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Description
Parana took a deep breath and tilted back her head, snout toward the ceiling. She took a brief pause to try to find her words.

"I'm...not really sure how to explain this," she began. "Even I don't really understand it."

I stared intently while my sister just cocked her head-- surprisingly even Xhianei was paying attention.

"Basically," Parana sighed, "your parents weren't legally married, so your mother isn't a true citizen. Your births are, uh, unregistered, so as far as the government is concerned neither of you two exist."

"...What?" was the only word I could muster.

"The problem is less about your citizenships and more about your mother's. After your father, er, ousted her from your home, she was granted some means of protection to try to get a better look at this whole situation. The other problem is that, all this time, your father has been given default custody of Xhianei as he's a registered citizen."

I saw Xhianei's ears perk as she looked back to me. Her eyes gave away the same question I had.

"What...about me?" I asked.

"Well...your mother loves the both of you very, very much and is working very hard to get custody of the both of you, but because of this whole legal song and dance she's not allowed to keep either of you until, hopefully, her process is complete," Parana shook her head. "I don't really understand it, either. The most I can do is provide a place for your mother to stay during this time, and because of claims of insanity from your father I'm not even able to allow the both of you visit until it's confirmed that's not the case."

"Insanity?" I asked. "Where did that even come from?"

"Your father has some deep roots here, it seems, so his accusations are getting taken more seriously than they might from anyone else. I don't know anything more than that, I'm afraid."

"But, wait, if this is between mom and dad, then why are we getting brought all the way here? Where are we going?"

"Yeah, I was getting there," Parana reassured, putting the envelope in my bag. "Because of how these laws work, by default you're both considered citizens of your mother's home region and not here, at least until all of this is over and your citizenship can be processed along with hers."

"Her home region?"

"Your mother is from Faradus. Surely you've wondered how your family doesn't really look like most of the people here," she chuckled. "Faradus is the home region for those who look like you, all fluffy and flat-footed like you both are."

I looked to my feet, then back to her. I could see Xhianei doing the same from my periphery.

"So, wait, we're going to a different region?" I blurted, the gravity of it finally hitting me.

"At least for a little while," she replied, putting her arm around me and pulling me close. "I really, really wish we didn't have to do this, but your father seems hell-bent on making this process as difficult as possible. Over the past few weeks we've made arrangements at a temporary housing facility in southern Faradus, a town called Huot. At least there you won't have to deal with this, or him."

A moment of silence passed.

"Parana?"

"Hm?"

"Why does dad hate me?"

"...Honestly, I don't really know. I know what he's said, but I don't understand what it means."

"What did he say?"

"It's...got something to do with your eyes," she said, releasing me. "Something about being bad luck and I guess this makes him feel ashamed. My guess is it's a faraden thing, because I'd never even thought about it."

She turned around to nudge both our faces in her direction.

"All I've ever seen is a couple pairs of pretty honey eyes, and I think that's all anyone else here has seen, too," she smiled.

Admittedly I smiled a bit, too. For the first time ever, I had some insight into my father's disdain. Even if I didn't really understand it, it was somehow comforting to at least have some kind of reason.

Parana looked up at the clock as other people in the shelter started picking up their things and moving about.

"Looks like it's time to go," she said, stretching. "Xhias, in your bag I have a signed note you'll need to give to the people in charge at that temporary housing place so they know who you are. Make sure not to lose that."

I picked up the bag and spun it onto my back as Parana took Xhianei's hand. We made our way to the ship gate, but only Xhianei and I walked through it.

"Wait, are you not coming?" I yelped.

"I'm sorry, Xhias, but by law I have to stay here while this citizenship thing is getting sorted out. If I leave the region, your mother will likely be deported as I'm her strongest reference in her case."

The man at the gate felt the tension of the moment and allowed her a step forward past the gate, her arms wide open. My sister and I ran to her, the only comfort away from this turmoil we had ever known, and hugged as hard as we could.

"I love you both very much and we'll see each other again real soon," she whispered through our sniffling and tears. "It's a promise, but you both have to be strong. I know you can do it."

