The walk to the park was silent.
Luthiel held Grub's arm loosely as she led him through the village streets, her golden eyes fixed forward. She wasn't skipping this time. She wasn't humming either. The energy from the blacksmith shop had faded, replaced by something quieter and more deliberate.
Grub walked beside her and used the silence to think.
Annoyed, he shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked beside her. His mind raced the entire way there as he desperately tried thinking of some kind of believable explanation for the burns on his arm.
He couldn't tell the truth Definitely not the truth. But something close enough to the truth that it would satisfy her. The problem was that Luthiel wasn't stupid, far from it in fact. And after finding the books about the Mgbaaka Maara, she was already suspicious enough as it was. Grub thought through lie after lie. Each one sounded worse than the last. Eventually though, by the time the park came into view again, he finally settled on something.
Not a full lie yet not quite truth. Something in between.
That would have to do for now.
By the time the park came into view—the same green space Luthiel had brought him to days ago, with its scattered trees and soft light and quiet clusters of villagers going about their lives—he had settled on something close enough to the truth that it wouldn't collapse under scrutiny.
Children chased each other near the grass while a pair of elderly villagers sat beneath a tree talking quietly. The soft breeze carried the smell of flowers and fresh dirt through the air.
Luthiel stopped near a wooden bench beneath one of the larger trees and sat down. She patted the space beside her and looked at him expectantly.
Grub obliged carefully. He positioned himself so that the arm with the Mgbaaka Maara was on the side furthest from her. His other arm, the one she had already seen, rested on his knee.
Luthiel looked at him. Her golden eyes were steady now, the playfulness gone. She frowned slightly.
"So. First, tell me. Where did you get these burns?"
She reached over and gently brushed her mitten-like hand along his forearm. Grub winced slightly at the contact but didn't pull away. Instead, he let out a small sigh
"I was trying to get out of danger," he said slowly. "So I did a rough experiment. That's where the burns came from. Okay?"
Luthiel looked at him skeptically. Her eyes searched his face for a moment before drifting back down to the burns. The skepticism faded, replaced by something softer. Her golden eyes turned wistful.
"You're in danger?" she asked quietly. "From what? What was the experiment meant to do? Why didn't you say something earlier?"
Grub pulled his arm back and looked up at the sky above the park.
"Let's just say there is a good chance I may die soon." The words came out flatter than he intended. "The experiment was meant to delay or hopefully prevent one possibility of death."
He paused. Then looked away.
"That's all I have to say."
Luthiel eyed him. "That didn't really answer any of my questions, Mister Grub. You have to explain to me what happened."
Grub shook his head.
"No."
His answer came instantly.
"I don't."
Luthiel blinked in confusion.
"Because I told you the truth. The truth is I'm in danger, and that's it. I'm doing what I have to do to survive."
He continued before she could interrupt.
"And if I were to tell you something bad, what guarantees do I have, huh? If I told you something that could get me in trouble, then what? You guys execute me?"
The question sat between them like a stone.
Grub shook his head again. "That's just a hypothetical, of course. All you need to know is the burns happened because I was trying to reduce some danger hanging over my head."
Luthiel opened her mouth. Then closed it.
Her golden eyes drifted to his other wrist—the one tucked against his side, hidden inside his coat pocket. She stared at it for a long moment. Slowly, she nodded.
"Alright, Mister Grub." Her eyes drifted toward the hidden arm again. The one he kept angled away.
"I don't have guarantees." Her voice sounded honest.
"If you told me something terrible... I don't know what would happen." She looked down at her hands.
"But."
"I'm still glad you shared this much with me."
Grub stared at her for a second. Then he looked out at the park.
"Yeah. Sure. Whatever." He sighed. "I'm still not out of the clear yet, either way."
The silence that followed was gentler than the ones before. Not comfortable, exactly, but not hostile either. Grub let it sit for a moment before redirecting.
"You seem pretty close with that furry blacksmith."
Luthiel's expression softened immediately. A warm smile spread across her face.
"Yes. Sir Urgor and I have known each other for quite a while. He's helped me a lot." Her smile dimmed slightly. "He's one of the only people in this village that treats me like I belong. Along with Teacher Orobas and Master Morrigan."
