The Asters of Ogaza

23

                The third day of the games had come, and the both clans were neck and neck in the tug of war game. The Fire Clan won. Zina was still distant and disoriented, very much sad about losing her sketch book that she had written 5 whole pages of letters to Pa, stained with actual tear marks. She was also doing very well at avoiding Amare, who was secretly asking every Aster if they had seen any sketch book lying around. They hadn’t.

          He had gone out on his own, to scan through Point 4. But it wasn’t the same without Zina. In fact, Point 4 wasn’t all covered in trees and forests like the others were. It was more like an abandoned small town, or settlement. Like everybody who used to live there just decided to . . . up and leave. Small houses and sheds were littered around in no particular arrangement, and he could swear that that part of town was hotter than every other place.

          He walked around for a bit, feeling void without Zina and her quickness to respond to his jokes and taunting, how she’d bite her lower lip when she was frustrated or thinking, her busy hands coloring rocks, or slapping his arm, depending on what conversation they’re having at the moment. The way her eyes would get all hopeful and excited every time they went past a Point, and her smile would be almost as big as Angel’s, but more beautiful that it would make him smile too. Or his own eyes would watch her when she wasn’t looking, her cloak enveloping her, making her tinier than she really was, his heart doing a foreign dance when she comes too close to him, or reaches out to touch him for whatever reason. Her presence was now as important to him as the entire mission. He returned to the Palace, counting down to the days she would find her sketch book and run into the woods with him again.

          “Your Majesty,” Marjani and Jael bowed when they saw Crown Prince Taye come out of the Palace residence. His carriage was already set and waiting for him.

          “Asters,” he gave them a curt nod, patting their shoulders with his feathery fan, not displaying his ‘I’m confident and going to rule over North Ogaza in no time. I may also steal your heart too’ smile. “Having a good day?”

          Jael shook her head in the most dramatic way possible, a gloomy expression clouding her face. “Not at all, Your Majesty.”

          He crossed his hands behind him, wrinkling his forehead as he looked between the girls. “Is anything the matter?”

          Marjani heaved deeply, like the weight of North Ogaza was on her shoulders. Ironic, as she was standing before the person who actually had all that weight on his shoulders. “Well, yes, Your Majesty. But we don’t want to bother you with—”

          “Nonsense,” he made a dismissing wave with his right hand. “You may be Asters, but you are also citizens. And you are my priority. Remember that you’re standing before the Crown Prince. What is the matter?”

          “It’s the Princess,” Marjani said and the Crown Prince’s ears perked up with more interest. “She’s been a little . . .odd, especially since she remained locked in her quarters for three days.” Marjani briefly thought about mentioning the argument she had heard between them, but decided against it. That would ruin her plans and make the Princess mad at her.

          “I’m not exactly sure how I can help make her feel better. Or at least bring back the Princess Haile we used to know. So . . . I thought coming to you would be easier, since you’re her brother and you know how best to get to her.”

          Crown Prince Taye sighed, completely blinded to the crafty show the girls were putting up. The pawn that he was in their tiny game.

          “That is nice of you, to worry about her. It shows how much you’re learning from your training, about kindness and camaraderie, which is what we live by in North Ogaza. But, I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about. I would drop by when I return and see how she’s doing.”

          Marjani’s face lit up. “You will?” She searched through the bag she was holding and brought out a small box wrapped in linen. “Give this to her. She’d know when she opens it.” She blushed and Crown Prince Taye studied her for a moment, before taking the box. “Give it to her yourself.” She placed emphasis on ‘yourself’, bobbing her head.

          He wondered how he would do that. His sister had already banished every form of him from stepping foot in her quarters, and would cause a scene if he actually showed up there. “I will. We appreciate your concern,” he said, before getting into his carriage and giddyuping away.

          Marjani squealed, pulling Jael in for a tight hug that restricted her airflow.

          “Okay, okay. don’t try to kill me because you’re excited,” she pulled away, watching Marjani half dancing from the excitement. She scrunched her face. “You know, you can be honest with me, right?”

          “Am I not honest with you?” Marjani smiled.

          “Not completely. You’ve never told me what is so . . . spectacular about the Princess that gets you this excited. You’re never even excited to see me.”

          “Everything! Everything is spectacular about her, and it’s impossible not to love her,” Marjani’s eyes were dreamy. “With the gifts and your sketch book plan which seems to be working really well, I’d be able to make Princess Haile look away from Zina, and see me. Really see me.”

          “You’re giving her brother gifts and a handwritten note to take to her. It feels like you’re trying to woo her and propose. Again, questionable.”

          “Jael, what if I am?” Jael could see that look in her friend’s eyes, the thrill in her body. She wasn’t exactly sure what it was with the whole ‘try to impress the Princess’ thing, but her friend was gone. Far, far gone.

                                                                                            ****

          Amare went to the only place he knew nobody would look for him. No Angel and his sweetness and constant care, Zina wouldn’t even bother, for obvious reasons. He needed to think. About a lot of things. His Dada’s wedding, which would ultimately mean a newer, more distant life for the both of them, plans for a life outside the Asters, after the Obsidian. He had shoved all of these deep in the part of his mind where he kept unwanted thoughts, paying attention to only the mission, Zina and Angel. But you can’t run away from these things for too long. They come knocking when you think you’ve successfully swallowed the key.