We reluctantly let go and took a few steps back toward the ship.

"Xhias, Xhianei, remember to take good care of each other. For a while, you'll be the only family the other has. Hold on tight to that."

Xhianei and I both nodded our heads in firm understanding as Parana took a step back behind the gate. I turned around with purpose, grabbing my sister's hand and clinging tightly to the strap of our bag before running onto the ship just ahead of us. A loud horn sounded not even a minute later, and before we knew it we were on the move. The both of us scrambled to the edge to see our guardian one last time as she stayed behind waving back at us until the coastline disappeared.

---

The voyage took some time, maybe a bit over two weeks. I thought back to my first time seeing the ocean, when I was so captivated by its seeming endlessness. Seeing it and experiencing it, just like those times back then, were two very different things. Strangely, though we'd been out in the middle of true nowhere for however long, it was relieving, even comforting, though I couldn't really make sense of that at the time.

We spent our spare time helping with various chores while at sea, things like washing dishes, helping with food, and other small tasks we could reliably do at our age. Time went by a bit faster as we worked and we even got rewarded with extra food helpings, small pastries, and other simple things depending on the task. The other passengers were quite friendly, telling us stories about where they were from, experiences they'd had, people they'd met, and all kinds of things. I felt more at ease among these strangers than I recall feeling most days at home.

Ah, home.

I tried not to let on too much, but I admit I still missed it. I missed my mother, I missed Parana, I missed the islanders, the sparkling beach, the food... Despite the hardships, the abuse, there were still those good moments to which I clung. Xhianei never said much, but I could tell she felt the same way. I held her close often, thinking back at our guardian's last words and contemplating what lied ahead.

---

A knock on our cabin door woke me up after an afternoon nap post-chores. I sat up and stretched, looking to the door as Xhianei just rolled over.

"Hey, you two," came a voice, the door opening just a crack. "We've arrived."

---

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Description
Parana took a deep breath and tilted back her head, snout toward the ceiling. She took a brief pause to try to find her words.

"I'm...not really sure how to explain this," she began. "Even I don't really understand it."

I stared intently while my sister just cocked her head-- surprisingly even Xhianei was paying attention.

"Basically," Parana sighed, "your parents weren't legally married, so your mother isn't a true citizen. Your births are, uh, unregistered, so as far as the government is concerned neither of you two exist."

"...What?" was the only word I could muster.

"The problem is less about your citizenships and more about your mother's. After your father, er, ousted her from your home, she was granted some means of protection to try to get a better look at this whole situation. The other problem is that, all this time, your father has been given default custody of Xhianei as he's a registered citizen."

I saw Xhianei's ears perk as she looked back to me. Her eyes gave away the same question I had.

"What...about me?" I asked.

"Well...your mother loves the both of you very, very much and is working very hard to get custody of the both of you, but because of this whole legal song and dance she's not allowed to keep either of you until, hopefully, her process is complete," Parana shook her head. "I don't really understand it, either. The most I can do is provide a place for your mother to stay during this time, and because of claims of insanity from your father I'm not even able to allow the both of you visit until it's confirmed that's not the case."

"Insanity?" I asked. "Where did that even come from?"

"Your father has some deep roots here, it seems, so his accusations are getting taken more seriously than they might from anyone else. I don't know anything more than that, I'm afraid."

"But, wait, if this is between mom and dad, then why are we getting brought all the way here? Where are we going?"

"Yeah, I was getting there," Parana reassured, putting the envelope in my bag. "Because of how these laws work, by default you're both considered citizens of your mother's home region and not here, at least until all of this is over and your citizenship can be processed along with hers."

"Her home region?"

"Your mother is from Faradus. Surely you've wondered how your family doesn't really look like most of the people here," she chuckled. "Faradus is the home region for those who look like you, all fluffy and flat-footed like you both are."

I looked to my feet, then back to her. I could see Xhianei doing the same from my periphery.

"So, wait, we're going to a different region?" I blurted, the gravity of it finally hitting me.

