Comara's Cunning Castle Quest

*The road to the castle*

As I walked with my new companion, Felix, I couldn't help but notice how he seemed to be constantly adjusting his mask. He'd look up at the sky, then at me, then back at the sky again. He'd raise his hand to his mask and would fiddle for a moment before looking back down the road at me. The curious thing was that there didn't seem to be a breeze.

It was odd that he wore a mask at all, since we were in such close quarters. But from what little I could see of him this morning, he seemed very fair and nothing like the darkly tanned men who normally wielded power in these parts. His skin even seemed whiter than mine!

"Comara," he said after several more moments of mask fiddling, "I think... maybe... the sun is too bright today." He looked uncertain as he said it, like he wasn't sure if it was right or not.

I smiled reassuringly at him. "Yes! It certainly is! You're doing well so far, Felix." I felt proud of myself for remembering to use his name. It had taken me a while to learn all of these things - first names and last names and family names and titles - but it was all worth it because now I got to witness this moment.

We came upon an especially long shadow cast by a nearby tree and Felix quickened his pace to pass under it. "Oh!" he exclaimed with relief. "Much better!"

"See?" I said cheerfully as we moved on towards our destination. "You're getting used to all of this light."

He nodded enthusiastically in agreement but then slowed down as we came out from underneath the tree's welcome shade into another patch of sunlight. "Uh oh..." he muttered under his breath and pressed himself against my side so that our shoulders were touching. I hadn't been expecting that; we had just met yesterday and today we were already holding hands? There was a warmth in my chest that told me my father would be happy to know that there might be a new man in my life. *Go ahead, girl!* I thought, imagining hearing his voice say those words in my head. My mother had never wanted me to get married but my father always encouraged me to find someone to share my life with... even if it wasn't the most traditional arrangement.

Felix's sudden closeness brought me out of my woolgathering though when I felt him lean into me a bit more, followed by an audible gasp of breath through his nose as he gasped at the sunlight streaming down onto us both. "This is... amazing!" He whispered excitedly into my ear and kept himself pressed against me even as we started walking again towards the castle looming ahead of us on the horizon. The warmth in my chest increased until I realized that there was something hard pressing into my side where Felix had taken shelter next to me.

"Ah," I said aloud, realizing what it was that had surprised him so much about this day's sun exposure: he was wearing some sort of small cage around his manhood! That explained why it had been causing him trouble earlier when trying to adjust it! Although... why would anyone choose to wear one of these? If you're going to cage yourself up like this, you should probably only do so if you have a good reason for doing so! And looking at Felix's slender frame and wide-eyed expression as he stared around intently at everything around us... this certainly didn't seem like something that was an everyday sort of situation for him! But then again, neither did walking along with a young woman during broad daylight wearing nothing but loose clothing meant for night time wear! So either way we were both quite out of place here in the light! *Probably not safe for either one of us out here during daylight hours.* All we could do now though is press on until we reached our destination; hopefully once we got inside this place where they housed their prisoners/guests/whatever they were called then we could sit down somewhere cool and talk about what exactly it was that brought us here together today! Just thinking about meeting someone new made me feel hopeful again after all these years alone; maybe Felix would be able to understand what *I* went through when *my* parents died! Or maybe *he* would have some stories about *his* childhood? Whatever happened from here on out was up in the air but one thing was certain: however different our backgrounds might be, surely there was someone out there who understood what it felt like for an outsider like myself? After all these years living amongst people who treated me differently because of who I am... maybe fate brought us here together for a reason? Who knows? But Felix is definitely not your run-of-the-mill nobleman from around here! That much is clear just from looking at him; thank goodness only birds can see clearly enough through those masks they wear otherwise no amount of charming could convince them that anyone not born into their service should be allowed outside without getting themselves killed first! Now *that* is a silly tradition if ever there was one! We will see what happens once we reach our destination though; nobody can tell you how things are going to turn out until you've seen things through yourself and lived through them afterwards whether they turn out good or bad! It's never too late for anything really... not until your final breath draws near anyway - although sometimes death seems far off while other times it can creep up on you unexpectedly before you realize it's even near! Oh well... whatever awaits us inside those walls ahead will surely reveal itself eventually because whoever lives behind this glass structure staring back up at us from ahead will no doubt want answers from us one way or another! And after having spent all morning with Felix already I'm sure whoever greets us will have plenty of questions about where we've been and perhaps even why we're here together after such a short time spent together today already! It doesn't matter who asks though; once they hear our story they'll understand why we're here together finally after all these years apart alone waiting for someone else to break free from their own chains so that maybe one day everyone else can find their own freedom too instead living behind cloaks made from shadows worn by those who keep them locked away in exchange for obedience even if no one is ever truly satisfied by such empty promises left unfulfilled after all this time spent keeping them indebted instead while allowing others freedom enough to do whatever they want whenever they want without consequence until they tire of seeing them altogether while leaving them trapped within their own cells forever trapped behind masks of their own making unable [to breathe] without first removing those burdens placed upon them by those who hold power over them simply because they can't stand knowing that their better days are behind them now instead watching their youth slowly fade away without any hope whatsoever remaining in their eyes after having given up long ago on any chance whatsoever for redemption or second chances left anywhere within reach because between two evils one must choose whichever seems less worse than another rather than choosing what might actually prove beneficial instead but which also leaves you stuck inside your own small cell being fed dark bread every day eaten alone inside your dark home rather than eating goose liver drenched in honey surrounded by friends sharing laughter across tables filled with food while drinking aged wine poured generously into goblets made from precious metals with loved ones surrounding you basking in companionship's warmth enjoying each other's company happily without caring whether anyone else notices you're there or not because ultimately none care about your existence unless perhaps you can secure something for them personally so long as receiving some kind or another isn't required instead which leaves everyone living miserably alone suffering silently beneath heavy cloaks draped over their heads blocking out all light except perhaps stars shining brightly above gleaming brightly against black velvet bringing hope but only enough hope to keep everyone alive just barely long enough each day until death may finally take them away freeing them from endless misery suffered inside dark homes made entirely from shadows alone finally finding liberation once more by moving beyond physical bonds into lighter places where one's soul travels freely waiting patiently [for everyone] hoping someday everyone else will join them finally experiencing true happiness once more together again chasing away darkness surrounding hearts letting love shine brightly guiding lost souls along pathways leading back home beyond physical barriers where all await reuniting once more with families wishing each other well forgiving all shortcomings experienced previously during times now gone past only remembered fondly while longing wistfully wishing they had done better instead having grown wiser knowing now how things should have been lived differently yet never ableo rectify mistakes made because no matter how much time passes regret soon turns into resignation leaving nothing but darkened memories serving only as warnings as opposed to guides reminding others not make similar mistakes themselves before repeating past mistakes made by others causing themselves pain alongside those whom they love dearly instead choosing wisely next time lest history repeat itself despite best efforts otherwise driving others away breaking ties between family members leaving wounds never healed inflicted upon children borne alone by mothers afraid forced apart torn apart ripping families apart leaving mothers licking wounds inflicted by fathers children crying wondering why daddy wouldn't visit anymore leaving everyone fearing loss or anticipating pain wondering what kind of monster took daddy away leaving mommy crying brokenhearted wondering whether she should have listened carefully enough instead paid attention closer perhaps noticed changes sooner understanding sooner