          Getting there though, he saw her. Scalp glinting, back slouched, knees to her chest. Her couldn’t see he face, but he knew it was pensive. He sat, keeping a fine distance between them. When Zina saw him, she scoffed like he had ruined her mood and got up.

          “What is your problem, Amare? How many more times do you want me to ask you not to follow me?”

          Amare didn’t look at her when he said, “Technically, you followed me here. I was first at Bones when you came to ask me about the Obsidian.” He looked at her now. “Remember?”

          She did, so she crouched back down and sat, drawing her knees to her chest again. All the thinking Amare had hoped to do were jumbled up now, with Zina a few meters away from him. His mind was being adamant on not just worrying about himself, but about her too. He was going to ask if she was doing okay, but his ego was too inflated, especially after she told him off in front of everybody. He just realized that he had the right to be mad at her, but he didn’t know why she was mad at him.

          Crazy, how much they’ve grown on each other, when in the first three days of being Asters, they were bent on killing each other.

          “I heard,” Zina said, and even though Amare’s heart was doing a 360 somersault, he kept his voice as cool and nonchalant as possible.

          “Heard what?” he asked. His voice could as well be a shrug.

          “That you’ve been asking everyone if they’ve seen my sketch book. Niko came to ask me if I’ve seen your sketchbook, of course, not knowing that it’s actually mine. Thanks.”

          Crap, Niko. Why did he have to ask her? I didn’t want her to know. “I really hope you find it,” he said, and the swooshing of hot air remained the only sound between them.

          “Why exactly, am I supposed to avoid you?” he swallowed. At least they were the only ones here. If she flipped on him again, it may be a bit bearable.

          “Oh, you’re asking me? What if I give you a careless answer?” she emphasized the careless and Amare smirked. So that’s really what this is about?

          “You’re still hung up on that?”

          She shifted her body towards him. “You said that I was careless, Amare. Like I would”—she gestured randomly with her hands— “just decide on my own to throw away the one thing that reminds of me the life I have. Of home. Of the future that could come alive when we cross the Obsidian. Do you really think that I would want to lose that book, after everything we’ve been through? That was an unfair thing to say to me.”

          “That’s the reason,” he shifted his body towards her too. “We’ve been through so much, too much to let it crumble now, when we have just three Points to scale before we’re looking the Obsidian in the eye. I was . . .worried. Afraid. We’re in the Palace, any hand that book gets into is automatically a wrong hand. They’d fish us out, question us. And who know—who knows what would happen then?” They held each other’s gaze for a moment, and Zina broke it off.

          “I’m sorry, vulture. I shouldn’t have said you were careless. I know how much that book means to you. It means so much more than this . . .escapade. This adventure. Saying that to you was insensitive.”

          His eyes were saying his was sorry too. Zina nodded, “It’s . . .fine. I may have put a lot of anger on you too. More than you deserved. I feel naked, empty without that sketchbook.”

          “We’d find it,” he said with certainty, like he knew exactly where it was. “And yes, you put a lot more anger on me than I deserved. You even pushed me away in front of everybody.”

          “I’m sorry about that. I was just, and still am disorganized by the whole thing. It feels like my life jut got turned upside down overnight. I look at Pa and Zo’s portrait every night before I sleep. I didn’t have anything to look at last night. It hurt.”

          “Well, if it helps, could look at my face every night instead.”

          “Gross!” Zina said, and just like that, they were laughing again.

          “How’s your leg? Better?” she nodded. “I could . . .massage it. If you want. I mean, you should count it a privilege to have me even offer to massage them.”  Zina rolled her eyes, but her tummy was breeding many, many butterflies. And Amare, his offer made him hot. Everywhere.

          Being in proximity with each other, the unconscious skin grazes, shoulder swatting or playful punches. It was doing a lot of things to their mind, the way they saw each other. And it wasn’t just the physical contact. It was the silly bickerings, the vulnerability, baring their wounds without always holding back, seeing each other at their hardest and lowest. The difficult, yet comforting conversations they had, the way they couldn’t sustain arguing and avoiding each other for too long, the glances they stole when the other wasn’t looking. Everything seemed to be changing. Gradually.

          “We’re going to find your sketchbook, and get your life back together. And maybe . . .clothe your nakedness while we’re at it.” She faux–glared at him and he shrugged. “What? You were the one who said you were naked without it, not me.”

          She chuckled and shook her head. Typical Amare. “I do have a strong feeling that those girls have something to do with it.”

          “I told you, didn’t I?”

          “Don’t rub it in,” she snapped and Amare snorted.

          “Whoever has it, we’d get it back from them before anything we can’t control happens. Okay?” Amare said and Zina nodded. He wasn’t just assuring her; he was assuring himself too.

          “Miss Anfari and Master Steves?” they craned their necks together, to see a Royal guard was watching them.

          “Yes?” Amare said.

          “I have looked everywhere for you two,” he sighed, like he had actually walked the lengths and breadths of the Palace looking for them. “Master Poja and the Princess want to see you both.”

          Their hearts ran right into their mouths. So much for assurances.

          “W—why?” Zina stuttered. “Are we in trouble?”

          The Royal guard sucked his teeth. “I can’t say for sure. But the Princess looked agitated. And, you know you can never tell what emotion Master Poja is feeling. He has the same expression through and through.”

          Zina and Amare stared at each other, their eyes saying everything their mouths couldn’t muster the courage to. Their mentors needed to see the both of them, without Angel, and not just one of them. The two. That could only mean one thing.