Zemlya strolled into the lobby of Dhulka's Research and Development Institute or as Zemlya liked to call it, Dr. Di.

The scent of disinfectant carried through the air. Feet scurried about and lively chatter danced around her. Dr. Di was always a source of exciting news. Where the greatest minds worked to bring about technological advancement to every aspect of life. Unlike the palace, few had time to stop short in their steps to gape at the blind princess.

Zempya held fast to Kaka's leash and allowed the service dog to guide her to the reception.

Kaka must have leaped onto the reception bar and barked at the people behind it, because the next thing Zemlya heard was a yelp and a clatter.

"Thank you Kaka." The dog fell back to her side and sat.

"Princess Zemlya," came a thin male voice that pulled her name into a question. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm here to see my brother, Prince Dowda."

"Ah yes, Prince Dowda." The receptionist tittered. "I'll be with you in a minute."

Zemlya smiled and nodded.

"What do we do?" The receptionist said just below a whisper.

"He said not to disturb him unless it was the king himself," came a woman's voice.

"She's the princess we can't just turn her away," the receptionist replied.

"Prince Dowda could have us fired and on the streets for wasting his precious time."

"The King could have us jailed and beheaded for disrespecting-"

"My sister-in-law might be blind but she isn't deaf." Zemlya recognized this new voice to be, Yano, Dowda's wife. "Get back to work then, I'll take her to her brother."

"Zemlya darling, what brings you by?" Zemlya and Kaka followed closely beside Yano.

Most of Zemlya's siblings were unpleasant people to be around. But Dowda often didn't care enough for interaction to annoy anyone but the king with his strange new ideas. It was a wonder how he could be married to Yano who was bubbly and sweet while he was as cold and quiet as a rock. Their marriage had been arranged, of course, but however harshly Dowda might've treated her, Yano never took it out on his family.

"I have questions."

"Your brother is very knowledgeable. I believe he can answer whatever question you might have." But Zemlya wondered if he'd even want to answer her questions.

"Does he answer your questions?"

"He's," Yano hesitated and chuckled. "Your brother's a busy person. I don't ask him questions he doesn't have time for."

If he didn't have time for his own wife's questions what more his sister?

Yano managed to squeeze Zemlya into Dowda's lunch. Which was as short as one bite of a biscuit, apparently.

"What is it that you need to know that isn't provided to you by the line?" Dowda grunted.

Zemlya shifted on the plush cushion seat and listened for anyone that might have been near. But as far as she could tell they were the only one's in his office.

"I wanna know about the surface."

Dowda coughed and porcelain clinked. He must've choked on his green tea. He composed himself after a fit of coughs. "Why are you interested?"

"I just thought what you said at dinner was curious: people living on the surface."

"Well father refuses to fund this research all because of a certain someone who was exposed to the surface. I know as much as anyone in Dhulka. The surface is a mystery."

"But if there are people up there, how do you think they would survive?"

A beat passed. Dowda might've been contemplating whether this was worth his time or not. But he must not have had anyone else to share his surface theories with because he went all in.

"They'd have adapted to the surface just as we adapted to living underground. The first people looked very different from us, they were larger, taller and their skin tones varied across the continents. But since receding beneath the ground, we've grown smaller, our eyes have become more used to dimmer lighting as the rest of our senses attuned to subterrestrial living. And we've lost the need for melanin, as we require more and more sunlight. As for these hypothetical surface dwellers, they'd require much more melanin than those before them. And like the environment above they'd have developed mutations from exposure to the sun's uv rays."

"Do you think we'd be able to communicate with them? Would they speak the same language as us?"

"Well at one point in history there were many languages. But as globalization ran rampant so did the need for a universal language. I suppose, they'd still speak the same language as we do."

"Why do you think there are still people up there? Wasn't everyone welcomed into Dhulka?"

"We couldn't fit all of humanity into Dhulka, you must understand this. Only those deemed most fit to the continue the existence of humanity were allowed into Dhulka, while those who only brought burden and social unrest were left behind. If there are people up there, they would be the descendents of the past society's outcasts."

~~~

The boy from the surface had yet to wake since Harran sedated him. Harran assured Zemlya that he would be fine. But she knew he couldn't care less if the boy died or not.

This time when he woke she was far enough from him for own safety and Harran's comfort.

"This is what we're going to do," Harran said, "you're gonna answer my questions and I won't kill you."

"Harran, we agreed didn't we?" Zemyla muttered.

"Fine," Harran grumbled. "We just want to talk. We are not your enemy as you might have come to believe."

"Who the hell are you people?" The boy somewhat sneered through the pain in his voice. He had a voice Zemlya couldn't forget, like the crash of waves and a gust of wind. Like the surface.

"Harran, Lady Zemlya—"

"Just Zemlya," she interrupted Harran.

"Got it." Zemlya could practically hear the eye roll through the boy's tone.

"Now you tell us your name?" Harran more or less grunted.

"You guys aren't from round here, are you?"

"Why? Are you well known?"

"Apparently not enough." He groaned under his voice. "Lua, my name is Lua."

Zemlya thought his name was adorable. But decided he probably wouldn't hesitate to murder her this time if she voiced her thoughts.

The sheets rustled and Lua sighed. "Now since you've saved me and haven't yet tortured or killed me, I think its safe to say you won't anytime soon. So let's not waste each other's time and you simply let me go."

"I'm afraid, we can't do that," Harran announced.

"I'm not telling you anything then," Lua hissed. "Don't waste your time and just kill me now."

"We're not going to kill you and we won't force you to speak if you don't wish to." Harran might as well had been speaking through clenched teeth. "But we believe it's necessary you know where you are. You're in Dhulka, and Dhulka is underground."

Lua scoffed. "I'm to believe there is a whole civilization of people under the earth?"

"Yes."

The surface dweller chuckled. "That makes absolutely no sense. What is this some Cadit mind trick? People under the earth! Hah! How do you wield then? How do you live without the sun?"

"We've lived like this for hundreds of years now. The sun's raw light is too dangerous for us. But apparently not for your kind."

"Then why would you leave your protected life to save me?"

"It was a coincidence," Zemlya said. "We happened to be in a cave along the shores at night time when we found you. We didn't know you were from the surface, or if there were even people still on the surface."

"Then that explains why your skin looks like that then?"

No one said a word.

"Oh right, you're blind. Is that a common condition among your kind?" Lua snickered.

Zemlya felt her stomach turn. "It's..."

"You don't have to answer that," Harran said softly.

"Alright," Lua huffed. "I think I've overstayed my welcome. I should get going now." Sheets rustled and a thump travelled to Zemlya's feet.

She shook her head. "We can't take you back just as yet."

"Just show me the way then, I don't need an escort."

"Others will see you. And you haven't fully recovered yet."

"I don't think you understand." His tone neared a growl. "I need to go, now."

"And you don't seem to understand what's at stake," Harran chided. "The people of Dhulka have not the slightest clue of what walks the surface. If they saw you, the first thing they'd consider is danger and I won't let it lead back to Lady Zemlya."

A/n: I have to admit, I was inspired by the Lunar Chronicles to write this story. Gotta love Marissa Meyer.