When I woke up, I felt much better than I had last night. I should have since I slept peacefully without any explosions or car accidents or train crashes taking place around me. And as I recalled everything that had happened to me ever since I met Kai, events that I had forgotten about for a few seconds after I woke up and thus was in a state of serene bliss, I remembered one fact. I remembered the one fact that seemed unavoidable now.

I am the Seeress of EXO.

It felt weird. It felt new. And a part of me felt good. That part of me continued to say this single phrase over and over as I stared up at the ceiling of the room I was laying in. This opulent silver, gold, and purple room. This room that was the bedroom of the Seeress of EXO, or now my bedroom I suppose. I was so deep in thought as I repeated that unbelievable and seemingly impossible phrase, still trying to convince myself all of this was real, I hadn't noticed that someone had entered my room. This someone was now standing by my bedside, a slight smile on his face as he listened to me say out loud over and over, "I'm the Seeress of EXO."

I only noticed him when my eyes glanced to the side for a single moment, feeling as though someone was watching me. I physically flinched, startled to find Lay there, a glass of water in his hand.

"Good morning, your highness." He greeted, placing the water on the nightstand by my bedside. He bowed and took a step back, being much too formal for my tastes but I was much too preoccupied by the fact that he had just caught my slightly embarrassing action to care all too much. His hands laid in front of him, his right hand holding onto the wrist of his left, a stance that screamed subordination, "Luhan told me you woke up. How are you feeling?"

"Lay," I got his attention by calling his name. I wanted to sit up in bed while I spoke to him but I wasn't sure if I would be able to and ended up remaining in my lying position. His eyebrows rose at the sound of his name and I sighed as I let one of my hands escape the warmth of the covers on top of me and pointed to his ninety degree shoulders, to his hands in front of him, and to his feet which were pressed together into a stance that would be no one's go-to comfortable way to stand. "Stop that."

He seemed stunned, not sure what I was referring to at first but soon, he caught on. I could tell as his hands fell to his sides and his feet separated, his shoulders however maintained their upright posture and honestly that was better than nothing. He cleared his throat before he spoke, "I'm sorry. I did it on reflex."

Great, now I feel like the bad guy here. I did just tell him to stop doing what came to him naturally. I felt like literally smacking myself for forcing him to be informal with me when all he's known is formality when it comes to his "Seeress." For some reason, I don't think I said it, the revelation that was “I am the Seeress of EXO,” enough times because there's still this voice in the back of my head telling me I'm not. That I don’t deserve the consideration he’s giving me. For now though, I'll accept it. I'll accept it and Lay's formality.

"No, its fine. You don't have to apologize," I spoke as I pushed myself up slowly to a sitting position. "I'm the one who should. Just do what's comfortable for you." I had said something similar to Baekhyun, right? I told him to wear what he liked. If I was going to be okay with the black robes than I had to be okay with this. This manner was a part of who they were, after all.

A look of relief crossed Lay's face as he got right back into that stiff position that simply made me cringe to look at. But, I bore with it. And the funny thing is, the more I looked, the more I felt a smile forming on my face. He spoke up, his words contrasting his thoughts which wondered why I was smiling at him the way I was, “Luhan told me you woke up and I came to tend to you.”

I looked to the glass of water on the nightstand. This is what he means by “tend” then? Oddly, my throat felt parched just looking at it and I reached out, grabbing it before chugging it down without hesitation. My throat was dry, unbelievably so. This caused one question to wander into my mind. The question of, how long had I been sleeping that my stomach convulsed as the water I drank sank to the bottom, nothing else there to steady its fall. Lay started to speak again, giving me the answer to my question that I had yet to ask.

“You’ve been sleeping for three days, your highness.”

Three days? He’s kidding, right? I was tired but I must have woken up on multiple occasions due to my growing hunger pains. “I haven’t woken up since then?” I asked Lay as I looked down to the sheets of the bed, calculating in my head what today would be if three days had passed by. I had missed school. I had missed work. I hadn’t woken up once at all? My body’s internal clock never thought to do so?

