Chapter 2: Paperwork.
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Liu had been found a few hours after fainting by one of the villagers. Because of her missing arm, her disheveled state, and her exhaustion, she had been taken to the village infirmary, where she slept for a long number of hours.
When she woke up, Obscurity was already in its final hour.
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Village of Luttren...
04/31/3324
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"...what are we supposed to do? It's already been more than seven hours."
"Mmhh..." Liu opened her eyes, 'What's going on? Seven hours?' no one had noticed she was awake.
Her vision cleared, and she saw four people talking with their backs to her on the other side of the room.
'Where am I? What are they talking about?'
Liu was lazy by nature, normally she would have gone straight back to sleep, but she didn't understand anything.
Her whole body hurt, her throat was dry, she wanted to drink water, but she felt like she absolutely had to listen to what the people in the room were discussing.
'What is this shitty uncomfortable situation? And who are they?' she focused her attention to try to recognize the four people talking, and to listen to what they were saying at the same time.
"The fact that the two elders still haven't returned after seven hours, on top of little Liu's condition, confirms that something serious happened." said a man Liu recognized as Mormo, the village steward.
"As long as little Liu hasn't woken up, nothing can be confirmed. But Medo, tell us, what are the results for her arm? What happened to it?" asked a small well-dressed woman Liu recognized as Pasha, the steward's secretary.
'The two elders? My condition? My arm??'
Liu was completely lost, and her heart started beating faster as she tried to move her right arm, "He..huh!"
Liu was completely disoriented when she neither saw nor felt the presence of her arm, "Argh!!" which made her sit up abruptly despite the pain.
Her reaction made the four turn their heads, "Argh!" at that moment, she truly started to come back to herself, along with her memories.
'No no no!.. that's not real.'
At that moment, the steward approached and greeted Liu gently, "Hello Liu," he didn't know what to say in this situation, it was a first in his years as steward, "everything will be fine, you shouldn't wor—" another scream from Liu interrupted him, a scream of despair...
Liu had completely forgotten the four people in front of her, she had even forgotten where she was, and she didn't care at all, the only thing that mattered were her memories and whether they were real or not.
'I read that sometimes memories can be altered, so the memories I'm seeing right now must be fake, it's just someone playing a trick on me.. yeah..' she reasoned as fast as she could to reassure herself.
Even though she knew what she was thinking was pure delusion, she had read it in one of the fantasy novels written by her favorite author, so it was just fiction, she knew it, but she fought to convince herself otherwise.
"Mormo, you should give her some time." suggested Pasha, looking at Liu with pity and tenderness.
Liu's thoughts were in complete chaos, like a battlefield between her delusions and her reasoning, which felt far too logical for her right now.
"Could you leave me with her for a moment while she calms down? I'll call you when she's ready to talk." asked Pasha.
The others stayed silent for a few seconds, nodded, and left.
Pasha stayed still, watching Liu staring into the void, until Liu broke down crying. Her reasoning had won over her delusions...
Pasha stepped forward and embraced her, whispering: "It's okay, it's okay." for a quarter hour until she calmed down.
"Is it better? Do you feel better?" asked Pasha as she pulled away.
Liu looked at her with red, teary eyes and hugged her again, asking in a low voice, "Where am I?"
"At the infirmary." answered Pasha.
"For how long?" Liu continued.
"Almost eight hours."
Liu stayed silent for a while, until Pasha asked: "Are you ready to explain?" to which Liu nodded.
'I don't want to stay in silence remembering what happened anymore.' Liu thought.
So she explained what had happened. She remembered everything clearly, even the moments when her thoughts had been chaotic.
She remembered it too clearly, far too clearly... so she talked and kept going without stopping, to vent, to distract her thoughts and avoid thinking about what would happen next, about what she would have to do, to live...
She talked for a long time, explaining everything in detail to delay the moment when she would be alone with her thoughts, she knew that moment would come anyway, but she didn't want it.
Pasha stayed silent and without reaction during Liu's entire explanation, only pity and tenderness could be seen on her face.
'It's the first time I feel this, why does her pity comfort me so much? Because it's Pasha?' Liu wondered as she finished.
"Do you want to stay alone or come with me?" asked Pasha.
Liu clung to her, "With you."
"Alright," nodded Pasha, "but before we leave, you need to listen to me."
"Hmhm."
"You'll have to explain what you told me to Mormo and the doctor. Do you want to do it, or should I?" asked Pasha.
"I'll do it." Liu replied, 'Otherwise I think I'll start having suicidal thoughts.'
"Okay. And after that, you'll have to do a lot of other things before you can go back to the chalet. You'll have papers to sign, pose for a portrait, and normally that's it." Pasha announced.
Liu was about to ask a question when Pasha interrupted her, "You can ask me your questions later, I'll stay with you until you're in your room at the chalet, I'll explain everything that's happening and what's going to happen to you."
"Mmh.. okay." Liu replied, hugging Pasha again.
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Pasha and Liu joined the steward and the doctor so Liu could repeat her story.
Then the doctor informed Liu that she would have to come back after her obligations to receive her treatment.
Liu, Pasha, and the steward went to the administrative office where Liu had to sign many papers. Liu listened carefully, but honestly she didn't care at all, except for what Pasha explained to her.
She hadn't let go of Pasha since she hugged her, and the pain in her body kept her awake despite her fatigue.
