Beyond the Stars

Chapter 9: New friend

It had been a week since the incident at the palace gates, the day Queen Barbara nearly broke down before me, the day she spoke of her son but stopped short of finishing her story. Since then, life in Caspian had taken on an almost dreamlike rhythm.

Every morning, the maids brought me trays of steaming food fit for a banquet. Every evening, my bed was turned down with lavender tucked under the pillows. If I so much as glanced at something with mild interest, someone would appear to ask if I wanted it. I could not escape the feeling that I was being treated less like a guest and more like a princess.

But I wasn't royalty. I wasn't even from this world. The kindness weighed on me heavily, like a dress that was beautiful but didn't fit right. I accepted the treatment, but my heart whispered over and over that I did not deserve it.

I found comfort in the gardens. Caspian's palace gardens were sprawling, filled with flowers that seemed to bloom brighter than any I'd ever seen, grass that swayed like dancers, and trees that whispered with the wind. Most afternoons, I would sit beneath an arbor, close my eyes, and let the breeze carry me away. Sometimes I imagined the hum of Manila's traffic. Sometimes I imagined the tap-tap of Nanay's footsteps in the kitchen. More often, I missed the glow of my phone screen—the endless comfort of YouTube vlogs, Netflix binges, and MMORPG quests.

One morning, as I sat among the roses, lost in my thoughts, I heard voices rising nearby. Not the usual pair—Baron and Cedric bickering as always—but three.

"The both of you!" a girl's voice snapped. "Are you hiding something from me?"

Her tone was sharp, demanding. I tilted my head, listening. She sounded about my age, fiery and unrelenting.

"N-no, of course not!" Baron stammered.

"We're not hiding anything," Cedric added quickly.

"Don't lie to me," the girl pressed. "Every day we used to hang out at your house, Baron. But this week? Nothing. Not even once. You say it's because the Queen keeps calling you to the castle, but why? What's really going on?"

There was a pause. Then Cedric blurted, "We have to go. She's waiting for us. Goodbye!"

Footsteps hurried in my direction, and before I knew it, the two boys had entered the garden, spotting me instantly. Their faces lit up like guards returning to their post.

"Good morning, Milady," they chorused, bowing with exaggerated seriousness.

I smiled faintly, amused by their theatrics.

But then another voice cut in behind them.

"Aha! I knew you were hiding something from me!"

I stiffened. The girl had followed them. She strode into the garden with the confidence of someone who never doubted her place. Her eyes swept the space—and then landed on me.

Her grin widened, edged with sarcasm. "Oh... hello. How do you do? Are you the reason Baron and Cedric have been ditching me?"

My breath caught. She was bold, too bold. I shrank back, unsure how to respond.

Sensing my unease, Baron and Cedric stepped forward, shielding me with their bodies.

"Don't scare her, Carmen!" Cedric scolded. "She's injured."

"Eh?" The girl—Carmen—blinked innocently. "Did I scare her? I didn't mean to. Sorry." She tilted her head and looked past the boys. "What's your name, Milady?"

"She can't talk," Baron explained gently. "That's her injury."

Understanding flickered in Carmen's eyes. She nodded once, then folded her arms. "Fine. Then tell me who she is, and why she's here."