The Melody Of Destiny

Chapter 8

Anastasia:

What are you doing? Don't do this. Stop. Stop getting changed. Stop. My mind screams at me but I in all my wisdom don't listen. I throw on some clouthes and tip toe out the room. I quickly but most importantly silently navigate my way out avoiding the guards, sweet talking my way out the palace, and now I'm shivering outside waiting for the Uber. You'd think a summers night would be warmer than this but no. I should have brought a warmer jacket. I should have stayed in bed. The Uber finally arrives but I sure wasn't what he was expecting. But hey he drives ... that is after I showed him the money. I stare out the window as we both simultaneously decide its way too late for fake pleasantries. I swear Allex you're going to owe me big time.

He is such an arrogant, spoilt, brat. An absolute child. Why am I surprised. They are all the same, the whole lot of them. I was stupid to ever think that he'd stay that little boy who hid in the dungeons who only wanted to be a pirate. He hasn't been that boy in a long time. Naïve. Naive that's what I am. Stupid little girl.

Honestly a part of me hates him. I shouldn't. Shouldn't hate him. Hey I shouldn't hate anyone. But all the propaganda, the reverence, the doctrine around the empire it hasn't been enough. I wanted it to be enough. I have lost faith in him a long time ago and that makes me sad. And yet again I was stupid enough to trust him. When will I learn? I was so stupid to think he was different. Why am I going to save him again?

Just say NO. NO. no. It's not that hard.

- But clearly it is.

Tell him what you think. Tell him he hurt you. Tell him you trusted him.

- I can't.

Why! not. Why not. It's your imaginary conversation just tell him.

- I'm afraid of him.

He has never hurt you.

- But he can... he's the next emperor and I'm just me.

It's so much easier to play their game. Say what they want to hear, do as they say. Smile. Nod. Compliment. A compliment can get you a long way. And of course, lie. Lie through your teeth. You're smarter than them they will never admit it, but I know. I know I am smarter than them.

But this is no easy game. Mateo is exceptionally good at it. He plays the prince like a fiddle. He knows how to act the part. He camouflages in so eloquently. I on the other hand stand out like a sore thumb.

We finally arrive at the small coastal town he has managed to wonder into. I walk down the poorly lit streets, looking for him. I am about to call the prince, when I see someone slightly glowing slumped against a dustbin muttering to themselves. Wanna bet that's the prince. Why'd anyone where a glowing suit – do you want to get mugged?

I slowly walk towards him, but he startles swinging a broken bottle in my direction yelling something incoherently. I freeze. I should move but I don't. Suddenly recognising me he starts to smile calling out Ana stumbling towards me. I try and will myself to move, but I'm startled by the crash of glass as he chucks the bottle into the street. Before I can stop him, he practically falls onto me. You got to move Ana, I tell myself but I just stare into his bloodshot eyes, desperately trying not to gag at the stench, emanating off him. The world goes quiet, as a coldness seeps into my bones and my senses heighten. Move. Ana, you got to move. He stumbles slightly and I shove him back throwing him off balance he staggers around nearly tripping over his feet.

Starting to chuckle, he sings my name. "Ana, Ana, they left me, away, alone I, I am alone, drove past, right past me, ingrates!"

Slowly backing up, I stare at him, my heart still pounding. He is strong and drunk, and I am all alone.

He continues to ramble: "You won't leave me, no, no, you're the night, night, like the moon, always there, always there ..."

"What?" I blurt out, confused taken aback by his nonsensical singing. "You're not making any sense."

"Sunshine is darkness, evil, sunshine's gone, gone, left me. Can't you see Ana, Sunshine is gone!" He rambles frustrated. "He took my phone, took my watch, took it all, gone, gone, stolen like a pirate, I wanted to be a pirate." He rambles.

I don't have time for this. I don't have time to think back to him stumbling into me drawing on the dungeon floors when we were just kids. How he'd dress up like a pirate and we'd raid the kitchens. How he hated being called prince but still insisted I call him captain. Because of course that's what I think of right now. Focus Ana. I push away the flood of memories trying to figure out what happened. "You lost your phone... or did you throw it at someone again?" I ask stifling a yawn.

"Took." He shouts. "An ingrate, commoner, but I, I... he pauses, what did I do? He asks, holding his head, now staring transfixed at the flickering lamp post.

He's hurt. I stare at the small flakes of blood dried against his head. Instinctively I reach out wanting to help him, but I can't seem to move as he stands there talking to himself, his eyes dilated and wide, his jacket torn, hands scraped. He looks so lost, so confused, so sad. Finally moving I walk away from the road. It takes him a while, but he notices I'm walking away, and he trails behind me still rambling about Sunshine and Ozias.

"I'm hungry!", he suddenly blurts out.

I laugh, I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't that and before I can stop myself, I blurt out: "Like, you've ever been hungry."

He stares back slightly bewildered before shaking his head: "Stuck up! Stuck up!, So stuck up."

"Excuse me?" I exclaim annoyed.

"Selfish, shellfish, selfish spoilt, brat." he exclaims staring at me his eyes darting around.

"I'm selfish?" I ask flabbergasted. "You're the one neglecting your responsibilities, where are your shadows, prince Alexander?"

"I want to be free!" he yells catching me off guard. Why's the guy always yelling about something.

"You're the prince, Alexander." I retaught tired, tired of this night, tired of this nonsense.

"I'm all alone." He whines.

"Did you even think what would happen to Benjamin and Mateo?" I ask.

But he doesn't care. "What about me..." whines the prince. "Always on their side, so judgy!". "Judge, jury, sentenced to ghosting." "Ghosted me, you ghosted me!" He yells again – seriously dude volume button.

"Alexander! shut up! You're going to get the military called on us." I yell a little too loud – great now I'm yelling.

"Good!" He exclaims.

"No bad, very bad, no one expects a prince looking ..." I pause "well like you." I say begging he'd listen.
I expect him to argue, to shout, but instead, he sinks down onto the ground, muttering: "never on my side."

"We used to be friends." he says.

"Friends." I scoff.

"When last did you laugh at my jokes," he asks. "You scowl, like a cat, stuck up cat." He says not making any sense – I swear if this guy calls me a cat one more time."

"Your jokes aren't funny anymore." I say.

He keeps rambling, hardly making sense, but I tune him out thinking about him as a little kid. He was always pulling pranks, always trying to scare the servants. He once dyed the pool red and pretended to be dead. That was hilarious. He couldn't understand how him floating in a pink pool, with green flippers, and a snorkel didn't fool anyone. I still jumped in after him, though. He pulls me out of my thoughts, clapping his hands exclaiming: "Are you even listening?"

I just stare back at him. To think I had a crush on him. I don't know what I was thinking. He could never love me, a commoner. Royals stick with their own kind. It's an actual law. Yet I was the naive little girl who believed him when he said I was different. Now I'm glad I dodged that bullet...... I cried for days. I used to dream about the life we never had, him sticking by my side, standing up for me when the Emperor comes prowling. Stop it! Ana, what are you doing? Why does he always do this to you. You've got a brain use it... but it's Allex... Seriously Ana stop this, don't fall into the trap not again.