From the Edges of the Mirror

Chapter 3, The Resistance of the Loris

"The resistance? What resistance?" Amme never told me of such things, I wonder if it has to do with her 'treachery', like Ragde said? I glanced around for Atlas or Ragde to explain, but their faces were stone cold, and seemed that they weren't going to say anything else anytime soon. I simply shrugged, assuming that it'd simply take a while before they completely warm up to me. Even so... The lakewater is still bothering me. Why did Anglo say it was freezing, when Atlas and I were perfectly fine?

"Well, I'll let it be, for now. In the meantime, could we stay with you, Ragde? At least help me heal my friend." He was stubborn, and tightlipped, but gestured with a smirk to a small hole in the rock face, and climbed into the darkness. "Right this way, child. 'Elcome to the Loris' Nest, home o' the Loris Resistance." Continuing on our way, Atlas pointed out fake tunnels that we need to avoid, or else we'd set off traps. It was amazing, the tunnels just kept going deeper, and deeper, coiling up and down, like a labyrinth.

When we at last reached a large opened area, several hundred pairs of eyes looked up towards us, some with hostility, others inquisitively. Ragde called out to them, but I wasn't paying much attention, I was looking at all the designs that were etched into the walls. Swirling plants, and animals like wolverines, koalas, and of course, some slow lorises, it being the resistance's namesake and mascot, danced along the large cavern, pillars of stone curling up to support the ceiling.

"Emma? Hello?" Anglo asked, waving his hand in front of my face. "You okay, witch girl?" I came to my senses, shaking my head to clear it.

"Hm? What? Yes, I'm fine." I replied in confusion. I looked around, and noticed everyone was staring at me again. I looked to Anglo and Atlas, who were seemingly waiting for me to say something, while Ragde sighed, and whispered, "I need ya to explain how ye're different from Amme." I almost slapped myself for not paying attention.

"I'm not like Amme, but in a way I am her. There are two types of worlds that we know of, one positive, one negative. Everything in this world is the same in the other, but backwards. The herbivores here are carnivores there, and the same goes for the people. They're pretty similar, but with lots of small differences." I looked around and saw a few familiar faces, but they were pretty uneasy people.

I started to walk down from the raised area we were standing on, but someone grabbed my arm and pulled me back up. "Ye're not quite done, what's the difference between ya 'nd Amme?" Ragde said, with narrowed eyes. I glanced up at him, an amused smirk playing across my face.

"Oh Ragde, I thought it was obvious by now. I care about what happens to the people around me. In a sense, I'm kinder than she is, and probably more people-smart. With or without our holy powers or friends, I can do a bit more than her." With this, I chuckled dryly. "Or could you really not tell the difference? She is your sister, whether you like it or not. You should've observed her a bit better." Ragde's indignance was quite visible, and Anglo had to physically hold him back so he wouldn't hit me.

"Well, when you think about it, she has a point, Ragde. Even though I don't have a sister, I understand that you have to watch their movements. Maybe that's why you didn't know about her betrayal before it happened." Anglo muttered, a bit warily. Ragde was standing unrestrained now, but thinking calmly instead of being violent.

Finally, he spoke, loudly and yet softly, "They're right. I should've seen when she was to cross us... Emma, I'm sorry." When he finished his sentence, I jumped up and hugged him. His body was stiff, as though he was unaccustomed to any form of physical touch. I looked up to him again, smiling naturally this time.

"Easily forgiven, easily forgotten, Ragde." I responded, letting go of him and then wandering back down into the gathered people. Anglo jogged along with Atlas in tow, then we walked around silently, exploring each area, and Atlas sometimes made a comment or quick fact. For some reason, there was a large amount of furniture and rugs spread around, giving the seemingly dismal tunnel system a more elegant and comfortable feeling.

When one of the clocks showed nine, Atlas took ur hands and guided us down one of the larger tunnels, into a sort of residential area, with stairs to different levels and rooms carved into the rockface. "Here's a room. Sleep well." Atlas stated, and dashed off. The room was furnished with two beds, one facing the other, a sofa, and a bookshelf with various genres, all bound in leather hide and stamped with colorful pigments. Looking around a bit more, we found a few drawers stuffed with spare clothing, either drawer filled with different sizes for both respective genders.

"This is pretty interesting, huh Emma? Didn't expect an underground city for their hideout." Anglo said, while examining the bedsheets, which were, surprisingly, either silk or cotton. "Pretty snazzy for a resistance, don't you think?"

"Well, there is something you should know about, it's kind of important..." I muttered, while he stared at me, waiting for me to continue. "The thing is, Ragde and Amme, as well as the head of guard, Edgar and I, we're technically royalty." Anglo looked at me as though I had a second head, his green eyes narrowing cautiously.

"Emma, you've got to be kidding me. You,? A PRINCESS? This isn't the time to be-" suddenly, his eyes widened, as though he had just realized something crucial. "It can't be... That's why you seemed so shaken up? Because the king and queen were your parents? How come I didn't-? How come you hadn't told anyone?!" He looked so hurt, that I hadn't told him, so broken up over a thing like that...

"Well, who was I to tell?! You know for a fact that I didn't have any friends! You're part of the reason why I have no friends. You keep them away, telling them I'm crazy, and that I'm a witch, when all I really am is a medicine girl who happens to have some holy powers!" I grunted at him, raising my voice every sentence. He suddenly looked shocked, reaching out to me, he rubbed my cheek, causing me to realize I was crying.

Wiping frantically at the tears, I flopped onto the bed with the lavender sheets, begging my eyes to dry up. Anglo came over and sat on the edge of the bed, stroking my face. "I never meant to do that to you, well, not after we had turned fourteen. At that point, it became just my friends who said those things. I had made a decision to be more mature, alright? I wanted to change things, to befriend you, to make up for all the trouble we gave you growing up. I didn't know how, though." When I looked up at him through my bangs, I was looking straight into his eyes. They were so sorrowful, yet so very angry.

"You're mad... At yourself? I could forgive you in time, as long as you stay my companion while we're in Htrae. However, if you leave my side, you'll never be spoken to by me again. Is that clear?" He nodded vigorously, and we shook one another's hand to seal the deal. Shortly after, the candles outside the window had been blown out, and a tap on the door signalled that it was time for lights out.

"I suppose we'll see everyone tomorrow. We'll ask about how we can help, right?" Anglo asked, before putting out the last candle of the room. I nodded, and then we got into our soft beds, and drifted into sleep.