Day: 992

Days Left: 4883

Lives Saved: 5

Everyone gathered for food around the campsite, apart from Princess Alfreda who as usual remained in her tent. After giving the princess her dinner, Lili looked between the tent and then to the rest of the prisoners all circling the campfire, chatting away as they ate. She gazed down at her own portion of food, considering where she should eat. It had been a few days since she joined the others for dinner and it resulted in her remaining silent throughout. Perhaps she could try again?

However, once again, Lili found herself with no conversation, focusing on eating her meal as everyone else talked with one another.

What was the point? Lili questioned herself as she scraped her bowl clean and put it to the side ready to be cleaned by whoever was on the washing rota for the night. If she was going to eat with others, the whole purpose was to have a conversation and yet no topic came to mind, nor did she find any suitable point to enter into someone else's conversation. What was there to talk about?

Lili shook her head. Why was she bothered by what everyone else was saying? That she should finally have some fun, to do something that wasn't work? But Lili struggled to think of anything she had done in the past years that wasn't work-related. Well... there were moments when she had 'stress-relief activities' which would not count as work.

Sucking in a quick breath, Lili looked around and considered her options of who to talk to. Everyone had dispersed after dinner to return to their previous duties or conversations. Perhaps it would be easier now since it wasn't a whole crowd and instead one-on-one or in small groups.

Her eyes were drawn to Kai and Dex, both playing some sort of card game with three of the imps. Those two, especially Kai, were quite talkative, always having something to discuss. Lili considered them to be the best option for now and approached the group.

They paused their game as they noticed the royal bodyguard standing before them.

"Everything alright?" asked Kai. As he was distracted, one of the imps took a peak of his cards and giggled mischievously.

"It isn't our turn for guard duty, is it?" Dex added. "I thought that was yesterday."

"No, that is correct," said Lili. She paused, her strict posture breaking for a moment. "Carry on."

Dex and Kai shared looks of confusion before returning to the card game with the imps.

Lili next tried Calanthe and Ivette, the former brushing and braiding the latter's hair ready for bed. But once again, Calanthe and Ivette assumed that Lili wanted to talk about something work-related and she faltered, unable to bring herself to start a casual conversation.

It was the same with everyone; Oscar, Sumit, Calixte, and even the imps stood to attention like little pretend soldiers when she was nearby.

Was it this bad? Had she only ever conversed with someone if it was work to the point that everyone only ever thought that was all she would ever talk about? Lili considered Princess Alfreda, however, she was likely asleep, as was Corinna who retired to her tent early, likely exhausted from using her mask so much in the training session.

And that left only one person...

Rin sat on the outskirts of the campsite, her back against a tree as she read her book. "Can I help you?" she asked, barely glancing away from the page when she noticed Lili approach.

The royal bodyguard could sense an underlying bitterness in Rin's voice, not wanting to be disturbed. Lili swallowed, about to give up the whole operation and accept that she would never have a normal conversation with anyone ever. "What are you reading?"

Rin broke away from her book, her eyes narrowing as she studied Lili. "Are you actually interested or is this a lead-up to you asking for a favour?"

"A lead-up?"

"Yeah, you're right." Rin shook her head. "You don't small talk; you cut right to the chase." She paused. "Are you really interested in what I am reading?"

Lili hesitated, then replied quietly, "no..."

"Then why ask?"

"I-" Lili sighed and sat down on the grass. "I am not sure."

They were quiet for a moment, with Rin attempting to return to reading but kept glancing at Lili.

"I thought," Lili began. "I thought that I'd try and have a... conversation with someone."

"You have chosen the wrong person," said Rin.

"Yeah, I figured so." Lili paused. "As far as I remember, I do not think I have ever had a real conversation with someone, one that did not serve a purpose, one that was only for... 'fun'."

"I see..." Rin sighed. "Have you tried talking to Kai or Corinna... or Sumit? They'll be better of a conversation partner than I am."

Lili nodded. "Miss Warren is asleep, but I did attempt with Mister Kai and Mister Sumit, however before I could even begin, they both assumed I only wished to discuss work." She swallowed. "They all did, in fact. I tried to have a conversation with everyone here and-"

"And I was your last pick?" asked Rin.

"I mean, no offence-" Lili panicked. "But you give off this energy of 'does not want to be disturbed."

"No, no, it is understandable." Rin shrugged. "She glanced at the book in her lap, considering for a moment before setting it aside. "Why are you trying in the first place? Why start talking to people now?"

Lili straightened herself. "Princess Alfreda and Miss Ivette keep going on about me not socialising nor having fun-"

"So, you're not actually doing this for your own benefit but because you were ordered to?"

Rin stared at Lili until the royal bodyguard gave in and confessed, "yes, that is correct, I suppose."

Rin let out an exasperated groan. "Are you happy?"

"What?" Lili shrunk back, surprised by the young woman's sudden outburst.

"Are you happy with how things are? If not then change it. However, if you are happy, then stay the way you are."