Lay’s answer wasn’t immediate. He was thinking of a way to phrase his words properly. When he did answer, I had heard his thoughts before he could even say a thing, “You woke up six times, but you were weak. When you came to, you were simply in pain each time due to the toll having two visions in one day took on your body.” That’s what made me tired? Those visions? He continued on as I stared down at the sheets even now, processing all of this, “It was the first time you had seen the future, wasn’t it? Your body wasn’t used to it and you used up too much energy, especially when you had the last one after you touched Suho. I healed your headache and your stomach pains but I couldn’t take away your body’s own weakness. I had Xiumin cool you down each time you woke up, lessening the flow of your blood. In return, your heart rate slowed and you fell back asleep. It was all we could do to help you recover.”

My thoughts froze on one single sentence. He said he healed me? Was that what Lay could do then? I felt my chest begin to swell up a bit, not pain but instead overwhelming gratitude erupted within me. “Thank you.”

That is all I said in reply to his long explanation that sounded as though he were making a report to me, leaving out no details and no inconsistencies. But, beneath that long, oral presentation he just gave me was a small voice. A small, compassionate voice that mumbled into the back of my mind.

If only I could have done more for you, my highness, you wouldn’t have had to feel any pain at all.

I didn’t address this thought of Lay’s. He had done more than enough. He had done more than enough though no matter what I said next, he would most likely think otherwise. So for now, I decided to not say a word about it. Just for now.

I looked around the room, searching for that childish looking face that I had come to associate with the Guardian named Xiumin. Lay noticed my confusion as to where both he and D.O had gone and addressed my concerns, “Everyone else is nearby, if you wish to see them.”

“And Xiumin’s okay, right?” I know. I know he told me he was. I know I have that memory of him telling me he was fine. But, I was so exhausted, so drained, I can’t be quite sure if that was a dream or if it truly happened. “What about Suho and Sehun? They’re alright?” They were with me when the explosion happened, right before I passed out. But, I hadn’t seen them since then. Then again, I hadn’t seen most all of the Guardians since then. I almost began to inquire about each one of them from Lay. Almost. But, I managed to push down the feeling of concern I felt for all of them. The feeling of genuine concern that had no real basis yet was still there, as though it were an integral part of me that had been resurrected as I met each one of them one by one.

Thankfully, I’m the one who can read minds, not Lay, and he didn’t seem to notice my internal debate, “Xiumin, Suho, and Sehun are fine, your highness.” Coming from anyone else, his sentence would sound exasperated, but Lay seemed to be able to make any sarcastic response to an asinine question sound kind and without malice. It’s as though he were the holy Seeress himself. It would be much more believable if he was.

I breathed a sigh of relief at his words and felt like collapsing right back down onto bed. But, again, my stomach groaned softly in protest to doing anything that wasn’t eating. I put my palm to my abdomen, steadying it as I took a deep breath.

“You’re hungry.”

Lay read the signs that I was so obviously displaying. His words came out as a stated fact instead of a question and I couldn’t help but respond teasingly as I meekly smiled at him, “How’d you figure that one out?”

He seemed amused. His lips twitched, a hint of a smile on his face. And an amused Lay was amusing in itself.

Should I count this as a small success? I was able to make him laugh, even if just a bit. I felt like it was. Because it was a small step towards dispelling that stiff posture of his. Because it was a small step closer to familiarity between us instead of reserved politeness.

I took slow steps forward. Slow steps as I clutched onto my freshly changed clothes. I had taken a shower just earlier and changed into my clothes in my suitcase that thankfully Baekhyun, the Guardian who acted most comfortably around me so far, did not decide to unpack and stow away into the dresser himself. So now, here I was, taking slow steps towards where Lay said there was food.

Exactly what room were we heading towards? I’m pretty sure he explained to me where exactly we were headed but who cares? There’s food there and at that one single notion, my brain shut off and refused to hear the rest of what he told me. Or rather, my stomach er punched my brain and told me to stop thinking when I should be eating.

So again, here I am with Lay at my side as he leads me forward. He’s taking cautious steps, glancing over his shoulder every now and then. My legs feel awkward walking when it’s been so long since I’ve done so but I wanted to walk around. Lay offered to bring me food while I stayed in bed but I would much rather not force him to cater to me unnecessarily. The more I walked, the better I would feel. That was my reasoning. And, I found it to be true. With each step, I was regaining strength. All I needed to do now was put some food in my stomach and I’d be good to go.

