Monarch Butterflies

Guard's Quarters

You were stopped by a different man this time. He wore a royal blue cape with his armour, with a fabric that made it look irresistible and simply *impossible* NOT to just grab it and feel it wrapped around yourself. You can already imagine what it'd feel like in your hands and around your arms.

...

But you showed restraint. And looking back at him, you're glad you did. The stark black shadows created by the helmet made his face nearly impossible to see. You could just barely make out two darker shadows for his eyes, what you think is a roman nose, and a mouth pressed to a thin line until he speaks once more and you're snapped out of your thoughts.

With his next command, he sighs the words, "State your business."

He sounds like a tired father who had just scolded his nonsensical son for doing something stupid. Or rather his son woke him up at 3 in the morning to get rid of the monster under his bed, and he has the morning shift.

You wonder how suspicious you must look with a passed out woman, naked on your back, and a child who is currently wielding a sword to play tic tac toe with the ground.

Feeling like a criminal, you start, "Well, um- we're lost." You're telling the truth, so why do you feel so anxious?

You start messing with the bell accessoires on the zippers of your camera bag. You can feel his questioning gaze, scrutinize and suck all the confidence out of you as you do so.

Then you ask, "Does anyone here have a phone we could use to contact someone? Or maybe a place we could stay the night so we can find our own way back in the morning?"

The air is cold, tense, and awkward. It's so thick, you could cut it with a knife- or with that sword Mon is holding. It's hard to breathe.

Finally he speaks, "I am uncertain of what you mean by 'phone'. Follow me and I will direct you to the guard's quarters, where you will be questioned further before you may rest."

"Thank you so much! Really that's all we could ask for." You thank him. "Come on Mon, we're going somewhere you can take a nap."

"But I'm not tired!" They refuted, but then proceeded to contradict themself by yawning.

--

The sun has almost set now, Mon and the woman are sleeping peacefully in the beds upstairs. Meanwhile, you're being interrogated by the guard that brought you here and a lady who introduced herself as "Donna." She seems nice, she has a very charming Southern American accent.

"What's your name darlin'?" She sounds so comforting, like a loving mother. You can't help but want to crawl into her arms and tell her about all of your problems and worries, just to see if she would kiss them away like they were scabs you got playing at the park.

Suddenly, the door is slammed open and the teen from earlier points his finger at you, "YOU! GARROTH THAT'S THEM! THAT'S THE PSYCHO I SAW IN THE WOODS!"

"Zenix! Sit down, that's no way to talk in front of a lady!" Garroth gestures towards Donna.

Shaking the thought away, you introduce yourself and your younger sibling. You turn to the guards, "I'll explain again, my kid and I-"

Zenix interrupts, "Is it really your kid, or did you kidnap it?"

"Zenix!" Donna scolds.

Rude, but you answer his question, "Well, they're practically mine. They live under my roof, our mother is visiting from America currently."

You continue, "We were taking pictures in the small flower field near our home when-"

Zenix interrupts *again*, "I don't buy it, I've never heard of this 'Ame-rica' or *pictures*."

"Now he's just being ignorant," you think. You ignore him this time, "Mon and I walked into a clearing hidden by some shrubbery and when we walked back the way we swore we came, we ended up lost. And when looking for someone to help us out, we found the woman upstairs on the grass passed out, naked, and at the edge of this weirdo's sword." You pointed at Zenix.

Garroth and Donna both look at the teen, "Zenix!"

Zenix yelps as Donna grabs him by the ear and takes him outside for a stern talking to, "Boy, when I'm done with you-"

Garroth faces me, helmet still on. I'm starting to think it's just hot glued to his skin or something. He says, "I apologize for his behavior today, I do not know what's gotten into him lately."
"No worries, most teens go through a rebellious phase at some point," You smile understandingly.

He softly chuckled, "Ahaha, do they? I don't think I ever have." He seems more relaxed now. That's good, you're not looking to be on anyone's bad side.

"Don't be so sure of that, I'm sure you have at least one memory of when you went against your parents," While you giggle at fond and not-so-fond memories of your own, Garroth starts to feel a bit melancholy.

He closes his eyes, quietly sighs, and opens them again. "It is quite late," he points out.

"You should go up and get some rest, we shall continue our discussion in the morning."