"But Princess Alfreda-"

"That does not matter." Rin gave Lili a look, shooting down the bodyguard's further objections. "If you are happy with the way you are, just tell her that." Rin motioned to the rest of the prisoners in the campsite. "All of them," she began. "They love to talk, won't shut up. Me, however, a five-minute-long conversation sounds horrible. Who is to say what is the right amount of socialising?"

Lili nodded, now feeling some reassurance in her inability and lack of experience in the art of conversation. It was quite daunting to compare herself to everyone else and how much they talked, how much she would have to catch up to be on their level. But after talking to Rin, she realised that perhaps she did not need to change, she could be... she could be herself. Lili found it almost funny that she was fearless in a fight but would freeze up in a conversation. "They all make it seem so easy, don't they?" She sighed.

"They make it seem tiring," Rin grumbled. "And yet we wouldn't all be together if it weren't for a certain previous chatterbox. I don't know how Corinna did it."

"We used to be at each other's throat, fighting over food and resources," said Lili.

"A great deal of stubbornness, I reckon is how," said Rin, then she added quietly, "don't know how she'll do it this time though."

"Because she has lost her voice?"

Rin nodded. "Kai senses that Corinna won't go to the negotiations, that she won't even attend and have someone read out her writing." Rin paused. "Someone else will have to lead the negotiations instead even though this was all of Corinna's idea in the first place."

Lili hesitated, unsure. "There is still time for Miss Warren to change her mind."

"I suppose," said Rin, shrugging. "We'll just have to see, won't we?" Rin picked her book up again and returned her focus to her story.

There was a long pause.

"That's your cue to leave," hushed Rin. "We've had our five-minute conversation."

"Oh, apologies." Lili bowed her head slightly as she rose to her feet.

"Go talk to someone... or don't!" Rin called out as Lili left her side. "Do whatever you want! Fuck everyone else!"

Day: 993

After a night's rest, Lili's mind was still undecided, unsure of what advice to take. She was employed by Princess Alfreda, and though it seemed that her suggestion to 'have fun' was posed exactly as a suggestion instead of an order, Lili still wanted to follow it out of professional obligation. Similarly, Lili wanted to adhere to her bodyguard duties and stay by her ward's side and socialise with others.

Her mind kept telling her, gnawing at her conscious whenever she was not closeby to Princess Alfreda that that was the time when she would be suddenly in danger. That feeling was always there whenever she left camp in search of the sector's Land of the Lost or for supplies, and when she was training with Miss Warren despite being so close to the camp. It wasn't like Lili thought the other prisoners were incompetent or too weak to protect the princess... well... actually-

Lili sighed, her inner musings leading her to nowhere. She wanted to follow Princess Alfreda's and Ms Ivette's advice to socialise, to have fun, but what if Rin was right? What if Lili's idea of fun was different? Or perhaps she was the happiest the way she was now? Well, there was only one way to find out, Lili thought, and that was to try out some things first. Her eyes settled on Corinna who was currently breaking off branches from a fallen tree.

As Lili approached, Corinna gave her usual amiable smile, then followed with a head tilt, as if to ask Lili's purpose.

"Good morning," said Lili, sitting down by Corinna's side.

'Good morning,' Corinna mouthed back.

Lili faltered for a moment, considering conversation topics when she remembered what Rin had said yesterday. "We are still on for negotiations tomorrow?"

Corinna nodded, snapping off another branch to add to her collection of twigs for future construction projects.

"I was wondering," Lili hesitated. "Who was going to be assigned to the mission, who will be the lead negotiator?"

Corinna frowned, retrieved her whiteboard hanging around her neck, and then wrote, 'discuss with Rin too?'

"Yeah, we'll have our meeting with Rin and ask the others." Lili sighed. "What I was attempting to ask is if you specifically are going to be part of the negotiation team? Will you be the one trading with their leader?"

The smile on Corinna's lips disappeared briefly, revealing the impassiveness underneath before returning. She shook her head and motioned to her throat, still smiling though Lili noticed that her eyes were no longer as bright, perhaps holding something back.

Lili winced, realising that she was perhaps peer pressuring or guilting Corinna into joining when it was clear that she was hesitant, scared even. But if they had even a chance of negotiating for food with the other group, they needed their strongest spokesperson, and that was Corinna Warren; even if she has lost her voice, all the long motivating speeches and ideas of compassion and kindness were still inside her. However, it seemed that Corinna still believed that without a voice all of that was gone, that no one would be patient enough to wait for her to write it all down or the words themselves would lose their power when not spoken.

Sighing, Lili asked, "do you truly not want to go?"

Corinna paused, then with a weak smile shook her head. She gazed down at the whiteboard on her lap, as if considering to respond further, but then shook her head again.

"Very well." Lili stood back up. "I will not force you." And with that, she left Corinna to return her focus to collecting tree branches. However, the young woman remained still for a moment, staring down at the whiteboard, before eventually snapping off another twig from the fallen tree.