"At least for a little while," she replied, putting her arm around me and pulling me close. "I really, really wish we didn't have to do this, but your father seems hell-bent on making this process as difficult as possible. Over the past few weeks we've made arrangements at a temporary housing facility in southern Faradus, a town called Huot. At least there you won't have to deal with this, or him."

A moment of silence passed.

"Parana?"

"Hm?"

"Why does dad hate me?"

"...Honestly, I don't really know. I know what he's said, but I don't understand what it means."

"What did he say?"

"It's...got something to do with your eyes," she said, releasing me. "Something about being bad luck and I guess this makes him feel ashamed. My guess is it's a faraden thing, because I'd never even thought about it."

She turned around to nudge both our faces in her direction.

"All I've ever seen is a couple pairs of pretty honey eyes, and I think that's all anyone else here has seen, too," she smiled.

Admittedly I smiled a bit, too. For the first time ever, I had some insight into my father's disdain. Even if I didn't really understand it, it was somehow comforting to at least have some kind of reason.

Parana looked up at the clock as other people in the shelter started picking up their things and moving about.

"Looks like it's time to go," she said, stretching. "Xhias, in your bag I have a signed note you'll need to give to the people in charge at that temporary housing place so they know who you are. Make sure not to lose that."

I picked up the bag and spun it onto my back as Parana took Xhianei's hand. We made our way to the ship gate, but only Xhianei and I walked through it.

"Wait, are you not coming?" I yelped.

"I'm sorry, Xhias, but by law I have to stay here while this citizenship thing is getting sorted out. If I leave the region, your mother will likely be deported as I'm her strongest reference in her case."

The man at the gate felt the tension of the moment and allowed her a step forward past the gate, her arms wide open. My sister and I ran to her, the only comfort away from this turmoil we had ever known, and hugged as hard as we could.

"I love you both very much and we'll see each other again real soon," she whispered through our sniffling and tears. "It's a promise, but you both have to be strong. I know you can do it."

We reluctantly let go and took a few steps back toward the ship.

"Xhias, Xhianei, remember to take good care of each other. For a while, you'll be the only family the other has. Hold on tight to that."

Xhianei and I both nodded our heads in firm understanding as Parana took a step back behind the gate. I turned around with purpose, grabbing my sister's hand and clinging tightly to the strap of our bag before running onto the ship just ahead of us. A loud horn sounded not even a minute later, and before we knew it we were on the move. The both of us scrambled to the edge to see our guardian one last time as she stayed behind waving back at us until the coastline disappeared.

---

The voyage took some time, maybe a bit over two weeks. I thought back to my first time seeing the ocean, when I was so captivated by its seeming endlessness. Seeing it and experiencing it, just like those times back then, were two very different things. Strangely, though we'd been out in the middle of true nowhere for however long, it was relieving, even comforting, though I couldn't really make sense of that at the time.

We spent our spare time helping with various chores while at sea, things like washing dishes, helping with food, and other small tasks we could reliably do at our age. Time went by a bit faster as we worked and we even got rewarded with extra food helpings, small pastries, and other simple things depending on the task. The other passengers were quite friendly, telling us stories about where they were from, experiences they'd had, people they'd met, and all kinds of things. I felt more at ease among these strangers than I recall feeling most days at home.

Ah, home.

I tried not to let on too much, but I admit I still missed it. I missed my mother, I missed Parana, I missed the islanders, the sparkling beach, the food... Despite the hardships, the abuse, there were still those good moments to which I clung. Xhianei never said much, but I could tell she felt the same way. I held her close often, thinking back at our guardian's last words and contemplating what lied ahead.

---

A knock on our cabin door woke me up after an afternoon nap post-chores. I sat up and stretched, looking to the door as Xhianei just rolled over.

"Hey, you two," came a voice, the door opening just a crack. "We've arrived."

---

music

Previous: www.deviantart.com/silasagnost…
First: www.deviantart.com/silasagnost…
Next: www.deviantart.com/silasagnost…

Please consider supporting my work if you enjoy it:

www.patreon.com/ratte
ko-fi.com/ratteart
commiss.io/ratte