Chapter 52
1546 Words
CHAPTER 52
The queen asked Sphyra to go to the garden. The black sky filled with igniting stars gave lit to the dark surrounding. Sphyra did not know what’s waiting for her outside. What she knew is that everyone’s sleeping except for her, Queen Amira, and Zonia.
She crossed her arms, walked around the plant boxes. At least she’s wearing the flame-resistant clothes that Aragorn gave her to protect herself from being vulnerable to other people. She wasn’t a firefly that was igniting while trudging around. She looked like a simple woman wandering around.
She hummed music. Music without lyrics, but it was a song for the night. The song tackles how peaceful the night is without worries and doubts that danger was around.
As soon as she sat on a plant box, she heard a man calling her name. A baritone, lovely, and exciting voice. She knew who that man was because she smiled.
“Aragorn,” she muttered his name. She saw him in the distance, holding a torch, also smiling. His attractive face was clearly visible to her. She couldn’t help but trudge towards him. “What are you doing in here?”
“My mother said she saw a person in the garden. I didn’t think it was you.”
“Because your mother said so. And I think this is the plan that she was telling me yesterday.”
“What plan?” he asked. They both sat on a plant box of tulips. “You and mother have a plan?”
“She’s the only one who planned this. She said we should spend a night or hour alone while the four of you are here. I told her that It would create issues when other servants saw us. She said she has a plan and I should trust her. I didn’t know that the plan is this; spending the night with you when everyone’s asleep.”
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“Why are you apologizing?” She turned to him with her lips pursed.
“My mom did this. I hope it didn’t bother you.”
It doesn’t bother me at all, she thought, but she did not say it aloud. “It doesn’t matter. I missed the times when the two of us were enjoying in the forest.” Nothing changed between the two of them. They were still destined to kill each other, but now they were in Aragorn’s space.
“I miss it too. So, how should we spend the night.”
“Queen Amira said she’s looking out for us. She’s with Zonia, and she said she’s on our back when everything else fails. Is the king not inside?”
“He’s in the palace of Jude for a conference. You know, palaces were initiating war when they thought they will benefit from their people. The palace of Caspian was always on the side of the defense. The previous kings and queens did not want to initiate a war. They said peace should always be their choice.”
“I like it. I like to live in a place where there are no bad people, and there is no war.”
“And it doesn’t exist.” Aragorn laughed. She blew air to the torch to kill its light. “I think it’s better.”
“It is. When someone peeks through their window, they might see a torch in the garden and thought you’re the one who’s causing a fire in the palace.”
“And moonlight is a better source of light. I don’t know what we should do in this place while waiting to go back inside. My mother said we should go back at midnight.”
“It is when the moon’s above us, right?”
Aragorn nodded. “Yes. But the moon’s too far from midnight. Mother said we shouldn’t go back earlier or later than midnight. We should go back at exactly midnight.”
“I hope the two of us won’t feel sleepy. Do you sleep early?”
“I usually sleep before midnight. But let’s try sleeping after it. Maybe we could really enjoy the night.”
“I hope we can. If it wasn’t my fire, it was your identity that stops us from being free. I am the phoenix, and you’re the prince. No one dares to get close to me because they believed I’m dangerous. And every one that gets close to you will cause an issue.” She should’ve said it, but she didn’t. Instead, she pursed her lips and asked a new question. “Why do you think Queen Amira asked us to spend the night together?”
She thinks I like you, Aragorn thought. “I don’t know either. Do you know?”
Sphyra shrugged. “She said because we’re friends, and we should spend time with each other. She even asked me to be the one to cook food for you, but I don’t know how to cook. At least she changed her mind and asked Lolita to cook. Servants might despise me if I roasted everything that we have in the palace.”
Aragorn chuckled at her. “At least they tasted a roasted meat that you cooked.”
“It doesn’t taste that great. Burn, and I were the only ones who are enjoying what I cook.”
“At least you enjoy it. It means that it tastes great.”
“No. I just don’t have a choice, and Burn likes everything that’s meat.”
“By the way, where’s Burn?” Aragorn asked. “Is the dog doing well here?”
“It’s eating twice the food that I am offering back in the palace. In the first few days, Burn would be sleeping and staying outside because she’s chained. But now, she’s staying inside my room or Queen Amira’s room without a chain. In the morning, we chain him in the garden. She might get lost if we don’t.”
“You should’ve brought her here.”
“I could have, but Queen Amira that I should not bring anyone with me. And Burn is in the king and queen’s room tonight. Let’s not talk about the dog. Let’s talk about your days in the Garden of Pleas. How’s the training?”
“We don’t train that much, but we were taught how to dodge attacks from the enemies. We don’t know if rebels are going back to your place. When we checked your cave, there’s nothing inside it. The rebels might’ve stolen the food stocks that I brought you there. It doesn’t matter, though. At least you’re safe.”
“I’m glad that you’re safe also.”
Their conversation deepened as they talk about each other’s lives while they were far from each other. They spoke about how Hideo was pursuing Lolita. They thought he was madly in love with her. It wasn’t forbidden in the palace for a warrior to fall in love with a servant. It was only Lolita who doesn’t want that. She’s afraid of the judgments and consequences she’s about to face, they thought.
“What do you play on your childhood?” Sphyra asked. “I bet you have every toy in the palace.”
“I don’t play that much. I am always with my grandmother. She tells stories to me, and when I play, my uncles and older cousins taught me how to use weapons. I can still remember being scolded by them. They said I am a fool for not knowing how to use those weapons. How about you?”
“I don’t have friends, and I stay most of the time inside our cave. I play with leaves and flowers. But there’s this game that I want to play with someone. I saw kids back then, and they were chasing each other. They seemed so happy. I think I’m going to enjoy it if I’m going to play it with someone.”
“Do you want to play it with me?” He glanced at the sky. “It isn’t midnight. We still have time.”
“We’re already too old for that. And I like having conversations with you. But I think it would be fun. So, you should chase me.” Sphyra stood up and took steps away from Aragorn.
Aragorn also stood up, hands on his hips. “I don’t know if I can chase you. But we shouldn’t leave this garden. I can’t risk going in the forest.”
“Sure.” Sphyra grinned. Light gleamed from her teeth.
Aragorn tried to step towards her. It startled Sphyra, but she wasn’t caught. When Aragorn dashed towards her, she ran as fast as she could. She jumped from plant boxes, avoiding the plants that the queen was preserving. They were laughing while chasing each other. Sphyra even teased Aragorn for being slow and for not pursuing a woman like her. But Aragorn became fast; he was getting closer to Sphyra until he caught her. Her back leaned on his chest.
Silence. Silence. Silence. They stared at each other. Silence. Silence. Silence. Beauty reflected from their face. Silence. Silence. Silence. The moon was already above the two of them. It’s midnight.
- Writer
