I'm not the only one.

It wasn't much time before Tic realized where he was again, hearing a door shut and the pats of several footsteps closing in. He waited a few moments, then rose, before whoever had entered could try to touch -- to wake him. As he brought his feet to the floor, he saw that they were only maids, and his heart calmed. He had been worrying about something else, wondering why he still might have a purpose here. But he breathed, pressing himself off the bed and standing with a slight stagger.

The tire in him dulled his senses for a moment, and he blinked his sight clear, hoping the servants wouldn't notice. Their minds were curious, aching to know more about the boy that Larkin had so secluded. But Tic wasn't about to reveal anything, to anyone; not anymore.

"What's wrong with your nose?" one of the younger, prettier maids suddenly injected the air.

Tic gasped quietly, bringing a hand to his face. He looked down, and quickly rubbed the dry blood away, uttering a soft sound of hesitance. The women stared further, but disregarded his peculiarity for the moment. They moved again; one to the bed, another to tidy the sheets, the rest to guide him out of the bedroom.

He was unsure of where he was being brought, and was slightly reluctant as he found himself in the baths again. But it was better, he thought, better than other places he could've been. Better, but not the best, as he knew he still longed to return to the underground. The familiar warmth of the water washed over him, especially soothing now, cleansing him of a certain rotten feeling.

"Do you know of the ball.. ?" one of the older maids asked him through the mist, after talking quietly with the others. She was holding him by the arm and running a soft sponge along it. He winced at the touch, gently shaking his head, and wondering why he would need to know of such a thing.

The sponge paused for a second, then continued down his neck. "Oh. Well, you're going to be there," he felt her smiling slightly, ".. all those governors, all dressed up .. "

Tic gaped slightly, and flinched again at the touch. What was he going to be doing at a ball? He'd never been to such a thing, not even close. It was even worse that he was a prisoner, being forced into it. The sudden burden of thought gave him a wild idea -- was this his chance to escape? It didn't last long, though, washed away with the water that dripped over his head, as he remembered he was just one person. One person who had betrayed an entire society, and had almost given himself away; all to protect a girl, who really wasn't even in any of the danger he was threatened with. And why was he even being brought to this event? Was he significant enough now that.. ?

The bath was soon over; shorter than he'd wanted it to be, his thoughts still unable to focus themselves. He was taken out and given something loose to wear, then lead back into the dusty chamber. He stood idly as the women moved, watching as they searched through the closet for something. They finally came out, holding an outfit that seemed so alien to Tic. It was pale, rich and elegant, with long wide sleeves, and pants to match.

"You'll be wearing this to the ball," the lead maid spoke again, taking it and walking past him to the bed. She laid the outfit out upon it as the other servants waited at the doorway, flattening it out neatly. "Don't put it on now; we'll come later to assist you."

She raised her head as she spoke, glancing at Tic for a moment, looking him over. He could feel the others' eyes on him too, and he felt a bit awkward, as though they knew something he didn't want them to. She shifted her eyes away, and joined the rest of the maids at the doorway, leaving.

Tic stood for a moment longer, watching as the door was shut by the heavily clad guard just outside, trapping him once more. He turned to the bed, placing his hand against the flattened sheets, and paused. He suppressed a shudder, remembering something he wanted to forget, and sat, assuring himself of something else.