Day: 994

It was finally the day of the negotiation. All of their waiting and planning was all for this moment. Tensions were clearly rising as the morning passed with the prisoners thinking the worst, that the negotiation group may not return.

'A large group like that must be civil to work,' Corinna wrote, comforting Oscar as he cleaned up the pots from breakfast.

"Yeah," he swallowed, his nerves still lingering as he thought about Sumit losing his memories and not remembering anything of him. "Yeah, they can't be monsters, right?"

Corinna nodded, smiling gently.

Four people were chosen to be part of the negotiation team. Without Corinna, who was considered the head spokesperson for the group in the past, someone new had to take the mantle, to lead the negotiations and that person was Kai. He was at first flattered to be chosen then the fear settled in as he imagined being killed on sight before he could even talk of peace. What if he said the wrong words? Everyone was relying on him for food and their future safety here. However, his fear was somewhat extinguished knowing that both Dex and Lili were going to be by his side, the two of their strongest fighters in case everything went downhill. The fourth member was Sumit who being a polyglot was there in the scenario that the other group did not speak a language Kai knew.

In preparation, Kai and Sumit talked to Corinna, asking for recommendations on persuasion and trading tactics. Kai attempted to hint that Corinna should join them, however the young woman remained stubborn to remain at the camp.

Meanwhile, Lili discussed tactics with Dex in the event that they were attacked or captured, which they both hoped would not happen of course.

And then it was time to finally leave, the four saying goodbye to the others and settling their doubts.

"Come back in one piece, you hear?" said Oscar as he pulled Sumit into a hug, his voice almost choking.

"Don't you worry, I will." Sumit swallowed, putting his smile back on as the hug ended and his face no longer hidden. "I've got Lili and Dex with me and Kai should be friendly enough to convince them... at the very least not to attack us."

Though Oscar was still not convinced, he hesitantly let Sumit go with the others and watched them leave the campsite.

Sumit glanced and waved back at Oscar, before turning his focus to the mission at hand.

*

It was roughly a forty-minute walk to the food drop-off area where the large group had set up camp, though it felt quicker for Kai as he rehearsed his speech in his head, wanting time to go slower so that he was fully prepared and his nerves settled.

"Remember," hushed Lili. "We need to appear friendly."

"I think you're the only one who needs to listen to that advice, not us," replied Kai. "Try to smile a bit maybe; I know you're the muscle but you can't come across as too much of a threat."

"I am smiling," Lili hissed. "I relaxed my face more."

Kai, Dex, and Sumit looked at her, seeing that her face was no different than usual.

Kai cleared his throat. "Perhaps Lili should be near back... to protect us better."

"Very well," said Lili. "I shall guard the rear, Mister Dex the front."

As they drew closer to the food drop-off, the trees cleared out into an enormous flat clearing of grass. From this distance, they could see in the centre of the clearing was a circle of soil, likely the grass had been battered down from the fallen food packets. Circling this large patch of uncovered earth were numerous tents and shacks, incased in a crude wooden fence.

"Very easy to ambush," commented Lili as she surveilled the surroundings. "Enemies could lurk in the forest and surround them-"

"Remember we are to negotiate a peace treaty, Lili," said Kai.

"Yes, I apologise." Lili paused. "But if we ever need to take this place by force..."

Two figures appeared outside the gate. From this distance, it was difficult to discern if they were hostile or carrying masks and weapons, but the four continued onwards.

"This is it..." Kai mumbled through gritted teeth, sucking in a breath.

"Hey..." Dex placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You've got this, okay?"

"Yeah, I've got this..." Kai straightened himself, copying Lili's posture in the hopes that it would grant him courage.

Once they were only twenty metres away from the fence border, Lili stopped them. "I suggest we go no further," she whispered. "We're close enough to estimate their forces and situation, but far enough to appear non-threatening and can easily retreat."

"Cool, cool." Kai cleared his throat and pushed his shoulders back as the two figures approached them.

They were both men, a similar towering height as Dex, though one was fairly scrawny and bald and the other whilst broad, was not particularly muscular, with long dark locks of hair. The two focused on Dex, seeming to note his strong physique and Lili's too. Then, the attention briefly covered Sumit and Kai.

"State your name and purpose," said the bald one, his voice almost stuttering as if the line he has rehearsed but never had to say it before for the real performance.

"I'm Kai," said Kai, waving to get their attention as the two guards had directed their focus to Dex and Lili. "This is Sumit, and Dex, and Lili." He paused, feeling his throat close up. "We've set up camp not far from here which I guess makes us neighbours!"

The two guards stared at Kai blankly.

"We are hoping to make a peace treaty and a few trades with you and your group," Kai continued. "Who should we speak to regarding that?"

The two guards looked at each other, frowning in perhaps confusion then whispered amongst themselves.

"Uh, we'll go get our leader," said the bald one. "Please, uh... wait here." 

Due to personal reasons, Amity and Enmity will be on hiatus.

The next chapter should hopefully be released on 27th June.