She hesitated momentarily before looking at the clothes, trying to distract herself from her thoughts. Laverna slipped from the bed and silently walked to the closet.
Her fingers trailed over the fabric, the silk softer than she had imagined. The vibrant blue contrasted beautifully with her bright orange hair.
She let her fingers linger before stepping back, a rare moment of tenderness flickering through her hardened exterior before she curled up once more on the bed.
"That's the East's traditional clothing."
Shin examined the pattern and fabric, recognizing its quality. It was as fine as the royal robes he once wore.
A small smile tugged at his lips as he explained further. "These clothes are made from Gororon Silk, the most expensive fabric the East has to offer. These, in particular, are crafted for royalty."
He took his own robes and nodded, hanging them on a hook by the door. Her attire was vibrant, while his leaned toward a more monochrome palette, dark blue and white.
She studied the garments with mild curiosity, unfamiliar with other cultures. Though she had heard of the East, her upbringing had given her little exposure to its customs.
"Why would they give us something meant for royalty? Is it just to help us blend in? I know for a fact I have no royal blood. My family was small... proud... but small."
A brief silence settled between them before she sighed and continued, finally saying what's gnawing at her mind.
"You know this could be a trap, right? There's always room for deception. They could act as if they want us there when, in reality, they have something else planned... like taking our heads."
Shin chuckled and shrugged. "Could be. But we foxes tend to learn things when we're already in the middle of the situation. As a wise man once said, 'You'll cross the bridge when you get there.' Or, as my uncle used to say, 'We'll get there when we get there.'" His voice shifted into an exaggerated imitation, complete with a grand mustache gesture, hoping to make her laugh.
She huffed, crossing her arms. "I'd rather not cross a bridge I haven't examined. It could be unstable... but I understand. We'll see what happens when we get there. First sign of trouble, and I say we leave. I refuse to be someone else's prisoner again. I'm already yours at this point."
Her words carried a simmering anger, though she kept it restrained. She wanted to argue, to lash out at the absurdity of his calm acceptance, but she couldn't.
No matter how much she wanted to reject his words, there was truth in them. He spoke like someone who had seen the worst of the world and still found the wisdom to move forward.
Despite his youth, he carried himself with the presence of someone who had endured more than his fair share. It infuriated her, and yet, she agreed with him more than she cared to admit.
She clenched her fists, her tail flicking with agitation, as conflicting emotions battled within her. He smiled, reminded of his father, and followed up with another quote.
"My wise father once said, 'Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.' I didn't fully understand those words until I found myself in this situation. Now, I get it, though a little too late."
He sighed, glancing at his robes. Laverna's ears flicked as the sounds around her grew sharper.
A soft whimper escaped her lips. "Why is everything so much louder?". She instinctively clutched her tail, attempting to comfort herself as prickles ran across her skin.
Shin looked at her calmly. "It seems your Kitsune instincts are slowly returning, Laverna. We hear beyond human limits. Other species can hear as well as we do, but our special ability is that we can hear spirits."
It dawned on her how isolated she had been. The room she had been forced to live in had muted the world outside, allowing only a sliver of sound through the small window.
She had never fully adapted to the outside world. Even when she was younger, fighting to survive, they had kept her in a metal cage. Her heart began to race as fear tightened its grip around her, memories threatening to drag her into the abyss.
She squeezed her eyes shut, taking slow, deliberate breaths. The sound of Shin shifting nearby anchored her.
He sat down on the floor, settling onto his makeshift futon. "It will take time," he added, watching her carefully. "But I will teach you how to control it."
She nodded absently, her fingers still gripping her tail for comfort. The thought of training, of being prepared for whatever awaited them, made her feel a little steadier.
"What exactly is our game plan for the next five weeks?"
"We'll wake up early in the morning and begin your training as a Kunoichi. We'll have at least from morning until lunchtime for that. In the afternoons, Yuri will teach us and prepare us for the Special Meeting and the formal event, including lessons on Western etiquette."
Laverna sighed. Everything about this sounded exhausting, but she knew she had no choice. If she wanted to survive this ordeal, she had to endure it.
"What do they know about me? Do they know what I did? Or do they think you did it all?" Her voice held an edge of uncertainty as more questions spilled out.
She had been thrust into a world she had lost years ago. Her thoughts swirled in an endless storm. She knew she looked like a lost child, because, in many ways, she was.
Countless questions flooded her mind, but she kept her tongue still. "Do you know what we are walking into?"
Shin could see her uncertainty. Without warning, he stepped closer and placed a hand on her head, gently ruffling her hair. She stiffened at first, but when she looked up, his red eyes met hers, filled with reassurance.
"No clue," he admitted with a smile. "Everything will be revealed tomorrow. For now, try to get some sleep. Okay?"
He returned to his spot, wrapping himself in the blanket and closing his eyes.
Laverna remained still for a moment, staring at the ceiling. Her mind churned with possibilities, fears, and uncertainties.
What if they were walking into something worse than she imagined? What if she was never meant to leave the chains behind? A pit settled in her stomach, but she forced herself to push it away.
She turned onto her side, glancing at Shin, who had already begun to breathe steadily. But sleep did not come so easily for her.
Doubts clawed at the edges of her mind, whispering that no matter how much she trained, no matter how much she changed, she would never truly be free. The world had never given her kindness without a hidden cost.
She hesitated before speaking again, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Thank you... for saving me."
She wasn't sure if he heard her or not, but she felt lighter for saying it. With a deep breath, she let the tension melt away, exhaustion finally winning over her restless thoughts.
Shin, despite his stillness, had heard every word.
"Good night."
He clapped twice, and a soft breeze swept through the room, extinguishing the candles. The gentle wind carried a sense of peace as he drifted into quiet slumber.
The futon, though on the floor, was surprisingly comfortable. But as the darkness stretched on, unease curled around her like an unseen chain.
She had broken free once before, but was she only stepping into another kind of cage?
And if so… would she be able to escape this time?