Lay turned the corner into another hallway that went off of the one the Seeress’ room was down. The hallway containing the Seeress’ room, as I saw, actually has three other doors that line it. Two of them remained a mystery but the one directly across from the Seeress’ room was the Seeress’ bathroom. Pearl white marble and a dull emerald green and cocoa brown concept was its design. Much too extravagant. So extravagant I used it like I would one that didn’t belong to me. Though, I would have to get used to it, wouldn’t I? The extravagance of the bathroom. The extravagance of this place. The extravagance of the people who lived here.

As I let my mind wander, my body wandered as well. It wandered right into someone, causing me to go bumping into them. The momentum was enough to knock me back, off of my feet that I was just getting the hang of using again. I was caught by the same person I bumped into and my head took a second to stop turning so that I could properly realize who it was.

“You should be more careful.” It was Kris. It was Kris, who was looking down at me with a strict look on his face, his inner thoughts softly scolding me for zoning out. However, that’s not what I paid attention to. I paid more attention to the fact that he hadn’t ended his sentence with Suho’s favorite word. Kris continued his sentence after the brief pause he took to steady me, dashing my hopes that changing their manner would be so easy, “Your highness.”

“Are you feeling alright? I can walk you back to your room and get your breakfast on my own, your highness.” Lay spoke up from beside me, catching the attention of Kris. Kris, who seemed to be angered almost immediately. Only for a moment. He was angry only for a moment as almost immediately, he let out a sigh, letting go of his irritation. And my next words came out due to my own frustration that he was holding back.

“If you’re mad, be mad. I can handle it.”

I can handle his anger. If he wants to raise his voice, he can. I don’t want him to hold back. Because we’re going to be spending a long while together and I don’t want to know the Kris who restrains himself. I want to know the Kris who doesn’t hold back. The real Kris. Not the one who has to put on airs for his Seeress. The same goes for the others.

Kris was surprised. He was more than pleased with my answer as I heard his voice echo inside of my head.

Then forgive me, your highness, for my following actions.

And I discovered how Kris expresses his anger. His frustration. His irritation. It wasn’t what I expected in the least. I was ready for yelling. For more scolding as he had done earlier. But, instead, I felt his hands on either side of my head as he cupped his palms around my ears. He then shook my head back and forth. Lay from beside me cracked a small laugh, as though he had known this was going to happen all along. That Kris would have such an odd way of showing his dissatisfaction with something.

He pursed his lips as he continued to twist my head slightly left and right before stopping, his hands still cupping my ears. This caused his voice seemed softer, his words taking on more of a hushed tone, “Don’t bite off more than you can chew.”

I couldn’t help but crack a smile, “Biting off a piece of anything right about now sounds great.” And both Kris and Lay stifled laughs despite me being completely and utterly serious.

My words seem to be coming back to bite me themselves. 

I gulped down at the sight in front of me. It was something simple. Something simple that took no time at all to prepare. Yet, I was still amazed that it was there. That it existed right in front of me. I had never seen it except for behind a glass barrier. Grapes.

It’s not funny.

There is currently a bowl of green grapes in front of me and my hands are not making a single move towards it.

I’m starving.

But, I don’t dare eat them.

Because I’m not allowed to.

Because it’s a Rank 1 food.

And I am Rank 3.

Seeress of EXO or not, I can’t eat them. Do they even taste good? I’ve never had them before so I wouldn’t know. They certainly looked edible and I’ve heard they're delicious. But, I’m suspicious. I’m suspicious and hesitant and it doesn’t go unnoticed by the person who prepared it for me, D.O.

“Is something wrong?”

He was worried, something that showed on his face as his eyebrows furrowed downwards and he stared at me who was sitting at the kitchen island of this larger than average kitchen. I had come here with the help of Lay and Kris who were called away by Luhan soon after. When I got here, I told him outright how hungry I was and now I wasn’t eating a thing. He had a right to be confused. I was confused myself.

The Guardians of the Tree of Life are important figures on EXO planet, of course they are Rank 1. Of course, they have the ability to acquire delicacies such as grapes. Of course, they are two classes above me. Two classes away, spanning a distance that seemed, as I stared on at the green skinned grapes, to span space itself.

“Do you have any apples?”

Apples. That’s what I was allowed. Apples and oranges. D.O blinked at me a few times, his lips a firm line. I think he realized it just then, as the fluttering of his eyelashes seemed to slow. I think he realized why I asked him for something else. I think he knew. No. I’m sure he knew. His next words confirmed that he, indeed, knew.

