The palace has one too many clocks, each tick soft and subtle drowned by the murmurs of palace workers. However they became the only thing Zemlya would hear when she entered the palace grounds. Because no one dared to speak in her presence. Or breathe. And people forget for a moment what they were doing. Well, at least it seemed that way to her.

She would hear her sandals clip against the marble tile and echo quietly against the palace walls. And when she finally made it behind a closed door the usual sounds of the day would come to life again. But today she suddenly felt the urge to cause a little chaos.

"Harran?" Zemlya said, her hands tightening around her guard's arm. "Is there something on my face?"

"I don't see anything that doesn't belong there," Harran replied.

"Are you sure? You might be the only one who doesn't see it, go ahead and ask someone."

Harran caught on quickly. And he wasn't in the mood for games, as always. "Lady Zemlya, they're busy. Let's not distract them from their work."

"I didn't realize I was distracting."

"You don't have to do this. No one means you any ill intention."

"Nor do I to them. I won't bite their throats out or burn their skin. I might be blind and hideous but I'm not an animal."

Harran tugged her slightly, indicating they had to keep moving. Zemlya huffed and went along.

"They're just not used to you," Harran whispered.

"Did you think that way too?"

"What does it matter what I think?"

"Well then..." Zemlya slipped her hands off of his arm. Struck a pose. "Am I so much better than you thought I'd be?"

Harran chuckled. "Come along now, you must make yourself presentable for your family."

Presentable for the royal family, meant Zemlya's skin had to be scrubbed clean of the Southern Quarter's poverty, her dreadlocks washed out and styled appropriately. And her rags replaced with a silk dress that cost more than her whole wardrobe of clothes back at home. It was all a temporary facade. For one night, she'd be Dhulka's precious last princess then she'd return to being the outcast she was.

She dreaded her every visit to the palace. Nothing but displeasure and misery awaited her every visit. It was a wonder why they even bothered to invite her in the first place. Yes she was a daughter of the king, a member of the royal family and appearances mattered but none of them at the dining table ever enjoyed each other's company.

"I don't understand why you even bother to invite her," grunted Maidis, Zemlya's older brother, behind the dining hall door. "She does more harm to our name then good."

"Maidis you are not to speak that way of your sister," King Zev chided, his tone tempered. Zemlya's father rarely let his rage get to him, but it was evident Maidis was testing his patience.

"Sister?!" Maidis exploded. "I'd sooner have a chihuahua for a sister than her. Perhaps than our family image would improve."

Something hard and heavy pounded the table, cutlery clattered and plates tittered. Zemlya chose that moment to enter.

Silence fell across the hall. What a superpower she had. She came up with hero names as Harran guided her to her seat. Zem the Silencer. Lya the luller. Zemlya the destroyer of sound-

"Welcome dear." Her father's voice jolted her back to the dining hall.

The King always sat at the head of the table. "Father." She smiled in his direction, and went around the table to greet each of her siblings, estimating the distance between their eyes. "Maidis, Billiana, Kaliko, Wran, Dowda, Dess and Jode. Nice to see you all again."

A snort sounded from her right. Jode, the second youngest son, was always seated on her right by birth order.

"Thank you for being here, Zemlya," Father said. But he was hesitant and must've suspected she had heard Maidis.

"I wouldn't dare miss such an opportunity to dine with the, with my family." She cursed herself silently but smiled. "I only ever see you guys once a month."

Jode snorted again.

"Jode," Father growled.

"I'm sorry Father, I just-" Jode broke out laughing. "She just keeps saying see!"

The family waited for his fit to pass. When it finally did they dined.

The good thing about dinner is no one can talk because their mouths are occupied and no one can throw a snarky comment across the table to another family member. But tonight's dinner must've tasted subpar because Maidis only ate little then commenced with the quibbling.

"Billiana have you gained weight? Oh, wait you aren't pregnant, are you?" Maidis began.

"Maidis," Father sighed. One. "That's rude."

Zemlya snorted. He was a 30 year old man with the manners of a 10 year old.