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'This is so annoying.' Liu thought while listening to the steward explaining why she had to sign this paper stating that ownership of her chalet would go to the administration until she became an adult, supposedly to protect her and allow authorities to intervene... 'Blah blah blah... without Pasha's explanations I wouldn't understand anything, why does he use so many incomprehensible words, it feels like he's speaking another language.'
"Next will be a commitment document to a new family, so you have a chance to be adopted. Who knows, maybe a noble family will want to adopt you."
Liu stared intensely at the steward, then turned her gaze to Pasha as if asking if it was true.
Seeing Pasha nod, Liu thought, 'Is this a joke? Why would I want to be adopted, and what happens if I refuse?'
"You won't be able to refuse to sign this document, I'm sorry. If you don't sign it, you'll be taken in by the authorities and raised in Lumeno's army. Then you'll have to work there after reaching the required age and finishing your studies." the steward sighed.
'Did he read my mind or what?'
Liu stayed silent, glaring at him while he continued.
"And it's not over, by signing this document the chalet will be made available to families who might want to adopt you. But don't worry, you will still be its owner when you become an adult, but until then..."
Liu looked at Pasha again.
"I'm sorry Liu, this time he explained it properly and it's exactly what you understood. But don't blame him, he didn't write the laws."
After that, the steward made Liu sign a few less important papers; for school transfer if she was adopted and other things about citizenship and law compliance...
Liu just listened while thinking about useless things like why these laws existed, where and how this paper had been made...
She surprised herself with her ability to get distracted by almost nothing.
"Liu, last question before you go get your portrait. Do you want to go back to school while everything is being arranged? It will take at least a few weeks, and during that time your grandparents might come back, who knows." the steward suggested.
'Huh? Is he serious, he doesn't believe me, what an asshole.'
Anger began to rise inside Liu. She turned her head to look at Pasha before it exploded, 'Pasha isn't surprised by what he said and her expression hasn't really changed,' that expression calmed Liu without her really knowing why, 'I guess she doesn't believe me either, we're in the safest kingdom in the world according to the history teacher, and something like this must have never happened. They must think my grandparents abandoned me and that it traumatized me, or something like that. Even if my arm is still missing, it's easier to find another explanation than to believe what I said apparently. It's hopeless...' Liu sighed, calmed down, and stayed silent.
"I'll go to school." the steward nodded, 'I don't want to stay alone too long at the chalet, that Form might come for me? Maybe? Anyway I'm scared, yeah I'm scared.' Liu thought.
Without another word, Pasha led Liu into another room where someone Liu had never seen before was waiting.
Liu sat in front of the man, still holding onto Pasha's arm.
"Why do we need my portrait?" Liu asked.
"Don't move while I finish, don't worry it won't take long, everything will be explained after." the man replied.
'Yeah like usual. But where did this guy come from, he's not very handsome but he seems nice, I wonder if drawing is a job, maybe I could try to lea—' Liu's thoughts were interrupted when the artist began describing her out loud.
"Blue eyes with deep black hair, quite a rare combination," he extended his pencil forward as if measuring something, "a very well-proportioned face, she must have eaten well until now and she is undoubtedly very beautiful..."
The man kept listing compliments about Liu's appearance, making her blush with embarrassment while a smile appeared on Pasha's face.
"Pal, you're talking out loud again." Pasha warned.
"Ah! Oh, sorry, but I'll keep going, it's easier and faster." and he continued without a second thought.
Pasha shrugged, reassuring Liu it would be over soon, but it still took a quarter hour.
It was the most embarrassing quarter hour of Liu's life.
She had been described in a way she considered impossibly precise. But the result was there, the drawing was of incredible quality and almost looked real even though it was only made of shades of gray.
As soon as he finished, Pal the artist explained why he came and the purpose of the portrait.
"Usually portraits are done when reaching adulthood to register citizens capable of taking care of themselves and making their own decisions, for security reasons and all the other administrative stuff... In your case, there's a chance you won't be adopted and that you'll become a citizen who must take care of herself and make her own decisions despite your age. Your portrait will also be sent to families who might want to adopt you, along with all the other files and important documents concerning you..."
He stood up and walked toward the exit.
"That's all I had to say, see you Pasha... and Liu."
'Files and important documents about me? What is he talking about? I don't understand much, and what does he mean by taking care of myself and making my own decisions?'
Liu had many questions, but at that moment Pasha placed her hand on Liu's head and said: "Come, let's get your treatment and take you back to the chalet, Luminosity arrived a few hours ago, you should feel safer now that Obscurity is gone, right?"
Liu nodded and followed Pasha without letting go of her arm even for a second.
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After that, Liu and Pasha went to get her treatment and headed to the chalet together.
They kept talking the whole way, then arrived at the chalet at the beginning of the third hour of the first day of Luminosity. About six hours after Liu woke up at the infirmary.
Liu was exhausted, she had already been cleaned and changed at the infirmary so she could go straight to bed without taking a shower.
The first thing Liu did upon arriving at the chalet was turn on all the lights, never letting go of Pasha's arm, then they went straight to Liu's bed where she lay down while clinging to Pasha's arm as she sat beside her.
"Please stay at least until I fall asleep, and talk to me." it was the first thing she said out loud since arriving at the chalet.
Pasha nodded and began telling the only children's tale she knew, "The Greatest Essay".
It was the most well-known children's story in the entire world. Apparently, it was also the very first one ever created.
Liu smiled while listening, letting her thoughts fade away, and fell asleep within seconds.
Pasha smiled as she watched her, "Good night, see you tomorrow." she whispered.
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