“You can eat them. They were not grown by the city.”

What? The Council doesn’t regulate their food supply? Then, how did they get grapes? How did they get the fruit that is so rare to come by that I and almost everyone I know have only heard stories about how it tastes? He answered my question as I voiced it to him, utter disbelief in my voice that I had no intention of hiding.

“Lay, Baekhyun, and Suho grow them. If it’s not meat, we grow it ourselves.” D.O leaned forward over the kitchen island, his hand reaching out and pushing the bowl of grapes closer to me. “So it’s okay, your highness. You can eat them.” A soft smile graced his face all the while, his eyebrows rising upwards as he gestured to them one more time.

He looked silly with such an eager look on his face. He looked silly and I couldn’t help but listen to him. I gave in. I reached out, my fingers skimming the surface of the small, circular fruit. Only a small touch, my fingers feeling the pasty texture of it, its skin slightly dewy as D.O had washed them only moments before. Only a small touch, my throat swallowing the spit that had gathered in my mouth due to my stomach yelling at me to hurry up and eat it, to stop thinking about things. Only a small touch, and I pulled away.

I cursed inside of my head that I couldn’t do it now. But, I promised myself I would. “Next time. Okay?” I promised D.O in my head that I would.

D.O seemed satisfied with my answer as he reached over, removing the grapes from in front of me. I watched him, wondering what he was thinking. Wondering what he thought about my hesitance. If he thought I was silly. If he thought I was being unreasonable. And I let one sneak in, even though I knew I shouldn’t have.

If you’re listening right now, then you’re breaking your promise a lot, your highness.

He knew. He knew and I couldn’t help but laugh slightly, though covered my mouth right after, refusing to give myself away. D.O looked at me, skeptical, before returning the grapes to the fridge and instead going into a drawer and pulling out an apple before closing the door.

He washed it himself before sitting down beside me with a knife in one hand, the apple in the other, and a plate on the counter in front of him. And he began to peel it for me, his fingers handling it with the utmost care. And I was getting impatient as he finished each slice, grabbing it and eating it without hesitation each time he set a new one down onto the plate. He was amused by it. I could tell from the hitch of his lips upwards every time I did it until there was a full smile on his face by the time he finished the fourth slice.

But, I was hungry. I was hungry and I didn’t care. I was hungry and I let my guard down again, hearing D.O’s thoughts in my head once more.

Everything she does is a pleasant surprise.

Well, you’re welcome D.O, for supplying you with entertainment. Entertainment I am glad to provide. Yet another feeling that was as mysterious to me as the feeling of worry I felt for Xiumin and the feeling of attachment I felt for all twelve Guardians.

“Breakfast will be ready soon. So for now, bare with it, your highness.” D.O spoke up, gesturing to the ingredients on the counter that looked half done because I had entered so abruptly. I didn’t even try to hide the smile on my face as I felt my stomach start to come down from its hunger induced topsy-turvy behavior. “Here.” He handed me the last one and I ate it without saying a word. That is, until I finished and muttered a low “Thank you” beneath my breath as I chewed. There was a slight twinkle in his eye and I had to stop myself from figuring out what it meant as he smiled at me, standing up from the kitchen island to discard the thin apple skin peel on the plate in his hand.

“In the meantime, would you like to see the others?”

Xiumin once more returned to the forefront of my mind. It appears as though I would continue to worry about him until he himself was standing in front of me without a single scratch. Not much later, he was. Except, he did have scratches. More than just one or two. More than just two or three. Many in fact. Why? Because today was apparently “Sparring Day.”

A/N:

As of Monday, January 14th, I had twenty six less subscribers to this story than I do now. I'm wondering how in the world you all discovered it all at once. Not only that, so many of you upvoted. Wow, it's amazing to me. It seems as though it's the work of supernatural powers. Is that what it is? Is Kai appearing in your homes via teleportation and suggesting it to you? Is Luhan using telekinesis to make your mouse click the subscribe button? Is Kris flying through the sky with a banner trailing behind him that says to read it? Let's take a moment to imagine that last one. Who says it's shameful to laugh at your own jokes?

Either way, thank you for subscribing and reading everyone! Of course, the comments are much appreciated! As I'm sure you can tell, the next chapter will be much more exciting than this one was (though this one had to be there to get to that one). Look forward to "sparring day" in the next chapter! 

I hope to see you all then!