"Is there a problem baby Zemlya?" Maidis jibed. "Would you like a laugh as well?"

Zemlya bit a piece of chicken off her fork. "Nope."

A throat cleared. "Father, the report from the West Quarter-"

"Not at the dinner table Wran." Father sighed. Two. "We can discuss those matters later."

"Yes of course Father."

"Moving on," Father drawled, "Dess say something interesting."

"Uh, I broke my shin bone in two places. There was blood everywhere. I thought I was going to die. The pain was close to being under the sun."

Zemlya bristled. All sound ceased. Her appetite had vanished and dinner had only started.

"I have an interesting story," Dowda said. His voice would have easily been lost if it wasn't for the silence. "There are tremors overhead. Like feet stamping the earth above our heads. I think there are people on the surface."

This time Father burst out laughing. He laughed so much, it was almost odd. Nervous laughter followed in his wake. Zemlya suddenly felt the air squeeze around her. Dowda must've known she had been going to the surface caves.

"What a funny story!" Father gasped. "People on the surface! Dowda you're a scientist not a jester. No one can survive on the surface. I'm sure you're mistaken."

"I know I'm not father," Dowda persisted. "I've felt it myself. If you'll allow it, a team can travel to the sur-"

"Enough Dowda!" Father snapped, long gone his amusement. "We are not to speak of the surface again!"

"But—"

"Is your sister not evidence enough of how dangerous the surface is? If she'd been exposed any longer she'd have died. I won't risk my people's lives and certainly not my children's." Father sighed. Three, dinner was over.

Zemlya could complain for days of how much her father had never played a role in her life but she'd never deny how much he cared about her. So much so that if he ever found out where Zemlya had been last he'd never let her out of this palace again.

~~~

"You promise this is the last time?" Harran said.

Zemlya slid her fingers over the rough walls of the upper folds, memorizing as much as she could. "Promise."

"Can I ask you something?"

She smiled. "You're already asking."

"Is that a yes?"

She chuckled. "Yes. Now I'm curious. What could be so unusual that Harran would dare question it?"

"Why do you go to the surface?" Harran murmured. "Aren't you scared?"

She was terrified of the sun. Just the thought of it ignited the pain from so long ago. But she wasn't scared of the surface. She walked the same earth beneath her feet and overhead. But all the truths were above and all the lies were below.

"On the surface I don't have to be scared." Her voice lowered, as her pace slowed. "Tell me Harran, When your cage crashes in on you, would you go back in?"

This time Zemlya didn't search for anything. She didn't need to. The world, the real world, was at her feet. All the air to drown in. All the water to carry her off to another corner of the earth. All the earth to walk.

She fell back into the sand. She'd found this place by chance, but when she did she knew it wasn't Dhulka. She didn't feel confined and stuffed, she felt free and alive. But now she had to go back into her cage, where she never dared to look up.

She took one last gulp of air. But what came with the salty scents was the grievous smell of blood.

Zemlya rose. "Harran?"

"Right here Lady Zemlya." He was behind her.

She searched for the source in the sand. Reaching and rustling for that scent.

"What's wrong?" Harran was worried now.

She had reached the cave walls. The salt water soaked through her cotton dress. That's when she found it. The body was still warm. But the smell of blood worsened.

"Harran!"

He was by her side in a heartbeat. Zemlya reached for Harran's hand. But he didn't move an inch.

"We have to help him!" She tugged him but instead his hand gripped hers back.

"No. We don't have to help it, whatever it is."

"It's a person Harran, how can you say that!"

"You don't understand Lady Zemlya, it isn't, it's..."

"He's bleeding Harran we can't just leave him here. If you won't help him then I won't leave."

Harran knew her enough to know that she was as stubborn as a rock. If she said she'd stay, she'd never take it back. But Harran didn't become a guard without a steel hard will. A guard who pledged to serve the royal family whatever way he could.

"As Princess Zemlya of Dhulka I'm ordering you to save him."

A/n: wonder who Zemlya has wandered upon....oooo!! I know you know just trying to get y'all excited or whatever.