NO CELESTIAL / dick grayson

twenty-six, swan

"WHERE'S DAMIAN GONE?" Dick frowned as he glanced around, finally settling down beside Remiel. She'd set up a small fire before their little hut. It wasn't that cold, but she thought it provided a good little amount of illumination. But she kept it tiny to avoid attracting any attention.

"He went off a little while ago. Give it a bit more time. If he doesn't come back soon, we'll go search for him."

Dick gave a small nod. "Fair enough. I'm sure he can take care of himself anyways."

It was another half an hour later that they heard the sound of footsteps. Two people. Being rather messy and loud with it. Dick tensed for a moment, but then relaxed when we heard Damian's voice.

There was someone else with him, though. A feminine voice, from the sounds of it, and quite young. A child. They were speaking rapid fast Mandarin. Remiel could catch bits of their conversation. Dick seemed to struggle a bit to pick up the pieces they could hear.

He'd found someone? And brought them to their camp?

"Won't you be quiet?" Remiel heard Damian groan. "You're just making this annoying for both of us."

"We've been walking for hours!"

"We've been walking for less than twenty minutes," Damian's voice hissed back. "Come on."

Dick looked amused. "I think we should go meet him halfway before he strangles the girl, whoever she is."

"She'll have to be a member of the sect," Remiel said slowly. "But he's not the kind of person to make reckless, stupid decisions on a whim."

Turns out they didn't need to walk at all, because a moment later Damian emerged from the woods, pushing a young girl before him. She was protesting, lips pouted, cheeks flushed red, but allowed him to continue guiding her forward anyways.

Young. No older than Damian himself—probably even younger than him, actually. They were the same height, though. The girl had long but messy dark hair, pale skin that seemed almost translucent, and big, round eyes that stared at them in curiosity. No fear. Just interest. Her nose was small but tall, her mouth widened in a tiny "o" as she observed them, frozen in her tracks.

Remiel raised a brow. "Damian? Introduce your friend"

"This is Yu Lan," Damian announced in English. "I found her past the barrier. She's eleven, she lives alone, but she's a member of the sect. And she doesn't speak English. Only Mandarin."

Dick stood. "You went past the barrier?"

"It was an accident. And a long story. No one found me except her. Apparently she lives all alone, so I didn't think anyone would notice if I just brought her here."

Yu Lan's eyes darted furiously between them, but there was no comprehension there. She didn't understand English. Damian was right about that. So Remiel turned to her, softening her voice, and in Mandarin, asked, "Your name is Yu Lan?"

The girl nodded. "That's me. Damian says you're related to the sect."

"I am." Remiel paused. "Where's your family? Surely you do not truly live alone? Who takes care of you?"

Yu Lan made a face. "My family's all gone. I don't remember them. Grandma was with me but she passed away last year. The sect let me stay in the hut in the peach blossom forest, though. They make sure I'm fed and taken care of, but they leave me alone other than that. When Mistress Shan Ling is around, though, she trains me too!"

"But you're—"

"Eleven?" Yu Lan wrinkled her nose. "I know. But the sect doesn't like me very much. Technically, I'm not... a part of them."