Grub watched her as she continued.
"I don't really have friends that are in the same stage of life as me." She chuckled lightly, but the sound didn't quite reach her eyes. "I don't really have friends at all."
Her gaze drifted across the park. For a moment her golden eyes looked so lost that Grub didn't know where they were looking. Grub frowned slightly.
Luthiel chuckled again, quieter this time.
"But you don't need to worry about that, Mister Grub." She turned to him. "I know I seem really pushy. Or creepy." A small laugh. "But that gift I gave you… it was thanks. For being so good to me."
She looked down at her mitten-like hands.
"I mean, just for tolerating talking to me. I haven't had this much fun in… forever, honestly. Even though you're keeping stuff from me, I can't help but say…" She took a breath. "You're my friend. I'm so happy to be able to actually say I have one of those."
"I-I mean..."
Her face turned slightly pink.
"I mean… as long as you think so too, Mister Grub?"
Grub twiddled his fingers and stared at the ground. He was not used to being comforting. He had never been good at it and he probably never would be. But she clearly needed someone to say something, and he wasn't going to sit there and say nothing.
"Yes," he said simply. "We are friends."
He felt a bit uncomfortable saying it but he went through with it anyways.
Luthiel smiled. It was the most genuine smile he had seen from her. She turned back to the park and let out a small, satisfied breath.
"I'm glad."
A moment passed.
Then she started stuttering. "I— uh, I'm sorry I made this about me randomly. That wasn't—"
Grub shook his head and stopped her.
"Don't worry about it."
They sat quietly for a bit. The sounds of the park filled the space around them. Children running. Leaves moving. The faint murmur of distant conversations.
Then Grub finally asked something that had been bothering him for a while.
"Who exactly are the Guardians anyway?"
Luthiel looked at him, surprised by the question. She pondered for a moment before answering.
"The Guardians? How did you hear about them?Well anyways, the Guardians are… well, the guardians of this village. Master Morrigan founded Anwansi, but defending everything by herself would only be possible if she were still young. She needed defenders as she got older. So the Guardians became the main military force here." She folded her hands in her lap. "They're basically the top brass when it comes to the defense of the village. They also defend an important item here."
The doll girl paused as she spoke.
"That item is what makes us a target. But we won't move on from it or get rid of it, because it's also what protects us."
Grub's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Really? Is it that important?"
Luthiel nodded. "Yes. If it were gone, our village would be completely open to attack. The item is very, very important."
Grub sat still, his face carefully blank.
Dammit.
If he stole the Dundun Ile, the village could be destroyed. The weapon wasn't just a prize sitting in a vault. It was their shield. Without it, they were defenseless. Would people die because of it? The thought made him uncomfortable. He couldn't do that to them. Not now, atleast.
What the hell am I supposed to do?
He leaned forward and rested his face on his knuckles, staring at nothing. Luthiel's big golden eyes watched him quietly.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
Grub dismissed her with a wave and sat up.
"Why do you think Morrigan got me a weapon anyway?"
Luthiel shrugged. "Probably for training."
She giggled lightly. "Trying to understand why Master does things is dangerous."
"It'll hurt your brain."
Grub could unfortunately believe that.
Then suddenly Luthiel perked up.
"Oh!" She turned toward him excitedly. "Let's play a game."
Grub looked unconvinced immediately.
"A game."
"Yes!"
Her golden eyes sparkled again.
"I've always wanted to play this one with somebody. I always see my classmates playing it. But they never let me play!"
Grub sighed. "What game?"
Luthiel smiled proudly.
"It's called Greedy Grabber."
Grub stared blankly.
"That sounds stupid."
Luthiel gasped dramatically. "It is not stupid."
She puffed out her cheeks. "I'll explain the rules of course." Then she leaned closer. "But first." She continued as her eyes narrowed playfully. "Do you want to play?"
Looking away, Grub let out another long exhausted sigh. "...fine."
Luthiel immediately brightened.
"But." Grub pointed at her. "I also want answers."
Luthiel blinked. "About what?"
Grub looked directly at her.
"You."
Luthiel blinked. Then she smiled.
"Deal."