings are still considered important in one’s status. Tuck your wings away and tilt your head up.” I did as he commanded as he doused my hair in water for the last time.

He dried my hair and braided it before I was to put on a nightshirt and knickers after I dried myself off. He led me back to my room, practically tucked me in to my overly soft bed. I sat, holding a stuffed possum to my chest as if it was natural for me. Innin pointed a cord to me to pull if I needed anything, then pulled a different cord, plunging the room into darkness. I grabbed his shirt to stop him before I even realized. It was too dark in my room, too inky, I didn’t want to be alone, didn’t want to go to sleep by myself.

He removed my hand from his shirt, waiting for my question. “Can…Can Pili sleep in here with me?”

“You have Argak,” he said with a sigh.

“It’s…It’s not the same.” I held onto the stuffed possum tighter. “Please, Innin?”

He pulled the cord so I could see him put his hands on his hips, see the disappointment and irritation flash on his face. “I will ask him, but I make no promises.” He turned on his heel and closed the door on his way out.

I waited for him to return, hopefully Pili with him, by staring at the stuffed possum. Out of everything that could have been hidden under the comforter, I hadn’t expected to replace a stuffed possum. It gave me a sense of comfort, though, having it in my arms, but not the sort of relief of having another person in the room with me. I didn’t want to be alone if there weren’t a single window, if there weren’t even the slightest sliver of moonlight that’d creep through. I didn’t want the darkness to suffocate me and swallow me whole, not while I didn’t remember most things about myself. I couldn’t even remember the importance of the possum in my hands.

I wasn’t sure how long it had taken Innin to come back, as there was no clock in my room. Pili appeared behind him, already dressed for bed, and took a seat on the other side of the bed. Innin pulled the light’s cord for the third time, and then Pili and I were alone. There was some rustling as Pili got comfortable and I sunk down to lie on my side facing him. I whispered that I was sorry for my selfish request, but his hand found mine and he told me it was alright.

“It was a little scary by myself, anyway,” he said, then pausing a moment. “It’s really dark in here.”

“There’s no windows,” I said. “I don’t remember why.”

Pili squeezed my hand. “That’s alright…Do you want to hold my hand until you fall asleep?” I nodded, closed my eyes and curled up with Argak the possum close to my chest and Pili’s hand tight in mine.