Chapter 6
“Roommates?”
After Aphmau finished tying my hair in a low riding pony tail I looked in the mirror smiling.
I haven't felt this good for a long, long time. It was nice.
My new shoes felt comfy too.
"So what was your name?" The guard, Laurence, asked, crossing his arms.
"Oh. It's um..it's Artemis." I wasn't sure if telling these people my name was a good idea, but they were really far out in the frontier.
Perhaps...they didn't know what I did?
"Artemis? Such a pretty name!" Cadenza smiled.
"Laurence?" Aphmau spoke up.
"Yes, my lady?" Laurence turned to Aphmau.
"Could Artemis stay at your house until we can find her a more permanent place?" Aphmau asked politely.
"What?!" Laurence and I said in unison.
"If you don't mind, Lady Aphmau, I'm fine with pitching a tent somewhere-"
"Her staying at my house?! With Lumi there?! Did you not hear that she tried to drown Lumi?!" Laurence shouted, raising his arms.
"It was a misunderstanding!" I snapped at him.
"Enough!" Aphmau silenced us, "You two have to work this out! There's no room anywhere else and I doubt Logan will let her stay at the Inn for free!"
I bit my tongue, nodding. I knew how to keep in my place. Laurence however did not.
"But she's an outsider!" Laurence shouted.
"Says the man who was once a Shadow Knight!" Cadenza shouted at Laurence. "You don't have the best history either, Laurence! For Pete's sake you used to be a womanizer, brother!"
That shut Laurence up.
I sighed, breaking the silence. I wasn't sure what a Shadow Knight was but it didn't give me warm and fuzzies knowing my new roommate used to be one. I could care less about the womanizing part.
"C'mon." Laurence sounded defeated as he started walking towards the door. It took me a moment to realize he was talking to me. I followed him promptly.
He was silent as we walked through the busy streets. I suppose I really messed up. I knew for sure that this wasn't as bad as prison, so I put up with it.
"We're here." He sighed as we stopped in front of a door. The house was framed in a dark wood and lined with a light colored concrete or clay. It was small but looked homely.
"If you so much as think about hurting Lumi I'll kill you." He growled, still facing the door.
"Right.." I mumbled.
He unlocked the door, opening it. He entered, the door closing behind him. I rolled my eyes, entering the house.
The room inside was warm. To my right was a sitting room with a fireplace, Lumi sat in one of the chairs at a table drawing on a piece of paper. She hummed a lighthearted tune as she swung her legs.
I looked forward to see Laurence trudging up the stairs in silence.
I went to go follow him but Lumi glanced up.
"Oh! it's you!" She chimed, "Wanna see my drawing?"
"Huh? Oh. Sure?" I walked over to see her masterpiece.
"What do you think?" She smiled.
I heard a thumping against the wooden chair she was sitting on. I looked to see a scaled tail with a tuft of fur at the end wagging slightly.
I looked up at her drawing trying not to be rude.
It was a picture of a shooting star falling into the water and becoming a fish. It looked like one of those ornamental koi fish.
"Neat. What does it mean?" I turned to look at her.
"Its you, silly!" Lumi giggled.
"I'm a fish?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Well, fish become dragons eventually…" Lumi fidgeted.
"I like it." I patted her shoulder.
She giggled in glee.
"Hey, Lumi, was it?"
"Yeah?" The antlered girl looked up at me.
"Is there a guest room, or…?" I scratched the back of my head.
"Oh? You're sleeping over? Yay! A slumber party!" Lumi cheered.
I laughed a bit at how cute this kid was. Looking at her now, I saw she had a tuft of blue feathers on her head coupled with orangish-blonde wavy hair cut short. She had two peculiar scars on her back.
She hopped up, taking my hand, breaking me away from my thoughts.
"C'mon! You can sleep in my room!" Lumi sung.
She led me up the stairs to a short upstairs hallway. Behind the door to the right was the sound of deep snoring. It must be Laurence's room. Lumi giggled as she opened the door to the left.
"My room is above the kitchen so it always smells good after Lauru cooks!" Lumi stated with pride.
"'Lauru'? Is that what you call him?" I laughed a bit.
"Yeah! 'Laurence' is a long name after all!" Lumi argued.
"How about ‘Artemis’?" I mused.
Lumi paused going into deep thought. Her face lit up.
"You're nickname is now Arty!" Lumi announced.
"Arty, huh? I like it." I smiled. It was the name Nell would call me.
Lumi threw a few spare pillows and a large wool blanket on the ground along with a down comforter she grabbed from a chest.
"Is that a good sleeping bed?" Lumi asked curiously.
"Well. I bet it better than sleeping outside." I smiled towards her, "Thank you, Lumi."
"No problem!" Lumi giggled.
I heard a gurgling noise come from Lumi.
"You're hungry, aren't you?" I hummed.
"Maybe a bit…" Lumi confessed.
"Alright. Let's get us some food."


















