“Hannah, do you have enough warm clothing? Money? Warm blankets? You know I won´t be there to warm your heart.” I said and smiled brightly.

“I packed everything I have, you threw four blankets into the mix, and how many socks are these even?” She said, pointing at a bag filled with clothing.

“You know they can get wet easily.” I claimed and looked at her sternly.

“… I have a strange sense of déjà vu.” Hannah commented and somehow … I had to agree with her.

“Well … let´s get going then?” I asked kind of awkwardly and picked up the bag with clothing while she took the last remaining one as well. Shoulder by shoulder, we left this deserted mansion for the servants and strode out into the front yard. On the pebble way, there was a lone, unmarked carriage with a very mute person in the driver’s seat. Nodding towards Luke, I stored the bags in the net to the back and opened the door for Hannah. One last time, she turned around and looked at the mansion, the corner of her mouth curving slightly downwards.

“These were some good times.” She muttered and hopped into the carriage shortly afterwards.

“Are you sad that it is coming to an end?” I asked, following after her and closing the door behind me.

“… I don’t know … but I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity you gave me.” She stated as the carriage began to move forwards, away from the place she called her home for a few weeks.

“I see…” We both didn´t know what to say for a rather long time while the carriage scooted across the relatively empty streets out of the noble district eastwards.

“Hannah?”

“Yes?”

“… if you ever need my help, feel free to come back if I woke up. I am sure I could need your support as well.”

“I don’t know if that is your way of saying that you don’t mind me, or something else entirely.” Once again, she asked a question I couldn’t really answer. It was one thing to be close to her to warm me up during the night, but being emotionally attached to her was a no go, not this close before we would part ways.

“I will miss your pillowy powers.” I said and leaned over to her until my head fell into her lap.

“That´s all?” She asked and caressed my cheek.

“Hmm … your desire to do everything for me to meet your parents?” I asked slowly.

“… it honestly doesn’t feel very deserved to meet them right now.” She stated, which made me look up towards her face. She was sad … sadder than I could have ever imagined.

“What makes you think that?” I questioned and furrowed my brows.

“I barely did anything.” She said, clearly not happy that I refused to let her participate in the nightly murders … which was definitely the right decision in hindsight.

“Hey, remember these three harpies? The maids I had in the beginning? You saved me from them. And you changed the minds of quite a few inhabitants in the slums and commoner district. That was all I expected from you, and you did these tasks beautifully.” I stated and smiled towards her.

“That’s because I am an elf, not because of what I can do.” She said, still refusing to meet my gaze.

“Don’t measure yourself at the person you cannot reach in a short time. Don’t compare yourself to the best poets when you just started writing, don’t look at the moon if you try to fly … look at those around you, take the one slightly better than you and beat the shit out of him. You will feel better in no time.” I chuckled loudly and I could see that even Hannah´s mouth curved a bit upwards.

“I somehow get the feeling you mutilated that quote near the end.” She said.

“I did not. Hannah, you have talent. You are smart enough to remember the songs we sang, and you got better with your dagger so that you can even beat a few guards. Even though you didn´t manage to use the magic of this dagger yet, I am sure it is only a matter of time. And maybe, when I wake up in two hundred years, you may actually be better with a dagger than I am right now.” I claimed, even though I couldn’t really imagine it. It would take a lot of effort to keep up with me when I used my vampiric strength which I rarely did.

“Do you truly think so?” She asked, quite surprised about the revelation, and looked downwards at me.

“I hope not … but the possibility certainly exists.” I stated.

“I see…” Once again, the conversation died down as Hannah stared out of the window. More and more houses scooted past us, until the moonlight was blocked for a few seconds, and then revealed itself again. Reluctantly, I sat upright after several minutes and stared at Hannah who refused to meet my gaze.

Standing up in the carriage which was only possible due to my low height, I picked up the attire beneath the bench and dressed in a completely black dress, swung the coat around my shoulders and closed it up at the front.

“Hannah?” I asked, already the door handle in my hand.

“Yeah?” She asked, finally turning towards me with a few tears in her eyes.

“I had fun with you.” I claimed and gave her an honest smile for once.

“Likewise.” She said, wiping the tears away with the sleeve of her dress.

“Make sure to come back if the king cannot find your parents, will you?” I asked and tilted my head slightly.

“Hmm I will … are you really sure everything will go fine?” She asked, even though I already told her a hundred times what she needed to do was going to be easier than a walk in the park.

“Definitely. You have my most powerful ally by your side.” I claimed and opened the door slightly.

“Is that the end? Just like this?” She asked one last time, reaching out to me a bit, until she stopped herself.

“… this is what you wanted Hannah. Your family, your freedom, living without racism … this isn´t the end of anything. It is the beginning of your life.” I said, opened the door and jumped out of the moving carriage. I rolled myself off the ground and stood up using the momentum again.

“I will miss you!” She said, holding the door I just jumped through open and waving out of it. I could only smile back and wave towards her one last time until they turned around the corner, illuminated by a green, godly light. She was the only reason why I could send her into the elven forest with only a single assassin by her side to deliver a letter to the elven king, and to find her family again. And, despite all the odds, I dearly hoped they were alive.

Because with me, she wouldn’t live.

“Wow … this is hard.” I said, barely successfully pushing back my own tears.