Some say that the moon always watches over you, always listening to your cries and yearnings. But how many nights have I looked up into the star-filled skies and made a wish, just for the next day to be the same?
Of course, I shouldn't blindly believe in myths with no sources at all, but still having people say these things, to keep on believing, to keep on living because someone omniscient will one day reward you for your hard work.
O moon… how beautiful you are but where are the prayers that I have sent? I looked up into the night sky once again sitting in a pile of trash hiding from the soldiers pursuing me.
The horrendous smell of diarrhea around these slums was awful. Many without sanitary toilets need to do it on the streets. Those people, do they even know what we strays go through? Most likely not because the mere thought of us would probably ruin their days.
But that girl, she was different… Emovi was it? That royal was weird. She was like a puzzle piece that didn't fit in the last place of a jigsaw puzzle.
I closed my eyes to try to distract myself from the awful smell and thought of why that girl was so kind to a stray.
Once the guards had finally left the area I dug myself out of the heap of trash and brushed off any leftover scraps on my clothes.
The capital was no place for me to stay, and I had to get out of here as soon as possible. I stumbled as a burning pain on my cheek slowly began to subside after a few seconds. The black flower on my cheek wilted and then turned into dust.
I held onto the walls covered with an unknown red, brown liquid and dragged myself forward holding my chest that was still bleeding a bit.
My mind was fading in and out of consciousness as I collapsed against the wall. Even though the wound on my chest had been completely cauterised and wasn't bleeding all that much, the pain was tearing my sanity into pieces.
Just a few more steps… just one more day…
With a heavy step, I stumbled forward and pushed my body through the pain. I can't fall here… they would find me here…
In front of my eyes was a bright pink-and-blue sign that said.
"Nightly services Open!"
I heard footsteps approaching around the corner and even though this wasn't the most ideal place to hide I dragged myself through the flimsy hanging bamboo entrance and entered the brothel. An old receptionist greeted me with a gentle smile before asking me what I would like today.
She then saw the massive wound running through my chest and immediately covered her mouth in shock. It wasn't like a scar, it was more like an abhorrent wound that would make anyone freak out if they saw it.
After a few seconds, the old receptionist collected herself. It wasn't her job to judge clients for what wounds or medical problems that they might have. She looked into my eyes and saw that I was a man who wouldn't do anything violent and then shouted someone's name.
"AYYYYYYLLLLINNNNNNNN! YOU HAVE A CUSTOMER!" The old hag screamed with a coarse voice.
Coming out of one of the rooms was a tall pink-haired girl with dazzling blue eyes.
"He is yours Aylin," the old lady said, putting her smoking pipe back into her mouth and starting to smoke again. I was still limping and almost fell onto the reception desk but Aylin caught me in time and put my arm on her shoulder and guided me towards one of the rooms.
I felt how my head rested against something soft and warm. Then when my eyes fully opened I saw how the pink-haired girl was digging in the drawers. She then turned around holding some ointments and bandages.
She pushed a water basin on the ground with a bloody towel resting on the edges.
I looked at the wound on my chest and realized that she had cleaned the wound for me. Feeling reassured I fully lay my head down and closed my eyes. I felt how soft and delicate hands applied a warm cream onto my chest. It was stinging a lot and I let out a little groan as she applied too much pressure. She told me to lie still and continued to apply the ointment. I felt her hand go under my back and lift me from bed, bandages swiftly went around my chest and in a matter of seconds, I was all bandaged up.
"Does it hurt less now?" Aylin asked me before sitting down next to me.
I nodded and thanked her for helping me. She said it wasn't too big a problem and told me that she was both a worker here whilst also acting as a nurse.
As Aylin was telling me the stories of how she was helping other brothel workers after violent clients two soldiers stepped into the brothel demanding the old hag to tell them if she had seen a black haired boy with dirty raggedy clothes and purple eyes. The receptionist shooed them off and blew smoke into their faces. The soldiers not being able to do anything left with a look full of grudges.
I breathed a sigh of relief and lay back down on the bed. Aylin sat down right by my bedside and asked me what had caused such a terrible laceration.
Putting my hand onto my bandaged chest and gently caressed it whilst telling her what had happened.
Her eyes fell onto the ground as I mentioned the Prince. But then she averted her eyes back to me. I was almost lost in the dazzling blue oceans she had.
"Mind if I ask you a personal question?" She suddenly asked.
I nodded my head and after some hesitation, she asked me what kept me going every day.
Being a little taken aback by her question I opened my mouth but no words left.
I tried again and told her that I wanted to feel emotions and see the thoughts. Those things a person who has spent the majority of their life in the slums has yet to experience and see.
Aylin smiled warmly before thanking me for my answer.
"How about you?" I curiously asked.
"It's a bit silly and childish…" She awkwardly said whilst blushing.
I turned my head like a bird waiting for her answer.
"To be lo…" She broke off mid-sentence and stormed out of the room with her hands covering her face.
"AYLINNNNN WHY AREN'T YOU WITH THE CUSTOMAAAAA!?" I heard outside the room. There was a bit of shuffling back and forth in the corridors as I heard someone being chased.
Aylin finally returned to the room with a little bump on her head and she looked at me solemnly.
She sighed before sitting back down on the bed.
"The lady wants me to stay with you for the night," Aylin said in a timid tone.
The room went quiet after she said that, so quiet that we could hear what was happening in the room adjacent to ours. Faint moaning and inexplicable slapping noises could be heard.
Aylin turned her head away from me trying not to even look at me. It seemed like she wasn't used to this environment as she was too bashful for a prostitute.
"Have you ever done it before?"
Aylin went quiet and turned her back towards me before with very small words muttering out a no.
A virgin in a brothel? That was completely unheard of. Why would that old hag assign Aylin to a destitute man who couldn't even afford a beauty like Aylin even if I worked for 50 years of my life?
But I was too tired to even think anymore, dawn was approaching and my eyes automatically closed.
Aylin who was still sitting there by the bedside turned around to ask me something but saw that I had already fallen asleep. She opened and peered out of the door trying to escape but then the eyes of an eagle glimmered from a blind spot and a shiver immediately went down her spine and she closed the door.
She turned back towards the bed and lay down onto the bed right next to Vivshi. Why was she sharing the bed with a man whose name she doesn't even know? She rubbed his chest and turned around with her back facing him.
As long as he doesn't do anything it would be fine right? She slowly closed her eyes as well and was swept into the world of dreams.